Swiss Automation Inc. employs 172 people and runs 115 machines in two locations in Chicago's northwest suburbs. In the past year the company expanded by about 25 percent when it opened its second location, adding some 56 employees and 26 new machines.
A wheel manufacturer recommended that a machine shop switch from brown alumina to white alumina because the latter is more friable. For his 25th episode, Dr. Jeffrey Badger, the host of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine's Grinding Doc Video Series, analyzes the wisdom of this move.
This short video provides some insight into the benefits and time savings afforded by a universal grinding machine. It is presented as supplemental information to Cutting Tool Engineering's December 2011 cover story, "A Pitch for Thread Grinding."
The Vollmer of America Corp. recently held its PCD Days at its headquarters in Carnegie, Pa. This brief video report offers a glimpse at two of the machines on display during the technical conference: the QXD 200 rotary erosion and QWD760 wire-erosion units.
Dr. Jeffrey Badger, the host of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine's Grinding Doc Video Series, responds to a shop that performs high-production grinding of small parts and experiences trouble when determining how much to dress a wheel. Watch the 24th episode now.
The following video, which accompanies an industry news item (below) from the October 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine, provides a brief glimpse of the direct metal laser sintering process for additive metal fabrication.
Video submitted by Fraunhofer Institute shows a testing geometry, or tank, being formed using a tool with different radii at die and punch for researching critical dimensions.
Jeannine Kunz, director of professional development at ToolingU for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, offers a walk-through of the society's Workforce 2021 Readiness Assessment tool. Unveiled at imX, the tool is intended to help manufacturers assess what steps they may need to take to help fill the gab in highly skilled workers.
Sandvik Coromant introduced its new CoroMill Plura with iLock system at the imX event at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 12-14. The new system will be available in 2012.
Kennametal Inc. CEO Carlos Cordoso shares the company's plans to help resolve the looming shortfall in the manufacturing workforce. Plus, Cordoso discusses the industry's economic state and Kennametal's focus on helping customers find total solutions as opposed to another tool sale.
Makino Inc. introduced its new iQ300 Micromachining Center at imX, the interactive manufacturing experience at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 12-14. John Bradford, the Micromachining R&D manager for Makino, walks through the features and capabilities of the new machine.
FANUC FA America's Paul Webster provides a tour of the company's Fast Atom plant floor management/connectivity system. In addition, Webster explains how the company is extending its assistance to help keep legacy equipment connected.
Joseph A. Cvengros, Marketing Director at FANUC Robotics, Rochester Hills, Mich., points out the new connectivity driving FANUC's Intelligent Machining Center: Fixtureless IR Vision, Force Sensing device and Machine Tool Connect software.
FANUC FA America featured a seamlessly integrated automotive solution at the imX event held in Las Vegas Sept. 12-14. The new system integrates CNCs, robots, Rockwell Automation PLC Pack Motion and Enterprise Software solutions.
Dr. Jeffrey Badger, the host of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine's Grinding Doc Video Series, fields a question from a shop taking smaller and smaller finishing passes and several spark-out passes in order to get tight tolerances and a good surface finish. But the shop is having trouble getting the wheel to bite into the workpiece. All it does is ride over the top, and the shop is using high-pressure oil. How can the shop get the wheel to bite? The Grinding Doc responds in this 23rd episode of the video series.
A shop with burn issues wants to know if a high-porosity wheel would reduce temperatures as suggested by the company's wheel supplier. Dr. Jeffrey Badger, the host of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine's Grinding Doc Video Series, offers some guidance in the 22nd episode of the video series.
The Mikron HSM LP series from GF AgieCharmilles, which features a sophisticated thermal management system, was among the machines on display at GF AgieCharmilles's 2011 Technology Days held in June at its facility in Lincolnshire, Ill. The MIKRON HSM 400 LP and 400U LP is said to set a new milestone in regard to geometric stability that guarantees extremely high repeatability of movement guidance. Product Manager Eric Ostini provides a brief video tour.
