American Machinist articles from December 2007

American Machinist archives from December 2007

Implementing an integrated 3D system for design and manufacturing.(SOFTWARE)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The conversation started with a simple question: Does 3D CAD have significant benefits for CNC machine programmers? After numerous dialogs on the Practical Machinist website (www.practicalmachinist.com) and...

Laying a solid foundation for machine shop information technology.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... At the same time that computers and computer software are becoming more powerful and less expensive, the need to implement computer applications that improve productivity, such as shop floor data capture and web based supply chain...

Linux and windows: the right platform for high performance computing and product design.(SOFTWARE)
December 1, 2007... High-performance computing (HPC) is an essential component of the manufacturing and design processes. Today, it is almost unthinkable to develop the key components of a car, airplane, or even many consumer products without computer-assisted...

Whitepaper examines importance of 3D in all areas of a manufacturing operation.(SOFTWARE)(Aberdeen Group)(Report)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Aberdeen Group (www.Aberdeen.com), a research firm that specializes in information technology, recently released a whitepaper sponsored by Anark corporation (www.anark.com) titled, beyond engineering: New...

Achieving the objectives of shortening delivery times, increasing productivity, reducing costs and increasing customer and employee satisfaction is not a goal, it is a culture.(Hedline)(Quotation)
December 1, 2007... "Achieving the objectives of shortening delivery times, increasing productivity, reducing costs and increasing customer and employee satisfaction is not a goal, it is a culture. You set goals, and when you achieve them you don't rest on your...

Mold maker uses VISI software to generate hybrid aluminum tooling.(SOFTWARE)(J&M Mold)
December 1, 2007... J&M Mold of Fairport Harbor, Ohio, is a precision tool and die maker for the plastic, aluminum, and zinc injection industries. Owner David Martin is a mechanical engineer who has been working in the die casting industry since he was 13...

Adobe offers technical communication suite.(SOFTWARE)(Adobe Systems Inc.)
December 1, 2007... Adobe Systems Inc. (www.adobe.com), maker of the ubiquitous Adobe Acrobat and Adobe reader, has put together a bundle of tools that makes it easy to create, manage and publish technical information and training content across multiple formats...

Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. makes 3D CAD models available online.(SOFTWARE)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. (www.ame.com) offers 3D CAD models of its workholding fixtures, machine components and safety products on its web site, and provides an example of the effective use of combining 3D...

Chinese manufacturer bundles Maxtor disc drives with password-stealing virus.(SOFTWARE)(Seagate Technology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Not that anyone in a machine shop ever uses his computer to play games, but just in case... Seagate, the manufacturer of Maxtor hard disc drives, is warning all those who have purchased a Maxtor basics Personal Storage 3200 product since...

KMT robotic solutions introduces robotic milling and offline programming software.(SOFTWARE)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] KMT Robotic Solutions Inc. (www.kmtgroup.com) new CamPro PC-based offline programming software is designed to enable manufacturers to convert CAM trimming and milling paths into complete 6-axis robot programs. ...

Overheard at the recent American machinist machine shop workshop ...(SOFTWARE)(Quotation)
December 1, 2007... "Listening to the presentations, it is reassuring to hear that we are already doing a lot of the right things, and it is exciting to get some solid ideas that we can use to make our operation even better."--vice president of finance at Moser...

New Kubotek software validates and compares 3D CAD models.(SOFTWARE)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Kubotek USA (www.kubotekusa.com) has a new Validation Tool that it says assures manufactures that two revisions of the same CAD model, which visually appear the same, truly are geometrically identical. This...

SYCODE offers four AutoCAD 3d interoperability add-ons for Alibre Design.(SOFTWARE)
December 1, 2007... "Alibre Design already has the ability to read and write AutoCAD DWG and DXF files", Deelip Menezes, owner of SYCODE explained. "However, this ability is severely limited to 2D DWG/DXF files only. When importing DWG/DXF files, Alibre Design...

AboutSolidworks releases two new tutorials.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... AboutSolidWorks.com, an independent provider of information about SolidWorks, accessories, and related software, has published two new SolidWorks tutorials that emphasize the new functionality of SolidWorks 2008. These tutorials demonstrate...

