American Machinist articles from June 2008

American Machinist archives from June 2008

Automotive automation.(AUTOMATION)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Automotive supplier Katayama American Co. needed to integrate a robot and a 3D sensor to perform 100 percent in-line inspection of as many as 12 features on each of the four doors of an upcoming new program for an...

Shop trims cycle times.(AUTOMATION)(PlasanUSA makes use of robots from KMT Robotic Solutions Inc. )
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PlasanUSA, a Vermont-based manufacturer of custom carbon and fiberglass composite automotive components, supplies automotive fenders, hoods and roof panels for leading American sports cars. When the company won...

A first for science and technology.(AUTOMATION)(Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nearly 38,000 high-school students from the united States and worldwide took over the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the 2008 First--For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology--Robotics Championship...

Shop branches out with pallet changing.(AUTOMATION)
June 1, 2008... Matrix Metalcraft Inc. (www.matrixmetalcraft.com) said its new automated laser center is the only one of its kind in North America. The system is a high-performance VZ1 Mitsubishi (www.mitsubishi-world.com) laser with a pallet changer for...

Less light curtains in automated systems.(AUTOMATION)(Pilz Automation Safety L.P.)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Pilz Automation Safety L.P. (www.pilz.com) has launched an innovative measurement and protection system for press brakes that is designed to reduce industry's reliance on light curtains and increase productivity...

Conveyors require less power.(AUTOMATION)(TKF Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TKF Inc.'s (www.tkf.com) line of reciprocating vertical conveyors feature counterweighted lift mechanisms that cut the effective unit load weight in half, reducing horsepower and power requirements. Standard models...

Trends in EDM.(AUTOMATEDlding )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... "Shops will see more cost-effective EDM cells with integrated automation, such as robots and automatic twin-wire operation. More standard-model machines will include integrated automation. For die-sinking machines, this will include integrated...

Gantry robots: satisfy shop's production needs.(AUTOMATION)(Engineered Machine Products )
June 1, 2008... Engineered Machine Products (EMP) got its first taste of the benefits of automation in 1999 and decided that it needed more. Like most manufacturers today, Engineered Machine Products of Escanaba, Mich., a Tier One supplier to major diesel...

Toolroom: lathe automation.(AUTOMATION)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Victory CNC quick-change gang tool is designed to fully automate any programmable tool room lathe in a simple and economical way. DorianTool (www. doriantool.com) said its gang tool holds as many as 12 tools in a...

Magnetic grippers for robots.(AUTOMATION)(Schunk Inc. )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Typically, magnetic clamping technology is mainly used in stationary workholding systems.That is until now with the introduction of the Magnos Mau magnetic gripper that adapts to fit onto any robot arm for handling...

The future of machining.(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... On the cover of this issue is a photo of one of the seven regional champions for the 36th annual NTMA/NIMS National Apprentice Competition, and we have a full feature on the winners of that competition on beginning on Page 70. The cover...

Second annual American Machinist Workshop.
June 1, 2008... * The American Machinist 2008 Machine Shop Workshop will be held November 12 through 14, 2008 in Oak Brook, Ill. This is the only industry event focused on the business of running a job shop. The two-day event features peer...

Clarification.(Correction notice)
June 1, 2008... HyperMILL (www.openmind-tech.com) was not included in the CAM software vendor table that appeared in the April issue of American Machinist because of an error by a senior editor. Open Mind has an average growth rate of 30 percent per year...

Are we losing the China market?(GOVERNMENT MATTERS)
June 1, 2008... Annual United States machine tool consumption currently amounts to only 40 percent of China's. A mere eight years ago we installed twice the volume of China. But, as I have recounted in earlier columns, that superiority was gone within two...

Online library for machining technologies.(INTERNET CONNECTIONS)(www.makino.com/library)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Makino has created an on-line library for its series of seminars on parts production, aerospace machining, die and mold machining, micromachining, hardmilling, high speed machining techniques and other technological advances. The Makino...

American machinist launches video sites for machining.(INTERNET CONNECTIONS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Check out the Internet sites www. MachineToolTheater.com and www.CuttingToolTheater.com launched by American Machinist June 1. The sites are designed to bring the immediacy of the Internet video experience to machining and manufacturing,...

Tornos.(www. tornos.us)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Tornos recently added an RSS feed to its US website (www. tornos.us) to provide direct access to the latest information Tornos puts out on its products, services and company. An RSS feed enable users to subscribe to websites, and notifies the...

