American Machinist articles from July 2004

American Machinist archives from July 2004

Let's stop playing the blame game.(From The Editor)
July 1, 2004... This month, we celebrate Independence Day. Not only is it a time to reflect on our heritage, it's also a good time to conduct a reality check on who and what we are as a nation. We should never forget that this country has a history of working...

A generation recalls its childhood.(We've Got Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Your observations in May's editorial ("The rewards of growing up in difficult times," p. 8) were 100% on target. It brought back a flood of memories. I grew up in the country surrounded by farms. Watching farmers work and live teaches you to...

Retirement is out for this reader.(We've Got Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... I agree with your March editorial ("Thoughts of early retirement fade for Boomers," p. 8) that times have really changed. It is tough to read, but it is absolutely the truth. Early retirement is out, and retirement, in general, may be out. Like...

IMTS spotlights what's coming in manufacturing.(Technology Trends)
July 1, 2004... Visitors to this year's International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), September 8 to 15, at McCormick Place in Chicago, will get a glimpse of the future of manufacturing provided by the Emerging Technology Center (ETC) in cooperation with...

Giant spinner of pressure vessels.(Technology Trends)
July 1, 2004... Touted as the world's largest metal-spinning machine, the OSC-24300 from MJC Engineering & Technology, Huntington Beach, Calif., spins heavy steel tubes--to 24-in. diameter x 1 1/2-in, wall thickness x 40-ft long--into unfired, seamless,...

Huge savings expected from next-generation materials.(Technology Trends)
July 1, 2004... New functionally graded materials (FGM) for tools, dies, and equipment, under development by a federal/private partnership program, could produce enormous energy and process savings and a massive reduction in emissions. The partnership--the...

Energy-saving stamping system.(Technology Trends)
July 1, 2004... The Entrepreneurs for Energy Efficiency (E3) of Houston presented the National Energy Savers Award to Ford Motor Co. for its work in commercializing the Force Modulator System. This system, developed by Smedberg Machine Corp., Chicago, and...

New composite might be the strongest yet.(Technology Trends)
July 1, 2004... A composite material--Matrix--developed by Hunt Aviation Corp., Pass Christian, Miss., starts as a flexible form that conforms to any shape. The material hardens into an extremely lightweight, unsinkable composite with a high strength-to-weight...

Ferrari rides on Ti springs.(Technology Trends)
July 1, 2004... The Ferrari Challenge Stradale is the first automobile sold in America to use titanium suspension springs and the first production car anywhere to use titanium springs throughout. The goal is to minimize weight and maximize performance. On...

Turning and rotating-tool catalog supplement.(Company News)
July 1, 2004... A supplement to Sandvik Coromant's turning and rotating-tool catalog contains the latest product data, charts, specifications, and illustrations to aid in choosing an appropriate solution for a variety of applications, Sandvik Coromant Co....

Companies form aerospace partnership.(Company News)
July 1, 2004... Kennametal and Vykor have joined forces to provide manufacturing technology for complex, engineered aerospace parts. Through this alliance, manufacturers benefit from Kennametal Advanced Productivity Services leveraging Vykor's Global...

New president at toolholder company.(Company News)
July 1, 2004... Command Tooling Systems has appointed David Koentopf president and CEO, replacing Joseph Norwood. Koentopf's duties in this new position are in addition to his present responsibilities as chairman of the board of governors of the company. ...

Cutting tool literature.(Company News)
July 1, 2004... A 40-page catalog is available from BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. covering its expanded line of Sphinx cutting tools. The illustrated catalog contains technical information and operating parameters for a new line of microdrills, center...

U.S. cutting tool institute billings index.(Company News)
July 1, 2004... U.S. CUTTING TOOL INSTITUTE BILLINGS INDEX Index for April '03-March '04 April $123,526,680 112.9% May $119,703,248 110.0% June $123,443,633 113.6% July $111,215,159 102.1%...

Small-application copy-milling cutters.(Cutting Products)
July 1, 2004... New small cutters and inserts from Seco-Carboloy are for high-speed die/mold machining applications including slotting and shoulder milling, ramping, helical interpolation, plunging, pocket milling, and roughing. The cutters are available...

Profiling aluminum cutters.(Cutting Products)
July 1, 2004... Stellram's 5702 cutters produce high metal-removal rates at speeds to 45,000 rpm for pocketing, slotting, and edge milling in aluminum. They are designed, manufactured, and tested according to ISO Standard 15641 and stocked balanced at G 2.5 at...

