Tested Durability On Our Oldest Fixture! | Fixture Friday 2 | Pierson Workholding

[@davelelonek]

As always, good video Jay. Pallets are the way to go. We started using a pallets system probably 15 years ago. I realize these are simple parts but when I design a pallet, I keep my part datums the same for tolerance reasons and to keep it consistent for the operators. We also use a fixture offset for each part location such as G54.1 P1, P2, etc. When programming, we setup the code such that we can start the program at any process, any fixture position. That allows for tool breakage or recutting to tune a feature without needed to run the entire pallet over. If anyone wants to see sample code, let me know.

[@cowbyup77]

I would be curious about how your code and program structure looks like. I do something very similar in my shop, but I'm afraid it's to confusing for anyone whose brain doesn't exist in the same level of madness as mine does.

[@davelelonek]

@@cowbyup77 If you wish to email me, I can send you a sample. [e-mail] (all programs are CAM driven via MasterCam - we did purchase NX Cam but have not implemented it yet as I have another business getting the bulk of my attention)

[@neilsbardella3871]

I'm sure you've thought of this already, but I think it would be awesome if you designed a 6" vise that would go directly onto the Pro Pallet base. It would save valuable Z axis travel vs mounting a vise onto a pallet.

[@gredangeo]

That could work, unless it's possible to completely wreck a Kurt Vise and put in the Pallet Kit underneath it. Pretty risky if that doesn't work. It probably won't because this Pallet system requires too much depth for the kit. These pre-made pallets themselves don't allow too deep of bolts going through it in the wrong spots, unfortunately. So if Jay was to design a vise, it would almost be as thick as putting a vise on the pallet anyways. Not much to gain.

[@jackflash6377]

I took a pre-made pallet, drilled and tapped it in a pattern then used the little Mod Vise from Saunders Machine Works. Light, strong and way better than bolting a Kurt to a pallet (I have that too and it works great). Both have their place but the Mod Vise is great for quick prototypes etc.. Maybe Jay should hook up with John and make that into a kit.

[@marvinpitts8799]

Do you have a model download available for the pallets?

[@PiersonWorkholding]

No, but that's a great idea for future episodes.

[@jodyolivent8481]

The MPS with a large pallet is available in the Fusion360 Cam Samples>Workholding>Pierson Workholding folder.

[@alexkern9134]

Hi Jay, great videos. Not sure why I wasnt subscribed before, but your IG shoutout brought me here. Question: how can you drive the part into the locating corner with just one clamp? Maybe you can go over theories and thoight process like that in a future video? Id like to learn more about designing the fixtures. Thanks!

[@PiersonWorkholding]

We'll definitely cover that. Until then, the single clamp only needs to push the part against one edge, not into the corner. Think of it as using a workstop in a vise... When loading it, you only put light pressure against the stop and then clamp the part.

[@BillGriggs]

Jay, when you designed the pocket depth to hold these parts, did you use the depth on the Pitbull label (D) or did you go deeper?

[@PiersonWorkholding]

We used the recommended depth so the clamp would bite on 0.150" of the part. In aluminum, we often go deeper to hold on 0.100"-0.125".

[@BillGriggs]

@@PiersonWorkholding Thank you.

[@xTJx93]

Hey, how did you program that? G54P1 or? How does that look in fusion360?

[@OakwoodMachineWorks]

I'm curious as well.

[@PiersonWorkholding]

Good question. We cover offsets in an upcoming FF, but for this pallet we use G54 and G55 for Op1 and Op2 to fine tune the location of the parts if they were sawed longer or shorter.

[@ajfreeze215]

Depending on the accuracy you are looking for, could actually just use one offset for the whole pallet. I do that with mine. 12 parts each pallet, all from one work offset. I run 2 of Pierson Pro Pallet systems in my mill, so I just use a G54 for one, and a G55 for the other. 2 different parts on each pallet, with 1st and 2nd side of each part on the pallet. The 2 parts make one assembly, so I am getting 6 complete assemblies every 40 minute cycle. You can post them out at the same time, and have it sort ops in order to limit tool changes. Sometimes it doesn’t like to do this, especially if you pattern. I had to go in and pull some of patterns out into separate operations to get it to post the way it was supposed to. I bought the big pallets, and ended up cutting some off of each one, because I didn’t have the Y travel on my machine to clear the pallet with the shell mill. For high tolerance parts you could use separate work offsets for each location, and have it probe the part every time if you wanted-but you probably already know that. For mine I made a model of the stock, and then mated the part to the stock in the location I wanted it to be in the stock(like 20 or 30 lower than the top of the stock). Then I mated that stock and it’s part to its place in the fixture. For second side ops, I just mated the part to its contoured part location in the pallet. I used sketches to draw rectangles to run the 2” face mill over the top of the stock to get it to get, the rest was patterned operations off of one work offset on the pallet (I engraved that location on the pallet). Hope this helps-AJ

[@PiersonWorkholding]

✅ How to get your hands on a Pro Pallet System 👉 bit.ly/39Hf3wr