Global vise maker opens facilities in Shanghai

With the launch of Kurt Manufacturing Shanghai, Steve Kane, Global Sales and Marketing Manager for Kurt Industrial Products, shared with International Metalworking News for Asia how Kurt AngLock(R) vises became the preferred vises for the most demanding precision machining applications encountered everywhere in the manufacturing world, and especially in China’s fast-growing manufacturing economy.

"The AngLock vise is the first vise to provide 1/2 lb of downward force for every 1 lb of clamping force. This revolutionised the new CNC machining movement in the early 1960’s and eliminates the need to tap the part down after clamping,” he says. Kane believes with the help of AngLock(R) vises along with Precision, Productivity and Profitability, Asian companies can overcome the recent and larger manufacturing challenges they face.

"Kurt manufactures all of its products to the highest precision standards available today, which insures high tolerance parts with repeatable clamping results. Kurt has many options available for getting more
parts into a machining cycle and fast changeover’s from part to part. This increases productivity and boost profits,” he adds.

Why China?

The company has been receiving requests for its products directly from end users in China for several years, and over the past year those requests have grown. “We can see a greater need and desire for Kurt quality vises in China. In preparation for selling vises into China, Kurt has invested in an Automated Manufacturing Cell to produce the most popular vises. This has helped Kurt keep prices competitive and allows Kurt to produce the extra volume needed for such a large marketplace,” he says.

Kurt Manufacturing Shanghai will provide onsite technical service and marketing for the full line of AngLock? vises and accessories throughout China. Kane adds,“Our facilities and personnel in China are dedicated to the Chinese market only. We want to make sure we can give our current and future Chinese customers all the possible support that we can.”

Competitive edge

Kane sees several things that set them apart from its competitors. “Quality is the first thing that sets us apart. Our high precision tolerances are legendary and our customers rely on us so they can make very close tolerance parts with repeatable reliability. Second is our ability to modify our products easily for customers with special clamping challenges that lie outside of the standard workholding application. Third is the large number of standard workholding products available. Last, but not least, is the Kurt LifeTime IronClad Warranty of the AngLock workholding products. Customers can buy with complete confidence that Kurt is there to support them today and for a long time to come,” he said.

Manufacturing trends

According to Kane, they see several trends happening, including higher numbers of parts in a machining cycle, faster change over’s from part to part and the automation of  manufacturing cells. Currently, Kurt offers multiple station vises in two to twenty four stations with our standard product. It also offers a variety of modular clamping elements for an infinite number of stations dependent on part size and machining envelope. These products come in configurations for both vertical and horizontal machining centres.

"We offer vises with “Quick Change” jaws that will allow customers to change from one part to another very fast and with high precision. These systems consist of carrier jaws that can be machined to fit the profile of the parts being machined. Fixture plates are also available for these systems that a customer can make specific inexpensive fixturesLebron XIV 14 Low