28.

CNC WORK HOLDING DEVICES With the advent of CNC technology, machining cycle times were drastically reduced and the desire to combine greater accuracy with higher productivity has led to the reappraisal of work holding technology. Loading or unloading of the work will be the non-productive time which needs to be minimized. So the work is usually loaded on a special work holder away from the machine and then transferred it to the machine table. The work should be located precisely and secured properly and should be well supported. 28.1 Turning center work holding methods: Machining operations on turning centers or CNC lathes are carried out mostly for axisymmetrical components. Surfaces are generated by the simultaneous motions of X and Z axes. For any work holding device used on a turning centre there is a direct "trade off" between part accuracy and the flexibility of work holding device used.

Work holding methods Automatic Jaw & chuck changing

Advantages Adaptable for a range of work-piece shapes and sizes Very quick loading and unloading of the workpiece can be achieved. Reasonable range of work piece sizes can be loaded automatically

Disadvantages High cost of jaw/chuck changing automation. Resulting in a more complex & higher cost machine tool Expensive optional equipment. Bar-feeders cannot be incorporated. Short/medium length parts only can be incorporated. Heavy chucks.

Indexing chucks Figure 28.1

Pneumatic/Magnetic Simple in design and Limited to a range of flat parts chucks relatively inexpensive. Part with little overhang. Bar-feeders Figure 28.3 automation is possible. No cannot be incorporated. Parts on

part distortion is caused due to clamping force Automatic Chucks with soft jaws Adaptable to automation. Heavy cuts can be taken. Individual parts can be small or large in diameter Long & short parts of reasonably large size accommodated. Automation can be incorporated. Clamping forces do not distort part. Simple in design Excellent restraint & location of a wide range of individual & irregular shaped parts can be obtained.

magnetic chucks must be ferrous. Heavy cuts must be avoided. Jaws must be changed manually & bared, so slow part changeovers. A range of jaw blanks required.

Expanding mandrels & collets Figure 28.2

Limitation on part shape. Heavy cuts should be avoided.

Dedicated Chucks

Expensive & can only be financially justified with either large runs or when extremely complex & accurate parts are required. Tool making facilities required. Large storage space.

( 2) Work holding for Machining Centres:

Workholding methods Advantages Modular Fixtures Figure 28.6 Highly adaptable. Can be purchased in stages to increase its sophistication. Reasonable accuracy. Speedily assembled.

Disadvantages Costly for a complete system. Difficult to automate. Skills required in kit assembly

Small stores area is required. Can be set-up to a machine more than one part. Proven technology Relatively inexpensive. Can be operated by mechanical, pneumatic, or by hydraulic control. Quick to operate with ease of set-up. Reasonable accuracy. Easily automated. Simplicity of design. Using multi-vices allows many parts to be machined. Proven Technology Work holding limitations. Clamping force limitations. Jaws can become strained. Work location problems. Limitations on part size. Large surface area is required. Swarf can be a problem. Nonferrous material limitation on magnetic devices. Costly & limited part geometry clamping. Part size limitations. Usually only one part can be machined. Cannot be fitted to all machines. Large storage space required. No part flexibility. Heavy fixtures. Tool making facilities required.

Automatic Vices

Relatively inexpensive. Reasonable accuracy. Can machine large areas Pneumatic/Magnetic of the work piece. Quick setups. Work holding devices Easily automated. Simplicity of design. Many parts can be machined at one set up. Allows complex geometric shapes to be machined. High accuracy. Opportunity for "one hit" machining. Easily automated. Large & small parts are easily accommodated. High accuracy of part location. Easily automated. Simplicity of design. Proven technology. Many parts can be machine at one setup good vibration damping capacity

4/5 axis CNC work holding devices

Dedicated Fixturing

Figure 28.1: Indexing chucks

Figure 28.2: Mandrels

Figure 28.3: Magnetic chucks

Figure 28.4: Vise

Figure 28.5(a): Pallets

Figure 28.5(b) Figure 28.5(c)

Figure 28.6 : Modular fixture

Figure 28.7 : Chucks