Modern Applications News articles from May 2008

Modern Applications News archives from May 2008

Paradigm shift: what does the future hold for metalworking trade shows and magazines?(EDITOR'S CORNER)
May 1, 2008... I just flew in from LA and boy is my sitter tired. My legs, too. I spent two days walking the floor at the WESTEC show. A very productive trip, but it raised some questions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The first is how many shows are too...

Tornos/Tsugami alliance has little impact in U.S.(Industry News)
May 1, 2008... While Tornos S.A., Switzerland, and Tsugami Corp., Tokyo, announced the formation of an alliance in February, Bradley Morris, president of Rem Sales, the exclusive North American importer of Tsugami machine tools, clarified the announcement. He...

Welding equipment and supplies predicted to grow to $13.2 billion by 2008 end.(Industry News)
May 1, 2008... The global market for welding equipment and supplies will be worth $13.2 billion by the end of 2008 according to a report-Welding Equipment And Supplies: The Global Market-from BCC Research. It is expected to increase to $16.8 billion by 2013,...

The Bull of the woods.(Industry News)(Cartoon)
May 1, 2008... Caption: YES SIR-WITH THAT CUT AND THAT SPPED I'LL SAVE ONE HOUR AND SIZ MINUTES ON THAT JOB. I FIGGURED IT UP. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I KNOW-I KNOW BUT. OH HAVE YOU FIGGERED IT TH' WAY I DO? THAT EFFICIENCY GUY IS SAVIN' TH'...

2007 a record sales year for CAD/CAM developer Delcam.(Industry News)
May 1, 2008... CAD/CAM developer Delcam achieved record sales in 2007, continuing the strong increase that has been seen in recent years. Group sales for the year to December 31, 2007 rose by 11 percent to $59.3 million from $53.3 million in 2006. The results...

Las Vegas Machine Tool show to premiere in 2011.(Industry News)
May 1, 2008... The American Machine Tool Distributors' Association and Society of Manufacturing Engineers announced they will collaborate on the Machine Tool Experience-Las Vegas--MTELV--event to be launched in 2011. MTELV-pronounced metal-ev--is an...

CAD growth slows, but remains strong.(Industry News)
May 1, 2008... The CAD industry has undergone a renaissance during the last five years as a result of factors such as hardware advances that put 64-bit, multi-core computers into the mainstream. According to a report by Jon Peddie Research, CAD software...

Conference to examine cutting edge manufacturing innovations.(Industry News)(Conference news)
May 1, 2008... The Society of Manufacturing Engineers announced the Innovations That Could Change The Way You Manufacture initiative. This member-driven initiative outlines emerging technologies with potential positive impact on manufacturing. It also...

What's on the cutting edge of technology.(NexTECH)
May 1, 2008... Robotic Legs Assist Paraplegics An alternative to wheelchairs lets paralyzed people do what was previously considered impossible: stand, walk, and climb stairs. The Re-Walk exoskeleton is a light, wearable brace support suit with DC motors...

Finish pass anxiety: dealing with a tricky alloy and complex cutting takes theories, planning, and educated guesses, then its up to physics.(FROM THE SHOP FLOOR)
May 1, 2008... Frequent readers know that Ansco Machine is a job shop. We're a particular job shop; new stuff comes through the door every day that makes demands on us. The most recent challenge was a piece for a turbocharger. The specs showed it had tight...

The strategy and tactics of hiring; Tips to find the best candidate for the job.(SHOP MANAGEMENT)
May 1, 2008... No matter how diligent the selection process, hiring a new employee is always a crapshoot. Candidates that look good on paper may not work out in the shop, and a person who has an unimpressive personality in an interview may be a whiz at a...

Better management through resource integration; An enterprise resource planning system brought unity, and increased revenue, to a company suffering from data segregation.(SHOP MANAGEMENT)(Company overview)
May 1, 2008... All of the data in the world might be available to a business, but without a system that provides usability, it's just so much noise. Such was the case with ATI Industrial Automation, Apex, NC: it wasn't missing data that was causing a problem,...

Stitch-welding a labor of love; A truck manufacturer updated its welding equipment to continue producing its handcrafted pieces of art.(WELDING)
May 1, 2008... Art and work. It's hard to tell them apart at Rogue Truck Body, Kerby, OR. The products made at the company are considered art, no matter how mundane their use as truck trailers or other products. At Rogue Truck, the team uses the same...

Getting a grip with Workholding components.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Workholding components, clamping hardware, gripping products, and fixturing and material handling equipment will be highlighted as part of the display of more than 20,000 items offered by the company at the show. This includes One-Touch clamp...

CAD/CAM software with automatic evaluation.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Mastercam's Feature Based Machining--FBM--will be unveiled at EASTEC. The FBM automates the machining process, which offers shops speed improvements and programming time reductions. It evaluates part and programs pockets, contours, bosses, and...

