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 CONTENTS
JUNE 2017 ■ VOLUME 90, NO. 1 ■ MMSONLINE.COM

70

FEATURES
70 Turning Takes a New Direction
A methodology for cutting in both directions on a CNC lathe
promises to make turning a much more productive operation in
certain applications. New types of inserts driven by new
CAM tool paths are essential to this multifaceted system.
BY MARK ALBERT

80 80 Machining and Fabrication Are Different

But in this shop, ISO certification and ERP implementation have
helped bring machining and fabrication together, while also
managing the differences between these types of work.
BY PETER ZELINSKI

88 Making Mountains out of Mold Steel

When graphite molds wouldn’t cut it for a manufacturer of
hand-blown drinking glasses, the shop machined more durable
stainless steel molds to create the famous mountainous shapes
in the bottom of some nifty drinkware. BY DEREK KORN

ABOUT THE COVER

The most striking aspect of a new concept in turning technology from Sandvik Coromant is
captured in this image provided by the cutting tool manufacturer. The article starting on
page 70 discusses how cutting in both directions (toward and away from the chuck) on a
CNC lathe has advantages for certain types of applications. A look at this development is
also worthwhile for what it shows about the interaction of the cutting tool, programming
88 software and shopfloor discipline.

6 MMS June 2017

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 CONTENTS
RAPID TRAVERSE
22 Micro-Part Collets Make Subspindles Sing
26 Identifying and Overcoming Skill Vulnerabilities in Staffing
28 Entry-Level Automation Option

COMMENTARIES AND COLUMNS

16 Mark: My Word
22
18 The Z Axis
20 One-Off
32 Deciding Factors
36 Competing Ideas
40 The View from My Shop
58 Quality Gaging Tips
62 CNC Tech Talk
66 Additive Insights
152 Gardner Business Index: Metalworking

BETTER PRODUCTION
94 Manufacturing Speed for Drag Boats
94
106 Tool Management System Eliminates Information Silos
112 CAD/CAM Helps Shop Achieve Tight Tolerances for
Medical Components

INDUSTRY AND PRODUCT NEWS

10 Web Extras
12 MMS Connect
44 Shop Talk
56 Meeting Dates
118 Tooling and Workholding
126 Systems and Software
146
132 Amerimold Product Preview
146 Modern Equipment Review
Spotlight: EDM

ADVERTISERS
148 Business Opportunities
149 Index of Advertisers

8 MMS June 2017

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Web Extras | mmsonline.com

INSIGHTS FROM TECHNOLOGY EVENTS
Editorial Director Mark Albert and Associate Editor
Stephanie Hendrixson recently repor ted on
two trips they took examining technology from
Hyundai Wia and FANUC, respectively.
Updates unveiled at FANUC’s annual Private
Show in Japan promoted higher-volume produc-
tion, easier programming and better monitoring
capabilities across product lines, Ms. Hendrixson
reports. Read more and find a slideshow of the
event at short.mmsonline.com/fanuc17.
Meanwhile, reporting from the Chicago area,
Mr. Albert shares highlights on Hyundai Wia’s
technology center, looking at its remarkably diverse
range of machine tools, from commodity VMCs
to five-axis contouring machines. Read more and
find his slideshow at shor t.mmsonline.com/
hyundai.

BEYOND THE SPOTLIGHT: EDM

This issue’s Modern Equipment Review, starting
on page 146, focuse s on EDM equipme nt.
Although this specialized process only has a
finite amount of pages we can devote to it in print,
our website has an entire zone dedicated to it.
After you’ve flipped through the product spotlight
in print, head to mmsonline.com/edm to find more
than 70 feature articles, 20 case studies and
60 product releases involving EDM.

MMS Extra is Modern Machine Shop’s

free email newsletter. To subscribe,
visit mmsonline.com/sub/newsletter.

10 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 Feed Rates Taken to the Extreme

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steel, cast iron, stainless steel and aluminum with excellent stability and long tool life. The specialized
cutting geometry of our indexable inserts allow rapid plunging, smooth cutting and high feed rates to
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MMS CONNECT
CONNECT
EVENT INVITES MANUFACTURERS TO PITCH
U.S.-MADE PRODUCTS TO WALMART
facebook.com/mmsonline
Do you manufacture a consumer product that might be a candidate
for sales through Walmart? The June 28 event offers meetings with
Walmart buyers as part of the company's promise to purchase $250
billion more in products made domestically. Read the full story pinned
to the top of our Facebook page.

PLAIN TALK: DATA-DRIVEN

MANUFACTURING
youtube.com/mmsonlinevideos
Much of the talk about the Industrial
Internet of Things, Industry 4.0 and
data-driven manufacturing can be con-
fusing. For most shops, installing an
Internet-enabled machine monitoring
system is the obvious and practical way
to take the leap toward these concepts.
Find the video at the URL above. 00:27 02:08

IS IT TIME TO MOVE UP HOW TO PREDICT, PREVENT

TO AN HMC? PROCESS FAILURE
techspex.com bit.ly/mmstopshops
The “Guide to Buying Machine Tools” Knowledge Group member Doug Wetzel of CNC machine
Center has been updated to include industry shop Protomatic says a February MMS article on
expert Barry Rogers’ third in-depth article, this a Process Failure Mode and Ef fect Analysis
one examining what you need to know before (PFME A) system developed by his company
buying a productive horizontal machining center. generated a “flood of requests” for information.
Read this artice along with others, which cover He outlines the basics of what PFMEA is, various
questions to ask before buying any machine ways of imple m e nting PFM E A , options for
tool as well as VMC-specific issues, by visiting prioritizing risks and more. To find it, follow the
short.mmsonline.com/techspex.com. URL above to our Top Shops LinkedIn group.

DON’T MISS OUT WHEN OUR EDITORS

LIVE TWEET
twitter.com/mmsonline
Associate Editor Stephanie Hendrixson (@AM_StephanieH) recently
live tweeted from her visit to the Rapid + TCT event:

• Reps from @DesktopMetal, @Jabil, @CaterpillarInc & @Lowes talk

future of low cost metal #3dprinting at #Rapidevent.
• .@generalelectric’s “Brillant Factory” concept combines lean, digital,
advanced & additive #manufacturing. Hot topics at #Rapidevent.

12 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

STAFF

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Associate Publisher Market Intelligence
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[email protected] Ernest Brubaker Treasurer
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Mark Albert William Caldwell Advertising and
[email protected] Production Director
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[email protected] Operations

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[email protected] and Events
Managing Editor
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METALWORKING
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14 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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MARK: MY WORD Commentary

Be Scared, but Be Prepared

Warnings about threats to internet-enabled networks in manufacturing plants
should be taken seriously without giving in to alarmist overreactions. The risks
are real, but manageable.
Machine spindles can go bad. Cutting tools can the equation that needs the most attention. The
suffer catastrophic breakage. A chip conveyor can problem is that the cost of downtime due to a cyber
jam. System failures such as these are ordinary attack is hard to comprehend. There have been
and expected risks that every machine shop faces. few detailed accounts of such incidents at small
Steps to minimize these failures are worthwhile, to medium-sized machining facilities, although
because they can cause downtime that might hurt reports have recently surfaced about suppliers to
profits and potentially harm customer relations. the metalworking field being exposed to ransom-
Now we face the risk of system failures due to ware that encrypts a company’s critical data until
hackers. Manufacturers are increasingly suscep- hackers are paid off. This is pretty close to home.
tible to becoming targets of cyber attacks. Although At the least, shops should consider these steps:
I don’t doubt this fact, it is a broad generalization Build awareness. Cyber security is not a
that makes me as uncomfortable as saying “Every concern just for the IT folks. Everyone in an orga-
home in America could be damaged by a tornado.” nization must be prepared to follow safe network-
(Certainly true, but not every home faces the same ing procedures. Constant vigilance and continual
level of risk. Consider a mobile home in Kansas training are necessary.
compared to a stone farmhouse in Vermont.) Take precautions. More and more machine
tool providers are building in or making available
provisions to promote the safety of connecting
MARK ALBERT machines to an internet-enabled network. These
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
options or standard features should be studied as
[email protected]
closely as any other on the spec sheet.
“Be scared, but be prepared.
Expect to be certified. It’s probably only a
That’s the best tactic.”
matter of time before companies in a supply chain
will be required to have certification that some sort
of network security is in place. Compliance will
likely require that an ongoing security protocol is
Yet I think the statement about cyber threats to in place and being followed.
manufacturers must stand. It should scare us a Consider insurance. Like any risk, threats to
little, and may be a lot. More importantly, it should the security of a company’s network and data can
make us think about tactics to deal with the threat be covered by insurers that specialize in this field.
in a calm, reasonable yet urgent manner. This is Coverage can at least partially protect a company
the main point I want to make here. What’s needed from loss due to cyber attacks.
most is a balanced approach. The fear of potential Stay focused. The benefits of connecting
loss must be offset by the promise of gains from machines to a network for production monitoring,
networking machine tools and becoming part of predictive maintenance and integration with enter-
the Industrial Internet of Things. prise resource planning are too promising to forego
Right now, I think the fear of loss is the side of because fear has not been confronted.

16 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

THE Z AXIS Commentary

Theory and Practice

of the Shop Visit
There is certain information that can only come from standing in the facility.
Earlier this year, I celebrated 20 years as an best-case promise. It is the users who discover
editor with Modern Machine Shop. A lot has what practical obstacles stand in the way. Mean-
changed in that time. North American machining while, though, those users also tend to be bull-
facilities have become more sophisticated, chang- ish. On the phone—again, understandably—the
ing the type of information their leaders need from user will generalize for the sake of an efficient
us. Meanwhile, the avenues of information and conversation. Only the in-person visit provides
the demands on our audience members’ attention the time and context for exploring how the tech-
have expanded as well. We (the MMS staff) are nology is really playing out. It offers the chance
more acutely aware than ever of the importance to witness a detail that doesn’t seem to fit the
of delivering value in what we post and publish. portrayal and ask, “So what’s going on there?”
But one thing has not changed, something Genuine understanding often comes after this.
distinctive about MMS when I joined it that remains This kind of effort leads to stories that are
distinctive today. Namely, we retain our emphasis messier and less dramatic than they might
on what we internally call “shop visits.” These are otherwise be. The 40-percent productivity improve-
stories about an idea or technology that we ment promised might actually be an 8-percent
research by taking a plane or car to the very facil- improvement as things have played out so far.
ity where it is being used, so we can see it in action That doesn’t mean the 40 percent misrepresented
and talk to the people using it. the matter, and there is value in the 8 percent, but
there are reasons why the user has succeeded
to one extent instead of the other. Explaining or
PETER ZELINSKI at least giving a nod to all the factors in play results
EDITOR–IN-CHIEF
in a story that is more shaded and takes more
[email protected]
words to tell. Not to mention: The story is also
“Explaining all the factors in
prone to be less attractive on the surface, because
play results in a story that is
instead of relying on catalog photos, we take real
more shaded.”
photos of where the idea or technology is really
being used.
The result is a sometimes quirky magazine
Researching a story this way entails a lot of featuring articles that look different and read dif-
trouble. The travel time generally exceeds the ferently from what is typical of a great many other
time at the site. Certainly there are other ways— industry publications. Yet contained within those
we could go directly to the suppliers of the tech- differences is detail meaningful to the audience
nology rather than the users; we could talk to the we serve, detail that wouldn’t come out any other
users by phone. We routinely do both these things. way. So, it’s my intention that shop visits and the
But there are problems. The suppliers produc- types of articles that result will always remain part
ing the technology are understandably bullish of the way we produce this magazine, and any
about it. Perspectives they share relate to the quirkiness is a price we’ll happily pay.

18 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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ONE-OFF Commentary

A Common Problem
That We Share
The challenges we face finding writing editors are similar to those you face
finding skilled machinists and machine operators.
Modern machine shops and Modern Machine However, we seem to have more writers
Shop face similar workforce-development chal- approaching us for work than those with extensive
lenges. Simply put, it’s difficult for us (as well as knowledge about machining. The former typically
our other Gardner Business Media brands) to find have a degree in journalism or English, and already
drop-in-place writing editors the same way it’s have the chops to write well. What’s unknown is
hard for you to find drop-in-place machinists. That whether they will be able to write well about the
means we have to train them. unique topics we cover. Here are three traits I’d
The editors here who travel to visit shops and like to identify in such a prospect. Some of these
then write about how those shops leverage machin- are similar to the “soft skills” you might be looking
ing technology have an odd skillset that pairs for in candidates with no machining experience.
writing ability with at least a fundamental under- • Natural curiosity, specifically about how
standing of machining technology, processes and things work. It’d be great to find a tinkerer like
concepts. This is uncommon because, typically, Mark who might have taken a watch apart at one
engineers can’t write and writers sometimes have point just to see how it works. In lieu of having
a hard time picking up the technology. done things like that, successful MMS writers are
genuinely interested in learning about how objects
function, and they think what goes on in a machine
DEREK KORN shop is truly cool.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
• Willingness to research and learn. Although
[email protected]
I’ve been writing about manufacturing for 20 years
“Modern machine shops and
(13 years here at MMS), I don’t claim to be an
Modern Machine Shop face simi-
expert on all things machining. As a result, I’m
lar training challenges.”
continuously researching topics ahead of shop
visits so I can develop questions that will enable
my stories to explain the concept with a sufficient
Therefore, we either have to find a manufac- amount of detail. It’s often a process of learning,
turing-type and teach him or her how to write then teaching.
effectively, or find a quality writer and teach the • Willingness to admit ignorance. Similarly,
technology. We’ve had success with both sce- there can be times during conversations about a
narios as exemplified by the two editors I’ve worked machining concept with shop owners or manag-
with here the longest. Pete Zelinski and I both ers in which they lose me. I have no problem
have mechanical engineering degrees. Mark Albert stopping them and asking them to explain again.
doesn’t, but, among other helpful traits, he is a Pretending as though I understand at that point
natural tinkerer with a genuine interest in learning does me no good and ultimately does the reader
about how things work. of the article I generate no good either.

20 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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RAPID TRAVERSE Machining Technology in Brief

Micro-Part Collets Make

Subspindles Sing
BY MAT T DANFORD

T here’s good reason why subspindle-equipped

turning centers, particularly Swiss-type lathes,
are so popular for producing small, complex parts
as well. Another benefit is the ability to adjust
clamping pressure at the spindle nose to grip
securely without damaging small, fragile work-
in high volumes. However, there’s also good reason pieces. On the efficiency front, a collet in one size
for the prefix “sub.” Automatic part hand-off for can be swapped for another without reaching
backworking operations isn’t viable without secure anywhere beyond the spindle nose, and any collet
gripping, and the smaller, already-machined por- can fit multiple draw-type or push-type machine
tion of the work presented to the subspindle tends collet closers. This saves time and eliminates the
to create more challenges than the raw barstock need for different collet series for different machines.
gripped in the main spindle. As a result, sub- Finally, overgrip models that expand 0.157 inch
spindles can be limited when it comes to blind-hole (4 mm) beyond the clamping diameter enable
broaching, heavy peck drilling and other processes reaching over and gripping the part behind large-
that risk pushing a part off-kilter or damaging it. diameter areas.
However, the right workholding can break down The Microconic system consists of two primary
these barriers, says Matt Saccomanno, CEO of components: a cartridge that fits in the machine’s
Masa Tool (Oceanside, California). Founded in the standard 5C, TF20 or TF25 collet closer, and the
wake of Mr. Saccomanno’s own frustration with Microconic collet itself, which fits into the cartridge.
secondary operations and underutilization of Collets accommodate workpiece diameters rang-
subpsindles, Masa Tool offers the Microconic ing from 0.008 inch (0.2 mm) to 0.394 inch (10
system, an alternative to traditional, extended- mm). Total indicator runout (TIR) is guaranteed at
nose collet designs that applies force closer to 0.0002 inch (5 microns) at the workpiece, absent
the part for greater rigidity and concentricity, any runout introduced by the machine structure
advantages that extend to main-spindle operations or other elements of the setup, Mr. Saccomanno
says. He adds that the cartridge can be used as
a precision gage to calibrate spindle accuracy.
Installation is simple. Users place the machine
in a safe state for collet changing, insert the
appropriate Microconic cartridge, and thread the
Microconic collet into the cartridge. “You put it in

Small parts can be difficult to grip securely in

general, but subspindle clamping is often particu-
larly challenging. With pressure applied directly over
the part rather than farther back on the collet, the
Microconic system is designed to ensure rigidity and
concentricity even on pre-machined stock, regardless
of thin walls, large shoulders or other challenges.

22 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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RAPID TRAVERSE Machining Technology in Brief

The Microconic system

includes a variety of
cartridges that accommo-
date the same standard
and overgrip collets,
potentially on any turning
machine in the shop. Also
pictured: brass ejection
sleeves for overgrip
collets, and the Micro-
grad face-dial wrench.

your spindle and leave it there,” Mr. Saccomanno closer and collet. As Mr. Saccomanno puts it,
says about the three cartridge models, each of “From the first part in the morning to the last part
which can accept any standard or over-grip collet. on second shift, it grips the same. You don’t have
This capability enables switching to a different- to play with it throughout the day.”
diameter collet for a different-diameter part and He credits much of that precision to the fact
setting the correct chucking force in roughly two that clamping force is applied directly over the
minutes, compared to the 15 minutes it might workpiece, in contrast to traditional extended-
take to swap, say, a TF25 collet, he says. nose designs that apply force farther back. He
There’s no “feel” involved in tightening the also credits the manufacturing process. Taper-
collet, he says. That’s a task accomplished with ing collet jaws to interface with the machine is
the company’s Micrograd wrench, which features nothing unusual. However, Masa Tool employs
micrometer graduations of 0.001 inch (0.02 mm) a proprietary, five-step grinding process that
to aid users in dialing in the perfect closure on leaves each jaw with a particularly precise con-
either a workpiece or a gage pin of the same size. ical shape (hence the name “Microconic”) that
This configuration relegates the machine’s own forms a particularly tight fit. More specifically, a
clamping mechanism to the role of an actuator “slight crown” ensures that the contact point is
that triggers the opening or closing of the collet. always centered, he explains, citing the pattern
As such, he advises keeping the machine’s own of wear marks on well-used collets as evidence.
function at a medium force setting and allowing “Traditionally, you’ll see wear closer to the slots
the Microconic cartridge to control the actual rather than in the center, between the slots,” he
chucking force. Machined from a single piece of says. “There’s no uncertainty about whether (a
hardened steel, the cartridge preserves the dead- Microconic collet) will touch on the left or the
length operation of “push-type” collet systems right side first. That’s where you’ll get some
(that is, the collet itself doesn’t move in or out as variation in traditional designs.”
the machine cartridge actuates the chuck). Gripping wasn’t the company’s only focus
In addition to better facilitating secure clamp- when designing the Micronic system. Reliable
ing without damaging thin-walled or otherwise part ejection is also critical, Mr. Saccomanno
delicate workpieces, self-contained, dial-microm- says, particularly with overgrip collets that offer
eter force adjustment helps ensure setups aren’t such a wide gripping range. That’s why overgrip
affected by temperature fluctuations that might models ship with a Microject, a brass ejection
subtly alter the machine structure between collet- guide sleeve that can be machined to mirror the

24 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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RAPID TRAVERSE Machining Technology in Brief

outer profile of the workpiece. Once threaded in part ejection.

into the over-grip collet, the sleeve prevents parts Mr. Saccomanno also recommends using
from falling inside the chuck or getting stuck rather programmed cycle stops while validating a pro-
than ejecting into the parts catcher. The sleeve duction setup to ensure part ejection is reliable.
also provides a tight seal that improves the abil- Nonetheless, combined with the precision and
ity of through-spindle coolant or shop air to aid gripping security common to all Microconic col-
lets, capability for extreme overgripping can enable
Masa Tool, call 760-732-1422 or “doing things on the subspindle that you never
visit masatool.com. would have dreamed of before,” he says.

Identifying and Overcoming Skill

Vulnerabilities in Staffing
BY PETER ZELINSKI

After a necessary downsize, a machining facil-

R educing head count due to economic chal-
lenges is a response that of ten leads to
longer-term challenges. This is particularly true
ity in Texas recently took stock of its own staffing
to see how vulnerable it was to this danger. The
in machining facilities, where skilled employees
oversee sophisticated machines. If the facility is Here is the plant’s cross-training chart as of the
left with too few of the key people who are able beginning of this year. The chart has machine tool
to run the shop’s most complex equipment, then types across the top and employee names (blurred)
having just one or two of those critical employ- down the lefthand side. The percentage shown at the
ees resign or become sick could leave costly intersection of each employee and machine indicates
equipment sitting idle. the employee’s proficiency with that machine.

26 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

RAPID TRAVERSE Machining Technology in Brief

chart resultng from this analysis turned into a tool reliably. But in making a chart to realize this dis-
for improving staff members’ skills by advancing covery, they also made an effective tool for address-
cross-training within the facility. ing this problem.
This company serves an industry segment in These strategy team members openly shared
which both rapid expansion and downsizing are their findings with employees. They began choos-
common: the oil and gas sector. Understandably, ing employees to train on machines where the
it wishes to remain unnamed (publicity for reduc- need was greatest. More significantly, they began
ing head count is something no company wants). inviting employees to increase their versatility in
The CNC machining capabilities involved in making the shop by volunteering for their own cross-
its broad product line cover a range of machines— training. Employees are now able and encouraged
milling, turning and mill-turning—in an array of to request the chance to be trained on any given
sizes and more than a half-dozen brands. machine, and the employee who has made the
The manufacturing engineering manager for greatest advance in cross-training each year is
this facility notes that the variety of machine tools honored at year’s end. The chart proved to be the
here had not posed a personnel challenge prior beginning and the basis for a culture of continu-
to a few years ago. In 2014, however, the com- ous employee improvement.
pany’s business crashed along with the oil market. Of course, in the beginning, it wasn’t easy, the
He and other facility leaders had to oversee manufacturing engineering manager says. “There
significant cuts, most notably staffing cuts. “And was resistance,” he says. “We heard, ‘You can’t
as soon as the layoffs were done,” he says, “the judge us that way.’” In fact, it still isn’t easy. Fre-
first question we asked was: Which skills did we quently, an employee’s score on a given machine
lose?” He feared certain machine tools had too is lowered. Proficiency of 100 percent means the
few people left on staff who were proficient in ability to run the machine entirely unsupported
running them. and unsupervised, such as alone in the shop on
That fear proved valid. The facility’s strategy a weekend. “But someone we’ve given that score
team took an inventory of all the machine profi- might prove to have trouble machining a critical
ciencies remaining in the staff. The team mem- feature,” he says. “So we tell that person: When
bers created a char t with all the employees’ you’ve machined that same part X number of
names down the vertical axis and all the machine times without a non-conformance report, your
tool types across the horizontal. Then, for every score will go back up.”
pairing of employee and machine, they rated He says eventually he hopes to see employee
ability. They defined the increments on a scale compensation linked to this cross-training so
(0-, 25-, 50-, 75- or 100-percent proficient), employees are paid more if they know how to
and scored ever y employee’s proficiency on operate more machines. That connection to
every machine. compensation does not exist today. However,
They discovered they were in danger on many employees seek their own diversification regard-
machines. That is, many machines had only one less. Just making the data visible has been enough
or two remaining staff members able to run them to encourage that improvement.

