Modern Applications News articles from January 2008

Modern Applications News archives from January 2008

Decisions, decisions: in a world of constant technology updates, when is the right time to buy a new machine?(EDITOR'S CORNER)
January 1, 2008... For a lot of manufacturers, both in and out of the metalworking industry, change means life. Take Microsoft for example. The Vista operating system was released and now comes standard on new PCs. The trouble is that there's been a lot of...

Fewer manufacturing companies preparing for growth next 12 to 24 months.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Responding to a poll, fewer owners and managers of small manufacturing businesses indicated during the third quarter of 2007 that they are planning for expansion during the next 12 to 24 months, according to the latest Small Business Research...

Mori Seiki acquires Sandvik Tobler.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Mori Seiki, U.S. headquarters in Chicago, IL, acquired Sandvik Tobler SAS, France, a division of Sandvik Tooling. With operations in Louvres, France, Sandvik Tobler produces precision mandrels and clamping solutions for the automotive industry....

FABTECH has best year yet.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... The 2007 FABTECH International and AWS Welding Show surpassed attendance expectations and set new highs for number of exhibiting companies and net square footage of exhibit space. The four-day showcase of metal forming, fabricating, stamping,...

Manufacturing technology consumption up 6.7 percent through September.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... September U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $438.95 million, according to the Association for Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. This total, as reported by companies participating...

Industrial professionals spending more time online for work.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Engineering, technical, and industrial professionals increasingly rely on the Internet to accomplish their jobs, according to results of the GlobalSpec Engineering Trends Survey. This sixth annual study surveyed engineers, technical buyers,...

Mecco Marking appoints new president.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... The board of directors of Mecco Marking & Traceability, Cranberry Township, PA, appointed David Sweet as company president. Sweet was vice president of operations, a position he has held since joining the company in 2005. He is a 10-year...

Lucas-Milhaupt acquires Omni Technologies Corp.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Lucas-Milhaupt, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, a subsidiary of Handy & Harman., acquired Omni Technologies Corp., Danville, NH. Omni Technologies specializes in the manufacture and distribution of aluminum-based brazing and soldering materials. ...

Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Foundation elects new board members.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Foundation board of directors elected Boyd Coddington, James P. Bouchard, and Delbert "Del" Mullens to the board at the group's annual meeting. Each will serve a two-year term on the 15-member board,...

TekSoft changes name to Geometric Technologies.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... TekSoft, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, was renamed Geometric Technologies, Inc. This follows the decision to adopt the "Geometric" brand across all operating companies by its holding company, Geometric Ltd., formerly Geometric Software Solutions...

Mazak worldwide sales increase 19 percent.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Worldwide sales for Yamazaki Mazak Corp. reached $2.165 billion for the 2007 fiscal year, a 19 percent increase from 2006. The company credits record customer acceptance and implementation of advanced machine tool technologies led by...

Carl Zeiss opens North American Computed Tomography Technology Center.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology opened its North American Computed Tomography Technology Center in December. Visitors learned the advantages and benefits of computed tomography and experienced the technology first-hand during demonstrations....

Seco Tools strengthens position in growth region.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Seco Tools, whose North American headquarters is in Warren, MI, signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the shares in the tool manufacturer ALG, Moscow, Russia. The acquisition is part of a goal to maintain an active presence in all major...

PennEngineering files complaints against six fastener manufacturers.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... PennEngineering, Danboro, PA, served trademark and patent infringement complaints to six fastener manufacturers attending the National Industrial Fastener Show/West, Las Vegas, in November. The complaints were filed on November 13, 2007, in...

Algor V20 software is a hit with NASA readers.(Industry News)
January 1, 2008... Finite element analysis software from ALGOR, Inc., Pittsburgh, was a readers' choice product of the year finalist in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Tech Briefs magazine.

Three days just isn't enough: Dave and his brother were offered a tour of Makino factories in Japan and saw first-hand how the three Makino machines currently in their shop--and a fourth on the way--were built.(FROM THE SHOP FLOOR)
January 1, 2008... In November, my brother and I were offered the opportunity to visit Makino's factories in Japan. Of course, we accepted. We would leave the U.S. Monday morning and be back Friday afternoon. This minimized our time away from the shop. But,...

Doing it right depends on planning: here is an object lesson in how planning to build a "shop" can be a lesson to anyone considering building their own facility.(FACILITY MANAGEMENT)
January 1, 2008... Preface Almost every shop owner dreams of building a facility that would be the perfect environment for work and machines. Valenite, a cutting tools and systems company, decided to expand its facilities, took that challenge...