American Conduit Clamps & Fittings.
June 1, 2008... American Conduit Clamps & Fittings has launched an online shopping site (www. americanconduitc lampsandfittings.com) for its clamps and fittings.

Bosch Rexroth.
June 1, 2008... Bosch Rexroth (www.boschrexroth-us. com) has launched website to provide, technology updates, applications support, help, product information, downloads, literature, training information, and news about industrial hydraulics.

SDP/SI.
June 1, 2008... SDP/SI has relaunched its website (www.sdp-si.com) for the 100,000 mechanical components that it distributes.

Machine tool payback calculator available.(INTERNET CONNECTIONS)(www. coromant.sandvik. com/us)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The Sandvik Coromant Internet site (www. coromant.sandvik. com/us) now features a Payback Calculator, an investment and component analysis tool that the company said allows shop owners and managers to calculate returns on investment for machine...

Blog for mechanical component trends for assembly automation.(INTERNET CONNECTIONS)
June 1, 2008... Misumi USA, Inc. has put an engineering blog on its website (www. misumiusa.com) that focuses on mechanical component trends for assembly automation while providing engineers a place to share opinions and ideas on machine design and...

Rock-solid machine bases: accuracy, better surface finishes, deeper cuts and faster cycle times spread the use of polymer concrete.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Polymer concrete is dense, rigid, dimensionally and thermally stable, resistant to water and chemicals and will not twist or bend in reaction to stress. In addition, the material displays superb vibration...

Builder benefits from polymer concrete.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Sunnen Products Co.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sunnen Products Co. lists several reasons that it built its new SV-1000 vertical CnC modular honing machine on a polymer concrete base. Such a base lowers production costs after the initial cost of the mold is...

Bases that fit.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Drake Manufacturing Services Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Drake Manufacturing Services Co. (www.drakemfg.com) has been using cast polymer concrete bases for its machines since the early 1990s and has had very good success, James Vosmik, president of the company, said. "While the vibration...

From rework to race work.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Valve guide and seat machining systems once were dominant only in aftermarket stock engine-rebuild shops. However, today's systems have grown beyond those shops and have found popularity with builders of...

A training facility to envy.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Conservation and Advanced Manufacturing)(Milwaukee Area Technical College)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The newly opened Center for energy Conservation & Advanced Manufacturing (ECAM) at the Milwaukee Area Technical College's (MATC) Oak Creek, Wis., campus could very well be considered a model training facility for all...

Spindle probing benefits stack up.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When manufacturers machine components, they follow a conventional protocol of establishing a work coordinate, or fixture offset, for parts per their prints. The benefit of this method is that it establishes datums...

Minimum makes for maximum savings.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Ford Motor Co. uses lubrication systems from MAG Powertrain)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ford Motor Co.'s Van Dyke Transmission Plant has installed its second minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) machining system. The system produces aluminum transmission cases, converter housings and valve bodies for...

Machine enhances photo engraving.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Gravograph)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Gravograph's (www. gravograph.com/usa) M20 Pix engraving machine engraves photographic images, traditional scribed text and logos in the same engraving job. The machine allows for engraving medals, jewelry, dog tags, cell phones, and...

Shop boosts cutting capacity.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Denman & Davis (www.ddsteel.com) installed an automated program control bandsaw at its Clifton, N.J., facility and increased hot-roll cutting capacity by 100 percent. The company is a leading general-line steel...

Reasons to retrofit.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... "There are two major reasons a shop decides to retrofit. The first is that the older controls and drives can no longer be serviced or are simply not able to run the machine in the most efficient manner, compared with newer technologies. Recent...

Hayes Global Machines.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Hayes Global Machines (www.hgmwusa.com), a Kansas-based importer of milling, turning, boring and drilling machine tools, is leveraging its extensive relationships with Asian machine tool builders to provide North American manufacturers and job...

To further demonstrate its commitment to better serve the American machining market, DMG America (www.dmgamerica.com) opened its new Technology Center America in Itasca, Ill.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To further demonstrate its commitment to better serve the American machining market, DMG America (www.dmgamerica.com) opened its new Technology Center America in Itasca, Ill. The facility will employ more than...

Global Aerospace Management Solutions.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association (MAMA) has named Global Aerospace Management Solutions (GAMS) of Kalamazoo, Mich., to its preferred vendor network. GAMS provides consulting and training services to companies seeking...

