Patent ID: 6921068

Claim:
A vise structure for holding parts that are to undergo a machining operation, including a micromilling operation associated with a rapid prototyping process, the vice structure comprising: a fixing bed having an exposed surface, and a cavity open to the exposed surface, for receiving a thermofusible material, wherein the thermofusible material is capable of reversibly being brought from a liquid state to a solid state, and wherein the thermofusible material defines a free surface in registration with the exposed surface of the fixing bed; a tank operatively associated with the fixing bed, for containing a quantity of the thermofusible material; a network of ducts connecting the tank and the cavity of the fixing bed, for delivering the thermofusible material from the tank to the cavity; and a cooling circuit and a plurality of resistive heating elements associated with the fixing bed, for selectively heating and cooling the thermofusible material; wherein cooling of the thermofusible material in the cavity fixes a part positioned on the exposed surface of the fixing bed, immobilizing the part, and heating of the thermofusible material in the cavity releases the part positioned on the exposed surface of the fixing bed.