Need help with pallet/fixturing ideas for a small awkward parts.

[Fal Grunt]

I have a small L'ish shaped steel part that I am having a hard time fixturing.

This is a big "production" run for me, approximately 350 pcs, which may never repeat. Too many pieces to do a one piece work flow, 3 operations, and the part is too small/finicky (I think?) to set up multiple in vice jaws. I played around with a setup to do 3 parts in a vise jaw, which may ultimately be the best value/speed combination. Not enough parts (or part value) to do a fancy intricate pallet, maybe a simple pallet, but I haven't come up with a simple setup for the second op.



I don't know if you will be able to make out the side profile or not. Total length is 1 1/4". Width is about .200".

1st op is easy, I can do some pockets and pitbull clamps. Second op I am having a hard time with coming up with a clamping or hold down solution. 3rd op is pretty similar, for either, it'll need to be a block to stand them up vertical.

I roughly have it planned out for 12 - 16 pcs on a pallet, cycle time for 16 should be about an hour that way. With two pallets, it'll be fairly quick to change over and swap parts while running. Problem is holding that second op. Machine time to make the pallets, mitee-bite's, etc pretty quickly racks up.

Maybe vise jaws are the way to go? 3 in the jaws, two ops in the orange vise, and the 3rd op block in the Kurt. 9 parts in process, say 35 min cycle time? $60 in soft jaws.

I've been spinning my wheels on this one and just can't make up my mind. One of the worst parts (I think) about being a one man shop, is not having anyone to bounce idea's off of, or to point out the "simple stupid" type things.

 

[MaxPrairie]

Did you mention the material? You should be able to set a 6ish” bar in and get 4 out using just a kurt vise. I would do the flat side first then the side the the cut out. Op 2 would be flipping the 6” bar consisting of 4 parts into jaws that you cut through so you have maximum height being held. Op 3 for the end holes sounds like you have figured out. I’m not afraid to avoid spending the time and energy to make a fixture on a non repeating job even if it is a bit of a grind.

Edit: Are these parts from raw bar stock or are you being provided that profile?

 

[IninefingersI]

Kind of hard to tell exactly what you've got going on, but we make a part with a similar profile. They almost make themselves.

 

[gustafson]

350 parts that won't repeat?

Vises

Unless you are doing similar work or similar parts where you can use the fixture again, personally I couldn't be bothered.

If I did do a fixture, it would sit in a vise

Sure opening the door 350 times sucks, but so does spending X hours making fixtures

 

[DavidScott]

As much as I like fixtures for production I would go with vises for that part and quantity. I also see only 2 ops.

 

[Fal Grunt]

Did you mention the material? You should be able to set a 6ish” bar in and get 4 out using just a kurt vise. I would do the flat side first then the side the the cut out. Op 2 would be flipping the 6” bar consisting of 4 parts into jaws that you cut through so you have maximum height being held. Op 3 for the end holes sounds like you have figured out. I’m not afraid to avoid spending the time and energy to make a fixture on a non repeating job even if it is a bit of a grind.

Edit: Are these parts from raw bar stock or are you being provided that profile?

They will be made from 1/4 x 1/4 bar stock. I was thinking I would take the extra time to cut them into approx 1.3" pieces. I'll do 3 pockets in the jaws to locate. While 1/4" 1018 is cheap, old habits die hard, and when I was young working for my grandfather I would get scolded for cutting stock with too much extra material. I just don't like turning material into chips if I don't have to.

Kind of hard to tell exactly what you've got going on, but we make a part with a similar profile. They almost make themselves.

View attachment 346097View attachment 346098

Thanks for that! While your parts look quite a bit larger, it looks like I should be able to make these work in vise jaws.

350 parts that won't repeat?

Vises

Unless you are doing similar work or similar parts where you can use the fixture again, personally I couldn't be bothered.

If I did do a fixture, it would sit in a vise

Sure opening the door 350 times sucks, but so does spending X hours making fixtures

They might repeat.... but I am not going to hold my breath.

I should have clarified better in my first post, a "pallet" for me is a small slab of aluminum I put in my Kurt. It's nice to be able to drop the pallet in, probe, and go. It also leaves my other vices open for other work if I need to.

As much as I like fixtures for production I would go with vises for that part and quantity. I also see only 2 ops.

Fixtures just seem so much easier to dial in than running multiple vise jaws.

Due to the super secret squirrel nature of the products I make I just did a rough outline. There are a lot more features on this little guy than what is shown.

 

[apoet]

They will be made from 1/4 x 1/4 bar stock. I was thinking I would take the extra time to cut them into approx 1.3" pieces. I'll do 3 pockets in the jaws to locate. While 1/4" 1018 is cheap, old habits die hard, and when I was young working for my grandfather I would get scolded for cutting stock with too much extra material. I just don't like turning material into chips if I don't have to.

At $10 for a 6' bar, I would personally rather load 6" strips than tiny individual parts.

 

[atex57]

Cold finished? Isn't that gonna curl up like a banana if you cut it all on one side?

Ed.

 

[MaxPrairie]

Cold finished? Isn't that gonna curl up like a banana if you cut it all on one side?

Ed.

Yes, hot rolled or stress relieve the 1018.

 

[Fal Grunt]

At $10 for a 6' bar, I would personally rather load 6" strips than tiny individual parts.

It's worse than than... it's $14 for a 12' bar. However... the below issues also tie into that.

Cold finished? Isn't that gonna curl up like a banana if you cut it all on one side?

Ed.

Yes, with 1018 this is certainly an issue. However, the stock will have about 1mm on each side. This helps a LITTLE bit. And... see below.

Yes, hot rolled or stress relieve the 1018.

I typically stress relieve any cold rolled material (especially 1018).

One of the other reasons I usually run small pieces, instead of bars, is due to the stress. I have found even after stress relieving that cold rolled 1018 will flex. Then it is difficult to get all 3 or 4 pieces into the vise repeatably, and flat.

 

[Pete Deal]

I have a set of 8” talon grip jaws I made. I make a bunch of 1018 parts in strips in these. I mill them so the remaining back strip is minimal, about.07” thick. For removing the back I have soft jaws, steel ones. With pockets to hold each part. The strip does warp but with the thin backing strip it’s easy to hold it down in the vise while I tighten it.