American Machinist articles from May 2004

American Machinist archives from May 2004

The rewards of growing up in difficult times.(From The Editor)
May 1, 2004... The survival of manufacturing depends on technology. More and more, we are realizing that we can't compete in a global marketplace with antiquated machinery--machines that are 15+ years old. The risk-takers, problem-solvers, and inventors...

New drill goes deep.(Technology Trends)
May 1, 2004... A new cutting tool gives shops an alternative to gundrilling. The Exocarb-Max Extra-Long drill tackles 30x diameter holes without a peck cycle. According to manufacturer OSG Tap & Die Inc., Glendale Heights, Ill., this is possible thanks to the...

Innovative machines and controls take center court.(Technology Trends)
May 1, 2004... Mori Seiki U.S.A. Inc., Irving, Tex., continues to roll out new products that build on its Driven at the Center of Gravity (DCG) design concept. For instance, at its recent Global DCG event, the company previewed its NH4000 DCG HMC--along with...

Portable balancer checks rotating equipment.(Technology Trends)
May 1, 2004... Shops can now quickly and accurately balance grinding wheels, fans, and turbines with the SB-1700 portable balancer from Schmitt Industries Inc., Portland. The rugged vibration and balancing kit tells end users where to add, remove, or position...

Coating handles harsh environments.(Technology Trends)
May 1, 2004... A new coating not only withstands temperatures to 500[degrees]F, but it reportedly has 4x greater thermal conductivity, 40x less surface oxidation in brine, and more than 100x better resistance to abrasion than competing coatings. CurraLon...

New hybrid robots promise economic benefits.(Technology Trends)
May 1, 2004... Researchers at England's University of Warwick and China's Tianjin University are using kinematic structures to produce a hybrid "rapid pick-and-place" robot that could cost a third less than similar robots on the market. The Diamond 600...

Folding sheet materials.(Technology Trends)
May 1, 2004... A new way to fold sheet materials is said to have accuracy, strength, and cost advantages over conventional fabrication processes. Patented by San Francisco-based Industrial Origami Inc., the IOI precision-fold process slits sheet plastic,...

West Coast coating center.(Company News)
May 1, 2004... Customers of Crystallume PVD in the western U.S. are served by the company's Northern California facility. Crystallume PVD coatings for cutting tools, medical parts, forming tools, and semiconductor applications include titanium nitride,...

Acquisition creates U.S. milling-systems source.(Company News)
May 1, 2004... With its acquisition of Widia, Kennametal is the U.S. manufacturer and supplier of the company's tooling and technology. Kennametal's offering includes Widia's lines of insert grades and geometries, crankshaft and camshaft-machining products,...

U.S. cutting tool institute billings index.(Cutting Tool Digest)
May 1, 2004... U.S. CUTTING TOOL INSTITUTE BILLINGS INDEX Index for February '03-January '04 February $125,288,689 112.9% March $134,260,197 122.1% April $123,526,680 112.9% May $119,703,248 110.0% June ...

Drills for difficult materials.(Cutting Products)
May 1, 2004... The KUB Centron V46/V47 family of drills, featuring design improvements for increased concentricity, tackles difficult materials or interrupted cuts. Pilot-drill life is improved by 25x. A gentle transition from the chip space in the drill...

Saw blades for thin aluminum and steel.(Cutting Products)
May 1, 2004... M.K. Morse has 10-in. carbide-tipped circular-saw blades--one for thin steel and one for thin aluminum. The Metal Devil blades for cutting thin steel have 52 teeth with 0[degrees] rake for increased cutting area, and the blades for cutting...

Insert coating for cast iron.(Cutting Products)
May 1, 2004... Seco-Carboloy's TX 100 coating is for machining gray, ductile, and malleable cast iron. According to the company, tests show a 40% increase in machining speed and 4x longer tool life compared with other cast iron grades. TX 100 is...

Hollow mills for screw machines.(Cutting Products)
May 1, 2004... Somma Tangi-Square hollow mills, with inserts that cut tangentially instead of radially, are for Davenport, CNC, and other screw machines. One set of three insert slides turns diameters from 1/8 to 3/8 in., and another set turns diameters from...

