Edited by Paul J. Heney, Editorial Director

Creative thinking in the field of kinetics has led to the development of a new fastening clamp. It is well suited to applications involving assembly, verification, handling—and welding in a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive and automation.

The fastening clamp line, offered by J.W. Winco Inc., has the ability to exert greater force with a smaller apparatus. The clamp has a double-effect pneumatic cylinder that transmits a turning movement to the clamping arm along the shaft. Due to the special shape of the oblong hole, the clamp exerts high force.

Meanwhile, the line offers a wide variety of standard accessories that may be combined to suit any specific application without requiring the development of custom components. These features work together to provide a superior clamping solution at a lower cost, saving hundreds of dollars per clamp.

The design allows for a smaller diameter apparatus, to generate up to 333% more force than other clamps. They are up to 42% narrower than typical clamps, so they are suitable for applications in confined spaces. The design of the force mechanism employs a smaller-than-typical stroke that uses less air per cycle. Their monobloc body of machined and treated steel incorporates the stress mechanism and pneumatic cylinder. Built-in connections have no-flow regulators. If the application requires an extra long arm, a pneumatic cushioning option is available.

Pneumatic parts in the clamp can be replaced after wear in a simple manner that doesn’t require removing the clamp from position. The mechanism that generates the force of the clamp has been designed with roller bearings for long life. Each clamp is stamped with the month and year of manufacture, and guaranteed for seven years or 20 million cycles.

Clamps are also available in an “anti-spatter” version that is resistant to rust, salt, solvents and chemicals. It is thermal resistant and has an antistatic Teflon coating.

Four styles are offered with piston lengths from 20 to 50 mm. The design permits front or lateral mounting with centering guide bushings. They also do not use lateral sockets, which makes for simple installation even in small spaces. Positioning can be highly accurate, and clamps can be interchanged easily. They may also be affixed using a collar that permits them to be easily rotated in place.

A broad variety of types of gripper fingers allow the clamp to be configured perfectly to application requirements. Gripper fingers that use a ribbed ball-and-socket joint are available and provide a high friction grip on unmatched surfaces.

Jaw blocks reproduce the surface of the piece to be clamped. Shims are offered to regulate the clamping further. A leveling ball-and-socket joint is useful for clamping delicate pieces. Centering guide bushings can be employed to withstand lateral forces and precisely place couplings and mountings. Other accessories include rear-side protection plates, built-in sensors, and cable connectors.

Fastening of accessories uses threaded set screws, socket cap screws, and upper or lower centering guide bushings, making it easy to assemble, center, and exchange parts.

J.W. Winco Inc.
www.jwwinco.com