American Machinist articles from June 2004

American Machinist archives from June 2004

Is U.S. manufacturing dying?(From The Editor)
June 1, 2004... The movement of production work offshore has been politicized over the past several months as a terminal disease within Corporate America. And while it is uncertain if or how many of the millions of manufacturing jobs lost in the U.S. over the...

Changing manufacturing.(We've Got Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... Your comments on Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan's thoughts were on the mark ("Manufacturing is not dying; it's changing," Feb., p. 8). Many of us in small business quit school early and worked as apprentices. I served a...

Is manufacturing dead?(We've Got Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... I read your January editorial ("Let's create a pro-manufacturing environment," p. 10). Manufacturing in the U.S. is dead and is never coming back like some of us have known it. The sooner we all face this, the better. Energy drives an...

A portal to inventory control.(Technology Trends)
June 1, 2004... Shops can now run unmanned storerooms or toolcribs with complete accountability of removed or returned inventory without cumbersome data entry or hand counts. The CribMaster Accu-Port system from WinWare of Marietta, Ga., features an...

Cooking up a clean metalworking fluid.(Technology Trends)
June 1, 2004... A biodegradable vegetable oil may soon replace conventional metalworking fluids in some applications at Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Air Force reservists in the 445th Maintenance Squadron's machine shop are currently testing...

Stable drills tackle tough jobs.(Technology Trends)
June 1, 2004... Increasing speeds and feeds to boost productivity while avoiding common problems of deflection and poor tool life, even in applications with long lengths, long overhangs, poor fixturing, and deep-hole drilling, is no longer a problem. New...

Mill and turn in the office.(Technology Trends)
June 1, 2004... There's good news for industries that want the advantages of CNC machining, but can't fit a normal-sized machine into their facilities. The OM-1 Office Mill and OL-1 Office Lathe, both from Haas Automation Inc., Oxnard, Calif., are...

Integrating analytical tools.(Technology Trends)
June 1, 2004... The Trident microanalysis system from Edax Inc., Mahwah, N.J., combines three powerful analytical techniques into a single-PC environment. The company claims that the Trident system reduces or eliminates the need to compromise performance of...

Diamond-coated end-mill literature.(Company News)
June 1, 2004... A four-page, full-color brochure describes sizes, pricing, and configurations of Niagara Cutter's lines of Diamondgraphite DG and Diamond Plus DP solid-carbide, diamond-coated end mills. Diamondgraphite DG tools are for machining graphite,...

New world headquarters for tool company.(Company News)
June 1, 2004... Valenite consolidated its operations in its new world headquarters in Madison Heights, Mich. The two-story, 57,200-[ft.sup.2] facility, which can be increased by 50%, houses all Valenite administrative and support groups. The building features...

Versatile shoulder end mill.(Cutting Products)
June 1, 2004... Mitsubishi Carbide's ASX400 shoulder end mill is designed for face and slot milling. Its No-Fly inserts have four cutting edges with a 3D design and large rake angles for low cutting resistance and close-tolerance wall accuracy. Polished...

High-adhesion coating.(Cutting Products)
June 1, 2004... Tdkote Tri Cplus, from Richter Precision, is a thermoreactive-diffusion, or thermal-diffusion, coating process to produce metal carbides on tool surfaces. The metal-carbide bond is claimed to have stronger adhesion qualities than other...

Grooving and parting.(Cutting Products)
June 1, 2004... Thinbit, from Kaiser Tool Co., expands its selection of Deepgroove support-blade tooling with the introduction of blades for cutting depths to 32mm. There are blades for face grooving (20-mm major diameter, or greater) and for O.D./parting. All...

Expanded threading-tool program.(Cutting Products)
June 1, 2004... Prototyp expands the threading-tool range of its Eco-Program for machining high-tensile-strength and stainless steels. New tools include Prototex+Paradur Eco-THL, LH M3-M16 tap for left-hand threads, Paradur Eco-THL with internal-coolant...

End mills for aluminum.(Cutting Products)
June 1, 2004... An Emuge line of end mills, including solid-carbide and PCD end mills and insert tools, cuts all types of aluminum. Solid-carbide end mills are best for machining aluminum with less than 5% silicon. With a Ti[B.sub.2] coating, these tools...

Mazak increases Asian exports.(Business Trends)
June 1, 2004... Last May, Mazak Corp., Florence, Ky., began shipping VTC-300C VMCs to its parent company in Japan as part of a planned production program to Asian markets. It is now exporting more machines to Japan, including Nexus VMCs. Mazak President...

