Modern Applications News articles from December 2006

Modern Applications News archives from December 2006

A North Korea collapse may benefit U.S. job shops: China holds its breath as North Korea plays diplomatic roulette. Depending on how things shake out, job shops in America might get a break from Asian machine shop competition.(EDITOR'S CORNER)
December 1, 2006... The health of North Korea may have an impact on job shops in the United States. It's a global point of view thing that's not obvious until unforeseen consequences take place. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Karl Marx and Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov...

Honorable work doesn't need college.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Thank you for having the guts to put into print in the October 2007, editorial "Why Johnnie Can't Think" [Vol. 40, No. 10, p. 6] what I have observed for 20 years. It's almost criminal that schools are teaching kids the only honorable...

Lost work ethic.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I took technically related courses in high school in the late 1970s and honed those skills in the 1980s at a technical college. Kids hired today do not possess the skills to work. They come for work, but that's it. We have to mentor them...

High school drop-outs: courses, not students.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I learned the technical high school in the Chicago area I attended may be dropping its shop courses because of declining interest. That's too bad. When I was there, there were 20 to 30 areas available such as forging, foundry, automotive,...

Skilled workforce needed.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... As someone who aspired to be an industrial arts teacher, I mourn the loss of technical instruction in high school. You are correct that we are not giving students practical skills in favor of "everyone has to go to college" curriculum. I...

Tech schools and community colleges filling gaps.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Our society has placed too much emphasis on four-year and graduate degrees when we need skilled technical-vocational training. But you did not cover the important work of two-year community colleges and technical institutes that are...

Manufacturing has to step up, too.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... As a veteran school board member, I can report that most of your suggestions are where the rubber meets the road. One reason is manufacturing hasn't stepped up to the plate. A few years ago, the school district wanted to build a high school...

Issue over-simplified.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I am on the school board of a small, rural community and a small business owner that employs highly-skilled trades. You have over-simplified a complex issue that few educators want to understand or tackle. I disagree that schools are...

What's preventing workers from relocating for work?(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... In response to John Mullally's column [Oct. 2007, Vol. 40, No. 10, " 'Get On the Bus, Gus; Make a New Plan, Stan,' " p. 52] transportation costs are high but I don't see them, relative to worker cost, as contributing factors. The Internet and...

Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty: abstract information is often necessary, but going out into the real world where metal is cut is a necessary reality-check.(FROM THE SHOP FLOOR)
December 1, 2006... Most of the time my job keeps me clean. I can't avoid some of the inevitable ink or coffee stains, and with any shop, you do pick up some grease. Most of my day is spent massaging bits and bytes on the computer and numbers on a page. But, I've...

Heller chief seeks to raise company profile.(Industry News)(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... Robert Pelachyk has a secret he wants to reveal. "Heller is the best-kept secret in the U.S.," he said. The latest president and chief executive officer for Heller Machine Tools North America, Troy, Ml, intends to raise his company's...

Industrial laser shipments rise in North America.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Second quarter 2006 shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems for North America and exports were up 5.4 percent from the same quarter in 2005, according to the Laser Systems Product Group of The Association For Manufacturing...

Motion control companies forge new trade association.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... More than 15 motion control companies are forming a new trade association, the Motion Control Association--MCA--to promote the use of mechanical and electronic motion control technology. Charter members include Applied Motion Products,...

Mori Seiki set to acquire Swiss Dixi Group.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Mori Seiki Co. Ltd., Nagoya, Japan, is negotiating the purchase of Dixi Group, Le Lode, Switzerland. Mori Seiki plans to continue designing, manufacturing, distributing, and servicing Dixi machines at the Le Lode facility and expanding it for...

Volvo Aero unit adding space, jobs.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Aero-Craft, Newington, CT, a Volvo Aero subsidiary, is expanding its facilities and doubling the number of employees. It is adding 27,000 [ft.sup.2] to its plant and office building to produce fan cases for the GE90 engine of the Boeing 777...

Clothing and shoe retailers search for the "American worker".(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... The Working Person's Store, a Lakeville, IN, work-wear retailer, and Carolina Shoe Co. teamed up for a national search for the person who best represents the "American Worker." Contestants registered on-line, taped an audition wearing their...

German group buys press parts supplier.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Bliss Clearing Niagara Inc., Hastings, Ml, an aftermarket supplier of metal-forming press parts, has been sold to Muller Weingarten AG. Sale terms were not disclosed. Bliss Clearing Niagara handles service and parts for Bliss, Clearing, and...

Furnace maker expands website.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Oven and furnace manufacturer Grieve Corp., Round Lake, IL, has expanded its website, www.grievecorp.com. It includes a detailed request-for-quotation form that visitors can submit on-line for their heat processing requirements. There are also...

Strike over at ESAB facility.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... A strike by the union representing most of the employees at ESAB's Hanover, PA, facility is over as members of UAW Local 1968 voted to ratify a new three-year contract. The contract includes a new work schedule that addresses one of the...

The survey says: engineers demand reliable software interaction.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... An on-line survey released by software developer Flometrics Inc., Marborough, MA, shows engineers want a consistent user interface for mechanical computer aided design--MCAD--and computational fluid dynamics--CFD--software as well as...

