Modern Applications News articles from June 2006

Modern Applications News archives from June 2006

A dirty little secret: illegal aliens working in this country are not simply cutting lawns, washing dishes and providing cheap physical labor. Illegal aliens are here, working in metalworking shops. These people are here illegally and are employed illegally. Regardless of the rationalization, the root concept here is illegal. If you are employing illegal aliens, I believe you should be criminally prosecuted.(EDITOR'S CORNER)
June 1, 2006... If you are employing legal immigrants, you should be congratulated. This country achieved greatness only through the sweat, ambition, brains and talent of immigrants--legal immigrants. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I learned a long time ago,...

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2006... MAN--Modern Applications News thanks its readers for their thoughtful responses to recent columns and articles; these are always most welcome and we are pleased to be able to publish them. Winchester Dear Mr. Mullally, I'm a...

New orders, production, employment, inventories expanding.(Industry News)
June 1, 2006... According to the latest figures, economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in April for the 35th consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 54th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest...

Respondents say ...(Industry News)
June 1, 2006... * "Gasoline and diesel price hikes in the Northeast continue to cause concern as freight costs escalate." (Chemicals) * "We continue to stay busy, but there's great concern about [auto] plant closing." (Fabricated Metals) * "It is...

First quarter technology consumption up 22.2%.(Industry News)
June 1, 2006... The latest U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $351.65 million, according to AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association and AMT--The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by...

Manufacturing adds 19,000 jobs over April.(Industry News)
June 1, 2006... The U.S. Department of Labor in its latest figures reports that non-farm employment rose by 138,000 in April, and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.7%. Manufacturing added 19,000 jobs; factory employment has been rising by 50,000 since October....

Manufacturing Barometer report shows industry absorbing energy costs.(Industry News)
June 1, 2006... Two-thirds (67%) of U.S. industrial manufacturers are absorbing higher energy costs, rather than passing them through to customers, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' latest Manufacturing Barometer. These companies predict that energy...

+p replaceable carbide tips give 0.0005" repeatability: in the mold and die business, high-speed metal removal isn't just a technique, it's a path to survival, cost cutting and profitability.(HIGH-SPEED MACHINING)(Cover story)
June 1, 2006... In this business, if you speed up your cavity roughing, you gain a competitive edge as well as cutting costs. And nobody knows this better than John Smith, CNC programmer at Datum Industries (Grand Rapids, MI). The 38,000 sq.-ft. stamping...

Creep feed CNC retrofit grinds out profits: the decision to retrofit new CNC control packages onto aging creep feed grinders essentially delivered new-performance grinders for $35,000 each, eliminating crashes and scrapping of high value turbine blades.(CNC CONTROLS)
June 1, 2006... The situation was not a good one. The Honeywell Engine and Systems facility (Greer, SC), which produces turbine engine components, working primarily in high nickel-based aircraft materials, had three creep feed grinders controlled by PLCs with...

Marking systems match applications: nine marking systems, ranging from hand stamping to laser marking, provide options when selecting how to permanently identify parts. To increase productivity and save money, consider the type of metal, the production run, the mark (size, depth, number of characters) and other important factors--like the cost of the system.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... Making more informed choices about how parts are permanently identified can potentially increase productivity and save money. One tool shop, for example, estimated it saved one minute per part on their CNC machining center by marking outside...

Peen marking technology.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... Using the same clamping and locating technology as the roll marker, The Richter UniGrav[TM] programmable peen marking system is designed to provide more capability for metal bottles and cylinders with thinner walls and softer materials. The...

Large format laser system.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... The Legend 36EXT laser system is suited for large engraving jobs. Able to hold items up to 14" tall, the system features a 36" X 24" work area, Radiance[TM] optics package, permanent job storage, an emergency stop button and an inside focus...

Barcode tracking tag.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... ToughTag[TM] is a barcode tracking tag for industrial equipment located in harsh environments. Barcode information is imaged on coated stainless steel tag with a low power C[O.sub.2] laser marker. The tag is designed to withstand temperatures...

Laser engraving system.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... The Microlase[TM] series laser engraving system features a laser diode source designed to produce a high quality laser beam for marking text, logos and designs on metals, plastics and other surfaces. The source is air-cooled and does not...

Marking system.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... The MC200 marking system features a N20 marking head for applications requiring deep marks that are legible after painting and galvanizing. This stand-alone system includes a microprocessor control, keyboard and portable marking head. Marking...

Numbering and lettering press.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... This updated number and lettering press, model 40B, is intended to offer value for stamping tags, data plates, keys or other flat components. Improvements include a new table insert clamp, table stop clamp, table release lever mechanism and an...