Monthly tool consumption barely moves.(Business Trends)
May 1, 2004... The United States Machine Tool Consumption Report by the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and AMT--The Association For Manufacturing Technology shows February tool consumption at $174.32 million, up 0.4% over January and...

Haas sales up.(Business Trends)
May 1, 2004... Haas Automation, Oxnard, Calif., reported 2003 sales were 10% higher than 2002. "Of course we are extremely pleased with these record results," says Managing Director Denis Dupuis, "especially because they were achieved in a very tough economic...

Grandson named CEO/president.(Business Trends)
May 1, 2004... Sunnen Products Co., St. Louis, has named Matthew Sunnen Kreider, grandson of founder Joe Sunnen, CEO and president. According to the company, he is the third generation of the Sunnen family to lead the business. Former president George Rolby...

2003 laser shipments flat.(Business Trends)
May 1, 2004... The Laser Systems Product Group (LSPG) of AMT--The Association for Manufacturing Technology--reports 2003 industrial-laser equipment and system shipments for North America and U.S. exports were level with 2002. "While the numbers suggest...

Plano, Tex. ... EDS is selling UGS PLM Solutions for $2.05 billion in cash to three private equity firms.(Business Trends)
May 1, 2004... Plano, Tex.... EDS is selling UGS PLM Solutions for $2.05 billion in cash to three private equity firms: Bain Capital, Silver Lake Partners, and Warburg Pincus. UGS provides product-data management, collaboration, and design software and...

Congress must act to end EU sanctions.(Government Matters)
May 1, 2004... Few in the general population have noticed that on March 1 the European Union (EU) fired the first shot in what could prove to be a full-scale trade war between the two largest economic entities in the world. As of that date, a 5% additional...

Multi-spindle handles backside machining.(Machine Of The Month)
May 1, 2004... The A 36 PC CNC 8-spindle flexible production machine cuts bar material up to 1.42-in.-diameter and uses twin pick-off spindles to reduce cycle times in the backworking operation. The basic machine features eight programmable end-working...

Explore ideas without sketching.(Bits & Bytes)
May 1, 2004... Incorporated in VX Version 9, VX QuickShapes provides a comprehensive set of 3D-shape commands that lets users produce fast, accurate parametric shapes without having to initially define a base sketch. Designers quickly define and explore ideas...

Reducing cutter direction leads to high feedrates.(Bits & Bytes)
May 1, 2004... With a new intelligent option that inserts trochoidal moves where required, EdgeCAM Version 8.5 delivers fast roughing cycles to improve efficiency for machining parts in the shortest possible time. The trochoidal milling approach minimizes...

Identify and evaluate defects.(Bits & Bytes)
May 1, 2004... Inspect 3.0 software collects, analyzes, and reports defect-related data in applications where part and assembly defect information is critical to the production of quality parts. The software quickly finds, flags, and records defects for...

No need for secondary operations.(Bits & Bytes)
May 1, 2004... Adding to SurfCAM's suite of machining operations, 3D Offset Finishing creates a uniform toolpath by generating it based on the part model's surface--conforming the motion to be parallel to the model. This results in a superior finish across...

Hook makers not responsible for accident.(Law & Liability)
May 1, 2004... Sepulveda-Esquivel v. Central Machine Works Inc., 84 P.2d 895 (Wash. App. 2004), Washington Court of Appeals, Jan. 13, 2004. During the smelting process at the Vanalco aluminum-reduction plant in Vancouver, Wash., an overhead crane and hook...

Surveyor negligent in locating auto-plant columns.(Law & Liability)
May 1, 2004... Associated Industrial Contractors Inc. v. Fleming Engineering Inc., 590 S.E.2d 866 (N.C. App. 2004), Court of Appeals of North America, Feb. 3, 2004. Honda hired Associated Industrial Contractors Inc. (AIC) to build an addition to its...

