Bps Grippers for cat40 horizontal atc

[within a thou]

Does anyone know where a good after market place is to buy the grippers? I spoke with the OEM and their prices are absurd and the downtime to shut the machine down while I reverse engineer and make my own makes about as much sense. Thanks in advance These are the 2 finger gripper style that that slides straight to grab the tool before pull and turn.

[Guest]

They are not the same from MTB to MTB. Everyone's arm configuration is different. All the gripper locking mechanisms are different as well.

 

You have 3 choices, reverse engineering what you have, purchasing them from the MTB or finding a scrap machine (IDENTICAL to yours) and cannibalising it.

 

Hav eyou given any thought to what material you plan on making them from? Remember, too soft and they will wear out and too hard and they'll wear out your tool holders and possibly crack over time. It's not as easy as what you think it is. You'll probably want to replace the springs as well since you're in there anyway.

 

JM2CFWIW

[GoetzInd]

their prices are absurd

 

What do you consider absurd? Machine make and model?

 

Mike

[within a thou]

Its a 1990 Hitachi Sieki HS3A and as absurd they told me the last set they sold was $2500 for the pair and $50/ spring and I would need 4 and would get back to me as soon as they heard back from Japan. Which is just scary I was using Mitsubishi tooling for so long and with the tsunami found it hard to get inserts and bodies most of the time. I can only imagine the turn around time. I have been dealing with Mitsui in New Jersey for the last 3 weeks already.

 

Definitely agree to replace the springs as well but as to what I was going to make them out of I was thinking something on the line of Impax Supreme for its long wear life with only being 33RC which is way softer then my holders.

 

Right now the arm still functions but I can't use the ATC for heavier tools they drop out of the grippers which is why I want to replace them to keep operators from hand bombing tools in and out all day and to limit operator error.

 

I have also contacted Tac Rockford out of Illinois and although there website lists my mill and they make the grippers when I called customer support she told me she didn't know what I was talking about call Mitsui so I filled out the online form with the part number for the gripper which is 2655 and just waiting to get a email back.

 

Just trying to avoid the downtime of tearing the thing apart to reverse engineer because it turns into does the effort justify the means needed to save the above cost. But now granted the owner doesn't want to hear that he just says "you're a machinist make them".

[Guest]

$2,500... on the surface sounds a little bit on the pricey side (I would have expected about $1,900-ish), but when you said it's for a dead MTB... now not so pricey. You'll have a hard time beating that price when you consider all things (assuming you'll not have to call service in to remove it and re-install it) that will go into manufacturing it. Programming time, CAD Modeling time, material cost, outside processing of material (black oxide, chem film, etc...), etc...

 

Good Luck.

[mkd]

i RFQ'd to get an okuma swapped over from BT to CAT.

okuma no-quoted due to age of machine or figured once i saw their price i would never be heard from.

pretty extensive tool change mechanism, probably was a bad idea to even ask.

[Guest]

i RFQ'd to get an okuma swapped over from BT to CAT.

okuma no-quoted due to age of machine or figured once i saw their price i would never be heard from.

pretty extensive tool change mechanism, probably was a bad idea to even ask.

If you've got a rack style tool magazine that woudl certainly be an expensive "swap".

[mkd]

If you've got a rack style tool magazine that woudl certainly be an expensive "swap".

no rack, 80 tool conveyor setup. which means tool should be retained by spring clip on retention knob. tool change is an amazing 13+ stage process through multiple arms traveling over six feet. if the system ever breaks down i'll have to scrap the machine or commit suicide..haven't decided yet.

[Guest]

no rack, 80 tool conveyor setup. which means tool should be retained by spring clip on retention knob. tool change is an amazing 13+ stage process through multiple arms traveling over six feet. if the system ever breaks down i'll have to scrap the machine or commit suicide..haven't decided yet.

Scrap the machine, there's less paperwork.

 

Most likely the holders are retained by spring loaded ball bearings. Why people continue to keep their Hitachi's alive is beyond me. I realize the iron is still solid, but the fact the electronics and parts are becoming harder by the day, more expensive by the month to obtain, they cost more to run and maintain than get rid of even though they are paid for.

[GoetzInd]

they cost more to run and maintain than get rid of even though they are paid for.

 

+1.

 

Mike

[within a thou]

Scrap the machine, there's less paperwork.

 

Most likely the holders are retained by spring loaded ball bearings. Why people continue to keep their Hitachi's alive is beyond me. I realize the iron is still solid, but the fact the electronics and parts are becoming harder by the day, more expensive by the month to obtain, they cost more to run and maintain than get rid of even though they are paid for.

 

I couldn't agree more this thing is rotting from the inside out. Even all the fittings on the hydraulic system hydraulic lines and manifold blocks need to be replaced thankfully they are bspp standard and not jic so I should be able to get by just replacing orings but right now it leaks at a rate of over a gallon a day.. This machine has been rat bagged so bad over the years. But it runs a production job for us like clock work. May not be the fastest machine but when you look at a newer machine cost then factor in the savings on time it will be a long time before the savings pay off the cost of the new machine. I would much rather keep it doing what its doing use that money drop another machine on the floor and pump the work through that while the Mitsui putzes along.

[Guest]

...right now it leaks at a rate of over a gallon a day...but when you look at a newer machine cost then factor in the savings on time it will be a long time before the savings pay off the cost of the new machine...

 

Me thinks you need re-run the numbers. That oil leak alone costs $150/wk give or take.

[within a thou]

The oil leak costs us $75 a week we only run 5 days. The paying off the machine I was referring was increased productivity and the increased profit that would bring in. I started here recently and we are expanding and moving to a bigger shop. When I pick the machine up to move it I am addressing the leak then no reason that I see to strip the machine down now when it will need to be dismantled to move it which is planned for august

[Joe788]

Why people continue to keep their Hitachi's alive is beyond me. I realize the iron is still solid, but the fact the electronics and parts are becoming harder by the day, more expensive by the month to obtain, they cost more to run and maintain than get rid of even though they are paid for.

 

I think the Hitachi thing was a typo. Pretty sure it's a Mitsui (though, parts and service for those around these parts are about as scarce as Hitachi)

[within a thou]

I think the Hitachi thing was a typo. Pretty sure it's a Mitsui (though, parts and service for those around these parts are about as scarce as Hitachi)

 

It is a Mitsui but we also have a 87 Hitachi lathe slow as chit but makes chips. Even with the new lathe we are getting I will keep the Hitachi on the floor also for quick one off pieces while the new lathe runs production. The Mitsui pays the rent and wages here the other machines pad the bosses pockets which is why we aren't looking to scrap it till its dead.