June 2008 Edition

IMTS COUNTDOWN

Counting Down to IMTS – Part I

This begins a three-part preview of the International Manufacturing Technology Show, 2008. In this, and the next two issues – July and August – MAN will highlight the products and events taking place in Chicago from September 8 to 13

As the late Ed Sullivan said about his variety hour, "it’s a really big shew." No matter how big Ed’s "shew" was, the 27th edition of the International Manufacturing Technology Show puts it to shame, and it isn’t even starring The Beatles.

Show representatives are predicting even more attendees at the 2008 show than the more than 91,000 who attended the last show in 2006. There will be more than 1,200 exhibitors filling McCormick Place in Chicago, spread across nine pavilions, each with its own theme.

Each pavilion has a different aspect of the machining industry as its focus:

• Abrasive Machining/Sawing/Finishing – North Building, Hall B
• Controls and CAD/CAM – East Building, Hall D
• EDM – East Building, Hall D
• Gear Generation – North Building, Hall B
• Machine Components/Cleaning/Environmental – East Building, Hall D
• Metal Cutting – South Building, Hall A
• Metal Forming and Fabricating/Lasers – North Building, Hall B
• Quality Assurance – East Building, Hall D
• Tooling and Workholding Systems – West Building, Hall F

This portion of the countdown will detail the exhibits in the first five pavilions.

Abrasive Machining/Sawing/Finishing – North Building, Hall B

Demonstrations of the specialized art of abrasives, sawing, and finishing will include cylindrical grinders; internal grinders; angular wheelside grinders; creep feed grinders; thrufeed grinders; centerless grinders; surface grinders; abrasive belt grinders; jig grinders; CNC tool and cutter grinders; universal grinders; cam grinders; bench, crankshaft, and abrasive cutoff machines; band saws; circular saws; lapping machines; balancing machines; honing machines; and polishing machines.

Controls and CAD-CAM – East Building, Hall D

The world of automation will be on exhibit and showing CIM/CAD/CAM systems; CNC controls; automation management systems; communications systems and LAN; software development systems services; computers and software; and instruments-controls and systems integrations services.

EDM – East Building, Hall D

Electrical Discharge Machining technology displays will include CNC wire EDM; EDM filtration systems and supplies; ram type EDM; metal disintegrators; and die sinking machines

Gear Generation – North Building, Hall B

Almost all manufacturers dealing with gear creation will show their wares, including gear hobbers; gear shapers; gear cutters; and gear shavers. Also on display will be broaching equipment; gear grinding equipment; and gear measuring equipment.

Machine Components/Cleaning/Environmental – East Building, Hall D

As "green" manufacturing gains greater emphasis, exhibitions of environmentally-friendly technologies and products will be at the show, including equipment and services for air purification, safety guards, and mats and equipment filtration equipment; water and oil purification; air filtration; oil separation; sump cleaners; noise control equipment; dust removers; electrical equipment; way covers/tracks; storage systems; parts cleaners; parts washers; materials handling/storage systems; ball screws; bearings; spindles; conveyors; AGVs; coatings; servo motors; pumps; degreasers; robotics; plant maintenance equipment; assembly/test equipment; motion control equipment; environmental management; and software.

Along with specific categories of the metalworking industry on display, individual manufacturers will be showing their products. Here is the first of a preview of what will be at the show.

One-Pass Turning

The Super NTY3 multitasking turning center offers 100 percent stock-on turning and machining. With three turrets, each with a Y-axis, it lets one-pass complete turning, machining, and finishing. Its three 6,000 rpm milling motors can simultaneously machine two flat surfaces – top and bottom – on one spindle. Each turret holds 12 driven or 24 stationary tools, for a maximum of 72 tool stations. Accelerating Y-axes have travels of 2.44”. It has a Fanuc 31iA CNC control with nanometer resolution. Overload detection, NT Nurse programming / monitoring software, and NT Work Navigator – torque-type – software are standard.

Methods Machine Tools, Inc., Booth A-8517

Glove and PPE Vending Machine

The EleVend industrial vending machine system pushes the supply of product up from the bottom until it reaches the top of the bin. The system measures the distance the elevator has traveled and subtracts the appropriate amount of product from the inventory. This machine provides 24-hour access to gloves, PPE, and other items in a secure format with a simple-to-use keypad or touchscreen interface. It eliminates repackaging and reduces the time associated with loading the machines. Users enter their employee number followed by the bin number of the desired item. The lid pops open for that bin; the user takes as many of the items as needed and closes the lid when finished. The system works with knit gloves and boxes of gloves. It is low maintenance and connects to existing AutoCrib systems. No special packaging is required for items. It supports barcode, magnetic swipe, and proximity card input for access. The standard configuration includes 21 bins with a keypad tower – up to 78 bins in one crib.

AutoCrib, Inc., Booth F-2395

Armed and Ready

The Fusion FaroArm blends styling cues of the Quantum FaroArm, but with a lower price and up to 15 percent higher accuracy than the Titanium Series it replaces. Designed for manufacturers who want in-process measurement, reverse-engineering capabilities, and the ergonomics of the flagship Platinum FaroArm. The Fusion’s accuracy and lightweight construction mean that shop floor personnel now have a portable solution for their measurement needs. To operate, users guide the arm’s touch-probe along the surface of the object. The Fusion’s laptop computer illustrates the 3D measurements on-screen and records all of the data. It creates a 3D “blueprint” of a part or machine components, making it a portable tool for performing inspections, tool certification, CAD-to-Part analysis, or reverse engineering.

FARO Technologies, Inc., Booth D-4525

A “Green” Rust Remover

Rust Rid is a water based, neutral – 7.00 – pH rust remover which contains no acidic or caustic components. Besides having a neutral pH, other benefits include easy handling; worker health, safety, and peace of mind; no heavy metal or hazardous ingredients; lean concentrations for low consumption and cost effectiveness; environmentally-safe and non-hazardous; low foaming; wetting and coverage for removing rust from complex surfaces and geometries; and hard water stable.

Chemtool Inc., Booth F-2835

Joint-free Rotary Cutting Tools

V-tec veined rotary cutting tools with helical end mills and drills, are PCD-coated using ultra-high pressure and a high-temperature process that lets polycrystalline diamond be directly sintered into the veins that form complex geometric shapes. This process allows V-tec end mills and drills to be offered in solid-body helical geometries that are free of braze joints, making it possible to machine advanced abrasive materials. Non-ferrous application materials include composites, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, metal matrix composites, ceramics, graphites, carbides, friction materials, green ceramics, magnesium, and more.

Star SU LLC, Booths F-2240, B-6912

Enhanced Profilers

The NewView 7000-series 3D optical profilers quantitative surface metrology for the production and scientific research markets. They are available in two platforms – the 7300 and 7200. Based on proprietary scanning technology, the profilers deliver leading sub-nanometer z-resolution. Enhancements include an ultra high-speed scanner with improved linearity, improved signal-to-noise ratio, increased illumination output, next-generation electronics with encoded stages, and a suite of machine vision tools.

Zygo Corp., Booth D-4405