Software solutions for job shops.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... ShopMill and ShopTurn software updates are featured at the show. The applications increase productivity with simplicity and speed. With step-by-step, on-screen programming, job shops can respond to customer demands by reducing programming...

No pump required for vacuum pallet changing system.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... The Vac magic is a vacuum pallet changing system that runs off 70 to 80 psi of standard shop air with no vacuum pump required. Custom-ers can run high volume production runs at the same feeds and speeds they normally would. with precise...

Single-spindle and multi-spindle vertical cncs available.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... The SV-1000 vertical CNC honing machine series is engineered to scale up from a single-spindle machine to an automated multi-spindle unit. Designed for part diameters of 3mm to 65mm the machines can size bores to accuracies of 0.25[micro]m. The...

Faster cutting with 87,000 psi.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... HyperPressure waterjet technology, featuring 87,000 psi cutting, is available on the Integrated Flying Bridge and the WMC2 waterjet machines. It enables faster, cost-effective cutting, lower part cost, and higher production. Benefits include...

Thread inspection systems assure conformance.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Portable or Bench External and Internal Thread Inspection Systems incorporate functional and pitch diameter size measurements for UN, Metric, NPT, and all other thread forms. These systems assure dimensional conformance of thread...

Uni-directional repeatability for styli up to 200mm.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The RMP600 touch probe combines accuracy strain-gage sensing and frequency-hopping spread-spectrum radio transmission. The design allows part checking precision on 5-axis machining, contours, deep cavities, and...

Video measurement system suited for many different environments.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... The Galileo AV1824 Video Measurement System has multisensor measuring capabilities including vision, touch probe, and laser scanning. It provides an intermediate travel multi-sensor metrology solution suited for QC labs, research, engineering,...

High-speed spindles for precision cutting.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... A heavy-duty, 40,000-rpm spindle using HSK toolholders is available for high-speed applications, such as engraving and marking in a range of light and heavy metals and plastics. The spindle is used for precise cutting at high speeds up to...

Deep-cutting blade-style tools.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Deepgroove support blade-style tooling accommodates cutting depths to 32mm. Blades are in-face grooving--20mm major diameter and greater--or OD/parting configurations and are compatible with 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm inserts. These tools,...

Ultra-precision part match grinding.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... A process control system for match grinding of ultra-precision parts will be shown. The demonstration of high-precision process control will feature preprocess and in-process gauges that are integrated using a single P7 multi-function...

Bar feeders, chip conveyors, and mist collectors.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Bar feeds, chip conveyors, coolant systems, and other machine tool accessories for lightsout manufacturing and other efficiencies, will be showcased. Featured products include Alpha Series bar feeds starting at $20,300. The model ST 320 feeds...

CAD/CAM software update.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... A new release of GibbsCAM will be previewed at the show. This release introduces enhanced capabilities across the entire GibbsCAM product family, along with a complete range of 3-axis milling functionality, with support for high-speed...

End mills, carbide drills, and more.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... An array of products on display include OTMT T-Shot Blocks, NACHI High Performance Roughing End Mills, TTC Long Length Solid Carbide Drillsl and more.Travers Tool Co., Booth 4328 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Visit www.rsleads.com/805mn-174

Insert cutter rings for Swiss-type machines.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... An expanded line of thread whirling 12 form insert cutter rings for many Swiss-type machines will be at the show. The system delivers faster thread whirling of lone threaded forms, bone screw threasd profiles, and miniature ball screws, as well...

Meeting micro machining applications.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... The Solid Carbide Micro End Mills are designed to meet the requirements of micro machining applications. A geometrically-optimized cutting edge combined with a slim, concave, tapered neck provide flexible milling solutions in materials from...

Thermal contraction gives a tight grip.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Shrink Fit Holders, designed and constructed for optimum accuracy, rigidity, and balance, offer minimal variations of unbalance when changing cutting tools. Used in combination with a Shrink Fit Unit, they heat up to expand the inside diameter...

Brushes offer increase in fatigue resistance and tool life.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... Nylox Composite Metal Hub Wheel Brushes are suited for use with robotic or dedicated equipment. Internal metal components are eliminated through use of polymer technology to retain brush filaments, which creates a densely-packed brush. The...

Machine different lengths without setup.(EASTEC 2008 Preview)
May 1, 2008... The LB3000EX Space Turn CNC Lathe offers 66 option variations. The machine provides multi-tasking capacity for a 2-axis lathe. Built on a box slant bed, it can achieve machining dimensional change over time of less than 5[MU]m. It is equipped...

Five axes, one setup, endless results: the one setup power of a 5-axis machine brought a machine shop into the future.(MACHINING CENTERS)
May 1, 2008... Owens Industries, Oak Creek, WI, specializes in performance machining--delivering high-quality, high-tolerance components to the medical, computer, and telecom industries. As business skyrocketed in the telecom industry, related parts...