Diamond drills for tough jobs.(Cutting Products)
July 1, 2004... Synthetic-diamond-tipped drills from Carter Diamond Tool Corp. are for difficult-to-drill nonferrous materials including aluminum, carbon motor brushes, and nonmetallic materials such as fiberglass, rubber, plastic, and composites. Available in...

Abrasive machining for deburring and edge contouring.(Cutting Products)
July 1, 2004... Turbo-abrasive machining from Turbo-Finish Corp. deburrs and produces edge contours and is well suited for finishing large, complex rotating components. The process, which can be automated, eliminates manual deburring operations. The uniformity...

High-feed milling cutter.(Cutting Products)
July 1, 2004... Twincut Feed milling cutters, from LMT-Fette, are for roughing and semifinishing die/mold materials. The cutters face mill, pocket, and 3D contour in all steels to 45 Rc and work well in plunge milling, ramping, and helical-boring/drilling...

New wear-resistant coating.(Cutting Products)
July 1, 2004... An aluminum-chromium-nitride (AlCrN) coating developed by Balzers Inc. has high hot hardness and oxidation resistance for increased wear resistance in conventional machining operations and applications involving heavy mechanical and thermal...

Walter AG sells grinder unit.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Walter AG has sold its Grinding and Measuring Machine Division to the Korber Schleifring Group, Hamburg, Germany. The Tubingen, Germany-based company is releasing the division to concentrate on its core carbide tools and tool-data-management...

Machine tool consumption continues climb.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Although overall 2004 machine tool consumption continues to rise, April figures reported by the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and AMT--The Association For Manufacturing Technology, were 25.5% lower the previous month....

Milacron divests last metalworking business.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Milacron Inc., Cincinnati, has sold Cimform grinding wheels, the last of its metalworking operations, to the North American unit of the Tyrolit Group. Sales price and other transaction terms were not disclosed. The Tyrolit Group is a European...

Fagersta, Sweden.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Fagersta, Sweden.... Seco Tools AB President and CEO Lars Renstrom is leaving to become CEO and president of the Alfa Laval Group. A date for Renstrom to assume his new position has not been set. Renstrom has helmed Seco Tools since 2000. The...

Kennametal Inc.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, Pa., has hired William Hsu as vice president and chief technical officer. Hsu is leading the company's global R and D effort, which increased new-product sales as a percentage of revenue from 17% to over 40% during...

Windsor, Ont.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Windsor, Ont.... Delcam International Inc. has relocated to a larger facility. The new offices feature expanded training areas for sales events, technical seminars, and user groups.

Irving, Tex.(Business Trends)
July 1, 2004... Irving, Tex.... Mori Seiki's U.S. headquarters has obtained ISO 9001:2000 certification. A leading independent certification group, BVQI, audited the HQ's quality-management systems. The Irving facility houses sales, applications,...

Turbine manufacturer orders boring mills.(Talking Shop)
July 1, 2004... Russia's largest manufacturer of aircraft gas turbines, NPO Saturn, has ordered two table-style horizontal boring machines from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, jointly with Sumitomo Corp. The M-HT13/1618 and M-HT1250-5T...

Expanding distributor network.(Talking Shop)
July 1, 2004... Yamazen Inc., Schaumburg, Ill., is distributing, in key U.S. markets, HMCs, VMCs, cylindrical grinders, and large machines from Mitsubishi Machine Tools, Addison, Ill., a division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Yamazen already distributes...

Tyco selects tool supplier.(Talking Shop)
July 1, 2004... Tyco International Ltd. selected Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, Pa., as its preferred perishable-tooling supplier and integrator. Three Kennametal businesses, the Metalworking Solutions and Services Group, Full-Service Supply, and Kemmer Prazision,...

St. Louis apprentice takes top honors.(Talking Shop)
July 1, 2004... Frank Roth IV of the Bachman Machine Co. took first place in the 32nd Annual National Apprentice Competition held by the National Tooling & Machining Association in Rochester, N.Y. Located in St. Louis, Bachman Machine receives a Form 20ZNC...

New Hurco distributor.(Talking Shop)
July 1, 2004... Western Machine Center, San Jose, Calif., is now part of Hurco USA's distributor network. It will supply and service Hurco machines in central and northern California and parts of northwest Nevada.

Penn State faculty receives award.(Talking Shop)
July 1, 2004... Dr. Edward C. de Meter of The Pennsylvania State University received the 2003 Charles F. Carter Jr. Advancing Manufacturing award from AMT--The Association for Manufacturing Technology. De Meter picked up the award at this year's .Joint...

