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Pierson Workholding recently released the SmartVac II Vacuum Workholding System. The system contains many second-generation enhancements over the previous design and is modular in nature. A complete system includes a Vacuum Base, a Vacuum Control Unit (VCU) and a Connection Kit which includes all components necessary to have the system running within minutes of opening the box. One glance at the SmartVac II and you’ll quickly appreciate the quality engineering and manufacturing that goes into a product that has certainly caused the industry to sit up and take notice.
The Vacuum Base has a surface area of 14″ x 9.5″ and provides the ability to independently hold up to 9 parts due to the multiple inlet design. Simply gasket off a section of the grid and remove the vacuum plug for that section. The Base is held to a machine table using the toe clamps included in the Connection Kit. The Base is precision ground flat and parallel to an accuracy of ±0.001″.
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The system now uses a stand-alone Vacuum Control Unit (VCU) which is unique in the fact that it uses compressed air to generate a powerful vacuum that meets or exceeds vacuums created by electric pumps. The design is also efficient by using only 0.8 CFM to create a vacuum power of 26″ of mercury without requiring any filters or coolant traps. The system allows users to link and operate multiple vacuum chucks from one control. The VCU has an integrated vacuum indicator to show when a full vacuum is reached.
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Interchangeable Top Plates can be used if a part shape cannot be easily held with the grid pattern of the Base. The Top Plates also precision ground flat and parallel and are precisely located and attached to the Base using custom locating bolts.
The system can be easily purchased as the SmartVac II Starter Package which includes one Base, one VCU and a Connection Kit all at a discounted price of $995. Everything is manufactured in the U.S. and is backed by Pierson Workholding’s application support which advises customers on any workholding questions. The system can be purchased by contacting Pierson Workholding.
These vacuum chucks seem reasonably priced when you consider what you get for the money. I guess you just have to look at what one of these will do for you and make a decision based on “return of investment”. I’ve always said it doesn’t make sense to put off buying something that will help me make money especially if it opens up my shop to run jobs I currently can’t produce because I can’t hold the parts!
Good point. I’ve passed up on so many jobs in the past because I didn’t have a vacuum chuck. Same with a rotary indexer. I don’t even want to think about the dollar amount of profit of those jobs I could have taken… I’m depressed.