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China Gears Up
Surely, more than 1,400 machine tools, including 670 lathes, are a sign of the times. This very large machine shop in China makes gears for mowers, motors, engines, pumps, and many other products. Ever Power Transmission opened this mega-plant in December 2006 and its array of capabilities, products, and customers is... well, really big.
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Why Custom Tools Are Worth It
This report from Grinding Journal looks at the evolution of a small business and examines the value of custom tooling — in particular, how "a custom cutting tool can greatly lower the cost per part." In addition to value-added custom designs, customer relationships and a knack for solving problems keep this Ohio tool manufacturer busy.
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A Winning Combination
Using Wire EDM and abrasive waterjet machining together makes good sense, says Modern Machine Shop — especially when working with aluminum. Rough cutting with AWJ and finishing with wire EDM yields tight tolerances and fine surface finishes. In addition, the EDM/AWJ combo significantly reduces overall production time.
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A Better Stainless Steel
The folks at Swagelok are very excited about what is being called "one of the most significant breakthroughs in materials science in many decades." Low-Temperature Colossal Supersaturation (LTCSS) heat-treating of austenitic stainless steels allows large-scale carbon absorption and dramatically improves hardness and other performance characteristics. Carbon atoms cannot be introduced into austenitic stainless steel through heat treatment without the formation of chromium carbides. This compromises the alloy's corrosion resistance. LTCSS gets the carbon in without chromium carbide formation.
What do other engineers think of this?
See for yourself at the
CR4 — GlobalSpec's Engineering Community.
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fixtureworks
Modular and Dedicated Fixturing Components
Fixtureworks supplies grippers, rest pads, Swivots® swivel/pivoting rest pads, Quick Release ball-lock pins, rollers, and bumpers from Fairlane Products. Pull, swing, side and push clamps, stops, grid plates, and blocks from Imao®. Spring plungers and tension levers, torque handles, knobs, and hand wheels from Kipp®. Single and double wedge clamp from OK-Vise® and Mitee-Bite® clamps.
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Flowdrill, Inc.
Visit Us at WESTEC 2007 Booth #5550
Flowdrills create friction to generate heat and displace metal to form holes with a bushing that is three times the material thickness. This bushing can be tapped to replace welded, pressed, or inserted nuts or clips. The process can be used with CNC or manual drill presses in Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Steel, Stainless, and Titanium.
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STF Precision Diamond Inserts
Div of STF Precision
PCD Diamond Tools
With the increased use of high abrasive aluminum and composite materials switching to diamond tools has definitely become cost effective. STF will help you make this transition by choosing the perfect grade to meet your finish needs while maximizing tool life to decrease costly tool changes.
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Hitachi Metals
Tool Steels from Hitachi Metals
Tool steel used in most plastic molds, stamping press molds, and cold and hot-forging molds does not possess isotropic mechanical properties. Hitachi has solved many of these direction-related problems by changing the characteristics of its tool steel to isotropic which exhibits the same properties in all directions. Visit here to see additional information.
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Micro-Machine with Blazing Speed
This 80,000 RPM air-powered spindle for micro-machining can be retrofit on existing machining centers to enhance surface finish quality, extend tool life, and reduce tool wear. The high-speed spindle minimizes Z-axis thermal displacement and delivers .002 mm run-out accuracy, even at top speed.
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Fuller Brush Technology
A brush with more bristles: Shock resistant, dimensionally stable composite hubs make high-density Nylox® Wheel Brushes (NMX) well suited for most deburring processes. A polymer fiber-holding technology allows better filament retention and increased fiber density. This leads to improved fatigue resistance and tool life.
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Reduce EDM Programming Time
What differentiates one CNC programming package from the next? Brian Pagano, an EDM department manager at Ron Witherspoon Inc., gives his reasons in this Production Technology News report. Among them: The ability to interact with popular solid modeling programs, the ability to simulate machining operations, and the ability to take advantage of the user's metalworking experience.
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Three-Axis Enhancements for CNC
Machining Magazine highlights capability advancements from Gibbs and Associates. GibbsCam has added three-axis capabilities to their software package including 3D rest milling that focuses on efficient metal removal, as well as multiple containment areas for precise toolpath control for improved surface finish and reduced tool wear.
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Red Lion Controls, Inc.
CSPID2 Dual PID Module
The CSPID2 Module, design for the popular Red Lion Modular Controller, is the first to offer the convenience of "drag and drop" configuration and downloadable PLC drivers in a high density, 32 zone/single node module for dedicated PID control outside of the PLC. Find out more.
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Bluebeam Software, Inc.
PDF Solutions for CAD
Create high quality PDFs from CAD and Office files. Bluebeam automatically reads your drawings' scale, paper size, and line weights for perfect PDFs every time. Includes batch, binding, and markup.
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Dice
A Better Job Search by Design
DiceEngineering.com offers thousands of quality engineering jobs at top technology and engineering companies. Find jobs in your area of expertise. Search now.
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Stressed at Work? Climb Higher
 Canadian researchers are compiling a guide for de-stressing your career. They suggest some unconventional remedies — time in a "sleep pod" or cat tummy rubbing, for instance. A less mystifying strategy is to earn a promotion. These researchers find that the higher a person's status in the organization, the longer he or she lives.
What do other engineers think of this?
See for yourself at the
CR4 — GlobalSpec's Engineering Community.
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Researchers Lend Surgeons a Microhand
In December, a microhand plucked a single fish egg from a gooey mess. Not terribly exciting except that this 1 mm robot is seen as the forerunner to biologically safe micro-devices that could become part of a surgeon's toolkit. Bones of silicon and pneumatically-driven balloon muscles make up the microhand; researchers hope to place an "eye" in the hand by adding fiber-optic capabilities. Technology Review has the story and video.
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