General Shop Equipment & Supplies

Everyone needs a refresher sometimes. The 8th edition of the AutoCAD Pocket Reference by Cheryl R. Shrock and Steve Heather from Industrial Press Inc. covers AutoCAD 2018 and 2019 software, including concepts, how-to, and fundamental commands.

President Trump signaled what could become a vigorous return to space exploration by the United States when he reconstituted the National Space Council. Dormant since the end of the George H.W. Bush administration, the council's chairman, Vice President Mike Pence, and its executive secretary, Dr. Scott Pace, have vowed to build a manned space program to reach the moon and beyond to Mars. As with the two previous boom cycles of aerospace development, in World War II and the Apollo program, one of the main beneficiaries of the aggressive effort will be the U.S. manufacturing sector.

When it comes to components for industrial machines, Montana Hydraulics LLC owners Mark and Della Ehlke say there isn't much they can't make. "We're able to pretty much take on just about anything," Mark said. "In fact, we had a tagline at one point: 'If you can imagine it, we can build it.'"

Spectro Scientific has introduced TruVu 360 Enterprise Fluid Intelligence Platform, an all-encompassing web-based fluid analysis data management system. The new platform simplifies and streamlines the fluid analysis process so high-quality information and actionable intelligence facilitate rapid decision-making. It closes the gap between maintenance recommendations on the oil analysis report and the impact on continuous process improvement.

The information and communications technology (ICT) and automotive sectors requiring graphite molds for glass end products and graphite electrodes present distinct challenges in terms of surface finish, precision, process reliability and productivity. GF Machining Solutions' high-speed Mikron MILL S 400/500 GRAPHITE and Mikron HSM 500 GRAPHITE are dedicated specifically to graphite machining, helping users master precision over time and meet their customers' expectations for flawless surface quality.

The DeHoff G548-D4 is a 4-spindle gundrilling machine designed for high-volume production of gun barrels. It features automated loading and unloading of the barrels to enable long periods of untended machine running. Up to 48 barrels can be preloaded into the magazine holder, and lift-and-carry automation is used to load the barrels in and out of the fixturing.

CNC Software Inc. announces the release of Mastercam 2019. It is available for purchase. Mastercam 2019 was developed to streamline the manufacturing process from job setup to job completion. Mastercam 2019 increases machining productivity and reduces overall production costs with new 2D through multiaxis milling automation features, CAD and model preparation improvements, expanded 3D tooling, Accelerated Finishing and powerful turning and Mill-Turn enhancements.

SCHUNK has introduced several improvements on the original PGN-Plus and has announced the newest generation gripper, PGN-Plus-P. Enlarged supporting dimensions between the six load-bearing shoulders of the multiple-tooth guidance allow higher moment capacity, which can accommodated longer fingers and greater loads.

INDEX Corp. has announced iXworld, a new online portal that expands the company's service offerings and establishes a single interface for a broad spectrum of information and functionality. At launch, iXworld will include four distinct areas: iX4.0, iXplore, iXshop and iXservices. This suite of services will provide customers with fast, secure connectivity, production data, remote diagnostics, spare parts ordering from the machine and more, all designed to minimize downtime and further boost machine utilization rates.

Dorner Manufacturing Corp., Hartland, Wisconsin, completed a major expansion of its facility in Germany, a project that doubles production space, adds jobs and effectively positions the company to become even more responsive to customers throughout the region.

Wildeck Inc., Waukesha, Wisconsin, promoted Kelly M. Kamlager to director of marketing.

CNC Software Inc., Tolland, Connecticut, announced that its flagship software, Mastercam, was the first CAD/CAM software to reach 250,000 installations worldwide.