TCS and SAP launch 'Perfect Plant' center of excellence.(SOFTWARE)(Tata Consultancy Services and Systems, Applications & Products in Data Processing)
December 1, 2007... Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (www.tata.com), an IT services, business solutions and outsourcing company, has teamed with SAP AG (www.sap.com), a provider of business software, to launch the 'Perfect Plant' center of excellence at SAP's...

KeyCreator and GibbsCAM integrated.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gibbs and Associates, developer of GibbsCAM software for programming CNC machine tools, and Kubotek USA, creators of geometry-based KeyCreator CAD software, have teamed to develop integrations linking Kubotek's...

Jobpack releases Real Time scheduler.(SOFTWARE)(Job-Pack Real Time Scheduler)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... JobPack Inc (www.jobpack.com) has released the latest version for the Job-Pack Real Time Scheduler for production manufacturing companies. This version provides scheduling rule options. The user can schedule by delivery date, just in time and...

Affordable high tech: minus the bells and whistles, today's standard models are still good machine tools.(MILLING & TURNING)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most machine tool OEMs refer to them as low-end, base, standard, or entry-level models. They are the machine tools that have been scaled back or streamlined to reduce price, but still incorporate the same advanced...

Why robots?(AUTOMATION)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A manufacturer of machined castings and forgings improved the accuracy and consistency of its part loading, reduced part defects, increased productivity, and lowered its cost per part. An automotive component...

Automated laser cutting.(AUTOMATION)
December 1, 2007... Mitsubishi Laser has automated its HV series advanced hybrid laser-cutting machine by adding a pallet changer to create its new HVP model. The pallet changer acts as a second table that can be interchanged with the machine's primary table to...

Common mistakes made when automating.(AUTOMATION)
December 1, 2007... * Choosing the wrong automation. For example something too big or too small. Shops often define the scope of a project as just replacing an operator, while the scope must include much more such as part variations and tooling. There must be...

Supplier helps keep shop's costs down.(AUTOMATION)(Misumi USA)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cincinnati Automation & Test's success and competitive strategy hinges on identifying and establishing relationships with special suppliers for its components. Under the MAG Cincinnati Automation brand, the company...

Automated cell re-invents tubular fabricating.(AUTOMATION)
December 1, 2007... The Uni-vercell automated tube-bending cell could possibly rewrite the economics of fabricating tubular components for high-volume applications such as those associated with the automotive industry, the cell's developer Unison said. The...

When 2+3 doesn't equal 5: fewer moves deliver precision from five-axis machines.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Many shops realize that five-axis machining is a quick way to machine multiple part sides in one clamping to reduce setup times and shorten lead times. But what they may not know is that full, simultaneous five-axis...

CBN improves machine performance.(MACHINE TOOLS)(cubic boron nitride)
December 1, 2007... Manufacturers must continue to invest in new tooling technologies to stay ahead of their competition and to keep customers satisfied, and they need to pay close attention to total operating cost and process expenses. This requires a...

Accuracy drives machine tools.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... Mori Seiki has officially expanded its manufacturing capabilities beyond mainland Japan with its grand re-opening of Dixi Machines. Dixi, of Le Locle, Switzerland, now is a division of Mori Seiki International SA. The plant represents Mori...

Fast system feeds machining centers.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aluminum Precision Products constantly looks at ways to improve efficiencies and reduce cost through lean manufacturing, total quality management and continuous process improvement. The Santa Ana, Calif, firm never...

Shop gains control: over converter production.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... For its new automotive catalytic converter production line, Eberspaecher N.A., a Tier One supplier based in Brighton, Mich., decided to install a laser-welding short-tube production cell instead of a conventional tube mill. At the heart of...

The machine technology.(Service)
December 1, 2007... "The machine technology sells the first machine, but service sells the second machine," Eric Gouinguenet, domestic regional manager at Mori Seiki France S.A.S., said in talking about the importance of machine tool service. Service

Tapping and threading.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The GS:TEM mini 3-axis thread grinder targets shops making high volumes of small precision threaded parts. From drake manufacturing, the machine sports an economically spaced work envelope measuring 100 mm by 100 mm....

Less electrode wear.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The wear rate of a graphite electrode increases during the sinker EDM finishing process, so shops often rough out a workpiece cavity on a mill then EDM the details to finished size. However, this process usually...

