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Bluco's Enhanced Manual Positioners: Seamlessly Merging Efficiency with Quality

Powerful options turn manual positioners into custom-fit solutions

Author: Wendy Calcaterra

Published: January 26, 2021

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In the manufacturing world, efficiency is vital…but so are quality and accuracy. The trick is to improve one without sacrificing the others. Or even better, improve them all exponentially. With this goal in mind, we set out to enhance our manual positioners.

Already a favorite solution among welders (because who wouldn’t want to eliminate the heavy lifting, unnecessary reaching and overall contortions that some weldments require?), we set out to raise the flexibility and utility of our positioners to a new level, with features designed to help you bring better quality products to market faster. Read on to discover what’s new.

Customized Frame Design

While our frames have always been the backbone of precision welding, we’ve added layers of adaptability. Height and width can be adjusted to fit varying part sizes, and swing diameter is customized to fit your needs. Need to move your solution around the shop? We’ve got you covered with mobile casters. And if you’re looking for effortless adjustments, the optional hydraulic package gives you push-button control.

Frame Safety Features:
  • New locking latches safeguard against hydraulic systems failure, locking in your adjusted height
  • Caster Guards sweep debris and cords, protect feet
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Air powered positioner with custom frame

Optimized Drive Options

Our iconic yellow captain’s wheel remains a central feature, but now offers broader specialization. First, the rotation ring at the center of the wheel can be set to our standard 22.5° increments, or in custom increments if you require larger or smaller adjustments inside of a full 360° rotation range.

Additionally, you can now upgrade the headstock drive assemblies to either a manually driven gear box, or powered gear box. If you choose a manual box, it can be upgraded (either before purchase or at any time down the road) to handle different powered drive option, including a pneumatic or electric motor.

 

Drive Safety Features:
  • Rotary ground prevents tangled ground leads
  • Rotation wheel locks in place to prevent movement
  • Optional add on brake kit provides a redundant level of safety for “runaway” loads
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Enhanced Spine Customizations

The space between the headstock and tailstock of your manual positioner will be completely customized for your application. Whether you need a single spine with outriggers to hold a large part, or a modular window-frame fixture, you’ll get a fixture-building base that’s completely compatible with our 450+ modular components. And because it’s Bluco modular, change over goes faster, making it easy to manage varying part sizes.

Spine Safety Features:
  • Adjustable Center of Gravity (CG) eliminates the need for counter weights for better clearance and safer rotation
  • Increased capacity now holds approximately 2,000lbs of weight
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Single spine configuration

Our upgraded manual positioners are in stock and ready to be customized to fit your needs. To get a feel for our manual positioners and other modular tooling, schedule a visit to our Showroom by calling 1.800.535.0135 or email us at [email protected].

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Window-frame fixture