Vacuum Chuck or Vacuum Table Workholding for high speed milling and engraving applications.

VacuMate / Vacuum Chuck workholding for flat & thin workpieces. The VacuMate from Datron is designed to swiftly and efficiently secure flat workpieces to the bed of a machining system. Thin stock, which could be secured only with great difficulties before, is now secured literally within seconds. Quickly secure plastic foils as thin as 0.001", to 0.250" large aluminum sheets. This vacuum table features airflow-optimized ports, with recessed chambers, to provide superior vacuum distribution. A low cost, gas-permeable substrate serves as a sacrificial vacuum diffuser, allowing the cutter to machine through the workpiece, without cutting into the table.

How the Vacuum Chuck Works
We'll be honest, the high-speed and low-force of Datron spindles made the job of innovating Set Up fairly easy (at least for the clever Datron engineers in Germany).

That's because low force means that a vacuum can be used to hold fixturing and blanks - something not possible with a conventional CNC. What's resulted is a modular workholding design that allows for multiple setups on the bed. One station or segment may be a Quick- Pallet (manual pallet changer), another a VacuMate (vacuum table) and a third a Quick-Clamp (pneumatic clamping system). This variety of segments provides the agility to adapt to job changes.

Centering inserts on the bottom of each segment register with conical cavities (milled by the machine itself) on the surface of the machining table. This results in a boss-in- cavity system that insures location repeatability. So if you're in the middle of a batch and an unexpected rush project comes in, just remove one pallet and replace it with the new job. When the rush job is complete, return the first pallet to its place and pick up where you left off.

The ability to quickly adapt to changing needs is the essence of agility ... and agility is the very thing that gives a manufacturer the competitive edge.

The Dense Hole Pattern (optional)
The Datron Vacumate vacuum table module is a very flexible system for securing small, flat work pieces. The principal of the system is simply an assembly that has over five thousand micro drilled holes in a grid pattern and uses a flow of air pulling downward through the holes, sucking your flat piece to the table surface. No gaskets are required with this system. On the aluminum top is a thin permeable card stock that distributes the vacuum evenly while acting as a sacrificial substrate for any cut-through of your work piece. Typically the vacuum pump (not included) is specified depending on the application. If the application requires the milling of holes and a lot of open areas, the pump can be configured for this situation so parts will not lift as vacuum is lost. The system is ideal for milling, drilling and engraving of flat materials such as aluminum, brass, plastic and even steel. Common applications include: Nameplates, tags, signs, instrument panels, engraving plates and cookie cutting pieces out of large sheets.

The Vacumate consists of a 12" x 18" x ¾" thick anodized aluminum base that is used to distribute the vacuum through channels. It is secured to the machining table with six M6 machine screws (included). A 3/8" aluminum top secures to the base with eighteen 10-32 machine screws. The top has over five thousand micro holes drilled, with a slight counter-bore or cup to distribute the vacuum to a broader area. A small aluminum block mounts to the side of the assembly that has two ¾" brass barbed fittings for the supply hoses. It is recommended to use two ¾" (inside diameter) wire re-enforced hoses (not supplied) to connect your vacuum pump to the table. The Vacuumate system comes with a starter kit of four 12" x 18" permeable stock pieces and one 1/8" magic board piece.

In order to use the system, you need to use a permeable stock on the surface. This is not only for the cut-through capability but the stock is required to distribute the vacuum evenly. In some applications, the stock can be used several times. Datron supplies the card stock in 24" x 36" sheets and is pre-printed with a grid to assist the machine operator in set-ups. Also available is 1/8" thick Magic Board which is ideal for situations when the operator may need a thicker sacrificial material on a cut-through, milling pockets in the surface for part locations or drilling holes for location pins. This material can also be machined true for high tolerance depth applications.

The 12" x 18" x 1 1/8" assembly is a modular system. The matrix of holes feed right to the outer edges so that the modules can be mounted beside each other with minimal loss of vacuum between the units. Up to four modules can be mounted in a 24" x 36" configuration on an M8 or M10 Datron machining systems. In the case when multiple modules are required, an optional manual or electric manifold is available to control each module or zone individually. This can offer more flexibility when working with different size work pieces. The electric manifold is ideal for automated configurations.