Industry News

The Industrial Diamond Association of America will hold its annual Intertech conference May 19-20 at the Marriot Downtown in Indianapolis.

Mikron Corp. Monroe, based in Monroe, Conn., has added a new product family to its line of cutting tools. Tapping and threading tools from the DC Swiss company are now available directly from inventory at Mikron Corp. DC Swiss has been selected due to its specialized knowledge and decades-long experience in threading technology, according to Mikron.  

Machine tool builder Okuma America Corp. hosted more than 500 customers, partners and distributors at its 2014 Technology Showcase event December 9-10 at its Charlotte, N.C., headquarters. The event featured learning opportunities for attendees, including hands-on demonstrations, a facility tour highlighting titanium machining at the new Aerospace Center for Excellence, and a look at Okuma's electrical and mechanical repair operations. 

Miyachi America Corp., Monrovia, Calif., a manufacturer of welding, marking, cutting and micromachining equipment, donated an LMF2000 fiber laser marker along with related safety equipment to Workshops for Warriors (WFW), a nonprofit organization that provides vocational training to returning, wounded and disabled veterans of the U.S. Armed Services. Technimark, one of Miyachi's suppliers, donated a fume extractor for the equipment, and Directed Light, Inc. donated laser safety glasses. 

Industrial surplus reseller Industrial Surplus Solutions Inc., St. Charles, Ill., has launched www.toolingmarketplace.com, an online resource for buying and selling surplus cutting tools. 

Measurement and control manufacturer Marposs S.p.A., Bologna, Italy, has acquired FL Tool Holders LLC of Livonia, Mich., a manufacturer of tooling and gaging products for the automotive, aerospace, marine and off-road manufacturing industries.

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.

OSG Tap & Die Inc., Glendale Heights, Ill., will open a new regional service center in Forest Park, Ga., on Dec. 1. The 21,198-sq.-ft. facility will stock a complete line of OSG cutting tools including taps, end mills, drills and indexables, as well as other products including thread gages and toolholders. OSG expects to create at least 10 new warehouse and customer service positions with this expansion. 

Industrial metals distributor T&C Metals, Jacksonville, Fla., hosted its first Veterans Day celebration Nov. 11. Three associates and 10 customers were honored with a certificate of recognition for their service, and attendees were treated to food, music from a local radio station, and a raffle to benefit the Coast Guard Foundation. Raffle prizes were donated by T&C Metals' customers. T&C Metals plans to expand its Veterans Day celebration in the future so that more veterans can be honored for their service, according to Justin Wood, who handles outside sales for the aluminum and stainless products distributor.

OSG Tap & Die Inc., Glendale Heights, Ill., will donate over $85,000 in new tooling to the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Joliet Junior College and the College of Lake County in Grayslake to support the schools' manufacturing technology programs. As part of this effort, Mike Grzybowski, OSG regional manager, delivered over $30,000 worth of tooling to the Manufacturing and Machining of the Business and Technology Division of the College of DuPage. Included with the tooling donation was other OSG training aids including wall and pocket decimal charts, catalogs and safety glasses.

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. 

MSC Industrial Supply Co., Melville, N.Y., has received ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2008 certification for its largest customer fulfillment centers (CFC) in the U.S. According to the company, this achievement demonstrates MSC's commitment to high-quality standards, continual improvement and customer satisfaction.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), a governing body for education and training in manufacturing, launched a new website designed for employers seeking to fill open jobs and build a network of competitive talent. Nimsready.org provides information, tools and how-to guides to help employers learn about and implement industry-recognized credentials at their companies, according to NIMS.

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.

Machine vises from San Diego manufacturer 5th Axis Workholding will be featured on the popular Science Channel USA show, "How It's Made," on Nov. 21, 2014 at 9 p.m. (Eastern time). The program explores how many of the everyday objects or products we seldom stop to think about are made. 

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.

On Oct. 16, Sandvik Coromant Co. celebrated the opening of a Productivity Center in its new U.S. headquarters in Fair Lawn, N.J. The company held a grand opening ceremony for the headquarters on July 1. The combined $26 million, 100,000-sq.-ft. facility includes office space, meeting facilities, the Productivity Center and an aerospace-focused Engineering Competence Center for customer training, engineering and process development.  

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.

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.

Kyocera Precision Tools Inc., Hendersonville, N.C., launched its newly revitalized website, KyoceraPrecisionTools.com, which unifies Kyocera's North American cutting tool presence in one virtual location. This enhances customer service and improves efficiency, according to the company, as customers can now visit one website to view the company's entire product offering, including information on standard and specialty products, technical information and sales promotions.