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September, 2004
Editorial
Think U.S. manufacturing is dead? Think again
Over the years, I've attended more International Manufacturing Technology Shows (IMTS) than I care to admit. As an editor, the first IMTS I visited was in 1996. But as an engineer and manufacturer, I...
Features
2 For The Road
Special CBN wheels and high-speed grinders prove the perfect match for auto-parts production.
Engine Plant Revs Up Production
Ford Motor's flexible-manufacturing strategy pays off for its newly reopened Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.
Tech Trends
Detecting small-drill distress
Conventional acoustical sensors for detecting and monitoring small-tool wear and breakage are limited by their sensitivity and ability to overcome background, no-load noise. For example, drills of...
Everything for M2M in one package
Nvio from Opto 22, Temecula, Calif., provides all required machine-to-machine (M2M) system components — sensor interfaces, wired or wireless communications, and a software portal application...
HMC operators can forget about coupling to rotary tables
The Autocoupler, from Technitron, Cincinnati, provides unmanned cable connection of rotary tables in pallet pools, which boosts productivity and efficiency while reducing downtime and costs.
Software for sharing design data
Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, Calif., announces the release of Autodesk Inventor Series 9 3D-mechanical-design software.
Students turn SUV into fuel-efficient, clean award winner
The challenge of FutureTruck was to re-engineer a Ford Explorer to achieve at least 25% higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions without sacrificing performance, utility, safety, and affordability....
Cutting Tool Digest
New division for fabricator
Elgin Fabrication Machinery is a new division of FMI, one of the Formtek Group of companies. Elgin imports press brakes and shears from Formtek's partner in China, and the FMI facility in South...
Small-hole thread mills
Single Profile Thread Mills (SPTM) thread small holes with coarse threads in tough materials — a common mold and valve-industry problem. The tools have a solid-carbide-micrograin substrate with...
Government Matters
Can we solve the visa mess?
President Bush seems to have achieved his objective of closing the borders to potential terrorists. Unfortunately, in the process, the bureaucracy charged with this task has also succeeded in...
Machine of the Month
Two machines, one automated system
Two compact machines, designed in a mirror image of each other, hard-finish automotive transmission gears. Developed by the KAPP Group, one machine grinds, while the other handles the Coroning, which...
Bits & Bytes
CAM goes turbo
IMSI has released Version 2.5 of its 2 1 /2D milling and turning CAM product called TurboCADCAM. With updated integration into the latest release of TurboCAD Professional Version 10.1, TurboCADCAM...
Process-flow simulation and analysis
Delmia's Quest Advanced extends the power of Quest's discrete-event-simulation capability by reportedly providing an intelligent, efficient, and automatic design-of-experiment process. Like Quest, it...
Program puts shops on schedule
JobPack centralizes scheduling and production management for multiple machines at a single location. The Windows-based program is said to increase machine and operator productivity up to 35% by...
Software eases complex-part designing
UGS has launched Version 16 of Solid Edge, a 3D CAD system for the product-lifecycle-management market. The new version is said to make designing complex products easy.
Software makes for complete product development
Fagmol, a mold-tool manufacturer for the toy industry of Sao Paulo, Brazil, relies on advanced CNC machinery, intensive staff training, and state-ofthe-art software to offer complete...
Law and Liability
Fall at work leads to workers'-comp benefits
John M. Hodges worked in the maintenance shop at the Equity Group, a North Carolina company, fixing machine guards. On April 16, 2001, Hodges decided to install a guard he had prepared on a machine...
Suicide not employer's fault
In 1988, Santo J. Alba was hired by Raytheon Co. as a sheetmetal foreman in its Bedford, Mass., plant. Over the years, his responsibilities increased, requiring him to work longer hours. In March...
Union not responsible for harassment
Local Union 5724 of the United Steelworkers of America represents the production and maintenance employees of Ormet Primary Aluminum Corp., an aluminum smelter in Monroe
Casebooks
Controller retrofit boosts mold-machine productivity
Grandville, Mich.-based JVH Engineering, a company that retrofits injectionmolding machines, was met with the challenge of improving a major automotive supplier's 1986 700-ton injectionmolding...
ERP system cuts wire-production time
Using a 15-yr-old home-grown legacy system, Fort Wayne Metals, Fort Wayne, Ind., a maker of precision fine wire for medical products, was experiencing issues in its management of complex production...
Thread form tightens truck manufacturing
Domestic and international diesel-powered-vehicle manufacturers such as Mack Trucks Inc. in Allentown, Pa., Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar, Shanghai Diesel Engine in China, and International Truck...
Transporter removes scrap problem
Grinding castings for agricultural and construction equipment at the Case IH Foundry plant (CIHFP) in Racine, Wis., creates gray-iron waste fragments that must be collected and removed from machining...
