Knob Knowledge
What you need to know about retention knobs.
Operation / Process
Toolholding & Workholding
Top Choices
Designing and machining top jaws for precision chucking applications.
Balancing Act
A balanced toolholder is essential when high-speed machining.
Clamped Tight
Choosing the best clamping method.
Solid Contact
The advantages of dual- and triple-contact toolholding systems for high-speed machining.
No-Fly Zone
An effective chuck maintenance program clears the air of flying parts.
The Enduring Role of Collets in Modern Workholding
A look at the collet--the 'other' workholding device. Even though collets' roots are firmly planted in the past, they remain an integral part of today's tooling designs.
Rocket Science 101: Workholding
Proper fixturing is critical when machining aerospace components.
Squeeze Play
The use of shrink-fit toolholders continues to grow, mainly because, compared to conventional holders, they secure tools more tightly and extend the life of cutting tools. Article includes an overview of available systems and comments from users of shrink-fit holders.
Holding On
Discussion of different types of toolholders for lathes, including collets, drill chucks, bushings and keyless chucks. Author discusses best holder for different applications, based on his experiences.
Air Power
Vacuum chucks can be useful for holding parts that are thin, irregularly shaped, large and flat or easily marred. This article describes the components and machining required to build a vacuum chuck in-house. Accompanying Articles discuss the commercial units that are available and the use of router bits to reduce the lift on vacuum-chucked parts.
Steep Trouble
The steep-taper toolholder shank design remains popular, but it needs updating to keep pace with modern machining practices. This report suggests minor design changes that these researchers say might overcome steep tapers' limitations.