American Machinist articles from November 2003

American Machinist archives from November 2003

It's time to put a halt to currency manipulation.(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... I RECENTLY DISCUSSED THE PLIGHT OF SMALL MANUFACTURERS WITH Dan Imbrogno, president of Ohio Screw Products, Elyria, Ohio. While his story may not be unique to U.S. manufacturers, it is his open willingness to speak out that deserves accolades....

Here's for the "haves".(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... REGARDING YOUR SEPTEMBER editorial ("When it comes to ethics, you either have them or you don't," p. 12), the idea that the General Services Administration (GSA) had to change its mind at all about MCI beggars belief. What was this group...

The high price of over-compensation.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... CONCERNING YOUR AUGUST EDITORIAL (Being highly compensated has its price," p. 8), I agree that downsizing, benefit reductions, and insurance costs are going to change and that is to be expected in this working environment. However, drastic...

Korean builder unveils advanced technology.(Technology Trends)
November 1, 2003... HIGH SPEED, PRECISION, AND productivity were the overriding themes at the fourth Daewoo International Machine Tool Fair (DIMF) held in Changwon, South Korea. Daewoo treated both its distributors and customers to a showing of 54 machining...

Stamping out die defects.(Technology Trends)
November 1, 2003... RESEARCHERS AT THE NATIONAL Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) want to eliminate defects in dies used to make sheetmetal parts. Their work could yield impressive cost savings--particularly for the automotive industry, which spends an...

Bond-and-release epoxy aims to shock.(Technology Trends)
November 1, 2003... SHOPS MAY SOON DITCH CLUMSY fasteners and replace them with a new high-strength, electrically disbonding adhesive called ElectRelease. The epoxy bonds together metal substrates and withstands shear forces to 2,000 psi. Users simply apply 10 to...

Definitely not run-of-the-mill materials.(Technology Trends)
November 1, 2003... WHILE INTERMETALLIC MATERIALS (compounds consisting of two or more metals bonded together) are often superior to ordinary metals in terms of chemical, physical, electrical, magnetic, and mechanical properties, they're typically quite brittle....

Cable-free molding lightens the load.(Technology Trends)
November 1, 2003... A TECHNIQUE TO INTEGRATE FEATURES into compression-molded components could someday create "cable-free" structures for spacecraft, consumer electronics, industrial machinery, and automobiles. The compression-molding process fashions lightweight...

Man and machine get on the same page.(Technology Trends)
November 1, 2003... AS ELECTRONIC DEVICES BECOME more complex, user interfaces must become easier to understand and use, according to Jeffrey M. Gerth, a senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. He is currently developing interfaces to...

Zero-point mounting.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... THE STARK ZERO-POINT MOUNTING system from Carr Lane Roemheld uses clamping components and insertion nipples to provide zero-paint orientation for fast setup from the workpiece to the machine table. Workpieces are measured without an operator...

Drillholding system.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... A MODULAR DRILLHOLDING SYSTEM covers a range of needs including solid-carbide drills, brazed drills, and Seco-Carboloy's CrownLoc system. The holders feature coolant inducers for both manual and automatic toolchange for a total of six different...

U.S. Cutting Tool Institute billings index.(Cutting Tool Digest)
November 1, 2003... Index for August 02-July 03 * August $131,611,728 119.2% September $132,460,583 119.5% October $140,213,292 126.4% November $121,934,677 109.8% December $113,137,752 101.7% January $133,883,278...

Flexible drive system.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... WITH THE INTERLOCK DRIVE SYSTEM, a few standard shanks can be used with any combination of extension or reduction shanks and cutter heads or end mills. The flexible tooling system maintains precision tool geometry and is durable at...

Modular workholding system.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... THE QUICK PALLETS UNIVERSAL workholding system from Datron Dynamics uses a vacuum to hold templated plates or pallets on a machining bed, allowing fast and easy setup and changeover. Changing a pallet is a 15-sec process: removing the...

Tap aligning for hand tapping.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... MILLMATE'S NEW TAP ALIGNING Center aligns taps when hand tapping in lathes or drilling machines. The spring-loaded center features a hardened 5/16-in.-diameter center, 1-in. plunger travel, and overall length of approximately 5 1/2 in. ...

