High pressure vices added to Brown and Holmes' portfolio

Compared to standard manual vices, the high pressure products offer a number of advantages, including safer clamping, minimal wear and longer durability. According to Kevin Ward, managing director at Brown and Holmes (Tamworth) : "We have been working with Fresmak vices for years, especially their hydraulic range, which offers great health and safety advantages, and has proven to be easy to use. It also looks like the market for these types of vices is currently growing, as they offer a number of workholding solutions that could be of interest to a variety of potential clients, ranging from technical colleges and universities, through to high volume manufacturers." Unlike their manual counterparts, high pressure vices operate on the base of intense force, resulting in the work-piece being very well clamped and enabling greater feed cut, depth and milling. Above that, the pressure can be retained throughout the entire work process, thanks to the force intensifier, with the option to apply clamping pressures of up to 5 tonnes via a simple turn of a handle. Whilst traditional vices obtain more force by rotating the spindle, which supports the pressure made on the work-piece, eventually causing wear on the thread, no deterioration incurs on high pressure vice parts. As the pushrod causes the force, using an axial movement, only low force is supported, leaving the spindle unaffected and resulting in a much longer product life.