Automation & Controls

Automated parts handling with robotic work cells is an affordable option for job shops and other parts manufacturers.

END USER: Kennametal Inc., (800) 446-7738, www.kennametal.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce lead times, manufacturing footprint and costs when making toolholders. SOLUTION: Work cells employing advanced multitask machine tools.

Talking Shop article as published in the July 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

STROTHMANN continuously improves its RoundTrack technology and incorporates customer requirements. Now, the quadro turnstile, the youngest RoundTrack crossing, is even thinner, facilitating an effort-saving in-floor installation.

Sunnen Products Co. announces the availability of optional, large-readout electronic indicators on its entire range of dial bore gages.

END USER: Richardson Manufacturing Co., (217) 546-2249, www.rmc-bigcnc.com. CHALLENGE: Achieve a tight tolerance without increasing cycle time. SOLUTION: A combination drill that eliminated an unreliable boring operation.

The latest high-performance MIKRON HPM 450U milling solution from GF AgieCharmilles boasts a new torque rotary/tilt table for unencumbered, interference-free five-axis machining and offers highly efficient spindle options well suited for all machining applications from micro to macro.

Amacoil/Uhing has upgraded their large sizes of RG traverse drives by adding a 100-notch scale to the pitch adjustment control.

HEIDENHAIN's line of metrology digital readouts (DROs) has now received an upgrade. New LED screens are now being released on QUADRA-CHEKs (models ND 1100 and ND 1200) and the GAGE-CHEK model ND 2100, previously all with LCD screens.

A Makino Machining Complex integrated with two a71 horizontal machining centers is used to produce conveyor chain assemblies for the coal mining industry in this video report shot at Cincinnati Mine Machinery.

Swiss Automation's success is based on machining complex parts quickly, accurately and consistently.

Alan Richter takes a Look Ahead at an automated part-to-CAD verification system for a digital optical comparator.