American Machinist articles from July 2008

American Machinist archives from July 2008

Machinists of NASCAR: lessons learned from the best.(AUTOMOTIVE)
July 1, 2008... Race teams that compete in the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Cup Series put demands on their machine shops that most machinists would consider impossible or, at least, unreasonable. To be among the best in your...

A robot cell to die cast for.(AUTOMATION)(materials handling robots)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Die-cast products comprise the bulk of mass-produced items manufactured by the metalworking industry, from alloy-based children's toys to automotive engine parts, and the integrated design of a die-casting work cell...

North American robotics companies reported that new orders sold to North American manufacturers fell 17 percent in the first quarter of 2008 from the same quarter in 2007, while revenue rose 5 percent.(Automation News)
July 1, 2008... North American robotics companies reported that new orders sold to North American manufacturers fell 17 percent in the first quarter of 2008 from the same quarter in 2007, while revenue rose 5 percent. Orders to non-automotive companies surged,...

Precise automation Inc. (www.preciseautomation.com), an automation products developer, has been awarded u.s. Patent 7,343,684 for its traction drive.(Automation News)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Precise automation Inc. (www.preciseautomation.com), an automation products developer, has been awarded u.s. Patent 7,343,684 for its traction drive. This zero-backlash drive, currently used in the company's 3-axis and 4-axis PrecisePlace...

End-of-arm press tooling.(Automation News)(SAS Automation Ltd. has introduced end-of-arm tooling )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The importance of robotic end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) cannot be overstated when it comes to metal handling, the tool plays a significant role to ensure exact repeatable blank transfer and placement in-and-out of a...

U-joints accommodate misalignment.(Automation News)(Curtis Universal Joint Company Inc. has developed its block-and-pin universal joints )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Curtis universal (www. curtisuniversal.com) designed its block-and-pin universal joints to handle misalignment as high as 35 degrees while safely accommodating gross overloads for applications such as pumps, conveyors, compactors, power screws...

Customized actuators.(Automation News)(Mack Corp. has introduced hydraulic and pneumatic linear actuators )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Mack Corp. (www. mackcorp.com) offers a comprehensive line of hydraulic and pneumatic linear actuators that the company customizes to fit specific applications in modern jigs, fixtures, general-purpose tooling and other forms of dedicated...

Barfeeder: side by side.(AUTOMATION)(Swiss-type sliding-headstock machines)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Shops that work with fixed-headstock turning machines increasingly are migrating toward multi-axis turning operations that use Swiss-type sliding-headstock machines. They are doing so to meet the growing demand for...

Stop teaching robots.(AUTOMATION)
July 1, 2008... Shops can spend days programming a robot's moves. Now, a new release of Robotmaster CAD/CAM software eliminates having to use the "teach" method to program a robot and shortens the teaching process considerably. "What once took days,...

Are you measuring up?(FROM THE EDITOR)
July 1, 2008... We have in this issue the results from our 3rd annual benchmark survey of the U.S. machine shop industry, and the analysis of the numbers that more than 200 of our readers provided. We made minor changes in the survey from last year. We...

Another piece of environmental legislation fails to pass.(GOVERNMENT MATTERS)
July 1, 2008... The Democratic leadership in the Senate admitted that it would be unable to pass the "Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act" aimed at curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. On June 6, this so-called "cap and trade" legislation was pulled...

Tooling U provides manufacturing training from mobile devices.(INTERNET CONNECTIONS)
July 1, 2008... Tooling U, a Cleveland-based online training company specializing in manufacturing, has created a mobile training platform that is designed to allow users to access its training web site from anywhere in the world. Tooling U expects its...

Dow performance fluids launches internet Q&A.(Websites)(dow-answer. custhelp.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Dow Chemical Co.'s Fluids & Lubricants operations in mid-May launched a Dow Answer Center devoted to lubricants. The answer center is based on a dynamic knowledge database that is designed to provide answers to frequently asked technical...

5 key strategies for reduced costs and profitability.(Websites)
July 1, 2008... Striving to reduce costs and increase profitability while remaining competitive is not easy. Epicor Manufacturing will present ways to plan, schedule, execute and monitor your manufacturing operations--from raw materials to final...

Webinar on retrofits.(Websites)(Conference news)
July 1, 2008... If you missed the web seminar on "The Best Kept Secrets of Successful Retrofits," on May 21, you can still view it at www. americanmachinist.com/ Webcasts. GE Fanuc and American Machinist presented the hour-long webinar, and it is...

Camfil Farr.(www.green-air-filters. com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Camfil Farr, a producer of industrial air filters, redesigned its website, and emphasizes that its products provide energy savings and improved air quality. The company's site is www.green-air-filters. com/index.htm....

