HWR Workholding USA has announced multiple new additions to its SOLIDLine family of innovative zero-point workholding. Available immediately, the new products include SOLIDGrip MAXX for large workpieces, SOLIDBolt FLEXX for direct integration with pallets and tables of select machine tool builders, pyramids for increased capacity in 5-axis machines, and mounting plates to streamline tombstone setups.
“Since formally establishing a US-based subsidiary in 2021, HWR has partnered closely with manufacturers to better understand the current workholding needs in North America,” says Thomas Saur, CEO of HWR Workholding USA. “Our most common requests are for solutions for larger parts, products that increase flexibility and products that facilitate automation. Each of our latest introductions addresses one or more of those demands.”
With a maximum clamping range of 800 mm (31.5”), SOLIDGrip MAXX offers extremely secure holding of large parts. The product capitalizes on SOLIDGrip’s modular design, allowing two standard vises to be quickly converted to one large-capacity vise and back again in minutes. For parts that are large in both width and depth, two SOLIDGrip MAXX vises can be applied as a pair. Vise jaws are available in smooth, serrated, and heavy-duty toothed versions to ensure an optimal match to every application.
Developed to simplify and streamline operations, SOLIDBolt FLEXX allows workholding components to be quickly and easily installed. The system enables pull studs to be secured directly to the existing hole pattern on a machine’s table or pallets. Following this, the integrated zero-point plate on SOLIDGrip products allows for fast installation of a wide range of workholding products, including vises, risers, chucks, pyramids and more. SOLIDBolt FLEXX is currently available as a standard product for select machine tools from Makino, Matsuura, Mazak and Yasda. HWR will be expanding the product to machines from other builders, and also offers customers custom versions tailored to their specific machine make and model.
For 5-axis machining applications, HWR has launched a series of pyramids that can hold up to three workpieces at a time. Standard products can mount either 46 mm (1.8”) or 77 mm (3.0”) vises, accommodating a maximum vise length of up to 120 mm (4.7”). The pyramids can be directly mounted to a machine’s table or pallets, and they significantly reduce non-cutting time caused by loading and unloading workpieces from the work area.
Lastly, HWR’s newest tombstone plates feature imperial threaded holes. The plates are available with a 2” x 2” or 1.5” x 2” hole pattern and with 1/2 – 13 or 5/8 – 11 tapped holes. Once installed on a tombstone, these plates facilitate extremely fast changing out of workholding to accommodate a wide range of parts. These flexible products can be mounted vertically or horizontally and can easily be adapted to 3-axis and 4-axis vertical machining centers.