Chucks & Jaws

MAPAL has expanded its program of narrow-contour HTC (High-Torque Chuck) clamping chucks, whose narrow shapes are produced without a restrictive brazed joint thanks to additive manufacturing. These new chucks can directly clamp diameters of 3, 4 and 5 mm, also allowing hydraulic clamping chucks to be used on the microscale, for example in medical technology or the timepiece and jewelry industry.

BIG KAISER introduces the Mega Perfect Grip from BIG Daishowa, a simple to handle, heavy-duty milling chuck for heat-resistant superalloys (HRSA) that eliminates endmill pullout under heavy torque loads. For manufacturers using milling chucks, pullout is a major issue, particularly when machining HRSAs, such as titanium or Inconel.

Emuge Corp., in partnership with Albrecht Precision Chucks, has introduced Emuge FPC mill/drill chucks that reportedly provide unprecedented rigidity, vibration damping, concentricity, machining speed and tool life versus conventional chuck technologies for milling and drilling applications.

The ROTA NCX, a power lathe chuck from SCHUNK, Morrisville, S.C., features a quick jaw change system and a large through-hole, according to a Feb. 17 announcement from the company. Optimized with reduced-weight, the ROTA NCX is described by the company as an essential upgrade over conventional lathe chucks.

The machines in the VMC MT Series from EMAG LLC, Farmington Hills, Mich., are said to be ideal production systems for chucked parts with complex geometries, according to the company. Whether used for prototype production or for fast changes in small production runs, the VMC MT series is designed to meet the demands of flexible production situations due to the ergonomic accessibility of the machining area and the bottom-mounted workpiece spindle.

Northern Engineering and Manufacturing (NEMI) has released a vacuum chuck compatible with both horizontal and vertical machining centers. This fixture can used either with the Kurt 4-face cage or on a machine bed and is completely compatible with all of NEMI's standard vacuum fixturing.

The mid-size diameter and adaptability to custom fixture designs make the Unilock 138 series BIG Kaiser's best-selling round chuck workholding solution. Now come two new additions to the 138 series that make it an even more powerful and versatile solution for demanding workholding scenarios—the ESM 138 Turbo and the ERGO 138.

Mass production components always present challenges: planning the machine installation site, linking machines and coordinating cycle times all to achieve the perfect combination of quality and cost efficiency. The larger the workpiece the more demanding the planning process for the manufacturing set-up. However, optimizing the production of such parts, for example by reducing expensive automation components or reducing the process chain to just a few machines, can drastically cut costs. EMAG's VLC 800 vertical turning center for chucked parts up to 800mm is a production system that combines all these benefits in a single machine thanks to its integrated automation systems.

The Eldorado M75-30T from Kays Engineering Inc. is a twin-spindle gundrilling machine widely used for the manufacture of orthopedic implants, including femur nails and bone screws.

Lexair's new Model 16C wrench-operated collet chuck has an integral A2-5 nose to accommodate standard 16C collets up to 1.625", as well as bolt-on closing rings and ID mandrels.

Okuma America Corp. introduces ServoNavi, which improves cycle times and accuracy when machining heavy parts.

Techniks says its MagVISE workholding chucks are fast, reliable and save 50-60 percent on setup time.