Impressions from China.(Government Matters)
July 1, 2004... Anyone who has recently visited China cannot help but be impressed by the industrial powerhouse it has become. In fact, China's demands for fuel and raw materials to satisfy its burgeoning industrial growth have led to many of the shortages and...

Small on footprint, big on results.(Machine Of The Month)
July 1, 2004... Focusing on high-speed machining with microtooling in substrates like aluminum, plastic, and non-ferrous metal, Datron's VelociRaptor CNC machining center features a 60,000-rpm spindle, feedrates up to 1,000 ipm, and Quick-Pallets--a...

Software supports real-time rendering.(Bits & Bytes)
July 1, 2004... In response to customer issues and requirements, MachineWorks, a supplier of simulation and verification software, has released MachineWorks v6.1. The new version includes several enhancements, the most noticeable being support for real-time...

CAD-to-CAM feature exchange.(Bits & Bytes)
July 1, 2004... Esprit CAM software now reads CAD features and their properties directly from native SolidWorks part models. This data-exchange enhancement lets Esprit programmers bring feature properties and attributes across to the CAM program without data...

Shop-floor programming made simple.(Bits & Bytes)
July 1, 2004... Manual Guide i shop-floor software from GE Fanuc Automation Americas increases machine tool operators' productivity by providing a user-friendly environment that enables quick development from a drawing to a production part. Self-explanatory...

New formability software.(Bits & Bytes)
July 1, 2004... Forming Technologies has released the latest version of Catform R12 CAA V5 Based that includes enhanced forming simulation with geometrically associative and generative-formability results fully embedded within the Catia V5 environment. Users...

Shop improves manufacturing with simulation software.(User Review)
July 1, 2004... Tell Tool of Westfield, Mass., has integrated Vericut CNC simulation software into its NC-program prove-out process. It ensures every part is accurate, dimensionally correct, and efficient when they hit the shop floor. As a result, the company...

Technology and creative versatility: Italian machine tool industry stands up to global crisis.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2004... Despite the fact the world machine tool industry had to face substantial difficulties in 2003, the crisis has loosened its grip slightly, and some countries even witnessed a reversal in trends. Absolute values of world production dipped by...

Spotlighting innovation.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2004... The Milan Fairgrounds will host the 24th BI-MU/SFORTEC show. In addition to a wide selection of international machine tools and products, BI-MU is featuring a broad overview on subcontracting. BI-MU, the "world show on the even years"...

Lawsuit for illness filed too late.(Law & Liability)
July 1, 2004... Robert Stytle was employed at Angola Die Casting Co. in Indiana from 1984 to 1990. Then, he became a deputy for the Town of Hamilton, Ind. At some point during his employment as a deputy, Stytle began experiencing memory loss and, at age 50, he...

Trial to determine applicability of contactor defense.(Law & Liability)
July 1, 2004... On May 17, 2000, Gary Elmore was seriously injured when his arm became entangled in a conveyor system at a processing facility for the U.S. Postal Service in Illinois. The accident happened when Elmore's hand slipped into the conveyor system...

Award for repetitive-stress injury upheld.(Law & Liability)
July 1, 2004... In November 1997, Michael Veatch complained of discomfort in his left wrist while raking a furnace at American Tool, a Nebraska company. He was diagnosed with tendonitis, and, after some improvement, was released from medical care. In February...

Technology truths: an educational series brought to you by American Machinist and Flow International Corp., Kent Wash.
July 1, 2004... Myth Waterjets are high tech and hard to operate. Reality While waterjet systems are high tech, they are no harder to operate than automobiles, scanners, printers, or high-definition TVs. Today's innovative and intelligent...

Technology in action.(Technology Truths)
July 1, 2004... In addition to its other high-profile customers, Carmin industries in Birmingham, Ala., works on numerous jobs for architectural firms that require precise, accurate, and smooth cuts. To achieve such cuts, the shop owner Carolyn Minerich relies...

Shopping for reliability: an EDM system is only as strong as its weakest component.(EDM)(Cover Story)
July 1, 2004... An automatic wire threader fails, halting overnight production on an EDM and delaying a rush job from shipping the next morning. This common scenario illustrates why shops looking to purchase an EDM must evaluate every individual component in...

30 years of success in the U.S.: in a banner year, Mazak Corp. (U.S.A.) celebrates its 30th anniversary, accelerating sales, and a historic first--exporting machines to Japan.(Machine Tools)
July 1, 2004... In July 1974, Mazak Corp. (U.S.A.) started its U.S. manufacturing operations in Florence, Ky., to be more fully integrated into American market. The strategy paid off. In the 30 years since, the builder has proven that it's possible to...