Collet for internal gripping of threaded or thin-wall parts.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... THE SWISS-STYLE TF-25 I.D. PICKOFF collet is designed for Citizen 20-mm machines and other screw machines using TF-25 subspindle collets. The collet is application specific and internally grips one part; however, variations in the expanding...

Right-angle heads.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... ALBERTI HSK-EQUIPPED RIGHT-ANGLE and universal heads with either HSK input or output spindles are available from Koma Precision Inc. Outputs are HSK 32, 40, 50, and 63 sizes; inputs are HSK 50, 63, 80, and 100 sizes. HSK clamping force produced...

Focus head for laser cutting.(Tooling & workholding)
November 1, 2003... NEW ONE-PIECE CUTTING HEADS ARE added to the Luminator line of focus heads from GSI Lumonics. The cutting heads, for use in fiberoptic-delivered laser-cutting applications, are compatible with the company's JK Series pulsed and CW lasers. ...

Slotting, slitting, cut-off cutters.(Cutting products)
November 1, 2003... THE VALMILL 350 CUTTERS, FOR slot widths from 0.084 to 0.243 in., have in-line inserts for superior chip evacuation in high-feedrate applications. The coated inserts have strong edge geometry for minimal vibration when cutting hardened...

Wiper insert for high-end finishing.(Cutting products)
November 1, 2003... SUMITOMO'S ELUW WIPER INSERTS produce fine surface finishes at high feedrates. The Eluw's three-step projections provide good chip control, particularly in low-carbon alloy steel applications. The wiper inserts feature sharp cutting and wave...

Monthly tool consumption up; stumbles against 2002.(Business Trends)
November 1, 2003... WHILE AMT -- THE ASSOCIATION FOR Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) report August machine tool consumption increased, it did not surpass August 2002 figures. August consumption totaled...

AMT names president.(Business Trends)
November 1, 2003... AMT HAS APPOINTED JOHN B. BYRD III AS ITS NEW president. Formerly the leader of a surgical-instrument manufacturer, Byrd takes over from Albert W. Moore, who has served as interim president since Don F. Carlson announced his retirement at the...

New owner for waterjet firm.(Business Trends)
November 1, 2003... KAROLIN MACHINE TOOL AB (KMT), STOCKHOLM, Sweden, is acquiring Ingersoll-Rand's waterjet unit in Baxter Springs, Kans. The acquisition also includes Ingersoll-Rand's 49% share in ABB I-R Waterjet Systems AB, Ronnbey, Sweden, a joint venture...

Ingersoll assets sold.(Business Trends)
November 1, 2003... A FEDERAL BANKRUPTCY JUDGE APPROVED A $15.7 MILLION bid for the assets of Ingersoll International in Rockford, Ill. The Rockford Register Star reports that Judge Manuel Barbosa approved the Ingersoll sale to Camozzi Pneumatic Inc., McKinney,...

Lake Mary, Fla.... Faro Technologies Inc. is shipping free evaluation copies of Rhino 3.0 software with Platinum and Titanium FaroArms.(Business Trends)
November 1, 2003... LAKE MARY, FLA.... FARO TECHNOLOGIES INC. IS shipping free evaluation copies of Rhino 3.0 software with Platinum and Titanium FaroArms. Supplied by Robert McNeel & Associates, Seattle, Rhino 3.0 is a CAD package offering freeform 3D-modeling...

Cincinnati.... Ransohoff Inc., part of the Cleaning Technologies Group, has acquired the rights to cleaning equipment produced by Bowden Industries Inc., Huntsville, Ala.(Business Trends)
November 1, 2003... CINCINNATI.... RANSOHOFF INC., PART OF THE CLEANING Technologies Group, has acquired the rights to cleaning equipment produced by Bowden Industries Inc., Huntsville, Ala. Bowden makes automated cleaning systems for automotive-drivetrain...

Career materials on website.(Talking Shop)
November 1, 2003... AN EDM MANUFACTURER OFFERS free and low-cost materials that communicate the advantages of manufacturing careers. Charmilles, Lincolnshire, Ill., has added a "Careers in Manufacturing" resource to charmillesus.com to help in recruiting new...