Entry-Level Automation Option

BY BARBAR A SCHULZ

M a ny m a c h i n e to o l b u i l d e r s r e p o r t a n
increased interest in machine-tending
automation solutions, which vary in sophistica-
member of the board at Hermle AG in Gosheim,
Germany, says the company has been offering
both advanced pallet changers and robotic
tion and price points. Franz-Xaver Bernhard, a handling systems for many years. He says it

28 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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RAPID TRAVERSE Machining Technology in Brief

As many as 40 pallet storage spaces are possible

when two storage modules are installed.

compatibility with older CNCs, software and

interfaces, however, Hermle says it
is working to make the system com-
patible with older machine models
as well.)
The HS Flex is made exclusively
for Hermle machines, which have
stable machining beds made from
mineral castings. The bed design
only allows for front-mounted auto-
mation systems, but Hermle has
created a flat mineral casting bed
from which the three axes of the
handling unit are operated to provide
ergonomic access for the operator.
The system’s dual-door design,
currently sells approximately 20 percent of its which has already proven its functional benefits
milling machines with automation, and the demand in Hermle’s robot systems, provides a twofold
is increasing. However, he notes that there are function: It prevents operator access during tool
many shops that don’t require such high-end change, and it provides access to the working-
solutions. Some might only need automated view position and working area during machining,
machining from time to time and don’t have the while also preventing access to the handling unit.
budget for an expensive robotic system. The rotary, lifting and linear axes of the han-
It is for shops like these that the company dling unit enable precise movement of heavy
designed the HS Flex handling system, which workpieces among the setup station, storage
features several components delivered as a modules and the machining center’s working
complete unit. Only the workpiece-storage mod- area. It is designed for pallets as large as 19.7
ules are installed and adjusted at the user’s facil- by 15.7 inches. To minimize the sources of poten-
ity. As a result, the entire installation can be tial errors, the maximum workpiece height is
completed in a very short time, Mr. Bernhard says. queried beforehand at the setup station, thereby
In contrast to the company’s robot systems, preventing workpieces with dimensions beyond
the HS Flex features a single gripper (the HS Flex those specified from being fed in.
Duo can be used to connect two Hermle machines, The system is available with one or two stor-
basically serving as two single, but connected, age modules, which are structured as a rack,
systems). It is designed for workpieces weighing offering customization potential of the pallet/
as much as 990 pounds and is suitable for workpiece arrangement. As many as four rack
Hermle’s high-performance C 12, C 22, C 32 and shelves can be ordered with as many as 20 pallet
C 42 machines, as well as its more affordable storage spaces per module, for a total of 40
entry-level C 250 and C 400 five-axis machines. possible pallet storage spaces when two storage
(At this point, the system can only be connected modules are installed. A specially developed
to current machine models due to a lack of storage generator tests both the permit ted
weights and dimensions, enabling the storage
Hermle Machine Co., call 414-421-9770 or visit arrangement to be defined quickly and easily,
hermlemachine.com. Mr. Bernhard says.

30 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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DECIDING FACTORS A Focus on Data-Driven Manufacturing

Standards Close the Loop

technology to make a real-time feedback loop for
A rtificial intelligence is an up-and-coming
application enabled by the Industrial Internet
of Things. More specifically, the notion of self-
cutting tools is also in development. Vibration
sensors feed data to a toolholder that can auto-
aware machines or systems that can learn from matically make slight adjustments to avoid unde-
their own environment and adapt on the fly is sirable harmonics, which in turn reduces chatter,
gaining wider acceptance as a feasible and desir- improves surface finish and increases insert life.
able possibility. However, the seemingly mundane In theory, these current applications of self-
world of communication standards and protocols aware equipment could soon be joined by much
is playing a key part in this technology develop- larger feedback loops. A part or assembly on the
ment, because it promises to fill gaps in the factory floor could carry metadata about itself
critical infrastructure that are still missing. and the equipment, designs and people that cre-
To begin, it’s important to grasp the value of ated it. The manufacturing enterprise software
self-aware machines by looking at some real-world and radio transmitter components required for
cases. Machine tools already have, in fact, some these feedback loops exist today, but gaps in
capability for self-awareness. They operate as a connectivity are preventing solutions from func-
collection of systems, subsystems, components tioning as intended. Communication standards
and sensors that are linked together and centrally are missing or incomplete, thus making the one-
controlled. For example, a feature such as back- to-one connections and translations between
lash compensation takes advantage of input components excessively complex.
from one component to calculate an adjustment Upstream from production, manufacturing
that is fed back to the control of the component engineers and the software companies that serve
to eliminate an unwanted result. Likewise, the them are trying to figure out how to reduce design

MTConnect is a model for understanding the value of a standard that enables dissimilar data sources to
communicate in a network without the complexity of unique data translators or proprietary interfaces.

CONTRIBUTOR RUSSELL WADDELL , MTConnect Institute (info@mtconnect .org)

32 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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I N PA RT N E R S H I P W I T H :
DECIDING FACTORS A Focus on Data-Driven Manufacturing

changes and rework. Input from machine tools, example, the standard has been implemented
inspection data and other sources will eventually for additive manufacturing and for lasers. In both
be available at the design phase to guide deci- cases, extensions to certain existing data items
sions, just as cutting tool libraries have now could be used for this purpose. These extended
become an integral part of CAM software. definitions are being brought into the official
Similarly, finished parts will carry information release of the standard through the Technical
about their ser vice life with them. This will Advisory Group and its working groups. Second,
benefit operations to rework, repair or maintain MTConnect is establishing links to other standards
them. This practice is the norm for many aerospace and data models that already exist or are in
parts now, with sophisticated part genealogies development. Data on personnel, for example,
required for FAA compliance. Promoting this trend are already well-defined outside of MTConnect.
is the continued decline in the cost of data acqui- Data definitions for entities such as “operator” or
sition and storage. However, developing the “user” will allow MTConnect data to be associated
standards for defining data and its framework is in a useful way to data about performance, atten-
still a hurdle to overcome. These standards are dance, training issues and other “people factors.”
needed to link and relate different types of data Many industries must work together to realize
from disparate components. a future for self-aware manufacturing systems
To assist in this transition, the MTConnect and artificial intelligence. Standards may seem
standard is changing in two major ways. First, it tedious or esoteric, yet they are the glue that joins
is expanding its sets of definitions to cover types all the pieces together and helps technology move
of equipment not previously addressed. For forward in a coherent and unified manner.

Visiting address:
Mossvägen 10
SE-811 81 Sandviken, Sweden

Office phone: +46 26 266005

Mobile phone: +46 76 8366005
[email protected]
sandvik.coromant.com
coherent and unified manner.

www.techsolve.org

34 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

COMPETING IDEAS Columnist

Do Your Customers
Promote You?
Getting the right information about how satisfied your customers are with your
services is the first step toward getting them to recommend you to others.
Few would argue that satisfying customers “0” representing someone extremely unlikely to
is a “must” if a company hopes to grow and recommend a business, brand, product or service,
prosper. Most companies even have some estab- and a score of “10” representing someone extremely
lished means for measuring how satisfied cus- likely to offer a recommendation. Respondents to
tomers are with their products and/or services, this Ultimate Question fall into three categories:
and they take these measures seriously. Too • Promoters (score of 9-10) are loyal enthu-
often, however, these internally developed mea- siasts who will keep buying and refer others.
sures do not provide a true picture of how satis- • Passives (score of 7-8) are satisfied but
fied customers really are. In fact, I would argue unenthusiastic customers who are vulnerable to
that many of the measures used by companies competitive offerings.
tend to skew results to be artificially favorable. • Detractors (score of 0-6) are unhappy
This can lead to customer service complacency customers who can damage a company through
based on a mentality of “we haven’t heard oth- negative comments to other potential customers.
erwise, so things must be OK.” Subtracting the percentage of Detractors from
In his best-selling books “The Ultimate Ques- the percentage of Promoters generates the Net
tion: Driving Good Profits and True Growth” (Har- Promoter Score, which can range from a low of
vard Business School Press 2006) and “The -100 (if every customer is a Detractor) to a high of
Ultimate Question 2.0” (revised and expanded in 100 (if every customer is a Promoter). In a more
2011), Fred Reichheld argues that customer sat- likely scenario, if 60 percent of your customers
isfaction is best measured by one simple question, are Promoters and 10 percent are Detractors,
the ultimate question for any business: “Would your Net Promoter Score is 50, which is not high
you recommend this business to a friend?” Mr. enough for your company to be considered truly
Reichheld then uses responses to this question customer-focused. It also indicates that 30 percent
to introduce the concept of the Net Promoter of your customers are conflicted (passive), or
Score, which he believes to be the only important possibly even uncaring, about your business.
measure of customer experience with a company. What makes this measure interesting is its
This rather strict interpretation of customer satis- rather harsh categorization of respondents. Many
faction uses a scale of zero to 10, with a score of companies might think that a response to the
Ultimate Question of “8,” and possibly even “7,”
is pretty good, but Mr. Reichheld views those
WAYNE S. CHANESKI scores as simply neutral. Likewise, 64 percent of
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
the possible responses (0 through 6) are catego-
CENTER FOR MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
rized as unhappy customers who can do serious
NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
damage to your business without you even real-
izing it. This can be a wake-up call to many who
have traditionally viewed middle-of-the-road

36 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

COMPETING IDEAS Columnist

responses such as 4, 5 and 6 as neutral and If we continue to believe our custom-

nothing to be too concerned about.
They say the first step to bringing about change ers’ satisfaction with our business is
is recognizing the need for it. If we continue to better than it really is, we will not do
believe our customers’ satisfaction with our busi-
ness is better than it really is, we will not do the the things that are needed to raise
things that are needed to raise that level of cus- that level of customer satisfaction.
tomer satisfaction. Whether you use Mr. Reich-
held’s Ultimate Question and Net Promoter Score in the wrong quantities) to your customers has a
approach, or find something comparably “tough” greater impact on future buying decisions than
to gage customer perceptions of your business, you ever thought possible. In short, if you pay
it is important to be open-minded when reviewing attention to what your customers are saying, you
the results. If you can keep an open mind, perhaps may find that your perception of what constitutes
you will find that your 95 percent on-time delivery good customer service is out of line with your
performance, of which you are so proud, is viewed customers’ expectations. The sooner you under-
as “just OK” by your customers. You may also stand this, the sooner you can do what is neces-
find that your two- to three-week lead time, which sary to minimize these differences.
seems to be the norm for your industry, is prevent- If knowledge is power, then gaining the right
ing you from getting any business from prospec- knowledge about your customer service perfor-
tive customers or more business from your exist- mance is the first step toward making the improve-
ing customers. Furthermore, you may learn that ments needed to encourage your customers to
shipping the wrong products (or the right products promote you.

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THE VIEW FROM MY SHOP Guest Columnist

Better Than Borderline

Even when there are no actual part defects that create scrap or rework, address-
ing borderline quality is important to reducing waste in any machine shop.
Our company recognizes that a key to our suc- in and of itself, similar to the relationship between
cess as a supplier of precision medical and aero- overproduction and inventory.
space components is the ability to provide machin- Many machining operations involve dozens of
ists with accurate and timely metrology data. Our dimensions that must be measured, adjusted and
low- and medium-volume production orders
require many setups and measuring of various ROOT CAUSES OF BQ EFFECTS

part geometries. In order for us to compete Overdesign/improper GD&T Slow down feeds and speeds

with lower-cost competitors, our machinists Machine inaccuracy Add extra passes on cutting tools
must operate multiple machine tools at once. Workholding location, Add stops in the CNC program
This means the machinist must concurrently rigidity, repeatability for additional inspections

inspect different parts and control tool changes Inspection methodology Continuously enter tool offsets

and offsets on multiple machines. A lean Hard materials/excessive Change tools more frequently
metrology approach requires the use of tool wear
advanced measurement instruments located Extended toolholders and Over-inspect parts during and
tool deflection after the cycle
nearby, along with sophisticated statistical
Variability from previous Do not run machine during
process control (SPC) and connectivity. Estab- operations breaks or between shifts
lishing and maintaining robust processes not
only reduces scrap and rework, but also lessens held to a print or process tolerance. Not all of those
many other more subtle but costly wastes. component dimensions are considered critical to
Our “lean champions,” like other lean practitio- quality (CTQ), but because a feature is not CTQ
ners, teach the various types of waste within orga- does not mean that it does not have to be held
nizations: defects, overproduction, waiting, not within the tolerance band. Any feature not within
utilizing employee talent, transportation, inventory, tolerance may result in scrap or rework. It also may
motion and excess processing, to name a few. I result in a failure for the end customer.
submit that there are two additional wastes that It is not practical to sacrifice an expensive part
need to be addressed: “overdesign” and “border- to scrap while dialing in tooling and fixturing during
line quality.” Here, I will focus on borderline quality. a setup. If a component has three distinct machin-
BQ does not refer to defects, nor to the second- ing operations, you would lose three pieces or
ary or tertiary effects generated by defects. BQ more to scrap. It also is not desirable to sacrifice
drives other non-value-added wastes, such as components during the run portion of the operation
overprocessing and motion, but it also is a waste due to tool wear.
When the machinist is producing components
This Month’s Columnist: that are close to being out of tolerance or were
PATRICK TARVIN previously out of tolerance, his behavior and pro-
V.P., GLOBAL LEAN MANUFACTURING
ductivity significantly change. He must perform
TECOMET INC.
non-value-added activities, thereby adding con-
WILMINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS
siderable time to the job. He cannot run a second
[email protected]
machine nor get ready for his next job. Although
there is no defect to record, productivity and

40 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

THE VIEW FROM MY SHOP Guest Columnist

throughput are reduced by as much as 50 percent. validate the program, document the setup and
How do you identify borderline quality when tooling, nail down the in-process inspection to
there are no actual defects that create scrap or correlate outputs and inputs, create toolchange
rework? Use productivity metrics that record the frequencies, and so on. This team generally needs
low output, and make sure operations management accurate machine tools, effective software and
is aware of the issue. Our company tracks cell quality accessories, as well as precision-inspection
output through gemba boards, OEE practices, or methodologies and motivated technical talent at
various utilization and efficiency measurements, all levels, including night shifts.
depending on the type of machining. Much of the simpler, higher-volume manufactur-
How do you fix BQ? This is likely the toughest ing has moved to low-cost regions. This means
challenge facing today’s modern machining shops. shops like ours are competing for complex, lower-
The first step is to ensure you have an inspection volume components and processing new parts
method that is repeatable and contains the means daily. This requires creating new programs and
necessary to diagnose and improve the process. operations at least several times a week. Problem-
We continue to increase capital spent on metrology solving and robust processes with high process
along with the number of kaizen events focused capability need to be core competencies.
on optimizing quality at the source. The intent is to
always recognize the BQ scenario when a machin- In addition to serving as V.P. of global lean
ing operation is originally created. Resolving the manufacturing at Tecomet (tecomet.com),
problem is normally a joint effort by the CNC pro- Patrick Tarvin is the author of the book “Lead-
grammer, machinists, manufacturing engineer and ership and Management of Machining.”
inspector, who must overcome these problems,

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42 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

SHOP TALK

SANDVIK COROMANT SIGNS

STRATEGIC RESEARCH
AGREEMENT WITH PARC,
A XEROX COMPANY
Sandvik Coromant has signed a strategic research to develop attractive solutions in the field of
a g r e e m e n t w i t h P a r c , a X e r o x c o m p a n y. digital manufacturing and Industry 4.0,” says
Parc will provide Sandvik Coromant with a
footprint in Silicon Valley and expert resources From left to right: Saigopal Nelaturi (Area Manager,
for research and development in the field of Computation for Automation in Systems Engineering) of
digital manufacturing. Parc; Janni Weber (Senior Project Manager) of Sandvik
Unde r the agre e me nt, Parc will alloc ate Coromant; Mats Bergstrom (Managing Director, Global
resources to conduct R&D on digital manufactur- Business Operations and Program Manager for Digital
ing technologies for Sandvik Coromant. Sandvik Design and Manufacturing) of Parc; Magnus Ekbäck
C o ro m a nt w i l l a l s o a c q u i re a l l I nte l l e c tu a l (Vice President and Head of Business Development and
Property (IP) and technology related to Parc’s Digital Machining) of Sandvik Coromant; Tolga Kurtoglu
software for high-level process planning and (CEO) of Parc; Markus Larsson (Vice President of Global
automated manufacturing cost estimation for Business Operations) of Parc; Mats Allard (Project
subtractive manufacturing. Manager Virtual Machining) of Sandvik Coromant; and
“This partnership is a natural step and in line Michael Waltrip (Senior Director, Intellectual Property
with Sandvik Coromant’s long-term strategy Management and Commercialization) of Parc.

44 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

SHOP TALK

Magnus Ekbäck, vice president and head of complex products has been the integrated coupling
business development and digital machining for of design and manufacturing, which we have been
Sandvik Coromant. developing at Parc for many years. We’re pleased
“Manufacturing is entering a dynamic new to partner with Sandvik Coromant to see these
phase as the cyber and physical worlds converge, innovations come to life on the global stage.”
and the complex and diverse industry needs Parc has been developing technologies for
significant innovation to truly progress,” says Parc government agencies and commercial clients in
CEO Tolga Kurtoglu. “The missing piece for com- the field of digital manufacturing for almost a
plete design automation and manufacturing of decade. Its digital manufacturing suite of tech-
nologies helps design-
ers and manufacturers
understand real-world
manufacturing process
constraints during dig-
ital product design and
identifies potential
limitations of a supply
chain early in the design
phase, ultimately mini-
mizing time-to-market
and improving overall
product quality.
Sandvik Coromant,
call 201-794-5000
or visit sandvik.
coromant.com.

KAPP NILES
LAUNCHES
NEW GEAR
METROLOGY
DIVISION
Kapp Niles has
announced the expan-
sion of its product port-
folio by adding high-end
metrology products. The
newly-founded division
Kapp Niles Metrology
GmbH, based in
Aschaf fenburg, Ger-
ma ny, leve rag e s the
experience and technol-
ogy of R&P Metrology
GmbH, whose employ-
ees and management
have joine d the new
company.
The new division

46 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

SHOP TALK

designs and builds customized, large, four- and Asia for the smaller gear analyzers and products
five-axis analyzers built to VDI/VDE class I. A of Penta Gear Metrology of Dayton, Ohio, which
derivative of the technology is a transportable joined Kapp Technologies in 2015.
three-axis device for analyzing gears in the shop Kapp Technologies, call 303-447-1130
on cutting machines or even in a gear box. or visit kapp-usa.com.
An expansion into the metrology sector com-
plements the Kapp Niles product portfolio for TECHNIKS INDUSTRIES ACQUIRES
gear and profile grinding. The new division will PARLEC’S TOOLING BUSINESS
also provide sales and support in Europe and Techniks Industries (Indianapolis, Indiana), a
tooling provider for the
metalworking and wood-
working industries, has
acquire d the tooling
Dual spindle assets of Parlec Inc.
5 axis (Fairport, New York). The
Flexible ac q u is i tio n ex pa nd s
Production center Techniks’ product offer-
ing of af termarket
Chip to chip of 0.9 s even at maximum spindle speed! machine tool accesso-
Savings of up to 500 -2000 hours of non productive time per year equal ries and enhances its
120‘000 $us/year.
manufacturing and dis-
tribution capabilities to
distributors and OEMs
located throughout
North America.
Pa r le c s ays it w ill
retain its preset ter
business under the
Omega Tool Measuring
Machines brand. The
Parlec tooling division
will continue to operate
as an independent com-
pany, branded Parlec
LLC under the Techniks
I n d u s tr i e s u m b re l l a.
Parlec says that in Jan-
uary 2016, its executive
The Mikron XT-one machining center is worldwide amongst the most team decided to view
versatile and precise machines for complex parts. the company as t wo
separate businesses,
Discover more under www.mikron.com/one
one focused on tooling,
the other on presetting.
Mikron Corp. Monroe [email protected]
Monroe, CT 06468 / USA Tel. +1 203 261 31 00 The market strategies
for these two businesses
differed and their market
www.youtube.com/mikrongroup
www.mikron.com grow th was found to
b e c o m p ro m i s e d a s
a result.

48 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

SHOP TALK

“With a global network that spans throughout ABB, IBM PARTNER TO

North America, Europe, and Asia, Parlec’s reach COMBINE AUTOMATION,
opens the world to Techniks Industries and Tech- AI FOR MANUFACTURING
niks Industries to the world,” says Vernon Cameron, ABB and IBM have announced a strategic col-
president and CEO of Techniks Industries. laboration that brings together ABB’s digital
Parlec Inc., call 585-425-4400 offering, ABB Ability, with IBM Watson’s cognitive
or visit parlec.com. capabilities in an attempt to serve customers in
Techniks Inc., call 800-597-3921 utilities, industry, transport and infrastructure.
or visit techniksusa.com. The first two joint industry solutions powered by
ABB Ability and Watson
are intended to bring
real-time cognitive
insights to the factory
floor and smart grids.
ABB a nd IBM s ay
they will leverage
Watson’s artificial intel-
l i g e n c e to h e l p f i n d
defects via real-time
production images cap-
tured by an ABB system
and then analyzed using
I B M Wa t s o n I oT f o r
Manufacturing. Manual
inspection can be a slow

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down cut flutes to compress the composite material preventing
tion technology, com-
delamination. The spiral flute design creates a shearing action
to cleanly cut the fibers. Utilizing a positive rake angle, the panies will be bet ter
compression end mill makes quick sharp cuts minimizing heat and equipped to increase
preventing the formation of resin burrs. throughput while
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Compresses Material
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pany says.The solution
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turer to critical faults—
Prevents Resin Burring some not visible to the
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See More at kyoceraprecisiontools.com/VULCAN
enable quick interven-
tion from quality control
experts. Easier identifi-
KYOCERA Precision Tools, Inc. | 800.823.7284 | [email protected] cation of defects
impacts all goods on the

50 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

What’s the best part about our Blanchard parts?

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What comes around goes around, especially when it comes to your Blanchard. Using genuine Blanchard
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SHOP TALK

production line and helps improve a company’s its new engineering training department, which
competitiveness while avoiding costly recalls and provides comprehensive, hands-on education
reputational damage. programs for new employees, end users and
ABB Inc., call 800-435-7365 distributors from around the world. The training
or visit abb.com/robotics. depar tment instructs new associates in the
proper use and application of the company’s
AME LAUNCHES ENGINEERING tooling in all phases of holemaking in metal.
TRAINING DEPARTMENT Trainees participate in a three-month technical
Allied Machine & Engineering (AME) has opened and hands-on training program focusing on how
the tools wor k and
where to apply them in
various applications.
The 3,000-square-
foot facility, located in
Dover, Ohio, includes
two vertical machining
centers and one hori-

Having issues with your

zontal machining center
to s h ow c a s e A M E’s

finishing process?
tools. Each machining
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For over 60 years, Rosler has produced high-quality ceramic media, plastic media and feed directly to 60-inch
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finishing process, send us your parts and we will process them in one of our test labs, in action. Demonstra-
helping you find a better process. tions are available fea-
turing AME’s tools run-
ning in a variety of
materials including
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s te e l, h i g h -s t r e n g th
alloy, 304 and 17-4 stain-
less steel, structural
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minum, and iron. Train-
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include active participa-
tio n, w i th at te nd e e s
helping to select speeds

finding a better way... and feeds.