Product preview.(Business Trends)
June 1, 2004... During a product and technology preview event at its Hebron, Ky., operations, Cincinnati Lamb treated attendees to a demonstration of its new HyperMach high-speed, 5-axis profiler. More than 75 representatives from some of the world's largest...

March tool consumption jumps.(Business Trends)
June 1, 2004... Helped by orders in the South and Midwest, March machine tool consumption rose 60.5% from February, reports the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and AMT--The Association For Manufacturing Technology. March tool...

Milling software patented.(Business Trends)
June 1, 2004... Surfware Inc., Westlake Village, Calif., has obtained a U.S. patent for its Surfcam step-reduction-milling software. The software creates one optimal NC program to run an entire set of tools as a single-setup process. The company says the...

Manufacturing projects find home at new tech center.(Talking Shop)
June 1, 2004... Newly resurrected Ingersoll Machine Tools, Rockford, Ill., has secured a $2 million federal government grant for research and development of micromachine tools. The Ingersoll project is the third federally funded research project for the new...

Learn about HSM.(Talking Shop)
June 1, 2004... Mikron Bostonmatic Corp., Holliston, Mass., is offering free, one-day seminars on high-speed machining (HSM) in select locations. The 10-point program covers basics of HSM and its benefits in a range of applications. The seminars also...

Concept car is designed by women.(Talking Shop)
June 1, 2004... Volvo Cars has unveiled the first automobile designed and developed almost exclusively by women at auto shows in New York City and Geneva, Switzerland. Compared to existing models, the "Your Concept Car" (YCC) reportedly features easier...

Addressing overdue Chinese currency revaluation.(Government Matters)
June 1, 2004... The Bush Administration and the Chinese Government are off the hook, at least for now. The Fair Currency Alliance (FCA), of which AMT is a leading member, has decided against filing a Section 301 (of the Trade Act of 1974) petition that would...

A novel approach to high-speed machining.(Machine Of The Month)
June 1, 2004... The Ecospeed F is a high-performance machining center well suited for small, aluminum structural components such as those found in the aircraft industry. Its design includes a horizontal spindle and a vertical pallet that integrates a 3-axis...

Shops talk, software types.(Bits & Bytes)
June 1, 2004... Shops implementing computerized-maintenance-management software (CMMS) no longer have to type in long preventative and other maintenance procedures thanks to Unik Associates. The company offers voice-recognition software, called Talk and Type,...

Products for better machine communication.(Bits & Bytes)
June 1, 2004... Reportedly, the first true client/server environment for shop-floor machine tool communications, e-DNC Explorer software from Greco Systems allows for multiple computers with access to multiple communication servers or server hubs. The...

Integration in a flash.(Bits & Bytes)
June 1, 2004... FlashCNC and FlashMotion are new embedded-control systems for machine builders and customers needing to minimize cabinet space, reduce integration time, simplify machine wiring, and cut costs. The two embedded hardware platforms are from...

Server package keeps pace.(User Review)
June 1, 2004... G. S. Hydraulic's business has grown as much as 25% in the past two years, but the distributor of fluid power and electrohydraulic equipment and electronic components hasn't had to increase its staff to keep up. Thanks to a Windows-based SQL...

Supplier may have contributed to "sophisticated-user's" negligence.(Law & Liability)
June 1, 2004... When Lawrence Gray worked at Smith Foundry from 1951 to 1998, he was exposed to dust from silica sand used for casting. After developing silicosis, he filed a lawsuit against companies that manufactured and sold sand to his employer, charging...

Manufacturer not liable for modification.(Law & Liability)
June 1, 2004... On May 27, 1998, while working at a construction site in Clinton, Iowa, Marc Seibel was using an elevated platform, called a scissors lift, to remove a sign from in front of a building. Someone inadvertently activated the lift's controls, but...

Medical problems not result of previous accident.(Law & Liability)
June 1, 2004... On Jan. 27, 2000, Harold Rudolph--a welder for Spudnik Equipment, an Idaho company--strained his left shoulder and arm while lifting a conveyor piece from a jig. He saw a surgeon, Dr. Lee, who diagnosed a diffuse muscle strain to the left upper...

Company grows vertically.(Shop Shots)
June 1, 2004... Taiyo Koki produced its first vertical grinding machine in 1989. By 1996, the Niigata, Japan, based company had gained the reputation as a builder of high-precision vertical grinders. The company develops its products based on both market...

Think total grinding package: weighing all the options is key to choosing a truly productive grinder.(Grinding & Abrasives)
June 1, 2004... Since every aspect of a grinder affects its overall performance, shops looking to purchase one must consider not only how the machine is built, but also how it dresses wheels, programs, sets up, changes over, and handles part loading/unloading....