Green chemistry cures the bacteria blues: environmentally friendly coolant eliminates bacteria, improves system life.(COOLANT)
January 1, 2008... Hydraulic lifts were the bread-and-butter of Eaton Corp., Saginaw, MI, but to mix a metaphor, there was a fly in the ointment. Well, more like bacteria... bacteria in its coolant, and it was costing money. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

A 'novel' idea: having trouble with weld conditioning and stress relieving on large equipment, a manufacturer turned to a distortion control product to solve its problem.(HEAT TREATING)
January 1, 2008... When faced with a problem, sometimes the solution requires looking at current resources in a new way. So pleased with a system it had been using for over 20 years, Kanawha Manufacturing, Charleston, WV, decided to use it for a different...

Software makes the front office as efficient as the shop floor: valuable IT time was being used for report generation. A shop's IT manager found a better way to automate both input and retrieval processes.(SHOP CONTROL SOFTWARE)
January 1, 2008... Running reports each day was eating up Dick Lockey's precious time at Iowa Laser Technology, Inc., Cedar Falls, IA. The company is a laser processing facility for the automotive, agricultural, mining, construction, and fitness industries....

Confidence and savvy lead to success: a shop manager saw a niche and started his own CNC business without any customers, but used the Internet as a springboard to prosperity.(JOB SHOP DOMINANCE)(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... Frustrated in his efforts to find quality precision machining suppliers who could deliver on a timely basis, Steve Salazar decided he could do better than the other suppliers that were out there. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I was running a...

Rifle maker guarantees accuracy: a Virginia rifle maker stays on target thanks to a lathe.(LATHES)
January 1, 2008... Rifle maker Clay Spencer isn't interested in high production, big chip-producing lathes. He wants repeatable accuracy one barrel at a time. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Spencer builds custom target and sporting rifles, benchrest rifles,...

No second chances: getting it right the first time is the imperative for a mold-making company that beats off-shore competition.(CUTTING TOOLS)
January 1, 2008... "Try and try again" is not a manufacturing philosophy that works at Mar-Lee Mold Co., Leominster, MA. It has to get the job right the first time. Mar-Lee Mold makes core and cavity molds for high-end, one-off customers. Single-unit jobs...

Accuracy with the right touch: in order to meet a deadline, a precision machine shop outsourced its inspection process.(QUALITY CONTROL)
January 1, 2008... Almost every company has a specialty in which it excels. On the other hand, each shop might also have an area where it is less than expert. Knowing the difference can mean a profit or a loss. It takes a smart company to know when to try a...

Not such a screwy idea: corkscrew milling is both a time and energy saver for a Southern die maker.(SPOTLIGHT: CUTTING TOOLS)
January 1, 2008... There's a lot of talk about "thinking outside of the box," but sometimes thinking becomes so canalized that people might not realize that there's even such a thing as a box. For Nashville diemaker, Vaughn Manufacturing Co., taking a look at...

HeliTurnLD with high helical cutting edge for increased metal removal rates.(SPOTLIGHT: CUTTING TOOLS)
January 1, 2008... The CNMX 1207-HTW insert family has a positive radial, helical cutting edge, and a positive rake angle; a combination which reduces cutting forces. The insert's corner has a wiper configuration which produces a high surface finish even at high...

Parting tool has PVD coating.(SPOTLIGHT: CUTTING TOOLS)
January 1, 2008... The GC1125 is a general-purpose grade tool for parting, grooving, turning, and profiling operations across a wide geometry range. The cutting tool is designed to meet the demands of the CoroCut 1-2 edge system, and has application in machining...

High-feed inserts for small-diameter roughing applications.(SPOTLIGHT: CUTTING TOOLS)
January 1, 2008... The HFBD Series Inserts are designed for use with the company's BNEM Cutter Bodies for high-feed roughing, pocketing, cavity/core roughing, and helical interpolation. Available in 3/8" through 3/4" diameters, these cutters are furnished in...

Diamond provides increased tool life.(SPOTLIGHT: CUTTING TOOLS)
January 1, 2008... The VPD720 diamond offers increased tool life of 20 percent, or more, according to the manufacturer. The cutting tool has more diamond in the cutting edge for toughness and wear resistance. The finish grind/polishing processes used to produce...