Making a measurable decision: today's part-inspection equipment is capable, durable, and affordable.(Inspection)
May 1, 2004... Shops looking to improve part-inspection capabilities have much to choose from in the way of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), multisensor systems, optical-measuring equipment, and gaging tools that are all reliable, accurate, and easy to...

Technology truths: an educational series brought to you by American Machinist and Flow International Corp., Kent, Wash.
May 1, 2004... Myth Waterjets leave a taper when they cut. Reality At high cutting speeds, waterjet systems produce taper because the speed and intensity of the water stream lessens as it gets farther from its point of exit from the cutting...

Building on hard turning: not all machines are constructed for hard-turning operations.(Turning)
May 1, 2004... The benefits of hard turning are compelling: fast metal-removal rates, the flexibility to handle small batches and complex shapes, and a relatively low-cost tooling inventory versus the grinding process. But the results of machining are as...

The latest in edgefinder repair.(Practical Ideas)
May 1, 2004... My idea shows how to quickly fix broken edgefinders using a paper clip and a 6-in. scale. Cal Valentine Myrtle Beach, S.C. CIRCLE 38 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Making inaccurate machines accurate.(Practical Ideas)
May 1, 2004... Some economy-model lathes are notoriously inaccurate. Stick-slip of their dovetail or V-style slides and feedscrews make controlling longitudinal feeds (carriages) and cross feeds difficult using the available handwheels and vernier scales. I...

Shop stays competitive with CMM technology.(Case-Books)
May 1, 2004... Tolerances constantly get tighter and parts more complex at Evden Enterprises in Ukiah, Calif. So the manufacturer of custom components always expands its capabilities with the right technology and equipment to meet such demands and remain...

VMCs complement shop's know-how.(Case-Books)
May 1, 2004... At Viper Technologies Inc. in Torrance, Calif., a high-volume production run is 8 or 10 parts. However, depending on the combination, those 10 parts may require up to 400 hr to produce. To make matters worse, in spite of the long cycle times...

Fluid brings shop more than cost savings.(Case-Books)
May 1, 2004... Dukane Corp. decided to reduce costs across the board, and one of its focuses was on the cutting fluid used in the company's 25 machine tools. So the shop, which specializes in machining precision tooling used in ultrasonic welding of plastic,...

System feeds shop's improved production.(Case-Books)
May 1, 2004... A tier-one automotive supplier needed a system to process steel it used for a variety of parts. The coiled steel was 84-in. wide, ranging in thickness from 0.020 to 0.156 in. with a weight capacity of 50,000 lb. The shop had to straighten the...

Sensors provide a feel for rough terrain.(Case-Books)
May 1, 2004... The Darpa Grand Challenge, sponsored by the Department of Defense, is a competition intended to test state-of-the-art autonomous vehicle technology. Teams race their unmanned vehicles over a rugged course between Barstow, Calif., and Primm,...

Machine with built-in workholding.(Spotlight: EASTEC)
May 1, 2004... In addition to a 60,000-rpm spindle and 1,000-ipm feedrates, the VelociRaptor machine features the Quick-Pallets modular workholding system. A lightweight, manual pallet changer facilitates batch machining and lights-out production. Pallets are...

Optimal feedrates in real time.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The iAdapt for Turning adaptive control optimizes machine cutting feedrates based on programmed spindle loads. This real-time feedrate optimization reduces cycle times and increases machine efficiency. The control also monitors limits to avoid...

End mills move quickly.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Mill 1 indexable-insert end mills ramp up aggressively for pocketing and hole drilling. Their manufacturer reports the tools offer about 30% more in maximum rotational speed relative to competitors for cutting soft materials such as aluminum....

Probe incorporates company systems.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The TC50 probe features an optoelectronic measuring system with no mechanical parts and a Blum system that eliminates false data when the probe touches coolant. The probe measures up to 5 m/min and has a repeatability better than 1 [micro]....

Projector produces bright, sharp images.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The HE400 MkIII bench-top optical-measuring projector produces bright, sharp images on a large, 16-in. screen with an integral hood, precision crosslines, and calibration markings. The system's work area accommodates objects from 15.4 to 55...