Pinpoint where to invest in technology: shops can zero in on spending for equipment effectiveness.(Shop Management)
July 1, 2004... Shops competing with offshore-labor rates need an immediate investment in technology to boost efficiencies and reduce costs. The big question they face is where to spend their improvement dollars for greatest impact on productivity. Over...

Work-horse spindles: high-speed spindles with synchronous motors meet many machining needs.(Spindles)
July 1, 2004... Many shops dealing with a variety of jobs need spindles that handle an entire machining operation on a single-spindle machine. For instance, applications may range from driving small-diameter, high-speed tools for micromachining and...

Get ready for the dot.MFG revival.(View-Point)
July 1, 2004... In the late 1990s, Meg Whitman, the newly named president and CEO of eBay Inc., addressed members of the National Press Club in Washington. "Earlier today," she began, "my company had a higher market valuation than General Motors Corp." EBay...

Idea runs rings around base-mounting problem.(Practical Ideas)
July 1, 2004... Locating a convenient spot for mounting a magnetic indicator base to a milling machine is often next to impossible. To eliminate this time-consuming task, I use a carbon-steel ring with three small plates attached that fastens to quill housings...

Lining up an accurate angle.(Practical Ideas)
July 1, 2004... My idea accurately sets the longitudinal slide of a universal milling machine--in minutes instead of degree increments--for cutting helix angles. What I do is extend the machine's zero line up to the end of the cross slide using a scriber....

Machine makes for flexible microfinishing.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... Customers come to Engine Power Components (EPC) Inc. in Grand Haven, Mich., for cam and crankshaft jobs. The shop specializes in using microfinishing to impart specified surface finishes on these parts for improving oil retention and, thus,...

Software slashes electrode-design time.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... Plastic-component manufacturer Kunstsoff GmbH in Helmbrechts, Germany, was taking 3x as long to create EDM-electrode designs as it did to generate corresponding machining programs. This would not do for a shop that operates modern, expensive,...

Plasm cutting in Iraq.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... As head of his battalion's maintenance team in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Mason is constantly challenged to find better ways to get things done, such as armoring vehicles. Obviously, he can't run out to the nearest welding distributor or supply...

Special stainless steel proves a fitting solution.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... C&C Automatics Inc. in Newark, N.Y., produces 20 million over fittings annually. Out of these, there are plumbing-hose fittings that require extremely smooth finishes and mass-produced automotive fittings. For both these jobs, the grade of...

System chips away shop's scrap problem.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... By replacing over half its existing stand-alone machine tools with a pair of two machine automated cells, Eagle Bridge Machine & Tool Inc. in Eagle Bridge, N.Y., increased machining production approximately 40% for large, complex railroad-car...

Fast prototyping sheds light on headlamp job.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... A recent headlamp-assembly project at tier-one automotive supplier Visteon included about 20 design fine-tunings, scores of meetings, and reviews over an 18-month period. Mainly because each element fell under tight scrutiny and lines and...

Shop cleans up with small washer.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... Sheetmetal fabricator Morton Metalcraft Co., Birchwood, Ill., slashes chemical costs, prolongs wash-bath life, and reduces sludge deposits by recycling alkaline cleaner through a relatively small aqueous cleaning system. The system, called...

Companies machine with robots.(Case books)
July 1, 2004... Several manufacturing companies in the automotive and aerospace industries have gained flexibility in machining aluminum and carbon-fiber parts using Tricept machine tool robots. These companies include BMW, Peugeot, and Airbus. In the...

HMC yields quick response.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... A lightweight column on the FH630 HMC reportedly results in quicker response times without compromising rigidity. The machine's cast bed supports rapid-axis movement while maintaining constant accuracy over time. Dual ballscrews and drives in...

New-generation grinder.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Viking SuperSeries II centerless grinders have several new features and components such as digital-servo controls with Sercos interface and seals that protect the grinder's antifriction spindles from contaminants. The machines produce parts...

3D view of parts process.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The LQ 3D control allows wire and sinker EDM operators to take workpieces from design to production. 3D solid data transmits via an interface from the CAD system to the LQ control. After analyzing and automatically converting data into...

Bore gage.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... M1 Star mechanical bore gages (MBG) are manual instruments for checking I.D., ovality, or taper of through bores, and blind and super-blind bores. They sport mechanical measurement transmission systems that last for more than 10 million...

