Modern Applications News

Browse past and current articles from this publication.

'Future shock?' We ain't got no steenking future shock: we've come a long way in almost 40 years. Not only do we expect change,
Back in the 1970s, Alvin Toffler, a futurist--whatever that is--wrote a book entitled Future Shock. It was about how change, both technologically and culturally, was happening so fast that people we . . .

It's not a tangled web: establishing a shop's basic presence on the web is easy and can help grow a unique business identity.(BU
Manufacturing has seen remarkable advances in how products and goods are manufactured, especially since the introduction of the personal computer. It has fueled obvious advancements such as CAD and . . .

Probing the unknown: use of a measuring probe and CNC measuring cycles can make life much easier than finding the zero point man
In CNC production, it is common to measure tools and workpieces by hand on the machine. The zero point is determined by scratching, and the values are entered into the CNC system. This method is pro . . .

Formulating success--part III: dealing with offshore competition, and winning, means examining what a company does best and then
The prices quoted by offshore sources look so attractive that many manufacturers believe there is no way to compete by remaining in the U.S. Here is part three of an example of a company--Baldor Ele . . .

Industrial distribution market weak, but may be stabilizing.(Industry News)
A survey of industrial distributors shows weak markets, but also a possible stabilization in the industrial sector based upon an uptick during the January-February time frame, according to Longbow R . . .

Gibbs and Associates celebrates quarter-century mark.(Industry News)
Gibbs and Associates, Moorpark, CA, celebrated the 25th year of its founding. The company is the developer of GibbsCAM software for programming CNC machine tools. The company began in 1984 and merge . . .

Employment Trend Index drops.(Industry News)
The Conference Board Employment Trends Index--ETI--fell in March. The index now stands at 90.1, decreasing 2.3 percent from the February revised figure of 92.2, and down 22.1 percent from a year ago . . .

Delcam had record year in 2008.(Industry News)
Delcam announced it achieved record sales for calendar year 2008. Sales grew to $48.4 million, an increase of 11 percent more than the $43.7 million recorded in 2007. Pre-tax profit rose to $3.32 mi . . .

Behringer Saw marks 20th anniversary.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
Boosted by record sales levels in 2008, Behringer Saws, Morgantown, PA, celebrated its 20th year of North American operations. Behringer supplies automatic bandsawing, marking, punching, drilling, s . . .

Some markets healthy despite recession.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
Despite the recession, U.S. businesses see opportunities in new markets, green initiatives, and sectors such as biotech, energy, and aerospace and defense. According to a survey, by GlobalSpec--www. . . .

Manufacturing technology takes big dip in new year.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
January U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $94.95 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association--AMTDA--and The Association For Manufacturing Technology--A . . .

The old resenter.(The Bull of the Woods)(Cartoon)
I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD PUT IN ANY MODERN MACHINES TILL THEY GET RID OF ALL THE OLD ONES! OL' DODE IS KILLIN' HIMSELF TRYIN' TO PROVE TH' NEW IS NO BETTER THAN THE OLD! WELL, THEY KNOW WHO TO PU . . .

Haas Scholarship fund kicks in $200k for education.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
The Gene Haas Foundation, Dearborn, MI, provided a $200,000 grant to the SME Education Foundation to help qualified students interested in machine operation and maintenance coursework take advantage . . .

Grinding firm marks half-century mark.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
Unison Corp., Ferndale, MI, celebrates 50 years in business since its founding in 1959. The company develops and manufactures both manual and CNC grinding machines. . . .

Hardinge gets 10 megabuck loan.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
Hardinge Inc., Elmira, NY, announced on March 16, that it entered into a financing arrangement with Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company--M&T. Under the agreement, M&T provided Hardinge with a $1 . . .

NASA picks "retro" heat shield material.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
NASA has chosen the material for a heat shield that will protect a next generation of space explorers when they return from the moon. After extensive study, NASA has selected the Avcoat ablator syst . . .

