Cart
Looks like your shopping cart is empty...
A self-centering CNC vise clamps a workpiece from both sides simultaneously, keeping the part centered on the machine's programmed origin without indicating every load. Add pneumatics and the vise clamps in under a second on shop air, replacing the manual crank on a traditional machine vise. Gimbel's AutoVise™ line brings both capabilities into a production-grade pneumatic vise for CNC machining automation. Also called a pneumatic vice, CNC vice, or machining vise depending on your region.
Available in three steel sizes: 75mm, 100mm, and 150mm, plus the aluminum 150mm AutoVise Lite™. For 4th and 5th axis work, see our Rotary AutoVises. All Gimbel machine vises hold to 0.0008" repeatability and ship with hardened serrated jaws standard.
The most compact vise in the AutoVise Pro™ line. Ideal for small brackets, connectors, sensor housings, and any part inside a 3-inch clamp range. Its lower profile clears more of the tool envelope, making it a strong pick for tight rotary trunnions and multi-vise pallet setups where every inch of table space counts.
The most-ordered size in the AutoVise Pro™ line and the default choice for aluminum, mild steel, and standard production work. Its 4-inch jaw range and matched footprint fit most pallet automation fixtures, making it easy to plug into an existing setup or scale into a multi-vise cell.
The largest vise in the AutoVise Pro™ line. Built for larger blanks, heavy steel work, and multi-part fixturing. Its 6-inch jaw travel handles a wide range of part sizes without changing jaws, making it a natural fit for job shops running variable production. Also available as the aluminum AutoVise Lite™ at a lower price point.
For 4th and 5th axis work, the AutoVise Pro™ line extends to rotary variants with bottom air pass-through so pneumatic lines route through your rotary's spindle bore instead of tangling on the platter. Available in 75mm and 100mm with a matching AxisMount™ 90° Trunnion Module for 5-sided access. See our full pneumatic 5th axis vise line for specifications, applications, and rotary union compatibility.
Our Instant Solenoid Kit gives your machine-controllable M-codes in a matter of minutes. Controls two integrated solenoids and can also be manually actuated with the optional Manual Control Pendant.
A self-centering pneumatic CNC vise clamps a workpiece from both sides at the same time, keeping the part centered on the machine's programmed origin. Instead of a manual crank, it uses shop air pressure to move the jaws, clamping and releasing in under a second. In production CNC work, this eliminates operator indicating between cycles, reduces load times to a few seconds, and enables lights-out machining. Pneumatic self-centering vises are also known as air vises, automatic vises, or pneumatic workholding vises.
CNC machining vises, also called CNC machine vises, come in three main flavors: manual, hydraulic, and pneumatic. Manual machine vises require a wrench and torque handle for every clamp cycle, which is fine for one-off work but slow for production. Hydraulic vises clamp faster but need a hydraulic pump and separate control lines. Pneumatic machining vises like the AutoVise clamp on standard shop air with no additional equipment, and they integrate directly with any CNC mill or machining center control that can trigger an M-code, including Haas, Fanuc, Brother, Doosan, Hurco, and DMG Mori.
| Feature | Manual Machine Vise | Hydraulic Vise | Gimbel AutoVise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clamp time | 15–30 sec | 3–5 sec | Under 1 sec |
| Repeatability | 0.002–0.005" | 0.001" | 0.0008" |
| Setup complexity | Wrench + torque handle | Pump + control lines | Shop air line only |
| Automation-ready | No | Requires retrofit | Yes, native M-code |
| Best for | One-off, low-volume | Heavy steel production | Automated CNC production |
| Starting price | $500 to $1,500 | $3,000 to $8,000 | $2,579 |
Every Gimbel machine vise ships worldwide. Also called a CNC vice, machining vice, machine vice, pneumatic vice, or self centering vice. Same mechanism, different spelling.
A self-centering pneumatic CNC vise is an automated machine vise that clamps a workpiece using shop air instead of a manual crank. Both jaws move inward equally from a fixed centerline, keeping the part on origin without indicating each load. This eliminates one of the slowest steps in CNC production and makes lights-out machining possible without a robot arm handling the clamping.
A manual machine vise takes 15 to 30 seconds per clamp cycle with a wrench and torque handle. A pneumatic vise clamps in under a second on shop air, with repeatable clamping force set by your regulator instead of by operator feel. Across a 300-part run, that's hours of spindle time reclaimed and no wrist fatigue for the operator.
Three steel sizes: 75mm (3") for small parts and tight tool envelopes, 100mm (4") as the versatile production workhorse, and 150mm (6") for larger blanks and heavier steel work. A 150mm aluminum AutoVise Lite™ is also available at a lower price point. All hit 0.0008" repeatability.
The AutoVise Pro™ line runs on shop air between 40 and 175 PSI. Clamping force scales linearly with pressure, so you regulate the air supply on the clamp inlet to set your force. At 140 PSI, the 100mm AutoVise delivers up to 3,400 lbs of clamping force.
Yes. The straight AutoVise Pro™ line mounts on any 5-axis machine table. For applications with a rotary or trunnion where the vise itself needs to rotate with the platter, see our Rotary AutoVises with bottom air pass-through designed for continuous rotation.