Lathes for small and medium parts.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... TM Series lathes process small to medium-sized part lots. They feature [+ or -] 0.0002-in. positioning accuracy, 12-station turrets, and spindle speed up to 6,000 rpm. Identified according to chuck size, the three initial models are the TM6,...

Toolholders for Bridgeport mills.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The Mach 1 quick-change tooling system works with Bridgeport or other knee or bed mills. It features a mechanical drawbar with a 600-lb die spring (for tool retention and maximum repeatability during tool changes) that connects directly with...

Lathes reduce vibration and transmission loss.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The 30 models in the NL Series of lathes sport milling motors inside their turrets coupled to milling tools. This reduces transmission losses and inherent vibration associated with competing designs. To further reduce cutting vibration, the...

Multitasking flexibility.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Available with one or two spindles, the E 280 turning center comes with a C axis, live tooling, and Y axis. Its 25.6-in. swing and 30.71 in. of distance between spindle faces accommodate parts up to 15.75 in. long and 11.02 in. in diameter. The...

Independent axes highlight turning centers.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Deco 13a turning centers feature up to 12 independent axes of motion (10 standard) so up to four tools can cut simultaneously. The machines also have several rotating positions and the company's TB-Deco software with macro features to program...

Grinder handles more capacity between centers.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... To produce long, complex shaft-type workpieces, the S33cnc 1000 universal cylindrical grinder offers increased capacity between centers--1,000 mm. Center height is 175 ram, O.D. wheel size is 500x80x203.8 mm, and chuck capacity between centers...

Wire EDM features automatic functions.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Fanuc iC wire EDMs deliver cutting speeds up to 31 in.[.sup.2]/hr with uncoated brass wire and 33.6 in.2/hr with coated wire. R1 technology monitors effective pulses and adjusts machine feedrates to maximize cutting speed and minimize wire...

Portable laser measurement.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The Faro Laser Tracker measures and inspects workpieces, machine tools, and other large objects wherever it's most efficient. It uses a laser beam which measures in the 0 to 100-ft range. The Laser Tracker is now paired with Lite reverse...

Comparator features Fagor readout.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The MV 14-FD optical comparator in the Master-View line features a Fagor NV-200 QCF 3-axis QC readout with geometric functions. Standard features include fiber-optic edge detection, 360[degrees] digital protractor markings, and 5-[micro] glass...

Collets support axial compensation.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Besides rigid tapping, Precision RDT Quick-Change tapping collets also work in machines needing axial compensation. With a friction-free, precision ball-bearing drive, the collets reportedly reduce or eliminate tap breakage in those machines....

Wedge-clamp toolholding.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Three different insert styles work with each of Iscar's multi-wedge-clamp toolholders. For boring bars, there are two insert types. The wedge pushes inserts against a central pin fromthe rear, and top clamping strongly and accurately secures...

Rail clamps.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Linear-motion guide rails quickly and easily mount with Mitee-Bite clamps. The clamps sport low profiles so as not to interfere with linear-motion-load blocks. Reportedly, this ensures rail alignment and straightness. The clamps are...

Tapping fluid.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The high viscosity of SuperAllTap tapping fluid lets it adhere to tools and/or workpieces. Reportedly, the fluid improves surface finishes, reduces scrap material, and extends tool use. SuperAllTap is suitable for machines that use coolants...

Low-noise parts washer.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The Lean-Veyor parts washer sports an enclosed design that, reportedly, generates noise levels lower than OSHA standards. The system also offers 50% or more energy savings than conventional spray washers thanks to its internal ventilation and...

Electron beam for mirror finishes.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... The Electron Beam Machine (EBM) PF32A uses an electron beam to give parts a mirror finish and reduce hand polishing. A 2.5 in. beam passes over the workpiece or molds situated in the machine's work zone. Booth D-4010 Sodick Inc. Mt....

Machines feature innovative beds.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... DFT X-Mill machining centers feature monolithic beds with dual stationary tables, raised beds for single or twin-spindle modules, and high, back-wall swarf-containment departments. A tool-centered feed-force arrangement centers the axis feed...

Accurate, precise HMC.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Manufacturers of the Kafo HMC 500 report that its direct-drive spindle makes the machine rigid, fast, and precise. The pretensile design of the machine's roller ballscrew enhances accuracy and stability. Its large spindle works together with...

Portable drills and holecutters.(Spotlight: IMTS preview)
July 1, 2004... Hougen Manufacturing's portable magnetic drills include the low-profile HMD150 for tight spots, the HMD505 for versatility, and the HMD 904 for its midrange holemaking capacity. In addition, the company offers its new 14,000 Series Holecutters...