AMF

What is AMF?

AMF (Andreas Maier Fellbach) is a German industrial company that manufactures clamping technology for use in the machinery industry. The company was founded in 1890 in Fellbach, Germany, and has operated continuously for over a century. AMF's products are especially used in machine shops where precise, repeatable, and production-suitable clamping of workpieces and tools is required.

The History of AMF

AMF began operations in the late 1800s by manufacturing metal locks. The company’s founder, Andreas Maier, originally worked as a locksmith, and the early production focused on mechanical locking solutions. As industrialization progressed, AMF gradually expanded its operations into other metal industry products.

In the 1950s, AMF's direction changed significantly as the company began to focus on the needs of the manufacturing industry. At this point, development efforts shifted toward workpiece and tool clamping, which was systematically developed to meet the requirements of CNC machining and serial production. This laid the foundation for AMF's current product range.

AMF and Clamping Technology in Machine Shops

Clamping technology is a crucial part of machining in machine shops, as the stability and positional accuracy of the workpiece have a direct effect on machining precision, surface quality, and tool life. AMF's clamping solutions are designed to support standardized and repeatable production, where setup time control and process reliability are key factors.

AMF's products include both individual clamping elements and broader systems, which are used, for example, in machining centers, 5-axis machining, and automated production environments.

AMF's Zero-Point Clamping

AMF is particularly known for its zero-point clamping systems, which are used to shorten setup times in machine shops. The principle behind zero-point clamping is to define an accurate and standardized reference point for the workpiece or fixture, allowing the piece to be removed and reattached without realignment.

AMF's zero-point clamping solutions are suitable for both single pieces and serial production. They enable presetting outside the machine and fast changeovers in the machining center, which is especially useful in CNC machining and versatile production environments.

AMF's Hydraulic Clamping

Hydraulic clamping is a key part of AMF’s product portfolio. Hydraulics provide strong and consistent clamping force in a compact space, which is especially important in multi-part clamping and mass production. Hydraulic clamping improves repeatability and reduces user-dependent variation in clamping force.

In a machine shop, hydraulic clamping is often used where standardized tightening, reliable processes, and the possibility of automation are required.

AMF's Magnetic and Vacuum Clamping

AMF also manufactures magnetic and vacuum clamping solutions, which are used for special machining cases. Magnetic clamping is suitable for ferromagnetic materials, particularly thin sheets and parts where free access to machining surfaces is needed without mechanical clamps.

Vacuum clamping, on the other hand, is ideal for non-magnetic materials such as aluminum and plastics. These methods are often used in machining sheets and flat parts when minimizing workpiece deformation is important.

AMF and Automation

AMF’s clamping solutions are designed to be compatible with modern machine shop automation. The company also offers systems for monitoring the status of the clamping process, such as checking for workpiece presence or successful clamping.

These solutions support automated production and reduce production disruptions caused by faulty clamping in machine shops.

Summary

AMF (Andreas Maier Fellbach) is a German industrial company with over 130 years of experience, having evolved from lock manufacturing to clamping technology for the machinery industry. The company’s core competencies include zero-point clamping, hydraulic clamping, as well as magnetic and vacuum clamping. AMF’s solutions help machine shops improve repeatability, shorten setup times, and develop production towards automated and standardized processes.