For end users and
the distr ibutors who
Rosler Metal Finishing USA is the leader in mass finishing, shot blasting, support them, the com-
automated processes and media - made in the USA. pany offers an intense
Visit www.rosler.us or call 269-441-3000 for more information.
t w o - a n d - a - h a l f- d a y
technical educational
seminar (TES) featuring
classroom and metal-

52 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

‘‘ SMALL FOOTPRINT,
Mike Brenk
Brenk Brothers

production
punch. Our new ‘‘
Kitamura HX-250iG horizontal
machining center gives us a unique piece
of equipment that fits a wide variety of applications.
“Even with a small work envelope, we’ve tooled up one project producing
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The HX-250iG is now available with an optional 10-station APC.

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T 847.520.7755 kitamura-machinery.com

S I M P L I F Y T H E CO M P L I C AT E D
SHOP TALK

cutting demonstrations. These seminars, limited are available for groups of all sizes.
to groups of 15 to 30 attendees, are designed to Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., call
keep participants abreast of the latest industry 800-321-5537 or visit alliedmachine.com.
trends and technology.
For those unable to travel to the training facil- AMT ELECTS 2017-2018 OFFICERS,
ity, the training department sponsors open house DIRECTORS
events at machine tool distributors’ facilities, as AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Tech-
well as on-site training programs for engineers nology has elected its 2017-2018 officers and
and machinists. Customizable training programs directors. Ronald S. Karaisz II will serve as chair-
man. He is president of
Kar Enterprises Inc.,
Hydromat of Michigan
LLC and Novi Precision
Products Inc., all located
Premium Technology in Brighton, Michigan.
Ta i l o r e d To F i t
He follows Chairman
Everyday Affordability Richard L. Simons,
president and CEO of
Hardinge Inc. (Elmira,
New York).
The board elected
Steven R. Stokey, exec-
utive vice president and
owner of Allied Machine
& Engine e r ing Cor p.
(Dover, Ohio), to serve
as first vice chairman.
Christopher A. Bailey,
president and COO of
Etna Products Inc. (Cha-
grin Falls, Ohio), will
ser ve as second vice

SharpVue
Inspection System
chairman and treasurer.
Brian J. Papke, chairman
at Mazak Corp. (Flor-
• Designed to maximize efficiency and operator comfort. ence, Kentucky), was
• Large working distance. elected secretary.
• Crystal-clear HD image.
Newly elected to a
• Connects to HD monitor or computer.
• Imaging and measurement software included.
three-year term as a
Item # 26700-135
SharpVue Inspection System • Magnification range: 30x optical, 300x digital. member of the board is
• Wireless remote included. Michael J. Cicco, pres-
ident and CEO of FANUC
America Corp. (Roch-
Watch ester Hills, Michigan).
AMT - The Association
Video
For Manufacturing
Item # 26700-135-TTB Item # 26700-135-XYTB Item #26700-135-4D Technology, call
360 Tilt Table X-Y Gliding Stage SharpVue 4D Lens
800-524-0475 or
aveninc.com | 734-973-0099 | [email protected] visit amtonline.org.

54 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

See live demonstration of this machine at

Booth no. 411

Vertical Machining Center

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Toyoda brings ingenuity in motion with the Stealth965 high-performance spindle. The robust
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maximum vibration dampening characteristics. Learn more about Toyoda’s vertical machining
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MEETING
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JUNE 14-15 SEPTEMBER 5-7

Rosemont, Illinois Indianapolis, Indiana
amerimoldexpo.com topshopsevent.com

Amerimold is a two-day trade show, technical A live extension of Modern Machine Shop’s Top
conference and networking event that connects Shops benchmarking program, the first MMS Top
moldmakers, molders, OEMs and rapid product Shops Conference will feature manufacturing
development professionals. The event is sponsored professionals sharing tips, tools and technologies
by Gardner Business Media, publisher of Modern that help them continue to lead and succeed.
Machine Shop.

56 MMS January 2017 mmsonline.com

 MEETING DATES

June 7-8 | Upper Midwest Design-2-Part Show October 11-12 | Midwest Design-2-Part Show
Minneapolis, Minnesota Indianapolis, Indiana
d2p.com d2p.com
June 13-16 | HxGN Live October 11-13 | Global Forecasting &
Las Vegas, NV Marketing Conference
hxgnlive.com Atlanta, Georgia
amtonline.com
September 11-14 | Composites and Advanced
Materials Expo (CAMX) October 24-26 | Parts2Clean
Orlando, Florida Stuttgart, Germany
thecamx.org parts2clean.de
September 13-14 | D17 Distribution Summit October 24-26 | South-Tec
St. Louis, Missouri Greenville, South Carolina
amtonline.org southteconline.com
September 18-23 | EMO Hannover
October 26-30 | PMPA Annual Meeting
Hannover, Germany Napa, California
emo-hannover.de pmpa.org
October 10-12 | Additive Manufacturing
Conference
Knoxville, Tennessee
additiveconference.com

mmsonline.com January 2017 MMS 57

QUALITY GAGING TIPS Columnist

The Benefits of
Variable Gaging
Although more expensive, gages are a better solution than measuring
instruments for higher-volume production runs and tighter tolerances.
Measuring instruments such as scales, cali- Variable gages are those that provide actual
pers and micrometers are used throughout a measurement deviations. In this way, they provide
variety of manufacturing processes because the data a shop needs to make decisions about
they are inexpensive and versatile. These mea- process trends, to diagnose manufacturing issues
suring tools have built-in reference scales to and to learn a little about the form of a part. While
which they compare a part, and then the mea- fixed gages such as go/no-go devices also can
surement is presented as a numerical result. provide good or bad classification, they still
Hand tools generally have a long measurement indicate how much smaller or larger a part is
range and, in most cases, provide adequate than the master being used.
resolution and performance. If you are just look- There are two distinct types of variable gages:
ing for a quick indication of part size, they do a adjustable-variable and fixed-variable. The first
great job. On the other hand, they also require type can be adjusted over a range and set to a new
the operator to have the proper skills and make master size. Adjustable snap gages, inner/outer
the proper alignments to get reliable results. diameter gages and bench stands fall into this
Thus, their accuracy, performance and measure- adjustable-variable gage group. These gages tend
ment speed can be limiting. to be faster than hand tools and are fairly easy to
Here, gaging equipment starts to shine. Gages use. They are also less susceptible to operator
compare the part to an external standard (not a influence and provide significant improvement in
built-in scale) and tell the user whether the part the measuring process in a shop environment.
is smaller or larger than this master. While the The other type of variable gage can be referred
measuring range of a gage cannot hold a candle to as the fixed-variable variety. These gages are
to that of a measuring tool, gages tend to require the ultimate in shopfloor measuring. They are by
less operator involvement, can work significantly far the most accurate and require virtually no
faster and tend to be more accurate with higher special user skills.
resolution than measuring tools. Gages also tend The term fixed-variable is not an oxymoron but
to cost a lot more than measuring tools (although, rather a good description for how the gages are
with a little care and maintenance, they can last constructed. They include air plugs and rings, or
for decades). mechanical bore plugs made to measure a spe-
cific size. Once the bore tooling is inserted, the
built-in clearance aligns the plug to the bore. The
GEORGE SCHUETZ clearance is so small that it is virtually impossible
DIRECTOR OF PRECISION GAGES
for the user to influence the reading.
MAHR FEDERAL INC.
It is easy to see how fixed-variable gages can
be the fastest and still the most accurate. It’s also
easy to see, with each gage dedicated to one size
and each requiring its own dedicated setting

58 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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YOUR

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STREAM

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QUALITY GAGING TIPS Columnist

standard, that this type of gage is going to be the

most expensive solution as well. But if you have a
tight tolerance, and need to measure thousands
of parts quickly and with excellent performance,
a fixed-variable gage should be your gage of choice.
Now, if measuring tools are good, variable
gages are better, and fixed-variable gages are
best, what is the best of the best: fixed-size air
tooling or fixed mechanical bore gages? Perfor-
mance-wise, air gages probably have a slight
advantage, since they, in effect, have no moving
parts. There are no physical contacts passing Fixed-variable gaging, such as with custom air tooling,
their motion through transfer rods to the indicat- is by far the easiest, fastest and most accurate method
ing device. And air gaging offers more versatility for qualifying parts.
as well. The tiny air jets can be used for unique
multiple-diameter applications or to generate do not require a constant supply of clean air in
basic form indications. There are limits on range their operation.
and surface finish, however. Either way, gages are a better solution than
Mechanical plug gages, on the other hand, measuring tools for higher-volume production
offer a bit more portability, because they are not runs and increasingly tighter tolerances. Choos-
tied to a display unit with an air hose. They also ing the right type depends on a combination of
tend to require less initial investment since they performance, ease of use and overall cost.

OVER 40 YEARS OF

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Renishaw Inc West Dundee, IL www.renishaw.com

60 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 ALL WATERJETS CUT. THE BEST CUT COSTS TOO.
Waterjets cost less to own and operate when they come from Hypertherm. Engineered with Advanced Intensifier
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Hypertherm gives you more. Learn more at www.hypertherm.com/waterjet

P LAS MA I LAS E R I WATE R J ET I AUTO MATI O N I S O FTWAR E I C O N S U MAB LE S

CNC TECH TALK Columnist

Mobile Spreadsheets for

Sizing Adjustments
This is one area in which operators often struggle, so provide a reference tool
to make the job easier.
You expect a lot from your CNC
operators. Anything you can do to
simplify operations or processes will
surely improve their productivity. One
area in which many operators strug-
gle (especially entry-level operators)
is making sizing adjustments. Based
on your control plan and during sam-
pling inspections, they must:
1. Measure workpiece attributes
and determine whether they fall within
tolerance ranges. If they do fall within
range and are not approaching toler-
ance limits, no f ur the r action is
needed. If they do not, adjustments
must be made.
2. If an adjustment is necessary,
determine the amount and polarity of
the adjustment needed to bring the
attribute back to its operator-deter-
mined target value. The target value
is often, but not always, the mean tolerance value. experienced operators sometimes struggle to
3. Determine which offset number and register determine appropriate target values and figure out
must be adjusted. This requires knowing which which offset register must be changed, especially
cutting tool machined the workpiece attribute. with unbalanced tolerances. Entry-level operators
4. Enter the adjustment polarity and amount are very prone to making mistakes in these areas.
in the appropriate offset register. We have addressed this topic in past columns,
While these are ver y common tasks, even and here I offer yet another suggestion that should
be of interest to shops that have many repeated
jobs and/or medium to large lot sizes: Create a
MIKE LYNCH spreadsheet that will run on a mobile device.
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Operators will use the spreadsheet during sampling
CNC CONCEPTS INC.
inspections to determine whether sizing adjust-
ments are necessary, and if they are, the spread-
sheet will show how to make them. The images
above show an example and can be accessed at

62 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 WEBINAR

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CNC TECH TALK Columnist

cncci.com/jun17.xlsm. This spreadsheet has The operator will use the spreadsheet on a
been kept simple for illustrative purposes but mobile device at the inspection bench when taking
demonstrates what is possible. sampling measurements. Based on the control
In this spreadsheet, the “Input Data” provide plan, he or she will measure specified workpiece
tolerance information about each critical workpiece attributes and fill in the spreadsheet with each
attribute, including tolerance limits and target measured value. In our simple example, measured
values. Under “Constants,” we specify 20 percent workpiece attributes are placed in the four yellow
as the cutoff point at which an adjustment must fields. Based on these entries, the spreadsheet
be made (this is a changeable value). This indicates will relate whether an adjustment is necessary, and
that when a workpiece attribute grows or shrinks if so, the adjustment amount and its polarity.
(due to tool wear) to within 20 percent of a toler- Positive adjustments are shown in black, negative
ance limit, an adjustment must be made. Finally, in red. The spreadsheet also specifies the offset
the drawing relates each critical workpiece attri- register used to make the adjustment. When finished
bute to the required operator entries (Dimension inspecting, the operator will take the mobile device
A, Dimension B and so on). back to the machine and use the spreadsheet
The operator does not need to see the input results to make any required offset adjustments.
data or constants. So, to save screen space, they Spreadsheets you create for your shop will
can be hidden, possibly on a different worksheet surely be more complex than our simple example,
page, as shown in the bottom image. In fact, you and you will, of course, need a different spread-
can hide everything except what the operator needs sheet for each job. Once you have created one
to know and dramatically simplify the spreadsheet that works to your liking, use it as a template to
for him or her. create the others.

DEBURR
ANY
CROSSHOLE

www.jwdone.com

64 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

Search Machines Smarter.

Spindle: Milling

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ADDITIVE INSIGHTS Columnist

Trade-offs with AM
Current design tools and process workflow are inadequate to meet our needs.

In a previous column, I described how students

at Pennsylvania State University designed and
produced a lightweight automotive component
with intricate geometry using additive manufactur-
ing. The part was built from titanium (Ti-6Al-4V, or
Ti64, as it is often referred) on a laser-based pow-
der-bed fusion system in a vertical orientation. The
image to the right shows the part on the build plate
inside the machine after fabrication is complete.
What I did not mention about building the part
in this orientation was how long it took and at
what cost: about 54 hours and about $2,000 in Building this single automotive component, includ-
Ti64 powder feedstock. Not bad, one might say, ing its support structures, took about 54 hours, and
for such a complex part, but consider this: Of the required about $2,000 in titanium powder.
54 hours it took to manufacture the part, about part this way? The answer is not simple and reflects
30 hours was spent building the supports, while the limitations of our current design/process
only about 24 hours (44 percent of the build time) workflow and the trade-offs that need to be made
was needed to build the part itself. Worse, of the when choosing additive manufacturing. First, four
$2,000 in powder, about $1,500 worth was used different software packages and analysis tools
in the supports; the part itself only required about were needed to design that part: CAD software
$500 worth of powder (25 percent of the material to create the solid geometry, a finite element
cost). This is not so good when you consider that analysis (FEA) package to analyze the structure,
those support structures had to be cut, ground, a topology optimization algorithm to help light-
chiseled and filed away in order for the desired weight the component and, finally, software for
final geometry to be achieved. As a result, more the build layout and orientation. None of these
than 75 percent of the powder and 56 percent of sof tware packages communicates well with
the build time went into making scrap. And this another, and changes made in one are not reflected
doesn’t even take into account the amount of time or updated in the others. So, if we set up the build
and effort that was needed to remove all of those layout and realize the complexity of the geometry
suppor t structures, which also added to the requires too many support structures, we then
production cost. Again, not so good. have to go back and iterate among CAD, FEA and
The obvious question is why did we build the the topology optimization algorithm.
Additionally, build orientation drives build time
and powder usage, and these must be traded off
TIMOTHY W. SIMPSON
with how many parts can fit on a build plate.
PAUL MORROW PROFESSOR OF
Multiple parts in different orientations will lead to
ENGINEERING DESIGN & MANUFACTURING
different heating (and cooling) rates during the
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
build, and this will affect microstructure, which
will affect mechanical properties, which will affect
the strength of the part, which will affect how it is

66 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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ADDITIVE INSIGHTS Columnist

designed, which means even more iteration. The

design tools necessary to analyze all of this and
resolve the trade-offs do not even exist yet.
A couple of further points are worth noting
related to the cost. First, anyone who has worked
with AM knows that $2,000 in Ti64 powder for a
build of the size in our example significantly under-
estimates the cost of the powder feedstock that
is really needed. In powder-bed fusion, the entire
build volume has to be filled. As a result, you need
a cube of Ti64 powder measuring roughly 10 by
10 by 10 inches to make this part, plus some extra
to make sure you don’t short the build. The cost In powder-bed fusion, you need enough powder feed-
for this amount of (virgin) Ti64 powder will run you stock to fill the entire build volume, not just enough
close to $100,000, much of which can be recycled. to make the part and its supports.
Second, supports are generally over-specified.
The last thing you want is to have the part warp up
from inadequate supports, jam the recoater and Learn more about 3D printing
cause a build failure. Failures like that get expensive for production from Additive
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70 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

Turning Takes a
New Direction
A methodology for cutting in both directions on a CNC lathe promises to make
turning a much more productive operation in certain applications. New types
of inserts driven by new CAM tool paths are key enablers of this development,
but implementing the whole multifaceted system as a system is essential.
BY MARK ALBERT

W ithout a prior explanation, an observer of

a live turning demonstration might declare
that the tool in the demo lathe is cutting in the
machining) are designed to cut in a direction that
is opposite of the usual approach. In addition to
moving toward the chuck in the Z axis as they cut,
wrong direction, exactly opposite of the usual these tools can also “go in reverse” and move
practice. Likewise, the viewer watching a video away from the chuck as they cut. Likewise, when
of this demo might strongly suspect that the needed, these tools can cut “up from” or “down
recording was being played in reverse. That would to” the part centerline in the X axis for facing or
account for what seems to be the “backward” shoulder cutting. Each insert is capable of rough-
motion of the turning tool. A rendering of the tool ing, finishing or profiling by cutting in either direc-
motion in these demos, as shown on the facing tion when there is an advantage.
page, indicates that the direction of the cutting For the right applications, the company claims
tool is actually following the yellow arrow. This that the results are astonishing: as much as an
direction is clearly the opposite of a normal 80-percent boost in productivity. As much as
or traditional turning operation. What is going twice the tool life for the inserts. Significantly
on here? smoother surface finishes.
Sandvik Coromant, the inventor of this process, How can cutting in the “wrong” direction be
calls this new turning concept PrimeTurning, which so right for certain operations in these applica-
uses dedicated CoroTurn Prime tooling. In fact, tions? A detailed answer to this question is worth-
the two current styles of inserts for PrimeTurning while, because it involves a number of insights
(one for light machining and one for heav y into the nature of the basic turning process itself.
Based on these insights, the concept of Prime-
A new method of turning enables an insert to cut Turning seems to upend normal practice, and do
away from the shoulder of a workpiece. Because the so on several levels.
insert can travel toward the tailstock of the lathe Apparently, a turning capability like this has
instead of toward the chuck, there is no possibility of never been possible before. The geometry of the
chips jamming in the corner as may occur in light-machining and heavy-machining insert styles
conventional turning. (All images from Sandvik appears to be entirely new. Both st yles are
Coromant, except as noted.) highly specialized; the multi-angled nose of the

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 71

FEATURE

heavy-machining insert is particularly different in descriptions of turning involve a non-rotary tool

a striking way. In addition, new capabilities in CAM removing material as it travels from the end of a
software had to be developed to streamline pro- rotating component towards the chuck. Con-
gramming of the unprecedented tool paths and ventional wisdom confirms that, in this method,
dynamic feed rates required for this turning pro- the smaller the lead angle between the cutting
cess. (Mastercam has been working in tandem edge and the feed direction, the greater the
with Sandvik to create the needed algorithms so opportunity to increase the feed rate and gain
the cutting concepts can be readily applied by higher productivity. The problem is, a small lead
end users.) The way coolant is delivered to the angle prevents the cutting edge from reaching
cutting zone is also new. (As one might imagine, the start of a shoulder, and it also creates long,
chip formation and heat transfer occur in unex- curved chips that are difficult to control. This
pected patterns, so coolant plays a critical role relationship between lead angle and limited
in the process.) Other details such as modified productivity seemed an unalterable “given” for
toolholders and strict setup requirements must turning operations.
also be attended to for this process to obtain its However, when the two engineers started
maximum benefit. discussing the lead angle/reach dilemma in late
This is a lot to take in. Of course, Sandvik 2012, they approached it with a shared curiosity
Coromant recognizes that the market for Prime- and the courage to challenge accepted truths, or
Turning will require considerable “re-education” so the story is told. They recall that before long,
to understand and implement the radical aspects a small, far-fetched seed started to cultivate, and
of the process correctly. However, the company the discussions became more intense. Their idea
has been conducting numerous tests in the field was simply to turn backward, from the chuck to
with a range of selected customers around the the end of the component. This would immediately
world. Reports from these test users indicate solve the challenge of reaching the shoulder with
that, once they get the hang of the process and a small lead angle.
establish the discipline it calls for, they will be “The metalcutting industry has been remov-
clamoring for more access to these tools, the ing metal from end to shoulder for centuries.
company says. Ever y turning exper t can line up impressive
Cory Koch, an application engineer at Hartwig amounts of arguments to why the opposite is
Inc., a machinery dealer in Houston, Texas, and completely unrealistic,” Mr. Johansson says. He
one of the first machining facilities to take a close cites chip control as the main counter argument,
look at PrimeTurning, says, “These tools will as the small lead angle still creates long, curved
change the way our customers process their chips, regardless of the turning direction. Mr.
par ts, allowing better tool life, much higher Johansson and Mr. Löf set out to solve the issue
material-removal rates and the ability to maintain together with two other equally open-minded
tighter tolerances. The tools are so versatile in designers, Joe Truong and Krister Wikblad. Their
their design that you must think outside of the research seemed to promise success. When
box to imagine what is possible.” product manager Håkan Ericksson became
involved in 2015, the team intensified its discus-
WHEN TOOL DESIGNERS ARE TURNED LOOSE sions with colleagues, key customers and other
The origin of PrimeTurning and the correspond- stakeholders and began testing the concept on
ing CoroTurn Prime inserts goes back several a larger scale.
years to events in Sandvik Coromant’s develop- These tests, which the company says included
ment center in Sweden. The company attributes extensive trials and experiments in its own labs
the pioneering efforts to Adam Johansson, a as well as applications in end-user plants, raised
young engineer who joined its R&D department and then helped resolve numerous technical
in 2012, and Ronnie Löf, a 20-year veteran in issues. When PrimeTurning was officially announced
cutting tool engineering there. One account of to the industry in April 2017, Sandvik Coromant
their collaboration begins with a note that typical had a clearly defined concept and a complete

72 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

methodology to present, along with practical described as “all-directional turning solutions.”

guidelines for when and where this development In other words, either type can cut conventionally
had the most to offer. The main benefits, accord- from the part end toward the chuck as on a shaft
ing to the company, are these: secured by a tailstock. Either type can also cut
• Aggressive cutting parameters for increased conventionally on a shoulder or a face, moving
output of components and reduced cost per from the periphery of the part toward (down to)
component. the center. What’s new is that either type can
• Consistent tool wear that leads to improved also cut in the opposite direction, that is, enter-
machine utilization, fewer tool changes and ing the part at the chuck and removing material
reduced costs. as it travels toward the end of the shaft while the
• Chip control and long tool life that give more nose of the insert is still facing the chuck. (In fact,
predictability in long-running jobs, which means holding this orientation is what makes the oper-
fewer production holdups. ation appear backward or to be going in reverse).
• Reduced temperature at the cutting edge, Likewise, for a shoulder, the face of a flange or
which improves tool life. similar “vertical” feature, either type can cut up
and away from the part center. The nose of the
TURNING ATTENTION TO INSERT DETAILS insert still faces the chuck in the same orientation
As noted, two styles of inserts are currently offered as it does when going down in conventional
for the PrimeTurning methodology. These are turning, but this does not look as star tlingly
designated CoroTurn Prime A and B, as shown strange as the horizontal/longitudinal backward
side by side in the illustration below. The A-type cutting mode.
insert features three 35-degree corners and is Because the CoroTurn Prime inserts can cut
designed for light roughing, finishing and profiling, in all directions, switching from roughing to finish-
while the B-type insert is designed specifically ing, for example, does not require a tool change.
for heavy roughing and has what the company Instead, the direction of the cut changes. And
characterizes as two, ultra-strong corners. Nine because the cutting direction can change, the
sizes of the A type are available; six sizes of the tool does not have to retract from the workpiece
B type. These are all non-ISO inserts, meaning surface and return to its starting point in the air
simply that their geometry does not fit any of the
general insert shapes defined and codable by the Two types of CoroTurn Prime inserts are offered. The
international standard for classifying metalcutting A type (left) is designed for light machining, whereas
insert types. the B type is designed for rough machining. Both
It is also important to note that both types are inserts are suitable for all-directional turning.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 73

FEATURE

The distinctive shape of the roughing insert helps

increase metal removal rates while providing a wiper
effect for a smoother surface finish when cutting. Both
types of inserts feature angles that are appropriate for
conventional and backward turning.

