Modern Applications News articles from February 2008

Modern Applications News archives from February 2008

The human condition.(EDITOR'S CORNER)
February 1, 2008... A rule of thumb in the Web 1.0 Age was that if you wanted a lot of traffic on a website, the site had to change pretty much daily. Go too long without changing the site and the readers perceived the site as static and viewership dropped. ...

"Cover" story.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... Having worked in a foundry I appreciate the weighty issue of lifting, moving, and casting such items [October 2007, Vol. 41, No. 10, "Putting Manhole Covers on a Diet Saved Half a Million Bucks," p. 36]. We did bathtubs. We never really cleaned...

Forecaster.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... In the November issue [Vol. 41, No. 11, Editor's Corner, "Gaze Into Your Crystal Ball," p. 6], I asked MAN readers to put on their Nostradamus hats and predict the near-, middle-, and long-term future of metalworking. Here is one response. ...

A rose is a rose, but the right name is best.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... In the article, "Quality Never Takes a Tumble at a Finishing Shop," [December 2007, Vol. 41, No. 12, p. 22], reader Larry Garbarek, Kellogg International, Inc., Des Plaines, IL, pointed out that we inadvertently used "Wheelabrator" without...

The bull of the woods.(Cartoon)
February 1, 2008... THE CORPSE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reprinted Courtesy of Algrove Publishing Ltd., Almonte, Ontario, Canada; anthology reprints available from Lee Valley Tools; www.leevalley.com; US 800.871.8158; Canada 800.267.8767

Lasers down; workholding up.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... While industrial laser equipment and system sales were off by more than 17 percent from the previous quarter, work-holding equipment sales jumped almost 21 percent from the same period the previous year, according to Association for...

Protective equipment not Chic enough for some.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... For the second year in a row, a survey of safety professionals has found that noncompliance with personal protective equipment--PPE--protocols continues to be an issue in the workplace. Eighty-seven percent of respondents said they had...

AWS receives $200,000 for welder education.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... The American Welding Society and the American Welding Society Foundation, Miami, FL, each received a $100,000 donation from the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology, Troy, OH, and OKI Bering, Cincinnati, to help relieve the nationwide...

Hexavalent chromium fume control guidance white paper.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... A white paper from the United Air Specialists, Cincinnati, provides specific guidance on how to comply with OSHA specifications on hexavalent chromium and minimize harmful exposure through air filtration. Hexavalent chromium compounds are...

Mazak expands technology center.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... Mazak Corp., Florence, KY, is expanding its Southwest Regional Technology Center, in Houston, TX. The technology center opened in 1982, focusing on manufacturing technologies for the energy industries. The $2 million additional investment will...

Gibbs & Associates merges with Cimatron.(Industry News)
February 1, 2008... Gibbs & Associates, also known as Gibbs Systems, Inc., Moorpark, CA, developer of GibbsCAM, will merge with Cimatron, an Israel-based, international CAD/CAM software company. Gibbs, known for its CNC machine tool software, will be the U.S....

Sterling's little helpers: Dave takes the name of the column seriously and examines the items that make life easier on the shop floor.(FROM THE SHOP FLOOR)(Column)
February 1, 2008... When I wrote my first column for MAN I didn't have any grand plans, I just took three tools that I had seen at IMTS 2006 and wrote about their benefits. I've covered a multitude of topics since then and despite this column's title, some of the...

Company folklore has its place, but formal training profits everyone: knowledge passed down from veterans to newbies is a valuable resource in a shop, but formal training through technical schools and equipment suppliers has an impact on profits for both the shops and shop equipment manufacturers.(CONTROLLING INTEREST)
February 1, 2008... Tribal knowledge has a place in the world of machine shops. Those with hands-on experience dealing with sophisticated controls, drives, and setup devices, as well as the quality-checking instruments in their shops, are invaluable sources for...

Efficiency wins work: the owner of Innovative Alloy discovered the advantages of CAD/CAM when he bought his first machine; it's been a love-love relationship ever since.(CAD/CAM)
February 1, 2008... In the information technology business, lazy programmers are prized employees. Not because they don't work hard, but because they write the minimal code to get the job done--and they get it done with efficiency and elegance. Jerry Piesch, owner...

Murder, Inc.: a TIG inverter helps a manufacturer make wheelchairs strong enough to stand up to the abuse of "Murderball".(WELDING)
February 1, 2008... It's known as Murderball for a reason: it's not only tough on the quadriplegic comptitors, but it is also brutal on their wheelchairs. Producing chairs that can stand up to the punishment, but also come in tops in quality is the job of Vesco...

