b'Youre able to gain efficiency by reducing the numberof tool changes and by reducing the number of fixture changes.Working Together letting the fixture sit flat.As a result, the locating feature is not properly centered.applications that involve automation. When repeatabil- In general, Zaya said automated loading and un-ity requirements are extremely demanding, he said aloading processes need automated cleaning as well. robot arm has trouble meeting them by itself. For this purpose, his company sells a device called a If a shop relies strictly on a robot in these situations,Chip Fan. Rotated by the machine spindle, the Chip the robot programming will require constant up- Fans blades provide sufficient air power to blow ma-keep, he said. You have to keep going back in andchining debris off critical surfaces. Cleaning with the tweaking the program points where the robot picksChip Fan can be programmed to take place automat-and places things. However, an accurate location sys- ically at the end of a machining cycle, before a fixture tem for the pull studs ensures that the process has achange is made.good level of repeatability.In part, accuracy and repeatability of automated pro- Pallets and Pyramidscesses depend on the cleanliness of mating surfaces. Zaya pointed out that many newer automation sys-All it takes is one loose chip in the wrong place totems are designed to pick and place assemblies con-(produce) a fixture that is not seated completely andsisting of blanks held by fixtures, such as pallets capable correctly, Zaya said. If you get a chip in betweenof holding multiple parts. Inside a machine, loaded pal-the two mating faces, then that means that chip is notlets are often placed on zero-point clamping systems 26APRIL 2023Workholding.indd 26 3/16/23 11:37 AM'