Lots of time savings without sacrificing quality or accuracy

"AC Metalec was founded as a family business in 2001 by my father and uncle. My brother has now been working here for 11 years and I myself started here last year, after graduating in design and production technology." Speaking is Killian Delaet, working in the Willebroek-based company. "We do not produce our own products, but as a specialist in turning and milling, we machine everything within our capabilities. We have an extensive machine park for this purpose, with modern and automated CNC machines that allow us to process just about any ferrous and non-ferrous material. We do this for piecework, small and medium-sized series." 

Automation

Delaet has recently put his focus on looking for improvement opportunities in terms of automation. "Since changing machines for the next series takes quite some time, I was looking for solutions that could save us a lot of time in this area. Through the Internet, I was first introduced to the VERO-S quick-change pallet system. I was convinced of the time savings to be achieved in changing tools and contacted the supplier SCHUNK in Erembodegem. Not much later, I was able to watch a test demo which confirmed my suspicions. This system would save us a lot of time. Meanwhile, we have installed the system on our new five-axis machine. We are already noticing the various benefits: not only the expected time savings, but also the ease of use and the accuracy that always remains within 5 µm are huge advantages."

Years of cooperation

Metal company Van Casteren from Baal has also noticed that there are many benefits to be gained with the VERO-S. Managing director Peter van Casteren explains. "As a subcontractor in metalworking, we are based in Baal and make the products our customers want at their request. For us it was not such a surprise that the VERO-S would satisfy us. We have been working with SCHUNK since the second half of the 1990s. This started with the replacement of a Taiwanese chuck that we had some problems with with a quick-change chuck from SCHUNK. Since then, the clamping problems we had have actually been completely solved. At the turn of the century, we purchased hydraulic clamps of their manufacture." 

Latest addition

The latest addition is the VERO-S zero-point clamping system to quickly change machine clamps. Van Casteren: "We have a fairly large machine of which we do not need the fourth-fifth axis continuously. To keep changeover times short, we chose to build a VERO S zero-point clamping system on it. This saves us an enormous amount of time. In less than thirty minutes after changeover, we are back to production with the desired accuracy. That time saving ensures a quick payback for the system."

Precise and modular design

VERO-S is a modular quick-change pallet system for very fast and extremely precise resetting of workpieces, clamping devices or other equipment on modern machining centers with three, four or five axes. It reduces setup times to 90% and thus guarantees optimum use of machining capacity. The system clamps workpieces, pallets, modules for stationary use and collet towers using one or more clamping pins, with a guaranteed repeat accuracy of < 0.005 mm. Module height extensions provide additional flexibility.