In search of waste: manufacturing isn't truly lean until waste is eliminated.(Lean Manufacturing)
June 1, 2004... Most shops are too busy getting work done, meeting goals and objectives, and initiating business strategies to look for waste. They should because eliminating waste is key to establishing a true lean-manufacturing operation. Lean-thinking shops...

On the cutting edge of opportunity: the cutting tool industry focused on global concerns at its third world conference.(Cutting Tools)
June 1, 2004... Global opportunities were on the agenda of the third World Conference for Manufacturers of Metal-Cutting Tools. According to Program Chairman Gary Vanderpol of Criterion Machine Works Inc., Costa Mesa, Calif., the event let members of the...

Focused engineering spawns creativity: an OEM's unusual approach to defining next-generation CNC lathes.(Machining Centers)
June 1, 2004... The concept, design, and development effort behind Mori Seiki s new NL Series CNC lathes--a family of 30 machines in four series ranging in chuck sizes from 6 to 12 in.--is typical of the company's out-of-the-box approach to the machine tool...

Idea wedges out quick angles.(Practical Ideas)
June 1, 2004... For grinding various angles on HSS tools, I've developed a simple method involving a fixed vise and special angled wedge plates. The wedge plates rest against the fixed and movable vise jaws to clamp tools at the desired angle for grinding. ...

Getting an angle on screw cutoff.(Practical Ideas)
June 1, 2004... Cutting socket-head cap screws to a custom length is an irritating, yet often necessary, job. Doing it with a hacksaw runs the risk of slipping and smashing a finger. When using a vertical bandsaw, the blade binds, and its teeth rip out. What I...

EDMs provide savings for shop and its customers.(Case-Books)
June 1, 2004... With upgraded wire-EDM capability, Morgood Tools, a precision cutting tool manufacturer, reduces product-finishing operations and EDM maintenance to pass increased savings on to its customers. The Rochester shop uses Mitsubishi FA 10 EDMs...

Builder goes 5 axis with new control.(Case-Books)
June 1, 2004... Ibarmia SA specializes in high-productivity machining centers with fixed tables and movable columns. To satisfy an order for a machine to mill complex aerospace aluminum parts, the Azkoitia, Spain, company incorporated an innovative new CNC...

Switching vises shortens cycle times.(Case-Books)
June 1, 2004... Improving an existing machining center's productivity took nothing more than changing vises at Precise Products Corp. in Minneapolis. The shop switched to a high-density manual-model vise that holds four parts and reduces cycle times per part...

Guarding cleans up transfer line's act.(Case-Books)
June 1, 2004... Innovative protective guarding allowed Ingersoll Production Systems of Rockford, Ill., to restore a circa-1990s transfer line to like-new, leak-free condition. For upgrading the line's guarding to meet current standards, the company outsourced...

Company presses out production capacity.(Case-Books)
June 1, 2004... Rheem Manufacturing Air Conditioning Division of Fort Smith, Ark., needed to replace a mechanical press to improve productivity and enhance operator safety. The manufacturer of central heating and cooling products decided that a large-bed...

Shop gets a microblast of increased capacity.(Case-Books)
June 1, 2004... Like many machine shops, Meschkat Precision Machining in Valencia, Calif., uses microblasting equipment for much of its part finishing--deburring, surface texturing, cleaning, and more. Of the shop's many jobs, 60% are medical tooling with lot...

Measure large auto assemblies.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... DEA Global extra CMMs measure mid to large-size automotive body assemblies and subassemblies on the shop floor. There are four models that measure from 3,300 x 2,000 x 1,500 mm to 4,000 x 2,000 x 1,800 mm. Low, all-steel work tables make for...

Snap gages.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Dorsey/Standard SSG series Model snap gages come in 1-in. increments from 0 to 1 in. to 23 to 24 in. (0 to 610 mm, metric). Sensitive anvils on the gages come with 0.060-in. gaging travel, and measuring pressure easily adjusts. Interchangeable...

Monitor drive voltage and frequency.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Using a built-in thermometer, the 87v digital multimeter (DMM) test tool accurately measures voltage and frequency on adjustable-speed motor-driven systems. The unit also sports large display digits and a bright white backlight for low-light...

Measurement/ inspection software updates.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... CAM2 Measure 4.0 software has 250 improvements. They include enhanced probe calibration for better accuracy and data-acquisition control; more measurement commands such as Torus and Torus segment, tubing functions to measure 180[degrees] or...

Deep-hole inspection.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Multi-Ball thread micrometers and location gages inspect screw threads at depths exceeding hole diameter. The micrometer measures size, taper, and out-of-roundness. The location gage determines the location or orientation of a...