Rifle-producer acquisition.(Talking Shop)
November 1, 2003... A MINNESOTA CONTRACT-manufacturing-and-assembly company completed its acquisition of a manufacturer of high-end sporting rifles. Atek Manufacturing, Brainerd, Minn., will actively market the capabilities of its newest division, Acrometal, also...

Auto-exhaust facility opens in Russia.(Talking Shop)
November 1, 2003... TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE, LAKE FOREST, Ill., continues its Central and Eastern European expansion with the opening of a manufacturing facility in Togliatti, Russia, southwest of Moscow. The plant supplies hot-end exhaust components, including...

Airline places jet order.(Talking Shop)
November 1, 2003... SKYWEST AIRLINES, ST. GEORGE, UTAH, has ordered thirty 70-seat CRJ700 regional jets from Bombardier Aerospace, Montreal, Que. The airline will use the planes in its United Express operation for United Airlines. It also took options for 80...

Operator/fabricator deaths decline for third year.(Talking Shop)
November 1, 2003... THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, released its Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2002. Work-related deaths among operators, fabricators, and laborers accounted for most fatal work injuries of any...

Automotive supplier expanding facility.(Talking Shop)
November 1, 2003... OXFORD AUTOMOTIVE INC., TROY, MICH., IS ADDING 6,000-[FT.sup.2] TO ITS manufacturing plant in Greencastle, Ind. The plant manufactures control arms, suspension supports, shock towers, coil spring seats, and sunroof panels. The expansion brings...

Being competitive in the 21st century requires technology.(Government Matters)
November 1, 2003... THE U.S. MACHINING INDUSTRY will never compete with China on the basis of price or labor cost. We must develop the next generation of enabling machinery to successfully compete in the global marketplace. We're not only competing against...

A cool HMC ensures positioning accuracy.(Machine of the Month)
November 1, 2003... FADAL'S HIGH-PERFORMANCE HMC 400 twin-pallet machining center employs a 24/7 duty-cycle design for maximum productivity. "We designed this machine for jobshops and manufacturers seeking a steep increase in production but unable to afford the...

Get a handle on supplier costs.(Bits & Bytes)
November 1, 2003... SHOP RATE CALCULATOR (SRC) PRODUCES ACCURATE supplier shop rates by combining actual labor rates as given on W-2 forms by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, with several default factors. The SRC database features labor rates for the U.S....

Redefining CAD/CAM.(Bits & Bytes)
November 1, 2003... TWO NEW STRUCTURED CAD/CAM METHODOLOGIES, developed at Delphi's Steering Manufacturing Development Center, are now commercially available. According to the company, both Horizontal Modeling and Digital Process Design are patented,...

Mold-design automation delivers quick results.(Bits & Bytes)
November 1, 2003... DELCAM'S LATEST VERSION OF PS-MOLDMAKER EMPLOYS STANDARD COMPONENTS FOR MOLD ASSEMBLY AND IS FULLY integrated with Delcam's PowerShape for molds requiring nonstandard components or mechanisms. The integration between PS-Moldmaker and...

Managing the operation with CAM.(User Review)
November 1, 2003... ARLAND TOOL & MANUFACTURING INC., STURBRIDGE, Mass., relies on CAM software to optimize the programming of every machine tool and job for cycle times, tool life, and surface finishes. "We use CAM to drive shop efficiency," says Frank Bigda,...

Supplier did not have to warn worker of dust dangers.(Law & Liability)
November 1, 2003... FROM 1951 TO 1998, LAWRENCE GRAY WORKED at Smith Foundry where he was exposed to silica sand. For the first 20 years or so of his employment, Gray was exposed to silica dust, which was created when the foundry recycled sand. At that time, the...

Husband's widow entitled to benefits.(Law & Liability)
November 1, 2003... WILLIAM R. KNIGHT WORKED AT BATH IRON WORKS CORP.'s SHIPYARD IN BATH, MAINE, FROM 1941 THROUGH January 1986, when he retired at the age of 61. His duties involved cutting, handling, and installing asbestos insulation. In 1996, Knight...

