Vacuum Fixture System Q&A: Fixture Plate and Vacuum Chuck Combined

We get a lot of shock when we explain that our Vacuum Fixture System (VFS) is a vacuum chuck and fixture system in one. We are proud of it; it is a simple to use innovation that reduces our setup times, ultimately driving an increase in the total number of parts we can make in a brief period of time. Today we want to clear the air on the most common misconceptions and questions about the Vacuum Fixture System and why you should equip your CNC shop with a VFS. 

Why did we make a combination vacuum chuck and CNC fixturing system? 

We made it to make our in-house manufacturing easier. In the early days we had one machine for both our contract plate machining services and our custom part machine for our automation integration side of the business. We saw the costs in labor, consistency, and setup when switching the tables and vices between vacuum chuck fixturing and traditional fixturing. We looked at multiple solutions, and built our first combination vacuum chuck and fixture plate in house. 

We started selling the VFS because customers would come on site, see how well the VFS allowed for quick change overs between vacuum workholding and more traditional workholding, and got questions about how they could buy one for their machine. We realized we could make the Vacuum Fixture System for a lower cost than what people were spending on vacuum tables and fixturing tables using high quality materials. Since then, dozens of shops have echoed the phrase ‘The VFS lives on my machine.’ 

How does a VFS handle both CNC fixturing and Vacuum workholding at the same time? 

The VFS acts as both a vacuum chuck and fixture plate by incorporating the necessary features of both into one assembly. Vacuum is distributed internally to the surface of the VFS, where an array of 85mm square vacuum grids interface with the part, providing reliable vacuum workholding. The fixture plate features a standard M6 thread, 6mm dowel pin bore, and 12mm x 45º conical receiver. These features are placed on a 50mm grid that is nested in between the vacuum distribution grids. 

Is it really a Vacuum Chuck combined with a Fixture Plate?

Yes. A fixture plate alone provides great versatility but imposes limitations when machining large plates. A vacuum chuck or vacuum table alone lacks the versatility of a fixture plate for small part machining using traditional workholding, such as a vise. By combining a vacuum chuck and a fixture plate in a VFS, you cut down on setup time and simplify your workholding library. 

What is the VFS made of?

Our VFS has options for 6061 aluminum or 4140 steel in all our plates, fixtures, and accessories.  

Does the VFS handle dry and wet machining? 

The VFS is compatible with standard foam gasketing materials for wet and dry plate machining applications. 

For dry applications, we recommend a permeable card stock product like Vacuum Card from Datron. Permeable card stock allows for faster setups and more consistent vacuum workholding than foam gasket. 

We recommend the purchase of a Venturi Kit for wet applications and would only recommend a vacuum pump for dry applications. 

How does the VFS manage sacrificial layers for vacuum chuck workholding and CNC fixture machining?

Typically, the best option for a sacrificial layer in dry machining applications is a permeable card stock product such as Vacuum Card from Datron. A permeable card stock layer allows more consistent vacuum workholding, takes less time to setup than standard foam gasketing (you can literally lay the card on top of the VFS), it is very cost effective to replace, loses less vacuum when damaged, and can be reused between jobs if not damaged. 

We also recommend machining plate parts by leaving a thin skin of metal connecting parts to plate on the first pass and then doing a finishing pass to maximize even vacuum strength. This is a must for wet plate machining in particular. Check out our Top 10 Vacuum Chuck Workholding Tips to see more ways you can improve your vacuum workholding processes. 

How repeatable is the fixturing?

Assuming best practices and basic cleanliness, even with no prep or a rudimentary prototype fixture, the VFS has sub 1000 repeatability within a couple ten thousandths of an inch. That puts the VFS in between a traditional fixture system and a traditional zero point system for repeatability. 

What is the rigidity of the VFS?

The standard VFS can be bought with options for M6 or M8 threading. Example: The M6 is capable of torquing to 8 newton-meters on a 100-200mm fixture plate for parts that would normally fit on a Kurt vise. We also offer custom quoting for modifications such as extra conicals or larger threading. 

What are the ideal applications for the VFS?

The VFS has a lot of versatility, especially when you add in the options provided in a VFS accessory kit, but if you have any of these types of projects in your shop, you should consider a VFS right now.  

• Large Plate Machining- Whether you are using a vacuum chuck or a standard fixturing plate for your CNC machining, a VFS is perfect for large plate machining applications. Our VFS sizes can cover an entire CNC table, allowing for similarly large plate sizes.  

