The When, Why, and How of an Electromagnetic Chuck Repair

Repairs and rebuilds of electromagnetic chucks happen on a regular basis. The common workholding device is found on a large variety of machines, mills, lathes, surface grinders, and many more, meaning electromagnetic workholding is found in thousands of machine shops and companies spanning the globe.

While chucks are designed and built to withstand decades of work, some have a variety of reasons working against them, and they may have a shorter lifespan, necessitating repairs and rebuilds sooner than expected.

As self-proclaimed chuck experts, our technicians at Obsidian Manufacturing Industries, Inc. have been around Magna-Lock USA workholding for nearly three decades, with our Vice President, David Nordman, working with the brand since the mid-1990s.

In that time, not only has our team repaired and rebuilt countless Magna-Lock chucks, but other brands as well, with our engineering team assisting in the process of getting your workholding back to you as soon as possible.

So, when, why, and how do companies need and get their electromagnetic chucks repaired? Let’s dig right into those questions.

WHEN

The question of when something needs to be fixed, regardless of what it is, might seem as simple as saying when it’s broken or not working anymore. Regardless of this, we have found in our experience that it is not this simple.

To save money and lost time, companies risk the safety of their operators by ignoring signs of an electromagnetic chuck not working properly, more often than it should be happening. Don’t be one of those companies.

Otherwise, routine visual inspection and maintenance of the chuck should give you signs that the chuck is not functioning properly before it happens. Just regular inspection should show normal wear and tear issues, top plate wear and tear, and cord grip issues, just to name a few.

Additionally, whenever there is a failure to hold a part, either partial or complete, the chuck needs to be repaired. Failure to do so could result in major safety issues for the operator, with the potential for the chuck to throw parts.

The question normally comes down to safety. When does it seem as though the chuck no longer operates safely? That is when you need to at least call and troubleshoot with our technicians.

We look at each coil to determine where the problem is located within your chuck. Once diagnosed, we look to repair and permanently fix the problem.

WHY

The why, when it comes to making the decision to repair or rebuild an electromagnetic chuck, can be broken down to one single word. Save.

While the breakdown might be troublesome, saving your operators from potential safety hazards of operating a chuck that does not work completely and saving money and time that it takes for the purchase of a new chuck, which would be the most likely alternative, are the two main savings when it comes to repairs.

When we are rebuilding a chuck, our lead time is roughly a few weeks, depending on factors including component availability, our current jobs, and chuck size.

The why is easy when repairing.

HOW

All of our repaired chucks are done in full

How do you get anything fixed that has been broken? Call the experts to figure out what to do and how to do it. Troubleshooting is always step one on our end. If we can fix a chuck over the phone, we will try our best to.

A common problem that we have come across with our repairs is when the customers try to fix their problems on their own before consulting us. When doing so, additional problems can occur, such as causing more damage, voiding warranties when applicable, and raising safety concerns.

Typically, if we cannot troubleshoot it to completely fix it, we recommend sending it in to us to inspect. From there, we decide whether it will need to be rebuilt, or a simple repair needs to be done.

When sending it in, we will need all components that are being used with the chuck. Providing those pieces will help us diagnose the problem and help you get the machine up and running again.

During our inspection process, we take the chuck apart to find potential problems from within. If a coil is bad, we can identify the faulty coil and then find the cause of its failure. After taking the chuck apart, it is best to get it rebuilt.

All the tools to rip apart a chuck

If our team determines that the rebuild is best, we will recommend it. Upon your approval, we will do a full rebuild. All new coils, waterproof lining, potting compound, and complete sealing of the chuck come standard on all of our rebuilds, regardless of the chuck's actual problem.

Throughout our years of experience, we have found that partial rebuilding of chucks or certain coils can cause inconsistencies within the chuck, and it will be back to the repair shop in no time with another problem.

If you’re facing workholding troubles, we are here to help you, no matter what chuck you have.

Check out other products we have to offer HERE, give us a call at 815-962-8700, or email us at info@magnalock.com.

Obsidian Manufacturing Industries, Inc. is a Rockford, IL, manufacturing company and is 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, IL, with a phone number of 815-962-8700. Check out more at obsidianmfg.com/brands