Clamping devices of the future

The Precision Tool Association in the VDMA (German Engineering Federation) will under the aegis of the METAV on 21st February 2018 be hosting the 3rd Clamping Technology Forum, designed to showcase innovative technologies for a process-efficient production operation.

Intelligent holding and clamping systems are becoming progressively more important
In their manufacturing operations, for example, companies are increasingly having to deal with thin-walled and very small workpieces and lightweight components. Here, intelligent clamping systems offer a huge potential for optimisation. But they also have “advantages when machining medium and small batch sizes with automated parts handling, and wherever comprehensive process monitoring is required,” emphasised Henrik A. Schunk, Managing Partner of Schunk KG, Lauffen am Neckar. In Düsseldorf, the Schunk company will be giving a presentation on the Importance of the tool-holder in the production process. It will be introducing an app with which a user can receive operating states of angle heads as raw data on his mobile terminal, thus enabling him to take countermeasures against production errors conveniently over his smartphone.

Analogue technologies also a major focus
It’s true that clamping technology is being heavily influenced by digitalisation. However, this does not mean that at the forum in Düsseldorf analogue technologies will be put on the back burner.

The issues addressed by the presentations in Düsseldorf will include the use of angle heads for optimised functional enhancement of machine tools. Angle heads are “very cost-efficient and flexible components designed to significantly expand the functionality of machine tools. Nowadays they are essential in an innovative metal-cutting strategy,” explained Konrad Keck from Benz, Haslach in the Kinzigtal valley. Advantages and possible applications of magnetic and vacuum-based clamping techniques will also be showcased in Düsseldorf.

Overall, experts will be presenting numerous solutional approaches, which thanks to optimised deployment of clamping devices can render the production process more efficient and cost-effective.

The Clamping Technology Forum thus offers entrepreneurs an informational lead for optimising their production operations. Not least, the conferees can on this day acquire even more helpful insights at the METAV itself.