Mechanical Engineering

can you use the existing holes in the plates for alignment pins?

those holes, while attached with bolts, were actually used to hold the metal plate.

but, it is still shaking thus the letter won't get paralelly straight.

i mean, there should be a clamp to hold the metal plate.

If you could get a few close tolerance shoulder bolts to fit the holes tightly, that may be the cheapest/fastest option for you.

tightening using bolts actually considered sturdy and tight, but it takes time to screw and unscrew. this plate quantity is like thousands i suppose.

Ah ok, so you need a press for stamping/pressing the plates and a fixture to easily drop in and remove plates. Much faster than engraving, but I guess that depends if each number is unique.

I come with these i deas, but it might not work i think.

1.) using toggle clamp with groove way underneath

2.) using wedges to make it proportionally equals.

if you have cnc, you could just mill a pocket to fit the plate thickness, with an area removed to allow easy removal after engraving using a finger.

nice!

i knew someone's gonna come with this idea.

but Andrew, the metal plate is available in 3 dimension of shapes. small, medium, and large.

if i put a cam screw on the side, then i will need atleast 3 more holes position as it has 3 size of plates.

and again, is it very common to purchase that cam screw? i mean, i rarely see one.

is that a usual toggle clamp?

no, not really. an engraving machine is already all we need because the letter is very clean and neat instead of using any stamping devices.

yes, the number (or we could say, font) is unique. sometimes in italic, sometimes too deep and too shallow. yeah, it varies.

If you have access to a machine shop, it would be a very quick/easy job for them to turn one from a shoulder bolt in a 4-jaw chuck, then just use allen wrench to operate.

oh please. why you gotta do this to me, Jan ?

yeah. that makes sense to me right now. your good idea, i will keep it. thanks alot buddy.

Hello,

I just came out with a simple concept. Have a look, if it serves your purpose.

It's basically a long Metal Sheet with a slot on it. Use locating pin for various parts.

Clamp on Table.

Thanks

Raje

could you just use toe clamps? that's what we'd use to hole little/strange shaped things is the shop where I used to work:

Wow! i never thought about this.

you really think out of box, my friend. i really like this idea.

Thanks Raje. i really appreciate it.

yeah this works too, but it need to be in rush pick and place for the metal plate due to production lead time. tightening the bolt will take few minutes meanwhile the lead time requires less than a minute i suppose.

Reading all the replies and your comments, here is my 2 cents contribution.

In clamping fixtures please always use the 3-2-1 rule. see this link.

https://learnmech.com/3-2-1-principle-used-for-jig-and-fixture-locating-method/

Next: use a Vacuum plate. Easy and fast to create with the use of an ordinary Vacuum cleaner or spend $200 with https://millrightcnc.com/product/vacuum-clamping-fixture/

https://www.thameworkholding.com/products/vacuum-workholding/

Çok benzer bir sorunu makinedeki pleytin üzerine çok küçük fakat güçlü bir manyetik pleyt bağlayarak çözdüm.

ince ve küçük plakalarınızı mayetik pleyte çektirerek tüm yüzeyin tabana temasını sağlayabilirsiniz.

aynı mantıkla yüzey taşlama yapıldığını zaten biliyoruz.

dilerseniz deneyin belki çözüm olabilir.

Kolay gelsin.

https://www.google.com/search?q=manyetik+pleyt&rlz=1C1GCEU_trTR863TR863&sxsrf=ALeKk03WK5-CY3pyg__rLHocvmH-MigEmw:1589393915022&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiS6NndubHpAhVnQUEAHedaDvMQ_AUoAnoECAwQBA&biw=1097&bih=535#imgrc=lc5ThNZNeZdokM

Benim tezimde hiç civtata bağlantısının olmadığının altını çizmek isterim.

Yapmanız gereken şey

pleyt üzerine yapıştıracağınız ürünlerin hep aynı konumda yapışmasını sağlayacak stoper parçalarını konumlandırarak yapıştırmanız.

Bu arada hiç İngilizce bilmediğim için Türkçe yazıyorum affınıza sığınarak.

No sweat. A simple clamp assembly can be made that will securely hold either the rectangular or lenticular parts. Simply mill the top hinged holding plate to the profile of the parts (plus a little to make loading quicker), the lenticular piece to a depth of 2.1mm, and the rectangular piece to 2.6mm. Hinge it down to the flat base plate, clamp it down (working on a quick release clamp mechanism) and Bob's your uncle.

I'm assuming the etching stylus makes a straight in and out pass, otherwise the top fixture could be in the way.

See illustration.

Almost done.

Rob

Took another look at the whole concept and rethought it completely.

The core of it is a modified hold down clamp available from McMaster-Carr: https://www.mcmaster.com/5128A22/ with the arms splayed out to clear the stylus.

The clamp base is 6061-T6 0.25" (6.35mm) thick milled down 0.5mm for the rectangular plates. Saves having to readjust the clamp. Locating pins, four for the rectangular plate, and two for the lenticular protrude only 2mm. Cycle times in the five to ten second range, faster if an auto feed is implemented.

The base holds either plate, just loosen the bolts, slide it to the appropriate fixture, and tighten down. That is on the assumption that runs are batch based rather than as it comes.

Working up the BOM, and can export in a variety of CAD formats.

About https://www.mcmaster.com/bolts: most hardware, bearings, ah hell, practically everything a fabricator needs is available as CAD downloads, saving hundreds of hours drafting. In fact, the clamp is imported as separate components, enabling quick motion studies.

Rob

Allow me to suggest a pivot point at the center of your clamping plate. Shorten your clamping arm in order to be aligned with that pivot point.

try clamping with magnet

i did have once while im working on engraving project.

While the workpiece is on the process of engraving we use magnet for clamping it, so it does not moving.