Machines/Accessories/Controls

Okuma America Corp. has opened an Aerospace Center of Excellence at its facility in Charlotte, N.C. The center is for aerospace manufacturers to use as a testing and proving ground for advanced CNC machining technology to enhance productivity while solving industry-specific challenges, according to the company.

Weiler Corp, Cresco, Pa., a provider of power brushes, abrasives and maintenance products for surface conditioning, launched a multimillion-dollar initiative to improve customer service and enable future growth, according to the company. The investment includes a new brand identity, facility expansion, increased staffing, a revamped website and new training tools. 

Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., launched a new video series demonstrating CNC machines used in gun part manufacturing, spotlighting high-speed, precision cutting, live tooling, milling and drilling.

GF Machining Solutions LLC, Lincolnshire, Ill., welcomed more than 150 guests, including city and state officials, at the Oct. 9 grand opening of its Irvine, Calif., facility. The event featured a ribbon cutting ceremony, guided tours, product displays, machine demonstrations and presentations. The new facility, which also houses GF Piping Systems, provides support and training for customers in the West and aids collaboration between GF Machining Solutions and local manufacturers on technology development and process improvement.

Toolmaker Mazak Corp., Florence, Ky., will host a free MTConnect lunch-and-learn event for manufacturers on Thurs., Nov. 6, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at its Northeast Technology Center in Windsor Locks, Conn. The presentation will cover how MTConnect, an open-source, royalty-free manufacturing protocol, can improve the utilization of their equipment and boost productivity, according to the company.

Machine tool builder Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., will host its 2014 Technology Showcase event December 9-10, 2014. The theme of this year's event is "Make the Leap" and will include demonstrations of simple technology upgrades that enable users to enhance the productivity of their CNC machines and operators and improve overall profitability, according to the company.

New York equity firm Uni-World Capital LP has acquired CNC machine tool builder Drake Manufacturing Services Co., Warren, Ohio.

To celebrate the opening of its new facility in Irvine, Calif., GF Machining Solutions will hold an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 9-10. During the event, visitors can tour the facility and consult with application and product specialists from the company.

Widia, a Fort Mill, S.C.-based toolmaker, has launched its NOVO desktop and tablet application, which gives users on-demand delivery of cutting tool data and expertise for reduced product development and manufacturing lead times, according to the company. NOVO assists shop personnel in a number of intuitive ways. It can help define machining features and reduce the product set to those that can do the job, taking into account constraint requirements such as material, tolerance and machining sequence for both single tools and multi-tools.

Machine tool builder Romi Machine Tools Ltd., Erlanger, Ky., announced Mike Burchill, president of Marshall Manufacturing, Minneapolis, as the winner of the "It's Time I Had a Romi in my Shop" sweepstakes, conducted at IMTS 2014 in Chicago. Burchill will receive a Romi C 420 CNC lathe, valued at $63,000.