American Machinist articles from September 2006

American Machinist archives from September 2006

That blur in the rearview mirror is china.(GOVERNMENT MATTERS)
September 1, 2006... The past decade has not been kind to our industry. The U.S. machine tool industry has lost 38.8 percent of its market share in China over the past decade. That loss has occurred during a period in which China has become the largest machine tool...

Jury verdict reinstated in lawsuit over plant explosion.(LAW & LIABILITY)
September 1, 2006... On July 5, 1999, an industrial explosion occurred at the Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. plant in Gramercy, La. Injuring several people and damaging the plant and some surrounding businesses. A lawsuit by one of Kaiser's injured employees,...

Noise study and doctor's opinion discounted in hearing-loss.(LAW & LIABILITY)
September 1, 2006... In 1967 Delbert Sandy began working for Elliott Turbomachinery Co., near Pittsburgh. Sandy worked in various capacities at the plant, and from 1970 to 1991 he was a machine operator. In 2002, Sandy, still employed by Elliott, visited an ear...

10 best machine shops: here are the American Machinist 10 Best Machine Shops.
September 1, 2006... THE AMERICAN MACHINIST 2006 benchmark survey of the U.S. machine shop industry helped to uncover and determine shops that are using the ideas of systematic measurement and business improvement methods based on carefully measuring the factors...

Workcells and white boards: shop's success turns on flexibility and manufacturing responsiveness.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... NO ONE AT ADVANCE TURNING& Manufacturing Inc. knew for sure if re-arranging the shop's machine tools into workcells would actually improve production. But the shop prides itself on having the courage to try new things, and in this instance, it...

Home grown success: enabling employees is key to success in rural Kansas.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... When you operate a manufacturing business more than 100 miles from the nearest large urban center, finding qualified and experienced employees can be next to impossible. "We've always had difficulty been able to hire machinists or...

Success by design: attention to detail and good communications pays off.(Company overview)
September 1, 2006... When you enter the production area of Command Tooling Systems in Ramsey, Minn. you are immediately struck by how clean and orderly itf is. The floor is so clean it shines, the aisles are unobstructed and everything seems to be exactly where it...

Empowering people key to success: encouraging employees to "own" their work is paying off for 123 year old company.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... "In the last seven years we have invested a lot of money in new machines," says Craig Lewandowski, vice president of manufacturing for E.H. Wachs Company. "But, it has been our employees that have made us so successful. "The most expensive...

Downturn transforms shop: technology and communication lead to rebirth.(Company overview)
September 1, 2006... MKT INNOVATIONS WAS NEARLY broke and out of business in 2003. Its customers were fleeing offshore and, for the few customers the shop had left, it was not the first-choice supplier. Mike Kenney, a machinist and entrepreneur with 30 years of...

Upgrading for success: upgrading equipment doubles output and halves labor costs.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... Four years ago, SOR Inc. decided to upgrade its equipment to reduce outside machining costs. Today they produce twice as many parts with less than half the labor cost per part and no increase in facility size or the number of its employees. ...

The little things count: being the best does not cost a lot of money.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... THREE YEARS AGO, SPM CORP.'S BUSINESS changed dramatically, going from long production runs to doing several different jobs on a daily basis. To adapt and survive in what became a hectic manufacturing environment, the shop initiated lean...

Zero defects and on-time deliveries: not the biggest shop, but its production track record stacks up with the best.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... Turning Inc. has not had a customer return a defective part in more than ten years, and it has not missed a job delivery date since the company opened its doors 22 years ago. "Jobs are done right and on time," says Toby Miller, president....

Shop puts grinding into high gear.(CASE BOOKS)
September 1, 2006... Twin Disc of Racine, Wis., needed to change its transmission drive-shaft grinding operations that were too labor intensive [PI1]and involved moving shafts from one process and machine to the next. What the shop wanted was a grinder with a full...

New multi-flex variable shape conveyor.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Conveyor Technologies' (www.conveyortechltd.com) new low-profile Multi-Flex VSC conveyor system can be assembled at 30-degree, 45-degree and 60-degree angles and in eight different configurations to transfer products between different...

Cincinnati machine introduces new 5-axis horizontal machining center.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Cincinnati Machine's (www.cinmach.com) new MEGA5-800 5-axis horizontal machining center uses the MEGA twin ballscrew-driven axes configuration in x-, y-, and z-axes, the MEGA b-axis table and a compact a-axis tilt spindle with 180 degree sweep....

Daewoo introduces new vertical machining center.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Doosan Infracore (www.daewoomt.com) has introduced the DMV 6030 vertical machining center with wide box type guideways that the company says provide long-term rigidity and accuracy. The guideways are induction hardened and precision ground. ...

Marking technology from Columbia marking.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Columbia Marking Tools, Inc. (www.columbiamt.com) now is providing an array of new electric and pneumatic CNC-controlled peen marking machines and accessories, metal tag marking and embossing, 2D/UID Square Dot programmable CNC marking, impact...

New rotary nozzle for presssure washers.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Legacy Premier Parts & Accessories (www.c-techindustries.com) has introduced a new rotary nozzle for pressure washers that they say increases impact pressure more than 10 times that of conventional high-pressure spray nozzles. The new...

Mitsubishi introduces waterjet line.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Mitsubishi (www.mitsubishiworld.com) has developed a waterjet line is designed specifically to work with EDM technology. MC Machinery Systems, Inc., a Mitsubishi-owned company that distributes the new waterjet line, says the new waterjet is...

New mid-range production band saw.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Do ALL Sawing Products (www.doall.com) has introduced the Model DC-310NC dual column metal cutting band saw with a wider 1 1/4-in. blade. The company says the saw has greater beam strength and a more powerful 5-hp band drive motor, and can saw...

