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Looking Forward

This release came across my desk recently and I found it compelling testimony that even in these uncertain economic times, companies in the hard-hit manufacturing sector are stepping up to the plate to improve the industry by investing in its future employees. The Gene Haas Foundation, Amada America and CNA Insurance Foundation contributed grants totaling $100,000 to Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT), to help fund the winners of its 2009 manufacturing camp grant awards.

Each year, with the support of sponsor companies, NBT awards grants to not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions that offer overnight or day camp experiences which introduce young people ages 12 to 16 to careers in manufacturing and engineering.
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Simplifying Fire Prevention

Every machining facility should have a plan in place for fire prevention. Fires occurring in machines running oil-based coolant can cause significant damage in seconds. Even in the presence of operators, machines have been completely destroyed. In lights-out operations, a fire can continue to grow, potentially damaging other machines, mist collection systems, or even the entire building.

A Firetrace automatic fire suppression system installed on a machine can help alleviate much of this danger. A system such as this installed on a CNC machine allows quick fire detection and suppression, often preventing any damage to the machine.

The red Firetrace detection tubing (FDT) is at the heart of the system. By routing the tubing throughout the machine, the system can detect a fire at its source, no matter where it starts. Proper placement of this tubing reduces activation time and potential for damage. Tests have shown that under normal circumstances, FDT detects a fire 10 times faster than traditional methods.
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Vertical Turning Technology

Vertical turning technology has been around for over a century, but the idea to flip the position of the spindle and the toolholder is still relatively new. What’s great about vertical turning technology is that, by setting up a vertical turning station, a shop can automate more of a particular production activity, freeing up operators and increasing output at the same time.

With conventional vertical turning, the spindle and workpiece are located close to the ground and the cutting tool moves to the piece from above. A big drawback to this setup is chip management, because the chips pile up on the part and around the spindle. But with inverted vertical turning, the workpiece is suspended above the tool, so chips fall away from the piece as they are dropped. Add to that the ability to configure the spindle as an automatic parts loader and the multi-tasking capabilities available by adding a tool turret--such as drilling, milling, grinding and hobbing--and there’s a real opportunity to boost production and profits in a wide range of applications. READ MORE