Okuma America Corp.(INDUSTRY NEWS )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Okuma America Corp. (www.okuma.com) has entered into a manufacturing and technology partnership agreement with Don Prudhomme "The Snake" Racing for its NHRA top fuel drag racing team. The two-year associate sponsorship deal through the 2009...

Responding to the growing trend of titanium aircraft components and the need to optimize the process for machining them.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2008... Responding to the growing trend of titanium aircraft components and the need to optimize the process for machining them, the Productivity Solutions business of MAG Maintenance Technologies (www. maint-tech.com) has teamed up with sister company...

Maus SpA.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In 2007, Maus SpA, part of the Carraro Group and based in Padua, Italy, entered into a formal agreement with Tal Manufacturing Solutions Ltd., the machine building group of Tata Motors Ltd., both based in Pune,...

Retrofit updates grinder's productivity.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... A CNC Normac grinder at Sandusky International (www. sanduskyintl.com) in Ohio was no longer holding tolerance positions, and replacement parts and service were getting increasingly difficult to obtain. The machine was used to resharpen...

Shop EDMs in high volume.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Leer Technologies Inc. achieves precision levels that the company said no one would have thought possible while still being cost efficient. Contrary to outdated, traditional industry beliefs, today's most...

Machines roll instead of slide.(MACHINE TOOLS)( Mazak Corp)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When machine tools encounter high-static or dynamic loads, linear motion roller guides offer numerous advantages for high-performance machine tools as compared with conventional plain guides, many machine tool...

Small in size, BIG on performance.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Deco Sigma 8 sliding-headstock single-spindle machine may be small in size, but it delivers levels of performance typically associated with larger such machines, according to its builder Tornos US (www.tornos.us)....

Accurate and stable machines.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The YBM7T and YBM8T, built for optimum accuracy and speed in small and mid-size parts and die-mold machining, are Yasda Precision America Corp.'s (www.yasda.com) latest editions to its YBM series of Precision Centers. A special arrangement...

Mitsui Seiki (USA) Inc. (www.mitsuiseiki.com) collaboratively developed its VLD-300 small vertical Nd:YAG 5-axis CNC laser drilling machine with several aerospace engine-component manufacturers who needed higher-speed and more accurate laser drilling machines than were available.(Machines for tough materials)(Mitsui Seiki Kogyo Company Ltd)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mitsui Seiki (USA) Inc. (www.mitsuiseiki.com) collaboratively developed its VLD-300 small vertical Nd:YAG 5-axis CNC laser drilling machine with several aerospace engine-component manufacturers who needed...

Entry level machine benefits from predecessors.(MACHINE TOOLS)(Hermle Machine Co.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Hermle Machine Co.'s (www. hermlemachine.com) B 300 "entry-level" machining center incorporates select elements from the company's C-Series machines. The B 300 uses a gantry design for fast precise movement, a trunion table mounted on precision...

High-tech shop on the prairie.(MACHINE TOOLS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's a machine shop located halfway between Denver and Kansas City in an area the shop's president affectionately calls the "middle of nowhere." Its location may be rural, but the shop operates on a high-tech...

Omax's (www.omax.com) Dual Pump Package on the company's 55100 jetMachining abrasive waterjet machine is a fully integrated system that uses two P4055V pumps to produce unprecedented cutting speed and power and to significantly reduce machining times as compared with previous models.(Machines for tough materials)
June 1, 2008... Omax's (www.omax.com) Dual Pump Package on the company's 55100 jetMachining abrasive waterjet machine is a fully integrated system that uses two P4055V pumps to produce unprecedented cutting speed and power and to significantly reduce machining...

Machining for NASCAR.(AUTOMOTIVE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] On any given weekend between February and November, more than 75 million NASCAR fans watch their favorite auto racing teams compete for millions of dollars in prize money and even more millions from sponsorships and...

Fixturing for cutter recycling.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We mill parts using a lot of tangentially mounted inserts. On the one hand, they handle high-feed-rate cuts, but on the other hand, they are simple in design, which makes them perfect candidates for recycling. To...

The ins and outs of studs.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2008... I use two halves of a nut to install or remove studs. I saw the nut with threads that match those of the stud's in half from point-to-point. Then I place the halves around the stud and grip them with vise grips to get a good hold on the stud....

Oversize tapping.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Need to tap a hole a bit oversize? Put some masking tape on the tap and run it through the hole a second time. Don't know why it works, but the chips will be there to prove it. Online name Wilson Inc. ...

