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Look at any high production machine out
there and you'll see pallet changers, tombstones, and high density
workholding fixtures. The industry has figured out that to maximize
profits you have to maximize spindle time. The
more parts you can get in a machine per cycle and the faster you
can get them in and out translates into bigger profits.
The problem is that these "efficiencies" have such a high
initial cost that you might not see any return on investment until
several years down the road. The
Pierson PRS
provides all the efficiencies
of high density workholding and fast part change-outs without the
astronomical price tag. Please check
our Applications page and see how
much our customers are saving on jobs.
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Several reasons. First of all, vises rely
on holding objects using brute clamping force. Our workholding systems hold pallets with a downward force. Once locked, resistance
to movement in the X and Y directions are not dependent on clamping
pressure. This downward locking method assures that there is no
excessive pressure exerted on the pallet
which might cause distortion or bowing.
Second, the system has a repeatability of .0002. With vises, the constant clamping
and unclamping distorts a pallet either by bowing it or by compressing
the material so much that accuracy starts declining from the first
crank of the vise handle.
Since the system is
air actuated, you'll never have
to deal with a vise handle again.
It's as simple as flipping a single hand valve. Best of all, you'll
be swapping fixtures in and out
of the machine in about 15 seconds. No
vise can compete with that!
Finally, pallets are easy
to install and ready to go right out of the box.
They also come in sizes that would not be able to be held in a standard
capacity vise without time consuming modifications. This means faster
fixture creation and more parts per fixture.
A PRS will work with any vertical machining
center or knee mill. A K-1 or
K-2 installation kit contains all the components needed
(air fittings, hoses, valve, grommets, instructions) to begin using
the PRS in your machine. The only other thing you'll need to provide
is an air source with a minimum of 100psi for operation.
Mounting
the PRS Base is easy. The PRS Base mounts to your table with the
same t-slot nuts and bolts that a standard vise uses. Download
installation instructions: PRS_Installation_Instructions.pdf
(220k)
Vises have been around for a long time
and have their right place in manufacturing. Pallet systems don't
have much benefit on prototype and short run jobs, but pallets
are not always for holding parts!
Many of our customers use our Pallet Retention System to hold
and store vises, indexers and clamping fixtures.
Imagine bolting your current vises and rotary indexers to pallets
and simply dropping them onto your table with no need to indicate
them in ever again! For more ideas on what people are mounting to
their pallets, check out the Applications
page.
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Not at all. Yes, other pallet changers use
hydraulics for holding but this is usually out of necessity due to
the mechanical design. Because the PRS locks pallets down with dowels
rather than ball bearings, far less pressure is needed to achieve
an equally secure hold. When ball bearings touch another surface there
is very little surface area actually making contact. The dowel method
our systems uses creates hundreds of times more surface contact area
than ball bearings. As a result, far less pressure is needed to achieve
a secure hold.
As far as maintenance is concerned, a light coating of grease on the locking dowels is all you'll need to do to ensure consistent holding force. This needs to be done every 2 to 4 months. Because all critical components are hardened the PRS shows very little wear even after 100,000 test cycles. We've found that the best preventive maintenance is to keep the system covered when not in use.
Our goal is to provide quality products
that are in every shop's price range. Currently a PRS starter kit
is $2495. Please view our complete Pricelist (Adobe PDF 633 KB).
Yes, substituting a different size pallet for the 6 x 12 that comes with the VS-1 Starter Package is not a problem. We simply add the price difference between the two pallets to the cost of the package.
All products for the Pallet Retention System
can be purchased directly through us.
This allows us to establish a direct relationship with our customers and provide the best service possible. Please give us a call to place an order toll-free at (800)
352-2894. We accept all major credit
cards, company checks, money orders and PayPal.
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