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Automated vise choices

as9100d

Stainless
Joined
Apr 19, 2019
Location
Paris, Arkansas
I know workholding is pricey but man.... pneumatic and hydraulic vise prices are insane. Anyone have a more economical way to do this? Maybe something they would like to share that we can duplicate in house?
 
I have about 6 of these that float around the shop. We use them on pallet changing Brother Verticals with humnas but should be easy to automate the valve to open / close

Airvise
 
No spec for repeatedly that I could see. No other vise compares to the schunk for pneumatics but that's out of my price range I need to round up 12 stations worth and at that point....building some is a viable option.
 
Does it have to be a vise? A mitee bite uniforce with a hydraulic pull cylinder is pretty inexpensive.
That would work but I would need to have 2-3 per "vise" to span the width of the parts.

That said....have any of you designed and made a push pull hydraulic cylinder in a base similar to the paws workholding stuff?

Their product doesn't fit my requirements and size.
 
I'm thinking we may just automate our existing chick vises.

Anyone have any experience with pneumatic devises that rotate? Think of replacing the vise handle.
 
I'm thinking we may just automate our existing chick vises.

Anyone have any experience with pneumatic devises that rotate? Think of replacing the vise handle.
There is a company that makes a pneumatic attachment to drive the vise screw that looks pretty good. Easy to convert from manual to auto in seconds. Sorry but I don't know the company or which thread I saw it on this forum.
 
Alright so I bought a festo pneumatic rotary vane actuator. Has 40nm torque at 87psi with a 10bar max. Should be plenty to crank down on the vise screw.

Right now we have some chick 5ql vises and I'll make an adapter bracket. If it works I'll post the bracket here for everyone with part numbers.
 
I thought I looked into this quite a few years ago and also to adapt to chick vises think I came up empty one of those things how does a widget not exist didn't think would be too difficult and just have a male hex coupler attach to the front of the vise and use hydraulic or air setup. chicks don't take a lot of torque to lock those parts in. I always try to cheat and leave the dam handles in mine would rather they just disappear.
 
I thought I looked into this quite a few years ago and also to adapt to chick vises think I came up empty one of those things how does a widget not exist didn't think would be too difficult and just have a male hex coupler attach to the front of the vise and use hydraulic or air setup. chicks don't take a lot of torque to lock those parts in. I always try to cheat and leave the dam handles in mine would rather they just disappear.


I think I have the solution. Google the festo part number FESTO PNEUMATIC VANE TYPE ROTARY ACTUATOR DSM-25-270-CC-FW-A-B

There are a few styles of these but I bought one to test. 30ftlbs of torque at 87psi is plenty. I did a test and tightened one of my chicks with a torque wrench at this setting and had zero issues.

Putting a big part in the back jaw and smaller part in the front jaw lets me open both with less than 180dwgrees of rotation.

Once i make the adapters, I'll post the cad file here or maybe I'll list them for sale somewhere.
 
Well the pneumatic actuator showed up today. After some quick and dirty tests....I think I have a winner.

I was able to bolt a torque wrench down, use this thing at 90psi and got the torque wrench to click at 30ft lbs. I don't have an air supply that's above 90psi easily accessible until all my hoses and whatnot comes in tomorrow.

Time to make some brackets and whatnot.

If all goes well, I think I may end up drawing this actuator and making 100 or so of them for those that are interested. $1500 is too much to just buy them. I do after all have a machine shop thats more than capable.
 
There is a company that makes a pneumatic attachment to drive the vise screw that looks pretty good. Easy to convert from manual to auto in seconds. Sorry but I don't know the company or which thread I saw it on this forum.

Are you thinking of the cnc vise actuator from Rapid Design? (disclosure, I work there). Uses a pneumatic piston over rack and pinion design, 50 ft-lb torque and $1400.
I like the rotary vane idea too. It's something we've looked at for reducing the width of the actuator which would be nice if you're really filling the table up with bi-locks.
 
I would have bought the rapid design one but man $1400 is just nuts. Start adding them to several vises and you get into the territory of hydraulic applications.

Im using the rotary vane now and its working great. I think im going to take this thing apart and see if I can make my own.
 
I hear you. Most people use them with one UR robot and have a couple actuators that move with the robot between machines when needed so they don't need to buy them for each mill or vise setup. The rotary vane idea would be good for reducing the number of internal parts. Might tricky to get the seals to hold up at the bore seams? I'd be curious to see what seal design Festo's using to deal with that.
 








 
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