PrimeTurning, cutting action occurs in a direction

away from the shoulder. Chip jamming cannot
happen as a result.
In the illustration on this page, you might notice
that the B-type insert features an irregularly angled
profile such that on each side of the insert the
cutting edge has a wide angle past the nose, but
then trails away at a narrower angle toward the
center of the insert. This gives the tip of the insert
a kind of distinctive shovel shape. This design is
said to maximize the strength of the cutting edges,
as well as create a wiper effect where the nose
to begin another pass. Under certain conditions, radius begins to broaden.
inserts can literally cut back and forth or up and In roughing cuts, when removing material
down in consecutive passes. (Keep in mind, of quickly is the primary goal, this wiper effect gives
course, that cutting parameters must change the remaining stock a smooth surface, thus making
each time to suit the new cutting direction.) finishing cuts more efficient. A better surface
What’s happening when a CoroTurn Prime finish in roughing and more efficiency in finishing
insert is cutting backward is easiest to grasp is a double boost to productivity for the Prime-
with the B-type insert. By entering the workpiece Turning methodology, the company says. When
at the chuck and removing material as it travels cutting conventionally, the radius at the nose of
toward the tailstock, it is possible to apply a small the insert enables it to perform much like a stan-
entering angle (30 degrees for the A type; 25 for dard turning insert, though with conventional
the B) and a high lead angle. This approach results as well.
spreads cutting forces and frictional heat over The A-type insert, which is designed for light-
a larger area of the insert’s cutting surface than and medium-duty roughing, finishing, and fine
is possible cutting conventionally. It also creates profiling, represents a miniature version of the
thinner, wider chips that do not concentrate same tip and cutting edge geometry that is more
rubbing contact (and resultant heat) on the nose easily seen on the larger B-type insert. The ben-
radius at the insert’s tip. The thin, wide chips efits of a smaller entering angle, high lead angle
can be controlled by the bumpy ridges of the and manageable chip shape are enjoyed equally
chipbreaker texture, thus avoiding swarf in the well for the A-type insert.
form of long strands of tightly curled material. However, successfully applying the CoroTurn
These favorable cutting conditions, the com- Prime inser ts of both types is dependent on
pany says, enable the application to benefit from certain critical nuances in the cutting strategy of
an advantageous trade-off between more aggres- the CNC tool path. A discussion of these nuances
sive cutting parameters for productivity and rounds out a basic explanation of what these
prolonged, more predictable tool life. In other insert styles are capable of.
words, an operation can remove more material
faster or have the insert last longer. In addition, PROGRAMMING IS NOT A TURNOFF
whereas conventional cutting toward a shoulder In recent years, CAM software developers have
can cause the insert to jam chips into the corner come up with streamlined techniques for program-
where the workpiece diameter changes, with ming highly efficient milling routines for pocketing

74 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

and profiling. As Sandvik Coromant developers It is available as a cloud-based application through

realized early in the testing of this new turning an annual subscription. That said, Mastercam’s
concept, programming the required moves for new set of turning strategies to support this pro-
all-directional turning would be a challenge. They cess is available now as part of the 2018 release
also recognized that optimizing this new process of Mastercam. (By agreement, Mastercam has
with advanced CAM capability was an opportunity an exclusive right to use this technology until
for benefits not unlike recent programming advances November 1, 2017.) Because these strategies are
such as constant-chip-load techniques for milling. likely to indicate how other CAM software devel-
“Until now, turning utilities and CAM packages opers will follow, looking at Mastercam’s insights
did not provide for the directional changes called and approach are handy here.
for in PrimeTurning,” Mr. Ericksson says. “This For example, automate d c apabilit y is
process also requires provisions for entry and essential. When the user opens the PrimeTurn-
lead angles, as well as creating tool paths to gently ing Proper ties window, tabbed pages solicit
arc into the workpiece and then ramp up to the entry of all required values, selections and options
appropriately higher speeds, feeds and depth of for the tool path to be generated. For example,
cuts that give PrimeTurning its potential.” choice of strategy is based on the shape of the
In 2016, Sandvik Coromant invited CNC Soft- part. For shaft-like parts, the programmer would
ware, developers of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, likely choose “horizontal.” To turn a flange, “ver-
to be a partner in the development of programming tical” would be appropriate. Each strategy selec-
software to accommodate PrimeTurning require- tion brings up the corresponding diagram of
ments. According to Mastercam Product Director cutter moves, along with boxes for entering
Dave Boucher, his company’s experience with values for the associated variables. Using this
the software’s Dynamic Turning and Dynamic input, the software automatically does all the
Motion features, which involve counter-intuitive calculations and toolpath generation necessary
cutter motions, was expected to be useful in the for applying this turning methodology.
novel thinking that PrimeTurning called for. For example, when the CoroTurn Prime insert
To be fair, Sandvik Coromant will make the
technology for this process available to all inter- To some extent, the potential of this turning technol-
ested CAD/CAM developers and is offering its ogy is unlocked by precisely controlled motion com-
own PrimeTurning Code Generator. This is a manded by the CNC program. Mastercam’s support
dedicated software utility that supports the pro- for this method automates this essential programming
cess by generating generic ISO code compatible capability. Sandvik Coromant also offers a generic
with CNC machines that accept this input format. code generator.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 75

FEATURE

feeds into the part at the chuck, its entry must for this process,” Mr. Boucher says.
include a reduced feed rate and a slight arc in the
tool path where it engages the workpiece at the END USERS TAKE A TURN
correct depth to cut longitudinally (backward, Sandvik Coromant has been forthright in saying
that is, toward the tailstock). This enables the that PrimeTurning is “not for everyone.” Although
insert to engage the material gently, and then the company sees a wide expansion of applica-
ramp up to full speeds and feeds. The precise tions in the future, the current methodology and
motion is apparent in the image from Mastercam dedicated insert types will be most attractive to
on the previous page. a particular class of users. The table below sum-
All of the Mastercam strategies follow the rules marizes the conditions that will compel such
established by Sandvik Coromant for the Prime- potential users to apply this methodology.
Turning process. Starting values for the variables “Large-batch manufacturers are most likely
related to each insert type and cutting strategy to see the greatest cost-per-part savings, espe-
are pre-populated with recommendations from cially if turning is a production bottleneck,” Mr.
the cutting tool manufacturer. These values are Ericksson says. “The method requires stable
suitable for workpiece materials most likely to be components and a rigid setup due to the increased
candidates for the PrimeTurning methodology. radial forces. This means that conventional
These include ISO P steels, ISO M stainless steels turning may still be appropriate for vibration-
and ISO S heat-resistant superalloys. These rules prone portions of slender components.” He adds
also enable the software to recognize when the that PrimeTurning is best-suited for short and
selected strategy and entered values call for compact workpieces and shafts for which a
conventional turning routines in the “normal direc- tailstock is available. It is a good choice for mass
tion” where appropriate instead of the PrimeTurn- production as well as for components that require
ing approach. frequent setups and tool changes. He also
“The whole intent of Mastercam’s support expects it to be applied initially to expensive or
for PrimeTurning is to streamline the application high-value workpieces.
of the methodology and assist users to obtain Mr. Ericksson stresses that users must be
the 50- to 80-percent gain in metal-removal committed to the PrimeTurning methodology as
rates and doubled tool life that is the potential a multifaceted system that should be implemented

PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS PROCESS CONSIDERATIONS BUSINESS CONSIDERATIONS

• Stable fixturing of the • Large batch sizes (more • Highly competent

workpiece. than 100 pieces). shopfloor workforce.
• Short, compact workpiece • Turning is a constraint • All employees are open
shape. on productivity. to change.
• Lathe with sufficient torque • High-value workpieces. • Disciplined shop culture.
and rigidity. • Setup time is substantial. • Company is driven
• Up-to-date CNC unit. • Capability for unattended by technology.
• Clear specs for dimensional operation. • Willingness to invest
accuracy and surface in technology.
quality.

This table summarizes the production requirements, process considerations and business considerations most
likely to attract end users to PrimeTurning technology.

76 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

Not all applications are suitable

for PrimeTurning. Large-batch
production of rigidly held
workpieces such as this one
are expected to be the
applications most attractive to
initial adopters.

in its entirety. Otherwise, the full benefits are less A-type insert holders have one coolant jet aimed
likely be to be achieved, he says. “The profile of at the top of the inser t as well as t wo from
a PrimeTurning user is emerging as a shop that the sides.
is highly competent in existing applications, is A user’s investment in this total methodology
open to change and new ideas, has a culture of can be justified by the results, Mr. Ericksson says.
shopfloor discipline in place, and is willing to invest For example, he points out that the overall pro-
in technology.” ductivity gains from adopting this turning concept
This last point deserves an added note. Coro- may enable a production shop to defer an invest-
Turn Prime inserts are premium-priced offerings, ment in a new machine tool if an increase in
although anticipated returns make them an excep- capacity is anticipated.
tional value, Mr. Ericksson believes. In addition
to these dedicated inserts, special toolholders HAS METALWORKING TURNED A CORNER?
are also required. At the moment, the company It can be argued that, in recent years, productiv-
offers 52 variants of toolholder styles that accept ity gains in turning operations on CNC lathes have
A- or B-style inserts, including Coromant Capto, not seen the same level of advancement as that
CoroTurn QS and square-shank styles. Holders experienced in milling operations on CNC machin-
for A-type inserts have a TR-style locking interface ing centers. This seems attributable to the fact
for stability. Holders for B-type inserts have a that turning primarily involves a “single-point”
shim-protected tip seat for added strength. process. In most cases, only one cutting edge
Toolholders for CoroTurn Prime inserts have on the turning tool is removing material from a
multiple orifices to direct internally-fed coolant single workpiece in the lathe at a time, whereas
to cutting edges. These high-pressure streams milling usually involves cutting tools with multiple
are intended to help control heat and aid in chip edges, such as multi-flute round tools or milling
evacuation, the company says. Coolant applica- heads with multiple inserts. Machining centers
tion is especially important for the A-type insert, have also benefited from options for rapid pallet
because the tip at each corner is not as massive changes and multiple part setups on pedestal
as the B-type, so its ability to absorb heat and fixtures in horizontal machines. Combining turn-
resist wear is somewhat lower. For this reason, ing with other machining processes on turn-mill

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 77

FEATURE

or multitasking machines has been a significant foreground a synergy among tooling capability,
source of overall part-making efficiency, but metal machining capability, programming capability
removal rates in the turning portions of a part and even workforce capability,” he says. He adds
program for such equipment have remained that, once machine designers, cutting tool man-
relatively unchanged. ufacturers, software developers and end-user
Mr. Ericksson believes that PrimeTurning is a application engineers begin opening their minds
significant departure from the status quo in metal to the new possibilities, surprising innovations
removal rates for turning. “The initial reaction from are likely to follow.
users testing this technology indicates that the He notes that the digitally connected environ-
prospect of a 50-percent gain in productivity will ment that is rapidly emerging in shops and plants
be a game-changer for most turning operations. around the world due to the rise of the Industrial
Adopting this approach is not without its chal- Internet of Things and initiatives such as Industry
lenges, but the motivation to do so is compelling,” 4.0 will accelerate and magnify the effect of these
he says. changes. In the meantime, he says that Sandvik
More important, however, is what he predicts Coromant has a timetable of projects to expand
will be a spate of new developments in the PrimeTurning concept with additional CoroTurn
turning technology. “PrimeTurning brings to the Prime inserts. “We believe our current offerings
only scratch the surface of all-directional turning
Mastercam/CNC Software, call 800-228-2877 possibilities,” he says.
or visit mastercam.com. Global patents on the PrimeTurning concept
Sandvik Coromant, call 800-726-3845 and technology are expected to be finalized in
or visit sandvik.coromant.com. mid-2018.

78 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 Get the Most out of
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FEATURE

80 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

Machining and
Fabrication
Are Different
But in this shop, ISO certification and ERP implementation have helped bring
machining and fabrication together. Another important factor: management
recognition of the differences in the natures of these types of work.
BY PETER ZELINSKI

W hen I spoke with Chad and Lindsey Carr

recently about ISO 9001 certification, they
had not yet seen much from it. No commercial
impact, that is. Their shop, Engineered Fabrica-
tion, pursued and won the certification last year.
So far, it has not brought any new business or
opened any doors that weren’t already open to
this Watkinsville, Georgia, contract manufacturer.
And Chad, the owner and president, is entirely
fine with that.
New business is what any active company
generally wants, of course. He hopes and expects
the ISO certification to help in this. But he had no
current customers that were pushing him to get
certified in this way, and he was aware of no
prospective customers denying him business
because of the lack of this certification. Instead,
he pursued it as way of establishing an externally
enforced standard that the shop would adhere to

(F acing P age ) This photo captures a routine

occurrence for Engineered Fabrication’s machine
shop. Take a close look and you’ll see the jobs in
work at this machine include (A) batch production of (a bove ) Fabrication work consists largely of
job-shop parts (lower right of photo) as well as (B) welding. The physical nature of this work has led
machining of two fabricated weldments (seen at about to differences in the way the company structures
the middle of the photo near the left edge). employee work weeks.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 81

FEATURE

and improve upon. Plus, he pursued it because

the shop was ready.
“I felt like we were already doing the sorts of
things, holding to the sort of process consistency,
that ISO requires,” Mr. Carr says. But that was
only a feeling. “If we did ISO, it would prove we
were the shop I felt we were, and it would also
make us better.”
Operations Analyst Lindsey Carr (his daughter)
oversaw the ISO effort. Defining and document-
ing the shop’s processes and establishing the
documentation procedures that would allow the
shop to be certified was essentially a full-time
The company’s fabrication work consists of building job of hers for about six months. Fortunately,
custom structures and machine components. Here prior to this, she had already done some of the
are various examples. necessary foundational work. In 2013, she led

82 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

Meanwhile, the company’s machining area produces

job-shop-type work in addition to supporting fabrica-
tion. Current owner Chad Carr led the company’s
diversification into machining alongside its traditional
custom fabrication work.

the shop’s effort to install and transition to an

enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, Exact
JobBoss, for management of the shop’s work
and resources. Because of the implementation
of this software and the habits it requires, the
shop’s staff of 29 employees had already become
accustomed to tracking critical performance data.
The ISO effort felt a lot like a continuation of the
ERP effort, she says.
And in this shop, both of those efforts required
her, and required Mr. Carr as well, to face and
work with one of the defining characteristics of
this par ticular manufacturing business that
separates it from many other shops. Namely,
Engineered Fabrication combines both CNC
machining for repetitive part making and custom
one-off fabrication within the same company. It
devotes roughly equivalent staffing and resources
to both. On many jobs, it employs the two capa-
bilities in tandem. The challenge in all of this is
that machining and fabrication are characterized
by different mindsets and follow different rhythms,
requiring management to think about them in
different ways.

WELDMENT WORKPIECES
Mr. Carr helped to bring about the increased
importance of CNC machining in the company.
He joined in 2010 as an employee, the general
manager. The company’s business then was
serving OEM customers with tailor-made fabrica-
tions—fixtures, machine components, dedicated
carts and other custom industrial structures—that
are built largely by welding metal components.
The in-house milling and turning capability at that
time simply made custom parts to support this
fabrication. As GM, Mr. Carr added more CNC
machine tools, and sought to expand and balance
the company’s business by pursuing job-shop-
type piece-machining work as a complement to
the fabrication. Then, in 2013, he purchased the
company from its then-retiring founder.
Today, fabrication and machining are located

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 83

FEATURE

Lindsey Carr, seen here discussing a traveler with

fabrication team member Sam Bernard, led the shop’s
implementation of ERP and then its pursuit of ISO
9001 certification.

for weldments and (B) expand the range of ser-

vices the company could of fer to its current
customers, many of whom were looking not just
for fabrications, but also for a trusted supplier
to whom they could outsource some of their
piece-machining work.
Still, having the two capabilities in the same
company does mean having essentially two dif-
ferent cultures under the same roof, because the
two different groups of skilled team members
come with somewhat different needs. Perhaps
the most basic detail in which the difference has
in different parts of the company’s facility, but this expressed itself relates to the number of hours
is largely because waterjet and welding are such per day an employee should work.
different beasts from small-part lathe and machin-
ing center work that they command their own FOUR TENS?
space. Even so, the two parts of the business Mr. Carr spent much of his career in CNC machin-
synergize more than they are separate, and this ing before coming to this company. Partly because
is seen most clearly during a walk through the of this, he is generally a believer in employee work
CNC machining part of the shop. Seemingly at weeks in which each team member works four
every machine tool, the jobs that are in work 10-hour days. And this work-week structure is
include accumulations of shiny, repetitive parts popular among employees (some of them), because
being arranged in order to complete a shipment it gives them longer weekends. From Mr. Carr’s
to a customer, along with weldments in sets of perspective, the chance to stagger employees’
just one or two requiring machining in order to patterns of working four days (so that each
be completed. employee alternates between a two-day weekend
Mr. Carr explains that those weldments make and a four-day weekend) lets him keep the shop
their way through the CNC area because practi- staffed through 50 hours per week without this
cally every fabrication job is ultimately a machin- staffing incurring overtime. In pursuit of all of these
ing job as well. A weldment frequently needs preferences—his own and some of the employ-
precision machining for critical features such as ees’—he once tried to move the entire shop to
mating sur faces. Indeed, this speaks to the this timing.
particular level of skill required of the company’s And doing so was mistake, he says.
machining personnel. A weldment clamped for It was a mistake, he came to realize, because
machining is liable to warp back to its inherent it did not suit fabrication employees as well as
shape upon unclamping, violating tolerances. it suits machining employees. In retrospect, the
Engineered Fabrication’s machinists therefore reason why is not hard to see, given the differ-
know how to use shims effectively to clamp a ence in their work. On a machine tool—particu-
weldment in its free state so that it can be secured larly a CNC machine tool, but even on the shop’s
for machining without distortion. Because of the large boring mill—the machine itself does the
need for this kind of skill, the company has always work. The employee oversees the work, inspects
needed machining capability of its own. Expand- it and is in motion in large part to prepare for the
ing into job-shop machining was a way to (A) next job. By contrast, in fabrication, much of the
make use of this capability when it wasn’t needed work is welding. This is more active and demand-

84 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

ing work that can become tiring if the day stretches would come from better management of the
from eight hours to 10. shop’s data and better tracking of the shop’s
“You have to take care of your people,” Mr. Carr work. They acclimated to the new steps that ERP
stresses. There was a lesson to be learned in this required. Yet one difference she did note between
experience, and he learned it. The company fabrication and machining is that the machining
reverted to a more typical workday and stuck with team seemed to become more quickly established
it for a time. Now, more recently, Mr. Carr has at policing itself about clocking in accurately for
decided to go further in acknowledging that there different jobs. That is, members of this group
are real and significant differences between these were quick to step forward to admit when they
two different teams. The shop is shifting to a more had forgotten to clock into a job, meaning the
complex plan in which the machine shop does record would need to be manually corrected.
work four 10s, while the fabrication shop contin- That self-policing helped them, because data for
ues to work five 8s. one job would be used to establish the reference
Lindsey Carr faced and appreciated the dif- by which another job was planned. Too few hours
ferences between the two teams when she worked clocked for a given run of parts could result in
to install and transition the shop’s procedures to far too little time allotted for another job like it.
ERP. In this effort, however, the production floor A bigger dif ference came when Ms. Carr
in either group was not the biggest area of chal- engaged on the ISO 9001 efforts. The documen-
lenge. Given where Engineered Fabrication was tation requirements of this certification had the
at that time, the challenge with implementing ERP effect of pushing even more accountability, and
was in the office, not in the shop, because of the even more policing, to the shop floor. ISO created
need to transition from an office process that the need for a sign-off on the shop floor at the
wasn’t then computerized. On the floor, the point of the job being completed. In fabrication,
employees generally recognized the benefits that this raised an obvious and significant question:

Almost any fabrication job is also a machining job.

