General Shop Equipment & Supplies

In response to my Lead Angle column in the April 2019 issue about machining large parts and my attraction to vintage machine tools, I received the following email from Chuck Oloffson, a CAD detailer and former CNC and manual machinist.

igus has developed a new lead screw configurator that will allow customers to quickly design their own lead screw and associated drawing without in-depth technical knowledge and CAD software. Designing a lead screw usually requires significant effort for the user, who is required to have technical drawing skills and access to a CAD program. Now, igus has developed a platform where anyone can use the largest lead screw shop in existence and design an individually manufactured and long-lasting part for their application.

FlexCNC introduces the Beam Line – the latest addition to its lineup of machining centers for large or long parts, like structural steel beam, in a single setup. With an open-bed design that measures 40-feet by 2-feet, this new model can machine parts up to 40 feet in length.

Technology has not removed the need to master calculations.

A little tender, loving care, and creative thinking will keep your vice in tip-top shape.n

Manager's Desk: The time to sell your operation like never before is when things slow down and new work is a must.

Kyocera's DRV Magic Drill series can accomplish a radial offset to drill larger than the existing tool.

It is no secret that e-mobility is a growing market. A current study by the consulting firm Strategy Analytics, predicts the production output of "electric vehicles" will increase to 25% of the global market by 2025. It should be noted that the study uses "electric" as an umbrella term that covers all aspects of e-mobility, i.e. hybrids, fuel cell drives, and pure electric vehicles, and that the markets are highly heterogeneous. It is expected that 50% of the production will take place in China, and the other 50% will be throughout the rest of the world.

Siemens introduces Manage MyMachines, one of the MindApps within the rapidly emerging Mindsphere concept. This cloud-based "platform as a service" enables the full data tracking of machine kinematics, as well as production data, and Manage MyMachines serves as the initial point of entry into this digital world, combined with edge technology.

Whether traditional or new manufacturing processes are involved, none of the available technologies make it possible to produce component surface finishes in the required quality. Process steps such as deburring, rounding and cleaning, as well as targeted functional or decorative surface finishing, are thus indispensable. Solutions by means of which these tasks can be executed reliably and economically will be presented at DeburringEXPO at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre from Oct. 8-10, 2019. Beyond this, the third leading trade fair for deburring technology and precision surface finishing will provide valuable know-how at its bilingual expert forum.

Industry 4.0 is making inroads into several industrial sectors, creating massive demand for measurement and inspection technologies offering superior reliability precision, and stability. There has been a quantum leap in growth of the global industrial landscape, resulting in higher demands for high-quality precision measuring tools for reduced turnaround time and costs. Rising end user focus on quality-orientated operations as a key to high competitiveness is fuelling investments in the precision measuring tools market. Sensing the importance of a synchronized production as an essential aspect in optimal productivity, operators of manufacturing industries are willing to spend on better-than-the-rest precision measuring tools more than ever before.