1.) Question of the month - can the U.S. keep assembly lines moving??
2.) Selecting the right grinding machine
3.) Hot products
4.) Manufacturing education and training - Training for contractors installing bus networks.

DaimlerChrysler believes its plan to build subcompact cars in China to export and sell in the U.S. should cause little fear or protest from Americans because the car won't replace a vehicle currently being built in the U.S. However, according to Tom Grasson, associate publisher and editorial director, if the company is successful, others will quickly follow suit. Instead, the U.S auto industry should focus on protecting and improving industry competitiveness, also helping to keep U.S. assembly lines moving . Do you agree? Please e-mail Tom your opinion, questions, comments, or suggestions.

Be sure to check out recent issues of AMERICAN MACHINIST magazine. They feature some of the letters we have received in reply to Tom's Question of the Month.

Tips on Selecting
The right GRINDING-MACHINE DESIGN
How do you select a truly productive grinding machine? Most experts agree shops should start first by defining the lifecycle cost expectations for the grinder and then determining if the intended machine meets its criteria. Along with this, the process of machine-design selection involves a number of considerations:

Focus not only on part size, but also part weight when contemplating grinding-machine capacity. Hefty workpieces can cause light-duty workheads to sag.
Look for a machine with enough horsepower to support your application. Selecting one spindle and drive to handle all machine operations may compromise grinder productivity.
Evaluate the machine builder's support capacity.
Look for a machine design best fitting your application. For instance, a modular design lets a builder draw from a pool of proven, reliable modules to configure a grinder for either a dedicated application, or a flexible one for a variety of jobs.
Seek machine designs that combine operations for lean manufacturing. This can give you higher-quality parts and reduce work-in-progress and inventory.
Look for machines featuring total system stiffness. Often, the workpiece or the fixture is the weak link in the system-stiffness chain.
Ensure the machine is accurate. Most CNC grinders now accommodate in-process gaging, special width and outer-diameter-combination gages, and lateral locators. For even more accuracy, look for features such as dynamic wheel balancing, acoustical-vibration detection and compensation, coolant chillers, and special wheelhead or workhead bearing components. Some experts suggest seeking a grinder with interlocking accuracy systems that include linear scales, rotary encoders, million-count servo feedback, and acoustic sensing.
Make sure the system has a properly specified coolant system that delivers adequate coolant to the grinding wheel. Coolant systems with bed wash and filtration enhance grinding accuracy.

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Manufacturing Education and Training
Training for contractors installing bus networks.

TURCK Inc., Minneapolis, now offers a Contractor Certification Program (CCP). The company says the program ensures contractors passing the training and getting the Certificate of Achievement will have the necessary skills to design and install bus network systems, used to support industrial automation. Personnel participating will learn how to correctly connect field devices to ensure maximum operating capabilities and make sure code violations do not occur. TURCK reports it typically performs training at the contractor's site in three to four hours. Click here for a list of certified contractors and CCP guidelines.

Newsletter sponsor
Fanuc Robotics America Inc.
Fanuc Robotics America Inc., Rochester Hills, Mich. has launched an industry initiative urging North American manufacturers to use automation and robotics as an alternative to moving jobs offshore.
Learn how automation can save U.S. jobs.

Coming in July: AMERICAN MACHINIST will focus on machine tools.