Modern Applications News articles from June 2007

Modern Applications News archives from June 2007

Globalization: the good, the bad, and the beauty: we had it easy for a while, now other countries are learning how to compete and we have to cope with that or kiss the glory days good-bye.(EDITOR'S CORNER)
June 1, 2007... It seems like every time the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, or some other super-regional body meets, it's followed by waves of protesters bemoaning "globalization." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For the job shop, globalization,...

Global warming was a hot topic.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... The editorial in the April 2007 issue by Pete Nofel [April 2007, Editor's Corner, Vol. 41, No. 5, Hot Enough for You?, pg. 6] has indicated that there is a lack of understanding--actually a narrow view--of the reality facing us. He...

A soft spot for aluminum: as a soft metal, aluminum has many machining advantages, but its very nature can lead to unique challenges. Here are some tips and tricks to keep the chips flying and the scrap to a minimum.(FROM THE SHOP FLOOR)
June 1, 2007... Everyone loves to run aluminum. It is soft, clean, and easy to machine, but it poses machining challenges. Done properly, aluminum can make a beautiful part where the chips fly away. But, machining a material so soft can also lead to poor...

John Thoren Parsons, inventor of CNC precursor, dead at 93.(Industry News)(Obituary)
June 1, 2007... John Thoren Parsons, known as the father of numerically-controlled machining, which later evolved into CNC, died in Traverse City, MI, on April 18. In his work with Frank Stulen, Parsons envisioned manufacturing using part dimensions in...

Fourth quarter 2006 industrial laser shipments down.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... At $160.4 million, fourth quarter 2006 shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems for North America and U.S. exports are down 20.2 percent from shipments of the same quarter in 2005, according to the Laser Systems Product...

Kurt Nordlund new president of Seco Tools.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Kurt Nordlund, former senior vice president of group marketing for Seco Tools AB, Sweden, was appointed president of Seco Tools Inc., Warren, MI. He replaces Bruce Belden, who retired at the end of 2006. Nordlund is a 28-year Seco veteran,...

Sandvik Coromant sends contest winner on an arctic adventure.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Sandvik Coromant's exhibit at the 2006 International Manufacturing Technology Show featured 24 tons of ice as both art and an ice bar. Part of the promotion included a drawing for a trip to the Icehotel in Swedish Lapland. Dave Fields, a...

Hurco builds big.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Hurco Companies, Inc., Indianapolis, announced the availability of its largest vertical machining center, the VMX84. With X-, Y-, and Z-axis travels of 84", 34", and 30", the machining center broadens the company's product line. VMX84 customers...

Siemens closes acquisition of UGS.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... UGS Corp., a provider of product lifecycle management--PLM--software and services, announced the closing of its acquisition by Siemens AG. As a result, the business will go to market as UGS PLM Software, a global division of the Siemens...

New assistant secretary for manufacturing and services nominee gets NAM endorsement.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... President George W. Bush's nomination of William "Woody" Sutton to the vacant post of assistant secretary of manufacturing and services--commonly referred to as the "manufacturing czar"--has been endorsed by the National Association of...

Study reveals that 25 percent of U.S. manufacturers will shift a third of production overseas if conditions persist.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... A looming U.S. manufacturing crisis poses a threat to the U.S. economy and national security according to a new report released by AMR Research, the National Association of Manufacturers, and NAM's Manufacturing Institute. The report reveals...

Aviation industry set to turn on afterburner.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis for the Teal Group, an aviation consultancy company, predicts significant growth in all sectors of the aviation business. "The world aircraft industry is firing on all cylinders," Aboulafia...

Hypertherm stock value jumps 57 percent.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Hypertherm Inc., Hanover, NH, announced a 2006 stock valuation of $37.75 per share, for an increase of more than 57 percent. The new price compares with a 2005 valuation of $24 per share. Hypertherm attributes the rise to strong product...

March manufacturing technology consumption up 34.9 percent.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... March U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $371.10 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association--AMTDA--and the Association for Manufacturing Technology--AMT. The total, as reported by companies...

MAG appoints new president.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Robert Wassmer was appointed as president of MAG Industrial Automation Systems--MAG IAS--Sterling Heights, MI. Wassmer, who has been with MAG IAS, came to the company from Bombardier Transportation, where he was director of the research and...

Mori Seiki creates learning institution.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... Mori Seiki established Mori Seiki University, a new educational resource division in the company. The division's dedicated 9,000 f[t.sup.2] facility in the Chicago area was unveiled in May in a ceremony where Masahiko Mori, president of Mori...

JETCAM partners with Swiss flatbed cutting company.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... JETCAM International, Monaco, announced an agreement with Zund System-technik AG, Switzerland, where JETCAM Expert CAD/CAM nesting software will be offered with the Zund range of flatbed cutting machines. The agreement ensures closer...

Manufacturing association creates charitable award.(Industry News)
June 1, 2007... The National Association of Manufacturers established a charitable award for small-to medium-sized manufacturers, which best embody the spirit of the award's namesake, the late Sandy Trowbridge. According to NAM, Trowbridge used his...

20 percent productivity gain built in: it pays to take a second look at processes. A Swiss company knew it was doing well, but sought to do better.(CNC)(Cover story)
June 1, 2007... Better is the enemy of good. With this in mind, Mikron Machining Technologies improved its multi-step concept of a linear CNC transfer machining system for use in precision manufacturing. The modular system achieves up to 20 percent higher...

Getting its head out of the point cloud: reverse engineering can be time-consuming, but a company found a way to cut through the process using a laser scanning bureau.(QC/MEASUREMENT)
June 1, 2007... Reverse engineering complex shapes can take place several ways. When a consulting design firm was asked to recreate transmission cases from a 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 racer, it knew that it needed help. The Austin Group, Quincy, IL, combined the...