Casting firm purchasing nuclear component maker.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Thresher Industries, Hanford, CA, is acquiring metal matrix composite manufacturer Talon Composites, Los Angeles. Terms were not disclosed. Talon focuses on neutron absorbing materials and manufactured components for nuclear transport and...

Australian grinder manufacturer expands facility.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... Grinder manufacturer ANCA, Melbourne, Australia, reports it is expanding its Bayswater North manufacturing plant by investing $4 million in new machinery. This increases spending in the last 12 months for facilities and equipment to $6 million....

High-tech job market recovery is moderate but gaining.(Industry News)
December 1, 2006... The National Council for Advanced Manufacturing cites a recent Global Insight Perspectives Analysis which forecasts a moderate high-tech job recovery over the next few years. Although employment will not regain its 2000 levels of 8 million,...

A $13 investment pays off with $80,000 worth of work: finding fill-in work to keep the machines running means more than beating the pavement, it takes a new look at digital resources.(SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS)
December 1, 2006... Terry O'Mary was the new guy at CT Machine & Tool, Gurnee, IL. As the general manager, part of his job is to be sure there is no slack time in the small prototyping firm. He brought along a new idea from his previous job that paid off. ...

Boilermakers no longer steaming: welders were getting hot under the collar because of inconsistent tack welds and wasted time until they found the product to solve their problem.(WELDING/FORMING/FABRICATING)
December 1, 2006... Maintaining product quality while delivering required throughput became a challenge for welders on a commercial boiler line at Cleaver-Brooks' Stratford, Ontario, Canada, plant. The stick and MIG welding capabilities of the multi-process...

Moving ID marking in-house improved throughput from days to minutes: being good is just part of the process, products have to look good as well. ID marking adds a finished look for a professional presentation.(IDENTIFICATION AND MARKING)
December 1, 2006... Depending on your point of view, either God or the Devil is in the details. For Twintec, Inc., Kent, WA, getting down to the details of marking products run through its shop meant a better-looking product customers appreciate and increased...

With their warranty on the line, a pump maker took QA into their own hands: matrix pumps handle 9" rocks, but only if the specs are tight. Checking and testing had a quick payoff in less warranty work.(QUALITY CONTROL/MEASUREMENT/INSPECTION)
December 1, 2006... Townley Engineering & Manufacturing Co.. Inc., Candler, FL, a manufacturer of replacement bearing assemblies for large "matrix" pumps used in mining, solved a service-life problem with dimensional measurement and inspection. And, because short...

Optical comparators measure microground medical parts: when a Massachusetts precision grinding firm says "let's get small," it isn't kidding. Dealing with workpieces as small as 0.002" means they have to measure "down" to meet quality assurance requirements.(QUALITY CONTROL/MEASUREMENT/INSPECTION)
December 1, 2006... Imagine working with wire as small as 0.005" diameter and meeting tolerances within 0.0001". That's all in a day's work at New England Precision Grinding--NEPG--Holliston, MA, which produces microground wire from 304 stainless steel and...

For cutting tool toughness, the proof is in the testing: a Swiss manufacturer found a cutting tool for stainless steel that offers lessons for the job shop.(CUTTING TOOLS)
December 1, 2006... When a company produces 500 tons of stainless steel chips each year, it faces the challenge of finding the best cutting tools for the job. Endress+Hauser, Maulberg, Switzerland, produces process engineering measurement instruments for the...

Connecticut firm has no fear of 'the China syndrome': it takes a nimble firm, unafraid of adding the right machine to the shop mix, to compete with offshore competitors.(HIGH-SPEED MACHINING)(Company overview)
December 1, 2006... Like Mark Twain's demise, the reports of mold making's death in the United States is greatly exaggerated. Advance Mold and Manufacturing, Inc.--AM & M--Manchester, CT, is not only producing molds for U.S. customers, but is producing molds for...

CNC breaks throughput bottleneck and doubles parts output: replacing manual drilling with CNC machining reduced change-over time by 66 percent.(WORKHOLDING)
December 1, 2006... It often takes a hard look at a problem to prompt a solution. Overtime pay for the bearing spacer cell at Standard Locknut, Inc., Westfield, IN, was traced back to the manual driller operation. It had to find a way to cut setup time and improve...

Finding the right machine tripled the capacity for one-man shop: when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Purchasing the right tool can change attitudes as well as boost productivity.(SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS)
December 1, 2006... Tired of working for "The Man," Edward Dean, master prototyper, decided to strike out on his own. It only took him three decades to decide. Dean has been a machinist, a manager, and a general manager. For 30 years, he worked for other...

Tool cutter grinds out extended tool life: longer-lasting cutting tools benefit customers.(SPOTLIGHT: ABRASIVES/GRINDING MACHINES)
December 1, 2006... A & F Engineering, Clinton Township, MI, makes woodcutting tools for CNC routers used in the cabinet and furniture-making industries. One of its new tools, a compression cutter, cuts the top and bottom edges of laminated wood or composite...

