Vise Jaws Grip Small Surfaces

Developed to enable aggressive 5-axis machining of high-value parts with minimal waste, SinterGrip can put a grip on just 3.5mm of material. With all but this small amount of the workpiece held above the vise, the jaws give access for machining with short cutting tools for high-rate metal removal and high accuracy in a single setup.

Developed primarily for use with OML’s MC and Genius vises, the jaws use scientifically designed, serrated, carbide inserts to penetrate the workpiece edge to a minimal, controlled depth and exert a push-down force on the part. Thin parts can be machined without deformation by clamping them at 6,600 lb force to achieve penetration, then lowering the force to 2,200 lb with no loss of gripping power. The jaws can also grip equally well on as little as 2mm of part surface if the application requires.

The jaws are available in widths up to 8" (200mm) and can be installed on most vises with mechanical, mechanical/hydraulic or hydraulic clamping systems. A starter set includes the tungsten-carbide-coated jaws, retention screws for the inserts, and a pair of the manufacturer’s snap-in CLAK parallels for quickly positioning a workpiece at the ideal gripping height. The carbide coating on the jaws enhances grip for secondary operations. Jaw sets are also available without the carbide coating and in styles for the user to machine to size. The serrated inserts are sold separately, with three types available for standard steels, hard materials, and aluminum.

The patented design eliminates the need for a special vise, special tools, or pre-machining of the workpiece to add a gripping feature, such as a dovetail.
 

How it Works

Each jaw has a series of triangular dovetailed pockets across the top edge into which the serrated carbide inserts are placed, secured by screws. The two vertical edges of the insert that mate with walls on the pocket have a 5° negative angle on them that corresponds with an angle on the walls of the pocket. Thus, clamp force on the jaws translates into a downward force on the inserts and workpiece. In addition, the mating triangular shapes self-center the inserts to ensure 100% clearance-free contact between the workpiece and the vise jaw to absorb, not amplify, vibration. Clamp force on the inserts spreads diagonally into the jaw, not straight into it.

The carbide inserts themselves have two rows of teeth that penetrate the workpiece and produce push-down effect. The pyramidal teeth are cut with a sharper angle on the lower edge than on the upper edge, causing the teeth to exert a push-down force on the workpiece.

The number of inserts placed in the vice jaw can be varied, with dummy insets available to fill the unused pockets. Penetration of the teeth is minimal, typically well under 0.5mm (0.02") at 4,000kg (8,818 lb) clamp force. Minimal penetration depth of teeth minimizes wasted material. The indentations on the part create locating points for re-setting workpiece, if needed, with repeatability of 0.01mm (0.0004").

Lexair Inc.
Lexington, Ky.
www.lexairinc.com
www.omlusa.com

See SinterGrip used on a hogging cut in steel: http://bit.ly/12HCGJz.