For German workholding specialist Lang Technik, product innovation is something that is firmly embedded in its DNA. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the company recently launched a range of new products at EMO Milan – the world’s premier trade fair for the metalworking sector, held in Italy in October.
Over the years Lang Technik has been responsible for numerous workholding innovations that reduce costly changeover time, reduce operator workload and maximise productivity. The New Lang Haubex Automation System carries on that lonstanding tradition.
The Haubex transforms a tool magazine into a flexible and cost-effective automation solution for small batch production that can be adapted to almost any CNC machining centre. The heart of Haubex is a workholding hood, which serves as a carrier system for the latest development of Lang Technik’s renowned Makro-Grip five-axis vice.
The clamped workpiece is exchanged from the tool magazine like an ordinary tool. By automatically changing the clamping device from the tool magazine, Haubex uses the existing capacities of the milling machine and manages the whole process completely, without an in-feed unit or robot.
“The new Haubex system offers all CNC mill centre owners a simple, flexible and inexpensive entry into the world of automation,” says Matthew Williams, General Manager at Dimac Tool, Lang Technik’s agents for Australia and New Zealand. “The system is designed to keep your CNC machine cutting for longer periods, thus avoiding the need to have an operator standing in front of the machine while allowing continuing machining over break periods.”
Makro-Grip enhanced
Another new product that Lang Technik unveiled is an evolution of its Makro-Grip Contour jaws. The company has been supplying innovative contour jaws for clamping profiles and pre-machined parts for many years, but this new magnetic version enables soft jaws to be changed without any tools in a matter of seconds.
When it comes to positioning the contour jaws, Lang Technik’s proven form-fit technology is utilised. The compamny’s form-closure technology provides the highest holding forces with low clamping pressure for five-face machining worldwide. The form-fit between the serration of the clamping jaws and a matching contour in the soft jaws allows for accurate positioning of the contour jaws. Finally, magnets pull the contour jaws towards the clamping jaws to provide a firm and secure fit.
“These new magnetic contour jaws, which alleviate the need for tools to change soft jaws, is another example of Lang Technik’s relentless pursuit of maximising productivity,” Williams explains.
Productivity upgrades
Lang Technik’s existing Preci-Point quick change collet chuck for ER50 collets has existed for a long time. Now, in response to increasingly widespread demand, Lang Technik has introduced a new version to suit ER32 collets, which are readily available in most machine shops. The chuck offers excellent handling characteristics and ideal accessibility during machining thanks to its slim design. The new chuck can be used to clamp round parts and is equipped with clamping studs for a quick set-up process using Lang Technik’s zero-point clamping system.
Lang Technik’s patented Quick Point zero-point clamping system allows for a one-time installation. Once the base plate is mounted and aligned to the machine tool table and the zero point is defined, workpieces and fixtures can be built quickly and accurately.
“The zero-point system provides a huge boost to productivity, reducing typical changeover times from one to two hours to just several minutes,” says Williams.
The final new release is an evolution of Lang Technik’s Quick-Point Plates – a product that the company observes has often been copied but never equalled. Designated ‘96 Module Plates’, multiple QP-Plates are aligned to each other to allow one actuation screw to clamp multiple connected QP-plates. This results in significant benefits in operations utilising larger vises such as the Makro-Grip Ultra, where they are able to span two or more QP-Plates that require aligning. This removes the issue of accessing multiple actuation screws that could otherwise be difficult to access.
Williams concludes: “These new products reinforce Lang Technik’s reputation as the worldwide leader in design and development of workholding solutions for almost any clamping requirement from raw material to the finished workpiece. Because all Lang Technik products come from the one place, they are perfectly matched, and interfacing problems with other systems do not exist. The modular building system and the multitude of combinations and capabilities are the reason that their workholding systems can be used in almost any machining centre.”