How many parts can a world-class chuck chuck? A lot. The long-awaited Season 4 of “Road Trippin’ with Steve” kicks off at SMW Autoblok (IMTS booth #431617), a workholding juggernaut that delivers custom solutions to enhance modern manufacturing.In the first episode of Season 4, “The Invisible Part Holding the Manufacturing World Together,” the crew and I toured the U.S. headquarters of SMW Autoblok in Wheeling, Ill., with President and CEO Larry Robbins. The tour centers on the seemingly humble chuck, an industry workhorse and unsung hero that is central to the manufacturing of almost everything. From car engines to wristwatches, a substantial percentage of the metal items we encounter every day started with a piece of raw metal, a spinning machine, and the part that holds it all together: the chuck.Chucks for AllIn the simplest terms, a chuck is a rotating clamp with jaws that move in and out to hold parts. The devices grip, center, and steady materials so they can be turned into finished parts. Sounds simple, but when you are a chuck-making icon, you think a lot about chucks and how to engineer them to improve manufacturing processes, enhance safety, and ensure part integrity.Robbins is slightly obsessed with chucks, and it shows. “We're constantly creating products that the market's never seen before, and that's what makes us a company people want to deal with,” he says. “It's not just about the products, though; it's about offering the customer a solution. Anybody could sell a product. I want to sell a solution that fixes a problem.”Not So SimpleFor many in the industry, chucks are rarely top of mind. Machinists rarely give chucks a thought…unless they break. SMW Autoblok fills that void. While the company started by manufacturing standard three-jaw chucks, they have now advanced to specialized chucks.Robbins walked us through the operation of electronic, magnetic, and pneumatic chucks. We even got to experiment with quick draw change chucks. Finally, we discussed computer-driven mechanical chucks and innovative robotics applications. And that was only scratching the surface of the world of custom, high-end chucks.Nearly all of the chucks SMW Autoblok makes are fully custom, one-off solutions designed for a single customer and a specific use case. These are not run-of-the-mill, mass-produced chucks. These are world-class sports car chucks.Next StopAfter a day chock full of chucks, our crew packed up to get ready for our next destination: Mazak (IMTS booth #338300) in nearby Florence, Kentucky. There, we take a look at some incredible machining and turning centers, as well as advanced machine tools. Best of all, Robbins is joining us to talk about the power of partnerships in manufacturing, highlighting the ongoing relationship between SMW Autoblok and Mazak. Buckle up!Watch all the Season 4 episodes at IMTS.com/RTWSS4 and check out Seasons 1-3 of Road Trippin’ with Steve.
AMT’s resident tech guru explores the surprising complexity of the chuck, one of manufacturing’s most essential elements, during a tour at SMW-AUTOBLOK on the new season of Road Trippin’ with Steve.
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