Long established as one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading supplier of accessories for CNC turning machine tools, Dimac Tooling has a range of workholding solutions to meet every requirement.

Insufficient grip that causes slipping parts, pushback in chuck jaws and collets wearing out prematurely are issues well known to CNC turning machine tool operators. The resultant production downtime, operator idle time, and expense of new or re-worked jaws is a significant problem.

Dimac has recently launched a new service designed to eliminate such issues, using a new form of carbide application equipment called Rocklinizer from the USA. The application process improves clamping force by as much as 50% – thereby providing significant extra grip on workholding equipment such as jaws and collets, while wear is accordingly reduced.

The new service uses the proven spark deposition process called Rocklinizing to easily and quickly boost the grip coefficient of workholding jaws and collets. The unit electronically applies a hard and wear-resistant surface of Tungsten Carbide, Titanium Carbide or Rockhard electrode material to workholding tools. Material is impregnated both underneath and on top of the workpiece surface.

Unlike welding or metal spraying, no appreciable heat is generated. This ensures the temper of the workpiece is retained without distortion and the electrode material will not separate or flake off the workpiece. After Rocklinizing, no heat treatment, grinding or other surface treatment is necessary.

The Rocklinizer unit accurately applies an even layer of coating quickly and easily – four square centimetres can be applied in less than a minute using the rotary applicator. The equipment is easy to use, with an easy-to-view digital readout and a touch panel that is simple to operate.

“The end result of this surface treatment is to increase productivity and reduce costs,” said Dimac Managing Director Paul Fowler. “When the tools remain in operation without replacement due to wear, there will be less machine downtime, operator idle time, and expense of replacing workholding equipment. For just a few hundred dollars this service pays for itself when you take into account the significant benefits.”

Dimac has been appointed the sole distributor for Rocklinizer in Australia and New Zealand. The Rocklinizer is manufactured by the Rocklin Manufacturing Company, an established manufacturer of industrial electronic equipment with manufacturing facilities in Sioux City, in the US state of Iowa.

“This carbon application process offers multiple benefits including increased clamping force, extended tool life and increased productivity,” Fowler added. “It also minimises wear and downtime – ultimately reducing costs. The fact we offer a quick turnaround service for this process will be welcomed by many CNC operators.”

Swift Klamp – Five-axis workholding

Using time-proven HSK tool interface technology, Swift Klamp from Kitagawa Europe provides a secure, low-interference, quick-change five-axis workholding system. The system consists of three parts: the clamping head, the work-holder and the workpiece. The clamping head is supplied either as a manually or automatically actuated HSK clamp.

The Manual Clamping Head is supplied with a versatile mounting flange to suit multiple mounting options for five-axis machines and rotary tables. Available in HSK-A40, HSK-A63 and HSK-A100 sizes, with an offline set-up procedure, it is capable for the work-holder system to be exchanged within an impressive 10 seconds, minimising machine downtime.

To allow operators to fully automate their manufacturing process, a low-pressure hydraulically-operated Automatic Clamping Head is also available in HSK-A40, HSK-A63 and HSK-A100 sizes, with seating detection and air-blow.

“In keeping with the move to more automation in workplaces, the work-holder profile used with the clamping head has a common interface to enable them to be handled by any general-purpose robot arm,” Fowler explained.

The work-holder is made up of the HSK interface at the bottom, and multiple workholding options are available: Standardised Dovetail; Flange Clamp; and Side Clamp – all of which provide a rigid and secure platform for five-axis machining processes. Dovetail systems allow superior tool access due to their small clamping surface. The time-proven HSK interface between the work-holder and the clamping head provides optimal bending rigidity.

“Kitagawa is a brand we have distributed for many years and is a well-respected manufacturer of high-quality vises,” said Fowler. “As such, we can also supply the most suitable vise to grip the raw work-pieces to complete the dovetail interface.”

The final part is the workpiece, which in the case of the dovetail work-holder will require an initial dovetail slot to be machined into the raw billet to interface with the work holder. However, the Swift Klamp system can accommodate various work piece shapes of up to 200mm square or diameter.

The majority of workpieces being used for five-axis machining require a preparation phase. However, the advantage of this is that the preparation phase can either be integrated into the total machining process or it can take place outside the five-axis machine. This option enables companies to keep their high-cost machine operating, ensuring the maximum return on their investment. Additionally, to assist with prototyping or enable companies to start testing their own new Swift Klamp system straight out of the box, pre-machined dovetailed blanks can be supplied.

Swift Klamp offers strong dual-face clamping, superior bending rigidity, high positioning accuracy and multiple workholder options.

“The Swift Klamp quick change five-axis work holding system is highly effective, extremely versatile and designed to minimise machine downtime,” Fowker added. “Plus, like all Kitagawa products it is manufactured to the same high quality standards.”

Raptor solves Dovetail workholding

Earlier this year Dimac was appointed exclusive distributor for Raptor Workholding’s products in Australia and New Zealand. Based in the US state of Ohio, Raptor Workholding is well known as being the designer of the innovative and patented dovetail fixture used by some of the world’s leading manufacturers.

The dovetail fixture speeds up the manufacturing process by allowing machining of five full sides of the workpiece in one set-up. The design quickly locks the part in place for extreme clamping strength and rigidity with minimal base material. The spring-loaded clamp can be tightened with a simple T-handle wrench. Raptor’s dovetail design has been tested by an independent laboratory for strength.

“With Raptor’s dovetail fixture, a manufacturer can run a wide variety of parts and eliminate the changeover time,” said Fowler. “Smaller fixtures can also be attached to larger ones, allowing the user to switch to any size part as fast as you can turn a hand tool.”

In addition to the dovetail fixture, Raptor offer an extensive range of strong, flexible workholding products. These include vises, multi-fixtures, dovetail cutters, adapters, risers and pinch blocks. They can either work independently or together seamlessly.

An example of Raptor products working in unison is starting off with a Raptor self centering vise. The vise can be used in two ways; either for holding a workpiece for dovetail preparation or machining a complete part. The dovetail fixture can then be utilised with its spring-loaded clamping system providing superior holding strength.

The process can be finished off with a dovetailed pinch block. These versatile pinch blocks can be used in a variety of applications including machining the sixth side of a workpiece or for secondary or final machining operations.

“One of the key benefits with Raptor workholding products is that they are extremely adaptable,” Fowler added. “They can fit any machine and any situation with a variety of adapters, risers, and fixtures built to attach directly to the most popular CNC machines. Multiple Raptors can be mounted to tombstones, bridges, carousels, trunnions, nests and base plates. Utilising Raptor products provides numerous benefits including saving time and money by becoming more efficient and decreasing production time while increasing the yield of finished goods.”

In addition to Raptor, Kitagawa and Rocklinizer, Dimac is also the sole distributor of other leading CNC accessory and workholding brands, the Freddy range of coolant recycling machines, Reven Mist air extractors and Hydrafeed Barfeeders.

www.dimac.com.au