Internet Connections

May 22, 2008
American Machinist launches Internet video sites for machining American Machinist will launch two new websites June 1 that will bring the immediacy of the Internet video experience to machining and manufacturing. www.MachineToolTheater.com ...

American Machinist launches Internet video sites for machining

American Machinist will launch two new websites June 1 that will bring the immediacy of the Internet video experience to machining and manufacturing.

www.MachineToolTheater.com and www.CuttingToolTheater.com are designed as focused websites to provide — free of charge to anyone — informative, educational and fun videos on all aspects of machining and cutting tools.

MachineToolTheater.com focuses on machine tools and their operations. Educational videos that show how to operate, set-up or provide maintenance to a machine, commercial videos that machine tool manufacturers provide to demonstrate the capabilities of their machinery and videos that show the capabilities of machine shops and manufacturing operations all will be featured on the site.

Similarly, videos that show automation equipment, shop operations, or other processes associated with running a successful machine shop are welcomed and will be featured on the site.

CuttingToolTheater.com provides similar resources for videos that focus on tooling and workholding and fixturing products.

In addition, videos that show creative or unusual uses for machine tools, cutting tools, workholding or fixturing tools, and other shop equipment also will be featured.

The sites will be thoroughly linked, and linked to the American Machinist home page, www.americanmachinist.com, so that web surfers can move from one to the other effortlessly.

The launch of these two new websites follows the launch in April of www.WeldingTheatre.com, a site devoted to the welding industry. That site is operated by American Machinist’s sister publication Welding Magazine.

Complete details on how videos can be posted are available at the websites.

GE Fanuc webcast

American Machinist and GE Fanuc will present on May 21 an hour-long web seminar on issues to consider when retrofitting a machine tool.

Mark Brownhill, CNC Product Manager for GE Fanuc, will talk about how to keep retrofitting costs to a minimum while extending the capabilities of machine tools with the latest controls and software.

The web seminar will be held Wednesday, May 21, at 2 p.m. You can attend it in the comfort of your office. Registration information and details on the webcast are available at www.americanmachinist.com.

If you cannot attend the live webcast, the seminar will be recorded and available at the American Machinist website.

American Machinist launches OEM Newsletter

American Machinist has launched a newsletter to give our readers a focused view of what the largest manufacturers in the United States are doing, and to alert you to programs, projects and issues that you might participate in or need to be aware of for the continued health of your business.

The American Machinist OEM Newsletter assembles the communications issued by OEMs — Original Equipment Manufacturers — sifts through them, and delivers them to your computer so you’ll know what’s happening in your market and in related industries. The newsletter is delivered via email every Tuesday and Thursday.

These communications include news stories, but also encompass media alerts, press releases, webcasts, web seminars, and other forms of electronic communication that OEMS across the nation use to talk about their manufacturing agendas and ventures.

This newsletter is delivered to you free of charge, but you have to sign up for it. To get the American Machinist OEM Newsletter, go to www.americanmachinist.com/ENewsletter/Default.aspx. It’s completely free.

Foreign language websites launched to target new business

Mate Precision Tooling and SPI Lasers have extended their Internet si tes to include pages that are translated into other languages in moves to open new markets and to attract new business for the companies.

Mate Precision Tooling (www.mate.com), a long-time supplier of tooling, support and services for punch presses, expanded its website to include more than 40 pages of product and service information in Spanish (www.mate.com/es) and French (www.mate.com/fr).

The company provides distinct URLs for both the Spanish and the French websites, and direct web surfers to the company’s distributors that speak those languages.

Mate said in a prepared statement that the translated pages reinforce its commitment to worldwide sales and service for its products.

Meanwhile, SPI Lasers, a designer and manufacturer of fiber lasers, launched a new website (www.spilasers.de) for the German speaking market.

The company said new website provides information on its range of lasers, evaluations, datasheets and application notes, and offers web surfers the opportunity to book samples into its applications laboratory and find contacts for sales and customer support, among other features.

SPI Lasers said that the website was developed after it had seen a steep increase in traffic from Germany on its home website (www.spilasers.com), website, and was supplemented by an increase in its sales staff in Germany.

Briefs

Kaman Industrial Technologies re-launches website
Kaman Industrial Technologies, one of North America’s largest distributors of bearings, power transmission, and electrical and motion control products, recently launched its new Internet site, (www.kamandirect.com) with an enhanced search engine to provide faster and easier access to the industrial parts and components it sells.

Mitsubishi redevelops website
MC Machinery Systems also has re-launched its Internet site (www.mitsubishi-world.com) to provide easier navigation and to integrate its multiple product lines, including Wire EDM, Sinker EDM, Laser, Waterjet, Press Brake, High-Speed VMC, EDM Drill, and Consumable Products.

Star CNC launches new content on website
Star CNC Machine Tool Corp. (www.starcnc.com) said it reinforced its internet presence with a completely redesigned, userfriendly company website. The site now includes an enhanced product information request form, spec sheets and photographs of machines, a listing of trade shows at which the company plans to exhibit, and video clips depicting Star CNC machines in action, among other features.

TKF launches comprehensive website
TKF (www.TKF.com) has redesigned and re-launched its website to include new and, comprehensive information on its systems integration capabilities and conveying products.

The company said the site includes details and photographs on TKF’s vertical conveyors, its PosiGrip accumulation conveyor, overhead monorail, roller conveyor and more.

GlobalSpec PartFinder upgrades website
GlobalSpec (www.globalspec.com) said it has upgraded its PartFinderSM Internet site (http://partnumbers.globalspec.com/) that allows engineers and other industrial professionals to search for parts and components using only part numbers.

GlobalSpec said its PartFinder search-bypart- numbers tool is free to GlobalSpec users, and links directly to any page on a distributor’s Web site, including a shopping cart, inventory pages, datasheets, CAD files or a distributor’s contact information page on GlobalSpec.

And distributors can easily update their

AIDA unveils website
AIDA (ww.aidaamerica.com), a mechanical stamping press manufacturer, unveiled a new website that was designed to give stampers a comprehensive resource for metalforming. The company said the site features streamlined navigation to allow visitors to access and look at its diverse product line, and to help stampers understand how advanced press technology can solve difficult problems and increase the efficiency of pressroom operations.

Internet Training

Tooling U adds PLC courses and outreach
Tooling U (www.toolingu.com), a provider of online manufacturing training, has developed training classes to address programmable logic controllers (PLCs), as part of course offerings on electrical systems, motor controls, and mechanical systems for maintenance professionals.

Separately, Tooling U created a new Government and Education Group (GEG) as part of its Business Development Division to serve the growing needs of educational institutions, government entities, and industrial associations involved in workforce development, training and education in the manufacturing sector

Internet training site adds safety courses
Webnettraining (www.webnettraining.com) has increased its course offerings for on-line, OSHA compliant safety and health training programs.

The company now offers 38 courses in English and 18 courses in Spanish in safety and health training over the Internet, and it is planning to add six new courses later this year.

The courses are accessible 24 hours a day from nearly any Internet connection.