Vacuum gets a grip on lifting
Aidco International, Adrian, Mich., manufactures conventional palletizing equipment and is a Kuka robot-system partner integrator that designs and makes mechanical and vacuum end-of-arm tools (EOAT)...
Valve maker relies on CNC
As a Tier Two vendor in off-highway equipment and producer of hydraulic-valve spools, Trotter Machine Inc. of Rockford, Ill., often runs hard chrome-plated steel through its facility, consistently...
Wire-mesh belt cleans up big
Astec Underground, Loudon, Tenn., builds Case and Trencor-brand trencher machines. When the company purchased a former John Deere plant for a new manufacturing facility, it sought a machine that...
New Equipment
Chucking machine with large work area
With a compact exterior, the Index V160C chucking machine offers a large work area accessible from two sides. This allows integration of internal or external-grinding spindles, multispindle drill...
Deep-marking unit
The SV312 deep-scribing unit is well-suited for marking various metallic parts such as VIN marking, shock towers, and engine blocks on assembly and automatic production lines. With a tool balancer,...
Dressing tools for Neptune wheels
Norton X-10 series of dressing tools feature specially selected diamonds for dressing Neptune disc grinding wheels. X-10-20, 30, and 35 tools incorporate three layers of multiset diamonds interlocked...
High-temperature caster wheels
Reportedly, ThermoTech caster wheels handle 475° F in continuous operation and up to 525° F in intermittent. Their rubber treads let them roll quietly and are unaffected by various...
Horizontal machining center
The NH6300 DCG horizontal machining center works with a 50-taper spindle that operates up to 10,000 rpm. Rapid-traverse rate is 1,969 ipm with acceleration of 0.53 G on the X, 0.71 G on the Y, and...
Hydraulic-drive replacement
UltraThrust ground ballscrews are for large transfer-line modules or replacing hydraulic drives in injection-mold machines. Using 0.59-in.-diameter load-carrying balls, UltraThrust ballscrews...
Linear guides for confined spaces
AMSA Generation 3-A and 4-A linear guides work in restricted settings. Resolution of the magnetic, integrated encoder on Schneeberger guides is as fine as 0.06 µ with interpolation. The AMSA 3-A...
Machine mounts
M-Series machine mounts, for equipment that does not require floor fastening, tackle 100 to 12,000-lb loads of automatic lathes, grinders, and drilling/milling machines. They include mechanically...
Machine ways for rigidity
Based on the VM30 machining center, the VM30XP uses roller-type linear ways that reportedly provide 44% more rigidity than other commonly used ball-type ways. The machine features a 50-taper,...
Modular overhead lift
SnapTrac is a modular, overhead, lift kit that assembles into various configurations. Depending on requirements, SnapTrac users can add length or width using a universal bolt pattern. For example, a...
Neodymium magnets
For linear actuators, sensing applications, flow meters, and recording devices, neodymium magnets are nickel-plated to protect the brittle magnet material and prevent corrosion. Besides their high...
Pulsed MIG power
Millermatic 350 MIG and 350P pulsed-MIG power sources offer 208/230 or 460/575-V single and three-phase input power, a duty-cycle rating of 60% at 300 amp/32 V, a 25 to 400-amp output, and...
Roller bearings reduce friction
For high-speed machining centers and milling spindles, the KTNHA/HC5-SP are single-row, silicon-nitride, cylindrical-equipped roller bearings. According to the manufacturer, the bearings' centrifugal...
Rotary-screw compressors
The 20, 25, and 30-hp AS rotary-screw compressors feature the manufacturer's Sigma Profile air end and deliver 59 to 124 cfm along with pressures from 80 to 217 psig. The compressors' split cooling...
Self-loading lathe
Featuring a fixed turret and traveling spindle, the HS-01 lathe self-loads directly to its spindle in 2.5 to 4 sec. The machine has a 6-in. chuck, an A2-5 nose, and a 10-hp spindle with a maximum...
Spindles tackle mold milling
Type SC 55104 3.94-in.-diameter spindles tackle accurate mold milling with high metal removal. They use HSK-32 tapers and work up to 40,000 rpm with permanent-grease bearings. The manufacturer...
Universal center lathe
The Masturn 54 universal center lathe, with Heidenhain Manual Plus 4110 CNC and live tooling, works well for small and medium-lot production. It excels in turning superficial, face, and inside...
Practical Ideas
Rolling to center
I center workpieces in a lathe using a device made from an old roller bearing pressed on the end of a shaft. I attach the shaft to the machine's turret tool post and lightly clamp the workpiece in a...
Retrospective
Century-old confusion
Fortunately, today's tradeshows don't tend to attract audiences beyond the machinist world. In the September 22, 1904, issue, a reader recounted his recent visit to the St. Louis World's Fair. He...