Workers' comp award for hearing loss.(Law & Liability)
November 1, 2003... IN 1971 JOHN SESCO BEGAN WORKING FOR WHEELING-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. in the cold-draw department where he was exposed to noise from motors, sirens, cranes, and banging pipes. When his Pennsylvania plant closed, Sesco transferred to Wheeling's...

Toolroom with a view: software system lets Boeing oversee its multi-site toolcrib management.(In the field: tooling)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2003... Boeing's Tool Services groups control the aerospace company's portable and perishable tooling and supplies. Each day, these groups receive, issue, coordinate, track, and monitor the use and replacement of various tools needed on factory-floor...

Engaging quality services: when and why to outsource gage calibration.(Quality)
November 1, 2003... In-house calibration, especially comprehensive, established programs in large companies with thousands of gages, can be effective for the right application. But many smaller companies attempting to calibrate their own gages may use the wrong...

Robots that see and feel: lower costs, increased performance, and greater ease of use mean more applications for intelligent robots.(Assembly)
November 1, 2003... Intelligent robots employing vision technology now have the flexibility and functionality to perform tasks that were once thought too difficult or too risky to automate. Advances in vision-system technology have focused on more precise part...

It's survival of the fittest.(Viewpoint)
November 1, 2003... TIME AND AGAIN, I'M ASKED, "What do you think is in store for U.S. manufacturing, especially for the metalworking segment?" I've been in the machine tool business for many years--with Hegman Machine Tool recently becoming the Okuma distributor...

Look ma, no hands.(Practical Ideas)
November 1, 2003... MY IDEA IS A PORTABLE, HANDS-FREE PART BLOW-OFF DEVICE. It eliminates time spent picking up and putting down a traditional blowgun nozzle and is useful for parts with short cycle times and when both hands are needed for other operations. The...

Drill handles table's ups and downs.(Practical Ideas)
November 1, 2003... VERTICAL MILLING MACHINES DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE POWER FEED TO RAISE AND lower their tables. When faced with a job requiring many table raisings and lowerings, I improvise with a power drill as a feed unit. Using a heavy-duty, 3/8-in.,...

Laser tracks aircraft parts.(Case books)
November 1, 2003... COAST COMPOSITES INC. OF IRVINE, CALIF., MAKES forming tools (molds and mandrels) for large composite aircraft parts. These include skin and fuselage sections, stabilizers, and nacelles for both commercial and military aircraft. Because of...

Software rehabilitates corrupt computers.(Case books)
November 1, 2003... REFORMATTING A CORRUPT PC OR LAPTOP TOOK ABOUT three to four hours at Fenner Drives, a manufacturer of industrial-belting, power-transmission, and motion-control components. As a midsized business with 300 employees, divisions in Manheim, Pa.,...

Machines keep cutting tool maker flexible.(Case books)
November 1, 2003... THE CURRENT STATE OF THE economy is forcing companies to make their production facilities more flexible, and cutting tool manufacturer Seco-Carboloy of Warren, Mich., is no exception. The company's personnel are expected to not only work two...

Tired motors get an efficiency boost.(Case books)
November 1, 2003... VARIABLE-FREQUENCY DRIVES (VFDs) safely convert old, power-hungry ac motors into energy-sparing equipment. Attached to existing motors that power blowers, pumps, and fans--and installed under the guidance of experienced energy-services...

Software takes the drag out of part production.(Case books)
November 1, 2003... THE SPEED AT WHICH Alan Johnson Cylinder Heads designs and programs new parts plays a major role in NHRA Team Winston's racing success. The company not only manufactures cylinder heads and other performance parts for Team Winston but also for...

High-speed HMCs triple shop's manufacturing capacity.(Case books)
November 1, 2003... MONTEREY MACHINING & MANUFACTURING INC., Castroville, Calif., serves the electronics industry. Productivity is paramount for the small company, which was formerly part of Synchronous Communications of San Jose, Calif., a provider of...

Automatic measuring machine.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE TESASCAN 50 FULLY AUTOMATIC, NONCONTACT measuring machine checks length, angle, radii, and threads of precision-turned components. It measures parts 1.9 in. in diameter, 10.8-in. long, and weighing 4.4 lb. The machine's advanced...

