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Americanmachinist 721 13377ctd0101png00000006421
Americanmachinist 721 13377ctd0101png00000006421
Americanmachinist 721 13377ctd0101png00000006421
Americanmachinist 721 13377ctd0101png00000006421

Workholding system speeds-up setups

Feb. 17, 2006
Kurt Manufacturing Co. (www.kurtworkholding.com) introduced a zero-point workholding system that the company says results in fast, accurate and repeatable workholding setup changes. The company says its VB DockLock integrates with workholding devices, ...
Kurt Manufacturing Co. (www.kurtworkholding.com) introduced a zero-point workholding system that the company says results in fast, accurate and repeatable workholding setup changes. The company says its VB DockLock integrates with workholding devices, such as the company's vises, to reduce time required for setup changes on horizontal and vertical machining centers.

Steve Kane, sales and marketing manager, says the VB DockLock is simple and easy to use. It has few components, so it also is easy to keep free of chips and coolant, Kane says, adding that the system's design reduces work in the fixture-handling process while helping to eliminate operator setup errors. The system positions and locks the vise or a fixture in alignment onto the worktable. A typical workholding setup change that could require 20 minutes can be done in less than two minutes with the VB DockLock, Kane says.

The system aligns and locks the vise or fixture with a hydraulic locking cylinder that has a clamp-down force of 2,800 lb. (12,456 Nm) per locking cylinder and a retention force of 9,000 lb. (40,033 Nm). When a change is needed, the VB DockLock disengages instantly, and the work can be moved to another machining center or offline for reintroduction to a machining center.

The system has a repeatable positioning accuracy of ±0.0002 in. on typical part runs. It is available in three versions: standard, automatic and heavy-duty, and it also can be customized. Each version has locating collets, cylinders, mounting pallets and pumps that allow configurations that can be adapted for almost any machining center and production requirement.