General Machining & Manufacturing Processes

SMIRT 2020.1 includes user-interface updates, support for importing more CAD formats out-of-the-box, and the availability of interfacing with WORKNC for NC users. The long-standing, intuitive user interface of SMIRT has undergone appearance-enhancing changes, including the addition of icons to the view and command bar buttons, which will be familiar to users of other Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence Production Software products.

Automakers and parts suppliers know that the value of auto parts adds up quickly. They also know that corrosion throws an unwanted obstacle into the process of making parts and safely delivering them to the customer. Employees must do rework. Customers are unhappy. Shipments are returned. In a worst-case scenario, the goods are a total loss. Cortec's VpCI-126 top-quality film and bag technology is a welcome relief to avoiding corrosion problems and preserving value in the auto industry.

The Dormer Pramet parting-off and grooving assortment as grown with the additions of a new insert, two new geometries, a grade, blades and tool holder. The new 0.98" GL double-edged insert is available in a variety of widths from 0.08" to 0.236". Targeting long-grooving applications, GL supports 60% capacity over the existing LCMF16 insert.

Conventional metalworking fluids are effective at providing cooling and lubrication during machining, but they have critics. One is Fusion Coolant Systems Inc., which offers products for supercritical CO2 (scCO2) as an alternative to those fluids.

The Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research and Development (OMIC R&D) welcomed Absolent as its 28th member. Absolent, whose U.S. subsidiary is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a northwest office in Tacoma, Washington, cleans contaminated air at the source in various metalworking processes such as machining, die casting, heat treating, cold heading, textiles, food, and welding that generate smoke, oil mist, oil smoke and dust.

Somma Tool Co. announces its acquisition of the Max-Bar Tool Co. Max-Bar is a leading manufacturer of carbide cutting tools and holders for Swiss-style CNC machines. The Max-Bar product line offers toolholders and carbide inserts in six separate IC sizes to cover all manufacturing applications.

Forkardt Inc., Traverse City, Michigan, announced the acquisition of the intellectual property (IP) Soft-Touch technology assets from General Manufacturing Systems, a supplier of custom workholding products in Saginaw, Michigan. With Soft-Touch, Forkardt strengthens its advanced custom and highly specialized workholding capabilities and IP portfolio for challenging applications in the automotive and aerospace markets, such as the manufacturing of aluminum die cast materials and thin-walled components where part deformation is a concern.

As part of Hexagon's philosophy of supporting data-driven smart factories, the latest release of ALPHACAM CAD/CAM software speeds up how jobs that require several processes are managed. A new job type has been introduced in ALPHACAM 2020.1. The new "Multiple Process Jobs" functionality makes it simpler to create jobs and orders in the ALPHACAM Automation Manager for jobs that need to be output to more than one machine or that require secondary processing at the same machine.

Veo Robotics announces the launch of Veo FreeMove, a safety-ratable, production-ready vision system for safe human-robot interaction. The Veo FreeMove system gives manufacturing engineers the freedom to combine the strength, precision and speed of standard industrial robots with the ingenuity, judgment and dexterity of humans.

Guhring has just introduced a new drill family to the U.S.: the RT 100 XF. A new proprietary carbide grade, developed by Guhring specifically for the RT 100 XF, demonstrates the wear resistance to meet the demanding requirements of high-production machining and the durability to survive in less rigid machining conditions.

Tacoma, WA, November 12, 2019 — Stellar Industrial Supply today announced that CEO John Wiborg is the first male named to the W.I.S.E. (Women Industrial Supply Executives) Advisory Council.

When parts manufacturers enter the world of Industry 4.0, in which their operations are data driven, they will need production control software, such as a program for enterprise resource planning or materials requirement planning. In his new book "How to Implement a Manufacturing System," Martin Bailey covers the best practices and pitfalls when implementing an MRP/ERP system.