September 2007 Edition

LETTERS

Letters to the Editor

This section of MAN is an open forum for debate and opinion. We welcome responses to our articles and columns and strive to print them

Even Homer Nods

I read the interesting article, "The Right Cutting Tool Helps a Shop Across the 'Finishing Line' "[July 2007, Vol. 41, No. 7, p. 24].

I would like to comment that though surface finish spec and test results in the article are per the RMS — root mean square roughness — parameter, the profilometer pictured on page 26 is a PocketSurf instrument that does not measure RMS.

It measures the R_a — arithmetic average roughness — parameter. Depending on the process, RMS — or R_q, as it is called now — is between 11 to 200 percent larger then R_a.

For milling applications RMS is usually about 20 to 25 percent larger then R_a.

Therefore, if the spec requires RMS, and profilometer measures only R_a, the measurement result should be increased by 20 to 25 percent.

Alex Tabenkin
   Consultant
   Mahr Federal Inc.
   Providence, RI

[Thanks for the clarification — Editor]

It's Where the Profit Goes that Matters

Nice article [June 2007, Vol. 41, No. 6, The Last Word, Forget Outsourcing, the Issue is Insourcing, p. 50], or should I say, nice try at soothing the guilty consciences of U.S. businesses that are not buying American. Let's use this article as a reference and fast-forward 20 years.

In two decades we will have no U.S. companies making machining equipment; it all will be foreign owned. Some Americans may have jobs putting together these machines but the bulk of the profit goes out of the U.S.

Also there is less demand for machine work in the U.S. because there are so few machines made here that the only work left is making components for off-shore machines.

It gets worse. That sound you hear — like water going down a drain — is a constant negative flow of cash leaving the country. Maybe it's slow, but no matter how slow the drain, eventually all of the water, and in this case cash, will be gone.

We think it's okay to buy a Japanese car, a Chinese TV, or a Korean DVD player. What difference does one guy make? If you said that, you probably don't think voting matters, either.

If we keep buying foreign goods at the current rate, we will lose our jobs and wages will fall until we are the world's cheap labor force

Will Kevin Bevan [the column's author — Editor] be happy? You ask him and listen to him explain this away, because I'm not interested in his point of view.

Dan Preiss
    Service Manager
    Max Daetwyler Corp.
    Huntersville, NC

Root Cause Analysis Feedback

Until our government starts to penalize companies when their sole purpose for closing down American manufacturing plants, laying off hundreds — or thousands — of American workers, and relocating to China or India for cheaper labor, the bleeding of U.S. employment will never stop.

I cannot understand how some of these CEOs can sleep at night after wiping out the economic stability of families and towns just to improve the bottom line and impress share holders.

Regarding buying American cars — that is a tricky one. For example, the Ford Fusion is assembled in Mexico and my 2003 Ford Explorer XLT was assembled in Canada. I will be purchasing a Toyota product soon. There are Toyota plants in the U.S. where the vehicles are made by American workers.

I know what you mean about "Buy American" [July 2007, Vol. 41, No. 7, Editor's Corner, Root Cause Analysis, p. 6]," and I endorse that 110 percent. I wish stores carried everyday items and clothing made in America. With the recent recalls of Chinese-made toothpaste, dog food, and toys, I think people are going to be more conscientious knowing the country of origin of their purchases. I know I am.

Dave Marion
    Project Engineer
    K.R. Komarek
    Palatine, IL

Enjoyed the editorial, "Root Cause Analysis." I'm a big believer in RCA myself. I'm an old retired IT guy from the mainframe computer days.

Much of the cause of jobs leaving the U.S. is lack of good management. Everyone hires an MBA and puts them in charge of the do-it people. Back when the MBA program consisted of the forefathers of industry teaching graduate courses, the MBA program was beneficial.

Today the MBA program consists of a bunch of baloney from professional academics, expounding their pet theories of How-Things-Work. Trouble is they've never done it, or seen it done, in the real world.

The answer is Fair Trade, not Free Trade. Tariffs, as provided for in the constitution, properly implemented, would take care of it. Think of how much of this out-of-control government we could finance with that tariff money.

But, then where would politicians get that under-the-table money?

I especially loved the phrase "balloon juice" used in the editorial. Never heard that one before.

Jerry D Sharrett
   ME/CmfgE, retired
   Kingsport, TN

Your editorial in the July issue of MAN was right on. How long will we talk out of both sides of our mouth? How long will we complain about the job losses to low-wage countries while we drive our KIAs to the big-box stores and purchase foreign-made goods because they are cheaper?

Unfortunately there is no immediate cure. We are a society of immediate gratification: we want it all and we want it now.

Many years ago we opened this Pandora's Box, and the lid does not go on as easily as it came off. Our major scarcity these days seems to be common sense and logic.

Larry T. Hubbard
   VP Sales
   Jeffreys Manufacturing Solutions
   Colfax, NC

"Got to Know When to Hold 'Em and When to Fold 'Em"

Dave Sterling was on target with his column about old equipment [July 2007, Vol. 41, No. 7, From the Shop Floor, An Old 'Friend' Retires After 29 Years, p. 10]. Sometimes we spend more hours programming and trouble-shooting older equipment than we realize. His column clearly tells this with a great story. Thank you Dave.

Matt Parker
    Product Design Engineer
    QA Technology Co. Inc.
    Hampton, NH

Just read the article about the Warner & Swasey 2SC. I used to run the 1SC and the 2SC in a large manufacturing plant in Oshkosh, WI. They were fantastic machines. Despite being very well maintained, they had electrical problems. I don't think the manufacturer expected them to work as long, or as hard, as they did. I remember that the 1SC was so big that it made everything around it look like a toy.

The job the machine did that no other could, was turning 3" solid-steel rollers from bar stock. Twenty-foot bars were fed through the spindle with a hydraulic pusher. A box tool was used to take the stock down from 3" to 1.75". In just two cuts!

The stock was advanced until 2' hung from the chuck and held in a rolling parts catcher mounted in the turret.

It would make two passes with the cross slide tool post, then part it off. The part took less than five minutes. That machine used to scare the hell out of the other CNC guys because they were afraid they might have to run it.

That old girl didn't even break a sweat on those rollers.

Jeff Moyle
   Ripon, WI

What do you think?
Will the information in this article increase efficiency or save time, money, or effort? Let us know by e-mail from our website at www.ModernApplicationsNews.com or e-mail the editor at pnofel@nelsonpub.com.