General Machining & Manufacturing Processes

RobbJack says its A1-303 series allows you to machine deeper parts, slots and walls in one pass, with minimal chatter and vibration. The A1-303 tool's chatter-reduction geometry is ideal for high-speed machining of aluminum and other nonferrous materials.

HEIDENHAIN announced the latest software version of QUADRA-CHEK Wedge, which enables users to quickly and efficiently export data into an Excel format from their HEIDENHAIN QUADRA-CHEK evaluation electronics. QUADRA-CHEK users with video inspection, microscope applications, optical comparator inspection or CMM applications will find this update useful.

David A. Dornfeld, mechanical engineering professor, founding faculty director of the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation and a leader at the College of Engineering, died of a heart attack on March 27. He was 66. Dornfeld was a renowned manufacturing expert, widely admired as a teacher and well-regarded as a thoughtful leader.

Jaw force gages from Dillon Manufacturing Inc. allow users to accurately measure the force applied to each chuck jaw independently, so problems can be diagnosed and corrected before a failure occurs. The reading in pounds of chucking force per jaw is the holding force available for that specific jaw.

Ceramics Expo takes place April 26-28, 2016, in Cleveland and is dedicated to providing a marketplace for all raw materials, equipment, machinery and technology used within the ceramic manufacturing supply chain. Ceramics Expo is attended by technical leaders, production directors, engineers, project leaders, buyers and senior executives interested in exploring the latest ceramic manufacturing innovations.

Sunnen's new SVF series Grit Guard coolant filter is a build-to-suit solution with progressively higher levels of filtration available, along with chilling, to meet process requirements in abrasive machining. Base Grit Guard models are available in 55- and 110-gallon capacities, equipped with twin and quad Sunnen PF filter cartridges, with a total filtration capacity of 8,800 in.2 and 17,600 in.2 respectively.

END USER: Greene Tool Systems Inc., (800) BUY-TOOL, www.greenetool.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: ANCA Inc., (248) 926-4466, www.anca.com. CHALLENGE: Produce microscale cutting tools more accurately while lowering setup times. SOLUTION: Two grinding machines designed to produce tools smaller than 2mm in diameter that feature robotic arms for loading and unloading tools and wheel packs.

Without a manufacturing schedule, workpiece materials don't arrive on time, machine tools sit idle and customers fume. However, scheduling is difficult, especially when multiple-level assemblies and large numbers of components are involved. To meet this need, software companies have developed complex, integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Hundreds of such systems exist, from giant multisite suites able to manage (OEMs') needs to those suitable for a job shop with a handful of employees.

One of the most enduring issues in the metalworking world is finding and retaining skilled workers, and the 10th annual Metalworking Trends Survey from LoSasso Integrated Marketing, Chicago, showed that this challenge continues.

Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., which manufactures holemaking and finishing products for the industrial tool and machining sector, this year celebrates its 75-year history with an eye on the future.

Alfa Tools introduces tungsten carbide-tipped hole cutters for cutting many different types of materials, including construction steel plate, stainless steel, iron, aluminum, copper, cast iron, fiberglass and plastics.

Optimal use of installation space, light weight and high stability—these are just some of the benefits of the E4.1L energy chain from igus, which is now available in new heights and widths from stock. Compared to the E4.1, weight can be reduced by 30 percent, with this light version, meaning that the chain is well suited to highly dynamic applications.