Vacuum table
A vacuum table is a system for holding workpieces dur- uum in some applications may be as simple as a typical
ing machining. The device consists of a perforated table shop vac or vacuum cleaner, in light application. Vacuum
top containing a vacuum chamber, and a vacuum pump pumps are the usual vacuum source.
to keep the vacuum chamber below ambient enough pres- Vacuum tables are also used in other industries besides
sure. The workpiece is placed on the top of the vacuum
machining. In the furniture business, foam cushions can
chamber, and thus held down by the pressure dierential be stued more easily when the foam is compressed pre-
between the vacuum chamber and the outside air.
viously by the use of a table and a surrounding air re-
A Vacuum Table consists of a typically at rigid surface sistant fabric. Fabric or lm wrapped around the foam
with small holes to move air from under a workpiece, allows air to be removed thus shrinking the size of the
as to apply varying vacuum from between the desired foam stung substantially. This smaller foam quickly
workpiece and table to maintain a clamping force greater expands once inside the cushion as the foam obtains equi-
than that needed to machine a part, generally, in a Mill, librium to atmospheric pressure.
Lathe, EDM (Electro-Discharge Machine, Pantograph or
any other commonly used machine in a machine shop en-
vironment. 1 Alternative vacuum table
The main purpose of the Vacuum Table is to allow full surfaces[1]
access to all sides of a machined part, except the side in
which the part contacts the vacuum Table.
Scratch prone substrate The material you are work-
A Vacuum Table is similar to a Magnetic Clamping Ta- ing with may be sensitive to aluminum. To avoid
ble in use, typically, to the same end as a Vacuum Ta- scratching the surface of the material, one must ap-
ble except instead of vacuum, the Magnetic Table uses ply a dierent vacuum table skin. Formica is com-
electro-magnetic attraction to restrain ferrous materials monly used as it minimizes any sort of scratches
to the table facilitating ease of access for modern machin- once put on a vacuum table.
ing. A Vacuum Table, of course, is not limited to ferrous
materials. High temperature The temperature that the vacuum ta-
ble will be exposed to is also a factor that requires
The Table works by manipulating atmospheric pressure to addressing. One must make sure a high temperature
provide workpiece force against a surface. This increases epoxy is used in the manufacturing of the vacuum
static friction against forces of a cutter of various types table before it makes contact with hot substrates.
used today. As atmospheric pressure up to 29 inHg allows
clamping force of approx 14 PSI at sea level.
To use a vacuum table one must place the work upon the 2 References
table and use air dams around the work to minimize the
loss of vacuum to atmospheric pressure. This maximizes [1] http://screenprintingwiki.wordpress.com/2014/09/08/
force to the work in any attitude that the table may be questions-to-ask-yourself-when-finding-a-vacuum-table/
held, in all axis, that the work may be machined or in-
spected.
Air dams can be nothing more than masking or packing
tape, at stock of just about any material, anything that
can resist the vacuum force sucient to vacuum applied
and thus clamping force. Also the air dams may provide a
closer seal that light vacuum applied to delicate parts can
be used.
Air dams are not entirely required in the use of a Vac-
uum Table but they can be when the source of vacuum
is limited. As a vacuum pump, generally, is designed for
high vacuum as opposed to high volume, air dams can be
used, again, to increase clamping force. A source for vac-
1
2 3 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES
3 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
3.1 Text
Vacuum table Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_table?oldid=758504365 Contributors: The Anome, Utcursch, Josh Par-
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Allij003, ElCommandantemaquina, Tornadoinme, BattyBot, Far17, DoctorKubla, Petcher.etcher, Bnley2013, Screenprinting, Talk-
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