Profile beam milling.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... Shops in one-off, demand-driven manufacturing environments, such as those in aerospace machining, need fast, highly automated performance in their machine tools. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bertsche Engineering developed its fully automatic...

Preventive maintenance.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... "Preventative maintenance is not repair. Instead, it is keeping equipment working and extending its life. The simplest preventative maintenance program can be a notebook kept next to a machine to track maintenance done to it." Perry Zalevsky,...

Waterjet side-by-side.(MACHINE TOOLS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Waterjet cutting machines are extremely flexible systems that can open up new opportunities for shops to be more competitive. The systems can cut parts using straight water or water with an added abrasive. In...

Set-up tips from the pages of PracticalMachinist.com.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)
December 1, 2007... Centering * When cutting a keyway, instead of indicating to center, I touch the cutter off the part, slightly raise the machine table and make a cut into the part about 0.125 in. beyond the cutter centerline, then back the table down and...

The development of coated grades of carbide tools.(TOOLING & FIXTURING)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Coated carbide inserts today--what is going on? When it comes to cutting tools, coated indexable inserts are responsible for the major share of metal removed throughout machine shops today. These are the...

Technologies on the move.(WORK HOLDING)
December 1, 2007... Shops constantly face challenges to be more productive and to drive down production costs. And, in many cases, to meet these goals, they are using workholding devices more creatively, rather than buying new equipment. Steve Kane, sales and...

Think collet blocks to reduce setup time.(WORK HOLDING)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Shops are realizing significant advantages in using collet blocks rather than standard vises or 3-jaw chucks to grip round, hex, square or odd-shaped parts. A collet automatically centers the workpiece, so it can...

Blank tooling blocks.(WORK HOLDING)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Carr Lane Mfg. Co. (www.carrlane.com) has introduced Abbott aluminum alloy blank tooling blocks that are made of A713 Tenzaloy aluminum alloy for light weight, high strength, and good vibration dampening. The tooling...

Rugged, tight tolerance face drivers.(WORK HOLDING)(LMC Workholding)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New Neidlein Face Drivers from LMC Workholding (www.logan-mmk.com) provide tight tolerances for applications including hard turning, grinding, heavy cuts and other special applications. Neidlein Face Drivers...

Multi-workpiece clamping vise.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A new workholding concept, the Kontec KSM stationary clamping vise, has been introduced by Schunk Inc. (www.schunk.com). With its multiple-part clamping features where several workpieces of the same size or even...

Exotic cutting materials for hard machining.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2007... The newest members of the Kyon cutting ceramics family from Kennametal Inc. (www.kennametal.com), are KY4300 ceramic inserts that are designed for aerospace parts machining applications involving Inconel, Stellite, Waspalloy, Hastelloy, and...

Coatings without cracks.(TOOLING FIXTURES)
December 1, 2007... When developing aluminum oxide (Al2O3) coating materials, it is preferable to use the alpha form of for most applications. Unfortunately, it is much easier to deposit the kappa form. Consequently, producers have deposited the kappa form and...

When it comes to machining hard, difficult-to-machine materials, it's tough to beat poly-crystalline diamond (PCD), cubic boron nitride (CBN) or ceramic inserts.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When it comes to machining hard, difficult-to-machine materials, it's tough to beat poly-crystalline diamond (PCD), cubic boron nitride (CBN) or ceramic inserts. PCD is a matrix of randomly arranged diamond...

Zirconia cut-off wheels.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2007... Camel Grinding Wheels (CGW) (www.cgwheels.com) has introduced a line of 3- and 4-in. diameter cut-off wheels made from premium zirconia aluminum oxide grain for use on metal, steel and stainless steel. The new line, available in a carton...

CBN inserts for case-hardened steels.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This newest addition to the Seco Tools Inc. (www.secotools.com) family of low-content CBN inserts--CBN160C--is available in single and multi-tipped brazed formats and all typical styles. With its near diamond...

Clamp it once.(TOOLING & FIXTURING)
December 1, 2007... "The more operations you do on a CNC without removing the part, the more cost effective and time efficient is the process. You can turn, drill, bore and broach all in the same spot saving time transferring between machines. Also, fewer hands...

Shoulder and surface milling cutters.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Walter AG (www.walter-tools.com) has introduced several new milling cutters. The company said its Xtratec shoulder milling cutters F4041 and F4042 are almost identical tools for machining shoulders, grooves and...

