MMS Blog
By: George Schuetz 7/1/2019
The Versatility of Snap Gages
Insert a workpiece into a snap gage and you will understand how these extremely effective, fairly simple tools for checking precision ODs got their name. You have to push deliberately to get the part past the leading edges of the anvils, but once you have overcome the gaging force, the part slips back against the backstop, contacting it with a good, healthy “snap.”
Snap gages are handheld to measure workpiece ODs on the machine, or they can be mounted on stands for use with small parts. The heart of the tool is a simple C-frame casting, and measurements rely on a direct, in-line, 1:1 transfer of motion. These factors make snap gages simple, robust, reliable and inexpensive.
By: Peter Zelinski 6/29/2019
The Additive Manufacturing Conference in Austin Emphasizes Production. Join Me.
A scene from last year’s Additive Manufacturing Conference. The conference this year, which also includes an expo showcasing AM technology providers, will be in Austin, Texas, for the first time.
At the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in 2012, I remember overhearing a comment about a 3D printer on display; One show attendee pointed to it and said, “That is going to take the place of CNC machining.” The comment seemed to crystalize the general attitude about 3D printing during that time. Manufacturers that were invested in traditional processes were fearful of additive manufacturing (AM) taking over.
The fear was largely groundless. CNC machining is both precise and productive in ways additive processes effectively are not. For the vast majority of parts made today through machining, machining will continue to be the process, and my sense is manufacturers in greater numbers today perceive the matter this way.
An employee of Complete Machining Services (CMS) repairs a plastics injection mold with the LaserStar 8700-3 fiber laser welding workstation. Operators can view the welding area through a stereo-microscope with internal crosshairs, which helps them more easily align and weld the parts at the exact required location.
This plastics injection mold for an automotive component has been fiber-laser welded to repair worn and damaged surfaces. Weld repair areas can be seen around the edges of the mold. These surfaces will subsequently be ground and polished to final dimensions.
Because CMS needed to maximize the flexibility of the LaserStar 8700-3, it opted to add several options to the workstation, including a tower gantry to ease moving the laser next to the molds, a motorized worktable, and a camera and monitor to aid in training operators.
Over the past 15 years, Complete Machining Services (CMS) Inc. has tried to adapt its precision machining and fabricating services to market demands. Accomplishing that has typically involved acquiring increasingly advanced machining centers and other capital equipment, along with new tooling, controls and software upgrades. Recently, the shop recognized a new demand.
“Last year we began receiving numerous requests for plastics injection mold repair services,” says Jeff Dainty, president and CEO. “Beyond our MIG and TIG welders, this was a capability we did not have. It was obvious there was a lack of contract precision laser welding services in the area for plastic injection molds, which was surprising because the largest concentration of moldmakers in North America resides in Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, close to where CMS is located.”
By: Harry C. Moser 6/27/2019
Reshoring News: June 2019
Jobs announced, Reshoring + FDI, Cumulative 2010-2018.
The Reshoring Initiative tracks news related to the return of manufacturing jobs to the United States. Here are recent news items the Reshoring Initiative has shared:
The 2018 Reshoring Initiative Data Report shows that the number of companies reporting new reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI) was at the highest level in history, up 38% from 2017. The combined reshoring and related FDI announcements totaled more than 145,000 jobs, the second highest annual rate in history. Including upward revisions of 36,000 jobs in prior years, the total number of manufacturing jobs brought to the United States from offshore is more than 757,000 since the manufacturing employment low of 2010.
AccuteX’s GE-SAi and GE-SAiL CNC wire EDM machines, available from Absolute Machine Tools, feature ergonomic enhancements and a choice of either traditional ballscrew (SAi) or AccuteX linear motion (SAiL) axis drive systems. Read more.
The FH30 from Beaumont Machine is a fast-hole EDM with six-axis capability, a rotary table with accuracy ranging from 3 to 5 arcseconds and repeatability ranging to 0.0002". With an electrode capacity of 24" (diameters from 0.012" to 0.250"), this machine is well-suited for aerospace, medical, power generation and semiconductor applications. Onboard drive resolution and absolute encoders provide high accuracy and rapid traverse speeds ranging to 400 ipm in the X, Y and Z axes, with 200-ipm rapid traverse speeds in the W axis. Read more.
Current EDM has released the CT400 CNC hole drilling machine designed for toolroom and production drilling applications. The machine is available in three- and five-axis configurations for applications requiring the drilling of holes at multiple angles. It features a moving bridge designed for greater weight capacity and minimal machine footprint. Read more.
GF Machining Solutions offers the AgieCharmilles Cut C 350 and Cut C 600 wire EDMs for U.S. manufacturers that want higher performance with lower operating costs. The company says the machines provide optimized cutting speeds and reliable accuracy, while their AC Cut HMI 2 interfaces ease programming through efficient EDM expert modules. Read more.
Manufactured in Taiwan and distributed throughout the United States, the W-EDM S series of CNC wire EDMs from Kaast delivers surface quality combined with technologies to help keep production efficient. Automatic corner control contributes to high geometric accuracy during production. Read more.
MC Machinery’s MV2400-ST, a wire EDM, is specifically designed for large-part production, capable of performing submerged cutting as deep as 16.5". With an annealing length of over 21", its automatic wire threading system can thread the maximum workpiece height both at the start point and through the gap if needed for a broken wire recovery, the company says. Read more.
Available from Methods Machine Tools, the FANUC Robocut C800iB-20 wire EDM offers features for increased accuracy, efficiency and throughput. This EDM is available with a larger Z-axis configuration and can accommodate workpieces with a maximum size of 49.21" × 38.38" × 19.68" and weighing as much as 6,613 lbs. The C800iB-20 is designed for a range of applications including large molds and stamping dies as well as complex aerospace parts. Read more.
The image gallery above, based on Modern Machine Shop magazine’s Modern Equipment Review Spotlight, features a selection of the product releases we have recently published about electrical discharge machining, which uses electricity to burn away material bit by bit. This spotlight includes a variety of EDM equipment. More can be found in our Zone dedicated to EDM equipment.
Swipe through the gallery for details about each product, and follow the caption links for more information. Products featured in this month’s spotlight come from the following companies:
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