Swing Clamps and Arms
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
I need an arm slightly different from those you make. How do I make my own? Our first recommendation is to investigate the possibility of modifying our existing arms. All VektorFlo ® arms are machinable and weldable. Easily modify any standard arm you purchase. We recommend this because our original design for the cross bolt orientation mechanism is the most secure, dependable and versatile orientation method available. Many customers and competitors have tried to copy it, some with limited success. We welcome you to use our method also. Please be sure to put in the 0.5 mm step for the cap screw and relieve the cut in the arm so that the bolt will squeeze the plunger shaft. If you do not take these two steps, your custom arm may not work satisfactorily. Can I pin the arm to hold orientation? Yes, it is possible to add a set screw or pin to the arm and plunger end to ensure orientation retention. We do not recommend it because it limits the future replacement of clamps and arms with standard product when (not if) there is a machine crash. Our arms, when installed properly, will hold orientation in normal use. They will hold even when crashed repeatedly. Customer designed arms sometimes require pins but often are very expensive compared to our "off-the-shelf" models. I am using a double ended arm. Is the capacity of your 11 kN swing clamp still the same? No. First of all, the 11 kN rating is with a standard arm installed and includes the frictional loss inherent in all cantilevered designs. The true capacity rating for this clamp is 13.5 kN. If you are pulling in the center of the arm and both points are being contacted at the same time, divide the force by 2 (two).
I want to clamp two parts, with each double ended swing clamp arm. Do I need a fixed or pivoting arm? If your parts do not vary in size (clamped height) you can probably get by with a fixed clamp arm. If your parts vary by as little as 0.1 mm you may get significant variations in clamp force with a fixed arm (higher force on the taller part, lighter force on the shorter one). If your parts vary or the clamp force is crucial, we recommend a pivoting arm so that the force is equalized on both parts. (Remember, if the length varies, the resulting forces may change also. Be sure that both ends are equal length.) I have a variety of parts to clamp with my swing clamp fixture. Do you have a way to "quick change" the clamp arms? You will need to make a custom attachment. The first option is to set your swing clamp to be able to clamp the tallest part with the standard arm. The height or width can then be adjusted by attaching a contact device to the arm. The second option would be to use our standard rocker-arm attachment assembly with a heeled custom arm. The arm could be made "quick change" by using a pull pin or clevis pin substituted for our supplied pivot pin. This is an ideal option when the arm style must change dramatically from part to part.
I need to make my own arms, what information do I need? The information that you need is detailed in the end of this section. We strongly encourage you to copy our connection to the swing clamp rod. The combination of the top cap screw and side bolt squeezing action is the most secure connection on the market today. You should be sure to put the 0.5 mm step, slot and relieve the underside of your custom arms for best results. Can I modify the arms I buy from you? Yes, you can. Our arms are made of a cast alloy steel that you can easily weld or machine to fit your needs. Do I really need to put the step in the top of the arm like you do? Yes, you should. The step in the top of the arm relieves stress on the cap screw and the piston rod. If you make custom arms and leave this off, you will probably experience premature failures if your clamps are run near maximum capacity. I want to use the cap screw only to hold my arm in place. Will this work? It is unlikely that you can use the cap screw to hold arm orientation adequately. We have had customers modify clamps to include flats, pins, serrations or use set screws to hold orientation. These methods may work in specific instances. We still recommend our method of attachment, cap screw and cross bolt for a secure, dependable, universal attachment. Other methods may complicate the replacement of clamps when they are damaged by a machine crash or other problems. Why should I buy your arm rather than have my toolmaker make one? Our arm is designed to hold orientation when properly installed. It has a relief to keep from over-stressing the cap screw. It will probably cost you less than the total cost of making your own. You can rest assured that our arm is made to our specifications and will withstand the forces our clamps generate, when used as recommended.
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