Aerospace appointments at Sandvik Coromant.(PERSONNEL ON THE MOVE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Sandvik Coromant (www.coromant.sandvik.com/us) has appointed Sean Holt to the position of industry specialist for aerospace engines. He will provide support to key aerospace customers in the United States, help to increase productivity and...

New head of milling at AgieCharmilles.(PERSONNEL ON THE MOVE)(York Franke)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... GF AgieCharmilles has appointed York Franke to the newly created role of head of milling. In addition to developing Agie Charmilles' milling business, Franke will work with sales and customer support channels. He also will be charged with...

High-performance machining/grinding fluids.(FLUIDS)(Cimcool)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Cimcool (www.cimcool.com) has added to its Cimstar line of products with the introduction of advanced technology "Z" metalworking fluids. The company said its "Z" fluids provide as much as a 30 percent increase in...

Skimmer for Haas machine tools.(FLUIDS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Zebra Skimmers Corp. (www.ZebraSkimmers.com) has introduced a skimmer designed for Haas machine tools. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company said it has extended the design of its Sidewinder Tube Skimmer to match Haas machine tools. ...

Laser system prevents broken-tool damage to high.(ACCESSORIES)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati revved up manufacturing efficiencies on its unique high-rpm Desmodromic engines by turning to an automated laser tool monitoring system from Renishaw (www.renishaw.com). ...

Plastic domes protect tools.(ACCESSORIES)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] New clear plastic domes from Huot Manufacturing (www.huot.com) protect valuable CNC tooling from damage. The covers keep tooling safe from nicks, marring and dings that can occur when retrieving or storing...

Breaking down barriers.(FROM THE EDITOR)
December 1, 2007... American Machinist hosted its first Machine Shop Workshop in early November--a two-day event that was less about cutting metal than about running a metal-cutting business. When we started planning the event, we were determined that it...

Uncertainties of a de-valued dollar.(GOVERNMENT MATTERS)
December 1, 2007... The U.S. dollar is not what it used to be. In the mid-1980s, while I was serving as an economist with the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, I was called by a reporter from the Economist magazine who asked if I thought that the dollar and the...

Renishaw provides a precision stylus for CMM part inspection.(OPERATIONS)(Editorial)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Renishaw (www.renishaw.com), the inventor of the touch trigger probe, has developed a line of precision styli from a range of high-performance materials including stainless steel, tungsten carbide, ceramic and carbon...

Fabricator of large parts moves to Wenzel CMM.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... Maximizing business opportunities often requires new capital expenditures to meet customers' requirements. Webco manufacturing Inc., of Olathe, Kan., (www.webcomfg.com) was looking at new contracts that involved manufactured parts that...

Considerations for forklift free plants.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Increasingly, companies are mandating the move to forklift free production floors on the basis of highly visible macro issues like safety improvements, reduced forklift lease and maintenance costs. However, there are...

Columbia Marking tools designs a laser marker.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When one of U.S. manufacturing corp.'s customers planned to expand production and needed a marking tool to fit specific needs, Columbia marking Tools (columbiamt.com) stepped in to design the tool. The...

MTI systems and ProfitKey form partnership.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... MTI Systems (mtisystems.com), a provider of cost estimating software for manufacturing, has formed a partnership with ProfitKey International (www.profitkey.com), a provider of manufacturing planning, manufacturing operations, and financial...

FKI Logistex develops robotic palletizing system.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... FKI Logistex has developed a new, high-speed robotic palletizing system that is capable of rates in excess of 100 cases per minute. FKI Logistex (www.fkilogistex.com) has developed a high-speed, robotic palletizing cell that uses jointed-arm...

Kyzen introduces all-purpose metal cleaner.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Kyzen corp. (www.kyzen.com), a provider of environmentally responsible precision cleaning chemicals, has developed a new, heavy-duty aqueous high alkaline all-purpose cleaner for metals. The compay's Metalnox m6319 is an aqueous blend of...

Hexagon acquires non-contact measurement company CogniTens Ltd.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... Hexagon AB (hexagonmetrology.us) has acquired the outstanding shares of CogniTens Ltd. (www.cognitens. com), a provider of shop floor non-contact dimensional measurement solutions. The company will be integrated into Hexagon Metrology, the...