'Cutting' air is no way to make a profit; A user-friendly interface helped a mold-maker machine electrodes in about half the time.(CAD/CAM)
May 1, 2008... Producing electrodes for electrical discharge machining--EDM--is challenging because the toughness of the material and the need for a fine finish requires many machining passes. The machine often wastes time cutting air over areas that were...

The right tool for the right job shop; When a shop landed a big customer, it purchased a Swiss turning machine to meet its needs. It fit the bill so well that when demand increased, the shop bought two more.(SWISS TURNING)
May 1, 2008... With nearly 24 years as a metalworker under his belt, Jay Lundberg was ready for his next career challenge: starting his own business. He had such faith in his abilities to find work and perform it, that he leased about 5,000 [ft.sup.2] of...

Heat treating furnaces are economical.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The Red Devil Series is a full line of energy efficient furnaces featuring single and dual chamber models to harden, draw, and heat. They are designed for safe, simple, and dependable operation and are available in chamber sizes from 9"x12"x14"...

Design gives added strength to adjustable ball lock pins.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... Redesigned adjustable ball lock pins have added clamping strength. These locking pins are ideal for pulling two components together or to provide an adjustable grip length. Available in steel or stainless steel, they are manufactured with four...

Steel bar alternative has many uses.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... Dura-Bar XL, round cast bars that are an alternative to steel, are available in extra-large sizes--up to 25" in diameter. This larger product line is available in 65-45-12 ductile and G2 gray iron. It can be used as a replacement for carbon...

Need a TIG torch package? here's a half dozen.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... Six complete TIG torch packages, each of which include all of the components necessary for TIG welding in one package, are available. Four packages are for air-cooled applications ranging from 150 to 200 amps, and the two water-cooled torch...

Silicon beware.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... Tri-Mark Metalloy Vantage and Metalloy Vantage Nil gas-shielded metal-cored wires include technology that reduces silicon island formation and produces weld bead toe lines that are almost completely free of silicon deposits. The Vantage wire is...

Micro-abrasive blaster has improved flow consistency.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The AccuFlo blaster is a micro-abrasive blaster that deburrs, cleans, and textures small parts. It is the first abrasive blaster to be equipped with the Simoom Technology--an innovative system of mixing air and abrasive to improve flow...

Saw blade simplifies cutting steel.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... A line of Cermet-tipped circular blades that come in a variety of models: the CTC-1000, CSM-1000, CSS-1000, and ColdCut-1000. They are high performance saw blades that let most metal--mild steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and other hard...

Heavy metal.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... CNC machining centers have a titanium and nickel alloy airframe. The 4-and 5-axis horizontal machining centers range from 20" to 60" square pallets. All the machines are designed for highest volumetric accuracy and stiffness for precision...

CAD/CAM program for various applications.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... Type3 is a multi-jobs platform for 2D marking and cutting, 2.5D engraving, and 3D relief deep-engraving. It has design tools such as raster-to-vector, dynamic text features, parametric 3D-relief modeler, texturing in 2D and 3D, parallel...

Compact solution for direct part marking.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The Multi 4-50 has a 1.96"x2.36" marking window and is completely electric, requiring no air supply to operate. It features an embedded controller containing user-friendly software, an integral membrane keyboard, and an easy-to-read LCD screen....

Laser marks logos, graphics.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The LMV700 diode pumped Laser Marker is designed for high-quality marking. It is configured with a single expander and a focus lens combination selected to cover most marking applications and two software options that offer basic alphanumeric...

This hold will stick.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The OTT-JAKOB power drawbar for toolholding has power-off clamping, intensified spring force, and a compact design with minimal rotating mass. It has no load on spindle bearings during tool change, and minimal force is required for tool...

Several options available for universal lathe.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The CTX 310 ECO universal lathe offers sophisticated turning operations for bar machining in a diameter range of up to 200mm and chucking components of 51mm. Its spindle drive has adjustable rotational speeds of up to 5,000 rpm, and provides a...

Coolant cleaners notably decrease machine wear.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... Magnetic coolant cleaners provide extraction of ferrous particles for grinding and metal-cutting operations. These powerful ceramic and rare-Earth magnetic coolant cleaners extend life of coolant, cutting tools, grinding wheels, pumps, and...

Precision, accuracy, and stability.(New Products)
May 1, 2008... The Precifix high-precision indexable blade reamer is optimized for use with the Precimaster tool holder system. It features a clamping system design for a stable and accurate repositioning of the cutting head for IT6 tolerance achievement. The...

All is not lost: contrary to what the media says, manufacturing is still alive and well in America.(THE LAST WORD)
May 1, 2008... We have been told by the media for many years now that manufacturing is going away in America. As a large manufacturer, we were beginning to think we were alone. I must have been listening to the naysayers for too long, for it is not so....