Application

This is an agile machining fixture for handling powertrain components.
GM researchers have developed a fixturing system that uses magnetic force to hold clamping elements in place.

The fixture is a tombstone mounted on the table of a Makino A99 horizontal machining center. The backside of the fixture has a series of slots into which the fixture components (clamps, guide rails, supports) are fitted. When a fixture is to be constructed on the front of the plate, the machining center’s spindle is used to select the appropriate pieces from the slots in a way analogous to selecting cutting tools from a toolchanger.

Technical solution

The configuration in GM is a cubotec HD50 model, to grant an high magnetic poles concentration for better positioning.
The contact area cor each clamp is approx 80x100 mm..