SMIT Hydraulics.(smithydraulics.com)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... SMIT Hydraulics, a provider of transmission systems has redeveloped its Internet site to include a wide selection and electronic catalogs for its products. The company's site is http://smithydraulics.com/index.php. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Keeping an eye on manufacturing: webcams become the next must-have tool in the machine shop.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Suburban Tool Inc. makes use of webcams to monitor its employee works)
July 1, 2008... Watching a machine run via webcam may not be as compelling as the evening news, but for many shops, visually monitoring machines has become an important practice in improving manufacturing operations. As a manufacturing tool, cameras that...

Shop goes to the video tape.(Jobshop M.R.S. machining )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jobshop M.R.S. machining (www.mrsmachining.net), a 2007 American machinist top 10 shop, used to photograph its setups and tooling for its repeat jobs as a guide for its machinists. However, even with photos as...

Combine and conquer.(MACHINE TOOLS)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The more manufacturing processes a shop can do on one machine the better. Machines that combine operations such as grinding, turning, drilling, milling, and boring allow workpieces to be clamped only once for...

Saw sparks new way to cut.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Electronica Machine Tools ltd.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fifteen years of research went into the eds 300 electrical discharge sawing (EDS) machine developed by Electronica Machine Tools ltd. (www. electronicgroup.com), available through the Ross Group Equipment...

Dresser lets grinders grind.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Rollomatic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Rollomatic (www.rollomaticusa. com) built its ProfileSmart 6-axis CNC grinding-wheel dresser to eliminate the machine downtime from dressing wheels on grinding machines themselves. The new machine automatically dresses CBN or diamond...

More shops invest in castings: investment casting at Thompson is basically a twelve-step process.(MACHINE TOOLS)
July 1, 2008... Investment casting has gained rapid acceptance because of the substantial savings it can provide over alternative manufacturing methods. Near-net-shape investment castings save material, eliminate secondary machining operations and have better...

Teach an old lathe new tricks.(MACHINE TOOLS)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just about every machinist in the United States has encountered an older Hardinge turret lathe during the course of his career. These little machines, commonly referred to as "second operation lathes," are...

True mill-turn machining.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Stama)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stama's MT Technology delivers true mill-turn operations with a series of machines built on vertical machining center foundations. What this means is that main vertical spindles run all tooling, both rotating and...

Manufacturers find perfect bolt preload--visually: an innovation in bolt indicators ends the guessing game for obtaining an optimum bolt preload.(CASE STUDY)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are many applications in which it is crucial that a proper bolt preload should be applied and, usually, these applications involve critical safety and reliability issues. A company that designs and...

Microgage 2D alignment tool.(OPERATIONS)(Pinpoint Laser Systems Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Pinpoint laser systems (www.pinlaser.com) has introduced a laser alignment tool for precision measuring, machinery alignment, calibration, and other industrial applications. The Microgage 2d laser was designed as a compact and easy-to-use...

Balancing the books in a slowing economy.(OPERATIONS)(Survey)
July 1, 2008... For many businesses, the first sign of a weak economy isn't necessarily lagging orders it's often lagging payments. When economic worries are on the rise, businesses like machine shops typically experience the pass-along effect of their...

3-Axis beam control for laser marking.(OPERATIONS)(Keyence Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keyence Corp. of America (www.keyence.com) has developed a high-speed, yttrium vanadate laser marker that can mark in the X-, Y- and Z-axes. Keyence said its new laser is the first that can move in any...

CENIT machine tool project update.(OPERATIONS)
July 1, 2008... More than 60 representatives from Spain's machine tool companies, universities and technology centers met in early May for an annual review of a four-year, $47 million program that is designed to improve technologies for the Spanish machine...

Idea secures small parts.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] I hold small parts for measuring on a CMM using a modified parallel clamp. I wire EDMed a V in one of the clamp's jaws and make their width thinner. In operation, I hold the clamp in a precision vise, placing a...

Quick check for EDM accuracy.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)
July 1, 2008... Here's a simple way to check the mechanical accuracy of a wire EDM. For the Z axis, use a cylinder square, and at the very least a master precision square with a 0.0001-in. indicator for the X and Y axes. Of course, it goes without saying that...

2008 machine shop benchmark survey analysis: what the top shops in the 2008 survey are doing to stay competitive.(SHOP OPERATIONS)
July 1, 2008... American Machinist conducted its third annual survey of machine shops to gather information our readers need to accurately gauge their competitive positions in the industry, and to help them make plans to systematically improve their operations...

