Modern Applications News articles from May 2003

Modern Applications News archives from May 2003

Expectations. (Editor's Corner).
May 1, 2003... "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." The first time I heard that rather snarky comment, it came from Brother Mahoney as he handed me my graded sophomore biology final. I got a "C". And, he was right; I...

January machine tool consumption down 24.9 percent. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... January U.S. machine tool consumption totaled $149.70 million, according to AMI - The Association For Manufacturing Technology and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. This total, as reported by companies participating in...

Production, new orders, growing employment, inventories decline. (Industry News).
May 1, 2003... Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew for the fourth consecutive month. The overall economy grew for the 16th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business[R] The...

In-house drill sharpening ends out-of-control costs: for a gear manufacturer, precision hole drilling was a standard operation but produced costs that were "out of control". (Holemaking/Drilling/Boring/Tapping).
May 1, 2003... When it comes to modernization, Dalton Gear (Minneapolis, MN) steps up to the plate without hesitation. Throughout its almost half-century of history, the company has reinvested much of its revenue into high tech gear-making equipment....

Multicyl mini-mandrel. (Spotlight Products).
May 1, 2003... A new range of tools has been developed for punching dimple-free holes in miniature tubing. A "clean" hole is punched by inserting the tube over a mandrel, and is fractured as a guided punch enters into a closely controlled clearance in the die...

Tailstock drill press for lathes. (Spotlight Products).
May 1, 2003... Millmate introduces a tailstock drill press for lathes that operates as a drill press on an otherwise cumbersome tailstock. This drill press may be used for one-handed peck drilling and for power tapping of small threads. Also features 3/8"...

Finish boring bars include "Starflex". (Spotlight Products).
May 1, 2003... The micro-adjustable "Starflex" cartridge contains replaceable inserts and is designed to allow manufacture of custom boring tools, and incorporate an adjustable cartridge. This provides a boring tool where a very fine adjustment is essential....

New Uni-Chamdrill uses Chamdrill drilling heads. (Spotlight Products).
May 1, 2003... Iscar Metals, Inc., introduces a new family designated "Uni-Chamdrill" that follows Chamdrill and is produced without a flange. The diameter range of the new line is from 7.5 to 20 mm and has up to 3.5 drilling depth-to-diameter ratio. The...

New line of taps simplifies selection. (Spotlight Products).
May 1, 2003... The new Guhring line of high performance taps simplifies the process of finding and applying the optimum product to perform threading operations in a complete range of workpiece materials. This line of taps offers user models specifically...

Software essential to successful plunge roughing. (Cad/Cam/Shop Control Software).
May 1, 2003... Plunge roughing offers many advantages for heavy material removal jobs; choosing and using the correct software can make the operation all the more efficient and profitable. Plunge roughing, still an unfamiliar machining technique to many...

Open-architecture software CNC control solves five-axes challenge. A builder of custom multi-axes machines discovers the need for controls able to match its creativity. (Cad/Cam/Shop Control Software).
May 1, 2003... Craig Simpson, president and CEO, Rocky Mountain Composites (RMC), wishes he'd discovered OpenCNC[R] software sooner. If he had, he could have saved almost $250,000 on a project that required 5-axis machining. The company had built a 6' x...

New five edge insert. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... Iscar Metals, Inc. has developed a new five cutting edge insert designated Pentacut for multifunction applications including grooving, parting, recessing, and chamfering. Each cutting edge on the pentagonal insert is equipped with a J-type...

Pump/filter unit cleans sumps in-place. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... A new pump/filter unit from Keller Products, Inc. filters sludge and chips from cutting oil or water-base coolant in sumps, without the need to pump out the sumps. The PFA-1002 pump/filter unit contains a rugged, high flow rate diaphragm pump...

Build your own hammers. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... Carr Lane Mfg. Co. introduces custom hammers. These soft-faced mallets can be customized for specific applications by selecting the appropriate hammer inserts. You may choose the same type for each side, or build a multi-purpose hammer with a...

Advanced marking technology. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... Schmidt Marking Systems will exhibit newly developed permanent marking technology at EASTEC 2003. The MicroLase[TM] laser marking system has a unique compact design and diode-pumped Nd: YAG laser combined to create a new method of industrial...

