Author Archive: mjones

Leader Rings the Changes with RotoRi

Posted on by

The RotoRi range of chuck jaw boring rings are available from Tamworth-based workholding specialist, Leader Chuck International. Able to precisely support the ‘truing’ of jaws fitted to manual or power chucks, the RotoRi sets have been specifically designed to be used to bore, turn or grind jaws very accurately under a clamping pressure that reflects that required to hold the workpiece.
Available in seven standard sets designed to match the diameter range of the machine tools on the shopfloor as well as the types of chucks used, these multiple-patented innovative ring sets allow precise machining of the jaws thanks to the complete adjustability of the segments.
Creating perfectly concentric bores on hard or soft jaws, the RotoRi boring rings allow fine adjustments for minimal skimming of jaws, therefore only the minimum amount of material from the jaw face ever needs to be removed, maximising the life of the jaws. As they can be through-bored in one operation, it results in better T.I.R (Total Indicated Run- Out) for any subsequently machined parts. The patented curved segments support easy readjustment of the clamping diameter which saves both time and tool costs.

Managing Director, Mark Jones, says: “Every machine shop that has to regularly set up chucks for the production of accurate components can benefit from the advantages these ring sets offer. First, the precision adjustment saves jaw usage as only fine skims are required to achieve the accuracy required; secondly it reduces the time wasted looking for, or making, turning clamping rings; and, finally, one RotoRi set can be used to support many chucks.”

Made from high-tensile steel the RotoRi sets range from 10 to 52 rings for chuck up to 1,200 mm diameter. For 3-jaw chucks each ring consists of three curved segments (3 x 120°) that can be used both on the internal and external diameter of the jaws to support OD and ID workholding.

For 2-, 4- and 6-jaw chucks, Leader recommends the RotoRi-Quattro sets with four (4 x 90°) or RotoRi-Six with six segments (6 x 60°). A patented expansion joint is provided to ensure even power distribution.
To compensate for large counter-bore tolerances of different jaw manufacturers, RotoRi offer the flexible and patented clamping bolt ‘RotoFix’. With the ability to adjust up to 2 mm there is no need to re-machine any screw counterbores.

“If the chuck-to-workpiece interface is not optimised then any investment made in a high precision machine tool can be negated. The RotoRi boring ring sets offer a simple and cost-effective way of ensuring the accuracy is achieved and maintained,” Mark Jones concludes.

Rotomors Tailor-Made Solutions Available from Leader

Posted on by

Workholding and productivity enhancing ancillary specialist, Leader Chuck International, exclusively offers Rotomors bespoke solutions to manufacturing and precision engineering companies in the UK and Eire.
Rotomors was established in Turin in 1966 as a company that focused initially on the design and manufacture of special self-centring chucks for lathes for the automotive industry. Today, it is one of the world leaders in the design and manufacture of state-of-the-art workholding systems, the development of automatic pallet changing systems for vertical lathes and machining centres and die change shuttles for presses.

Employing around 65 highly skilled staff, the company has expanded to meet the technical challenges of the most demanding industry sectors and has provided tailor-made solutions for OEMs and key players in supply chains across the globe.

 

As Leader Chuck’s Managing Director, Mark Jones, states: “Founded on the requirements of the automotive industry, Rotomors has developed solutions for over 1,000 customers in industries as diverse as aerospace, energy and power generation, rail and mass transit, oil & gas, large diameter bearings and guide systems, as well as general precision engineering.”
The headquarters in Turin comprises office space of 10,000 square foot for design and engineering, and 50,000 square foot of production floorspace. Here, Rotomors’ staff work to guarantee customers a comprehensive support service for both installation, set-up and ongoing maintenance of its technologically advanced solutions.

“Each project is developed according to the specific requirements of the individual customer,” explains Mark Jones. “Because the offerings are specially designed, they extend the range offered by Leader with pneumatic and hydraulically operated systems. Chucks start at 200 mm diameter and go all the way up to 7,000 mm diameter with many different styles to clamp just about any shape with variable clamping forces for thin walled components, as well as heavy duty clamping when required for aggressive machining applications. For example, the 6-jaw chuck offered, we would define as two-plus-two-plus-two, where each of the three pairs of jaws work together to compensate for any out-of-roundness without distorting the workpiece.”

Turning and milling centres, both horizontal and vertical, represent the natural opportunities for Rotomors equipment to make a positive impact on productivity. Each of the workholding and manipulation systems can synchronise with the Rotomors pallet changing systems to support automation and the drive towards Industry 4.0.

