Pagina 26 - Progettare International 2013
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Metal Work
Progettare
International
22
M
etal Work is introducing the new
V-Lock. At first glance it might just
simply look like one of the many
catalogues of pneumatic components. It
represents, however, a quantum leap and a
change of paradigm in specific technology. It
does not contain any factors that, on their own,
could be classed as a sensational innovation,
but altogether it is something previously
unseen. To explain things better, let’s start
with the problem that needs solving. Anyone
who has to make assembly machinery has to
select the individual components and design
the unit where they will be housed and fixed
together. Designers have the enormous amount
of components (slides, grippers...) that are
available on the market at their disposal and
they have to do a great deal of personalisation:
they have to study the devices that are needed
to join all the components together, and to fix
them to the frame of the machine; then they
have to design and make all the adaptors,
brackets and plates for instance. These phases
take up a lot of time and money, which is
completely out of proportion with the added
value they bring.
V-Lock meets the following requirements:
Connecting everything to everything: grippers
with slides, rotating actuators, guide units, but
also with profiled structures made out of any
brand of aluminium.
Connecting with every spatial orientation.
The connection is just so simple, quick to
tighten, accessible from all sides.
No adjustment plates are needed between one
component and the next.
The connection is extremely rigid.
The system is accurate and repeatable, so that
when a component is removed for maintenance
purposes, it can then be accurately put back
in place.
All the components in the V-Lock series
have a swallow’s tail that is 4 mm wide on the
surfaces earmarked for the coupling, which
runs along the entire length of the component.
Transversally, there are precise grooves, 6H7
wide, with a 20 mm pitch. To connect two
components together all you have to do is put
them side-by-side and tighten the M5 screws
on the universal fitting, called K (given the
shape of its profile, which is, precisely, a K).
The V-Lock catalogue, which is constantly
being added to, includes precision slides,
guide units coupled with ISO15552 and 6432
rollers, spindle-free rollers, rotary actuators and
grippers.
If positioning accuracy and repeatability is
required, it is guaranteed in the transversal
direction by the K fitting, whereas, in the other
direction, a drilled key needs inserting into one
of the 6H7 cavities.
If, on the contrary, a components need fixing
together in a freely chosen longitudinal position,
and not connected to the fixed 20 mm pitch
between the cavities, then another fastening
system must be used. This fastening system
goes by the name of Quick-
set; it does not allow for
positioning accuracy or
repeatability, but it does
offer complete freedom
when deciding on the fixing
point.
The V-Lock system is
rounded off with forms and
accessories so as to enable
customers to freely position
components in the space:
square- or cross-shaped
adaptors at 45° and 90° etc.
The V-Lock world can be linked to all the
worlds of structures that are made using
extrusions, Bosch, Metra and Item section bars
for example: just one universal adaptor which
makes it possible to fix any V-Lock component
to any aluminium section bar.
And what if you want to fix a V-Lock component
to other objects, e.g. a piece of sheetmetal,
a camera or anything that is not set up for an
interface. This has also been accounted for:
all the sides of the V-Lock components have
a grid of M5 threaded holes, with a 20 x 20
mm pitch, as well as holes for
plugs that are 5 mm in
diameter.
Promotional message
Metal Work SpA
Via Se
9 - 2
(BS)
ax: + 030 2180569
etalwork@metalwork.it
An example of how to use the
V-Lock from Metal Work: gripper,
90° squared, rotary actuator and
shaft-free cylinder assembled
without the need of any adaptors.
Easy Robotics, software for sizing and checking systems
consisting of slides, rotating actuators and grippers. The
picture is taken from a clip of the SW module used for
calculating the grippers.
