Toolholding & Workholding

New captive locating screws and captive jig pins from Carr Lane Mfg. Co. are quick-acting, all-in-one assemblies to keep all tooling right at hand. Both assemblies have a precision-ground body that is positively retained in a locking bushing, with a spring clip that snaps into the body's radial groove.

Stanek Tool LLC, New Berlin, Wis., a manufacturer and employee-owned business specializing in the design and production of complex hydraulic workholding fixtures and precision machined components, appointed Kevin Lichtenberg CEO.

Kurt's new pneumatic zero-point clamping system runs on existing shop air readily available in every machine shop. The Kurt DockLock Airline system is a high precision system, which can reduce setup time over 90 percent by rapid change-out of large and small machine fixtures.

The mood of MFG Day, the annual celebration of U.S. manufacturing that took place Oct. 6, doesn't cease after the plant tours and information sessions end and the participating students, parents and educators head home.

END USER: Premier Industries, (763) 786-4020, www.premierind.us. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Horn USA Inc., (888) 818-HORN, www.hornusa.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce cycle times, extend tool life and impart finer surface finishes when parting off parts for pressure regulators. SOLUTION: A modular toolholding system.

Parallel Keepers - Separators are available from Sta-put123.com. They are hardened and ground, plated, 0.0002" flat, and parallel.

Kurt's new KHU6 hydraulic unit comes ready with both single- and double-acting capabilities providing a convenient option to the users preferred clamping method. Single-acting method uses hydraulic clamping and spring return for unclamping. Double-acting capability uses both hydraulics to clamp and unclamp for faster, more precise setup.

Lexair's new Flex Grip closers are designed for versatility and efficiency, and they are proven to boost productivity for a variety of machining operations including 5-axis, rotary indexer and stationary applications. The manual/hydraulic closers are clamped through a screw pump with a spring return opening.

WDS Component Parts Ltd. has extended its offering of medium-tensile T-bolts with the addition of a forged steel option that provides more strength and wear resistance than mild steel. These are aimed at applications where the high strength of low-alloy, high-tensile steel bolts is not appropriate.

If you're lucky, the veterans in your shop will take a rookie aside and pass on their hard-won knowledge of good machining practices. Most of this information is priceless. But some of it … not so much. For example, there are a lot of myths about balancing out there that, if not refuted, can cost your operation a lot of lost time and money.

Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Kurt designed and optimized the new XL6 XtraLong vise to be better performing than its predecessor vise the 640XL. Boasting a 14.50" opening, the XL6 manual vise clamping capacity is .50" more than the 640XL vise and accomplishes the increase even while the over length was reduced by .42" to 24.10".

Top jaws should be designed to hold the workpiece as close to the chuck face as possible. Excessive jaw height reduces the effective gripping force available and is detrimental to accuracy.