Makino a51nx pallet weight

Looking to get a Makino a51nx for some aluminum jobs, but had a question on max pallet weight. Makino list the max payload to be 880lb, but does that include pallet itself? The tombstone and four double vises I am looking at putting on it weight 830lb without any parts! These will be small aluminum blanks, but if I bid larger jobs am I gonna overload the machine? Anyone running these with cast tombstone with four Orange double vises?

Thanks!
~AWall

The 400kg/880lb limit is standard across the industry and does not include the pallet. But yes, you're going to be getting very close to the weight limit.

Since you're machining aluminum, you can save weight by using aluminum carrier slides and jaws. If you want the rigidity of cast iron jaws, you can still use an aluminum carrier slide assembly to save about 40 lbs total.

Alternatively, our new Delta IV "mini" vises (6" x 4" body) address this issue, as they weigh less than 20 lbs each. They're also only 1.937" tall, saving just over an inch in headroom. On a 400mm tombstone, you can fit three per side.

Over the years, a lot of people have asked us about making an integral 8-station vise tombstone to get the weight down. We explored that but ended up shelving the project when it was obsoleted by the modular mini vises.

Thanks for the input! I've got three of your double vises now and was hoping to just buy one more and the tombstone, but you've got me thinking now on the new "mini" vises. Part density and quick changeover are going to be key for my new machine (coming in less than a month!). Are they listed on your website? I didn't see them anywhere.

Eric,

Do you have any more information about the Delta mini vises?

Thanks!

Mike

Orange Vise said:

The 400kg/880lb limit is standard across the industry and does not include the pallet. But yes, you're going to be getting very close to the weight limit.

Since you're machining aluminum, you can save weight by using aluminum carrier slides and jaws. If you want the rigidity of cast iron jaws, you can still use an aluminum carrier slide assembly to save about 40 lbs total.

Alternatively, our new Delta IV "mini" vises (6" x 4" body) address this issue, as they weigh less than 20 lbs each. They're also only 1.937" tall, saving just over an inch in headroom. On a 400mm tombstone, you can fit three per side.

Over the years, a lot of people have asked us about making an integral 8-station vise tombstone to get the weight down. We explored that but ended up shelving the project when it was obsoleted by the modular mini vises.

Click to expand...

mbraddock said:

Eric,

Do you have any more information about the Delta mini vises?

Thanks!

Mike

Click to expand...

We ended up preselling a lot more units than expected, which delayed the official launch, but we'll have info up shortly with photos and video.

The vises use serrations for locating the fixed jaw. Serrations are spaced 1/16" to allow adjustment of centerline. Repeatability of the fixed jaw is a few tenths - exact numbers will be published at the time of release.

The jaw-to-carrier connection uses our patent pending Delta geometry which centers and pulls down at the same time. Jaw lift is under 0.001" with a part sitting 1.25" above the bed, clamped at 7,500 lbs force (50 ft lbs torque).

Jaw stroke is about 2". To avoid compromising the performance of the vise, different sized parts are accommodated by swapping out low-cost jaws which range from $25 to just over $100 per pair, in various configurations and sizes of aluminum and steel.

The screw has very little "squish". Swapping parts can typically be accomplished with a half turn of the screw from fully torqued to sufficiently opened.

The vises come standard with proprietary ball coupler as well as 52mm quick change mounting patterns.

Pricing is in the mid hundreds. The idea is to make these vises affordable in large quantities, as a practical alternative to high density fixturing.