Large weldments are machined on the shop’s boring
mill. Weldment machining is a skill of staff members
of this shop. Weldments such as the two seen below
need to be clamped carefully to prevent distortion
during machining.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 85

FEATURE

Who would do the signing? One inefficiency he believes he has observed in

The act of placing a signature includes a cer- the shop’s procedures as they now stand relates
tain commitment, she notes. Inherent to the to changing the sequence of operations performed
signing is a judgment about the completeness on a given fabrication job. Such a change is com-
and quality of the work, potentially including a monplace; certain welds and certain subcompo-
judgment about others’ contributions to that work. nent machining could be done in any order, so
“Just a signature changes things,” she says. the fabrication team looks for opportunities to
seize on open stations to advance the job through
EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE the shop more quickly. Right now, however, this
Here as well, it was the differences in the natures involves rewriting the router, a time-consuming
of the work that produced the difference in the step. In a future version of the ISO procedures,
response to this requirement. A machinist making fabrication employees might be more free to
one piece after another is essentially working change sequencing without this rewriting, a
alone, and this person is already, in a sense, freedom the machining employees generally do
signing off. Frequently, every piece in a machin- not need.
ing run is gaged, and in each case, all of the ISO provides a framework to build on in this
measured dimensions either do or do not conform way, says Mr. Carr. Defining the process is the
to specification. first step to seeing where to improve the process,
Custom fabrication is different from this. Rather and where added flexibility might lead to nimble-
than a single moment of gaging, the structure ness rather than uncertainty, efficiency rather
being produced might undergo many modifica- than waste.
tions and controls throughout its construction, And procedural differences such as the one
aimed at making it effective for the ultimate purpose being contemplated, far from separating the
it will serve. And rather than one person working different teams from one another, actually help
on many pieces, frequently it is many people to tie the organization together. Different people
working on the same big part. Given all of this, is in this company might have different skills and
it fair to have one person sign off, declaring his roles, but one detailed set of ISO procedures
accountability for the efforts of the others and defines how they all fit in and how they all work
declaring himself as the one to approve what they together. Thanks to these procedures, ideally
have done? Particularly when the quality require- there is nothing to adjudicate between the two
ments often are not as precisely defined as they groups, and no room for personality differences
are for a machined workpiece? or differences in the culture to tip the process
To the Carrs, the reasonable answer seemed one way or another. There are no judgement
to be: No, quite likely this isn’t fair. The result is calls that need to be made, because the ISO
another instance of different procedures for dif- effort has forced everyone to think through the
ferent parts of the shop. In fabrication, it is an important questions in advance.
allowance and a requirement of the ISO procedures “The end goal of all of this, and the real ben-
the shop authored for itself that all the employees efit of ISO certification, is a process that runs
involved in a fabrication project sign off on the smoothly on its own because everyone agrees
job. Essentially, they decide together that the work how it should run,” Mr. Carr says. That is, the
is complete. benefit is a process that doesn’t absolutely require
A pending change to the shop’s ISO procedures him—or Ms. Carr, or anyone else who might be
will also affect the fabrication area, Mr. Carr says, in an oversight role. The team members on the
giving these team members even more autonomy. shop floor, in both areas of the shop, already have
the skill, talent and desire to do the work well.
Engineered Fabrication Inc., call 706-769-6757
ISO just provides the structure. “If we do this
or visit engfab.com.
right,” he says, “then the process should perform
Exact JobBoss, call 800-777-4334 the same way, every day, whether anyone is here
or visit jobboss.com. to lead it or not.”

86 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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FEATURE

Making Mountains
out of Mold Steel
When graphite molds wouldn’t cut it for a manufacturer of hand-blown drinking
glasses, this shop machined more durable stainless steel molds to create the
famous mountainous shapes that emerge from the bottom of its customer’s
nifty drinkware.
BY DEREK KORN

unique connection to their scenic area in the

B ottoms up.
That is to say, the uniqueness of the glass
pints and tumblers hand-blown by artisans for
Pacific Northwest.
To start, North Drinkware used United States
North Drinkware grows upwards from the base Geological Survey (USGS) 3D data of Mount Hood
of those glasses as accurate representations of to develop a CAD model of the mountain. It then
iconic U.S. mountains. The photos on these two 3D-printed that model to create and refine plas-
pages show what I mean. ter prototype molds, ultimately hiring Portland’s
A couple of years ago, Nic Ramirez, along with C and L Custom Tooling to machine the first
husband and wife team Matt and Leigh Capozzi, production mold from graphite. After that, North
started a highly successful Kickstarter campaign Drinkware started its “Oregon Pint” Kickstarter
near Portland, Oregon, to fund a side project they
named North Drinkware. In short, their idea was A good deal of intricate machining work capped by
to partner with nearby Elements Glass to manu- finishing with a 0.030-inch ball end mill goes into
facture hand-blown beverage glasses that had manufacturing the stainless-steel molds for this
the shape of Mount Hood, Oregon’s highest peak hand-blown North Drinkware glass that features an
at 11,250 feet, molded into their bases. The team accurate representation of northern Oregon’s Mount
felt this would offer local craft beer drinkers a Hood. (Photos courtesy North Drinkware.)

88 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 89

FEATURE

Mold roughing starts with a 0.5-inch flat-bottom end

mill. Eventually, these are finish-machined with a
0.030-inch ball end mill. The shop machines flats on
two sides of bottom of the cylindrical molds for the
vise to grip.

blown glass was removed from them.

Therefore, the decision was made to switch
to stainless steel, an alloy commonly used for
production-glass molding applications. This
material ultimately held up longer, only requiring
periodic repolishing. That said, compared with
graphite, it was much trickier to machine the
intricate mountain details. “Graphite wasn’t
too difficult when using a 0.030-inch-diameter
ball end mill for finishing, but it became a differ-
ent story when moving to stainless steel,” Mr.
Sparkman says.
Although one might think the process for
machining these types of features with such
small tools might involve machines with very high
campaign to support the fledgling company’s spindle speeds, C and L uses a VMC with a
growth efforts and vision for creating glasses maximum spindle speed of 8,000 rpm. As Mr.
featuring other famous U.S. mountains. In fact, Sparkman described during my recent visit, the
this campaign with a $15,000 goal closed at process he developed for these finely detailed
$531,581 with funding provided by 5,620 backers, molds is not appropriate for the typical high-
signifying significant interest in the idea. volume job in which minimizing cycle times is
However, the first glass-production molds led key, but it is necessary for one-off/low-volume
to production problems. The first problem was jobs such as machining these stainless-steel
finding a shop to machine the molds. Nor th molds. In fact, he’s since applied this process to
Drinkware approached C and L first, knowing create three other mountain mold designs for
that the shop, which specializes in injection mold North Drinkware, with another design currently
tooling design and machining, was successfully in the works.
branching out into mold machining for local custom
glass manufacturers. Unfortunately, Glen Spark- ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS
man, C and L’s co-owner with wife Donna, says The molds are created from two pieces: a cylinder
their three-person shop was simply too busy at that C and L turns on its Femco lathe to create
that time to take on the job. North Drinkware tried the outer shape of the blown glass, with a taper
another shop, but that one wasn’t able to gener- where it meets the separate base component that
ate the crisp mountain details the company was includes the mountain shape. Although Mr. Spark-
looking for, so it waited until C and L’s schedule man is provided with a CAD model of the mountain,
opened up a bit. he typically uses repair tools in Solidworks to
Eventually, C and L produced the type of patch areas where model data is missing and to
detailed graphite molds that North Drinkware create the mold design. From that, he uses Surf-
needed to begin production. Over time, however, cam to create tool paths that are designed not to
those molds, which are heated to 600°F during bury small-diameter tools in corners to prevent
the molding process, began to break down. tool breakage.
Essentially, the molten glass would stick to the The base mold components are machined on
molds and pull away bits of graphite when the the shop’s Chevalier 2040 VMC. Mr. Sparkman

90 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

says he purchased this boxway machine with and the tool surface finish is smoother because
8,000-rpm spindle for its flexibility to accommo- there are fewer droplets left behind from the coat-
date anything from graphite to tool steel. He admits ing process.
that, while a more specialized, high-rpm machine In addition, Mr. Noland notes that stepovers
might be more appropriate for producing the fine for such small-diameter tools should be no more
details the mountain molds have, he believes it than 8 to 10 percent of the tool diameter, espe-
makes more sense for his shop to have a versatile cially when a very smooth workpiece surface
machine that can run a variety of jobs rather than finish is required.
a more costly high-speed machine that might sit What follows is the series of milling operations
idle waiting for the right work. Plus, even though Mr. Sparkman commonly uses for these stainless
the process for machining the mountain molds production molds. He starts with two-axis, rough-
can be rather long, he can run longer programs ing contour and cuts around the mountain shape,
unattended overnight. and this is followed by a three-axis Z-roughing
A base mold component starts from a length operation. Next is a Surfcam three-axis Auto
of round bar with flats milled at the bottom so it Rough tool path followed by a three-axis Planar
can be secured on the VMC with a conventional tool path, which cuts multiple surfaces at one time
vise. Mr. Sparkman says he uses Niagara Cutter in a straight-line path, generating a 0.001-inch-tall
tools for these jobs, some featuring titanium scallop height. Machining is completed using
aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coatings and others successively smaller ball end mills (the last being
using titanium carbo-nitride (TiCN), because they a 0.030-inch-diameter tool) and the 3-Axis Steep/
perform well, have minimal runout and are rea- Shallow tool path, which provides constant 3D
sonably priced. offset based upon surface angle and overlap
Dennis Noland, senior design and R&D engineer specifications to produce an equal scallop height
at Niagara Cutter, says the thinness of the coat- of 0.0002 inch.
ings (in the range of 3 to 5 microns) is especially In addition to proper tooling and toolpath selec-
important for micro-tools like the ones C and L tion, Mr. Sparkman says coolant type plays a key
uses. (He defines micro-tools as tools having a role, too. The shop uses Ometa’s Hycut two-
diameter smaller than 0.100-inch.) That’s because component water-soluble metalworking fluid,
there’s not as much rounding on the cutting edges, which is based on synthetic ester oils that are said

C and L primarily uses

tools from Niagara
Cutter. The shop ground
the shank of this 1/ 16-inch
ball end mill to enable
it to machine a 0.5-
degree draft on the side
of California Half Dome
mountain mold.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 91

FEATURE

This offers a sense of the crisp details C and L

machines into these stainless molds. This base mold
component bolts to a hollow cylindrical component to
form the complete mold.

the mold’s mountain features. To date, C and L

has created molds for four different North Drink-
ware mountain designs (Mount Hood, Washing-
ton’s Mount Rainier, Vermont’s Camel’s Hump
to offer high lubricating performance and reduced and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park). For
tool wear. (This product has also been certified very popular glass products that are produced
by the USDA under its BioPrefered program.) in greater volumes, it has machined duplicate
The company’s Hycut CF 21 cutting oil is com- molds. Plus, the molds do become slightly cor-
bined with Additive BF and added to the machine’s roded due to the high operational temperature
sump. This offers the ability to mix the two com- range, so they require C and L to repolish them
ponents in any number of different ratios to dial every few months.
in the correct amount of lubricity depending on The deft, manual work that goes into hand-
the application. (The mixture used for the stain- blowing these North Drinkware glasses, and the
less steel molds is highly lubricious to more detailed molds that are machined to produce
effectively machine the “gummy” stainless steel them, are impressive. Mr. Sparkman says his
material.) The two-component concept also shop is currently working on a mold for a new
yields a longer shelf life for the oil and additive product for the glass manufacturer, but we’ll
compared to pre-mixed coolant, because the have to wait to find out what mountain that might
components are stored separately and blended depict. However, because C and L has already
together only as needed. established an effective process for machining
the molds, North Drinkware will be able to get
MORE MOUNTAINS ON THE HORIZON to market faster. Ultimately, this is the goal of
After machining, Mr. Sparkman hand-polishes every machine shop.

92 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 FEATURE

It takes artisans two days and more than 15 steps

to create one hand-blown North Drinkware glass.
The company currently offers four mountain designs
(three featuring West Coast mountains and one
featuring an East Coast mountain), but it is currently
working on a fifth design. (Photos courtesy
North Drinkware.)

C and L Custom Tooling, call 503-235-5700

or visit clcustomtooling.com.
North Drinkware, visit northdrinkware.com.
Chevalier, call 800-552-3288
or visit chevalierusa.com.
Niagara Cutter, call 248-528-5200
or visit niagaracutter.com.
Oemeta Inc., call 801 953 0134
or visit oemeta.com.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 93

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

Manufacturing Speed
for Drag Boats
J ames Faulkerson’s passion, Top Fuel Hydro-
plane (“Hydro” for short) drag boat racing,
provided him with a purpose to invent something
outrigger design that provided increased stabil-
ity and went hand in hand with his new twin-
propeller drive system. While the boat had its
new. In 1996, he built a drag boat with a modified problems, Mr. Faulkerson k new he was on
to something.
In August 2016, his company, Advanced Design
Technologies LLC of Las Vegas, Nevada, assisted
ADVANCED DESIGN
TECHNOLOGIES LLC With the help of W-Drive gears and other custom
PROBLEM Subcontracting work led to parts from Advanced Design Technologies, the
quality issues, other problems Nitrochondriac race team set a new elapsed-time
SOLUTION Surfcam 2017 R1 by record for Top Fuel drag boats. The team covered
Vero Software the 1,000-foot course from a standing start in 3.38
RESULTS Increased overall efficiency seconds at more than 263 mph at the Lucas Oil
and quality Drag Boat National event in Marble Falls, Texas, in
August 2016.

EDITOR EMILY PROBST, [email protected]

94 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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 BETTER PRODUCTION
Shops Using Technology

Search
Machines
Smarter.

The 2017 version of the W-Drive is rendered above.

This power-splitting marine transmission includes a
Machine Type: single-engine input shaft with two counter-rotating
propeller output shafts. The six gears for input and
Machining Center
output overdrive and power distribution for the two
Drill/Tap
propeller output shafts were once outsourced, but
Boring Mill after a faulty gear disintegrated, on a boat traveling
Milling Machine close to 200 mph, Mr. Faulkerson decided to make
everything himself.

Tommy Thompson Racing’s Nitrochondriac team

in setting a new elapsed-time record for Top Fuel
drag boat racing. As a consultant and parts sup-
plier for the team, Mr. Faulkerson provided a set
of experimental W-Drive gears, which he engi-
neered and manufactured with the help of Surfcam
by Vero Software (Thousand Oaks, California),
along with other custom parts.
The W-Drive is a power-splitting marine trans-
mission that includes a single-engine input shaft
with two counter-rotating propeller output shafts.
It includes six gears for input and output overdrive
and power distribution for the two propeller output
shafts. “For each revolution of the input shaft,
there is a set of change gears that can be selected
to obtain the desired number of revolutions of the
The Machine Tool Search Engine
output shafts,” Mr. Faulkerson explains. “A key
feature is the counter-rotating propeller output
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: shafts that act to cancel out the propeller torque,
creating a balanced propulsion drive system. The
W-Drive is a completely new approach to drag-
techspex.com boat propulsion.”
Initially, Mr. Faulkerson manufactured all drive
components, except for the gears, using manual
mills, lathes and other manufacturing equipment.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 97

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

Both of these parts can

be roughed in only one
cycle using comprehen-
sive roughing. Simply
stated, the Surfcam
roughing-milling cycle
can rough blank
material to stock to
within a specified
tolerance of the
finished part.

He subcontracted the gear manufacturing until because I always seem to experience problems.
the late 1990s, when a faulty gear disintegrated At that point, I decided to make everything myself.”
and blew a large hole in the bottom of a boat He began his new venture by acquiring a Haas
traveling at close to 200 mph, he says. “I decided VF-3 mill and SL-20 lathe. In 2002, he purchased
that I was no longer going to use subcontractors, the Surfcam Traditional CAM system to program

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98 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

his CNC machinery, later transitioning to Surfcam a few unique milling cycles, such as the flow-
2015 and redesigning most of his drive compo- surface and parallel-lace cycles, that simplify
nents and parts. He now runs Surfcam 2017 R1, the complex milling of non-uniform 3D shapes
which offers 14 milling cycles with specific appli- and surfaces.
cations that range from hole- to pencil-milling, As he manages a job from design to produc-
as well as four toolpath-projecting milling cycles. tion, Mr. Faulkerson uses the Solidworks CAD
The milling cycles used most often at ADT are system by Dassault Systèmes to create custom
the face-mill, hole, roughing, profiling, flat-land- parts. He then imports the design into Surfcam,
finishing and chamfering cycles. There also are which reads the native Solidworks part file with-
out the need for trans-
lation. This seamless
interoperability between
CAM and CAD systems
e n s u re s th at d e s i g n
d ata w ill c o m p l ete l y
retain its integrity after
importation, Mr. Faulk-
e r s o n s ay s. H e a l s o
appreciates the flexibil-
ity of the Surfcam tool
path, which is designed
to ensure that parts are
ideally programmed and
collision-free via the
Surfcam simulator.
A h i g h l i g ht of th e
CAM system is its
roughing-milling cycle,
which enables pro-

“
grammers to select and
define entry points for
each region to be
machined. Program-
mers can also start the
ro u g h i n g cyc l e f ro m
pre-drilled holes and

”
set a preference
for ramp or helical
approaches. The cycle
has been optimized for
high-speed machining,
i n c l u d i n g t a n g e n ti a l
links between passes
and optimized retract
moves.
Other cycle features
include associative
.com
depth parameters,
which ensure that

100 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

programming is uniform; intermediate slices, cycle that, in one cycle, can rough blank material
which reduce the size of the steps left by the stock to within a specified tolerance of the finished
roughing cycle; and flat-land detection, which part,” Mr. Faulkerson says. “Defining the tool
machines to the specified Z offset from the top path again is a simple matter of specifying speeds
of islands and the base of pockets. In addition, and feeds; providing an overall tolerance; spec-
the roughing-milling cycle offers a “check-fixtures” if ying intermediate slices information (overall
option for collision checking against fixtures, a lowest depth); and a few other details, and that
corner-type option to clean up the last pass’ is it. I was simply amazed at the ease of initially
stepover at each machined Z level to control the roughing a complex part with a single Surfcam
behavior of the cycle on sharp corners, and more. roughing cycle. All I had to do was select an
“The Sur fcam tool path has the ability to appropriate milling cutter; set feeds, speeds and
conform to unusual 3D shapes, and Surfcam depth of cut; and select the 3D model; and it
can cut those shapes efficiently,” Mr. Faulkerson rough-machined the entire part.”
says. “A few of the tool paths are astonishing in The Surfcam parallel-lace milling cycle per-
machining the rear case on the W-Drive.” forms milling operations on several surfaces at
He credits three cycles—comprehensive the same time. Parallel lace includes built-in
roughing, parallel-lace and flow-surface cycles— gouge protection, which makes it well-suited for
with helping him increase overall efficiency and machining multiple surfaces. Programmers can
toolpath quality. use this cycle for roughing, semi-roughing and
“Simply stated, comprehensive roughing is finishing sur faces. The cycle also includes a
an application of the Surfcam roughing-milling “check-surfaces” option, which enables users

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102 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

OCTOBER
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BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

to specify surfaces that they do not want machined edge radii are cut, saving considerable time and
(gouge protection), and allows for the restriction simplifying the programming of this milling oper-
of a generated tool path. A lso, users have ation. Mr. Faulkerson says he used Surfcam’s
the option to exclude flat areas to optimize tool- flow surface milling cycle extensively to manu-
path generation. facture the W-Drive alloy encasement parts. The
“Parallel lace is very powerful in its ability to cycle follows the flow of a surface, which is ideal
machine complex 3D-model faces with adjoining for machining fillets and 3D surfaces. It offers
e d g e s o f p l a n e r o r r a d i a l c h a m f e r s ,” M r. improved surface finish, helical support to reduce
Faulkerson says. “The tool path will ‘crawl’ along link moves, and multiple face and surface sup-
the 3D-model face in a tangential lacing pattern port. The tool path is controlled by two types of
in addition to simultaneously cutting adjoining surfaces that can be selected: “drive” surfaces
edges that contain radial or planer chamfers that produce the basic tool path, and “check”
a l l i n o n e p ro g r a m m e d c yc l e a c ti o n. T h i s sur faces that are not to be machined or are
c yc l e i s u s e d i n th e c u t ti n g of a n a n g u l a r gouge-protected.
3D-lofted-model face of the rear case of the “ T h e b e a u t y of th e f l ow s u r f a c e i s th a t
W-Drive transmission.” you can have any shape of a surface between
With one programmed parallel-lace milling two line curves or surfaces that are bounded
cycle, the pocket’s top wall faces and associated by other adjoining surfaces and it will simply
machine the m,” Mr. Faulke r son s ays. “ You
Vero Software, call 866-334-3226 have the abilit y to control the tool path like
or visit surfcam.com. never before.”

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104 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 WEBINAR
Varying Degrees
mmsonline.com of Optimization

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DURING THIS WEBINAR,

The Varying Degrees of Optimization YOU WILL LEARN:
webinar will introduce several
• How increasing air cut feed
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what the economic impact can be. used to create more efficient
Optimization can generate faster run NC Programs
times by closely regulating Feed, • How Physics Based
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Speed, Chip Load and Cutting cutting tool forces during
Mike McDonald
Technical Support Forces. There is a direct impact to material removal
Engineer, CGTech cutting tools which stops them from
breaking down as quickly. The end
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BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

Tool Management System

Eliminates Information Silos
company’s tribal knowledge, saving both time
T he Wagstaff family built a successful business
designing and manufacturing systems and
equipment needed to produce primary aluminum
and money.
Around 2004, Wagstaff began to look critically
ingot and billet using direct-chill-casting methods at the cost of lost information, says Jeff Smutny,
from their 133,000-square-foot facility in Spokane, manufacturing engineering manager. Product line
Washington. Like many companies that originate information was stored in process documents, the
in a garage, or in this case a pump house, Wagstaff CAM system and Excel spreadsheets. Tracking
Inc. has faced various challenges as it has grown, and leveraging the information on new jobs was
particularly, those of “lost information.” Integrating difficult and not very efficient, he says. And the
a tool management system from TDM Systems information wasn’t necessarily being shared amongst
(Schaumburg, Illinois) has helped capture the different users, says Russ Rasmussen, manufac-
turing engineering technician. For instance, prod-
uct information wasn’t always adequately com-
WAGSTAFF INC. municated between NC programming and the
PROBLEM Tooling information wasn’t shop floor, he says, and without a central database,
digitally traceable or searchable native information would commonly change, be
SOLUTION Tool Lifecycle Management from cloned or mutate. There was no way to know if
TDM Systems current, correct information was being used, which
RESULTS Reduced lost time and money made it a challenge for workers to perform vital
operations like simulating part programs.

Russ Rasmussen,
manufacturing
engineering technician,
uses the Tool Lifecycle
Management program
from TDM Systems.

106 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

This pintle bearing for a navigation lock on the

Columbia River is being machined on one of
Wagstaff’s five-axis CNC mills for a U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers facility. Wagstaff’s Spokane
facility measures 133,000 square feet and houses
R&D, fabrication, machining, assembly, testing and
shipping operations, along with 30 CNC machines.

That situation began to change in 2005 when

Mr. Smutny, as a guest of Walter and Wagstaff’s
local Walter distributor, visited the cutting tool
company’s headquarters in Germany. He saw that
Walter was using TDM System’s Tool Lifecycle
Management system in its own shop, and he was
impressed by its scope and capabilities.
“TDM’s Tool Lifecycle Management system
ensures that tool data is available where and when
it is needed,” explains Dan Speidel, TDM’s director
of sales. It links CAM, presetting and crib systems,
and CNCs, but it can also extend upstream to
systems at the planning and execution level, such

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108 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 BETTER PRODUCTION
Shops Using Technology

as in production planning, enter-

prise resource planning and
manufacturing execution systems.
To extend so widely, a tool man- Fiber laser marking machines
agement system must be open
and able to supply numerous

HAVE YOU LEFT

import and export interfaces, he
says. It must also integrate data
from various sources, such as
manufacturer catalogs or 3D YOUR MARK?
models created in house, into a
centralized database.
The Tool Lifecycle Manage-
ment system collects production
data and transfers it to other sys-
tems. It impacts the entire pro-
cess, from tool selection to pro-
duction planning to seamless
transfer and use on the shop floor,
Mr. Speidel says. Information from
the individual process steps con-
tinuously flows back to a central-
ized database, creating a growing
mass of data that is accessible
throughout the networked system.
“ Wagstaf f had the t ypical
standalone silos of information
that we see in so many compa-
nies,” Mr. Speidel says. “The old
process was to get a job and turn
it over to manufacturing engineer-
ing to design and plan the process,
then turn it over to NC program-
ming. Once the NC program was
defined, they would walk the
program to the tool crib and look
for the tooling. They would look A Division of:
in their stash, and the machine
operator would often need to look
through his stash.” Of course,
everyone has their own preference
for tooling, he adds. This was
neither consistent nor efficient.
Since the shop had numerous
tooling racks in a variety of loca-
tions and there was no way to
digitally search for the tools, the
central tool crib primarily sharp-
ened tools and tried to maintain

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 109

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

Wagstaff no longer stores product line information,

like that of this large steel hydraulic cylinder weld-
ment, throughout the facility. Instead, the company
uses a central, searchable database.

