Energy & Power Generation

END USER: Premium Frac Pumps LLC; (682) 647-3300; www.premiumfracpumps.com. CHALLENGE: Increase output of components for hydraulic fracturing pumps. SOLUTION: Automated cell consisting of two CNC lathes and robotic workhandling. SOLUTION PROVIDERS: Gosiger Automation Inc.; (800) 888-4188; www.gosigerautomation.com; and Hartwig Inc.; (972) 790-8200; www.hartwiginc.com

When Seco Tools Inc. moved into its new headquarters in Troy, Mich., in July 2008, the toolmaker not only changed buildings, it also changed its corporate culture. Eighteen months after the facility opened, the company is still finding new uses for the modern, light-filled, 81,000-sq.-ft. building, according to Bob Goulding, manager of component engineered tooling and custom tooling.

Machining components for solar power generation systems can be a renewable source of business.

Machining components for solar power generation systems can be a renewable source of business. Included online is a video report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Part Time column in October 2009 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Manufacturing is an energy-intensive activity. The U.S. government estimates that manufacturing consumes about one-third of the energy used in the country, stated Scott Hibbard, vice president of technology for Bosch Rexroth Corp., Hoffman Estates, Ill., in his paper "Six keys to sustainable manufacturing."

Maximizing productivity and calculating required machining power when facemilling titanium alloys.

Quality Mould Inc., a maker of molds for glass products such as lamps and headlights, thrives by leveraging its skills and using advanced technology.

As wind power makes significant inroads into the energy-generation infrastructure, machining wind turbine parts provides opportunities for diversification and growth.

Presented here is avideo of a SideLok long-edge milling cutter from Valenite LLC, Madison Heights, Mich.,machining Ti6Al4V at a cutting speed of 150 sfm, a feed rate of 4.5 ipm, a WOCof 0.375" and a DOC of 1.5" on a 30-hp HaasV65 CNC mill. The key technology of the SideLok systemis the co-location of the fastening system in the normally unused chip gullet space.

Improvements in inspection equipment and techniques have evolved dramatically over the years.