Machine-controlled pallet release
Pneumatic Zero-Point Plate
Release the pallet with air. Prepare the next setup offline.
Move fixture changes into the machine-controlled sequence. These finished zero-point plates use springs to lock and air to release, making them a starting point for robot or pallet-changer loading. Match the plate, studs, sensing and air circuit to the cell before final selection.
For compact A024/B024 carriers, see BDS Positioning Datum; for hand-operated plates, see zero-point clamping plate; for loose receivers, see Zero-Point Clamping Systems.
Selection and safety: Select the plate and pull studs together, then check the load and air circuit for the cell. The springs hold the pallet mechanically; they do not provide a safety function. See integration and safety checks.
Repeat positioning<0.005 mm plate repeat positioning · See model data and installed-stack checks.
Spring lockSprings clamp. Air unlocks. Clamp force on the listed plates runs from 9,000 N to 40,000 N.
Air releaseAir releases the pallet for robot or APC transfer. Validate the complete changeover sequence for your cell.
Lead time: confirmed in quote
MOQ: 1 set
Payment: T/T · L/C
Quality documents scoped at RFQ
MIC Audited Supplier
Bring release into the cell sequence
Air actuation lets the machine control the release step for a validated pallet exchange.
Prepare fixtures offline
Use matched pallets to organize the next job while the current setup remains on the machine.
Choose the functions your layout needs
Compare model-specific lifting, cleaning and monitoring options alongside the plate size and load requirements.
Selection & Integration Guide
A practical checklist for choosing a pneumatic zero-point plate (air-released, spring-locked) and integrating it into pallet systems, APCs, and robotic cells. Air release is still a zero point: the joint the machine opens. The feature you probe is the zero reference point. A compact body and a moving pallet are a datum system, not this plate. If the drawing uses all three words, open the page that matches the word on the drawing.
Need pallet automation? See the Automatic Pallet Changer.
When a pneumatic zero-point plate is the right fit
- You need repeatable re-clamping for multi-op CNC machining (e.g., milling → EDM → CMM).
- You’re building palletized workholding for an HMC pallet pool or a 5-axis tombstone/fixture stack.
- Your goal is lights-out automation: robot fixture change, automatic pallet changer (APC), or FMS.
- You need a spring-locked plate that air unlocks.
Key details to confirm before purchase
- 52 mm / 96 mm are stud families. Match pull-stud geometry, mounting pattern, orientation, load rating, and stack height to the drawing.
- Module count & layout: 4-module, 6-module, or custom patterns for your pallet size.
- Repeatability target: the table lists repeatability for the plate. The installed stack has to meet the process tolerance.
- Clamping force & rigidity: evaluate cutting forces, overhang, and fixture stack-up.
- Pneumatic interface: confirm release pressure and air routing protection from the selected model drawing and circuit.
- Automation signals: clamp/unclamp confirmation, interlocks, and cone-cleaning air blast options.
Integration and validation notes
Pallet & fixture interface
Use matching, approved pull studs on each pallet or fixture so operators can prepare work offline and use “drop-on & clamp” on each verified machine. Confirm the receiver geometry, mounting pattern, orientation, and load for every machine; use locating pins only as defined in the approved drawing.
Air & I/O integration
Use clean, dry compressed air and place a regulator close to the machine. For automation, add valve sequencing and I/O logic so the machine/robot only starts when clamp status is confirmed.
Process capability check
Validate repeatability over multiple cycles: clamp/unclamp, probe the datum, and record deviations. Compare the plate clamp rating with the cutting load and overhang, and use installed-stack results to assess the process tolerance.
Typical outcomes customers target
Compare the proposed setup with your current process using the application and changeover checks.
How It Works & Key Features
Lock, release & model limits
- Spring-lock, pneumatic-release mechanism: The springs lock the pallet in place. Compressed air releases it for the exchange.
- Interface Families: 52/96 mm pitch families can support standardization, but compatibility requires the exact pull-stud geometry, mounting pattern, orientation, load rating, stack height, and approved drawing.
- Repeatability: Listed models repeat to <0.005 mm. That figure is for the plate. The installed stack is separate.
- Model Range Performance: Depending on the pallet size, clamping force ranges from 9,000 N to 40,000 N and lifting load ranges from 100 kg to 560 kg.
Cleaning & monitoring
- Environmental Provisions: Selected models include air-tightness monitoring and a cleaning blast for chips and coolant. The drawing names which options that plate has.