Measures difficult surfaces.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE MARSURF FAMILY OF SURFACE-FINISH GAGING FIXTURES measure difficult or inaccessible automotive-component surfaces on the shop floor. Built as a modular series keyed to the requirements of each specific component, the fixtures automatically...

Gage display indicates tolerance.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE QM-HEIGHT LINEAR-HEIGHT GAGE incorporates a red/green backlit display that indicates if a measurement is in or out of tolerance. It uses the company's absolute-type linear encoder, decreasing origin reset on startup. A rigid column and...

Electronic column gage.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE VE-21 ELECTRONIC column gage measures from 0.0001 to 0.1 in. It does self-diagnostic testing and "flash" programming for in-the-field updating. It accepts two half-bridge transducers and features analog input and output; programmable 24-V,...

Velocity/thickness gage.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... EQUIPPED WITH ITS MANUFACTURER'S TopCoat probe, the DMS 2 A-Scan thickness gage automatically measures noncoated materials. Its Auto-V mode eliminates calibration blocks of different materials. Because the gage measures the material's velocity,...

Solid boxways provide accurate machining centers.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE F SERIES VERTICAL AND horizontal machining centers use ground-hardened solid boxways on all axes for accuracy. These provide the machines with [+ or -] 0.000078-in. full stroke positioning accuracy and [+ or -] 0.000039-in. repeatability....

Center conveyor removes chips.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... HS5000 HMCs EMPLOY CENTER conveyors to clear the bulk of chips from work areas without stopping the machine along with dual spiral chip conveyors to remove the rest. These conveyors extend to the setup station for added convenience. The...

Affordable metrology.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE ADVANTAGE FAROARM AND Advantage Tracker cater to shops recognizing the value of a basic CMM. Suited for applications with low-tolerance requirements, the FaroArm comes with a mounting plate, one 3-mm and two 6-mm Zircon hard probes, and a...

Wireless inspecting and measuring.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... T-PROBES ARE WIRELESS, ARMLESS probes for inspection and measurement. They use six degrees of freedom to measure deep inside parts and tools and deliver 0.01-mm length accuracy in a measurement volume up to a full car size. T-Probes are an...

Gages complement testing equipment.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... WILSON-WOLPERT METROLOGY equipment complements the company's hardness-testing systems. The line includes hand-held instruments such as micrometers; calipers; coating-thickness, height, and surface-roughness gages; and digital displays. ...

Software upgrades.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... MORE THAN 25 NEW FEATURES ARE incorporated into the Intelli-Max technology suite software--including Intelli-Pass, a feature for corner cutting, and Intelli-Pierce, which the developer reports speeds various piercing operations. Omax ...

Electronic logging software.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... FREEDOM E-LOG ELECTRONIC LOGGING software has a basic interface that lets the software adapt to any machine tool or other device. This allows shops to automatically collect, organize, and present data on machine uptime and availability. The...

Motor reduces machine's mechanical parts.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... A DC SERVODRIVE REPLACES THE variable-frequency drive as the main power source of the Model B Servo 5-spindle automatic screw machine. According to the machine manufacturer, the drive eliminates many gears and pulleys to reduce following error....

Large work area in compact machine.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE SPECIAL CANTILEVER DESIGN OF THE DOMINO MULTI-AXIS LASER SYSTEM makes for a compact overall size and large X/Y/Z working capacity of 120x60x15 in. The laser head performs two different rotations--360[degrees] continuous and [+ or -]...

Coolant's synthetic properties provide protection.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... CRYSTAL CUT 465 metalworking coolant features special chain-link synthetic technology, which provides physical and chemical protection to a range of materials. This includes aluminum and nickel alloys, stainless steel, and high and low-carbon...

Oil skimmer.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE MAXI-SKIMMER MODEL SSV/5 OIL SKIMMER IS well suited for large metalworking coolant tanks, parts washers, and wastewater. The standard type uses a 4-in.-wide polyurethane or stainless steel belt that reaches down to 50 ft--1, 2, or 3-in....