• Thin Material Machining- On material less than a quarter inch thick, the VFS allows for strong vacuum workholding and effective fixturing  

• Jobs for Vacuum Chuck and Fixture Plate at the Same Time- Normally you must switch between your vacuum chuck and fixture plate when you change machining jobs, but you do not have to do that with your VFS. Without moving the VFS you can perform CNC machining jobs that are all vacuum chuck, all fixture plate, or vacuum chuck and fixture plate. You can mount fixturing accessories during vacuum chuck machining, or you can separate the plate into vacuum only and fixturing only zones for separate jobs. 

• Small Tricky Parts- While vacuum chucks have superior even workholding strength for plate machining, machining small and tricky parts out of plate in a standard vacuum chuck can sometimes cause loss of vacuum or at worst eject parts off the table. The VFS allows for the additions of workholding vises, work stops, fixturing clips, or slide clamps with consistent mounting on threaded conicals. 

How does the VFS create different workholding zones? 

Each VFS comes with closable rubber plugs that you can use to cut off grid sections of your plate from vacuum. If you have multiple activities where you only want vacuum workholding or only fixture plate accessory workholding, you can do those activities without changing the entire table. This is great for projects that need a combination of vacuum fixture machining and fixture plate machining, you can run those activities side by side. 

How do you use sub plates and workholding accessories in a VFS?

The VFS uses consistent, replaceable, conical inserts with locators on a 50 mm grid using standard threading options. These allow for easy, stable, and durable integration of fixture plates, accessories, and parts. Instead of permanently dedicating your table to one activity, you can rapidly move parts, accessories, and plates using consistent modular dimensions. These allow repeatable workholding, quick adjustment to new parts and applications, and shortened downtime and labor during set ups. Take a look at our accessory kits to see how you can manage vertical workholding, vise fixturing, and other dynamic custom fixturing solutions for fine tricky workholding projects. 

How come no one out there has produced a combination vacuum chuck and fixture plate before?

You can find great fixturing tables, you can find nice vacuum plates, you can find some systems for sale that do a few of the things the VFS does for specialized products, there are even some more niche products that perform rudimentary combination vacuum chuck and traditional fixture workholding, but the VFS is the only combination vacuum chuck and fixture plate refined to the point where it handles fully vacuum workholding, partial vacuum and workholding applications, and traditional fixturing all in one. We think the VFS is the first combination vacuum chuck and fixture plate that handles all use cases for these reasons: 

• Incentivized R&D- The VFS was a product invented internally to improve our plate machining for our OEM part and custom automation integration services. We wanted a manufacturing reputation for quick turnaround, consistency, and cost-effective manufacturing for OEM parts, die molds, and custom turnkey automation parts. The VFS was our solution. It took a lot of internal testing and engineering expertise to create a combination vacuum chuck and fixture plate that could easily use foam and card stock gasketing, work with wet and dry plate machining, use consistent mounting conical locators for easy setups and activity switches, create modular workholding zones to isolate vacuum specific projects from fixturing projects on the same plate, and integrate with common CNC machine profiles like Datron, Brother, Fanuc, Haas, and more. Even the most prominent vacuum chuck and fixture plate brands would not be as incentivized to pursue and invest in the R&D needed to get this product right like DEVELOP LLC. 
• Plate Specific CNC Manufacturing- The CNC machine shops that find the most value with the VFS are machining plate. They also support a wide range of low volume high mix CNC machining projects. They are looking to increase the number of customers they can handle and widen the job range they can support without accepting constant setup changes for high-speed machining and fast prototyping. This product especially provides alternative process improvements for plate manufacturing shops looking for bridge solutions between standard CNC workholding and full turnkey automation integration projects. For shops that are sticking to extremely specific non plate manufacturing such as low volume vise machining, they might not be looking for the diverse options the VFS can provide. 

We hope this helped you understand the Vacuum Fixture System and how it uses a combined vacuum chuck and fixture plate architecture to lower labor costs, decrease set up time, and increase profits on your machine shop floor. You can check out our VFS product page and buy directly from the DEVELOP LLC shop page today! 

Do you have a specialized fixturing need from your VFS? Contact us today for custom VFS quoting! 

Are you looking to scale your manufacturing capacity, improve consistency, maintain quality, increase revenue, improve the work environment, compensate for high turnover positions, or solve safety issues? Take our Automation Assessment Questionnaire and see if your production challenges can be solved by turnkey automated machines or custom robotic solutions! 

About the Author:

Matt Moseman leads as President of DEVELOP, with a strong foundation from the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in New Product Management. Moseman’s career highlights include his pivotal role in founding NodeUDesign, innovating in automation hardware, and driving DEVELOP LLC to the forefront of industrial robotics with a focus on enhancing productivity and efficiency.