Fixture Design Flexibility

Imao One-Touch designs include swing clamps with rotational or cam handles, swing clamps with torque control, plus retractable clamps with cam or adjustable handles, providing - in some cases - up to 50% smaller dimensions than standard clamp units while developing comparable clamping forces. The fact that Imao swing clamps provide an expansive range of arm travel and length of arm options makes these clamp configurations versatile, offering a variety of clamping, fixturing and workholding applications. They are especially useful for highly repetitive clamping jobs.

With their compact size and style options, the mini-clamp lineup offers engineers a wide range of design flexibility for fixtures and workholding systems. With Imao's One-Touch actuation system, workpiece loading/unloading is fast and simple. The clamps are ideal for repetitive clamping procedures: one handle motion first positions the clamp arm, then applies the clamping force with no tools required (torque style uses a torque wrench).

Because all styles of the mini clamps retract the clamp arm automatically with the release of the handle - either by rotating the arm out of the way as with the swing clamps, or by lifting and pivoting it back on the retractable models - positioning and removing workpieces is easy. In addition, the mini clamps allow the handle's positions to be set, optimizing ergonomics and access.

The swing clamps offer ease-of-operation - the rotation of the ergonomic handle simultaneously swings the clamp arm out and over the workpiece and into the clamping position - then a final pressure on the arm draws the arm down and applies direct downward force on the part. Reversing the rotation of the handle raises and swings the clamp arm clear of the part from 65° for the standard sized models, to a full 90° for the heavyduty version, allowing for easy removal and placement of workpieces.

The standard range of Imao swing clamps consists of two size configurations offering 170 lb of clamping force, a 32mm minimum clamping height, and a 25mm arm length; the larger version provides 260 lb of holding power, 45mm clamp height, and 32mm arm length. Each size is available with either clockwise or counter-clockwise operational directions and the clamp arm is complete with a tapped hole at the clamping end for insertion of replaceable tips that further extend the clamp's working envelope. In addition, extended length, ma- ‘One-Touch' mini-clamps offer engineers a wide range of design flexibility for fixtures and for workholding systems. chinable clamp arm blanks measuring 45mm and 55mm long are available for the two standard duty clamp assemblies that allow users to create custom arm configurations for specific application needs. Versatility is further enhanced with three tapped holes - located at a 35° angle between two holes - permitting the handle to be mounted in any of three positions for convenient operation.

All of the components (except handle knobs) are produced from high-quality steel, quenched, tempered and with black oxide finish. The adjustable contact screw position may be reversed, offering pinpoint pressure loads for heavyduty roughing operations, or to expand the load bearing area to protect workpiece surfaces and for light or medium duty processes.