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Bell-Everman

Rotary Stage Collet Closer Handles Cylindrical Goods

Bell-Everman's ER-16 collet closer handles cylinders with diameters from 1 to 10mm and can close without changing the axial position of the workpiece. Photo courtesy of Bell-Everman, Inc., Goleta, California.

GOLETA, Calif.–A compact, air-driven collet closer developed by Bell-Everman Inc. is reported to precisely secure cylindrical goods in the company's rotary stages. The collet closer, able to squeeze into through-hole openings as small as 15mm and extending just 42mm from the face of the stage, solves a common work-holding problem in inspection, metrology, and laser engraving applications, the company says.  The initial offering, ER-16, can handle cylinders with diameters from 1 to 10mm.

The collet closer has the ability to close without changing the workpiece's axial position. It also offers the ability to customize the opening and clamping behavior: The same air cylinder that closes the collet can be set to open it, making it easy to set it up as a spring-close, air-open device. Optionally, the collet closer can be integrated with a single-axis controller to handle indexing tasks and process fourth-axis motion commands for contouring.

Bell-Everman has designed larger sizes that can accommodate cylindrical parts up to 30mm in diameter and withstand higher side loads–opening up the possibility of some light CNC machining applications, the company says.

Bell-Everman (bell-everman.com) designs and manufactures precision motion control components and systems at its facility in Southern California. The company's product line includes precision linear bearings, linear motion positioning devices, rotary stages, and multi-axis robotic systems.