The need for speed: graphite molds answered the need to get a housing to market quickly and inexpensively.(MATERIALS)
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Thinking outside of the box," has become a cliche, but for the Siemens Energy and Automation plant in Nashua, NH, it was a literal requirement. The box in question was the . . .

In a tight fix: the advantages of modular fixturing for welding offer shops hidden advantages.(WORKHOLDING)
Framing squares, chalk, tape measures, levels, piano wire, and a stout hammer are the basic tools for an experienced welder. The good welders have amassed a collection of special tools gathered over . . .

Reducing hub hubbub: a deburring solution for 80-lb hubs of earth-movers shaved 20 minutes off of each part's production.(DEBURR
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Skyway Precision, a CNC machining operation, was a shop experienced in producing automotive components, but when faced with a job machining hubs for earth-moving machines it . . .

Splitting airs: with the addition of a waterjet, a shop expanded its business into NASCAR aerodynamic components, and it ended w
Versatility is a necessity for success. For ITEN Industries, versatility meant looking beyond normal machine tools to solve a problem it faced dealing with a new material. Founded in 1922, ITEN, b . . .

Blowups happen--but not anymore: when a hot problem on a machine resulted in a drill "blow-up," a shop found a cool solution.(DR
Kennebec Tool & Die, Augusta, ME, follows two traditions: delivery of quality work on-time, and a solid Maine work ethic coupled with Yankee ingenuity. The first tradition takes attention to detai . . .

Half-off sale: a shop specializing in aviation components reduced production cycle time by up to 50 percent by incorporating the
A top-tier supplier to Sikorsky Aircraft, Boeing, and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is using on-machine probing capabilities, aided by Renishaw's Productivity+ software, to reduce production . . .

Quick-change artist.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
Offered with a 27mm 5C collet-ready spindle or a 42mm 16C collet-ready spindle, the Quest CHNC turning center machine is designed for quick job changeover for the requirements of the medical, aerosp . . .

Stable, mate.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The SS-30 Turning Center was designed to be rigid, accurate, and stable. All castings were optimized using finite element analysis. The spindle head features a symmetric design for thermal stability . . .

Eminently logical.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The SINUMERIK 802D is an operator panel-based control system that combines the numerical control, the programmable logic controller, and the human machine interface in a single unit. It is designed . . .

Holding power.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
A variety of new toggle clamps with safety locks are available in five sizes, with holding capacities from 360 to 7,500 lb, with a threaded U-bolt for adjustability and a matching latch plate. Verti . . .

Ball Nose End Mills.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
Conical Ball Nose End Mills are designed for the machining of specific components in several key manufacturing segments including automotive, aerospace, energy, and HVAC. The end mills are conically . . .

Inspector gadget.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The Galileo KineMic is an entry level modular video-based inspection system suited for quality assurance, receiving inspection, training, manufacturing, assembly, research, documentation, and other . . .

Big bed.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The M20 Combination Lathe features a 15 hp spindle motor, a 20.4" swing over the bed, and a 10.25" swing over cross slide. Bed lengths of 60" and 80" are available, as are spindles with 2.56" or 3.1 . . .

5-axis enhancement.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The 5-axis module of GibbsCAM 2009 will be on display. The latest enhancements accommodate 5-axis machining to reduce setups for manufacturers whose jobs require strictly 5-axis machining because of . . .

For everything turn, turn, turn.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The C100 series of production turn-mill centers can come with an optional Fanuc 31i CNC. With three 14-position tool turrets and identical main and counterspindles, the machine is designed for produ . . .

Tiny footprint.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The INTEGREX i-150, is a multi-tasking center that is designed with a footprint of 58 [ft.sup.2], and features a front-mounted 36-tool changer and a single, horizontal, main spindle with 15 hp and 5 . . .

Jet-age waterjet.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The 60120 JetMachining Center is a recent addition to the company's line of abrasive waterjet systems. It is a large-format machine for cutting large or multiple parts from stock up to 5'x10'. The s . . .

