Why Förster welding tables?

The most significant cost factor in the manufacturing of a welded construction is not the welding seam; the average seam takes up only about 15% of the actual work time. 85% of the time needed is non- productive time spent with the precise dimension and angle assignment of the individual parts, in addition to measuring, correcting, aligning, and mechanically reworking the components. A precise method for creating an assembly, in conjunction with suitable clamping fixtures and stops, can result in a variety of significant benefits, even in single part production.

What is the advantage of the slot system?

• The T-slot represents the ideal way to solve the widest variety of clamping tasks with the simplest means (sliding block).
• No spatter-sensitive H7 holes are required for receiving special clamping fixtures, and the functional surface (bearing surface) of the slot is located in a fully protected position (see diagram below).
• Due to the infinite adjustment within the slot, several stop squares can be inserted precisely into the corners of the components in the housing as well as rack and frame manufacturing.
• Försters' patented version of the T-slot between two rails prevents the T-slot from becoming dirty. Rhombic slot blocks can even be inserted from above into T-slots which are already in use.
• Certain areas of the table surface can be opened to insert any protruding parts simply by removing the rails. This has proven to be particularly useful in practice. The rails can also be replaced, protecting the user during particularly heavy welding work.

Why cast plates with slots?

Cast plates with slots, like those taken from retired milling machines, have been proving their worth for years in welding shops. Often, however, the plates are not a suitable size, and don't have the right stops and clamping fixtures to work effectively. Försters' modular system makes it possible to assemble cast plates and tooling in the widest variety of forms and enables you to accomplish nearly any task.

What's the advantage of gray cast iron?

Certainly the most important argument is that most welding processes result in flash that can stick to the table surface.

• Flash sticking to gray cast iron is like the bonding of a normal weld on gray cast iron - it pulls off in the transition zone.
• Gray cast iron ages, and with this aging graphite diffuses to the surface; the surface becomes grayer and grayer, and so the surface is increasingly protected from flash sticking to it.
• An anti-stick product should be applied to the surface until the surface has aged enough; the product penetrates the porous structure of gray cast iron and enriches it due to an increasingly durable protection which builds up. Over time it is no longer necessary to constantly reapply anti-stick products.

Additional advantages of gray cast iron are:

• The low expansion coefficient in exposure to heat
• Improved sound dissipation when positioning parts made from a single casting.

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Welding Tables

that "get to the precise point"

Precision The table and the try-squares are made to extremely precise standards. In fact, the flatness and the angularity comply with the "H" section, or "Fine" requirements of ISO 2768 T2. The individual rails of the table surface exhibit a tolerance of ± 0.05 mm and are therefore interchangeable.	Measuring and Positioning The table surface has a 100 x 100 etched grid for orienting straight lines and angles. Parts are normally created by first placing them at a right angle to the stops on the side and front edges of the table. The length and the width of the part, which normally doesn't match a fine grid, can be easily defined by infinitely adjusting the try-square.

Only possible with the slot system?

The ability to make adjustments in two axes simultaneously makes it possible to precisely adjust the stops at the precise point and in the precise direction.

Mobile , Stationary, Variable

Table design

Förster's modular system makes it possible to design and customize the widest variety of table surfaces with only a few components.

The entire table surface can be moved in the widest variety of ways so that lifting tables, horizontal rotary platforms, and vertical turntables can be created to meet a customer's specific needs.