Product category:
Machinery and Production Equipment
News Release from: Leader Chuck Systems | Subject: Automotive application
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 13 March 2002
Quick-change chucks drive down cycle
times
Production times on clutch housings have been halved following the installation of Gamet Delta quick-change chucks on multi-axis CNC turning machines at an automotive manufacturing site in Ireland.
Production times on clutch housings have been halved following the installation of Gamet Delta quick-change chucks on multi-axis CNC turning machines at a heavy automotive manufacturing site in Ireland By replacing standard power chucks, not only have the Gamet chucks reduced both set-up and changeover times but the increased gripping force now available is also enabling the machines to run at higher speeds and thus optimise the carbide tooling, so machining cycle times have reduced
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 20 Jul 2000 at 8.00am (UK)
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Tasked with having to reduce the lengthy production times of up to 70min to machine the clutch housings measuring up to 350mm diameter by 350mm long and weighing 90kg, Machine Shop and Engineering Supplies - Gamet's exclusive agent in Ireland - accompanied the customer to MACH 2000 to see the chucks being demonstrated on the Leader Chuck Systems' stand.
The result was an order for four Delta CR chucks - two each of 400 and 320mm diameter - along with sets of specially designed, quick-change MDM jaws.
Of one-piece design, the MDM soft block jaws are quickly and easily changed and clamped in the master jaw via a single-action, key-operated locking pin - to tolerances of 12um.
This compares with the former time-consuming approach of having to remove/replace two/three socket cap screws for each individual top jaw.
In addition, workpiece location used to be based on needing to carefully locate the component in line with the appropriate jaw serration.
With the MDM jaw, the workpiece can only be located in one position - a simple process.
The result is that jaw change time with the Gamet Delta chuck is now just 45s compared with 5min.
Also, the chucks can easily revert to conventional operation - to maximise existing stocks of serrated jaws - by simply replacing the locking pin with a plug.
"Initial trials of the new chucks on the largest clutch housing saw the traditional production time of 60 to 70min reduced to only 37min", says Machine Shop and Engineering Supplies' Liam Dunne.
"As a result of this success we are now supplying a further three Delta chucks to the customer.
These will be used to alleviate problems associated with multiple setups on two other component families".
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