Laser design probes for coordinate measuring machines.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Laser Design Inc. (www.laserdesign.com), a leading supplier of 3D laser scanners, said its precision line-laser Surveyor Laser Probes (SLP[R]) now are fully integrated with Wenzel CMMs. This means that Wenzel CMM...

Dormer and precision twist drill join forces.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Precision Twist drill became part of the dormer Group, and the companies formed Precision dormer (www.precisiondormer.com) for the NAFTA region. The companies now will act as one unit, to offering a range of metalcutting products....

Quoted.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... "We have told our floor supervisors that they have to go out every day and find someone doing something right, and let them knot it. It's easy to find people doing something wrong." Frank Lusebrink, Vice President, Advance Turning &...

Hennig division offers power system enclosures.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... Hennig, Inc. (www.hennigworldwide.com) has launched a new division, Hennig Enclosure Systems to engineer and manufacture enclosure systems for power generators. The systems are designed and built to meet installation requirements, and to...

Single axis electrolytic tilt sensor measures 10 degrees range.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Fredericks company (www.fredericks.com), of Huntington valley, Pa., has developed a single axis, linear output, electrolytic tilt sensor that can be used to level machine tools, and to ensure the levellness for...

Cortec introduces a biodegradable powder for wet or dry protection.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Cortec Corporation's has developed a biodegradable powder that is designed to inhibit wet or dry corrosion. The trademarked VpCI 609 Biodegradable Powder is a water-soluble, vapor phase crrosion inhibitor that is designed to provide...

Ergonomic screwdriver available.(OPERATIONS)(Bondhus corp. has introduced a new line of screwdrivers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bondhus corp. (www.bondhus.com) through its German marketing partner, Felo, has introduced a new line of screwdrivers, that have an ergonomic handle. The company said its patented "Ergonic" handle is the first...

Laser depot to rent marking and engraving systems.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Laser Depot (www.laserdepot.net), a new division of Laser Photonics, said it has launhced the first laser rental program in the United States for its FiberTower XP CompactT laser marking system. The marking systems are available for monthly...

Automotive plant improves quality with borescopes.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... General Automotive Manufacturing Co. LLC (GAM) produces machined metal parts used in fuel systems, hydraulic assemblies, brake systems, and gas and diesel engines for clients such as Caterpillar, International, Mercury Marine, Stanadyne,...

Condensate filtration for oil and contaminants.(OPERATIONS)(Kaeser compressors has developed a condensate filter)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Condensate from compressed air systems present disposal concners, because the oil and water mixture is classified as hazardous waste and cannot be discharged into municipal wastewater systems. Kaeser compressors (www.kaeser.com) has...

Honeywell launches safety switch line.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) has introduced a line of switnches and controls designed to make machinery safer to operate. The Honeywell Safety Solutions Packages are bundled packages of safety switches and safety control modules that...

Mitsui Seiki revamps website.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Mitsui Seiki USA, Inc. has upgraded its website, to offer new features for customers and browsing. The website is www.mitsuiseiki.com. Improvements include easier navigation, more detail about Mitsui's expertise within specific industries...

Dual-chamber bench furnace.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Grieve corp. (www.grievecorp.com) has developed a dual-chamber bench furnace designed for heat treating applications in a machine shop, and other shops. The 886 furnace is a dual-chamber electric bench furnace...

Millions of dollars: in unclaimed tax credits for machine shops and manufacturers.(OPERATIONS)
December 1, 2007... Approximately eight out of 10 machine shops, weld shops and manufacturing firms across the nation are missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars in manufacturing credits every year. This substantial manufacturer's cash-back incentive...

Cool for tips for cutting titanium: plan for its characteristics and peculiarities to cut this 'difficult-to-machine' material successfully.(CUTTING TECHNOLOGIES)(Cover story)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND why automotive, medical, chemical, micro-component and, especially, aerospace designers love titanium. Its density is only about half of steel, so titanium parts weigh roughly half...

American Machinist Machine shop workshop: shops and industry leaders trade knowledge on ways to improve shop operations.(American Machinist conference meeting)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] American Machinist sponsored a two-day seminar in Cleveland Nov. 7 through Nov. 9 that featured shop owners and managers and industry leaders talking about ways to make shops more efficient and more profitable. ...