Elevating Workholding with Custom Soft Jaws: The Engineering Behind Precision and Durability

Elevating Workholding with Custom Soft Jaws: The Engineering Behind Precision and Durability

Photo by Simon Kadula on Unsplash

In the world of industrial manufacturing, precision is everything. Whether you’re working in motorsports, aerospace, or manufacturing, the ability to securely hold a component without damaging it is critical. Enter the custom soft jaws—an engineering solution that combines advanced materials with cutting-edge design to meet the exacting demands of high-performance industries.

 The Challenge: Balancing Grip and Gentle Handling

 Workholding devices like vises and clamps are essential in many industrial processes. However, when dealing with delicate or intricately shaped components, traditional metal jaws can often cause damage or distortion. This is where soft jaws come into play.

Soft jaws provide the perfect balance between firm grip and gentle handling. They are engineered to conform to the shape of the workpiece, distributing clamping forces more evenly and reducing the risk of marring or deforming the material. But not all soft jaws are created equal—especially when you’re dealing with high-value, precision components in demanding environments.

The Solution: Customization and Material Science

At Gorman Precision, we take the concept of soft jaws to the next level by offering fully customized solutions. Our approach starts with you: the customer. By uploading solid models of both the part and the workholding device, you provide us with the foundation we need to design a solution that fits your exact needs.

From there, our engineering team steps in, bringing our expertise in material science and industrial design to the table. We analyze your specifications and recommend the best material for the job. Here’s where our partnership with Markforged materials becomes crucial.

Materials Matter: Choosing the Right Blend for Your Application

Different applications require different material properties. That’s why we offer soft jaws made from a range of advanced materials, each selected for its unique characteristics:

Nylon: Known for its excellent impact resistance and flexibility, Nylon is a go-to material for general-purpose soft jaws. It’s tough yet forgiving, making it ideal for holding parts that require a bit of give during clamping.

Carbon Fiber: For applications where strength and stiffness are paramount, Carbon Fiber is the material of choice. It’s incredibly strong yet lightweight, providing maximum holding power without adding unnecessary bulk.

Fiberglass: Offering a balance between strength and impact resistance, Fiberglass is perfect for applications where durability is a key concern. It’s particularly well-suited for high-wear environments.

Kevlar: When you need extreme toughness, Kevlar delivers. Resistant to abrasion and impact, Kevlar-reinforced jaws are ideal for the most demanding industrial settings, including those involving heavy loads or abrasive materials.

By choosing the right material for the job, we ensure that your soft jaws are not just fit for purpose but optimized for longevity and performance.

Precision Engineering: From Concept to Creation

Once the material is selected, the design process begins. Our engineers use state-of-the-art CAD software to design soft jaws that perfectly match the contours of your workpiece and the specifications of your workholding device. Every curve, groove, and surface is meticulously planned to ensure a secure, damage-free hold.

After the design is finalized, the soft jaws are brought to life using advanced 3D printing technology. This method allows us to achieve complex geometries and precise tolerances that would be difficult or impossible with traditional manufacturing methods. The result? A set of soft jaws that are custom-made to deliver optimal performance in your specific application.

With prices starting at $1,250 for a custom-engineered set of soft jaws, Gorman Precision offers an affordable solution tailored to your exact needs. This price includes up to three iterations to ensure your complete satisfaction, guaranteeing that the final product meets or exceeds your expectations.

Real-World Applications: Proving the Concept

Our custom soft jaws have been successfully implemented across a variety of industries, each with its own unique challenges:

Motorsports: From holding shocks and forks to securing hubs during maintenance, our soft jaws provide the precision and care needed to keep high-performance vehicles running smoothly.

Aerospace: When dealing with delicate, high-precision components, our soft jaws ensure that parts are held securely without risk of damage—an essential factor in an industry where even the smallest flaw can have significant consequences.

Manufacturing: In high-volume production environments, our custom soft jaws help reduce setup times, increase efficiency, and ensure consistent quality across every workpiece.

Photo by Charles Causse on Unsplash

The Future of Workholding

As industries continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, the demand for precision and reliability in workholding solutions will only grow. At Gorman Precision, we’re committed to staying at the forefront of this evolution, using our expertise in materials engineering and 3D printing to create custom soft jaws that meet the needs of today’s most demanding applications.

Whether you’re in motorsports, aerospace, manufacturing, or another high-performance industry, our custom soft jaws offer a tailored solution that combines precision, durability, and advanced material science. The result is a workholding solution that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of even the most challenging applications.

Ready to elevate your workholding? Get in touch with our engineering team today to discuss how our custom soft jaws can be tailored to your specific needs.

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