Clamping system converts 3-jaw chuck to 6-jaw chuck

By converting a standard 3-jaw chuck to a 6-jaw chuck, the clamping forces are distributed more evenly around the workpiece. This contributes to reduced workpiece distortion and to a significant improvement in machined roundness – for example, out of roundness on a 610 mm turned diameter is reduced from 0.20 mm to 0.03 mm. The system can be fitted to any size and make of standard three-jaw chuck from 250 mm diameter upwards. Available from sole UK agent Thame Workholding, each InoZet segment – which takes a range of standard clamping jaws including soft, hard and segment styles for internal and external clamping – functions as a 'bridge' with up to 10° of pendulum movement. The net result is that the workpiece is effectively self-centred as the clamping force is applied and the out-of-balance effect is virtually eliminated. The more evenly distributed clamping force makes this new system ideally suited to the machining of deformation-sensitive workpieces, as well as out-of-round blanks and components deformed by heat treatment. The pendulum mechanism is protected from contamination to maintain the chuck's true running properties. And because the clamping jaws on each pendulum segment can be positioned as required within the entire clamping range of the chuck, there is no requirement for additional sets of clamping jaws or any need for expensive 'specials'.