Masterpiece in the World #4
Floating clamp fit for difficult-to-fix, complex-shaped and large workpieces

As a clamp height needs to be considered when a workpiece is clamped, workpieces should follow the height. Although thin and complex-shaped workpieces are recently on the increase, conventional clamps may distort a thin area. However, without clamping, workpieces become unstable, which can lead to machining trouble.
When small lot products or prototypes are clamped by a dedicated fixture during machining, a thin area of such workpieces can be distorted unless the fixture is well-designed. As dedicated fixtures need to be made for workpieces every time, it not only takes time and cost, but also requires advanced technique for making them.
Here, we introduce the “floating clamp” that can solve such clamping issues.

≪Contents of this article≫
・Features of floating clamp
・Use example: Aircraft industry in the U.S.

Stable machining for complex-shaped workpiece with expanded thin areas

「The “floating clamp” is a general-purpose clamp to fix workpieces by manual tightening. One of the most distinctive features is that it can flexibly change height, so the clamp can follow workpieces. As the clamp height can change according to workpiece shapes, thin areas are not distorted during machining, which ensures stable accuracy.
The product is suitable for large, complex-shaped workpieces with a number of spots to be clamped, and easy-to-distort workpieces with thin areas. Mousepieces can be replaced according to workpiece shapes and thickness.

With flexibility of clamp height according to workpiece shapes, dedicated fixtures are no more necessary.

One of our customers who make aircraft engines in Europe started employing the floating clamp, which enabled them to machine and produce the products that well comply with the standards of aircraft manufacturers. Before they had an issue that thin parts, which are typical of aircraft components, are easy to get distorted, and that the accuracy requirements are difficult to meet.
Aircraft parts are produced in small lot, but making dedicated fixtures for every workpiece is far from efficient. What’s more, it does take time and cost. As a result of employing the general-purpose floating clamp which meets accuracy requirements without causing distortion to thin areas, the customer could successfully solve their issues and boost productivity.

Dedicated fixtures for small lot products are still made by production technology engineers at many shops. But if the general-purpose fixture can always achieve clamping as desired, it can eliminate time and cost for making fixtures and bring a big benefit to shop owners. The easy-to-operate floating clamp ensures accuracy and performance as expected in machining of complex-shaped workpieces.

【Floating clamp】
　Clamp and positioning lock synchronized type (Tightening torque: 15 – 30 N・m, Support force: 2 – 8 kN)
　Clamp, positioning lock separate type（Max. tightening torque for clamping workpieces<width across flats of 18 mm>: 15 N・m,
　Max. tightening torque to fix a clamping jaw position<width across flats of 10 mm>: 10 N・m)
　(Support force up to 8 kN against a load in the floating clamp axis direction)

The article introduces the DMG MORI selection of　masterpiece equipment in the world.

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