An electric motor actuated vice

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Thanks for replies – as MichaelG rightly remembered it is indeed to do with a woodworking vice, I was just surprised that anyone would remember that I'd mentioned this possibility earlier!

I'll re-read the discussion later with more attention to detail, but for now it looks like it it could be done with either a stepper and associated control electronics, a DC motor with current control, or a simple slipping clutch as in Hacksaw's link.

I now have enough info to get back to my friend with some possibilities and see if he thinks it's worth pursuing – personally I can't yet see why one would construct such a thing outside a production environment, but it would be a fun project.

Robin.

 

Edited By Robin Graham on 02/01/2019 23:51:47

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Alternatively, a pneumatically operated vice running off a common-a-garden workshop compressor might be simpler to make? A double acting cylinder, commonly available from commercial suppliers, could be either manually controlled by valves or electrically via a solenoid valve. Just don't leave your finger in the way when you hit the button/valve!

[Tim ChambersParticipant @timchambers76147]

You could incorporate a loadcell to control the clamping load.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Taking Tim's suggestion but making it a bit simpler, incorporate a preloaded axial spring in the drive mechanism, and detect when the preload is overcome to stop the motor. I'd be tempted to use a braked motor so it won't vibrate loose, but I suppose with this system the 'preload overcome' detector would just re-energise and tighten it up again

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

I am guessing that the force needed to clamp the work is more than the force that would cause injury to a person.

When an individual builds a machine alone for personal use that person has to accept all responsibility for the safety of the mechanism.

Apart from pointing out the possible risks. I would be hesitant offering advice to another person on how such a device may be constructed unless it was made safe by the installation of guards that stopped all access while the device is switched on or working.

Safety systems have to be robust. Electronic means of protection have to have built in redundancy, they have to be duplicated, better still they should be backed up by a physical guard barrier.

This paper is a useful guide.
**LINK**

Regards
John

Edited By John McNamara on 03/01/2019 02:01:45

Edited By John McNamara on 03/01/2019 02:02:55

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by John McNamara on 03/01/2019 01:57:37:…

….

Safety systems have to be robust…..

As we used to say in the car factory, it's no good making safety guards foolproof; they need to be idiotproof.

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