Vac-Mat™Solves Clamping Flat Workpieces in Milling, Drilling and Grinding

Vac-Mat™ Vacuum Workholding Systems from IBAG North America are designed to clamp flat workpieces in a variety of materials including sheet metal, composites, aluminum, steel, graphite, plastic, glass and wood. Vac-Mat allows for complete machining quickly and easily. Lugs underneath the mat assure fast and accurate positioning of the Vac-Mat on the modular vacuum chuck.

Other Vac-Mat™ features:

-Strong clamping force
-Covered suction cups hold the part in place
-No extra clamping fixture needed
-Machine into surface of the mat allows complete part cutting without secondary operations
-Vac-Mat not affected by cutting fluids
-Range of sizes available

Contact Rick Testani
[email protected]
http://www.ibagnorthamerica.com/

these look cool have you tried them yet? i wonder whats the disadvantages are..

May be good, may be not.
Im not belittling this actual system but ...
On the pictures many things are great and nice. In real life we have lot of chips, dirt and coolants, effect of different forces ... and how with through cut?
Few years ago I bought German made similar wacuum system, was not possible to use it as described, set-up was painfull at that was more like "one-time & throwaway" stuff :o
I do prefer screws. I have raster of drilled through and threaded holes on the working plate, when parts layout then Cam knows where these holes are lokating and what of theses could be used for actual work. Then for first step machine drills fixing holes and when sheet is fixed via 6mm spacers then real work can be started.
On this plate I can mount not only sheet - also wices, angles ... rotary table ... what ever.
This plate extends over all useful working area, is 16mm thick and fixed to the bottom via 8mm thick spacers - bottom is like bath - coolant goes through under and through plate holes and all dirt goes to collector - simple, proof and clean.
Cheers,
Herbert