Clamping with ice at Composite Engineering 2010

As the exclusive UK agent, the company's stand will feature a range of the award-winning AMCC ice plate solutions, designed specifically to hold delicate and flexible components during machining operations, including grinding, milling and turning. A regular shop floor compressed air line is required to operate the unit. A fine spray of water is laid down on the freezing plate and the component is positioned in a jig or specially designed top plate. The 'freeze' cycle is selected on the compact control unit and within seconds the film of water turns to ice, which clamps the component ready for machining. After the machining operation the 'thaw' cycle is selected and the control unit releases the part. Managing director, Mark Jones, comments: "Visitors will see just how quick and easy AMCC's innovative solutions are to use. Clamping with an ice film allows composite parts to be held rigidly without deflection or distortion, and no mechanical stress is transferred to the part. This makes the technology ideal for grinding, milling and turning aircraft parts, medical implants, motorsports components and other manufactured goods. The technology is also ideally suited to applications where vacuum or magnetic fixturing could not be applied. For instance, when the components have through holes or the material is non-ferrous, which includes ceramics, composites and engineering plastics." Visitors will also see a range of the fixturing and workholding systems from Leader's principals, including Bison, Gamet, Hainbuch and Hewa. And, the company's award-winning MultiChuck MMY's self-centring of round parts will be demonstrated.