Punching up production: what started as a backyard operation led to a nationwide company. Contributing to its success was choosing the right punch presses.(PUNCH PRESS)
June 1, 2007... England's Stove Works Inc. began in Bob and Ron England's Monroe, VA, backyard, making one or two stoves a day, but didn't last long. It soon outgrew its humble origin to become a major player in the wood, gas, pellet, and multifuel-burning...

Speed is life: increased production speed for a family-owned shop doubled sales in six months.(FABRICATION)
June 1, 2007... Stephen Morin, managing partner of 4-M Precision Stamping, Inc., Auburn, NY, and his staff spent eight months in search of a punch press and press brake that would add fabricating capacity to their business. They looked for equipment with the...

30 years of expertise pays off: with three decades of laser experience, a shop owner cashes in on his knowledge.(LASERS)
June 1, 2007... Ron Sanders had 30 years of laser expertise, which he used to strike out on his own. Today, his company, Southwestern Laser, Inc., Tucson, AZ, profits from his knowledge. Getting the most out of multi-axis laser-machining systems has been...

MAN 2007 workholding survey results: Modern Applications News asked its readership about workholding products used in their shops; here's what they had to say.(WORKHOLDING SURVEY)
June 1, 2007... "You don't know where to go until you know where you are." In order to better serve our readership, MAN periodically conducts reader surveys to determine the state of the art in the job shop, OEM, and contract manufacturing environments. This...

Shop develops expertise in processes, not parts: "speed, quality, cost. Pick any two." This epigram holds true for both buyers and sellers of goods and services. A shop with a large portion of its business in aerospace and defense specializes in balancing all three.(EDM)
June 1, 2007... Some shops focus on specific markets and industries for their success. EDM Resources, Huntington Beach, CA, takes a different tack. "We concentrate on having the best know-how and using the best machinery to get the absolute most out of...

Aerospace manufacturing places tough demands on cutting tools: making space shuttle parts from titanium to tight specs required a trade-off between tool life and production speed.(CUTTING TOOLS AND TOOLING)
June 1, 2007... Family-owned Reil Industrial Enterprises, Missasauga, Ont., Canada, has been involved with the aerospace industry since the dawn of commercial jet aviation. William H. Reil, the company owner who founded the firm in 1965, worked in the...

Waterjet helps place a manufacturer's quality a cut above: when an auto interior maker found its equipment wasn't making the cut, it turned to a waterjet that could handle it.(WATERJET)
June 1, 2007... It's a story familiar to almost anyone creating parts: A new product line means expansion and increased profits, but brings higher production volume, increased productivity levels, and closer tolerances. These were the demands facing the...

Principles of machine setup: zero is nothing to argue about.(CONTROLLING INTEREST)
June 1, 2007... I used to teach CNC. One of my classes argued for hours about the right way to set up a CNC machine tool. To prevent this from happening again, I developed the following ideas to explain the setup task: 1. The work system is located with a...

Laser marking cuts traceability time from hours to minutes: a laser marking system provides better results and increased tracking for a transportation supply shop.(ID MARKING)
June 1, 2007... Component identification marks offer verification that parts are bona fide, not counterfeit or gray market, as well as traceability when problems arise. Jiffy-tite, Lancaster, NY, makes quick-fit connectors for mating transmission and...

Circular saws cut metal.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... Metal Devil 9" and 7" metal-cutting circular saws offer dry cutting technology. The low-speed, high-torque motors are optimized for metal cutting. The 9" saw has a 15 amp motor that delivers 2,500 rpm for optimal torque. With a maximum cutting...

LCD replacement readout.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... The VUE LCD readout is an entry-level solution for manual machine tool applications. The readout is a direct replacement for the 100S LED digital readout system. The console has an LCD display, which replaces the traditional seven-segment LED...

CNC machine for small applications.(NEW PRODUCT AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... The W100 is an 8-axis, CNC, fine-pitch hobbing machine that has been designed for small motor applications, watch making, and micro-technical industries. The automation and electronic, synchronized, high-speed direct drives provide time savings...

Rust-Free Drawer Insert Tray.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... The Rust Free Drawer Insert Tray is watertight and corrosion resistant. It is used in place of standard metal dividers, and can be shipped fully assembled in new cabinets. The smooth, white plastic insert has transparent partitions and dividers...

Body-in-White solution reduces cost and ramp-up time.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... The V5R17 release of the Body-in-White solution features enhancements, which include improvements to the manufacturer's Manufacturing Hub, Manufacturing Change Management, and Lifecycle Management products, allowing flexibility and...

Manual Band Saw targets light-duty cutting.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... The Model H275 Manual Band Saw is designed for cutting of tubes, pipes, light structural shapes, and small solids up to 10" at 90[degrees]. The saw has a variable speed blade running 65 fpm to 320 fpm and can miter up to 60[degrees] to the...

Welding sleeve provides protection and comfort.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... X-Treme welding sleeves feature a three-layer design, which encapsulates a proprietary armor material to provide protection. The sleeve is intended for harsh applications, such as carbon-arc, sub-arc, spray-arc, and heavy-arc welding, as well...

Tray loader works with high-speed machining centers.(NEW PRODUCTS AND LITERATURE)
June 1, 2007... The DS1200-MTL machine tool tray loader provides an alternative to operator-attended, high-speed machining centers. The compact system, which is compatible with most machining centers, uses robotic technology to load and unload parts. The...

Forget outsourcing, the issue is insourcing: the nameplate may carry a Japanese manufacturer name, but a "look under the hood" may show more U.S. parts than expected.(THE LAST WORD)
June 1, 2007... Is country of origin relevant? The short answer is, "No." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The longer answer is, "No, especially when it comes to the cases of fluid, fast-moving technology, process, and software." A specific industry segment...