T-base HMC.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... EC-400 T-base HMCs offer 20x20x20-in. work cubes, dual pallet changers with 400-mm pallets, and built-in rotary indexers. They come with 20-hp, 8,000-rpm, 40-taper spindles and feature side-mount toolchangers (24+1 tools), 1,000-ipm rapids, and...

HMC uses high-speed spindle.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The FH-S Series HMC uses a high-speed, 15,000-rpm spindle that reaches full speed in 2.3 sec and comes in a #40 or #50 taper. The machine's low-friction guides have roller bearings that the manufacturer reports provide twice the rigidity...

Larger lathe.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Talent 10/78 lathes are outfitted with ANSI A2-8 spindles, which have 3-in. bar capacities and 10-in., three-jaw power chucks. The 25-hp spindles speed up to 3,500 rpm, while live tooling/C axis options reduce secondary milling machine...

Quickly create Z toolpaths.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Mastercam developers report that the company's new approach to Z-level machining delivers faster processing times and reduces generation times for multisurface pockets and contour roughing, leftover or rest milling, and contour finishing,...

Use stock models for 5-axis machining.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... PowerMill 5.5, Delcam's latest release, uses stock models for five-axis-machining operations and dedicated methods for cutting flat surfaces. There are updated user-defined tools and collision checking within new simulation models. Booth 1244...

Spiraling toolpath option.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... FeatureCAM software's upcoming Interleaved Spiraling Toolpath option applies spiral-cutting passes between Z levels based on scallop height and part shape. The software developer reports that this single-pass technique produces top-quality...

Solids option improves functionality.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... GibbsCAM 2004 software offers a 2.5D Solids machining option that enhances feature-based selection tools and face selection capabilities. It also introduces advanced 2.5D milling and turning functionality. Automatic feature recognition has been...

End mills feature special carbide substrates.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Tech and Pro end mills feature Guhring's DK 400 N ultrafine-grain carbide for more productivity and extended tool life. Firex multilayer hard coating is available, which alternates TiN and TiA1N layers to form a "super" coating. Firex's...

Alloy-cutting tool.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Capable of machining titanium alloy and heat-resistant super alloys, the Xcel tool performs semirough turning into shoulders. The Xcel also machines in two directions and produces complex shapes cutting into corners. There are three grades and...

Reduce changeovers.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... A magazine-style barfeeder, the Robobar SBF-532 reduces channel-guide changeover times reports its manufacturer. It is ideal for the Deco 2000 series machines because it accommodates about 100 bars measuring 5 to 32 mm in diameter. With a...

Tool grinder takes on PCD and PCBN.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Easygrind 4-axis tool grinders tackle tough-to-grind PCD and PCBN tools and inserts. They sport regeneration features that clean grinding wheels for reuse. An automatic, swiveling, 3D-measuring probe checks for sufficient material removal...

Tables feature special collet closers.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Tsudakoma RN-100-2 high-speed, twin spindle rotary tables now come with pneumatically actuated 5C-collet closers. The tables are also available with up to four spindles. Booth 1053 Koma Precision Inc. East Windsor, Conn. ...

Enhanced marking machine.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The Styliner Mark3 stylus marking machine now features a robust post located off center of the marking area for positioning odd-shaped parts or clamping devices. The machine's increased marking-field size measures 4x4 in., and there is an...

Software module comes with CMM.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Faro Laser Trackers now come with Lite reverse engineering software modules from HighRes Inc. The addition lets operators use existing CAD programs with the measuring tool without having to import 3D data. Booth 5557 Faro Technologies Inc....

Adapters reduce setup time.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The Preci-Flex system includes adapters for collet chucks to decrease overhang and tool interference in mill/drill operations, end milling, tapping, and shell milling. Basic adapters accommodate standard collets in ER 25, 32, or 40 pocket...

Improved chucks hold large parts.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... THW-plus quick-jaw-change lathe chucks sport larger throughholes, improved grease retention, and better sealing against particles and coolants for less maintenance. Removable center sleeves are available in various configurations, including...

