Has anyone used "invert-a-bolt" tooling?

[neurosis]

Curious if anyone has used these things and what their opinion of them are.

 

I have a couple of fixtures that would work nicely with these but the cuts are fairly heavy and I worry about the shear strength of these things.  I am specifically looking at the 1/2-13 stud.

 

http://www.invert-a-bolt.com/shop_fast.shtml

[crazy^millman]

Yes I have used it. Does a good job, but you need to think about where and how you are going to get to the bolt itself in your part.

[neurosis]

We drill and tap a 1/2-13 hole through the material so getting the stud threaded up through isn't a problem.

 

Right now, we are loading single parts at a time due to weight. We run a 1/2-13 bolt through the back side of the fixture to hold the part down and then load that in to a vice. I would like to make a fixture that holds about six parts at a time which would require leaving the fixture in the machine and different way to tie the parts down.

 

What concerns me, is that we are using a single 1/2-13 bolt on one end and a .3125 dowel (to prevent side to side movement) on the other end of a 7 x 4 x 1.5 4340 bar. This set up has worked very well over the years but I worry that these  "invert-a-bolts" may not be up to the task.  We run the job on a 50 taper machine and some of the cuts are fairly healthy.

[Bob W.]

I have used them and they do work well.  I haven't used them in some time however because I have found faster ways to change parts, namely the Lang and Schunk zero point systems.  The horizontal machines have also reduced the need as well.

[neurosis]

I have used them and they do work well.  I haven't used them in some time however because I have found faster ways to change parts, namely the Lang and Schunk zero point systems.  The horizontal machines have also reduced the need as well.

 

 

Have you ever taken any heavy (yea, I know that is relative) cuts using them to hold a part down?

 

We use a 4" 45deg facemill -  .175 doc x 80% of the facemill diameter .008 ipt.   It feeds at about 40ipm.  If they will hold up to that cut then I wouldn't be worried.

 

I have a sample of one from 2010 IMTS but its quite a bit smaller than what I would need. It looks a little flimsy.    

[Bob W.]

I'd just find something to hide behind and give it a shot .  Actually all of our fixtures are pinned with .5" pins so we rely on those to hold the part down only.  I have no doubt that if your fixture is pinned you'd be fine.

[neurosis]

It's only pinned on one end but I could easily pin the end that gets the stud in it as well.  There is plenty of clearance. 

[Bob W.]

If there is only one pin how do you locate the fixture?

[betts]

Never had any holding problems, but only used in 40 taper machines. I would think it is relative. If you want two 1/2-13's to hold against 110hp you might have trouble. With the proper number of fasteners I wouldn't be scared. I guess if you said "I would use four toe clamps" to hold that part, if you used as many invert-a-bolts good to go.

[neurosis]

If there is only one pin how do you locate the fixture?

 

 

Bolted through the backside with a 1/2-13 shoulder bolt.  Location on this particular operation isn't important within reason. I just can't have it moving around.

[Joe788]

I'd think a second dowel would calm any worries. That way the inverta-bolt isn't encountering any shear force whatsoever.  I'm not sure how strong the 1/2-13 invertabolt is, but even a 3/8-16 socket head cap screw has some ungodly high load rating on a purely straight pull like that.

[Jrygus]

We use the invert-a-bolt on many of our large aluminum parts. The precision locator versions do not work well. Locate with a pin and use the standard to hold down parts. The Material they are made of is pretty soft. Be careful installing them. They ding up real easy. Other than that we like their products.