Machining·Actuator Housing

Fixture on cast pads, not cast walls

MachiningA356Dimensional5/5 confidence

What we learned

What worked

Adding three small pads to the casting whose only job is to be clamped on. Repeatability across the bolt circle improved immediately.

What failed

Clamping on the housing wall. The wall flexes about 0.1mm under clamp and springs back after machining.

War story

Cheap to add at the model stage, impossible to add later. Worth asking on every quote whether the part has somewhere to be held.

Machining conditions

Feeds and speeds
Facing: 900 m/min, 0.2mm/rev, air blast
Fixturing
Three cast pads added to the R4 model purely as fixture datums

Tags

4
fixturingdfmmachiningA356

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Captured May 11, 2026