Frequently Asked Questions

Are iron systems more rigid than aluminum/steel systems?

What are the advantages of hard coat anodizing & nickel plating on the parlec systems?

Does the weight of a vise really matter?

What should I do before storing a vise for extended periods of time?

How often do I Need to maintenance my vise?

Why a double station vise over a single station vise?

Do iron systems dampen vibration better than aluminum/steel systems?

Are Iron Systems More Rigid Than Aluminum / Steel Systems?

While the material properties of iron are stronger than aluminum, Parlec has designed a system using a combination of aluminum and steel that is actually more rigid. We did extensive testing on our tombstones to measure deflection under load and the Parlec unit beat cast iron units by more than 50 percent less deflection.

What Are The Advantages Of Hard Coat Anodizing & Nickel Plating On The Parlec Systems?

We have engineered our aluminum and steel vises to outperform our cast iron competitors. Aluminum components are treated with either a hard coat anodizing or hard coat anodizing with teflon impregnation and steel components are finished with a nickel coating.

• Hardcoat Anodizing – This is an electrolytic oxidation process performed on aluminum that produces a hard, durable, non-peeling surface that under normal conditions will never wear through. Anodizing is considered resistant to corrosion and abrasion, resulting in a surface hardness up to 60-RC.
• Hardcoat Anodizing with Teflon Impregnation – Is a similar process that incorporates Teflon into the aluminum adding natural lubrication for moving parts.
• Nickel Plating – This is a uniform plating process that results in surface hardness up to 70-RC and provides excellent protection against corrosion and abrasion resistance. This process also provides lubrication to allow metals to slide against each other without causing adverse wear on either component.

Does The Weight Of A Vise Really Matter?

Yes. Because CNC machines have a table load of approximately 1,000 lbs. on a 400mm system, a cast iron system has up to 60 percent of its load in the clamping device. By switching to a composite system, one can reduce this load to less than 30 percent of the capacity, and decrease the wear on the CNC machine. Customers who use our system report that there are less maintenance issues on the pallet system compared to using cast iron systems. In addition, customers have experienced fewer injuries and less operator fatigue caused by moving our systems around compared to iron systems.

What Should I do Before Storing A Vise For Extended Periods of Time?

Parlec recommends that you clean the vise of any chip and coolant prior to storage. Also recommended but not required, is spraying the internal components with lubrication.

How Often Do I Need To Maintenance My Vise?

This answer depends upon the application. Due to the variety of metals being cut and the conditions inside a shop or machine we recommend that you initially monitor the status of your vises and determine what intervals are required. Grease should be applied to all exposed moving components during the maintenance of the vise.

Why A Double Station Vise Over A Single Station Vise?

In order to compete on a global scale, shops must be as efficient as possible. By using multiple vises with double station jaws, your efficiency will be increased over machining on a single station vise. Allowing your machine to make a tool change and machine multiple parts at once saves the time of constantly traveling back to the tool changer to switch tools for each part. Most production jobs use a large number of tools, adding up to a significant savings in machine time over the course of a day.

Do Iron Systems Dampen Vibration Better Than Aluminum / Steel Systems?

Our testing shows that in a typical machining operation the difference in vibration results in about 0.000030” in increased chatter over a cast iron system. This amount is very minor in comparison to the benefits that our system offers.