The Timeless Fix: How to Eliminate Distortion & 10x Milling Setup Speed

Consult with our Team Today!

At Obsidian Manufacturing Industries, our mission is to identify, propose, and resolve manufacturers' most complex challenges. Our Magna-Lock USA workholding solutions don’t just solve problems today—they have been doing so for over 75 years.

Proposal drawing for custom v-block magnetic transfer parallels on electromagnetic chuck. Two points of contact on the shaft, paired with the power of a Magna-Lock USA chuck, provide superior holding and allows customers reduce setup time and run time per part.

One of the most consistent challenges for manufacturers, regardless of the time period, is part distortion and wasted setup time. A classic example of our Magna-Lock USA workholding solving this timeless problem is a challenge Mitts & Merrill, Inc. faced decades ago.

This is the story of how Mitts & Merrill cut their setup time by ten times and achieved a level of accuracy they previously thought was impossible, all using a principle that remains as powerful today.

The Challenge: Costly Distortion and Wasted Setup Time

The job at Mitts & Merrill in Saginaw, Michigan, was a classic manufacturing challenge: mill a 2-inch by 2-inch keyway down the entire 32-inch length of a 3-3/8" diameter 1045 steel shaft.

Even in the 1970s, their team faced two of manufacturing's biggest profit-killers:

• Part Distortion: Their old method, using mechanical fixtures, applied high pressure at a few localized points. This localized stress was bending and distorting the long shaft, making it impossible to hold tight parallelism tolerances.

• Wasted Setup Time: Loading and unloading the shaft with these cumbersome mechanical clamps was slow. In fact, it was ten times greater than it should have been, leaving their expensive milling machine idle.

The Solution: A Foundational Principle in Workholding

The team's engineers implemented a Magna-Lock magnetic V-fixture to hold the shaft.

This wasn't just a simple swap. It was a fundamental shift in the physics of their workholding.

Instead of applying high, localized pressure at a few points, the magnetic fixture provided uniform, distortion-free holding power along the entire length of the shaft. This even, rigid grip completely eliminated the stresses that caused the distortion, holding the part in a neutral, "free" state.

The Results: Data That Stands the Test of Time

With the shaft held securely and without any pre-load stress, the team at Mitts & Merrill achieved "remarkable" results that remain impressive by today's standards.

1. 10x Faster Setup Time -- By replacing the complex clamps with a simple magnetic fixture, the loading and unloading time was slashed by 10x, dramatically increasing machine uptime.

   
   

2. .0005" Accuracy -- The fixture held the shaft so securely that operators achieved a parallelism of just 0.0005" per foot relative to the shaft's centerline—a level of precision they could not attain with their previous method.

   
   

3. Massive 2" Deep Single-Pass Cut -- The holding power gave them the rigidity to perform an aggressive climb milling operation, taking a 1-7/16" wide by 2" deep cut in a single pass with an H.S.S. cutter.

   
   

4. Drastically Reduced Finishing Time -- After just two additional passes to widen the slot to its final 2-inch dimension, the part was already within .0035" of its final tolerance, minimizing the time and effort required for the final grinding operation.

Why This 1970s Story Matters Today

The technology has evolved, but the physics remain unchanged. These challenges are even more critical for modern shops.

1. Distortion Is Still Distortion -- Technology changes, but physics is constant. Maintaining tight tolerances in industries such as aerospace, medical device manufacturing, and high-performance automotive remains a daily challenge. Eliminating distortion begins with rigid workholding, regardless of the era.

2. Your Competitive Advantage Is Uptime -- Uptime is everything, whether on a manual mill or a $500,000 5-axis CNC. Every second saved in setup is a second gained in production. A 10x reduction in setup time provides a massive, lasting competitive edge.

3. Rigidity Enables Modern Tooling -- You can't run advanced toolpaths and high-feed mills if your part is vibrating. The same stable, rigid workholding that allowed that 2" deep cut then is what allows you to maximize your material removal rates (MRR) today.

A Legacy of Customer Success

Our team’s ability to solve complex workholding problems isn't new. It's built on a 75+ year history of giving manufacturers their competitive edge.

The technology in our magnets has advanced, and our modern fixtures are more powerful and versatile than ever. However, our founding principle remains the same: we deliver measurable results by addressing the root cause of your manufacturing challenges.

Let our 75+ years of expertise solve your modern workholding challenge. If you're battling distortion, slow setups, or vibration on your mills, our team can help.

Contact our sales team to begin your consultation today.

Obsidian Manufacturing Industries, Inc. is a family-owned, certified WOSB manufacturing company. We are the OEM for Magna-Lock USA workholding, MagnaLift & Power-Grip lift magnets, and Arter Precision Grinding Machines, as well as providing surface grinding services. They are located at 5015 28th Ave. in Rockford, Ill. with a phone number of 815-962-8700. Check out more at obsidianmfg.com/brands.