Rail Manufacturer Moves Full Steam Ahead with Safe, Efficient Workholding Solution

All World Machinery Supply’s hybrid hydraulic power generation system combined with IoT remote monitoring technology is on track to help a custom fixture builder, Ahaus Tool & Engineering, and a rail manufacturer boost efficiency and safety. Engineers at All World Machinery Supply custom designed a ClampMax unit to perform multiple functions with minimal devices during the process of machining rails.

“Achieving this with an older, non-smart system would have required twice the amount of equipment,” said Darrell Janesak, senior director of technology at All World Machinery Supply. “ClampMax’s new technologies minimize build cost, reduce manufacturing timelines and simplify future troubleshooting for maintenance personnel.”

Finding Controlled Power

Indiana-based Ahaus Tool & Engineering reached out to All World to explore the feasibility of pairing a hydraulic power unit with remote operating capabilities with its workholding fixture.

The fixture required a power unit that would not only supply power to hold and lock in place large parts, up to 3,500 pounds and 80-feet long, during precision machining, but also control turning and enable users to control operations while loading and unloading the rails via an overhead hoist.

For optimal functionality, the unit would also need to communicate a complex series of instructions to the machine tool.

After loading rails into the Ahaus-designed and built fixture, an operator would use an All World-developed wireless pendant to initiate clamps. These clamps would activate pressure sensors to validate subsequent operations, such as enabling a toggle arm rail lock, supporting the clamp block and deploying position locks during a rotation sequence. During machining, rotation locks would need to be opened, rotated and relocked to a different position. Finally, the hydraulic system would receive machine commands to cut rails simultaneously in two or four quadrants.

Customizing a Solution

All World engineers turned to ClampMax workholding technology to provide the fluid power necessary to support the workholding fixture while remotely communicating instructions and providing updates on the status of the fixture in space via a movable human-machine interface (HMI), according to All World engineering manager Frank Grube.

All World’s ClampMax units, known for their compactness and energy efficiency, incorporate innovative Daikin inverter-driven hydraulic systems with ifm efector smart sensors and HMI interface PLCs. During customization, engineers strategically position valve arrangements and additional valve stack control devices to provide precise control over each valve station on the manifold for consistent movement and articulation of the workholding fixtures.

ClampMax was a perfect candidate for maneuvering the rail via remote operation, and Janesak developed a custom schematic layout proposal catering to Ahaus's specifications. He calculated fluid volumes to determine the necessary size of the ClampMax system and based the selection of valves on the specific operational needs of each fixture segment.

“Our system, ClampMax, receives a command to turn on a valve, or valves, to reposition the rails to a different orientation,” Janesak said. “Five valves are required to operate each of the eight fixture segments in one of four quadrants for a total of 20 valves.”

Engineers designed the ClampMAX system for Ahaus with a larger volume capacity and a pressure rating of 2500 psi. The hydraulic circuit concept for the system was developed in two days, while its construction spanned six weeks due to the circuit’s complexity.

All World engineers developed four software programs for the system, including screen graphics and diagnostic tracking functions for oil and volume. The HMI touchscreen enabled the selection of commands for either two or four rails.

The most unique feature developed was an All World wireless, remote pendant that allows operators to clamp and unclamp the fixture while loading and unloading the rail.

Meeting Growing Demands

ClampMax’s capabilities are not only attracting rail customers seeking workholding solutions for high-precision machining of heavy rails, but also capturing the attention of those seeking customized inverter-based hydraulic pumps to reduce energy consumption.

All World engineers custom design every ClampMax system in the U.S. To date, All World has built more than 2,000 unique designs for multiple customers across North America.

“Not only can we design and build specialized devices, but in most cases, we can give a quote with a schematic within 24-48 hours,” Janesak said.

Get a closer look at a ClampMax system at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago from September 9 to 14, at booth #339166. The customizable unit will be part of All World’s lineup of innovative, energy-efficient, and IoT-ready solutions designed to enhance manufacturing shop productivity.