Workholding

END USER: Weir Minerals North America, (608) 221-2261, www.weirminerals.com. CHALLENGE: Streamline workholding and machining of 12', 5,000-lb. cast iron pump housings. SOLUTION: Dedicated fixtures that cut setup and machining cycle time while improving operator safety. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Advanced Machine & Engineering Co., (800) 225-4263, www.ame.com

END USER: The Boeing Co., www.boeing.com. CHALLENGE: Boost productivity and reduce setup time when machining carbon fiber-reinforced plastic aircraft components. SOLUTION: Abrasive waterjet cutting technology and flexible workholding. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Flow International Corp., (800) 446-FLOW, www.flowwaterjet.com

Shop takes a 'systems' approach to holding microparts.

END USER: Highland Products Corp., (440) 352-4777, www.highlandproducts.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce setup time when employing high-pressure coolant for Swiss-style machining. SOLUTION: A through-coolant Swiss-style toolholder that directs coolant over the insert to the tool/workpiece interface. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Streamliner & Associates Inc., (814) 440-1548, www.streamlinertools.com

END USER: The TMF Center, (765) 762-1000 CHALLENGE: Reduce setup and changeover times when machining large parts. SOLUTION: A modular magnetic workholding system. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Techniks Inc., (877) 354-3837, www.techniksusa.com

Ever since CNC machining became the dominant method to cut and grind metal, a perception has existed that machining can be manipulated and easily simplified. With computers crunching the numbers, how hard can machining be?

Workholding involves much more than slapping a part in a vise or chuck and pushing the cycle-start button, according to the Workholding column in the April 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

END USER: Straitline Components, (250) 655-6603, www.straitlinecomponents.com. CHALLENGE: Avoid wasting workpiece material to keep costs down while increasing productivity. SOLUTION: Low gripping-profile clamps that provide high-density workholding on a tombstone. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Mitee-Bite Products LLC, (800) 543-3580, www.miteebite.com

Learn details about the many new products that manufacturers are offering to the metalworking industry in Cutting Tool Engineering's May 2012 Product Showcase.

The CTE staff offers a workholding product review.