Mark Jones concludes: “From indexing chucks, to chucks for alloy wheel and powertrain components, these are non-standard, bespoke ‘turnkey’ solutions. The fact that Rotomors has completed over 10,000 projects around the world means there are very few applications that would surprise the design team, and we are confident the significant gains can be made in terms of efficiency, productivity and accuracy for almost every machining application.”

Piranha Range From Leader Takes a Bite out of Product Inefficiency

Posted on by

Workholding and manufacturing ancillary specialist, Leader Chuck International, includes the PiranhaClamp range of high precision centring vices in its extensive product portfolio. The 100 per cent Swiss manufactured range offers several performance advantages for machine shops using prismatic machining techniques.

It is no coincidence that the vice range is called Piranha, named after a fish that has a reputation for a strong bite and, relative to body mass, achieves one of the most forceful bites measured in all vertebrates. In place of the usual dovetail guides found on many vices the Piranha features parallel, twin cylindrical jaw guides that ensure high precision and an unbeatable clamping force. Designed to act much like a hydraulic press, the hardened and specially coated spindle guides provide an increased surface area for load distribution, while the drive spindle has been tested to withstand torque levels above 1,300 Nm.

 

This capability supports high pressure workpiece clamping with a minimal depth of just 3 mm, so raw material waste is kept to a minimum. The nature of the twin guide design results in an open construction for easy chip evacuation, with any swarf flushed away by the coolant and an extremely low construction height that makes the most of any machining centre’s working envelope. The very low built-in zero-point clamping system on the base of the product also provides the optimum interface with the machine tool’s worktable and achieves a repeatable loading accuracy of 0.01 mm as standard. However, the quick-change location system can be specified to fit any existing manufacturers’ zero-point design with adapter plates making the vices totally interchangeable.

Two base sizes are available: the Piranha Clamp 170 is 170 mm long by 90 mm wide, while the larger Piranha Clamp 300 is 300 mm long by 120 mm wide. The base can be specified with changeable top jaws where a patented quick-change system for the jaws uses an eccentric ‘cam’ pin to support production efficiencies. Within just a few seconds, a wide range of different standard or pre-machined clamping jaws can be quickly and accurately exchanged. These include aluminium and steel ‘soft’ jaws, that can be machined to profiles that match the workpiece, as well as straight and serrated ‘Snapper’ jaws designed to secure raw billet materials.

Alternatively, the vice can be specified in ‘Snapper’ format, where the base is fitted with serrated jaws as standard. The two rows of teeth on the Snapper jaw face effectively ‘bites’ into the raw material, pulling it down with the bottom row of teeth and providing an extremely secure hold with the upper row for aggressive machining applications. With the Snapper jaws, the raw material does not require pre-stamping, saving time on every workpiece machined, the initial capital expense of purchasing the necessary hardware to perform the stamping operation and the on-going regular expense of sending the stamping dies back to the vice manufacturer for regrinding.

Managing Director, Mark Jones, says: “Designed for the efficient processing of prismatic components or billet raw material, especially using simultaneous 5-axis machining techniques or aggressive raw material removal toolpaths, the Piranha Clamp range of centring vices with Snapper or changeable jaws can improve the precision and productivity of almost any machine shop. The clamping forces achieved are phenomenal and, as you would expect from a Swiss manufacturer, the quality and precision is class leading. Tested against established vices that use pre-stamped raw material, at the same clamping pressure the deflection measured in the Piranha range is just one-tenth of that measured in the competitor’s vices. This makes the vice more accurate for both first operations and more repeatable for second operation work.”

Orange Vice Delta IV From Leader

Posted on by

Orange Vise Company was founded in 2012 with the ethos of ‘perpetual innovation of CNC workholding’. Following this philosophy, the UK launch of its latest line, Orange Delta IV compact vices and zero-point subplates for use in multi-axis and high-density milling set ups, will be exclusively sold by Leader Chuck International.

Focused 4/5-axis vices such as the new Orange Delta IV Compact ,are useful for applications involving 3+2 and simultaneous 5-axis machining and are highly effective for working with complex free-form shapes and difficult angles. They can help increase accuracy and therefore make processes more efficient by reducing tooling costs and labour time. These vices are designed to support 5-axis machining by allowing obstruction-free cutting on five sides of the workpiece. They have the benefit of a quick, single clamp setup and allow for continuous, high-speed cutting of pockets and 3-dimensional or sculpted surfaces.

