Cut the clamp: General Industry Coverage

END USER: Potomac Photonics Inc., (888) 919-1303, www.potomac-laser.com.
CHALLENGE: Increase part quality and productivity when deep-cavity micromachining while achieving tight tolerances.
SOLUTION: A heat-activated, wax-based compound for holding parts.
SOLUTION PROVIDER: Mitee-Bite Products LLC, (800) 543-3580, www.miteebite.com.

Potomac Photonics Inc. is no stranger to small stuff. The Baltimore-based company has provided micromachining services to the medical, electronic, aerospace and automotive industries, among others, since 1982. However, a polymeric part about 0.5 mm (0.02 “) in diameter and 5mm (0.19 “) deep presented unique challenges. The part needed to be machined from both sides, necessitating a strong, but low-temperature and easily removable workholder that would allow the company to maintain the specified diameter tolerances of ±5µm (0.0002 “).

According to Amir Harandi, Ph.D., senior R&D engineer at Potomac, when micromachining the part with a CNC micromill with a 50,000-rpm spindle and an Excimer laser, the company tried various workholders, such as mechanical fixtures and water-soluble glues, before finding the answer in a workholding product from Mitee-Bite Products LLC, Center Ossipee, N.H.

“Amir contacted us regarding a process machining very small parts they wished to improve upon,” said Andrew Arsenault, marketing and sales assistant at Mitee-Bite. “They experimented with a number of options, but were unable to find a solution producing consistent results. They found our Mitee-Grip compound online and were intrigued by what this material might be able to provide. We sent samples and recommendations for use and Potomac grabbed the ball and developed an innovative design encapsulating their material in the Mitee-Grip compound, capturing the entire part and allowing intricate operations without part movement or distortion.”

The polymeric micropart fixtured in its polymer plate using Mitee-Grip compound from Mitee-Bite Products. (Needle shown for size reference.) Image courtesy Potomac Photonics.