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Vices, chucks, towers, pillars, cubes, tombstones - prismatic work
News Release from: Thame Workholding | Subject: Lang Makro Grip vice
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 September 2007
Vice gives repeatability and saves
material
Vice gripping system produces precise, contoured indentations in the raw material, which engage with a matching pattern on the jaws in a vice to lock the material in place.
Thame Workholding is distributing The Lang Makro Grip vice in the UK and Ireland The vice design imparts up to 20 tonf (200kN) of clamping force yet requires just 3mm of the workpiece to give a rigid fixing
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 26 Feb 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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The system relies on Lang's Grip Fix stamping system to produce precise, contoured indentations in the raw material.
These engage with a matching pattern on the jaws in the Makro Grip vice to lock the material in place.
Markings on the jaws and the castellated indentations make lateral alignment simple, achieving repeatability within +/-0.02mm.
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Clamping is confined to 3mm of the billet.
Not only does this save material, but it also allows access to more of the component in one setting.
This makes it easier to achieve one hit machining and also perform complex 5-axis operations without interference with the tool or its holder.
To optimise repeatability and accuracy, clamping force can be regulated using a torque wrench.
This ensures the workpiece will not be distorted through over tightening yet will provide clamping rigid enough for the heaviest machining operations.
To add to its versatility the vice can be fitted with soft jaws.
These are up to 40mm thick, big enough to accommodate most machined contours and hold awkward parts securely.
The Makro Grip is constructed with a hardened light weight base for easy handling and stability, and a TIN coated spindle for maximum wear resistance.
The clamping bolts in the base are designed for precise alignment in Lang's Zero-point camping system, simplifying machine setting and eliminating the possibility of error.
However, adaptors are also available to fit other systems including Erowa and System 3R.
Vice sizes are available for parts ranging between 0 and 300mm and each size has reversible jaws to maximize working capacity.
Maurice Day, sales director at Thame Workholding said, "Makro Grip provides users with the technology to save material, and at the same time achieve robust and repeatable workpiece clamping".
"This makes it ideal for many applications including the machining of electrodes and the manufacture of aerospace components".
* About Thame Workholding - with a history dating back to 1946, Thame Workholding specialises in all types of innovative workholding equipment.
The company is unique in the UK in that most of its products are designed and manufactured at its ISO 9001/2000 accredited factory in Buckinghamshire.
Thame Workholding has representation in Germany through its subsidiary company HWR Spanntechnik, as well as reseller partners worldwide.
The company also distributes workholding and automation products from Lang Technik throughout the UK and Ireland.
In addition to the distribution agreement, both companies collaborate on product development and technological innovation.
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