Linear motors drive laser center.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE FPL-6 LASER WORK CENTER FOR sheetmetal fabrication uses innovative linear-drive technology for maximum speed, even for small notches and narrow contours. The laser cutter processes sheets up to 60x120 in. It tackles 0.78-in.-thick mild...

Heavy lifters.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... SERIES PHL HEAVY LIFTERS ARE IDEAL for automated, high-load part lifting. Units come in six stroke lengths powered by a 63-mm ISO/VDMA cylinder. Simple designs, compact sizes, extended life, and ability to handle high off-center loads make...

Divided operations reduce cycle times.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE MANUFACTURER OF RTG rotary-transfer grinders reports dividing the operations to produce a complete part over five grinding stations reduces cycle times about 80%. Multistations also allow for using finer wheels and lower feedrates on...

Tackles stock removal and finishing.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE SXE450 IS A 6-IN. RANDOM-orbital disc sander for high-volume stock removal and finishing. It has two orbit settings--1/8 in. for improved finishing and 1/4 in. for stock removal. It also features a 400-W, 3.8-amp motor. Metabo Corp....

Secure thin components.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... PLASTIC, 3-PRONG, SELF-LOCKING BALL lock pins are useful for quick clamping and simultaneous play-free clamping of thin components. Applications include sheetmetal alignment and welding. To prevent loss or misplacement of the ball lock pins,...

Lightweight inverters.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... MAXSTAR 150 INVERTERS INCLUDE Miller Electric's Fast Switch technology, which makes them lightweight yet capable of wielding 150 amp from 115 to 230-VAC single-phase power. There are three models--S (stick only), STL (stick/TIG lift-are start),...

Works well in 24/7 operations.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE PROSCRIPT ZENITH 10F IS A COMPACT, EASY-TO-integrate fiber laser for marking metal-coated materials. Backed by a two-year warranty, the 10F works well in 24/7, unattended, continuous, or robotic operations. In addition, the company's...

Refined stainless.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... SANMAC GRADE SAF 2205 stainless-steel bar has been refined for improved machinability without jeopardizing corrosion resistance and mechanical strength, and it is weldable. The bar material is suited for environments containing chloride and...

Machine features updated control.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE VM1 MACHINING CENTER, LIKE OTHER Hurco machines, comes with the UltiMax control. But a new configuration includes a 12-in. color LCD screen and ergonomic console. The machine itself has a 15-hp, 8,000-rpm spindle, 750-ipm rapids, and a...

Lathe with independent I.D. toolslide.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE TSUGAMI SWISSTURN 5-AXIS BF20 lathe features an independent I.D. toolslide for simultaneous machining. It also includes four 6,000-rpm driven cross tools, seven O.D. turning stations, eight fixed I.D. stations (four front and four rear),...

Operator's PLC controls robots.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE 4-AXIS SCARA COBRA PLC600 and PLC800 robots are programmable and controllable directly from the operator's PLC via a PLC server and DF-1 serial connection. The robots are cost-effective and well suited for part handling and pick-and-place...

Encoders feature improved bearings.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... HEIDENHAIN'S NEW ABSOLUTE ANGLE ENCODERS WITH INTEGRAL BEARING AND stator couplings are well suited for rotary tables and swivel heads on machine tools and spectrometers. They offer [+ or -] 1-see accuracy and can include a scanning unit on the...

Kernel is key to CNC.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE SOFTWARE KERNEL IS THE HEART of the CNI NC1600 CNC for machine tools and robotics. Besides offering real-time multitasking, the kernel supports machine motion control, PLC software, and Windows XP, which serves as an operator interface and...

Safety-guard handles.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... THE B30 SERIES OF SAFETY-GUARD handles feature a metal-housed, tamper-resistant safety-interlock switch and a steel actuator key operated by a durable handle assembly for opening and closing safety guards. The assembly also comes with a red,...

Safety laser scanners.(Spotlight: gaging equipment)
November 1, 2003... S3000 SERIES SAFETY LASER SCANNERS work in both stationary and mobile applications as well as horizontal and vertical safeguarding point-of-operation, entry/exit, and hazardous work areas. They have a 190[degrees] scanning range and four levels...