Stay Ahead of the Machine Tool, Part 1: Go With Mixed Over Fixed

Do you have a large machine tool sitting on your floor with an underutilized work envelope? Many manufacturers do. The tombstone or fixture plate might contain only one small workpiece. After that part is machined, the tombstone is switched out, then another operation is completed in the same manner. With that kind of inefficiency, it’s natural to wonder how that operation is making money.

Time to Mix It Up

Instead of being stuck in the mindset of a fixed workpiece, consider mixing work in order to run one cycle. For instance, by clamping, say, five small parts on the same fixture, not only is setup time saved, but your operator’s need to open and close the machine door every 20 minutes is saved as well. Suddenly, the operator is only necessary every two to three hours, allowing them to work multiple machines or prep another tombstone with a different setup.

Then, Partner Up

To help eliminate wasted space and maximize the machine tool envelope, AME partners offer workholding and fixturing solutions for any machining application. Quick-change workholding equipment from Swiss Modular, for example, provides a variety of modular components for jobs on a three-, four-, or five-axis vertical or horizontal machining center. Mounting to a standard 2” grid Swiss Modular components give you the flexibility you need for every setup.

5^th Axis, another AME partner, provides quick-change fixturing options that make the most out of small, three-, four-, and five-axis machine setups.

When high clamping forces are a must, pneumatic and hydraulic clamping systems are available from Schunk, another top-tier AME partner. The TANDEM vise series clamping force blocks provide standard jaw stroke and long stroke. Pneumatic systems also offer jaw quick-change systems or inductive jaw monitoring.

Get Ahead and Stay Ahead

Some of these workholding options have the flexibility to let operators set up workpieces outside of the machine tool, which minimizes machine downtime. While the operator is clamping parts on a tombstone or fixturing plate for the next cycle, the machine tool is busy machining parts almost continuously. Getting ahead of the machine in this way allows manufacturers to stay ahead of customer orders, improve their bottom line, and increase efficiency.

Explore more workholding and fixturing options available from AME on the workholding systems page.

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