Machine Tool Attachments & Accessories

HEIDENHAIN introduces a new series of functionally safe hollow-shaft connection encoders to the manufacturing equipment industry. Called the ECN/EQN/ERN 400 series, these new rotary encoders are especially useful in applications where quick machine shut-off is required in dangerous situations.

A free-standing, dual gooseneck LED lamp has been added to its line of microscope illumination products by Titan Tool Supply Inc. Designed by ANSER to provide an adjustable light source for microscopes and projectors, the bifurcated light guides consist of two 1/2-inch OD metallic-sheathed arms, which can be bent to any angle.

Machine tools are big-ticket items, so it's no surprise that they're normally acquired using some sort of financing. In addition to banks, financing can be obtained from machine tool OEMs and nonbank lenders known as finance companies.

Okuma America Corp. demonstrates the 3D manual feed function with the OSP-P300M control in a video posted to the company's YouTube channel on Jan. 10. The video presents a 3D manual operation that reportedly allows the user to follow the tool axis direction with the rotary axes.

EXAIR's new Ion Air Cannon eliminates static electricity and cleans at distances up to 15 feet, with no moving parts. It is ideal for bench-tops, machine mounting and those "hard to reach" spaces that require a concentrated flow of static eliminating ions.

A full line of tube expanders offered with universal pivoting extensions that easily attach to torque controlled rolling motors for hard to reach tube sheet is being introduced by Esco Tool. Esco Millhog rolling motors and tube xxpanders are air-powered and feature a torque control setting which stalls the tool when it reaches the desired tube expansion to create a uniform and tight mechanical seal.

J.W. Winco Inc. offers GN 612.3 stainless steel, square, weldable, cam-action, indexing plungers. These RoHS compliant cam-action indexing plungers are best utilized when the pin needs to be retracted.

Penn State reports that it will team with researchers and analysts from Case Western Reserve University, the GE Global Research Center and Microsoft on a $1.5 million collaborative research project to develop a cloud-based wireless sensing and prognostic system for monitoring manufacturing machinery.

END USER: Mast Motorsports, (936) 560-2218, www.mastmotorsports.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Hurco North America, (800) 634-2416, www.hurco.com. CHALLENGE: Replace technologically obsolete production equipment.

END USER: lllinois Carbide Tool Co. Inc., (800) 323-2414, www.crobaltusa.com, www.brakedrumtool.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Agathon Machine Tools Inc., (203) 730-8741, www.agathon.com. CHALLENGE: Keep up with increasing production demands for carbide brake lathe inserts. SOLUTION: A 4-axis grinding machine that enables lights-out production.

The Look Ahead department in the December 2016 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering looks at a multitask machine for making injection molds.

Are you about to scrap an old machine tool and replace it with a new one? Before you do, consider what could be a much less expensive way of getting a better machine: having the old one remanufactured.