Pfaff-silberblau at Motek 2009, Stuttgart (Hall 5, Booth 5428)

Flexible universal fixture from Pfaff-silberblau provides more freedom when processing free-form surfaces

New clamping system based on the ALSR series reduces set-up times and costs, even when processing instable workpieces

Kissing, Germany, 21 September 2009 - With a recent development that is making its debut at Motek 2009, Pfaff-silberblau Hebezeugfabrik GmbH, with headquarters in the Southern German town of Kissing, is providing more flexibility for the manufacture and processing of workpieces with free-form surfaces. The new universal clamping fixture is based on Pfaff-silberblau’s proven ALSR series of electromechanical screw rams and adapts individually to the contours of changing workpieces. This eliminates the need for continuous re-fitting of the processing set-up – and ensures time-optimized production processes at reduced costs, because the clamping fixtures no longer need to be specially designed and built for each part that has to be processed. As another outstanding advantage, the new universal fixture can also be used to process thin-section parts and instable components that have been difficult to clamp down until now. Due to its high rigidity, positioning accuracy and precision, this newly developed product from Pfaff-silberblau outperforms all previous hydraulic and pneumatic systems. The development of the new universal fixture was triggered by a project for an application in the aerospace industry for a client with international operations. For this customer, Pfaff-silberblau’s engineers developed a special electromechanical screw ram system that meets the aerospace industry’s stringent demands with regard to accuracy and reliability. This forms the basis of the universal fixture, which consists of a multitude of individual part stabilizers. For larger workpieces, there can even be several hundred of these stabilizers in action. Each of these stabilizers is attached to the connecting rod of a linear actuator from the ALSR series and can be extended individually to different computer-controlled heights. In this way, the fixture can precisely match the contours of the workpiece to be processed. In order to prevent the workpieces from shifting radially during processing, the end of the connecting rod is fitted with a special head with a gimbal-mounted suction cup. The suction cup employs a vacuum to secure the workpiece for processing. The universal fixture from Pfaff-silberblau owes its high levels of precision and rigidity to the ball screw employed in the special electromechanical ram system. The individual barrel nut is integrated into a special housing to which the connecting rod is also attached. Furthermore, the linear system is equipped with a highly accurate anti-rotation device that ensures precise linear motion without external guidance. The special-purpose linear actuator has been additionally fitted with a special second flange on the shaft tube, to which a connector rod locking device is attached. When the desired final position is reached, the connector rod is radially and axially secured with a concentricity of ≤ 0.01. In order to guarantee the accuracy that the client needed in the axial and radial directions, the project team from Pfaff-silberblau also employed a special connector rod guide. This guide makes it possible to reproducibly move to the final positions to within 0.05 mm of perpendicularity to the spindle axis across the entire stroke length. Servomotors installed at each linear actuator provide the drive power and the position detection-capabilities. The use of encapsulated bearings and lifetime spindle lubrication make the electromechanical screw ram nearly maintenance free. At Motek 2009, Pfaff-silberblau and its subsidiary ALLTEC Antriebstechnik are presenting their offerings in Hall 5 at Booth 5428. Besides the new universal fixture, visitors can also see special solutions from the versatile SHE range of worm-gear screw jacks and a whole series of new product premieres, such as the TELESTO lifting column and the TARVOS linear actuators from ALLTEC Antriebstechnik.

About Pfaff-silberblau The Pfaff-silberblau Group with headquarters in Kissing (near Augsburg), Germany, is part of the Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO). Pfaff-silberblau Hebezeugfabrik GmbH is a technological leader in lifting and materials handling and in drive technology. The Pfaff-silberblau Group, which includes ALLTEC Antriebstechnik in Heilbronn, Germany, and Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik GmbH & Co. KG, in Kissing, Germany, has over 300 employees worldwide and is represented internationally by numerous regional agents. Further information about Pfaff-silberblau is available at www.pfaff-silberblau.com.