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5-Axis Machining in Two Steps

AR-15 Charging Handle Components

Firearms manufactures are hard at work designing new unique components and parts for the AR-15 platform. Northfield has the task of holding these parts for many aspects of machining operations.

This project is for AR-15 upper receiver components, with a unique contour and light design. For this, we developed a custom solution for multiple automated machine cells. 

Custom Air Chucks 5 Axis
Custom Northfield Model 470W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck

Initial Brief:

High precision custom work holding, finishing all part machining operations in only two setups. Reducing error and saving time. 

Our Customer is a well-established high precision machine and automation provider. They required a custom solution to complete all machining operation in two steps.  

  1. Work holding on a rotary table within a 5-axis machine.  
  2. A chuck with custom hardened jaws to grip the finished side of the work piece from the first step. 

 

Northfield Precision Model 450W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck (0.0001” TIR) with special top tooling attached
Northfield Precision Model 450W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck (0.0001” TIR) with custom top tooling attached

The first stage chuck

is based on the 450W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck, for mounting to a rotary table in a 5-axis machining environment. This handles the first side of the final product. 

To ensure a good grip on the customers rough turned blank, the custom top jaws are hardened and ground to size before coating with 150. Grit diamond.

Northfield work holding solutions include air detect axial locators. This case has, 3 air ports on the 3-part banking surface. These ensure positive part-seat confirmation before the machining process begins. 

 

The Second Stage Brief:

The process involves gripping the complete side of the part from the first step without damaging it, to finish machine the second side.  

To accomplish this, we added custom hardened and ground sub jaws to a Model 470W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck. These hold specially Electro Discharge Machined (EDM) inserts, that grip the finished side of the part produced in the first machining operation.

Additional machine clearance was required at this stage, so the chucks are also mounted to custom Vertical base plate risers. This accommodates for the machine clearances. 

Additionally, this chuck also includes a special air detect axial locator, with 1 air port on the part banking surface, for positive part seat confirmation.  

Model 470W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck with custom Vertical base plate risers.
Model 470W Sliding-Jaw Air Chuck with custom Vertical base plate risers.

 

Are you looking for a custom work holding solution that includes a collaborative design process? Then get in touch today and discuss your projects with the Northfield engineering team.  

 

 

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Internally Gripping - Automotive Drilling

Custom automotive drilling work holding A drilling solution custom designed for the automotive industry. Based on hydraulically actuated, internal grip collet chucks.

Eight of these chucks mount on a pallet in a vertical machining centre, gripping automotive parts for drilling. The chucks are 76mm in diameter but deliver up to 544 kg. of draw force.

Custom automotive drilling work holding

Northfield Collet Chucks repeat to 1/10,000 T.I.R and pull the part onto the centre hard stop.

Does this sound like something that you would be interested in? Get in touch to discuss your next project with Northfield.

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Plastic Tooling - Ceramic Grinding

Brief & Challenge:

Our customer manufactures delicate ceramic rings. They need a way to carefully hold them on the outer diameter so they can grind the inner diameter. To protect the parts, they requested no metal contact points.

Custom_Ceramic_Grinding_Chuck

Solution:

We produced a 6” Diaphragm Chuck with non-metallic top tooling in contact with the customer’s part. The top tooling is made from the most abrasion-resistant plastic available and these items are easily replaceable for new ones should a future need arise.

Northfield Precision Instrument Corporation is a leader in developing custom solutions for difficult problems. Click here to get in touch.

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Internal Spline C.V. Chucks

Recently at Northfield we produced a custom internal grip collet chuck for balancing drive shafts.

Custom_Internal_Grip_Collet_Chuck

 

 

 

The collet on this chuck grips the pitch diameter of splined C.V. joints of a driveshaft assembly.

 

 

 

Internal_Grip_Collet_Chuck_Disassembled

 

 

  • The ‘cone’ has multiple stop pads for axial location.
  • Tapped holes balance the chuck assembly prior to production.
  • The chuck repeats to less than 0.005mm total indicator reading (T.I.R.).

 

Northfield is the world’s premier manufacturer of ultra-precision balance chucks for prop shafts, with chucks that weigh less than half of our competitors. We are also the only chuck supplier recommended by major balance manufacturers.

Northfield Balancing Chucks Feature

  • Highest accuracy
  • Highest RPM
  • Shortest hung mass
  • Fastest & most accurate change over

Interested to know more? Reach out…

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Custom Parts, Custom Colors

No, we’re not making a fashion statement for chucks here!

At Northfield, we affectionately refer to the aluminium anodized chuck as “BIG RED”. Creed Monarch use “BIG RED” to manufacture close tolerance parts for Robert Bosch Power Tools.

We designed “BIG RED” to accommodate the unusual shape of the ‘Wobble Plate’ part of the drive mechanism in a Bosch reciprocating saw. Improving accuracy and dramatically reducing change over time.

Model Big Red Custom Chuck
Northfield custom work holding, model ‘big red’

The “Wobble Plate” is made from 52100 tool steel and heat-treated to 58/63 Rockwell. Spinning at 3,500 rpm for hard turning the “Wobble Plate” internal diameter, creates the outer race of a bearing set.

“BIG RED” is a example of our custom work holding at Northfield beyond the chuck.

  • The spring-loaded plunger and locator ensure accurate locating of the “Wobble Plate” to four specific reference points.
  • When hand mounted on the face of a fixture, the unique design provide repeatability of 0.002 inches.
  • The fixture allows automatic operation after the initial loading.

“BIG RED” solved previous holding problems and saves a tremendous amount of production time.

Do you have a special work holding need that we could help with? Get in touch now.

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Custom Automotive Diaphragm Chuck - Plastic Top Tooling

Northfield 3-jaw, 5” Diaphragm Chuck (DPH-500) with custom plastic top tooling
Northfield 3-jaw, 5” Diaphragm Chuck (DPH-500) with custom plastic top tooling

Customer Brief

Our customer is a heavy duty fuel pump and injector systems manufacturer. They requested a method to accurately grip their small (.098” OD) fuel injector plungers without marking them.

Challenge

Chuck close up, with part and custom stop.

The tip of their part must rest in a carbide seat, ground central to the chuck. This requires the special part stop.

Northfield Solution

Northfield 3-jaw, 5” Diaphragm Chuck (DPH-500) with custom plastic top tooling, disassembled view with part.

The jaws are made from a special, highly abrasion-resistant, engineered plastic. Designed to withstand repeated clamping with minimum wear. The bore diameter gripping the part yields an accuracy and repeatability of more than 50millionths” TIR total runout to the chuck’s center line.

Do you have a similar part? Then get in touch and see how we can help.