To address the workholding needs of a particular machining operation, one needs to consider part size, material, machine speed, feedrate and the quantity of parts to be produced. Process planning requires dividing the machining process into steps best suited to the available machines.

Smaller machine shops are more likely to plan their workholding around knee mills or VMCs.

With knee mills, the full range of vise accessories can help with setup reduction, such as quick change jaws, which, in some cases can reduce changing jaw plates to just 5 percent of the previously required time.

For more complex machines—HMCs and VMCs—part loading time and setup are an integral element of downtime and need significant attention to maintain high efficiency. Workholding again becomes a central element in maximizing machine uptime.

Following are considerations for maximizing productivity using vises on frequently encountered machining situations:

Vise selections and their characteristics (number of stations, parts per station, means of actuation, etc.)

Jaw plate considerations and its effect on part contact and repeatability

Locating systems for setup reduction and position accuracy

Workstop systems

Helpful accessories to make the clamping job easier