Compact micro-machining center. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... The new micro-machining system from Datron Dynamics Inc. will be on display at EASTEC 2003. This machine is designed for milling and engraving of small parts with intricate tools. This German engineered system is equipped with features...

Complete spectrum of measurement on display. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... At EASTEC 2003 Faro Technologies, Inc. will showcase an industry first: The complete spectrum of measurement. The Faro Gage[TM], Platinum FaroArm[R], and Faro Laser Tracker[R] demonstrate the complete spectrum of measurement needs from...

Bench Marking Presses. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... Numberall Stamp & Tool Co. has upgraded their line of Bench Marking Presses, increasing the trouble free operation of the presses. The cylindrical presses (models 301, 301-A) are available as hand and air powered. Three-ton (models 136,136-A,...

Two mode blast cabinet. (Eastec Products).
May 1, 2003... Guyson Corporation introduces the Model T-40 a rotary tumble-blast system that can also be used as a manual blast cabinet. This system has a 22" diameter by 10" deep rotary basket, and can be used for deburring, deflashing, overall surface...

Stable machines, software team for medical plastics: machining small medical plastics is a niche market. To make it pay-off, stable machine tools and nimble software are essential. (Machining/Turning Centers).
May 1, 2003... ProFab Plastics (Waukesha, WI) specializes in machining small -- 1/8" -- 3" -- plastic parts for medical components. To produce the most demanding parts, the company has selected Mighty Viper VMCs working with Mitsubishi controls, plus...

Metalforming/Bending/Fabricating Buyers Guide.
May 1, 2003... Metalforming/Bending/Fabricating Buyers Guide MAN-Modern Applications News presents its annual Metalforming/Bending/Fabricating Buyers Guide, an alphabetical guide to manufacturers and distributors of metalforming/bending/fabricating...

Machining time cut by 40% on high nickle-based alloys: planning, cooperation, and ingenuity combine for profitability at EDM specialty shop. (EDM/Plasma).
May 1, 2003... At Integrity EDM (Tipton, IN) there's proof you can still do one thing, do it better than anyone else, and prosper in the process. This contract electrical discharge machining shop produces extremely high accuracy components, made mostly...

Waterjet abrasive recycling can slash operating costs. (EDM/Plasma/Waterjet).
May 1, 2003... Richard Ward, owner of Wardjet, Inc. (Kent, OH) a full-service waterjet shop, realized the costs of acquiring and disposing of the abrasives for his shop's equipment was a major cost to his business. Abrasives in the waterjet process are...

With high-speed control, compact VMC hits the mark. (CNC/DRO/Machine Controls).
May 1, 2003... To meet the market need for an affordably priced, flexible VMC (Vertical Machining Center) among the smaller shops doing high-volume production work, Chevalier (Santa Fe Springs, CA) introduced its 1418 VMC with a compact control to match its...

High speed PCD tools. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Komet of America introduced two new PCD tools designed for high-speed cutting in aluminum, magnesium, and reinforced plastics. They are a new PCD tipped center cutting endmill and a new PCD tipped straight flute "Drilicut 24" drill. These tools...

Tramp oil separator with bag filter. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... The new model #365 pump/separator unit from Keller Products, Inc. removes both tramp oil and chips from coolant in up to 10 machine tool sumps, sump sizes as large as 400 gallons, to eliminate the source of shop odor and extend the life of...

AC/DC TIG inverter. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... For contractors and fabricators that need to TIG weld both steel and aluminum in the field and other hard-to-reach places, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. has introduced the Dynasty[R] 200, an AC/DC TIG/Stick inverter that weighs 47 lb. It has a...

3-axis multi-surface solids machining. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Introduced with Mastercam[R] Version 9, several of their advanced 3-axis, multi-surface/solids machining functions significantly enhance capabilities in precision control and cutting turnaround. The 3-axis functions bring a new level of...

New vertical fan. (New Products).
May 1, 2003... Developed for large warehouses or industrial buildings where fans cannot be installed on the ceilings, this 8' enclosed vertical fan provides a comfortable environment for workers. When a movable fan is needed as a way to specifically cool...

Machine tool remanufacture: A case history. (Ron Loeffler on the Three "R'S").
May 1, 2003... [Our thanks to Don Kissling and Mark Kritz of Parker-Hannifin for their contributions to this article.] Last month, we introduced Parker Hannifin's cutting-edge screw machine remanufacturing project. This month, we'll take a closer look at...