THIS WEEK IN PRODUCTION TECH: Rotary Tables, Hybrid Trunnions and More

New products from Bokers, EXSYS Tool Inc., Sandvik Coromant, Technic Inc. and TrunnionTable.com.

Custom Finishing Washers from Bokers

Boker’s has expanded its manufacturing capabilities to produce custom finishing washers, giving assembly applications a more precise, high-quality look and complete finish.

Finishing washers, also referred to as countersunk washers, provide a flush surface and are custom manufactured in several common styles including:  90 degree, angle, flanged, un-flanged and rolled flange.

In addition to achieving a secure finished appearance and fit for fasteners, finishing washers offer additional functionalities, including:  locking, sealing, insulating, load distribution, added strength and rigidity. This provides a safeguard for continuous performance.

Finishing washers assure a lasting bond that can be easily unfastened for repair without damage to the substrate. When a proof of concept for a specific design is needed, Boker’s has 3D printing model capabilities.

For complete customization, Boker’s offers a wide range of metallic materials such as low-carbon steel, spring steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper and nickel silver. Finishing services include chrome, nickel and zinc plating, anodizing, polishing and more.

Boker’s “Just-In-Time” (J.I.T.) and “Dock-to-Stock” programs meet flexible delivery and stocking requirements. In case of an urgent requirement, orders can also be expedited for even faster delivery. Orders require a minimum production run of 100 pieces, which is optimal for prototype production and short run applications.

For more information on Boker’s finishing washers and stampings, visit Bokers.com.

The pL LEHMANN Rotary Table from EXSYS Tool Inc.

EXSYS Tool Inc. will spotlight its high-precision pL LEHMANN rotary tables as well as that product line’s swissClamp modular clamping system at IMTS.

The Swiss-manufactured pL LEHMANN rotary tables allow users to upgrade a vertical machining center’s productivity without incurring the expense of a new machine. The tables are available in four basic models that can be assembled into as many as 240 different configurations. More than 20 different available clamping methods and behind-the-spindle accessories further extend the system’s adaptability. 

All pL LEHMANN tables consume a minimum of space in the machine work envelope, facilitating optimal tool access to the workpiece. Despite their space-saving dimensions, the tables and spindles offer strong resistance to pull-out torque and axial force while providing high levels of clamping torque.

Engineered for low power consumption and light weight, the tables feature IP67 rated enclosures.

The line also offers the industry’s most extensive selection of work holding interface options on the market today. 

Both single-spindle and multi-spindle pL LEHMANN tables are available in 4th-axis and 4th/5th-axis versions. Swiveling-bridge-style 4-axis tables employ the roto-FIX clamping yoke for machining of multiple parts. The tables’ backlash-free preloaded gear drives (PGD) provide both high torque and high rotation speeds, with spindles capable of 47-111 rpm and cycle times for 90 degrees of 0.34 sec. 

IMTS attendees will experience the pL LEHMANN rotary table’s full 4th axis with Face Plate and 5th-axis functionality to simulate its movement within a machine tool work envelope. The 5th-axis table operates in simultaneous machining or productivity-enhancing 3+2 positioning modes.

Working in tandem with pL LEHMANN rotary tables, the new swissClamp system allows operators to mount multiple work pieces on machine tool tables for uninterrupted production and unmanned operations. For use with rotary and standard tables on vertical or horizontal milling machines, the Swiss-manufactured swissClamp modules mount on face plates or directly on worktables and extends a shop’s potential part-clamping range from 90 mm to 200 mm – a 40 percent increase in work piece capacity within the same clamping length. 

swissClamp enables both mono clamping, requiring only one basic body and duo clamping, where two mono clamps are mounted opposite one another.

Configuration options include creating a clamping tower/tombstone on a fourth axis, a horizontal clamping cone that is overhung or with counter bearing, or a clamping bridge on a trunnion table set up where both sides require a different design with mono and duo systems. Operators can also create clamping modules on the fourth or fifth axis.

When used for finish clamping, swissClamp’s finish jaws achieve non-rotating, precise parallel clamping with a clamping stroke of approximately 1 mm that prevents indentations and ensures high surface quality. The system enables finish clamping to a depth of 6 mm.