HMC handles the big jobs.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... The HPC-800HP Mega series HMCs produce parts as tall as 59 in. and 51.2 in. in diameter from aluminum or other hard metals. Their X/Y/Z travels are 57x43.3x49.8 in. The machines feature tool-delivery systems with 0.9-sec tool-to-tool...

VMC offers control choices.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Key features of the 5AX400 VMC include the choice of a GE Fanuc 18iMB5 control with a 25-hp spindle or Heidenhain iTNC 530 control with 18-hp spindle. A 14-in. rotary/tilting-trunnion table delivers 150[degrees] of tilt in the A axis and...

Multi-axis turning center.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... The MT1500SZ multi-axis turning center produces small and complex workpieces, which need machining on all sides, as well as those that involve turning. It has a 15.7-in. maximum-turning diameter and 36.2-in. maximum length. The MT1500SZ's...

Wire EDMs quickly processes.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... FA10P and 20P wire EDMs reportedly reduce process-machining speed, roughing, and skimming time. The machines sport an AE3-HS power supply that is said to reduce the depletion of carbide binder and eliminate deterioration to extend carbide punch...

Milling/boring variation.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... As a variation of the Area milling/boring machine with traveling column, the Evolution (EV) provides up to 3,500 mm of vertical travel and 1,500 mm of ram cross travel. Feeds are 25.00 mm/min, and modular longitudinal travel begins at 6,000 mm....

Waterjet controls pressure changes.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... The Model 55-50C intensifier pump features an attenuator that minimizes pressure fluctuations. The pump's hydraulic system uses an electronically shifted, plunger-style intensifier that delivers 1.1 gallon per minute at 55,000 psi to various...

Pallet changer makes room for work.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Designed for Hermle's C 30 and C 40 machining centers, the PW 500/630 pallet changer provides generous working space and an extra-large door opening for manual setup. Constructed on a mineral-casting base, the setup station is independent of...

Dispenses oil and soft grease.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... SureFire automatic lubricators pump oil and soft grease to as many as 100 lubrication points. For positive displacement injectors, the lubricators also work with other lubrication systems. They feature self-contained electric-motor-driven gear...

Grinding wheels tackle ferrous metals.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Carborundum Gold MaXX wheels feature zirconia alumina and aluminum-oxide abrasive grain in a free-cutting bond for steel and ferrous-metals applications. Wheels are available in 4 1/2 to 9-in. diameters with 1/4-in. thickness. Saint-Gobain...

Balancer kit.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... The SB-1700 portable balancer is a vibration measurement and balancing kit for grinding wheels, fans, and turbines. It operates from 30 to 60,000 rpm with a laser speed sensor. Schmitt Industries Inc. Portland, Oreg. ...

Nozzle orifices offer reliability.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Autoline abrasive-cutting nozzles feature diamond orifices for increased cutting reliability and extended nozzle life. Their prealigned cartridge bodies, orifices, and focusing tubes form a hydroabrasive system, which, reportedly, cuts quicker...

Table sports carbide worm.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... The 5AX-350W A21PW rotary table sports Lyndex-Nikken's special carbide worm system for high-speed rotation in five-sided machining. A carbide worm screw and ion-nitrided worm wheel replace conventional bronze or bronze-alloy actuation...

Embedded hardware for control software.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... Embedded hardware platforms are now available for WinMotion and OpenCNC software for reducing, cabinet space or simplifying machine wiring. FlashCNC and FlashMotion include Windows XP Embedded, a choice of Flash memory or a hard drive, Yaskawa...

Software maintains four motors.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... A JenCNC software package combines the best of CAD/CAM and motion-control software into a graphical user interface that handles two to four Animatics SmartMotors in true 3D-coordinated motion. The package features real-time 2D and 3D plotting...

Large-capacity orbital former.(Spotlight: metrology)
June 1, 2004... The Model P-1500 hydraulic orbital forming machine handles mild steel measuring more than 1.5 in. in diameter and equivalent areas in tubing, square, and other forming materials. Its maximum downward force is 38,500 lb (19 tons) at 1,000 psi...

Fighting factory fires.(100 years ago in American Machinist)
June 1, 2004... A column in the June 9, 1904, issue detailed firefighting procedures that went beyond automatic sprinklers and thermostat systems. Because factory fires frequently occurred in the evening, the article said to use the night watchman as the first...

Standardizing machine speeds.(100 years ago in American Machinist)
June 1, 2004... In the same issue, editors discussed an idea for standardizing cutting speeds. In this system, a shop would track a machine's cutting speeds for various materials. This information would be tabulated onto a plate and attached to the machine...