How a Machine Tool Company Optimized Their Workholding Process and Increased Their Machining Envelope

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CARR Machine Tool optimized it’s overall workholding processes by investing in AME’s AMROK epoxy mineral tombstone and TRIAG modular workholding systems.

Jim Carr, President and Owner of CARR Machine & Tool, Inc. in Elk Grove Village, IL, invested in a new horizontal machining center, expanding his company’s services to meet a variety of industries in the metalworking nation.

Recently Carr shared his experience looking for the best tombstone to place in the new machine. In the following video Carr explains that he discovered cast iron took up too much weight capacity, so he contacted Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME) to help decrease the weight and provide a more efficient setup.

 

 

Tombstones Made From Advanced Materials offer Low Weight, High Precision

In an attempt to utilize the entire machining envelope, tombstones often get loaded with vises and workpieces. However, this adds to the overall weight limit of the machine table. One solution is aluminum, but aluminum increases vibration which affects the quality of the workpieces. 

Triag epoxy mineral tombstones provide the weight benefits of aluminum with strong damping properties and low thermal characteristics, guaranteeing high accuracy machining even at the upper end of the tombstone.


Modular Workholding Systems Provide Increased Productivity, Flexibility, and Versatility

Once Carr’s weight capacity issue was resolved, he knew they needed to be more efficient in their setup to keep the overall weight at a minimum.

Modular workholding systems adapt to the workpiece and machine situation in three dimensions. These systems accommodate many parts in a limited workspace. The number of tool changes is reduced, which means less machining time per part and longer spindle time between the loading stops.

“We need to fixture as many pieces as we could on the tombstone and keep the spindle running as much as possible. With dinosaur vises, you slap them on, indicate them, throw your part in, crank down, and hit the button. We were able to adapt the same modular system for our vertical machining centers as well,” says Carr.

Integrating the epoxy mineral tombstone and modular workholding system allows CARR Machine Tool to utilize the entire machining envelope, increase machining cycles, and decrease the amount of tool changes.

 

Learn More About Modular Workholding

Machine Tool Company optimized Their Workholding Process