UNIQUE SOLUTIONS
June 13, 2018
MACHINING SOFT MATERIAL
In the following case study, we discuss how to clamp and in what way to machine thin and very soft material without deforming it. Below is a Teflon material piece or substance called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This is a 3.5MM high by 65MM DIA. workpiece to be machined with tight tolerances. It was decided to use a stationary high precision air chuck to be the workholding tool.
Why?
1. Ensuring non material deformation by clamping at very low air pressure.
2. Easy and effortless clamping and workpiece releasing.
Aluminum jaws are prepared for the first operation. As noticed, the walls height is very low,
2mm only. This is done in order to achieve customer specifications and surface quality.
The workpiece is clamped at very low pressure of 0.2 bars to avoid material deformation.
This is the work piece at the end of first operation.
This is a finished workpiece.
Notice how thin it is.
