Adaptable Workholding Device

Emuge Corp. has announced an application for adapting an existing precision clamping device. "To meet new, evolving customer requirements, the adaptable solution eliminates the need for an entirely new workholding device, saving cost and streamlining the manufacturing process," said a company spokesperson. Emuge designs and builds clamping devices for specific customer applications. Due to exchangeable elements, Emuge has the ability to adapt its installed workholding solution as new requirements arise.

A customer was using an Emuge bevel gear workholding solution on a gear to hard turn the bore and face so that the surfaces could run to a datum. The Emuge clamping application provided excellent run-out, surface finish and improved cutting tool wear. The customer, satisfied with the Emuge system, then encountered a challenge with a new workpiece having operations similar to the original, but its geometry was different in terms of clamping diameter, clamping location and overall thickness.

David Jones, Precision Workholding Product Manager, Emuge Corp. said, "For optimal efficiency and cost savings, our customer wanted to utilize their existing machines and also use the same basic workholding for the new workpiece. So, our team got to work on analyzing all workpiece details, taking into account the machine equipment, precision application requirements and production process details." Emuge was able to adapt the existing workholding design to the new workpiece by using interchangeable clamping elements, including a new end stop for location and a new set of clamping fingers for the different diameter. All the same accuracy and repeatability requirements were achieved, and now Emuge has adapted its device to five different workpieces for its customer.

For more information contact:

David Jones

Emuge Corp.

1800 Century Drive

West Boylston, MA 01583

508-595-3600

david.jones@emuge.com

www.emuge.com