June 2008 Edition

NEW PRODUCTS

Totes Add Up to 15 Percent More Storage Capacity

Remstar International Inc.RemStore totes optimize space usage in vertical lift modules, and vertical and horizontal carousels, creating up to 15 percent more storage capacity for metalworking storage and retrieval operations. The Catch-Hook design allows access to the totes contents, while a custom handle provides tote removal and replacement. The Drift-Lock feature positions the totes for storage and retrieval operations. Snap-in dividers create up to 12 custom compartments. Every compartment divider can hold a label at a 30° angle for operator identification. The totes stack with or without dividers inserted.
Remstar International Inc.

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Material Self-Lubricating at High Temperatures

Metallized Carbon Corp.Metcar grades M-199 and M-201 are high temperature mechanical materials for manufacturing bearings and thrust washers. They operate without lubrication in dry and dust-prone environments, and their carbon/graphite copper impregnation increases load-carrying capacity. Made for operating temperatures between 400° to 750° F, applications include kiln cars, continuous dryers, dust conveyors, ventilating dampers, furnaces and high temperature conveyors, and applications where conventional lubricants fail. Bearings manufactured from these grades have high compressive strength, electrical conductivity, load capacity, and wear resistance.
Metallized Carbon Corp.

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Boring Heads Come in Five Range Sizes

Seco Tools Inc.AxiaBore type fine boring heads have a cylinder and flange tool fixing design, which allows for higher machining data and increased productivity, while the indirect barrel locking system ensures the set diameter is not influenced by the locking screw. Other features include micrometric adjustment to 0.0001" on the diameter for high precision, and guaranteed insert orientation for correct tool geometry. Their range consists of five axial fine boring heads using axial tools: NanoBore for diameters from 0.012" to 0.315"; AxiaBore for 0.0787" to 0.7874" boring; AxiaBore Plus, for 0.2362" to 4.252" boring; OD-overturning and grooving AxiaLibraBore balanceable head for high speed machining, sizes 0.0787" to 0.7874" ; and AxiaLibraBore Plus balanceable head for high-speed machining, sizes 0.2362" to 1.2992". The system comes with a modular selection of boring bars and shanks, plus a multi-purpose adaptor for boring, OD-overturning, and face grooving.
Seco Tools Inc.

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Higher Productivity in Short-hole Drilling

Sandvik CoromantThe Corodrill 880 is available in diameters ranging from 0.472" to 2.5". The drill offers improved chip evacuation and cutting action made possible through Step Technology.
Sandvik Coromant

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No Sparks Here

Weiler CorporationA range of brushes made with brass or bronze wire for non-sparking and metal finishing applications are available. Styles include wheel and cup brushes in both crimped and knot wire, wheel and end brushes with 1/4" stems, and power tube brushes in a number of diameters.
Weiler Corporation

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Sensor has 28mm Beam Spread

Contrinex, Inc.The Contrinex LFP-1011-020 flat fiber optic array sensor has a beam spread of 28mm that detects objects in any position across the broad area of light transmission. This multiple beam, diffuse sensor captures, counts, and controls small components produced by high-performance machinery. It can be connected to any Contrinex fiber-optic amplifier for a sensing range of up to 150mm. When used with a 5KHz amplifier, the smallest component passing at high speed can be detected, and by using a blue-light emitting amplifier even small black rubber components can be seen. The wide-vision fiber head is molded from PBTP Crastin and is sealed to IP67 for use in aggressive environments.
Contrinex, Inc.

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Safe Delivery of Welding Wire to Robotic Cells

Kinetic Technologies, Inc.The Lowboy drum cart offers 2.3" of ground clearance and a low center of gravity for towing welding wire used in robotic or hard-tooled welding applications. The carts eliminate the need to transport heavy drums with lifting straps attached to a forklift, or risk injury using a traditional manual drum cart. The 33"-wide cart fits adjacent to, or in, the welding cell, and can handle up to 1,000 lb containers. Wheel systems provide low push and pull forces for manual moving within ergonomic limits, and a no-bend towing system features spring-loaded, self-stowing towbar, frame recessed auto-hitch, and auto-release floor lock.
Kinetic Technologies, Inc.

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Industry News

Blue-collar Jobs Lead Employment Decline
According to information released by the National Council for Advanced Manufacturing – NACFAM – seasonally adjusted manufacturing employment was reported at 13.4 million by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in September.

NTMA and PMA Join to Strengthen Industry Advocacy
The Precision Metalforming Association, Independence, OH, and the National Tooling and Machining Association, Fort Washington, MD, are combining their federal government advocacy programs to promote the U.S. government to ensure a strong manufacturing sector.

Unemployment Trend by State
According to the Economic Policy Institute, since the economic downturn began in December 2007, the U.S. has lost more than 600,000 jobs, and the national unemployment rate has risen to a five-year high of 6.1 percent.

Manufacturing Technology Consumption Falls in July
July U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $303.44 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association and the Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Consumption – USMTC – program, was down 21.5 percent from June but up 5.7 percent from the total of $287 million reported for July 2007.

GE Fanuc Backs MTConnect
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, Japan, announced its support of MTConnect, a new communication protocol to link machine tools from varying suppliers around the world.

Flow Executes Definitive Agreement in Omax Merger
Flow International Corp., Kent, WA, a developer and manufacturer of industrial waterjet machines, executed a definitive agreement to merge with OMAX Corp., Kent, WA. OMAX was a privately-held provider of waterjet systems.

Dimension 3D Printing Provides $400,000 in Grants to Schools
The Dimension 3D Printing Group, Minneapolis, a business unit of Stratasys, Inc., gave more than $400,000 to schools across the nation to underwrite the purchase of 3D printing systems for the 2008-09 school year.

PennEngineering and Peninsula Components Announce Patent Fight Agreement
The patent infringement suit brought by PennEngineering & Manufacturing Corp., Danboro, PA, against Peninsula Components, Inc., San Carlos, CA, was settled.

Shuttle Follow-on Builder Chooses PLM Software
Siemens PLM Software, Plano, TX, announced Space Exploration Technologies – SpaceX – a privately-held leading space launch vehicle developer and services provider, standardized on Siemens’ NX and Teamcenter software for product design, simulation, and product data management.

Lincoln Electric Opens Automation Center
The Lincoln Electric Co., arc welding products manufacturer, opened its Automation Center of Excellence on October 23, adjacent to its Cleveland headquarters. The 100,000 ft2 facility showcases the company’s robotic welding solutions.

Association For Manufacturing Technology Elects New Board of Directors
The Association for Manufacturing Technology – AMT – elected its 2008-2009 officers and directors at its 2008 Annual Meeting in Austin, TX.

Some Good News in a Sour Economy
There may be at least three silver linings in the dark cloud of global economic crisis, according to a Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Rockford, IL, economic consultant.