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Dense working

as9100d

Stainless
Joined
Apr 19, 2019
Location
Paris, Arkansas
I've got a job on my desk that is 100,000 pieces of copper that needs drill and tap.

What workholding have you used that is dense for this many parts? Requirements are drill and tap only. Part is .375 diameter.

Looking at a table full of Harding's 5c dead length collet blocks that are hydraulic.

Any other options? Paws system was $20,000+ for 24 stations.



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I've got a job on my desk that is 100,000 pieces of copper that needs drill and tap.

What workholding have you used that is dense for this many parts? Requirements are drill and tap only. Part is .375 diameter.

Looking at a table full of Harding's 5c dead length collet blocks that are hydraulic.

Any other options? Paws system was $20,000+ for 24 stations.



Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


What is the travel limits of your machine and how many do you need to make right away? Is this a job you needs to be completed in a short time or are you making x amount of parts per month? How many parts do you want to run at one time? Based on jobs like this I would make two fixtures that run back to back, you send one pallet in to run and the other you change and get it ready to run after the other fixture.
 
Looking like I'll run this on the dm2 or HMC

20,000 pieces per month

I'd rather stick it on the Haas.

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Collet blocks aren't all that dense, and are pretty expensive. If the TIR requirements are not severe, I would look at some sort of Pitbull or Versa Clamp fixture. Make 2 of them, and have the operator unload and reload while the machine is working.

Even then, the machine will probably be quicker than the operator, but better then sitting there doing nothing while the machine is working ... unless the parts need some manual deburr step.

Regards.

Mike
 
That sounds like a job for a rotary transfer machine with a vibratory bowl feed system.
 
Are they pre-cut blanks? If they are, I would say screw that unless you can make/buy a vibra-bowl or some type of conveyor system. Manhandling 20k small parts a month sounds like :ack2::vomit::cryin:

Wouldn't it be easier to bar feed these and part off in a lathe?
 
I'll have to stay away from stuff like this. Tolerance is .01 on concentricity and .01 on depth of threads.

As a company we have been phasing out older machinery with the exception of grinding equipment.

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Second thought, run away! Anyone that gives a tolerance on depth of thread of .010 is out there. Yes I know you can do it by measuring revolutions and math with a thread plug gage but... How are they going to measure it? I would find that out and question that thread depth tolerance. Is the number of start threads/lead controlled on thread plug gages? I don't know, might be worth investigating...
 
Any other options? Paws system was $20,000+ for 24 stations.



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You could make some vee jaws that hold multiple pcs at a time per vise, then stack 3-4 vises on your table. Not the greatest solution but an inexpensive and viable one. Even have the moveable jaw be spring loaded to account for variations in stk diameter so all parts get tightened equally.
 
Second thought, run away! Anyone that gives a tolerance on depth of thread of .010 is out there. Yes I know you can do it by measuring revolutions and math with a thread plug gage but... How are they going to measure it? I would find that out and question that thread depth tolerance. Is the number of start threads/lead controlled on thread plug gages? I don't know, might be worth investigating...


I should clarify that the depth is the drilled hole max depth and min hole depth. not bad. no call out on thread depth just the depth of the hole.

You could make some vee jaws that hold multiple pcs at a time per vise, then stack 3-4 vises on your table. Not the greatest solution but an inexpensive and viable one. Even have the moveable jaw be spring loaded to account for variations in stk diameter so all parts get tightened equally.

My only fear with V jaws is only having 3 points of contact and possibly mushing the copper. I think im going to be stuck with collets like a 5c dead stop pneumatic or hydraulic unit.
 
Like Mike said, you don't have a small lathe you can barfeed these on? Assuming they're not already cut of course.

20k/month is 666/day = 43 seconds per part over an 8 hour shift.

If they're as simple as you say then that seems perfectly feasible and operator intervention would be minimal.
 
Like Mike said, you don't have a small lathe you can barfeed these on? Assuming they're not already cut of course.

20k/month is 666/day = 43 seconds per part over an 8 hour shift.

If they're as simple as you say then that seems perfectly feasible and operator intervention would be minimal.


Thankfully or not thankfully the parts are pre-machined and require a drill/tap operation prior to another operation we dont do. No way to bar feed them sadly. I have considered buying another fanucmate robot but I think a human can do it faster.

Running 2 shifts per day so should be more than doable.
 
I've got a job on my desk that is 100,000 pieces of copper that needs drill and tap.

What workholding have you used that is dense for this many parts? Requirements are drill and tap only. Part is .375 diameter.

Looking at a table full of Harding's 5c dead length collet blocks that are hydraulic.

Any other options? Paws system was $20,000+ for 24 stations.



Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

if there in the ends then mittee bite clamps on pallets. , operators can load pallets while machine is running.

if the are side holes, you may get mittee bites to work considering the parts are 2" long.

I ran the pallets in 3 vises, but dont rule out a 4th axis using the mittee bite clamps.
I used the hex brass clamps. I'll see if I can find a pic later. worked faster than I ever thought.
 
Thankfully or not thankfully the parts are pre-machined and require a drill/tap operation prior to another operation we dont do. No way to bar feed them sadly. I have considered buying another fanucmate robot but I think a human can do it faster.

Running 2 shifts per day so should be more than doable.

I can't imagine that (drill&tap only) is very high dollar work. Especially if you are getting pre-machined blanks so material markup is out. Have you priced any pre-made stuff yet? A 5c indexer with 4 'spindles' is around $25-30k.

Custom built using hydraulics, that will be engineering extensive if you really want to fill up a table.* Plus even if you used alum plate, it would be too heavy IMO to swap in and out of machine easily.

* I've built fixtures in the past using these and a hydraulic unit.
Swing Clamps – Threaded Cartridge, Single Acting, B1.891 (2 Series) | Carr Lane
Those ^ are roughly $600/ea
 
My only fear with V jaws is only having 3 points of contact and possibly mushing the copper. I think im going to be stuck with collets like a 5c dead stop pneumatic or hydraulic unit.
Only if one jaw has a vee and the other does not.
Heck make both vee, or make one have a 3/8 dia cutout with the other a vee. Lots of ways to skin a cat.
It will at least get you going while you get the 5C workholding all ready to go.
 








 
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