Six Sigma's apprentice: claims top honors in 36th NTMA/NIMS national competition.(TRAINING)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Seven regional champions--Craig W. Hargrave, Rachael Lockett, James Moody, Andrew Sears, Lucas Starch, Michael Villegas, and Brendan Wimer--from around the United States converged in Cleveland in late April to...

Developing planned maintenance: for the shop.(OPERATIONS)
June 1, 2008... IN A COMPETITIVE GLOBAL BUSINESS environment, successful manufacturing managers have embraced lean strategies to keep their production humming and to sustain profits. But it is problematic when managers attempt to apply an ad hoc lean...

Engraving tools available as in-stock items.(OPERATIONS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... 2L inc. (www.2Linc.com) has developed engraving tools that have narrower included angles and micro small tip widths. The 2L precision micro-profiler engraving tools are designed for small engraving and machining for a variety of materials....

Air-powered vacuum disc sanders.(OPERATIONS)(Dynabrade, inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dynabrade, inc. (www.dynabrade.com) has introduced a new series of 3 in. diameter vacuum disc sanders designed for the removal of coatings and for other applications in which the capture of contaminants and ground...

Workholding grippers.(OPERATIONS)(Fairlane Products Inc)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fairlane products inc. (www.fairlaneproducts. com) has developed a wide line of workholding serrated grippers that are designed for use with a variety of materials. The company's variety of grippers, includes...

New gear measuring and inspection system.(OPERATIONS)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] KGK international corp. (www.kgki.com) has been named the north American distributor for the line of CNC gear measuring and inspection systems developed by Tokyo technical instruments inc. The company said the...

Shop finds cam package boosts productivity and profit: even manual machining operations gain from cam program.(CASE STUDY)(Computer-aided manufacturing)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of the most compelling justifications for computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) is that it helps end dependence on skilled programmer-machinists to maintain production. These skills are scarce to nonexistent in...

Video system for borescope applications.(OPERATIONS)
June 1, 2008... Gradient Lens corp. (www.gradientlens.com) has developed a video system that is designed to work with borescopes to capture, share and store images collected in borescope inspections. The company said its Luxxor Video System connects to...

Magnetic slide conveyors.(OPERATIONS)(Storch magnetics )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Storch magnetics (www.storchmagnetics.com) has introduced a new series of magnetic slide conveyors that are ruggedly built for long life and after many years of service can be rebuilt for extended life because of a 304-stainless steel...

Defy the downturn with five steps to stronger cash flow.(OPERATIONS)
June 1, 2008... In a slowing economy, every machine shop has to keep a vigilant eye on the books to keep the business strong. Some may look to sales figures, profits, or the number of repeat customers for assurance that all is well. But, while these are...

Considerations when retrofitting, rebuilding or remanufacturing machine tools.(OPERATIONS)(computer numerical control machine tools)
June 1, 2008... Adapted from a white paper written by Mark Brownhill, CNC product manager for GE Fanuc Without question, your machine tools are among the most vital--and costly --pieces of equipment on your plant floor, and represent significant capital...

3D PDFs become a powerful tool for 3D collaboration.(SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While workflows that incorporate 3D data can offer substantial improvements in productivity across all departments in a manufacturing company, incorporating 3D into workflows has been a matter of finding ways to...

Metrology data collection goes wireless.(SOFTWARE)(L. S. Starrett Company offered wireless metrology data collection system)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The L. S. Starrett Company (www. starrett.com) now is offering DataSure, a new wireless metrology data collection system. DataSure uses radio transmissions to enable shop floor measurement data to be collected...

Automating report writing saves time and money: a case study on how Iowa Laser Technology found an automated report writing solution.(SOFTWARE)(Iowa Laser Technology Inc. offered Report generation software)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Business Challenge Iowa Laser Technology, Inc. (ILT) (www.iowalaser.com) has been serving manufacturers in the automotive, agricultural, mining, construction, and fitness industries for more than a quarter of a...

So easy a 6-year old could do it.(SOFTWARE)(CNC Software, Inc. has released CAM software)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CNC Software, Inc. (www.cncsoftware. com) has unveiled the latest release of its Computer Aided Machining (CAM) software, Mastercam X3. Mastercam X3 offers expanded machining flexibility and an increased emphasis...

Vision software for any software.(SOFTWARE)(Cognex Corp. developed Image processing software)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Cognex Corp. (www. cognex.com), the designer, developer and manufacturer of machine vision sensors and systems, has now made its machine vision software, VisionPro 5.0, able to be used with any camera or image source. The acquisition...