Configuration options
- Configuration-Dependent Boost: Some configurations add an auxiliary pressure boost. The drawing and the circuit name the clamp rating and the sequence.
- Lift-on-Release: On models that lift on release, the release sequence raises the vise or pallet. Stroke, lift load, air circuit, sensors, and clearance are on that model's drawing.
Technical Specifications & Design
The table lists repeat positioning, clamping force and lifting load for each of the six models.
Series Specification Snapshot
Reference models from the current catalog. 52 mm and 96 mm stud families are both listed for pallet, fixture, and robot changeover.
| Model | Stud standard | Repeatability | Clamping force | Lifting load | Unlocking pressure | Spigot | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NT-S52P125QD1 | 52 mm | <0.005 mm | 9,000 N | 100 kg | Confirm drawing | NT-S52P16V1 | 3.5 kg |
| NT-S52P168QD1 | 52 mm | <0.005 mm | 9,000 N | 100 kg | Confirm drawing | NT-S52P16V1 | 5.2 kg |
| NT-S52P229QD1 | 52 mm | <0.005 mm | 18,000 N | 200 kg | Confirm drawing | NT-S52P16V1 | 6 kg |
| NT-S96P200QD1 | 96 mm | <0.005 mm | 20,000 N | 280 kg | Confirm drawing | NT-S96P20V1 | 9 kg |
| NT-S96P250QD1 | 96 mm | <0.005 mm | 20,000 N | 280 kg | Confirm drawing | NT-S96P20V1 | 12 kg |
| NT-S96P400QD1 | 96 mm | <0.005 mm | 40,000 N | 560 kg | Confirm drawing | NT-S96P20V1 | 18 kg |
The model tables list <0.005 mm repeat positioning. NT-S96P200QD1 and NT-S96P250QD1 list 280 kg lift load; NT-S96P400QD1 lists 560 kg. The individual sheets do not list unlocking pressure. Take it from the drawing and the circuit. A system banner on the pneumatic-plate spread prints 0.005 mm repeat positioning, 20,000 N, and 330 kg unlocked lifting capacity. That banner is not the NT-S96P400QD1 row. The P400 table lists 40,000 N and 560 kg. Lift load is not a cutting load or a cell payload rating.
The six reference models list hardened stainless-steel bodies, pneumatic release, a mechanical spring-locking structure, and 4 × 90° fixed indexing. Confirm clamping pressurization, datum cleaning, air-tightness monitoring, sealing, and any auxiliary functions against the selected drawing, circuit, and order scope.
Precision by Design
Air releases the lock, while internal springs drive the clamping slides and retain the pallet when unlock air is removed. Validate machine safety separately: check the selected model's air-loss response against the approved drawing, then validate guarding, interlocks and acceptance for the complete machine or cell.
Built for the Modern Shop Floor
Applicable models use hardened, corrosion-resistant stainless steel. Selected versions add sealing and an air blast for chips and coolant. Clean the locating faces before loading.
Robot Transfer Across Verified Interfaces
Each milling, EDM and CMM station needs a verified matching stud interface, mounting, load and datum. Review the complete robot-transfer sequence before automatic operation.
Automation Integration
A robot can transfer fixtures or pallets between verified stations. Confirm the plate model, fixture, gripper, sensing, controls, guarding, interlocks and fault recovery together, then validate the complete exchange sequence on the installation. Read plate clamp force and lift load from the model specification table; lift load is separate from cutting load and cell payload.
Unattended time follows material supply, tool life, sensing, and how the cell recovers from a stop.
Installation, Pneumatics & Maintenance
Practical notes for commissioning an air-released zero-point pallet plate and monitoring installed repeatability through production.
Installation & alignment (quick checklist)
- 1Clean the machine table and verify flatness/cleanliness where the plate will sit.
- 2Use locating pins or dowels as specified in the approved drawing to establish a consistent pallet orientation.
- 3Torque mounting bolts in a cross pattern; re-check after the first thermal cycle.
- 4Verify pull-stud height and fixture stack-up, then confirm each module seats completely in the locating cones before production.
- 5Run several clamp/unclamp cycles and probe a datum to confirm repeatability before production.
Air supply & reliability
- Use clean, dry, filtered air (plant standard). Add a regulator close to the machine.
- Protect hoses/couplers from chips and coolant; use strain relief in robot cells.
- For automation, wire a clamp-confirmed interlock so machining starts only when clamped.