Management system. Instead of relying on a CAM

system’s generic tool models, this system uses
actual graphics to take the guesswork and uncer-
tainty out of tool creation, leading to efficient and
repeatable accuracy, Mr. Speidel says. The system
also provides basic tool information and potential
applications to help Wagstaff quickly decide which
stock levels, Mr. Rasmussen says. tools are best-suited for each process step and
Determined to become more organized, the which combinations are most efficient.
company decided to capitalize on its wealth of The tool management system stores geometry
tribal knowledge. The first step was to define and cutting data for each tool assembly, and makes
approximately 4,000 tool assemblies and many 3D tool graphics available for NC and simulation
more components within the Tool Lifecycle analyses. It also saves tool lists from the NC pro-
grams for future use. In addition, its recording of
TDM Systems Inc., call 847-605-1269 cutting data, machining conditions and best prac-
or visit tdmsystems.com. tices helps optimize tool use in future applications.

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110 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 BETTER PRODUCTION
Shops Using Technology

“Features like these are what make TDM such

a benefit on repeat jobs, but it comes into play on
new jobs as well,” Mr. Smutny says. “For instance,
it might be a different product or application, but
maybe the material is the same, so the program-
mers already know about the behavior of the cut-
ting tools and tool assemblies with this material.
Overall, we’ve saved a lot of time and realized
increases in accuracy.”
The Tool Lifecycle Management system is
designed to bring benefits to tool presetting as
well, and Wagstaff eventually purchased a preset-
ter to complement its system. TDM says it works
with presetter manufacturers to facilitate two-way
communication. During the measuring procedure,
these systems can access the nominal data for
each tool assembly stored in the TDM system and
transfer the measured data back to TDM to con-
tinually fine-tune the system. This data transfer is
carried out via direct numerical control (DNC) or
tool chips. The tools and NC programs simultane-
ously get to the correct machine, together with the
current preset tool data and with graphics, photos
and/or captions.
Access to accurate data can reduce program-
ming and job setup time by 25 percent. For instance,
instead of needing as many as seven people in the
tool crib, Wagstaff now runs the area with just three,
Mr. Rasmussen says. Although the company has The new master of speed
grown since it implemented TDM, the programming � KR AGILUS series
crew is staffed at roughly the same level as in 2004,
Mr. Smutny adds. They now spend more time
preparing revenue-producing jobs and less time When it comes to handling tasks,
searching for information. the KR AGILUS offers impressive
“Now we know what we need to stock in terms results combined with minimzed
of cutting tools, extensions, holders, collets, you cycle times. At the same time, the
name it. That’s definitely streamlined the purchas- speed and accuracy make the
ing function, in addition to reduction of inventory,” performance of this small robot
Mr. Rasmussen says. Full knowledge of Wagstaff’s family unique in its payload
tools and their capabilities has enabled the company category. Available in 6 and 10 kg
ca
to reduce its purchases in some areas. payloads with an available reach of
Although buy-in to the new system wasn’t 700, 900, and 1,100 mm.
automatic, it is well-accepted by Wagstaff’s staff
today, Mr. Rasmussen says. “People don’t like to
adopt new things, so there’s always some degree
of hesitancy. However, one of our programmers [email protected]
recently mentioned to me that he didn’t know how 1-800-459-6691

he did his job without TDM. It’s become a vital part

of our successful operation.”

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 111

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

CAD/CAM Helps Shop

Achieve Tight Tolerances
for Medical Components
VALLEY MACHINE
PROBLEM Manual programming of
V alley Machine specializes in suppling precision-
machined components as well assemblies
for customers in the medical, semiconductor,
turn-mills was time consuming, required photonics, optics and aerospace industries. To
multiple edits best support this variety of industries, the North
SOLUTION Esprit CAD/CAM software from Plains, Oregon, machine shop uses a range of
DP Technology equipment, including vertical machining centers;
RESULTS Available postprocessors horizontal machining centers; conventional turn-
eliminated code editing, sped production of ing centers; two Miyano BNJ42S twin-turret,
complex medical parts twin-spindle turn-mills; and an Index C200 three-
turret, twin-spindle lathe.

One of the key features

of Esprit software that
enables posting edit-
free code is its simula-
tion capabilities. Here,
the software is simu-
lating machining of a
medical interconnect.

112 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 © 2016 SCHUNK INTEC, Inc
www.us.schunk.com/vero-s

More than 500 possible

combinations for your
reliable workholding. High tech from a
family-owned company
Positioning and clamping in one step. Production possible
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The quick-change pallet system VERO-S
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BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

By using Esprit to
re-sequence cutting
operations, Valley
Machine was able to
move the machining of
this medical inter-
connect to an Index
C200 lathe, improving
production time by
30 percent.

Previously, the manually written numerical machines to produce good parts, eating away at
control (NC) code for turning centers often required the programmer’s available time while leaving the
significant editing before it would enable those machine idle.

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©2017

114 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 Shops Using Technology BETTER PRODUCTION

To remedy this, Valley Machine decided to ing a week-long training program, Valley Machine
implement CAD/CAM software for its standard immediately began modifying jobs that it had
turning centers and more complex turn-mill previously run, and it began programming new
machines. After evaluating numerous packages, orders on its two Miyano BNJ42S machines. For
the shop chose Esprit CAD/CAM software from these machines, Esprit helped reduce the cycle
DP Technology Corp. (Camarillo, California), in times required to produce complex par ts by
part because of its standard postprocessors, moving operations from one spindle to another
which could generate code that required no so that both spindles were continuously working.
editing for the shop’s machines, therefore elim- Once the shop was confident Esprit could
inating the time and cost involved in proving out handle its complex programming needs, it began
the code. to optimize the machining capabilities of its new
The primary feature for generating edit-free Index C200 to effectively machine an important
code is the software’s multi-channel synching component for one of its medical customers.
ability, which is said to effectively enable coor- This project involved producing 2,000 medical
dinated motion of multiple turrets and spindles interconnects made from 303 stainless steel.
on the turn-mills. Another important capability Previously, the shop faced many challenges in
is simulation, which enables programmers to trying to manufacture these medical intercon-
view the complete machining operation offline— nects. For instance, in addition to problematic
including simulated parts, tools and machin- handwritten programs, the machine on which
ing—prior to post processing. these parts were originally manufactured could
After purchasing the new software and attend- not hold the required tolerances. Instead, the

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 115

BETTER PRODUCTION Shops Using Technology

Esprit helped reduce the cycle times required to

produce complex parts by moving some opera-
tions from the main spindle to the subspindle so
machining can be performed on both spindles
simultaneously.

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116 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 Shops Using Technology BETTER PRODUCTION

company had to machine the parts on a twin- any part on its complex turn-mills with the software.
spindle lathe and then move them to a VMC to Jeremiah Archer, lead programmer at Valley
machine the face holes and other profiles, which Machine, notes that it is also easy to make changes
cost valuable production time and money. The and try new machining strategies when a part is
company reduced the time required to produce programmed in Esprit, because the software’s
these parts by 30 percent by moving them to realistic, full-machine simulation enables visual-
the Index C200 machine and using Esprit to ization of each operation. Valley Machine contin-
quickly resequence cutting operations. ues to expand its technology and capabilities,
Now, the company can hold tolerances within and it is gaining additional opportunities to machine
a few ten-thousandths of an inch by resequenc- more complex parts in new markets with the help
ing operations to avoid the potential for deflec- of Esprit.
tion that could cause machining errors. In addi- “ T he suppor t we re c e i ve d pr ior to eve n
tion, the shop can use the software to produce purchasing the product was superior, and imme-
solid, edit-free lathe programs that help reduce diately providing the help I need is something
both setup and cycle times, while also improv- at which the Esprit support team excels,” Mr.
ing part quality. Archer says. “There was never a hesitation when
Today, Valley Machine enjoys quicker machine I asked to borrow a machine setup or post
setup times in Esprit with postprocessors that for evaluation.”
consistently generate accurate NC code, saving
valuable machining time and increasing produc- Esprit by DP Technology Corp.,
tivity. The shop says it can now efficiently machine call 800-627-8479 or visit espritcam.com.

KEEP AN EYE O N YO UR TOOL Marposs Diamond systems redefine the rules of

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mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 117

TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

END MILLS CUT AND POLISH

2D CONTOURS SIMULTANEOUSLY
Emuge has introduced its Cut & Form solid carbide MILLING TOOLS PERFORM
finishing end mills, designed to perform both VARIOUS OPERATIONS WITH
cutting and polishing in one operation. The tools’ SINGLE INSERT
dual functionality is attributed to a design that Pokolm’s Squareworx multifunctional milling
incorporates three cutting edges to remove mate- system is designed for precise machining with
rial and three burnishing edges to compact the both 90- and 45-degree approach angles. One
material, producing polished mirror surfaces as insert is sufficient to perform square-shouldering,
fine as 0.08 micron Ra. The tool series is designed slotting, facing and chamfering operations, the
to speed throughput and cut back on manufactur- company says. Each insert has four useable cut-
ing time, secondary operations and cost. ting edges with a corner radius of 0.8 mm. Five
These high-performance tools are ideal for different grades can machine all standard mate-
trimming 2D contours in nonferrous materials, rials, ranging from roughing to finishing, the
such as aluminum and copper, and for the med- company says.
ical, jewelry, food and electronics industries, the
company says.
Emuge Cut & Form end mills are available in
stub- and standard-length designs, with cutting
diameters of 6, 8, 10 and 12 mm.
Emuge Corp., call 800-323-3013
or visit emuge.com.

All available end mills, shell-type cutters, and

threaded-shank tools possess the maximum
possible number of teeth. Combined with an
internal coolant supply, this design enables high
feed rates, the company says. Square-shoulder
and slotting cutters are available from stock in
diameters between 25 and 66 mm. The 16- to
63-mm chamfering milling cut ters’ special
geometr y enables both for ward and reverse
chamfering operations.
Pokolm Frästechnik GmbH & Co. KG,
call 49 5247 9361 0 or visit pokolm.de.

EDITOR JEDD COLE , [email protected]

118 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

Supreme DC170
Visibly different,
clearly leading the way.

The Ikon of a new performance class

The Supreme DC170’s unique and innovative margin design ensures that the carbide’s strength
is exactly where you need it; right behind the cutting edge, facing the cutting forces - precisely
where greater stability significantly increases productivity. This increases the process reliabil-
ity, tool life and quality – while simultaneously reducing your manufacturing costs.
The Supreme DC170 – The Ikon that gives drilling a new look.

walter-tools.com/us
 TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

QUICK-CHANGE DRILLING TOOL

LINE GETS NEW DIAMETER RANGE
Tungaloy is adding a set of tools with diameters
ranging from 6.0 to 9.9 mm to its DrillMeister line.
According to the com-
pany, DrillMeister pro-
vides simple and fast
drill head indexing
thanks to its self-clamp-
ing system. Tool replace-
ment is performed by
simply replacing the drill
head; there is no need
A Member of the BIG DAISHOWA Group to remove the entire drill
body from the toolholder
and readjust the tool
overhang, reducing tool-
change time. A drill head
can be mounted or
removed with low torque, and the process can
HIGHER PENETRATION RATES AND be done in the machine as needed. Because the

WE’LL PROVE IT. clamping structure prevents deformation of the

drill body, the number of heads per body is sub-
stantially increased.
PENETRATION RATE COMPARISON
GREY CAST IRON The new diameter ranges will be available
120 SPHINX ART. 52916 with the TID-type drill bodies of 1.5×D, 3×D, 5×D
PENETRATION RATE (IPM)

COMPETITOR A and 8×D, ensuring high drilling performance for

100
COMPETITOR B
80 COMPETITOR C
small-diameter holemaking in various materials.
60 ALL DRILLS The flange-type drill body is designed for excel-
TESTED WERE:
• 16xD OR 15xD lent chip evacuation with a high helical flute angle
40 • COATED CARBIDE
• INTERNAL COOLANT and polished flute surface. Good chip evacuation
20
can be achieved even in holes as deep as 5×D
0
1 3 6 or deeper, where chip evacuation tends to be
DIAMETER (MM)
difficult, the company says.
The Sphinx Phoenix TC2 high-performance drill Tungaloy America Inc., call 800-542-3222
excels in nearly all materials — including exotics. or visit tungaloyamerica.com.
The advanced coating and geometry affords
less heat on the tool and better chip flow and
evacuation.
CLIP-HOLDING, RELEASE DEVICE
FOR CHECK FIXTURES
Don’t believe us? Test a Sphinx TC2 in your shop Fractal Engineering has developed the Clip Buddy,
to see the proof.
a clip-holding and release device for check fixtures.
Visit BIGKAISER.com/TestUs to request Suitable for use with W-base plastic clips, steel
your Sphinx Phoenix TC2 no-risk trial. H-clips, and interior or exterior panels, the Clip
Buddy can help to overcome the challenge of
precisely holding clips in check fixtures and
releasing them without damage to the clip, the
company says.
www.bigkaiser.com The product is significantly smaller than tradi-
tional jaw blocks and requires less backside access

120 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

for actuation. Sev- QUICK-CHANGE PALLET SYSTEM

eral available jaw WORKS WITH VARIOUS
configurations can TABLE SIZES
be machined as Schunk’s Vero-S NSL quick-change workhold-
required for par- ing and positioning system is designed to speed
ticular applications. setups with the ability to mount any workholding
The jaws close on top, from a standard vise to a custom fixture,
securely and pre- for reliable and consistent change-over. For
cisely to enable a micron-precise connection between machine
insertion and hold- table and work piece, the clamping system
i n g of a c l i p fo r makes optimal use of even smaller machine
accurate and tables, the company says. The Vero-S quick-
repeatable inspec- change pallet system delivers fast and precise
tion of an assem- resetting of workpieces, clamping devices and
bly. To release the other equipment on three-, four- or five-axis
clip, the operator machining centers.
actuates the lever Workpieces can be directly clamped and
with a short and smooth motion to open the jaws; machined from five sides without restricting
the lever is then actuated in reverse to close the accessibility. This is done by screwing the clamp-
jaws to prepare for loading another part. ing pins of the quick-change pallet system directly
Fractal Engineering LLC or visit into the workpiece. The components are then
fractal.engineering. quickly exchanged in the machine, positioned,

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mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 121

TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

spindle can reach all five sides of the workpiece

without any special tools.
Schunk Inc., call 800-772-4865
or visit us.schunk.com.

HYDRAULIC WORKHOLDING
TOWERS OFFER AS MANY AS
12 CLAMPING STATIONS
Kurt Workholding offers a complete line of high-
density CarvLock workholding towers for preci-
sion machining with eight or 12 clamping stations
in both manual and hydraulic models. Equipped
with easily changeable jaws, these towers provide
fixed and clamped all in one step with a repeat- maximum setup flexibility and fast change-over
able accuracy of less than 0.005 mm. The clamp- between jobs, the company says.
ing height of the workpieces can be adjusted with The towers are ideal for use on mid-size and
module height ex tensions, so the machine larger horizontal machining centers, and options
enable configuration to users’ exact needs. Each
For more cutting tool information, tower station has either a 3" or 4" jaw opening
visit mmsonline.com/cuttingtools. and provides repeatable clamping to 0.0002"
For workholding information, with a ma ximum clamping force of 5,870 to
visit mmsonline.com/workholding. 7,460 lbs, depending on the model.

Dot Peen Marker Made in the USA

by Kwik Mark Inc.

Direct Marking of Text and Graphics on
Steel • Aluminum • Brass • Plastics

A Must For Every Shop!

: 00011 1 • Type or Teach Positioning
XT IAL 2-
TE ER • Compact Flash Card Memory
LAR
21
S

GU • Line Dot or Radius Fonts

-14
ARC TEXT

AN
ANGULAR TEXT • No Limits to Line Numbers
13:34

• Sequential Numbering
MIRROR TEXT
2D DATA MATRIX • Date / Time Shift Coding
REVERSE TEXT SERIALIZE & • Mark Virtually Any Material
DATE/TIME CODE IMPORT GRAPHICS & EDIT!
REVERSE TEXT
• True Chipless Engraving

www.kwikmark.com • [email protected] • (815) 363-8268

122 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

Self-adjusting holding blocks clamp the

similar- or dissimilar-size par ts. Fast manual
Small to Tall
Think 5S. Huot’s new products safely store,
organize and protect your CNC toolholders
operation is enhanced with the adjustable pre-
load feature that reduces handle turns for open- CNC
ing and closing clamping stations. Hydraulic power Tall
speeds part clamping by eliminating the need to Tree
Locker
manually clamp the piece part. Over six
The CarvLock towers are made of ductile iron, feet tall
with five
maximizing strength, rigidity and long-term accu- toolholder
racy. The elevated column is designed to make shelves
clearing chips and coolant from the clamping area #55641
shown
fast and easy. Additional features include jaw
options for specific applications, such as hard
jaws, machinable aluminum and ductile iron jaws,
plus aluminum fixture plates. For maximum flex-
ibility, jaws are indexable 180 degrees.
Kurt Manufacturing - Industrial Products,
call 877-226-7823 or visit kurtworkholding.com.

LIVE TOOLING FOR POPULAR

Drop-in
SERIES OF TURNING CENTERS Inserts
Heimatec now offers live tooling for all popular Instantly
become
more
efficient and
organized
#22040 shown
CNC Tall Tree Locker comes
with five toolholder shelves,
for easy viewing and access,
along with sturdy, locking
reinforced doors.
Drop-In Inserts are designed 550 North Wheeler Street
to fit within the existing St. Paul, MN 55104
drawers of your current
set up. 800.832.3838
[email protected]
Also available for HSK,
CAPTO®, Collets and all Made
popular toolholders. in USA

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 123

 TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

models in the Hyundai, Miyano and Nakamura

turning center lines. Standard and custom styles
are available for all tapers, including HSK and
BT30, as well as fixed and adjustable models.
Heimatec Inc., call 847-749-0633
or visit heimatecinc.com.

MODULAR CONNECTION SYSTEM

FOR DRILLING, BORING, TAPPING
Allied Machine & Engineering offers Wohlhaupter’s
MVS modular connection system. Part of the
Multibore collection, the MVS connection is a
flexible system designed primarily for drilling and
boring, with application possibilities in tapping,
end milling and light shell milling.

Jawnuts and Keys

• Made from 4140 steel The MVS connection is a modular connection

• Competitively Priced that enables the use of extended lengths or
• Always in stock reduced diameters by using a series of compo-
nents engineered for flexible adaptation. Four
• Made in the USA
sizes are available to accommodate the diameter
range of the boring required: MVS 50-28, 63-36,
80-36 and 100-56. Operators can easily build
and change tooling components, and this flexibil-
ity enables the system to work accurately for
almost any project’s needs, the company says.
The MVS connection of fers a mating and
clamping draw force of approximately 1,900 psi
provided by a three-point triangular system. The
pressure points are an equal 120 degrees apart,
providing high rigidity, high performance capabil-
ISO 9001:2008
ity and a total system accuracy of 3 microns. The
system holds tolerances of 0.002 micron ID to
DillonManufacturing, Inc. OD and a consistent 0.002 micron of parallelism
between mating surfaces.
2115 Progress Drive | Springfield
Springfield, Ohio 45505 |
Phone: 1-800-428-1133 | Fax: 1-800-634-6480 | Allied Machine & Engineering Corp.,
Email: [email protected] | www.dillonmfg.com
call 800-321-5537 or visit alliedmachine.com.

124 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 TOOLING AND WORKHOLDING

TANGENTIAL MILLING CUTTER

ENABLES INCREASED
DEPTHS OF CUT
Sumitomo Electric Carbide’s TSX series tangen-
tial milling cutter is designed for stable, efficient
shoulder milling at high feed rates. Engineered
with a tough and sharp cutting edge, the TSX A M E R I M O L D E X P O.CO M
provides the strength required for increasing cut-
ting depths in applications ranging from small
jobs to heavy-duty roughing.
A four-corner, ground-tolerance, tangentially
mounted insert with optimized chipbreaker is said
to achieve excellent edge sharpness and sidewall
accuracy. The TSX is available in two precision-
ground insert sizes, offering a maximum depth
of cut of 8 or 12 mm (0.315" or 0.473").
Other features of the competitively priced TSX
include reduced cutting force, surface roughness THE PINNACLE OF CUTTING PERFORMANCE

of less than 0.5 micron Ra, squareness of less

than 0.05 mm and long-term wear resistance.
Sumitomo, call 800-950-5202
or visit sumicarbide.com. U.S. Machine &
Parts Inventory

Local Service
Available

Fast Return
GEOMETRY/GRADE COMBO MAKES on Investment
BURR-FREE PARTS
Walter USA introduces the MS3 cutting geometry
with the new WSM01 grade. The combination of
the HiPIMS physical vapor deposition coating and
the MS3 geometry is said to be ideal for machin-
ing ISO-S materials with difficult cutting proper-
ties such as high-temperature alloys, titanium,
and cobalt-based and nickel-based alloys. Neg-
ative inserts with MS3 geometry feature smooth
surfaces and sharp cutting edges to minimize Visit Our New Website
buildup and ensure high-quality, burr-free surface www.cosensaws.com
finishes. 877.935.5728
Walter USA LLC, call 262-347-2400
or visit walter-tools.com/us.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 125

SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE

CAM SOFTWARE FOR

DENTAL MILLING, GRINDING
ModuleWorks’ Dental Framework 2017 offers indications with deep undercuts.
new, intelligent features for chair-side applications By ensuring the cutting conditions remain
and complex dental indications. This dental CAM almost constant, the adaptive roughing strategy
plug-and-play product performs advanced tool- for grinding has significant advantages compared
path calculations and outputs the corresponding to conventional constant offset roughing. The
NC file for dental CNC machines. It uses verified constant-cusp pattern continuously analyzes the
and configurable machining templates in the form remaining stock in front and adapts the stepover
of XML scripts for efficient and flexible implemen- to ensure tool engagement with the stock is always
tation, and it contains a complete toolset library the appropriate for the application.
for manufacturing a range of dental indications. For milling, the 3D silhouette curve can be
The integrated CAM engine, which is used for the used as a reference curve for splitting the con-
toolpath calculations, provides three-, four- and stant-cusp finishing operations from the occlu-
five-axis strategies for dental milling and grinding sal and cavity sides. The 3+2-axis automatic
(chair-side) applications. undercut strategy detects the undercut areas
Besides adding intelligent algorithms for chair- from the top and bottom without any user input,
side grinding, the core CAM features for milling th e n m ac h in e s e ac h re g i o n f ro m th e m ost
applications have also been enhanced to increase approachable angle.
the efficiency and quality of machining operations ModuleWorks GmbH, call 49 241 990004 0
fo r c o m p l ex d e n t a l i n d i c a t i o n s, i n c l u d i n g or visit moduleworks.com.

