Low-Cost Pallet System For Lean Manufacturing(2)

Delphin, a line of high-precision chucking systems, offers the end user a choice of standard chuck configurations as well as the ability to custom configure chucks to suit specific needs. Hydraulic/pneumatic, hydraulic-only and pneumatic-only versions are available to satisfy a variety of budgets and applications. The line requires minimal hardware for the location and clamping of pallets. Low cost drawbars, attached in series to the pallets, provide the reference elements necessary to locate components with a system accuracy of +/-0.0001" while clamping with a force of 6 tons per chuck. Integrated into the hydraulic and hydraulic/pneumatic version is a lifting mechanism that activates when the chucks are unclamped. With a per-chuck lifting capacity of 500 lbs, this function raises the pallet up and off the face of the chuck as it is unclamped and allows easy loading and removal of heavy fixtures without the risk of damage to precision reference surfaces. In addition, both the hydraulic/pneumatic and pneumatic versions provide air-blast cleaning of all internal and external references, thus assuring optimal performance under the most difficult circumstances. This feature also offers feedback information in the event the chucks are incorporated into an automated cell.