Evaluating a CAM package.(SOFTWARE)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this issue, American Machinist begins a series of in-depth looks at the Computer Aided Machining (CAM) software packages available on the market to provide unbiased, detailed information that shop owners and...

Getting a handle on Delcam's product suite.(SOFTWARE)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Delcam Plc (www. delcam.com) offers a variety of computer-aided machining software packages that allow users to focus exactly on the processes they use in their shops, and liberally adapt the software to ensure they...

Delcam products: a quick reference.(SOFTWARE)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Delcam's flagship product, PowerMill, is a full-featured CAM power toolkit capable of generating toolpaths and G-code for any type of machining, including high-speed and simultaneous 5-axis machining. It is a...

The latest on machining aluminum.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2008... Advanced techniques have emerged for machining aluminum during the past five years, These techniques are the result of shops looking to maximize metal removal rates, minimize cycle times and reduce machine power requirements. The...

No chatter endmills.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Iscar Metals Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Iscar Metals (www. iscarmetals.com) said manufacturers and die and mold shops can eliminate chatter problems in many milling operations with the company's new Chatterfree endmills. The cutters' variable-pitch...

Indexable drill.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Allied Machine & Engineering Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Allied Machine & Engineering Corp. (www.alliedmachine.com) has introduced the Revolution Drill with adjustability of 0.200 in. (5.1 mm) on diameter, eliminating the need for specials and/or subsequent boring operations. The indexable drill is...

Tools for routing stainless steel.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Onsrud Cutter Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Onsrud Cutter (www.Onsrud.com) said it has developed a line of tools that are capable of running at high spindle speeds while providing good tool life to solve the problem of cutting stainless steel on a high-speed...

Turning grade for hard materials.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Sandvik Coromant Co.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sandvik Coromant (www.coromant. sandvik.com/us) has introduced the GC4205 insert grade that provides increased speeds, high metal removal rates and process stability in steel turning applications. The grade...

Supermarket for titanium machining.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Productivity Solutions business of MAG Maintenance Technologies (www.maint-tech.com) has teamed up with sister company, MAG Cincinnati (cinmach.mag-ias. com) to supply comprehensive, single-source titanium...

High-speed, solid carbide endmill line.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Toolmex Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Toolmex Corp. Inc. (www.toolmex.com) said its new SharC high-performance solid carbide endmill product line delivers as much as 50 percent to 200 percent increased productivity. The company said its endmill line features advanced...

Better titanium, but tougher to machine.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Niagra Cutter )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Despite its advantages, titanium can create challenges for fabricators. Titanium usually is machined at slow speeds and low feed rates with less than 30 percent radial and low axial depths-of-cut to avoid the risk of heat build-up. As a...

New training center in Canada; increased investment in R&D.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Sandvik Coromant Co. teams up with Northern Alberta Institute of Technology )
July 1, 2008... Sandvik Coromant (www.coromant. sandvik.com/us) has joined with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) to develop the NAIT Sandvik Coromant Centre for Machinist Technology in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The institute was...

New aerospace manager.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Bruce Carter appointed as projects manager )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Bruce Carter has been appointed to the position of aerospace projects manager for Sandvik Coromant. Carter has more than 20 years of experience in machining and cutting tools. Previously, he was Sandvik Coromant's business development...

Hybrid diamond dressing technology.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Meister Abrasives )(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Meister Abrasives (www.meister-abrasives-usa.com) has introduced a new hybrid bonding technology for rotary diamond products used to dress cubic boron nitride (CBN) grinding wheels. The company's hDD (hybrid...

Biostable coolants for aerospace machining.(FLUIDS)
July 1, 2008... Any aerospace expert will tell you that details are everything. From nuts and bolts to wings and fuselages, every component is mission-critical to the performance of an aircraft. So it should come as no surprise that aerospace...

Long sump life semi-synthetic.(FLUIDS)(Blaser Swisslube Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Blaser Swisslube Inc., (www.blaser.com) has launched Blasocut BC 230, a liquid tool that allows for stability and long-term sump life for improved machine up-time. BC 230, a high-performance, watermiscible, semi-synthetic metalworking...

Workholding/NASCAR racing partnership.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)(Schunk Inc. and Joe Gibbs Racing teams up)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... Schunk Inc. (www.schunk.com) has joined with Joe Gibbs Racing, one of naSCaR's premier Sprint Cup Racing teams, as its "official workholding solutions provider." Schunk will assist Joe Gibbs Racing by developing workholding products...

Modular spindle adapts to tooling.(ACCESSORIES)(Toyoda Machinery USA Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Toyoda Machinery (www.toyoda.com) designed a spindle with a removable taper that enables quick changes to accommodate different types of tooling and maximize machine uptime. The spindle design is a balance...