EDITOR JEDD COLE , [email protected]

126 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 WEBINAR
FeatureCAM for SwissCAM
mmsonline.com

PRESENTED BY:

autodesk.com/MAKE

FeatureCAM Ultimate automates CNC DURING THIS WEBINAR,

YOU WILL LEARN:
programming of milling machines, turning
and turn/mill centres, Swiss lathes and wire • Multispindle/multi-axis
EDMs. FeatureCAM 2018 includes a new user synchronization
experience including a new ribbon interface • Simulate advanced
swiss type lathes
that will improve the user experience. An icon
accompanying text and dynamic help give more
insight into functionality. In this webinar, we will
concentrate on programming advanced Swiss
-type lathes through an innovative and easy to
Dan Pacific
Technical Specialist use patented platform. This platform helps to
improve machine usage, reduce cycle times
and improve throughput through visual easy to use selections.
Dan comes to Autodesk through the Delcam acquisition, he has extensive
knowledge on machining working previously as part of a fabrication team.
Dan has extensive experience from the ground up when it comes to swiss
type lathes; from grinding tooling, performing set-up’s for production DATE AND TIME OF WEBINAR
runs, operating and hand programing Citizen L’s and Hanwha XD’s Thursday, June 29, 2017
before joining the PartMaker team. As an enthusiastic hobbyist in the 2:00 PM EDT
maker movement, Dan has also machined his own wedding bands with DURATION: 1 HOUR
engraving out of Titanium on a Citizen L20 type 7 using PartMaker.
REGISTER TODAY AT
mmsonline.com/webinars
SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE

MANUFACTURING DATA to generate events that can be consumed by

GATHERING, CONTEXTUALIZING Vimana Utilize or other analytics platforms for
SOFTWARE visualization and predictive analytics. Enriched
System Insights has launched Vimana Enrich, a data can also be integrated with other manufac-
software solution designed to simplify the capture turing and business systems to include ERP,
and integration of relevant data from the shop maintenance and scheduling systems to enable
floor and business systems, and add context to a closed-loop process, and end-to-end supply
the manufacturing process without increasing chain and process automation.
time and cost for programming and systems Vimana Enrich is designed to enable manu-
integration. It is said to enable manufacturers to facturers to be able to identify the true state of
leverage machine data to gain improved insight, the manufacturing process, such as current
in real time, that will support decision making and machine activity, asset health, part production
enable smart manufacturing, the company says. and operator status. Additionally, events and alerts
The software is a stand-alone, on-premise, can be created for insight into maintenance,
streaming application that consumes data from scheduling, inventory, part quality and more.
MTConnect and other data sources. It leverages System Insights, call 510-584-9029
a set of standard and custom-developed rules or visit systeminsights.com.

For more information about systems and MACHINE SOFTWARE SPEEDS

software, go to mmsonline.com/erp and
3D CONTOURING
Makino introduces SGI.5, the latest version of its
mmsonline.com/cam.
Super Geometric Intelligence software for high-
© The helmet was programmed and produced by DAISHIN

CAM? Still satisfied?

Explore the benefits of hyperMILL®
and switch to the CAM solution for
all of your 2.5D, 3D, 5-axis, mill-turn,
HSC and HPC requirements.

www.openmind-tech.com

128 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE

machine drive systems and the company’s latest

advancements in servodrive technology. The
result is high speeds, high feeds and tight accu-
racies when executing NC programs with micro-
blocks with traverse movement value of 1 mm
or less, the company says. This is characteristic
of the complex 3D surfaces found in die/mold,
medical, aerospace and other high-performance
milling applications.
Makino Inc., call 513-573-7200
or visit makino.com.

CAM SIMULATION SOFTWARE

feed-rate, tight-tolerance machining of complex, SPEEDS TURNING-TO-MILLING
three-dimensional contoured shapes. The tech- TURNAROUND
nology facilitates greater levels of accuracy and Spring Technologies offers the latest version (2017)
reductions in cycle time, the company says. of its flagship software NCSIMUL Solutions and
Depending on specific geometry, SGI.5 can pro- the NCSIMUL 4CAM add-on module. New prob-
vide 20 to 60 percent faster cycle times while ing strategies with checking and measurement
maintaining accuracy and surface finishes. of intermediary rough stocks enable automatic
The sof tware leverages the rigidity of the compensation, taking into account tool wear
Makino machine structure, the kinematics of the during machining.

If machines were to decide...

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 129

SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE

Support for turning after milling enables one- data exchange and securing the whole project.
click CNC machine turnaround, the company Automatic performance analysis of the assem-
says. This feature provides automatic reprogram- bly for five-axis NC machines graphically detects
ming for all CNC tool and machine changes, machining risk zones and less-than-optimal cut-
delivering flexibility and time savings for CAM ting conditions.
programmers and workshop scheduling. Three new CAM programs have been added
The Optitool option is built into NCSIMUL to the list of Workpackages available with NCSIMUL
4CAM 2017, enabling automation and optimiza- Solutions 2017, including Alphacam, Catia, Cima-
tion, especially all rapid motion, with graphic tron, Creo, Edgecam, Esprit, FeatureCAM,
analysis for quick before/af ter comparison GibbsCAM, HyperMill Mastercam, NX, PowerMill
of improvements. and TopSolid’Cam.
NCSIMUL Tool cutting tool management with Spring Technologies Inc., call 617-401-2197
3D definitions, attachments and cutting conditions or visit ncsimul.com.
has been enriched, standardized and stored by
material, machine and operation. CAM SOFTWARE OFFERS
This version features one-click project update CHIP BREAK SETTINGS FOR
(phase calculation, simulation and ISO code MACHINING STRINGY METALS
restart, etc.) and phase export/import to exchange CNC Sof tware Inc.’s Mastercam 2018 of fers
project information with other customer sites or several new features and improvements. Stock
external partners. This enhances inter-company awareness has been added to select 2D tool
collaboration with subcontractors, suppliers and paths. The tool motion can now use the top,
customers, covering all or part of a project, enabling bottom or both values of the stock, and all the

130 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE

is valuable when working with stringy materials

such as aluminum or plastic, enabling users to
set length and time conditions, retract and dwell
options. Mill-turn machine definitions now contain
tailstock and quill components. The new tailstock
operation enables users to def ine how the
machine’s tailstock is used, and tailstock options
differ depending on the selected machine.
The angle sweep function improves the creation
linking parameters can be set to adapt to chang- of more complex wireframe functions and, when
ing stock values. Finish passes now have more creating or editing primitives, there are now on-
options to choose from. Users can add or remove screen sweep and rotate controls that can snap
finish cuts based on the number of rough depth to the AutoCursor positions of existing entities.
cuts specified on the Depth Cuts page. The Seam control lets users visually rotate a seam to
wo r k f l ow fo r a ll 3D h i g h-s p e e d to o l paths see how geometry will respond, as well as snap
has been streamlined and gives users fine con- to AutoCursor positions.
trol over exactly where to cut. Users can also Additional features include a new set of turn-
assign variable stock to leave values on its walls ing strategies that automate toolpath generation
and floors. and support for Sandvik Coromant CoroTurn
In turning and mill-turn operations, Chip Break Prime inserts and the PrimeTurning method.
is now available for face and finish tool paths when Mastercam - CNC Software Inc.,
chip breaks occur. The company says this function call 860-875-5006 or visit mastercam.com.

...they’d love the Tebis NC programs!

Machines love Tebis because they can create masterpieces in record
time and give their very best – perfect surfaces, highest feed rates and
maximum protection of HPC and HFC tools.

We optimize your processes, reduce your costs and increase your productivity
through consulting, software, implementation and support.

HIGH-QUALITY
EFFICIENT Manufacture high-quality molds and dies faster Manufacture safely, because Tebis knows your
RELIABLE through more efficient manufacturing. machines, your tools and your clamps.

Ask for a demo and Tebis America

get going now! 400 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, MI 48083
248.524.0430
Find out more at www.tebis.com

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 131

AMERIMOLD 2017 June 14 - 15

Amerimold 2017
Taking place June 14-15 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in
Chicago, Illinois, Amerimold 2017 brands itself as the event for mold manu-
facturing. Thousands of attendees, including owners, executives, engineers,
and managers at OEMs and contract manufacturers come to network and
stay up-to-date on industry developments from more than 200 equipment
suppliers, service providers, and tool and mold makers. Featuring educational
opportunities with Tech Talks and in-booth demos, the show offers a the
place to visit suppliers of machine tools, mold components, materials, tool-
ing, workholding and more. This section showcases a sampling of the many
products to be displayed there.

FLEXIBLE, SELF-CONTAINED CAM UPDATE EASES SIMULTANE-

TOOLROOM LASER OUS FIVE-A XIS CONVERSIONS
ALLIANCE LASER SALES INC., BOOTH 623 CGS NORTH AMERICA INC., BOOTH 705
Developed in partnership with Vision GmbH, CGS will introduce Version 13 of its CAM-Tool
Alliance Laser’s MobileFlex x Toolroom Laser software for 3D machining of molds and dies.
System is said to be highly mobile, extremely
flexible, and self-contained, with all tools and
materials necessary for in-shop laser welding.
The welder features a fixed-size scanner laser
in 150, 300 or 450 W. The company says it uses
the systems daily in its own shop for repairs
and service.
Alliance Laser Sales Inc., call 847-487-1945
or visit alliancelasersales.com.

This version includes upgrades to simultaneous

five-axis conversions that change the way a stock
model is created. With this new method of creation,
five-axis conversions calculate faster and more
accurately, the company says. This will also help
when using the Delete Air Cuts function, which
optimizes tool paths by referencing the stock
model to remove any unnecessary air cuts.

132 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 REGISTER NOW & SAVE!
June 14-15, 2017
DONALD E. STEPHENS CONVENTION CENTER | ROSEMONT, IL, USA

A M E R I M O L D E X P O . C O M

Exhibit Hall Amerimold Tech Talks

featuring machine tools, on designing, machining,
mold components, tooling, maintaining molds
materials, software, more
BOOTH SALES ARE OPEN
Business Development Reserve Early and Save!
Opportunities [email protected]
for mold builders
and mold buyers
CO-LOCATED WITH:

PRESENTED BY:
 AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15
Machine 2X the parts in 1/2 the space.
Increased functionality in the Solid Modeler
module enables CAD data to be more easily altered
to cover, move or remove areas of the part that
users no longer wish to machine. Machine
simulation also has been upgraded to enable
easier switching between machines in simultane-
ous five-axis simulation.
CGS North America Inc., call 844-737-6009
or visit camtool.com.
Increase Your Productivity.

The Deuce
SIMULATION SOFTWARE STANDS
ALONE OR INTEGRATES WITH
CAM SYSTEMS
CGTECH, BOOTH 1025
One Vise. Endless Configurations.
CGTech will showcase the latest version of its
Vericut CNC machine simulation, verification and
optimization sof tware. Like earlier versions,
Version 8.0.2 can operate independently or be
integrated with leading CAM systems. This full
Fixed Double Machinable
integration with the CAD/CAM and machine tool
industry is an important attribute of the software,
www.5thaxis.com the company says. Machine simulation detects
collisions and near-misses between machine tool
components such as axis slides, heads, turrets,
rotary tables, spindles, toolchangers, fixtures,
workpieces, cutting tools and other user-defined
objects. Vericut can simulate virtually every machine
tool brand, the company says, including DMG
Flat, MORI, Mazak, Makino, Matsuura, Hermle, Chiron,
Starrag, WFL, Nakamura-Tome and more.
circular CGTech, call 949-753-1050 or visit cgtech.com.
or hard-to-
find cutting
tools
are immediately available from Helfer
Tool Company.
Whether you need small, precision
carbide or high speed Swiss tools,
or larger flat or circular tools, they’re
standards at Helfer Tool.
Plus carbide test pins, carbide cold-
heading punches and solid carbide
drill blanks are on the shelf, too.
Just tell us your production sched-
ule, and we’ll meet it! ON-MACHINE PROBES
AUTOMATICALLY DETECT
FREE. WRITE FOR ALL NEW, TOOLING CATALOG. A XIS POSITIONS
Helfer Tool Company MARPOSS CORP., BOOTH 1210
3030 S. Oak, Santa Ana, CA 92707 Marposs will feature its WRP60P and WRP45P
Phone: (714) 557-2733 Fax: (714) 557-5312
www.helfertool.com touch probes with multichannel radio transmis-
sion, designed for machine part measurement

134 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15

on high-accuracy five-axis machining centers and

milling machines. Through automatic detection
ELIMINATE OIL /
of machine axes positions, the probes achieve COOLANT MIST & SMOKE
part positioning, workpiece orientation and origin PROVIDE A HEALTHIER WORKPLACE
identification, as well as accurate part measure-
REDUCE ABSENTEEISM
ment. Piezo-electric technology provides repeat-
ability within 0.25 micron on 3D sur faces. A
CUT HVAC COSTS
special filter enables the probes to distinguish • Exceeds OSHA & NIOSH requirements
false-triggering events from actual touch events. • Easily installs on any CNC machine
The probes operate with the WRI receiver and • Eliminates oil/coolant mist, smoke, other
have a range of 15 m, making them well-suited fine aerosols and particulates
for large machines. And, because the line of sight
between the probe transmitter and receiver is not To learn more, contact us at 513-528-5674,
required, complex surfaces and deep-cavity parts [email protected]
can be inspected. The modular structure and or visit www.LNS-america.com.
extensions of the probe enable measurements
to be performed at depths as great as 1 m.
Marposs Corp., call 248-370-0404
or visit marposs.com.

CARBIDE END MILLS LENGTHEN

TOOL LIFE, REDUCE WEAR
ROBBJACK CORPORATION, BOOTH 923
RobbJack will highlight its DM/MDM end mills,
made from a carbide material and coating com-
bination said to last 450 percent longer than $325.00
comparable tools designed for hard-metal appli-
cations. Testing in D2 steel with a hardness of
58 HRC resulted in a smooth wear land of just
$225.00
0.0025", the company says.
RobbJack Corp., call 800-527-8883
or visit robbjack.com.

$249.00
MACHINE MONITORING SYSTEM $215.00
ENABLES REMOTE ACCESS
SMART ATTEND INC., BOOTH 717
Smart Attend will introduce its Pro device, a remote 6856 E “K” AVE • KALAMAZOO, MI 49048
monitoring system featuring real-time analysis PHONE: 269-382-2050 • FAX: 269-382-0790
capabilities that can be accessed from virtually www.kalamazooind.com/mm
www.kalamazooindustries.com
anywhere in the world. Incorporating a purpose-

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 135

The material matters in material handling AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15

MFG WASH BOX

Better way to
clean and convey
Designed for cleaning and storing small parts
Fast draining boxes have 150 lb. payload capacity
Won’t ever rust, corrode or dent
Reinforced composites bring a whole new level of built tower light, the device can communicate
performance to processing and material handling.
And the leading name in FRP is MFG. Contact your machine and efficiency status visually through
local distributor or call our hotline: (800) 458-6050. c o n f i g u r a b l e L ED s a n d a u d i b l y th ro u g h a
Learn more about Toteline™ at www.mfgtray.com. 100-db-capable speaker installed at the top. It
also sends information through the cloud and
directly to mobile devices through a web-access
MOLDED FIBER GLASS TRAY
portal and a native iOS/Android app.
Call 800 458.6050 or www.mfgtray.com
Smart Attend Inc., call 866-210-9630
or visit smartattend.com.

ExtEnding thE lifE of mEtalworking and industrial fluids BRIDGE-TYPE MILLING MACHINES
PERFORMS ROUGHING, FINISHING
WALDRICH COBURG, BOOTH 418
Waldrich Coburg’s Taurus 25 and Taurus 30
bridge-type milling machines feature a robust
cast iron structure and hydrostatic guideways to
ensure a stable platform for heavy roughing cuts,
SIDEWINDER® TUBE SKIMMER while still providing high-speed, chatter-free
Sidewinder removes oil from the finishing for mold and die applications.
tightest places, even off the floor. MADE IN THE

It can snake around corners, Both f ive-a xis machine s of fer 85/63 hp,
enter through narrow slits, and be 6,000 rpm and high torque to power through
moved from machine to machine
in a minute.
tough materials. Optional motorized spindles are
available for finishing speeds of 20,000 rpm
• Reach from 8 inches to 8 feet
• Continuous-duty, fan cooled motor supported by feed rates of 1,181 ipm. Table load
• Compact and versatile design is 88,000 lbs, supported by two base sizes: 79"
• 2 year standard warranty
× 158" or 98" × 197". Other options and features
are available.
IVE
TEST DR
ONE
TODAY!

THE SIDEWAYS SKIMMER™ SKIMS FROM ANYWHERE

P: 888-249-4855 • E: [email protected]
27000 Richmond Road, Unit 1• Solon, OH 44139
www.zebraskimmers.com

136 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15
Workholding Products
The company also offers the hydrostatic high-
LEAN Manufacturing Solution
rail MultiContour gantry machine, which features
the same high-quality construction features as The Workholding Trifecta
the Taurus series. This machine is equipped with
a 63-hp, 6,000-rpm, two-speed spindle, as well
as finishing spindles with speeds ranging to 30,000 SELF CENTERING
rpm. Feed rates of 1,181 ipm and acceleration VISE
rates of 3 m/sec. 2 provide high flexibility.
Waldrich Coburg, call 814-835-1955
or visit waldrich-coburg.com.
DOVETAIL
MILL’S “OIL SHROUD” FIXTURES
VIRTUALLY ELIMINATES DUST
IN GRAPHITE MACHINING
EDM NETWORK INC., BOOTH 1226
EDM Network will exhibit the HM43GT graphite PINCH
mill, which features an optional “oil shroud” that BLOCKS
virtually eliminates the dust common to graphite
m i l l i n g. E D M - c o m p a t i b l e o i l c a pt u r e s t h e
graphite dust, and then it is filtered through two Our products work independently or together.
30-micron cartridge filters. Vacuum compatibil- Use for 3, 4 or 5 axis machining.
ity is also available. 1-800-824-8333 RaptorWorkholding.com
The HM43GT and two larger models, the
HM65GT and HM86GT, all feature 30,000-rpm
spindles with HSKE 32, 40 and 50 tapers, plus
optional Blum laser diameter compensation and
Fagor glass scales. In addition to graphite milling,
the larger models can be equipped with 10- and
15-Kw motors to mill metals as hard as 63 HRC. Reduce Oily Wastewater
EDM Network Inc., call 888-289-3367
or visit edmnetwork.com.
by 90% or more!
Our Ultrafiltration Systems are
designed for
Spent Metalworking
Coolants
Mop/Floor
Scrubber Water
Vibratory
Finishing
Wash/Rinse
Tank Water
Compressor
Blowdown
UFV 750 TVSOS
Oily Wastewater
Get more info here:
www.sanborntechnologies.com/membrane_MMS

Phone: 508-660-9150
Email: [email protected]
23 Walpole Park South | Walpole, MA 02081
www.sanborntechnologies.com

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 137

 AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15

VMC MACHINES HARDENED

STEEL MOLDS
TOYODA AMERICAS CORP.,
BOOTH 411
JTEK T Toyoda Americas will demonstrate its
Stealth 965 vertical machining center running a
mold in hardened steel. Featuring a 900-mm
(35.4") X axis, a 1,110 × 650 mm (43.3" × 25.6")
table and a 900-kg (1,985-lb) load capacity, the
boxway VMC is engineered to handle a range of
challenging materials. Four hardened and ground
Y-axis box guideways are integral to the single-
piece casting, and are mated to a super-wide,
inverted Y-shaped column. All metal-to-metal
contact surfaces are hand-scraped for additional

LeveLing the PLaying FieLd &

bringing jobs back to the usa
rigidity. This results in better vibration-damping
characteristics and a better surface finish, the
MADE IN company says. A 200-block look-ahead prepares
CHINA an optimal route for tooling while maintaining

USA
constant machining speed, resulting
in a high-quality surface finish through curves
and corners.
using our high-density Standard features include a temperature-
workholding you can: controlled, 30-hp, direct-drive, 12,000-rpm
spindle. Large, precision spindle bearings provide
Run longer,
unattended cycles high revolution accuracy, thermal stability and
extended tool life.
Reduce labor/set-up
cost by 70% or more! Toyoda Americas Corp.,
Run more jobs call 847-253-0340 or visit toyoda.com.
through your
machines weekly DIAMOND-COATED CUTTERS FOR
Increase capacity HARD MILLING
and profits CRYSTALLUME, BOOTH 923
Crystallume will showcase its latest tool lines,
MiteeBite.com
Workholding Specialists
800-543-3580

138 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15

including the Demon series for hard milling, which Scientific Cutting Tools

features an advanced coating for increased high-

temperature stability while machining hardened
This is What Power and
steels. The Stealth line of end mills, also on display, Precision Looks Like
is said to have the sharpest cutting edge available SCT’s single profile thread mills (SPTM) cut internal or
in a diamond-coated tool. This makes the line external threads in a range of thread sizes with
well-suited for machining graphite. minimal side cutting pressure.
Crystallume, call 800-789-4322
or visit crystallume.com.

WORKPIECE CLAMPING
SYSTEM FOR ONE-OFFS,
SMALL-BATCH PARTS
EROWA TECHNOLOGY INC., BOOTH 1012
The clamping elements of Erowa’s CleverClamp
workpiece clamping system are specifically tailored
to the manufacture of one-off and small-batch
parts. They are said to be simple to handle and
serve a variety of applications, while decreasing www.sct-usa.com 1.805.584.9495
[email protected] 1.800.383.2244
setup times, increasing machining times and
improving productivity. Single Point - Thread Mills - Port Tools - Indexable Tools - Specialty

The basic rails of the system are calibrated to Asistencia técnica disponible en español
fit the Erowa UPC and MTS production tooling
systems. They provide the flexibility to attach
workpieces of var ying shapes and sizes in a
limited amount of space. The range of clamping
elements can be quickly positioned on the
serrated base rails and used either horizontally
or vertically.
Erowa Technology Inc., call 800-536-4894
or visit erowa.com.

