Study and buildup of a decision matrix for selection and design of micro machining clamping systems - Development and study of universally usable hybrid micro clamping systems

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Uwe Heisel
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: from 2010 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 174015944

According to the results of the previous studies and the 1st funding period, a universal usage of the well-known micro clamping systems is not possible due to various disadvantages of the clamping methods, on which these systems are based. For example, though the mechanical clamping, which shows a very short clamping time, high clamping stiffness and automation capability, as well as low capital and operating costs, nether soft nor thin-walled workpieces can be fixed because of the risk of their damage. The wax clamping allows to achieve very high holding forces and to clamp various micro workpieces reliably and without their damage. However, it is hardly possible with this method to ensure a clamping accuracy sufficient for micromachining without special positioning systems due to the thermal expansion and floating of the workpiece. In addition, the clamping with wax shows much longer clamping times than the mechanical clamping does. All this results in an additional time and costs and makes an efficient usage of this method only for small batches possible. Hence, there is a need for a universally usable micro clamping system.The goal of this project is the development and study of new, universally usable, hybrid micro clamping systems, on the one hand, to use practically the knowledge about the properties and suitability of the known clamping devices for micromachining, which were obtained during the 1st funding period and, on the other hand, to obtain new fundamental knowledge of the behavior and properties of unknown or not studied, hybrid micro clamping devices.The novel hybrid micro clamping systems are to be developed through a combination of various, well-known clamping methods based on material, force or form closures, including the clamping with ice, wax, glue, vacuum, chuck jaws etc. This combination of the conventional methods should result in a simultaneous usage of their different advantages, such as a reliable and damage-free workpiece clamping and a fixation with a high accuracy and repeatability, and/or in a compensation of their disadvantages, such as an increase in the clamping stiffness. However, this must be verified through theoretical and experimental studies of the properties of these hybrid micro clamping systems. Fundamental knowledge, which will be obtained during these studies, is to be implemented into the database system created during the 1st funding period.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Dr.-Ing. Thomas Stehle