Gaining the Mida touch.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The Mida Laser 75P is a non-contact programmable tool setting system that incorporates a patented protection system with air tunnel effect and an integrated microprocessor. The programmable feature . . .

Chilling out with an EDM.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The iMed wire EDM machine is configured for continuous-duty production of parts such as aerospace components, medical instruments, and implants. It is suited for the production of surgical instrumen . . .

Planetary explorer.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The Tri-Ten planetary head deburring system has been expanded to include a return-to-operator configuration. It is designed to deburr both sides of a part in a single pass, and for applications requ . . .

This insert is a CINCH.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The CINCH carbide insert chamfering tool uses a square ANSI-standard insert and is available in 60[degrees], 82[degrees], 90[degrees] and 120[degrees] included angles. The design lets users chamfer . . .

Clean faces.(EASTEC SHOW PREVIEW)
The Burraway and Burr-Off mechanical hole-deburring tools, for controlled edge break or burr removal on both sides of holes in one pass will be on display along with Shefcut precision reaming and bo . . .

Stamp of approval: the Swiss are known for their precision, so a shop located on Lake Constance in the German, Austrian, and Swi
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Krayer GmbH specializes in the production of 3D formed and stamped parts. Located on Lake Constance near the Alpine rim of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the company dat . . .

Big-time accuracy checking.(SPOTLIGHT: MEASUREMENT)
The WGT series of Gear Checkers is capable of inspecting bearings and ring gears up to 19.68' in diameter. In the dual-arm machine design, the CMM measuring arms are each mounted to a table that is . . .

Wireless inspection arm.(SPOTLIGHT: MEASUREMENT)
The Quantum FaroArm is available in 6', 8', 10', and 12' lengths. Each achieves up to 30-percent higher accuracy compared to the Platinum FaroArm series. The additional sizes, combined with precisio . . .

A touching moment.(SPOTLIGHT: MEASUREMENT)
A hard-wired, touch probing system lets sliding-head CNC lathe users measure turned and milled features of each component after machining, while it is still in the counter spindle and before ejectio . . .

Optical transmission means no cables.(SPOTLIGHT: MEASUREMENT)
The Twin Probe System combines part setup and measurement with tool setting and broken tool detection. It uses the same optical receiver to process signals from a spindle-mounted OMP40-2 inspection . . .

Laser scanning arm.(SPOTLIGHT: MEASUREMENT)
The RCA is a robot CMM arm designed for laser scanning inspection. It offers the automation capability of a traditional CMM and the mobility and part accessibility of an articulated arm. It combines . . .

Table manners.(New Products)
The TR160Y is a compact dual-axis trunnion rotary table designed to mount in the Y direction--front to back on the table--of a mid-size VMC. At less than 25" wide and only 19" deep, the TR160Y fits . . .

The mark of quality.(New Products)
The TruMark 3010 marking laser is a diode-pumped solid state laser with a wavelength of 1,064nm for marking metals and plastics. Using a menu navigation interface, users select materials and the des . . .

A body of steel.(New Products)
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ken TIP modular drill system features a number of solid-steel bodies--3xD, 5xD, and 8xD, among others--that can stay in a machine or holder while the replaceable drill p . . .

Solder city.(New Products)
The 03.1 Reballing/Prebumping Station is a solution for contractors and OEMs seeking faster turnaround and a less costly alternative than reliance on third parties to BGA and CSP reballing and solde . . .

Mirror, mirror.(New Products)
The Bylaser 6000 Watt 6kW resonator incorporates advanced mirror detection systems; End Mirror Sensor, and Output Coupler Sensor. These features monitor the conditions of the two most important mirr . . .

Ratcheting-up the capabilities.(New Products)
The self-adjusting ratcheting pipe wrenches added to the Proto tool lineup has no nut; instead, it has a spring-loaded hook jaw that adjusts its opening to the work size and tightens as the user bea . . .