Solid Carbide Gripper Pads And Inserts Designed For Easy Replacement

Fairlane Products has expanded its line of workholding and fixturing components with the manufacture of solid carbide, serrated and smooth gripper pads and inserts, which are easily replaceable within workholding and positioning devices. The solid carbide construction, made from high-impact grade carbide, provides long service life while affording secure holding strength and positive contact to a variety of workpiece shapes, sizes, materials and dimension variations, the company says.

The company produces solid carbide grippers in two styles—as thin pads that can be brazed into pockets or as thicker inserts with a tapped hole or a machined OD flat for mounting. There are 30 pad options including tooth patterns of fine, extra-fine, super-fine, smooth, four-point, straight, angular and saw tooth, plus a selection of shapes consisting of square, round and rectangular. Square sizes range from ³/₈" to 1" and thicknesses from ¹/₈" to ⁵/₃₂". Round pads range from ¼" to 1" in diameter and from ¹/₈" to ⁵/₃₂" thick. Rectangular sizes are ³/₈" × ¼" to 1 ½" × ¾" and from ¹/₈" to ¼" thick. The company says that the thin pads are ideal for workholding applications where limited access space, or limited fixture travel makes loading, unloading and secure holding difficult.

The solid carbide inserts feature round and square shapes, as well as an angle-grip design. There are also 26 configurations of inserts offered, with serration patterns of fine, extra-fine, four-point for the round and square units, and fine, four-point, straight and angular for the angle grip. Round and square grippers range from ³/₈" to ½" thick. Angle face inserts are ³/₈" thick. Round inserts are from ⁵/₁₆" to ¾" diameter while square grippers measure ½" square. The angle grip inserts are ⁹/₁₆" or 10-mm wide. All grippers measure 0.65" in height. The insert-style grippers provide quick change-over and replacement if the application requires flexibility, the company says.