Diode-pumped marking laser.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... The TD 410 marking system features a YAG diode pumped laser for reliable marking. The high beam quality is intended to offer improved resolution, while the compact design and air cooling system are designed to make integration on-line easy. To...

Diode-pumped solid state lasers.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2006... Using conduction-cooled diode bars, the Spectron SLD6000 laser offers a range of output powers from 5 - 10 watts. Designed for a range of precision materials processing applications, the series provides options for high repetition rates,...

Oil and filtration lube extreme grinding shop: a Connecticut grinding shop makes its market in exotic jobs--some exotic alloys and extreme tolerances. Two keys to this top end of the market are high-end machine tools and maintaining the investment in those tools.(COOLANTS/LUBRICANTS/FILTERS)
June 1, 2006... When Curt Reed decided to open his business in 2000, selecting a name for his company wasn't one of his challenges. Precision Grinding Solutions (PGS), LLC (Wallingford, CT) is the combination of Curt Reed's years of machining experience and...

Prototype shop matches CAD with CAM for profits: designing products and producing prototypes are demanding tasks driven by the clock. Software and equipment that speed this work are essential to have a chance at profits. Using this mix, a Connecticut-based shop has found the key to success.(CAM)
June 1, 2006... Started in 1995, Jacobs Associates (Newington, CT) specializes in product design, prototyping and CAD training for companies that don't have the resources for this work in-house. Their ten employees offer quality engineering services to a...

Shop expands at industry downturn: for an Alabama shop, the economic downturn immediately after the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001 was the opportunity to take a page from the warrior's manual and act with audacity; it aggressively invested in new technology.(MACHINING CENTERS)(Industry overview)(Company overview)
June 1, 2006... Founded in 1964, Brown Precision Inc. (Huntsville, AL) has survived and steadily grown by keeping to some traditional principles of quality, integrity and performance. It has also grown by pursuing the decidedly untraditional approach of...

Eastec review: advanced productivity exposition.
June 1, 2006... If you had a chance to attend Eastec, you may have seen the following new products. This section concludes MAN's coverage of the tradeshow, offering a final look at the latest technologies. Sharpening Machine The GX7 CNC tool and...

CAD/CAM software.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... Mastercam X CAD/CAM software has been certified for Autodesk Inventor[R] 11. To be certified, the product must meet certain guidelines and demonstrate a high level of quality and compatibility with the program. Mastercam X has a direct add-in...

Copper-coated low alloy wire.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... The OK Autrod 13.20SC is a copper-coated low alloy wire for submerged arc welding. The EB3 wire is designed to weld creep-resistant steel of the 2.5% Cr--1% Mo type. When combined with the OK Flux 10.63, the wire is intended to produce a clean...

Facemilling cutter.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... The CoroMill 365 is a facemilling cutter for roughing to semi-finishing of cast iron components. The new tool is suited for large series production or applications requiring high volumes of metal removal in the shortest times possible. With a...

Software for measuring and presetting.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... ProVision Software has sub-pixel and sub-micron resolution that provides an accurate and repeatable way to measure and preset tools. The software stores at least 10,000 tools, 10,000 tool kits and 250 zero points. The graphics filter allows for...

Vertical machining center.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... The Variaxis 730-5X combines a high-precision table with 150[degrees] of tilting range and a 5-axis vertical machining center. The machine has a 50-taper spindle designed to offer productivity gains in heavy-duty roughing and machining of...

Steel Turning Handbook.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... The Steel Turning Handbook allows users to determine the proper insert geometry, grade and cutting data needed to improve productivity. Included are examples, technical information, calculation formulas, a hardness conversion table and an...

Shaving machine.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... Providing both plunge and diagonal shaving, the Genesis[TM] 130SV CNS shaving machine is designed to reduce floor space requirements and improve cycle times for the finishing of soft spur and helical gears with diameters as large as 130 mm. The...

Press brakes.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... Able to achieve repeatability of 5 [micro], the HYB series combines conventional hydraulic brakes with Toyokoki's AC servo brakes. Lower bed crowning is controlled by a double wedge system that is adjustable across the entire bed. The control...

Portable oil skimmer.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2006... The Tote-It[R] portable oil skimmer includes a removable trough designed to make clean up and oil disposal easier. The design is intended to allow customers to upgrade to wider belt sizes as oil removal volumes expand without replacing the...

What Energy Crisis? Is it another Energy Crisis? Numerous among us are having a great time bashing the oil and gas industry (they make too much money) and the nuclear power industry (too dangerous) and the coal industry (too dirty to use).
June 1, 2006... Along with the bashing goes the chorus calling for more wind turbines, solar panels and "conservation." I'm sure lots of you have "toured" the wind turbine forest across the mountains east of Los Angeles. Those hundreds of huge odd-looking...