TOOL PRESETTERS MINIMIZE

MACHINE IDLE TIME
HAIMER USA, BOOTH 1113
Among the products and technologies Haimer

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 139

AMERIMOLD 2017 June 14 - 15

H series double-column machining centers are

designed for parts that require high accuracy
and quality surface finish in die/mold, aerospace
and other high-speed applications. The H10 has
X YZ travels of 40" × 27" × 19"; a 30-station
swing-arm automatic toolchanger; and inline,
direct-drive, high-speed Big Plus spindles with
30-bar (435-psi) coolant-through capability and
linear scales.
Mechanical features include ladder design of
the cross rails. This configuration reportedly
provides a rigid support for the saddle and head
will display are its Microset tool presetters, which and prevents deformation in the vertical axis,
are designed to streamline the tool-set ting th u s a l l ow i n g fo r f a s te r s p e e d s a n d m o re
process, reducing setup time by as much as accurate 3D surfacing operations. The close
70 percent, to minimize idle time and increase proximity of the spindle to the bridge casting
machine utilization. The line includes the Uno reduces overhang. The one-piece base design
series, which offers high precision, speed and also absorbs the thrust force of the table, which
reliability, and the Vio series, which provides prevents the column distortion found on typical
absolute reliability with high-quality components, C-frame machines. Roller-type rails on all axes
the company says. increase rigidity and enable high table loads
Also on display will be the company's Power
Clamp shrink-fit machines, shrink-fit toolholders
and collet chucks; Tool Dynamic balancing
machines; Safe-Lock and Duo-Lock technologies;
3D sensors; and the Cool Flash coolant delivery
system.
Haimer USA, call 630-833-1500
or visit haimer-usa.com.

DOUBLE-COLUMN MACHINING
CENTERS DELIVER
HIGH ACCURACY
TAKUMI USA, BOOTH 1015
Extremely rigid and thermally stable, the Takumi

140 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

AMERIMOLD 2017 June 14 - 15

compared to ball-type guides.

Takumi USA, call 844-302-3792
or visit takumiusa.com.

UPDATED CAM SOFTWARE

INCLUDES PARALLEL FINISHING
TOOL PATH
VERO SOFTWARE, BOOTH 1222
Vero Software will demonstrate WorkNC 2017
R1, which features a new parallel finishing tool
path that the company says has achieved cycle- Upgraded simulation tools combine improved
time reductions of as much as 80 percent. Based image quality with the ability to pan, zoom, rotate
on Vero’s new Advanced Toolform technology, and identify collisions and near-misses involving
parallel finishing toolpath calculations take into unmachined stock.
account the physical geometry of cutting tools, Moldflow’s plastic injection molding simulation
including high-feed, standard and convex tooling. tools are designed to help CAE analysts, design-
ers and engineers validate and optimize plastic
parts, injection molds and the injection molding
process. The sof tware suppor ts direct data
exchange with most CAD software tools, the
company says.
Autodesk Inc., call 877-335-2261
or visit autodesk.com.

END MILLS CUT THROUGH

HARD MATERIALS
Among other updates in this version of the YG-1 TOOL CO., BOOTH 823
CAM software is a dynamic calculation queueing YG-1 Tool’s 4G and X5070 end mills are designed
function, which is said to deliver significant time to cut through hard materials. The 4G and 4G
savings by enabling users to accomplish more Rougher models can handle materials as hard
tasks within a shorter timeframe. Operators can as 55 HRC, while the X5070 is specifically designed
generate multiple tool paths, run postprocessors to process materials ranging from 50 to 70 HRC.
and check for eventual toolholder collisions with- The tools feature tailored coatings that allow
out waiting for calculations to finish. cutting through hardened steel, steel forgings,
Vero Software, call 248-356-8800 castings and a variety of other materials. The
or visit verosoftware.com. X5070 also features a blue coating that helps to
identify wear.
CAM SOFTWARE SIMPLIFIES YG-1 Tool Co., call 800-765-8665
INTERFACE FOR COMPLEX PARTS or visit yg1usa.com.
AUTODESK INC., BOOTH 305
Autodesk will demonstrate its PowerMill CAM
sof t ware and its Moldf low mold simulation
product. PowerMill 2018 features a new ribbon
interface designed to simplify use of the software
and help moldmakers create the 2D, three-axis
and five-axis NC code needed to successfully
machine complex parts. The software package’s
Dynamic Machine Control provides enhanced
tools to help optimize five-axis machine motion.

142 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 Additive + Production

Additive Manufacturing
focuses on the industrial
applications of 3D printing
technology to make
functional parts.

Get practical, applications-based

info on the machines, materials and
methodologies being used to grow
end-use tools and components.

PRINT | ONLINE | EMAIL | CONFERENCE

A PROPERTY OF:

additivemanufacturing.media
AMERIMOLD 2017 June 14 - 15

MACHINES COMBINE MODULAR WORKHOLDING SYSTEM

DEEP-HOLE DRILLING, MILLING SPEEDS SETUP FOR FIVE-SIDED
FOR MOLDMAKING ACCESS
UNISIG DEEP HOLE DRILLING SYSTEMS, FCS NORTH AMERICA, BOOTH 1220
BOOTH 606 Available in manual, automatic and full-motion
Unisig USC and USC-M deep-hole drilling and configurations, FCS North America’s Breyl mod-
milling machines are designed to allow moldmak- ular workholding systems offer flexibility, repeat-
ers to combine operations, reduce setup time, ability and precision to a tolerance within 5 microns.
increase accuracy and eliminate mold design The manual system is designed to provide
restrictions associated with traditional machin- quick setup options for unrestricted access to
ing centers. five workpiece surfaces in one step. It is based
on a 50-mm grid and starts with a base gage,
clamping body, ring and rod. The ring provides
the exact centering and the rod the connection.
The automatic system is designed around the
direct needs of an internal workspace and provides
a full range of automatic clamping for fast handling
of palletization. The fully automated Motion Line
System is operated by a proprietary software
platform or can be integrated with an existing
software system.
FCS North America, call 519-737-0372.

FIBER LASER TECHNOLOGY

ENGRAVES MOLD CAVITIES
LASERSTAR TECHNOLOGIES CORP.,
BOOTH 1219
FiberStar laser engraving systems from LaserStar
Technologies can be used to letter, mark or per-
manently engrave most metals and plastics, and
The reliable and compact column-type USC some ceramics. They are available in Class 1 and
machines perform BTA and gundrilling operations Class 4 platforms with power levels ranging from
and can generate highly accurate holes ranging 10 to 100 W.
to 1.5" in di a m ete r in l a rg e wo r k p i e c e s o n According to the company, fiber laser technol-
available table weight capacities ranging to 50 ogy offers a variety of methods for laser marking
tons. For increased part processing capability, and permanent laser engraving, and can be used
optional milling spindles and rotary tables are in many applications, including deep engraving
also available. on mold cavities.
USC-M series machining centers use two LaserStar Technologies Corp., call 401-438-
independent spindles along with rotary workpiece 1500 or visit laserstar.net.
tables and programmable headstock inclinations
to perform high-accuracy, seven-axis deep-hole MACHINING CENTERS SUITABLE
drilling of hole diameters ranging to 2". Advanced FOR VARIOUS COMPLEX PARTS
CNCs provide five-axis positioning, while auto- PROMAC NORTH AMERICA CORP., BOOTH 928
matic tool changing and laser presetting con- Promac produces a range of five-axis equipment
tribute to the machines’ abilities to perform all designed for machining medium and large parts
required machining in one operation. with complex shapes. According to the company,
Unisig Deep Hole Drilling Systems, the rigidity of the machine structures, the power
call 262-252-3802 or visit unisig.com. provided by the spindles and exactness of move-

144 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 AMERIMOLD 2017
June 14 - 15

ment, combined with high speed, ensures a

high-quality final surface.
Promac North America Corp., call 248-817-
2346.

QUALITY INSPECTION SOLUTION

COMBINES SOFTWARE MODULES
VERISURF SOFTWARE INC., BOOTH 836
Verisurf Software’s Quality Inspection Suite is a
combination of the software’s popular application
modules customized for efficient quality inspec-
tion and reporting.
Verisurf CAD is capable of reading all native
CAD file formats, allowing customers to work
with any CAD model, whether solid, surface or
wireframe. Model-based definition allows users
set unique IDs, tolerances, and geometric dimen-
sioning and tolerancing constraints in the model
for any surface, feature or other critical inspec-
tion item.
Verisurf Measure provides measurement of
features from precise single points to scanned
point clouds. A virtual image of the measuring
device is graphically displayed on screen, while
smart tools automatically recognize and display
features during the measuring process.
Verisurf Automate programs and operates
virtually all types and brands of coordinate mea-
suring machines using visual object-oriented
programming and open standards.
Verisurf Validate provides precise CAD model
translation validation by comparing the authority
CAD model to the translated CAD model, enabling
users to quickly identify any translation error.
Verisurf Software Inc., call 714-970-1683 or visit
verisurf.com.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 145

MODERN EQUIPMENT REVIEW Spotlight: EDM

SIX-AXIS EDM DRILL ALSO MILLS

3D SHAPES
EDM Network offers Chmer EDM’s six-axis AD5L series of wire EDMs. The series has a new digital
EDM Drill/Mill, a high-speed EDM drilling machine power manager for improved cutting and accuracy,
that can also mill 3D diffuser shapes required for an HP AVR circuit for better accuracy with mul-
air cooling in jet engines and industrial gas turbine tiple parts, and two options on cutting surface
generators. The AD5L can be equipped for fully roughness: the WGPlus SKD-11 (0.3 micron Ra)
submerged operation or standard flushing. Also and the WGPlus tungsten carbide (0.1 micron Ra).
available are a 20-position rotary electrode changer The company says that this series is ideal for
and a guide changer to handle different electrode those seeking a modern wire EDM with a user-
diameters in one setup. friendly control interface.
There are four models in this series. X, Y and
Z axes measure 15.7" × 11.8" × 8.7" on the V400G
Plus; 19.7" × 11.8" × 12.2" on the V500G Plus;
25.6" × 15.7" × 16.1" on the V650G Plus; and 31.5"
× 19.7" × 13.8" on the V850G Plus.
Other features include a Windows XP-based
control; rigid, heavily-ribbed, high-grade Meeha-
nite castings; a direct-couple drive system (no
belts); electrolysis-free machining with Digital
Power Manager technology; and intelligent servo-
controlled wire threading technology.
Global EDM Machines, call 513-701-0441
or visit globaledm.com.

BRASS COATING PROTECTS

CARBIDE EDM PARTS
The EDM’s X-, Y- and Z-axis travels measure FROM OXIDATION
500 × 300 × 350 mm, with an optional Z-axis Seibu’s EL coating, available from KGK Interna-
travel of 600 mm also available. The X and Y axes tional, is designed to protect carbide par ts,
are driven by the Chmer linear motors using resulting in longer tool life and more parts pro-
Panasonic drives with precision glass scales for duced. Seibu’s wire EDMs require a simple M
positioning accuracy. Submersible A-B index code to be added to the CNC program in order
tables are available from MMK, Yukiwa, Parkson,
Hirschmann and others. Electrode diameters
range from 0.2 to 6.0 mm.
EDM Network Inc., call 888-289-3367
or visit edmnetwork.com.

WIRE EDM SERIES FEATURES

TWO OPTIONS FOR SURFACE
ROUGHNESS
Global EDM Inc. introduces the Excetek VGPlus

146 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 MODERN EQUIPMENT REVIEW
Spotlight: EDM

to activate the coating process.

During wire EDM machining of carbide, the
cobalt will start to break down due to oxidation
c a u s e d by th e d i e l e c tr i c f l u i d, eve n w h i l e
machining is occurring, the company explains. If
the cobalt is not protected after the final EDM
skim pass, it is attacked by the oxygen ions. To
reduce oxidation of the carbide tool, Seibu’s EL
coating applies a thin layer of brass wire onto the
carbide during the final trim pass. This thin layer
of brass protects the carbide’s cobalt from the
oxygen ions located in the dielectric fluid.
KGK International Corp., call 847-981-5626
or visit kgki.com.

DIE-SINKING EDM FEATURES LOW

ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Available from GF Machining Solutions, the
AgiesCharmilles Form 20 EDM features Intelligent
Power Generator (IPG) technology that gives it
low energy consumption levels (3.7 kW/hr. at full
power). With ever y machine pulse, the 70-A
generator continuously optimizes the EDM process
and reduces electrode wear to provide uniform
surface finishes. The machine reliably generates
surface finishes of 0.1 micron Ra and radii as small
as 0.0007", the company says.
Additionally, the Form 20 features the com-
pany’s AC Form human-machine interface (HMI),
which is designed to make the control flexible and
easy to use. Combined with full spark generator
technology, AC Form HMI enables operators of
all experience levels to achieve good results.
GF Machining Solutions LLC, call 800-282-1336
or visit gfms.com/us.

EDM WIRE ENABLES

HIGH CUTTING SPEEDS
Sodick has launched JQ (Japan Quality), a new
line of EDM wire consumables consisting of
uncoated brass wire that enables high cutting
speeds. Produced in Japan, the wire is made by
first melting down raw copper and zinc and ana-
lyzing the nascent mixture for optimal purity. Virgin
wire is then drawn at a standardized size before
being annealed and redrawn through special
diamond dies to ensure a pristine surface.
Sodick Inc., call 847-310-9000
or visit sodick.com.

mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 147

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

To place your ad in this section, Conveyors & Accumulators

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contact Bill Caldwell at:
MADE IN USA
email [email protected]
phone 888-527-8826
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148 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

 ADVERTISERS

2L inc........................................................... 148 Erwin Junker Machinery, Inc. ........................ 102

5th Axis Workholding.................................... 134 ESPRIT by DP Technology ..............................69

A F
Absolute Machine Tools, Inc. ............................3 Fagor Automation Corp. ...................................9
Accudyne Products LLC ............................... 120 Flow International Corp...................................67
Additive Manufacturing ................................ 143
G
Additive Manufacturing Conference .............. 103
GibbsCAM .......................................................7
Air-O-Filter Environment Systems, Inc. .......... 123
Global EDM Machines .................................. 104
amerimold.................................................... 133
Greenleaf Corp......................................... 56, 57
ARCH Global Precision ................................. 109
Grob Systems Inc. ..........................................87
Atlas Bronze................................................. 130
Autodesk, Inc. ......................................... 17, 127 H
Haimer USA ...................................................42
Aven Inc. ........................................................54
Handtmann CNC Technologies Inc................ 108
B Hannsa Precision ...........................................78
Beamer Laser Systems................................. 109
Heck Industries ............................................ 148
BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. ................... 120
Helfer Tool Co. ............................................. 134
Bourn & Koch, Inc........................................... 51
Hennig, Inc................................................... 115

C HORN USA .................................................... 11

Camfil APC ....................................................96 Huot Manufacturing Co................................. 123
Castrol Industrial Inc. ......................................35 Hurco North America.................................... 4, 5
CGS North America Inc. ............................... 130 Hwacheon Machinery America Inc. .................25
CGTech ............................................... 100, 105 Hypertherm, Inc. ............................................61
Cobra Carbide ............................................. 124 Hyundai WIA ..................................................23
Cogsdill Tool Products Inc. ........................... 114
I
Cosen International Inc. ................................ 125
Ingersoll Cutting Tools ............ Inside Back Cover

D Iscar Metals, Inc. .................Inside Front Cover, 1

Dillon Manufacturing, Inc. ............................. 124
J
Doosan Machine Tools America ...................... 41
J.W. Done Corp. .............................................64
DP Technology ...............................................69
Drill Masters-Eldorado Tool ........................... 138 K
Kalamazoo Industries Inc.............................. 135
Duplomatic Automation USA......................... 128
Kitamura Machinery of USA Inc. ......................53
E Koma Precision Inc.........................................49
Edge Factor ................................................. 141
Kuka Robotics Corp. .................................... 111
Eriez Magnetics............................................ 121
Kurt Manufacturing.........................................39

*Regional insert/ad included in select copies only. mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 149
ADVERTISERS

Kwik Mark Inc............................................... 122 N

Kyocera Precision Tools Inc. (KPTI)..................50 Niagara Cutter.................................. Back Cover
Northfield Precision Instrument Corp...............98
L
Northwestern Tools Inc. ................................ 139
Lagun Engineering Solutions ..........................27
Numberall Stamp & Tool Co., Inc. .................. 148
LightShapes Canada ......................................59
LMT Onsrud LP ............................................ 110 O
LNS America Inc. ......................................... 135 OPEN MIND Technologies USA Inc................ 128
OSG USA, Inc. ............................................. 101
M
Machinemonster.com ............................ 145, 147 P
Macoser, Inc. ............................................... 128 PRAB, Inc. ..................................................... 47

Mahr Federal Inc. ...........................................95 Practical Machinist, LLC ............................... 107

Marposs Corp. ............................................. 117

R
Mastercam/CNC Software, Inc........................ 19
Raptor Workholding Products ....................... 137
MC Machinery Systems, Inc............................29
Renishaw Inc..................................................60
Methods Machine Tools, Inc............................21
Rosler Metal Finishing USA, LLC .....................52
Mikron Corp. - Machines Division ....................48
Royal Products.............................. 65a, 65b, 148
Milltronics USA, Inc. ....................................... 13
Mini-Mover Conveyors .................................. 148 S
Samchully Workholding, Inc. ..................97a, 97b
Mitee-Bite Products Company ...................... 138
Sanborn Technologies .................................. 137
Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. Corp. ....................45
Sandvik Coromant..........................................37
Mitutoyo America Corporation ........................38
SCHUNK Inc. ............................................... 113
MMS Top Shops.............................................33
Scientific Cutting Tools ................................. 139
Modern Machine Shop ...................................79
Seco Tools Inc............................................Cov4
Molded Fiber Glass Tray Company ................ 136
Shear-Loc .................................................... 148

Modern Machine Shop (ISSN 0026-8003) is published monthly and copyright © 2017 by Gardner Business Media Inc. 6915 Valley Ave.,
Cincinnati, OH 45244-3029. Telephone: (513) 527-8800. Printed in U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, OH and additional
mailing offices. All rights reserved.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Modern Machine Shop Magazine, 6915 Valley Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45244-3029. If
undeliverable, send Form 3579.
CANADA POST: Canada Returns to be sent to IMEX Global Solutions, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Publications Mail
Agreement #40612608.

The information presented in this edition of Modern Machine Shop is believed to be accurate. In applying recommendations, how-
ever, you should exercise care and normal precautions to prevent personal injury and damage to facilities or products. In no case can
the authors or the publisher accept responsibility for personal injury or damages which may occur in working with methods and/or
materials presented herein, nor can the publisher assume responsibility for the validity of claims or performance of items appearing in
editorial presentations or advertisements in this publication. Contact information is provided to enable interested parties to conduct
further inquiry into specific products or services.

150 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com *Regional insert/ad included in select copies only.
 ADVERTISERS

Siemens Industry, Inc. ....................................63

Smart Attend..................................................59 NATIONAL SALES OFFICES
Studer ...........................................................43 CINCINNATI HQ
800-950-8020
Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc. .........................2 Travis Egan Publisher
[email protected]
Superior Tool Service, Inc. ............................ 140
Kent S. Luciano Associate Publisher
SwiftCarb ......................................................46 [email protected]
Brian E. Wertheimer District Manager
T [email protected]
phone 513-527-8800 fa x 513-527-8801
Taiwan External Trade Development
Council (TAITRA) ............................... 32a, 32b OHIO/EAST COAST
Bryce Ellis District Manager
Takumi USA ................................................. 4, 5 [email protected]
phone 513-527-8970 fa x 513-527-8801
Tebis America Inc. .................................129, 131
TechSolve, Inc................................................34 CHICAGO/MIDWEST
Joseph Campise District Manager
Techspex, Inc. ................................................65 [email protected]
phone 513-766-5862 fa x 513-766-5892
THINBIT .........................................................31
John Campos District Manager
Tool-Flo Mfg., Inc............................................ 15 [email protected]
phone 513-766-5861 fa x 513-766-5893
Toyoda Americas Corporation.........................55
DETROIT/MIDWEST/NEW ENGLAND
Mike Vohland District Manager
U
[email protected]
UNITED GRINDING North America, Inc. ..........43 phone 513-338-2183 fa x 513-766-5855

LOS ANGELES/WEST COAST

V Stephen M. Kosloff Regional Vice President
VDW-Verein Deutscher [email protected]
phone 513-766-5857 fa x 513-766-5851
Werkzeugmaschinenfabrikn ........................68
Rick Brandt District Manager
[email protected]
W phone 513-766-5864 fa x 800-527-8801
WALTER USA, Inc......................................... 119
PITTSBURGH/EAST COAST
Wayne Products, Inc..................................... 148 Anthony Pavlik District Manager
[email protected]
phone 917-838-8734 fa x 800-527-8801
Y
YG-1 Tool Company........................................99

Z
Zebra Skimmers ........................................... 136

*Regional insert/ad included in select copies only. mmsonline.com June 2017 MMS 151
GARDNER BUSINESS INDEX Metalworking

April 2017 – 54.8

Growth slows slightly, but expansion is still the greatest it has been in three years.

W ith a reading of 54.8, the Gardner Business

Index showed that the metalworking indus-
try grew in April for the fourth consecutive month.
since November 2016. Supplier deliveries contin-
ued to lengthen at their fastest rate since April 2012.
Material prices have increased at an acceler-
While the rate of growth slowed slightly, the indus- ating rate each of the last two months. The rate
try grew faster from January to April than in any of increase in April was the fastest since February
month since May 2014. 2012. Prices received increased for the fifth month
New orders increased for the sixth straight in a row, but the rate of increase decelerated for
month, although their rate of growth was the slow- the second month in a row. Future business
Metalworking Business Index expectations remained strong, but
100 the index fell below 80 for the first
90 time in 2017.
Power generation was the fast-
80
est growing industry in April, grow-
70
ing for the second time in three
60 months and posting an index of
50
70.8. Twe l ve oth e r indu str i e s
recorded an index above 54.0 as
40
well. Industrial motors/hydraulics/
30 mechanical components grew at
an accelerating rate for the fourth
20
month in a row; aerospace has the
10 longest streak of grow th at six
months; and job shops and oil/
Jan-07
Jul-07
Jan-08

Jul-08
Jan-09
Jul-09

Jan-10

Jul-10
Jan-11
Jul-11

Jan-12
Jul-12

Jan-13

Jul-13
Jan-14
Jul-14

Jan-15
Jul-15

Jan-16
Jul-16
Jan-17
Jul-17

gas-field/mining machinery also

grew. Off-road/construction machin-
est of 2017. The same was true for the production ery, military and HVAC contracted in April.
index. The backlog index grew for the third month All regions grew for the third month in a row.
in a row, and at a fast rate compared with one year The North Central-West grew the fastest for the
earlier. This trend in the backlog index shows that third month in a row, posting an index above 58.0
capacity utilization should increase this year. in each. It was closely followed by the North Cen-
Employment increased for the sixth time in seven tral-East. The South Central grew for the fourth
months, but the rate of increase slowed slightly in month in a row, while the Southeast has had the
both March and April. Exports continued to contract; longest stretch of growth at nine months.
their rate of contraction has remained relatively flat Plants with more than 250 employees grew for
the seventh month in a row, while facilities with
STEVEN R. KLINE, JR. 100-249 employees expanded for the fifth straight
DIRECTOR OF MARKET INTELLIGENCE
month. Companies with 50-99 employees grew
GARDNER BUSINESS MEDIA INC.
for the eighth time in nine months. All three of these
Visit Steven’s blog at gardnerweb.com/ plant sizes recorded an index of 59.0 or greater in
economics/blog or email him at April. Shops with 20-49 grew for the sixth time in
[email protected]. seven months, and shops with fewer than 20
employees expanded for fourth month in a row.

152 MMS June 2017 mmsonline.com

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