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CHERING JIN: Smart chucks and the start of smart factory
As a pioneer in the field of fixture R&D, CHERING JIN TECHNOLOGY has continually filed for patents while winning several awards across the globe. The company has a rich series of products consisting of zero-point, manual and pneumatic chucks, automatic electrode changers, electrode holders, EDM adjusting heads, precision measuring calibration, edge finders, and customized fixture plates. It has been engaged in embedding Industry 4.0 technologies into it products, which it will present at iMTduo 2018.
The editorial team spoke with General Manager Lin, who shared the company’s latest products and involvement in new technologies.
What product will you promote in this trade show and what is the target market for this product?
General Manager Lin: We will display position chucks and pneumatic chucks for CNC machines, milling machines, wire machines, and EDMs. Customized fixture pallets will also be key products exhibited. Of the products, 30% are customized, while half are standardized.
Could you share any successful case studies for the products mentioned above? What are the challenges that your clients face in building up smart factories, and how will your system help your customers?
General Manager Lin: We have customers from industries including aerospace, CNCs, and robotics, who use our pneumatic chucks to perform 24-hour production. We have noticed that the key challenge in promoting automation, especially among SMEs, is that many are at the Industry 2.0 or 3.0 stage. They need to formulate a more comprehensive plan to advance to Industry 4.0.
Our proposal is to assist clients to first embed intelligent features in the front process of production, building up a strong foundation, and then assist them to gradually move forward to apply the features of 4.0 into their production lines. This step-by-step measure will save SMEs abundant resources, while increasing their chance of success.
We have implemented a number of pilot projects with our customers, with the goal of improving their production efficiency in metal working and securing the accuracy of end products. Under the R&D of the company’s “intelligent chuck” plan, we have enhanced the feature of testing by applying sensor and IoT into the chucks’ system. The biggest change is allowing customers to collect data, such as on vibration, pressure, and temperature, to achieve the special machining requirements of different industries.
Finally, I am aware of the challenges associated with our aging population. The company is therefore active in training students. We have donated chucks to colleges and hope students will become familiar with these new technologies while still in school, helping them to build more successful future careers.
Do you have any new plans for this year (e.g., new products, new market strategies, and building new branches)?
General Manager Lin: We will target the market for chucks applied in the 3D printing machining process. The biggest challenge we will face is to design chucks that withstand high temperature. We have also successfully filed a EU patent, and will release our products to the advanced market later this year.
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