Chiron CNC Machine Automated Plier Clamping System

The Chiron CNC Machine Automated Plier Clamping System team designed a clamping fixture capable of holding multiple plier forgings during multiple CNC milling operations. An associated unloading system to remove the plier forgings once machining operations have been completed was included. The fixture is designed to accommodate four plier forging styles, and will simultaneously clamp four plier forgings for CNC drilling and spot-facing. A chamfering operation was added which requires the clamping fixture to be rotated to machine from the underside. A dimple on the plier forgings will be used to center the forgings in the fixture. Upon machining completion, the fixture will automatically remove the forgings from the CNC machine and reset for the next cycle.

A fabricate and test a plier forging clamping fixture system was fabricated and tested. A simulation of the process along with a video of the test fixture can be seen below: