Modular vises, any recommendations?

[Bob W.]

I recently replaced my Haas VMC with a second Makino HMC leaving me with one VMC and two HMCs.  I pretty much always had the Haas tooled up with a vise and a vacuum chuck so I could quickly throw on a piece of material and dovetail it or do other prep work for the HMCs, it was pretty much a utility machine.  After getting rid of the Haas I am a little short in this area and I am looking for a solid modular vise system that is super flexible and can quickly be installed on my PS95 VMC with the rotary installed, or on a tombstone on the HMCs.  Some of the vises I have run across are Triag or the SVF vises offered by Tombstone City.  Here is a Youtube video of the Triag vise:

 

 

My budget is ~$3k for a pair of vises.  I have no idea what the quality of these is or what else might be out there.  I want to add pull studs to the bottom of the vise so it can be in and out of the machine in a flash so I can get done what I need to do and get back to the work that pays the bills.  In short, I want to make the PS95 VMC more flexible so I don't have to pull the rotary to install a Kurt vise just to drill a few holes.  Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated.

[specv]

We use the Leave vises from Tombstone city http://cnctombstones.com/modular-vises-2/ we really like the quality and they are super rigid.

[Sticky]

I've been looking into Gressel and Microloc http://www.microloc.com/

 

The issue I have with serrations is that they are exposed and therefor open for abuse from operators and other mishaps.

[kccadcam]

Do you already have a subplate grid on the machine?

How about something like this?

http://www.stevenseng.com/vises/modularvises.html

You could mount it in any configuration that would fit on the subplate.

[Scrap Metal]

I used the Triag clamps in dedicated fixtures on our HMCs .   We ran 24/7 production & never had problems with them.  The only thing we ever replaced was the jaws which started to wear after about  12-18 months.  I figured it's normal for as much as we used them.  The company offers a variety of styles & sizes.  We purchased extended jaws & milled a contour to match our part.  The clamps are not cheap,  but they outperformed any of the other clamps we were using before.  

[MikronGuy]

have you looked at www.lang-technovation.com?

[Guest]

have you looked at www.lang-technovation.com?

Lang gets my vote.

 

Technigrip works well too.

[Bob W.]

I ordered a Lang vise this afternoon, thanks for the heads up.  I have always associated their vises as specific to 5-axis work but after looking more closely they really are pretty flexible.  I got the Makro-Grip 310mm and it has a ~7.8" clamping capacity which is actually a little larger than my old Kurt D675s I am replacing.  I really like Lang's quality as well.  I have several of their zero-point plates and they are really well made so I know I will be getting a nice piece of equipment when it shows up.

[Joe788]

How much did that bad boy set you back Bob?

[Bob W.]

about $1850.  I would have ordered a pair but at 36 pounds I just couldn't see using it in a production capacity on our quick change rotary fixtures which is what I bought it for.  I will machine in features for the Schunk pull studs and use it as a utility vise so I don't need to remove the rotary to put a Kurt vise in the machine.

[Joe788]

about $1850.

 

[Zoffen]

BALLIN OUT NOW!

 

ya langs are sweet. Got a bunch of them in our 5 axis cell and they are very flexible!

 

Their zero-point system is pretty slick too if you can justify it.

[Bob W.]

I'm coming to understand that the costs involved with top quality fixturing and things that can reduce setups is pocket change compared to the results they bring. 

[Zoffen]

Yup you gotta pay to play!

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

All we buy for 4th axis rotary tables and 5axis machines is lang stuff. They just came out with a 96mm mount 3 jaw chuck. I'm using one on our MyTrunnion 5. Kick xxxx stuff.

 

We can swap setups in under 2min.

[Josh Kinney -Elite Engineering]

We use toolex 4" and 6" vises for most VMC and HMC work. We even have a handful of Toolex Tombstones. Probably have 30+ Tooled vises. Breakdown and clean after every job.

[JMahon]

Anyone using quick change systems on a small koma rotary table? Recommendations?

[JMahon]

Anyone using quick change systems on a small koma rotary table? Recommendations?

[Bob W.]

I replaced the face plate on both of mine with a Lang Quick Point plate so fixtures can be changed out in 30 seconds.  Works really well.

[cincy k]

I'll second the Lang unless you need to be closer than .0005".  That's been the deviation we've seen.

[xycnc]

I have to say that this thread couldn't of come at a better time. Company just bought a Mazak FH 8800 and looking to tool it up. We already have a FH6800, I was told I'm going to be the one running it. Getting lots of ideas from the websites. My Christmas List keeps getting bigger. I guess I should of been nice.

[JMahon]

Does the quick point system bolt right to your koma table? Mine has I think a 70mm bolt circle on it

[Bob W.]

I removed the face plate and made a custom adapter.

[JMahon]

Gotcha. Now to see if I can talk the boss man into it!

[dforsythe]

I removed the face plate and made a custom adapter.

 

Hey Bob,

 

I just picked up the smaller lang 5 axis vise #74065.  care to share any idea's about mounting to a haas hrt210 4th axis?

 

Damian