The Power Matrix Modular workholding system has solved a problem for portable machine specialist, Mirage Machines.
The company needed to hold a 75kg drill horizontally in place to drill through a vertical steel plate. Typically the plate would be bored to allow the drill to be bolted into postion but this was not possible in this application, so the company turned to the Power Matrix Modular.
Easy to position and clamp
The Power Matrix Modular's switchable clamping units are magnetised on both surfaces, in this case clamping to both drill and plate. Units can easily be positioned where required before being activated at the touch of a button.
2 x 4 pole clamping units were placed either side of the drill bit. With a clamping force of 10kg per cm2 these small units held the drill with zero deflection as the 75mm diameter bit bored through the plate.
As effective as fixing with bolts
Clamping performance was equal to that of bolting the drill to the plate but with a shorter set up time and without affecting the integrity of the workpiece.
Mick Handsley, Technical Manager at the Derby based company commented: “Power Matrix Modular satisfied all our performance criteria and, in addition, it was simple and comparatively quick to assemble.”
More information about the Power Matrix Modular
Company literature available as PDFs including the Product Catalogue, Micromag and Ultralift+