Tool clamping fixture increases productivity continually
Components in this application:
Coupling elements
(Product information)
Rotary couplings
(Product information)
Swing clamps
(Product information)
Application example
efficient clamping of the body elements in the six stations
For machining body elements a tool machine manufacturer had the concept of a rotary indexing machining centre (BAF). The well-known Tier 1 automotive supplier used it to machine 4500 right and left mirror-image elements per shift. In addition to the drilling and milling machining that determined the main time, the clamping fixtures from HYDROKOMP contributed a significant portion to achieving the high productivity. The BAZ consists of one loading, four working and one unloading stations. An identical change fixture is installed in each of the six stations. It picks up the workpiece and implements the basic functions: positioning, clamping and supporting. Each of the four hydraulic clamping components must securely fix the workpiece during the machining in the four stations, in the loading and loading stations on the other hand, release for change or reclamp.
The cycle time is only 8 seconds. This requires in the 3-shift operation maximum availability of all participating components and a high degree of professionalism and reliability from the manufacturers. For this reason HYDROKOMP developed a combined hydraulic-pneumatic rotating bush. The controlled hydraulics functions according to the rotary slide principle. It supplies the four machining stations with the continuous pressure required during the main time for secure clamping.
The designers selected swing clamping elements due to the accessibility to the clamping area. To compensate for the workpiece tolerances, their custom clamp arms are partially equipped with pendulum thrust pieces. For the loading and unloading stations valves control the opening and closing of the oil supply for the clamping elements in synchronised time. The rotating bush contains a six more uncontrolled cycles for the pneumatics. It monitors the placing of the workpieces in the 6 stations according to the dynamic pressure principle.
In every shift the rotary indexing BAZ produces both different automotive parts. Thus the worker changes the complete six fixtures in the stations. The fast and safe changeover of the hydraulics and with it the fixture change support HYDROKOMP couplings. They open and close automatically during the fixture change. Couplings with 12 l/min flow rate (nominal diameter 5) are sufficient, laid out according to the clamping elements.
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