New Daewoo turning center accepts live tooling.(NEW EQUIPMENT)
September 1, 2006... Doosan Infracore (www.daewoomt.com) has released a new family of turning centers that accepts live tooling. The Lynx 220LM is typical of the line. It is equipped with a 20 hp spindle motor, that generates speeds to 6,000 rpm, and a 6.5 in....

Advances in tech education at local levels.(LAST WORD)
September 1, 2006... There are signs that interest in manufacturing education is being revived, and that career and technical schools are facing a resurgence in interest from students. In what was called a milestone in training employees for precision...

The American Machinict 10 best machine shops.(FROM THE EDITOR)
September 1, 2006... We are presenting in this issue the first class of the 10 Best Machine Shops in the United States. Beginning on Page 26, we provide a brief profile on each of the 10 shops whose results prove they are working more successfully and more...

Federal Reserve Bank sees conditions promising through end of year.(LEADING INDICATORS)
September 1, 2006... The economic outlook for manufacturing industries was very promising through August, as producers saw demand for durable goods running at "vigorous" levels, according to the Federal Reserve Bank's monthly "Beige Book" report. The Federal...

practicalmachinist.com forum booming.(LEADING INDICATORS)
September 1, 2006... More than 75,000 people are visiting the practicalmachinist.com Internet site each month, getting a wide variety of information on what machining is all about. The site attracts both novices, who are seeking basic information, and experts,...

Chips-n-burrs.(LEADING INDICATORS)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2006... What's a guy gotta do to get on American Machinist's "10 Best" list? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Maybe a little aggressive on the deburring. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Covering a few machine-painting tips.(PRACTICAL IDEAS)
September 1, 2006... A coat of paint can make an old machine look new again, and two common types of paint that shops use are one-part alkyd enamel or two-part epoxy/urethane. One-part alkyd enamels are tough, easy to prep for and touch up if needed, while two-part...

New software released for robotic vision sensors.(TECHNOLOGY TRENDS)
September 1, 2006... Cognex Corporation (www.cognex.com) has released In-Sight Explorer software release 3.3 for use on its In-Sight vision sensors. The new software includes: * Non-linear calibration to improve repeatability by correcting for lens and...

Precise simultaneous five-axis machining.(TECHNOLOGY TRENDS)
September 1, 2006... StarragHeckert AG (www.starragheckert. com) has designed its STC Series of five-axis, simultaneous machining centers to tackle complex structural parts that often involve extremely thin walls and removing 90 percent of the raw material. The...

Allied machine announces new drillingsystem.(TECHNOLOGY TRENDS)
September 1, 2006... Allied Machine & Engineering Corp. (www.alliedmachine.com) has released the GEN3SYS drilling system offering a patent pending geometry engineered to provide improved chip formation, increased penetration rates and longer tool life. The GEN3SYS...

MazakCAM CAD/CAM 4.4 available for programming Mazak CNCs.(TECHNOLOGY TRENDS)
September 1, 2006... SolutionWare Corp. (www.mazacam. com) has released an advanced off-line programming system for Mazak CNCs. MazaCAM CAD/CAM 4.4 outputs G-code for standard CNCs and Mazatrol with Matrix or Fusion Pro controls for Mazak machines. The software...

Expanded line of facemills.(CUTTING PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2006... Seco-Carboloy (www.secocarboloy. com) has introduced an expanded range of QuattroMill 45-degree lead facemills that focus on the new 15 mm inserts, called -"15", and a range of both fixed-pocket and cassette-style cutter bodies. The -15 insert...

Fine-grain PCD cutting grade.(CUTTING TOOL DIGEST)
September 1, 2006... The CITCO Diamond and CBN Operations of Cinetic Landis Grinding Corp. (www.citcodiamond. com) has introduced the Dipax D4 polycrystalline diamond cutting tool material, and recommends it for milling and rough cutting aluminum alloys in which a...

Back-chamfering/deburring tool.(CUTTING TOOL DIGEST)
September 1, 2006... The Nobur JB Back-Chamfering tool from Cogsdill Tool Products Inc., Camden, S.C. (www.cogsdill.com) performs back-chamfering, deburring and backcountersinking operations. The company points out that the tool pilots in the hole for precise...

Center/pilot drill for deep-hole drilling.(CUTTING TOOL DIGEST)
September 1, 2006... Titex Precision Cutting Tools (www.titex.com) says its XD deep-drilling technology drills holes up to 30 times diameter and at speeds to six-times faster than other technologies. A coolant-fed XD pilot--a center and pilot drill optimized for XD...

Tooling & workholding mold polishing/finishing handpiece.(CUTTING TOOL DIGEST)
September 1, 2006... Engis Corp., Wheeling, W.Va. (www.engis.com), North American distributors of the Di-Pro polishing/finishing system manufactured by Diprofil in Sweden, says the polishing/finishing system optimizes user efficiency and comfort. It weighs 1.98 lb...

Miniature manufacturing on a worldwide basis: shop competes globally, trains locally.(10 BEST MACHINE SHOPS)
September 1, 2006... JIM WHIPPLE HAS THREE MANUAL machines--a 12 in. by 26 in. manual lathe, a jeweler's lathe and a manual Bridgeport mill--three CNC milling machines, and customers around the world. Whipple runs a shop with five employees, including his wife,...

Shaving set-up time goal for PNM: investments in horizontal machining and pallet system boost productivity.
September 1, 2006... DAVE COUNTS CONSIDERS IT GREAT progress when he or one of his company's 52 employees can shave five or 10 seconds from their set-up time. "We our of the mind-set that we have to make something 'twice-as-good,' so if we can get five seconds...