Taking leads from customers' needs: with a "grow as they grow" philosophy, a Michigan shop added three machines to meet a new customer's business.(CNC)
February 1, 2008... Controlled Turning, Inc., was in the enviable position of increasing its business by almost 50 percent with the addition of one customer, an opportunity too good to turn down. The drawback was that the Jackson, MI, shop didn't have the...

Waterjet to the rescue: when a fire truck fell victim to a fire, a waterjet used by the truck's manufacturer was able to salvage it as well as increase efficiency and save rebuilding costs.(WATERJET)
February 1, 2008... After responding to a fire in Galesburg, IL, a custom-made fire truck from Alexis Fire Equipment Co. needed rescuing when a wall collapsed on it. At first it was given up as "dead," but thanks to waterjet technology, it was resurrected. ...

Injecting speed into the mold business: impressed with the reliability of a manufacturer's VMCs, a mold producer adds a fifth machine to retain a competitive advantage.(VMC)(Cover story)
February 1, 2008... The need to double or triple machining feed-rates to gain faster cycle times was a factor in the decision by Great Lakes Mold, Shelby Township, MI, a contract mold making shop, to add a Fadal VMC 2216FX to its shop. The machine is its fifth...

Success at more than 300 miles away: Natoma Corp. isn't a shop in the middle of nowhere, but it's in an outer suburb of it. But, that hasn't kept it from prosperity.(VMC)
February 1, 2008... Competition from offshore sources has penetrated to the heart of the U.S., but a specialty shop on the Kansas prairie proved that it has nothing to fear from foreign outsourcing. In the western end of Kansas, halfway between Denver and...

Out with the old, in with the new: an Alabama job shop increased its throughput by saying Auf Wiedersehen to its manual coordinate measuring machine.(QUALITY CONTROL)
February 1, 2008... Avans Machine & Tool, Scottsboro, AL, needed an upgrade. Not happy with the speed or accuracy of its manual coordinate measuring machine--CMM--it looked for a machine and software package that could handle its output. A German import did the...

Getting the right grip on toolholding: applying the advantages of either SK or HSK interfaces in higher-precision components can improve tool life and productivity by 25 percent or more according to some industry experts. This informational piece offers some insights for users.(SPOTLIGHT: TOOLHOLDING)
February 1, 2008... In today's machine tools, the cutting tools are changed automatically into the spindle in various ways and at high speeds. It is essential that the technology of the drawbar holding the tools ensures the highest level of precision. There must...

No coolant at the collet face.(SPOTLIGHT: TOOLHOLDING)
February 1, 2008... Self-sealed ER Coolant Collets prevent coolant from reaching the collet face without the need for plugs, discs, or other hardware. The ER's patented staggered slot design prevents coolant from reaching the collet face. For a longer life,...

CoroGrip offers increased precision.(SPOTLIGHT: TOOLHOLDING)
February 1, 2008... The CoroGrip pencil collets are capable of reaching into deep cavities and pockets, and machining challenging areas without compromising part accuracy, part repeatability, or stability. They are useful in the die and mold industry. The pencil...

No torque wrenches necessary.(SPOTLIGHT: TOOLHOLDING)
February 1, 2008... SINO-R Universal Toolholders give customers a rigid toolholder for rough milling applications with the same advantages as SINO-T: easy operation, good vibration dampening characteristics, and a high cost-performance ratio. The toolholders'...

Adjustment-free Rotary Broaching Tool Holders.(SPOTLIGHT: TOOLHOLDING)
February 1, 2008... The Adjustment Free Rotary Broaching Tool Holder comes in shank sizes of 0.625", 0.750", 12mm, and 22mm. It is designed for Swiss-type lathe and screw machines. The adjustment-free design lets operators use the toolholder without the need for...

Long reach.(SPOTLIGHT: TOOLHOLDING)
February 1, 2008... The PG 10 toolholding system, part of the powRgrip system, is suited for small part machining. The toolholder features long, slim contours for long reach performance. Since the powRgrip system does not use heat, the PG 10 can be used for...

Inserts for aerospace applications.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The 4E Turning Geometry meets the demands of machining aerospace component alloys with high nickel and cobalt content as well as titanium-based alloys. The 4E inserts use an aerospace-approved substrate, and are enhanced with a Nano TiAIN layer...

Conformal grip.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Felo Ergonic screwdriver handle conforms to the user's hand, increasing comfort while significantly increasing torque transmission capability. Each screwdriver blade is machined to exacting standards to deliver performance and durability....

