CNC collet chuck suggestions

[chris m]

Good afternoon

 

I am looking at hanging a new hydraulic collet chuck on one of my existing machines for bar-fed operations and I'm interested in suggestions or feedback. Because of spindle bore limitations and spindle size [A2-6] I am thinking S26, but really have no interest in paying Hardinge for it. Full-bore, front actuated chucks, like a Lexair / Production Dynamics are just way too much money, so a regular hydraulic seems to be the way to go. My questions are, I guess:

 

#1) Who has a chuck that has been successful for you?

 

#2) 'standard' or dead-length? I have an Iemca VIP barfeed that was gifted to me, but don't know much about it yet, so I'm assuming that it can hold the stock in place when the collet draws back, but a dead-length seems like it would cause less stress on the barfeed; am I off base?

 

Thanks in advance

 

C

 

[ 05-11-2010, 01:20 PM: Message edited by: chris m ]

[heavychevy2155]

I have an ATS on my Okuma Howa, it is the standard pullback type. It uses 16C collet, and works very well for what little turning work I have. For a high production job, the standard might not be the best choice because chips could get into the collet and would have to be cleaned from time to time.

[heavychevy2155]

I have work at companies that used the collet pads with standard 3 jaw chucks.

 

http://www.huronmachine.com/catalog/jaws_collet_pads.cfm

 

They work really well with bar feeders and pullers.

You can also get custom pads made and also order emergency pad you can machine in house.

 

Also found this on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-ATS-Low-Profile-Tr...=item19ba46ab52

[Charlie Pierson]

Dead length would seem to be pretty much useless on

a barfeed setup as your lengths are established by facing and cutoff. It would be almost mandatory for sub-spindle/ back work opers though.

 

Perhaps Hainbuch could help you.

Give Rodger Slarve a call at 802-765-4034

or email him at [email protected]

 

cp

[gcode]

Its been years since I did any bar feed work

but ATS always served me well..

US Shop Tools sells knock-offs at low ball prices

though I can't speak to the quality.

[GoetzInd]

We have 10 royal chucks here. Never had any problems. S26 system is great for main spindle where concentricity isn't critical. We have 16c dead lengths on all our subs.

 

Mike

[chris m]

I didn't think of ATS, but I should've. We have a Powerhold S26 on one of our Okuma & Howa machines that has run day in, day out for years, but I need to get some competitive numbers going. I have a Production Dynamics full-bore S30 chuck on my twin-twin Okuma that has about a billion cycles on it with no issues, but they want like 3X the money for that chuck than the 'regular' ones and this application just doesn't justify it. Kick-a$$ chuck, though, if you're ever in the market for a front-actuated setup.

 

I'll look at Royal and ATS and see what they have to say.

 

Thanks guys

 

C

[robh]

I don't have alot of experience w/lathe but we have EXSYS dead lengths on our mill/turn,ya might check them out.

[Newbeeee™]

+1 for the collet pads.

We fitted them to our machine - 1x screw per jaw to swap over.

Also, if you need to revert to soft jaws or bar jaws, just swap them out.

Quick and very easy.

[chris m]

We had one of those "collet in a jaw chuck" setups a few years ago on a B212 Kitagawa and, I must say, I was not impressed. I'm sure it is decent for flexibility, but for a dedicated bar machine it doesn't seem like the way to go. To compound the problem, the chuck that is on the machine doesn't have much of a through-hole, so that pretty much puts the kibosh on that idea for my application.

[Greg Williams]

I use SMW KZ-MB collet chucks

[chris m]

SMW Systems, or SMW Autoblok? ATS is SMW Systems these days, I'm pretty sure.

[MichaelJ]

"S26 system is great for main spindle where concentricity isn't critical."

Are you talking .0001th or .01 out of concentricity?

Thanks

Michael

[chris m]

Master / pad collet setups are designed for first-operation use typically, so aren't the best for .0005 concentricity requirements on secondary ops; I could duct tape stock in the machine better than .010

[GoetzInd]

Dont expect to hold anything better than .001 tir on a s26 system. .003 is more realistic.

 

Mike

[chris m]

Our Royal S26 dead-length chuck just rolled in the door; I'll post some feedback once we hang it on the machine and get things rolling. Thanks for the information, guys, made me look in directions I had not thought to.

[heavychevy2155]

Congrats Chris keep us posted. This forum is great aint it.