Industry News

For most manufacturers, the productivity of their CNC equipment can be measured in fractions of seconds when it comes to things like cutting or grinding cycle times and the intervals between tool changes. The performance of the spindle—the workhorse of the CNC machine—has a dramatic impact on that productivity.

The 2016 World Cutting Tool Conference offered informative, entertaining speakers and social events that provided ample opportunities to meet with and learn from colleagues from around the world.

Methods Machine Tools Inc., Sudbury, Mass., recently announced the appointment of Jerry Rex as Chief Operating Officer of all Methods Machine Tools operations, effective May 3. Rex, a manufacturing industry veteran with more than 25 years of management experience, complements Methods’ strategic plans for future growth, according to a Methods Machine Tools news release.

Cheryl Bush, Director of Global Strategic Pricing at Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, Penn., recently received honors at the 4th Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Awards, which is presented by The Manufacturing Institute.

The AMT Board of Directors, which represents the American manufacturing technology industry, recently named Richard L. Simons, President and CEO of Hardinge Inc., Elmira, N.Y., to serve as its Chairman.

Mahr Federal, Providence, R.I., recently named Stuart Manser Director of Sales, Precision Gages for North America. , Manser will be responsible for planning and directing the sales team for the Precision Gage product line, including defining sales territory and hiring sales staff.

American National Carbide (ANC), which manufactures tungsten carbide products for the metalworking, agricultural, and energy industries, recently announced a major reorganization, according to a news release issued by the Tomball, Texas-based company. Newly appointed CEO D. Greg Stroud has named new vice presidents to lead the four major areas of the company.

Dorner Holding Corp., the parent company of Dorner Mfg. Corp., Hartland, Wis., on May 12 announced the acquisition of Jülich, Germany-based Geppert-Band, a leading European manufacturer of belt and modular belt conveyors. 

David Harroun, recently named Sales Manager of Koepfer America, South Elgin, Ill., is tasked with strengthening the company’s sales efforts of all gear manufacturing products, comprising hobbing machines, shaping machines, worm milling machines, hard finishing tools, and cutting tools. With the addition of Harroun, Koepfer expects to provide more focused technical sales support for North American manufacturers of all types and sizes of gears, according to a recent company news release.

Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., recently added two industry experts to its Sales and Product Specialist Teams. With more than 50 years of combined experience in the CNC machine tool industry, Brian Sides and Tom O'Toole will be responsible for supporting regional sales teams and Okuma distribution partners.

March billings among 40 U.S. cutting tool companies increased 5.7 percent over February and 15.4 percent over January, according to a recent report from the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI), which surveys U.S. cutting tool companies each month for USCTI's Current Business Report. Total billings in March reached nearly $166 million, compared to nearly $157 million in February and nearly $144 million in January.

GF Machining Solutions, , will purchase micromanufacturing machine builder Microlution Inc., Chicago, according to a comany news release issued May 11. Described as a specialist of micro-machining based on milling and laser technologies, Microlution was founded in 2005 and reportedly generated $10 million in 2015 with a workforce of 30 employees.

IBAG, which offers a broad line of machine tool spindles, has launched a new website at www.ibagnorthamerica.com featuring content-rich product coverage about high-speed spindles.

Abtex Corp., Dresden, N.Y., recently hired Christian Donovan as Operations Manager in response to "dramatic growth in all lines of business," according to an April 29 company news release.

Jana Davis steps into a new role as Chief Operating Officer at Bunting Magnetics Co. effective May 30. Davis, who joined the company in 2011 as Chief Financial Officer, will oversee day-to-day business operations at the company's Newton, Kan., location, as well as at its Magnet Materials Division in Elk Grove Village, Ill., Bunting Magnetics Europe in Berkhamsted, U.K., and Magnet Applications Inc. in DuBois, Penn.

NanoMech announced that it has secured $10 million in capital for leading its Series C Financing round from Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV), the corporate venturing subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s national oil company. This capital infusion and new global customer relationship with the largest producer of oil in the world will significantly accelerate NanoMech’s manufacturing of the most advanced nanoengineered and nanomanufactured lubricants, coatings and specialty chemicals, addressing major industries such as energy, transportation, aerospace, manufacturing, automotive, racing, agricultural equipment and military.

The Berghoff Group, a German manufacturer, recently announced plans to open its first U.S. plant, which will be located in Auburn, Ala. The company reportedly will invest $30 million to open the manufacturing facility, which is expected to create 100 precision-machining jobs over the next 5 years, according to a news release from the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Once word got out that PTooling, a self-described small, family-owned machine shop in Amherstburg, Canada, had added a Lasertec 65 3D laser deposition welding and milling machine to its arsenal, major aerospace manufacturers began knocking on its door. 

Standing in front of a ma-chining center, waiting for the drilling cycle to end so you can squirt some tapping compound into the holes is a big waste of time. But with challenging materials, such as Hastelloy or Inconel, it’s the only way to avoid a broken tap. Or is it?

Doug Wetzel, managing director at contract manufacturer Protomatic, Dexter, Mich., is finding business to be slower than he wishes. Like many other U.S. job shops, the 45-year-old company is experiencing a slowdown caused by tumbling oil prices and worldwide political and economic uncertainty. The difference is Wetzel isn’t too worried. His advice to fellow manufacturers is to not let market uncertainty paralyze them from seeing a slowdown’s silver lining— namely, time to prepare for the inevitable upturn.