New release offers power programmers more control.(SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Today's Computer Aided Machining (CAM) software packages can be divided into two types. One type strives to make it as easy as possible for machinists to quickly generate CNC toolpaths with minimal input. ...

Software for on-machine measuring gets an update.(SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marposs corp. (www. marposs.com) now offers newly updated 3D Shape Inspector part measurement software for moldmaking machine tools with as many as 5 axes, and newly enhanced software for its Mida Laser tool setters...

Keeping an open mind about integrated CAM.(SOFTWARE)(Computer Aided Machining)(Open Mind Software Technologies Inc.)
June 1, 2008... Open Mind Technologies USA, Inc. (www.openmind-tech.com), the developer of hyperMILL Computer Aided Machining (CAM) software recently appointed three new dealers to service Canada and the South-Central region of the United States to augment the...

Another way to create product documentation from 3D designs.(SOFTWARE)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... QuadriSpace Corp. (www. quadrispace. com), a provider of product documentation and communication solutions, has developed software that reuses 3D design information for documentation and presentation throughout the business process. The...

New solutions for job shops, aerospace and CNC training.(SOFTWARE)
June 1, 2008... Siemens Energy and Automation, Inc. (www. siemens.com) offers new products and services under the theme "Productivity in Motion." For the job shop, new versions of Siemens' ShopMill and ShopTurn software packages were developed to allow...

Stuck in a comfort zone tooling manufacturers are ready to help.(SHOP OPERATIONS)(Emuge Corp.)
June 1, 2008... Too many shops are put-off by the cost of tooling, and unaware of how tooling might affect throughput and product quality. Across all types of manufacturing industries, the cost of tooling represents about three percent of total production...

Why you may need a balancing machine.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Modern milling machines operate with high spindle speeds, and most shops realize that balancing toolholders becomes increasingly important as spindle speeds increase. An unbalance causes centrifugal forces that...

Six-jaw power chucks.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)(Schunk Automation Systems)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Rota nCR six-jaw power chucks from Schunk (www.schunk. com) are a standard solution for the clamping of thin-walled and easily deformed components. With standardized sizes of the Rota NCR in diameters to 1,200 mm, the products offer...

Swiss rotary broaching attachment.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A new rotary broaching attachment for the Swiss screw machine industry, dubbed the "Baby Swiss," is available from Schlitter Tool (www. schlittertool.com). The attachment has a small profile and quick-set design...

Collet chucks.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OD Sure-Grip Dead-Length Collet Chucks from Hardinge Workholding Division (www.hardinge. com) feature a parallel gripping, four-split collet head for maximum gripping and instant centering. Collet heads are quick...

Hydraulic tombstones boost production.(CASE STUDY)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] southland CNC of Cornelia, Georgia, a Tier Two supplier to the automotive industry, provides machined components to all three American and the six largest foreign auto manufacturers. The 13-year old company has...

Hydraulic chucks for HSM.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... New Hydrofit hydraulic chucks from Iscar metals (www.iscarmetals. com) are designed for high-speed machining, and to simplify tool changing, presetting and fine balancing. These hydraulic chucks are made for stationary- or rotating-tool...

Direct-drive rotary table.(TOOLING & WORKHOLDING)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Mori Seiki U.S.A., Inc. (www.moriseiki.com) has introduced a rotary table that is compatible with its DuraVertical 5060 and 5080 and NV4000 DCG vertical machining centers. The company said its DDRT-260 rotary table provides stable,...

Fine boring heads.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Seco Tools AB)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Seco Tools Inc. (www. secotools.com) said its new AxiaBore fine boring heads provide 30 percent higher rigidity than previous generations because of their cylinder-and-flange tool-fixing design. The design allows for...

Cutting tool angles.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Every cutting tool has three primary features, regardless of the process. Rake angles: Impact cutting forces, edge strength and chip flow characteristics. Approach (lead) angles: Control the direction of cutting forces, provides effective...

Straight-shank endmills.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)(Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. (www.bigkaiser.com) has added a straight-shank endmill to its line of Fullcut mills. The new Straight Shank FCR is designed for greater depth-of-cut and lower cutting resistance. The tool's geometry...

Finishing a fillet.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2008... "The best way to produce wide cavities (grooves) in heat-resistant materials is by using a grooving tool on the first operation. A grooving tool is self-stabilizing and always moving forward into clean material. This results in efficient...