Product category:
Chucks and collets for rotational work
News Release from: Pratt Burnerd International | Subject: Programmable Power Chuck
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 06 March 2006
Programmable power chuck maximises CNC
benefits
A programmable power chuck enables users of CNC lathes and turning, mill/turn centres to harness and realise the full power of CNC turning and machining at an affordable and realistic cost.
Efficient production is the by-word of competing successfully with cheaper imports, which is why Pratt Burnerd International is launching the first-available production Programmable Power Chuck (PPC) First UK showing of the new PPC, which was launched at EMO in September 2005, will be at MACH 2006
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 23 Jun 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Programmable power chuck reduces set-up times
Programmable power chuck, that provides far greater versatility and a significant reduction in setting up times, will be shown at the UK's Productivity Partnership in the North exhibition.
Chuck offers wider versatility and shorter set-ups
Offering a jaw stroke of more than 50mm per jaw, when compared with the typical power chuck of 5mm, a programmable power chuck provides greater versatility and reduction in setting up times.
The PPC will be demonstrated under power on Pratt Burnerd stand and will also be on show on a lathe on the 600 Group stand.
Sympathetic to the difficulties its customers face, Pratt Burnerd's design engineers sought to resolve a problem which has existed almost since the inception of CNC lathes, that of harnessing and realizing the full power of the CNC at an affordable and realistic cost.
After extensive field trials, the company has developed a production PPC which provides a minimum pay-back time.
Further reading
Machine CNC controls chuck clamping force
Clamping force is controlled through the machine tool's controller in a geared programmable power chuck allowing the safe operating speed can be more than twice that of a conventional chuck.
High speed power chuck is programmable
The production version of a radical new programmable power chuck is equipped with a high ratio gear box that enables it to operate at high spindle speeds and low torque.
Program chuck jaw movements and gripping force
Patented programmable powered chuck at MACH 2002, allows the control of jaw stroke, jaw engagement/ retraction start/stop, gripping force and speed of movement to be program-controlled.
The PPC significantly reduces set up and change over times, has both high accuracy and repeatability (25 micron TIR), has a very wide jaw movement (50mm per jaw), and which eliminates the problems associated with hydraulic chuck systems.
Unlike conventional power chucks, the new Pratt Burnerd's PPC is fully integrated with and programmable through the lathe's controller and does not depend on a hydraulic cylinder.
This eliminates the problems associated with a hydraulic system, such as the power consumption (often as much as 3kW) which reduces spindle torque and power, the inaccuracies caused by the temperature gradient created along the spindle and the reduced cycle times due to hydraulic inertia.
It also significantly reduces the space required.
The PPC is based on a traditional scroll chuck design, so has a much wider jaw movement than a normal power chuck, up to 50mm compared with only about 5mm.
The jaw setting process is also significantly easier and faster.
A quick jaw change is standard.
The PPC was conceived, designed and developed entirely by Pratt Burnerd's engineers and is manufactured at the company's plant in Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Commenting, general manager Peter Simms said: "This is another first to our credit, and is evidence of our efforts to identify customer-requirements and respond to them.
We maintain a substantial team of experienced design engineers to ensure that we can create new concepts in workholding which are valuable in the production environment." Also on show on the Pratt Burnerd stand at MACH will be the High Speed Quick Change Chuck.
Developed to meet the productivity demands of the current production environment, paybacks achieved in less than six months and can be as little as three months for companies with small or medium batch work.
Massive time saving is achieved because the jaws can be pre-set off the machine, while the machine is cutting, using a duplicate set of base jaws supplied with the chuck.
Base and top jaw assemblies are simply exchanged as one unit, minimising change over time.
The counterbalance feature on the chuck negates the effect of centrifugal force, up to speeds of up to 6000 rev/min, allowing higher feed rates and larger depths of cut.
The Setrite feature provides for very accurate second operation work.
Disengagement of the jaw assembly is achieved by inserting a key in the release mechanism of the chuck periphery and rotating it one half turn.
On returning the key to its original position, the replacement jaw is simply locked in the chuck.
The Pratt Burnerd High Speed Quick Change Chuck can be fitted to virtually all models of lathe as it can utilise most existing cylinders and drawtubes, including short stroke versions.
Different base jaw styles permit the use of existing top tooling, minimising the investment cost.
It is available in a range of chuck sizes from 165-660mm.
* Pratt Burnerd at MACH 2006, NEC, Birmingham, UK, May 15-19, Hall 4, Stand 4101.
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