Lathe operates with easy-to-use control.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... At the heart of the TM6 slant-bed lathe is the UltiMax control, which allows machinists to quickly and easily set up and program the machine, create programs with Hurco software, and download CAM-generated programs. Standard TM6 features...

Tools work at high speeds.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... With inch sizes available, the HSC-19 milling system works at high cutting speeds and up to 56,000 spindle revolutions/rain. Inserts are ground in relation to a tailor-made insert seat, and according to the manufacturer, additional machining...

More tap styles.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Emuge has added 10 more tap styles to its full-speed tap line. The new styles come in 20 sizes (inch and millimeter). These full-speed taps feature advanced cutting geometries that reduce friction between the workpiece and tool. There are...

Gear-cutting tools.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Gleason Cutting Tools Corp. produces tools for soft and hard machining of bevel and cylindrical gears. This includes hobs, shaper cutters, bevel blades and heads, replateable CBN and diamond grinding and dressing wheels. Booth 3248 Gleason...

Compact laser marker.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The Aurora PowerMark diode-pumped laser-marking system features a new forward-firing vertical configuration with a compact, manual load/unload workstation using less floorspace. The compact design and hermetically sealed laserhead ensures...

Grooving toolholders.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Thinbit Groove'N Turn toolholders secure grooving, face grooving, and threading inserts on conventional, Swiss, and CNC machines. They come in square shanks 5/16 to 1 1/4 in. with straight and 90[degrees] presentations. Booth 5323 Kaiser...

Large-sump pump/separator.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Keller Products' Model #315 pump/separator removes tramp oil and chips from the coolant of up to 10 machine tool sumps, some as large as 400 gallons. The unit's coolant-recirculation rate is 180 gallons/hr, and it removes solids as fine as 5...

Workstation/dust collector.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... The ProCenter, which combines a workstation and dust collector in one unit, performs precision micro-abrasive blasting with enhanced visibility. It has a front-loading door, dual fluorescent lamp, an integral silencer, and oversized abrade...

Spindle-blast machine for cells.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... RXS-400 rotary-indexing spindle-blast machines deburr, etch, descale, or clean workpieces in a lean, cell-based environment. The fixtured component rotates at a preset, adjustable speed as multiple nozzles blast exterior surfaces under a time...

Clamp styles.(New Equipment)
May 1, 2004... Pitbull clamps provide positive down forces and low grip profiles and generate high vertical and horizontal forces. The clamps come in five sizes and three styles--a tool-steel knife edge for aggressive stock removal, a blunt edge for...

2004 cutting tool charts: find the right tool for the job with data on cutting tool speeds and feeds.
May 1, 2004... AMERICAN MACHINIST has put together milling and turning charts using information from cutting tool suppliers. The goal of the charts is to speed up the tool-selection process. The following pages show a sampling of information that can be found...

Manufacturers' directory.
May 1, 2004... To help you contact key material handling manufacturers quickly, the following Manufacturers' Directory also contains complete telephone numbers of the main offices. Listings in boldface type indicate the advertisers in this edittion. ...

Products & services directory.
May 1, 2004... Here, in alphabetical order, are suppliers of the products, services, and systems. Companies listed in boldface also have an advertisement in this issue. Blue listings were purchased. Check the Advertisers Index for correct page number. ...

Hide-and-seek.(100 years ago in American Machinist)
May 1, 2004... Editors described some methods workers used to cover up defects in automobiles and components in the May 5, 1904, issue. In addition to using soap and plumbago (graphite) to hide defects in iron components, workers played games with inspectors....

Colorful car descriptions.(50 years ago in American Machinist)
May 1, 2004... The auto industry spawns a number of slang expressions that creep into the language, but production workers have a jargon of their own, according to AMERICAN MACHINIST'S May 10, 1954, issue, Ford Motor Co. compiled a short list of its own:...

Gold as a lubricant.(Retro-Spective)
May 1, 2004... The May 24, 1954, issue described how Philips Laboratories in Irvington, N.Y., had patented a process for machining high-density sintered tungsten using gold or copper as a wetting agent. The gold or copper served as a filler, or lubricant,...