Close tolerances in a small footprint.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Feeler VM Series is useful in ultra-close tolerance precision mold work, as well as mixed volume, short run operations, or, at the other end of the production scale, dedicated high-volume applications. With an X-axis of 40", Y-Axis of...

Automatic media sensing unions.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The AutoSense coolant unions employ a technology that senses the type of media, whether coolant, air, or MQL. The unions are engineered for use with CNC technology, where machines use multiple types of media, at high pressures, and speeds up to...

Machine series caters to users.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The FX series of machines will be available with the new Infimatic Freedom NC200TM, a digital control designed specifically for metal-cutting machine tool applications, with three highly-intuitive navigation choices. The control is compatible...

Medical manufacturing electropolishing.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Metfab Electropolishing System lets manufacturers sharpen, deburr, passivate, and electropolish parts such as surgical drills, stents, and screens in-house. Featuring a secure, menu-driven controller that includes 10+ pre-programmed recipes...

Blowhard.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The 2" High Power Super Air Nozzle produces a flat 2" wide airstream with a blowing force of 2.2 lb when mounted 12" from the target. The adjustable force is more than three times that of ordinary air nozzles. The nozzle maximizes entrained...

Lower temperature PVD coatings.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Balinit Arctic is a line of low temperature PVD coatings for molds and components. An arc technology lets the coatings be applied at 390[degrees]F, lower than standard PVD coatings. This makes it possible to coat cold-working steels and die...

Two-in-one turning centers.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Maier MLK 125 Linear Automatic Series of Swiss-type turning centers are designed for the accurate, high volume production of parts for electronic component manufacturing and other small part applications. The machines feature 1,600 ipm...

Hybrid laser offers look-ahead.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Super Turbo-X Champion hybrid laser cutting system is designed for the affordable, high-precision cutting of a wide variety of materials with easy setup and operation. The system has a 5'x10' work table, load-unload, and e-Soft, and...

Two lines of VMCs.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The DuraVertical vertical machining centers offer high performance machining at a competitive price. Both lines of machines offer durability, stable machine performance, reliability, and cost performance. The line was developed with a rigid...

Waterjet cuts squarer sides.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The 2626|xp waterjet machines complex parts made of titanium or stainless steel that require accuracy and superior surface finish for the medical market. It has a positioning accuracy of [+ or -]0.001" over its 26" of travel in a footprint of...

Non-smoking quenchants.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The Aqua-Quench 4000 series are aqueous quenchants for low and high hardenability steel products. They also provide slow cooling rates in the convection phase and flexible quenching speeds to make them suitable for applications typically...

Heavier load indexer.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The 5C Rotary Indexer has more accuracy, more spindle clearance, more axial load and more radial load than previous models from the company. The streamlined indexer body has a curved front casting over the spindle, and has a removable handle...

Cutting edge high-pressure coolant.(New Products)
February 1, 2008... The CoroTurn is a high-pressure coolant system that offers improved chip control, increased cutting speed, and extended tool life in difficult materials, according to the manufacturer. CoroTurn HP partners with Coromant Capto to harness the...

Automatic tube Cutoff Lathes and feeders.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
February 1, 2008... 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,...

Clamps and tooling components.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
February 1, 2008... This 680-page catalog includes toggle clamps, modular fixturing, chuck jaws, drill bushings, pins, knobs, power workholding, handles, supports, feet, locators, vises, and threaded inserts. Carr Lane Mfg. Co.; MO; 314.647.6200; Fax 314.647.5736;...

Haas Automation provides world-class CNC machine tool sales, service & support.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
February 1, 2008... Haas Automation is the largest unit-volume builder of CNC machine tools in the western world and the largest dollar-volume builder in North America. All Haas products are built in the company's 1-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in...

Free 34-page marking equipment catalog.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
February 1, 2008... 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....

Blowoff Guide helps cut noise and air use.(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
February 1, 2008... The Air Nozzles and Jets Blowoff Guide is a free 16-page technical booklet that offers solutions to reducing compressed air cost and noise. It shows OSHA requirements for allowable noise exposure for compressed air. Comparison information is...

Why buy an OMAX[R]?(Brochures & Catalogs Covering Metalworking Equipment)
February 1, 2008... 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...

Learning lessons from the big boys.(THE LAST WORD)
February 1, 2008... Lean manufacturing works wonders in high-volume, repetitive manufacturing environments, but it also can work in low-volume, high-mix shops. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership--and similar...