Self centering vises are workholding devices that automatically adjust the workpiece to center, thereby improving machining precision and repeatability.
These vises are especially beneficial for milling, drilling and finishing applications that require high levels of accuracy. They are also great for boosting productivity by improving fixturing.
The Clamping Mechanism
A self centering vise is a workholding device that automatically adjusts a workpiece to center, boosting machining precision and repeatability. This can be especially useful for milling, drilling and finishing applications.
A vise is composed of a body, an externally threaded spindle mounted rotatably about its longitudinal axis, and two sliding blocks screwed onto the threaded spindle and containing clamping surfaces to engage the workpiece. The clamping surfaces are offset a distance from the threaded spindle axially, and can be moved in opposite directions to hold parts of different sizes without interference.
This clamping mechanism allows the threaded spindle to be rotated within the central support structure, thereby allowing a precise centering adjustment of the clamping surfaces. This allows the work piece to be held securely and precisely in a fixture system for 5-axis machining, ensuring good accessibility of the machine tool to all facets of the work piece.
Serrated jaws provide maximum grip on stock less than HRC 35 and a built-in dovetail provides exceptional clamping force with even less torque. Designed to be adaptable with our quick change plate, these vises reduce setup times in fixture changeover.
The Jaws
Self centering vises are a great way to boost machining accuracy and repeatability. They are ideal for a variety of applications, including milling and drilling, as well as finishing.
A Self-Centering Vise has two moveable jaws that move in equal and opposite directions, keeping parts of varying sizes centered as they are clamped to the vise. This design makes it easier to machine workpieces with a wide range of diameters and angles.
The best part is that they can be used on horizontal or vertical machinery. They also offer a variety of other benefits, like quick fixturing, increased accuracy, and improved efficiency. The best self centering vises are easy to use and feature a number of specialized features to enhance their effectiveness.
The Clamping Surfaces
A self centering vise has a number of different clamping surfaces. These are designed to grip the workpiece and adjust it to the center of the vise. This helps improve machining precision and repeatability.
The clamping surface of a vise is comprised of a series of serrated jaws which are bolted onto the base of the vise. These jaws have a reference surface positioned above them through a dovetail cut into the top of the jaws.
This dovetail is oriented to be able to grip the workpiece at an angle 134 relative to the reference surface 124. This angle can be adjusted depending on the material composition of the workpiece and is selected based on the amount of offset required to secure the workpiece.
The tooling fixture includes a body 101 and right and left sliding blocks 102 and 103 that ride within guide slots machined into the body and have jaws 104 and 105 that are attached to the top of the sliding blocks using screws 106-109. These jaws are threaded onto a spindle 110 that is threaded into the right and left end regions of the sliding blocks using left-handed external threads 118 and right-handed external threads 119, respectively.
The Clamping Points
Self centering vises are a great way to enhance machining precision and repeatability. They can be used with either horizontal or vertical machinery and are especially beneficial for milling, drilling and finishing applications that require high levels of accuracy.
The clamping points of a self centering vise are a crucial part of its performance. They help to secure parts while ensuring that they are in the correct position.
These vises have been designed to maximize clamping force, stability and repeatability, which can improve production efficiency. They are available in a range of sizes and clamping capacities and can be used with a variety of zero point bases.
Kurt Workholding offers self centering vises in 2.5″, 4″ and 6″ jaw widths, along with multi-axis models for more complex machining operations. Their centering accuracy from minimum to maximum opening is 0.0006″ with 0.0002″ repeatability. The company also offers a range of quick-change jaws to optimize clamping force and minimize jaw lift.