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Special machine to finish drill & slit collets used in welding. This machine produces a finished collet from a
blank in just 7 seconds; completing 5 required operations with only one handling of the part.
blank in just 7 seconds; completing 5 required operations with only one handling of the part.
This perspective is from the operator side and shows the control on the right front corner (under the feeder bowl) and
finished part bin in the center.
Machine operation: Blank parts are loaded into the feeder bowl. The bowl orients the parts and at the discharge of the
bowl is a roll stamping operation where the company name, part number and size is stamped on the blank collet. The
part is then transferred from the end of the track into the open collet positioned at the first station. When the part transfer
arm has pushed the blank part into the collet, the collet is closed. The transfer arm then retracts to pick up the next part.
On retraction of the transfer arm, the entire dial indexes one station. At the next station, the blank part is center drilled.
Station 3 drills the part through. This drill head has the ability to “peck drill” if needed. Station 4 slits the part and at
station 5 a reamer runs through the part to remove any burrs created during the slitting operation. At the last index
station the part is ejected into the finished part bin. The cycle time is dependant on the time of the longest operation
(typically slitting) and is 5-7 seconds. Indexing is .7 seconds
finished part bin in the center.
Machine operation: Blank parts are loaded into the feeder bowl. The bowl orients the parts and at the discharge of the
bowl is a roll stamping operation where the company name, part number and size is stamped on the blank collet. The
part is then transferred from the end of the track into the open collet positioned at the first station. When the part transfer
arm has pushed the blank part into the collet, the collet is closed. The transfer arm then retracts to pick up the next part.
On retraction of the transfer arm, the entire dial indexes one station. At the next station, the blank part is center drilled.
Station 3 drills the part through. This drill head has the ability to “peck drill” if needed. Station 4 slits the part and at
station 5 a reamer runs through the part to remove any burrs created during the slitting operation. At the last index
station the part is ejected into the finished part bin. The cycle time is dependant on the time of the longest operation
(typically slitting) and is 5-7 seconds. Indexing is .7 seconds
Side view showing electronics cabinet, slitting head (on the left) and the reaming head (on the right)
Feeder bowl and first
section of track which
leads to the roll stamping
operation (it is a straight
section which begins just
where you see the
angled line of parts end)
section of track which
leads to the roll stamping
operation (it is a straight
section which begins just
where you see the
angled line of parts end)
Close up of wide opening
collets
collets
| These collets have the ability to open to over .6 inches and close down on a .25 inch diameter and still maintain accuracy. (see the parts in next photo) The pneumatics in the picture allow the operation of the collets independent of the position of the indexing table with only one air hose leading through the middle of the indexer and feeding all six collets. |
Blank and Finished part
Blank part on the left, ready to go into the machine. Finished part on the right, complete with roll stamping at the top,
through hole and slot. The collets go into the machine with the larger end in first. They are pushed into the machine far
enough that they are gripped on the smaller diameter shank. This was the reason for designing the special wide
opening collets shown in the picture above. Although not needed for this job, we designed them with enough extra
opening range that they could be used for parts with larger head to shank ratios - like fasteners.
through hole and slot. The collets go into the machine with the larger end in first. They are pushed into the machine far
enough that they are gripped on the smaller diameter shank. This was the reason for designing the special wide
opening collets shown in the picture above. Although not needed for this job, we designed them with enough extra
opening range that they could be used for parts with larger head to shank ratios - like fasteners.
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