Marking machine control offers remote troubleshooting.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... The PCS-2000 control features on-screen video programming that shows operators of dot-preen, laser, and scribe marking machines how to input or change marking information. Operators can enter date codes, serial numbers, change text location,...

Digital indicators have USB and other interfaces.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... MarCator digital indicators provide a USB interface so multiple indicators can be linked to PCs without multiplexers. Digimatic and RS-232 connections are also available. MarCator 1086 and 1087 indicators feature large LCD displays with...

3D surface-scanning sensor.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... Siscan MC64 sensor is a confocal displacement sensor with vertically oscillating turning fork for accurate and fast 3D surface scanning at great speed. The confocal combination makes the sensor useful in process control and high-precision...

Indexers for automatic assembly and part inspection.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... Toggle-Aire[R] multi-station indexers automatically inspect parts pre- and post-assembly. The indexers are pneumatically-operated and PLC-controlled for processing up to 1,600 parts per hour. The controls provide user-programmable dwell timers....

VMCs do six-sided machining in one setup.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... FZ08KS Magnum Tilt vertical machining centers--VMCs--are designed for medical, dental, and automotive parts manufacturers. The VMCs feature traveling columns with integrated, NC-controlled tilting spindles. The manufacturer specifications list...

HMCs have deep-cutting power.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... Daewoo DHP-4000 horizontal machining centers--HMCs--have 30 hp motors that generate 161 ft-lbs of low-end torque for deep cuts in tough metals. The 40-taper, 14,000 rpm spindle cartridge-type units are supported by four permanently lubricated...

Lathe offers turning, drilling, and milling.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... TNW-4500R automated lathes provide turning, drilling, and milling in one machine. They feature 2,910 rpm A2-8 spindles with 25/30 hp motors. Secondary operations are performed by live tool turrets. The manufacturer's 2-axis rack and pinion...

Turning center has 10 axes.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... For small component production, Deco 13a turning centers are single-spindle automatics that accommodate parts 13 mm in diameter. The easy-to-access machines have 10 axes and a counter spindle for 15 rotating tools as well as 20 interchangeable...

Thread Wizard for automated operation.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... The Thread Turning Wizard identifies machining parameters, selects the best toolholders and inserts for an operation, and loads the results into a machine's CNC. The developer states it eliminates manual calculations, improves accuracy and...

Waterjet head lets users trade speed for efficiency.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... Autoline II abrasive cutting heads now feature larger, relocated wear inserts for fast changes, abrasive inlets to easily connect abrasive feed lines, and weep holes to indicate if orifices need tightening. Because orifices can be changed-out...

Low foaming all-purpose synthetic coolant.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
December 1, 2006... Picocool 5254 is an all-purpose synthetic coolant for CBN and diamond tool grinding and CNC machining. The coolant works in systems that grind hard steel alloys, ceramics, titanium, and exotic medical and space-age materials. It has mild pH,...

GibbsCAM[R] interactive tour.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... This multimedia CD-ROM introduces the GibbsCAM[R] product line and shows why GibbsCAM[R] is your best choice for CAM software. Actual customers tell how GibbsCAM[R] addressed their manufacturing problems and improved their company's...

CNC and robotic edge deburring.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... ATI's family of robust, high-speed air tools incorporates a floating head for edge deburring and chamfering of aluminum, plastic, steel, and other materials with a robot or CNC machine. The tools enable the operator to maintain a consistent...

CNC rotary tables.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... Lyndex-Nikken offers an extensive line of CNC rotary tables. Nikken's CNC Rotary Tables are recognized worldwide for their wear-resistance, rigidity and high-speed rotation. Every part of every rotary table is designed and built to provide high...

Free 34-page marking equipment catalog.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... Numberall Stamp & Tool., Inc., has a free 34-page catalog outlining all types of metal marking equipment. Included with every catalog is a FREE Length Of Impression Ruler, a versatile aid in determining character size and number of characters....

Dimensional measuring instruments brochure.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... This brochure details digital indicators; linear gage sensors with ranges of 1"-4" and accuracies up to 0.00002". These gages measure dimensions, thickness, curvature, eccentricity, displacement, height, depth, flatness, variation, run-out,...

Welding blog now online.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... Viewpoints at MillerWelds.com/Results is a welding blog with technical advice postings from welding experts on topics such as examining the overall manufacturing process, how to spend less on consumables, and others. It's designed to be a place...

Automatic tube cutoff lathes and feeders.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... Our new color 10 page catalog describes the advanced engineering and performance of Modern Machine Tool's newest Servo-Slide and Conventional Cutoff Lathes; capable of quickly and accurately cutting-to-length and machining cylindrical tube,...

Why buy an OMAX[R]?(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
December 1, 2006... Only OMAX offers the fastest cutting speeds and dynamic positioning accuracy to within +/-0.001". The user-friendly system machines virtually any material to a smooth finish with little or no setup necessary. With free software upgrades for the...

Totally out of character: John has dusted off his crystal ball and with some deep peering and much contemplation, looks at what 2007 may hold for the metal working industry.('BY JOHN')
December 1, 2006... Like this column, the old British television program Monty Python's Flying Circus is something of an acquired taste. However, the program always offered options, usually introduced by a line that fits this month's column: "And now for something...