As EXSYS’s flagship tooling system, PRECI-FLEX offers a fast, accurate and cost-effective solution for turning machine tooling changeovers. The modular holder system is the first on the market to incorporate a single base holder and multiple tooling adapters that use the ER collet pocket. The system’s conical and flat face planar interface allows the use of either an adapter or a standard ER collet and enables collets, endmill holders, expanding collet chucks and shrink fit tooling to be mounted on a single base holder. 

Available in a range of sizes, PRECI-FLEX provides unsurpassed productivity and reliability, with every toolholder offering repeatability within five microns. The system also virtually eliminates machine downtime and allows tooling adapters to be interchanged between fixed and rotary base holders for fast, economical machining.

For more information, visit www.exsys-tool.com.

CoroMill 745 from Sandvik Coromant

The CoroMill 745 offers high productivity and a low cost per edge, with a double-sided, multi-edge design that is ideal for large batch productions.

With its tilted insert positioning system and sharp cutting edges, this milling cutter offers a light cutting action at low power consumption.

With a total of 14 cutting edges per insert, the CoroMill 745 includes three pitch versions for face milling. The differential pitch design of the MD pitch is best when vibration is a factor and is radially compensated to ensure equal chip thickness for every insert. The M pitch is best for general applications and the H pitch has a higher number of teeth. The M and MD pitch both have the same number of teeth.

Designed to make insert indexing quick and easy, the unique insert positioning system in the tip seat and heptagonal insert design keep the inserts securely in the pocket when mounting. The inserts are tilted in the tip seat to create a positive cutting action. Inserts geometries and grades are available for steel and cast iron materials for roughing to semi-finishing applications.

To learn more, visit www.sandvik.coromant.com.

The Technibrite HT 1000 process from Technic Inc.

Technic Inc. has announced the release of Technibrite HT 1000, a new Bright Acid Tin process suitable for rack and barrel electroplating applications.

Based on an inexpensive sulfuric acid electrolyte, the Technibrite HT 1000 process has an exceptional low current density bright range, even when the plating bath temperature and tin concentration parameters are higher than normal. The process can run without a chiller and will produce a bright deposit at low current densities at process temperatures as high as 35° C (95° F) and with tin concentrations as high as 40 g/l.

Cathode efficiencies of up to 90 percent are achievable with the process, compared to traditional bright acid tin process efficiencies of only 60 to 70 percent. Cycle times can be significantly reduced with the new HT 1000 tin process, increasing the productivity of the plating line.

Technibrite HT 1000 will improve the appearance and performance of bright acid tin plated parts, especially parts with complex geometries that often will show dull deposits in low current density areas. The Technibrite HT 1000 process is NPE free and fully RoHS compliant.

For more information on the Technibrite HT 1000 process, visit www.technic.com.

Stallion Hybrid Trunnions from TrunnionTable.com

The new Stallion Hybrid trunnions from TrunnionTable.com allow faceplates and chucks to be installed without removal of the trunnion table for faster part setups, increased productivity and higher quality parts.

The versatile workholding workhorses accommodate a variety of vises, fixtures, 3- and 4-jaw chucks and collet chucks for flexible job shop workholding. Two models are available, the Stallion Hybrid 9/20 (9” x 20”) designed to hold a 6”. vise and the 9/23 (9” x 23”) designed for double or single station 6”. vises. 

Both sub-plates and quick-change sub-plates are available with quick-change ballocks. Standard baseplates allow the trunnion assembly to be offset to one side of the machine to maximize machine travel. A pneumatic brake, built into the outboard support, provides up to 600 lbs. of clamping torque, an invaluable feature for shops doing heavy off-center milling and drilling. Hydraulic work-holding packages are also available.

The U.S.-made trunnions are engineered to bolt on to any machine’s rotary indexer, allowing operators to precisely mill, drill, tap and contour up to three sides of a part in one setup. Heavily ribbed cast iron construction provides high rigidity and durability, needed to withstand long-term repeated use in demanding shop environments.

For more information on the Stallion Hybrid 920 and 923 models, as well as custom-configured workholding solutions, visit www.trunniontable.com.