- If the selected model includes cone-cleaning air blast, use it before clamping to reduce chip-imprint risk; inspect and clean the locating faces rather than relying on air blast alone.
- Schedule periodic inspection of cones, pull studs, and seals, especially in heavy coolant.
Common stability killers (and how to avoid them)
Chips in the locating cones
Where the selected model includes air blast, use it with appropriate coolant management; inspect and wipe the locating faces on a maintenance schedule matched to the environment.
Inconsistent pull studs
Use the approved matching stud type and specified installation torque on each fixture or pallet.
Weak air pressure / leaks
Check regulators, couplers, and hoses; confirm pressure at the plate under load.
Fixture stack-up flex
Reduce overhang and add support for the cutting force.
Where the Plate Is Used
These are the machines where the plate usually sits.
Horizontal Machining Centers (HMC)
On an HMC pallet pool, fixtures are built offline and dropped onto the plate.
5-Axis Machining
The plate raises the part, so a 5-axis tool can reach five sides in one setup when the fixture allows it.
Automated Production Cells
In an FMS or a robot cell, the plate is the locating interface the robot loads.
Inspection & Quality Control
The same datum can go from the CNC to the CMM, so the part is not re-indicated at the CMM.
A 41-second vertical demonstration showing a self-centering vise and pneumatic zero-point plate in an automated setup. Refer to the selected model specifications and installed-process validation for performance.
Watch on YouTubeRelated customer cases
Beyond Single-Machine Fixes: How a 10-Pallet Zero-Point Rollout Standardized Workholding Across an Entire Shop Floor
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Maximizing the 5-Axis Trunnion: How a Custom "4+1" Zero-Point Rotary Subplate Eliminated Setup Bottlenecks and Center Deflection
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Read the caseRepresentative Integration Scenario
Fixtures are prepared offline for the next exchange. Time the complete swap against the current indicate-and-align routine, including pallet handling, valve operation and sensor confirmation. The catalogue gives no fixed changeover time; results depend on the starting process, pallet layout, part mix and cell sequence.
Page updated . Catalog values for this family come from the 2026 NEXTAS industry quick-change clamping catalog. Confirm drawing-controlled dimensions on the selected model drawing. Request the catalog. Factory, catalogs, and shows.
Product resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Pneumatic Zero-Point Plate and who is it for?
It is a datum plate with pneumatic release for repeatable pallet or fixture transfer. It is most relevant when the process needs frequent machine-controlled changeovers, robot loading, or a planned path to pallet automation.
What are the key specifications?
Compare repeat positioning, clamping force and lift load in the model table under Technical Specifications & Design. Confirm unlocking pressure from the selected model drawing and pneumatic circuit.
How is the Pneumatic Zero-Point Plate installed?
Check the mounting and locating pattern on the drawing, check the installed plate for flatness and orientation, then connect the pneumatic circuit on that drawing. An automated cell also needs the valve sequence, clamp-state logic, and the machine or robot interlocks before production.
Where can I get CAD files or technical documentation?
Share your model or machine, intended use and the data you need. Our engineers confirm the 2D layout, CAD, assembly or circuit documents available for the selected configuration and confidentiality scope.
What's the difference between pneumatic enable and pneumatic clamp?
Air unlocks. Springs clamp. This is not a clamp that stays on only while air is applied. Spring hold is not a safety function. Guarding stays with the cell. Check that model's air-loss behavior on the drawing.
What maintenance is needed in coolant and chip-heavy production?
Clean the locating faces and pull studs before loading, monitor air quality and leakage, and inspect seals, fittings, and wear surfaces on a schedule matched to the real environment. Do not rely on an air-blow feature alone, and confirm the selected model's sealing and maintenance requirements before exposing it to heavy coolant or abrasive chips.
What is the advantage of the 52/96 mm standard pitch?
The two datum families make it easier to standardize pallets and fixtures across a shop. Compatibility still requires the exact pull-stud geometry, mounting pattern, load rating, orientation, and stack height to match; pitch alone is not proof that two components interchange.
What should I send for a pneumatic zero-point plate RFQ?
Start with your machine, workpiece or fixture, intended changeover and quantity. Add the selected model, drawing, load and pneumatic details if known. We help identify missing inputs, recommend a configuration and confirm the drawings and CAD available.
Engineering RFQ
Send a Pneumatic Zero-Point Plate RFQ
Share your machine, workpiece or the plate model you have in mind. Our engineers will help identify the configuration and confirm what is needed for your quotation.