Constructed from steel at 55 HRc, the patent-pending Orange Delta IV Compact vices feature a small 150 x 100 mm footprint and an integral zero-point interface, cross compatible with the company’s proprietary locating systems, as well as 52 mm pull stud interfaces from other brands. Steel Master Jaw sets for large or small parts or machinable aluminium soft jaws can be fitted, offering up to 44.5 kN clamping force.

Unlike self-centring vices common in the industry, the Orange Delta IV uses a unique serrated design that combines the best of self-centring vices and serrated fixtures, along with industry-leading gripping performance. In addition, the anti-lift jaw design typically achieves <13 micron of vertical deflection. The combination of these features makes the vice equally well suited for both first operations in serrated jaws, and secondary applications with machinable soft jaws. The ability to accurately locate parts in soft jaws opens up the applications of the vice to include use on horizontal 4-axis milling applications.

Soft jaws can be profiled to exactly match the form of the workpiece, even if it has complex features such as overhangs or flanged faces. Being cut in situ on the machine table also reduces any accumulated positioning errors to enhance the repeatability of the machining process part-to-part.

For parts requiring second ops, a datum face can be machined during the first operation that will be located against the fixed jaw making the repositioning more accurate. Although sacrificial, once the soft jaws have been profiled, they can be held in stock ready for when the job repeats.

Produced 100 per cent in the USA, Orange Delta IV Compact vices and Zero-Point subplates are cost-effectively priced. “With the CNC machining industry currently trending towards palletised automation with large numbers of pallets, the need for reasonably-priced workholding becomes increasingly important,” states Mark Jones, Managing Director, Leader Chuck International.

‘Gripping’ New Solutions from Leader

Posted on by

The extensive OMIL range of gripping systems offers new and enhanced products specifically developed and selected to improve the efficiency, productivity and accuracy in a number of key sectors, including machine tools, assembly machines, transfer machines, gantry-robots and in the general mechanical and electromechanical engineering industry sectors, as well as ‘bespoke’ special machining solutions. The range is now available from Leader Chuck International, one of the UK and Ireland’s premier workholding and manufacturing ancillary specialists.

As Managing Director, Mark Jones, explains: “There is a strong case for automation to be applied wherever possible across all industry sectors, with all the well-documented benefits it brings, such as lower overheads, increased efficiency and productivity. To support our customers on their journey towards business improvements we selected OMIL as a trusted partner with extensive knowledge and experience in this crucial area. And, the flexibility to develop the precise solution to any challenges presented.”

With an impressive facility in Turin, Italy and over half a century of experience producing gripping systems, OMIL has a comprehensive range of standard products that are robust, reliable and are usually available on very short lead times at very competitive prices. The range includes grippers, linear and rotary actuators, vices, chucks and bespoke solutions.

Main application areas include robotics, assembly lines, milling machines and special machinery. End effectors for industrial robots can grip parts weighing up to 500 kg and up to 1,000 oC for die casting and forging, while applications for grippers used on automated assembly lines include automotive, pharmaceutical, electronics, food & beverage, domestic appliance and packaging.

The range of pneumatic grips offered is as diverse as the industrial applications supported, from two-finger parallel to three- or four-finger self-centring and two-finger radial. As an example of the exceptional level of engineering applied to its products, the OMIL GSO range of two-finger parallel grippers is manufactured to ensure protection to class IP67 for harsh environments. An oval cylinder is used for higher gripping forces, between 123 N for the smallest unit with 5 mm stroke and 1,640 N for the largest with a stroke of 32 mm. A mechanical gripping force maintenance device ensures a minimum gripping force even if the air pressure drops.

For applications where larger and heavier workpieces require gripping OMIL has a number of ranges that provides strokes up to 400 mm and gripping forces of 10,000 N at normal workshop pressure of 6 bar.

For milling machine applications, a range of chucks for round parts and vices for prismatic parts are available, while special machinery applications can encompass punching and forming equipment as well as measurement and inspection systems.

“Any company looking at specifying a new automation system or upgrading an existing installation should look at OMIL as a viable alternative to the Japanese (SMC) and German (Schunk and Zimmer) suppliers. Not only do they offer the same performance at considerable cost advantage and complete interchangeability, but also the benefit of flexibility allowing solutions to be customised to exactly suit each application,” Mark Jones concludes.