Variable wattage laser welder.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... This laser workstation has an integrated solid-state laser for deposition welding with wire. The machine has a footprint of less than 1.5[m.sup.2]. Lighter and more compact lasers with outputs up to 150W as well as vacuum extraction and a...

Full range of head rework.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... The VGS-20 Valve Guide and Seat Machine lets shops set up and run heads up to 48" long. The design delivers valve seat concentricity and optimal speeds eliminate chatter. The power head on the VGS-20 tilts 12[degrees] left and right for...

Larger grip in a smaller footprint.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... Three large Atling steady rests are available in several clamping ranges: the LZ90-360 from 90mm to 360mm; the LZ150-420 from 150mm to 420mm; and the LZ110-500 from 110mm to 500mm. They maintain the integrity of workpieces that bend or deflect...

Ceramic ball bearings provide insulation.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... MRC hybrid ceramic ball bearings combine traditional steel rings matched with non-conductive silicon nitride--ceramic--balls. They offer insulating properties to prevent electrical arcing and associated surface damage to raceways, remove noise,...

Coolant for 'dirty' metals.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... A high-oil semi-synthetic micro-emulsion offers cooling, corrosion protection, and cleanliness with improved lubricity and sump life. Trim Microsol 685 is suitable for cutting aluminum, stainless, and tougher aluminum and magnesium alloys. It...

Increased efficiency and high-confidence machining.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... Solid Carbide Thread Mills, with an internal coolant supply, reduces heat and friction and provides chip evacuation. The series features micro-grain carbide, and is TiCN-coated for longer tool life. The thread mills are engineered with multiple...

Milling for cast iron and hardened steel.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... Two PVD grades for a variety of milling products are available: MK2000 for cast iron and MH1000 for hardened steel. The grades are offered in face, square shoulder, and disc milling product families. MK2000 is for gray and nodular cast irons at...

Drill is small and Crazy.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... A small drill with geometries is available. Whether pilot to deep hole drills, from steel, aluminum, or stainless steel machining, the CrazyDrill tackles difficult materials or extreme cutting parameters. These high-performance drills are...

Large capacity EDM.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... The Spirit 3 CNC die sinking EDM system handles workpieces up to 43"x30"x15". It features a design for thermal stability, and a manual-centering mode centering an electrode in an existing cavity, for mold repairs reducing CNC programming time....

Tool holder package deal.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... Twelve-pack of tool holders: choose six collet chucks and six endmill holders and select a free collet set--ER 16 through ER 40. This special promotion is for CAT40 and CAT50 tool holders only. Techniks Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Ambidextrous Thread Mill System.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... The TM25 Thread Mill System is one tool for both left- and right-handed threading applications. It contains more inserts per diameter for higher feed rates, resulting in faster cycle times and more-consistent performance in thread-milling...

Smart pulse welding.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... The Invision 350 MPa MIG/Pulsed MIG inverter features built-in pulsed MIG programs and is designed to solve distortion, burn through, and spatter issues associated with welding light-gauge material. When combined with the S-74 MPa wire feeder,...

Clamp series improves holding power.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... The horizontal handle hold-down action clamps represent the next generation of manual toggle clamps. The style lets users save space without compromises in holding capacity or performance. The 2013, 2017, 2027, and 2037 series offer an average...

Robotic trimming.(New Products)
January 1, 2008... The RT-1200 turnkey robotic router trimming system features two riser-mounted KMT AccuTrim R-110 robots inside a steel enclosure. The system's two-sided 12' rotating table can support up to 1,000 lb on each side and accommodate part sizes up to...

Haas Automation provides world-class CNC machine tool sales, service & support.(Literature Marketplace)
January 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...

GibbsCAM[R] interactive tour.(Literature Marketplace)
January 1, 2008... 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...

Free 34-page marking equipment catalog.(Literature Marketplace)
January 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....

Abtex Tri-Ten deburring systems.(Literature Marketplace)
January 1, 2008... Abtex is a single source for abrasive brushes and application-specific delivery equipment for specific needs. The new Tri-Ten system is capable of deburring both sides of a flat part in a single pass using Abtex's three-brush planetary head...

Advanced CNC isn't a luxury; It's a necessity: for companies to keep up with competition, they need the latest and greatest machines.(THE LAST WORD)
January 1, 2008... The short list of musts for machine control used to contain the basics of axis motion, table motion, spindle control, and tool change. As part complexity and cost pressures increase, the method by which part designs are fed to the machine have...