Machine Shop Achieves 400 Parts Per Shift with Royal SLV™ Multi-Vise Pyramids
AT A GLANCE:
- Customer: Southeastern U.S. Precision Machine Shop
- Regional Manager: Jeremy Wright
- Application: Machining High-Security Latch System components
- Machine: Doosan DVF-5000 5-Axis VMC with 8-station pallet pool
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Royal Solution: Royal SLV™ Multi-Vise Pyramids (8 pyramids, 24 total vises)
- Key Result: Achieved 400+ parts per shift, enabled lights-out production, eliminated dovetail prep operation, and reduced tooling cost
A precision manufacturer in the Southeast needed to increase throughput while machining stainless steel components for a high-security rail car latch system. Their target was 400+ parts per shift and the ability to run unattended after hours, but it wasn’t possible with their existing workholding setup.
Their vises were too large for the application, clearance was limited, and the flat layout restricted how many parts they could run at a time. The process also required a dovetail prep operation before the main machining cycle, which meant extra spindle time, extra setups, and additional carbide tooling cost before they even got to the finished part.
In short, they needed smaller vises, more clearance, and more holding power.
Regional Manager Jeremy Wright recommended Royal’s new high-density SLV™ Multi-Vise Pyramid system for the customer’s Doosan DVF-5000 5-axis machining center’s pallet loader.
Its 8 pallets were each loaded with a pyramid featuring an SLV™ vise on all 3 faces. The customer now had 24 total vise stations staged simultaneously.
The pyramid layout moved the parts off a flat, single-plane fixture and positioned them at angles that made better use of the 5-axis machine. This improved tool access, increased clearance, and allowed the programmer to use shorter, more rigid tooling where possible while still machining on 5 sides. Their compact size also helped increase part density.
SLV™ vises are designed with a unique box way construction and elevated drive spindle that combine to provide extreme grip force and rigidity. This significant holding force enabled another major process improvement – eliminating the dovetail prep operation. The customer no longer had to cut dovetails into the raw stock before the main operation. Operators could now load the material directly into the vises, locate it on the grid, and start the cycle.
With 24 vise stations staged across the pallet system, the customer was able to keep the spindle cutting longer and reduce downtime from loading, unloading, and extra part preparation.
Eliminating the dovetail operation removed an entire prep op, freed up spindle time, reduced carbide tooling costs, and made the job easier for the machinists.
The ability to machine 5 sides in a single setup reduced handling and decreased the total number of separate operations, which helped keep the process consistent from part to part.
The customer is now producing 400+ parts per shift and running the Doosan DVF-5000 unattended after hours. By combining the clearance and holding power of the Royal SLV™ vises with the density of the multi-vise pyramid layout, the shop is now equipped with an exponentially more effective process.
