Comp Cams uses this skidless profilometer to measure the roughness of camshaft journal and lobe surfaces as well as their waviness. The device can determine actual surface topography to a resolution of 0.000002 inch.
Photo Credit: Comp Cams

When it comes to measuring the surface roughness, waviness and/or profile of machined parts using a profilometer, shops have two choices: skidded and skidless models.

According to Zeiss Industrial Metrology, the primary principle of a “skidded” profilometer is that its diamond stylus and the skid datum are independent of each other and are in contact with the part surface when the trace is made. The surface texture is measured by the change in the diamond’s position relative to the plane of the skid that follows the surface. Because of this, any form or long wavelengths are filtered out and the remaining data is roughness only. Typical skidded profilometers are portable, inexpensive and incorporate short traverse movement. In addition, they are robust enough for shopfloor use, have good vibration damping characteristics and are generally easy to use.

As manufacturing techniques and surface analysis became more advanced, a more capable “skidless” profilometer was developed. The primary principle of a skidless trace is that the diamond stylus and datum are interdependent. The diamond tip is solely in contact with the part surface at the time of measurement and surface deviations are measured in reference to the diamond’s position against a straight datum built within the instrument’s drive guide. Skidless profilometers can analyze surface profile, waviness and roughness. These devices are said to be more accurate and repeatable than skidded models, but are also more expensive due to the precision datum guide, multispeed driver and higher resolution probe.

The top image shows a skidded profilometer; the bottom shows a skidless profilometer.

Comp Cams, a manufacturer of aftermarket camshafts and valvetrain components for race, show and street vehicles, uses a Zeiss Surfcom Flex 50A skidless profilometer to dial in the grinding wheel dressing process for select roller camshaft products. The Memphis, Tennessee, company grinds so many types of material and surface profiles in lobes that it has multiple different dress parameters it uses depending on what’s best suited for a given application.

The company tests ground camshafts at set integrals to check for lobe surface topography, lobe profile and burning. Using a carbide disk that emulates a roller lifter, it first uses an Adcole 911 camshaft inspection device to record the translating lifter motion for each lobe every 0.1 degree as it rotates the camshaft, meaning 3,600 data points are collected in a single rotation to a radial resolution of 1 micron. Comp Cams takes three measurements for each lobe (at the middle and on either side). This device records the motion of the lifter, determines if the lobe is convex or concave, and performs a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm to check for grinding chatter.

Next, a Zeiss Surfcom Flex 50A skidless profilometer measures lobe profile and surface finish longitudinally (side-to-side) across each lobe’s surface. It does this using a pointed diamond stylus that drops into any valleys and moves over any peaks in the surface to determine actual surface topography to a resolution of 0.000002 inch.

The profilometer is also used to check for appropriate lobe crown on roller camshafts. Billy Godbold, Comp Cams’ valvetrain engineering group manager, says that the surface of the lobes for roller camshafts should be slightly convex (with a bit of a crown in the middle), because the rollers on the mating lifters are also slightly convex. By having both mating surfaces slightly convex, the pushrod load tends to cause each surface to flatten a bit. Comp Cams aims for a lobe crown of just a 0.0001 inch.

The company also uses Profile Master data analysis software from Digital Metrology Solutions to process and report the data gathered by the profilometer. According to Godbold, the software’s graphical interface is valuable in clearly communicating to manufacturing and quality control personnel how changes to the grinding process affect the end product.

Zeiss says its Surfcom Flex 50A skidless profilometer with high-performance pickup offering a measurement range of 1,000 μm can perform wide-ranging, high-resolution skidless measurement. The roughness or waviness on an undulating surface (such as a stepped or round surface) as well as flat surfaces can be evaluated with one trace.

And, in some cases, heat can play a significant role in the chosen parts cleaning process.

Thermal dynamics plays into the process of cleaning a part, but its effect is sometimes misunderstood. That’s because adding heat or energy influences the cleaning process through their impact on chemistry, the water within the washer and their effect on drying.

How Heat Affects Chemistry

Time, temperature, pressure, agitation and chemistry are all critical elements of successful parts cleaning. Basic thermodynamics tells us that all organic

This chart shows that color change reflects the heat transferring from a hot matter (red dots) to cold matter (blue dots) until thermal equilibrium is achieved. This is how room temperature occurs. Photo credits: Trimac Industrial Systems.

matter desires to be at the same temperature. For example, a bucket of hot water in a cold room, given time, will eventually be the same temperature as the room because the water’s heat transfers its energy to the room’s air. This heat transfer happens because the molecules of the hotter matter (water) are moving faster than the cooler matter (air). The energy of the hotter movement is transferred through radiation, conduction of convection to the cooler molecules, inciting them to move more as they absorb the heat.

Heat is a form of energy. The addition of heat to a system speeds chemical reactions and interactions based on the laws of physics and chemistry. For parts washing processes, adding energy through heat to a cleaning operation offers many benefits. First, every 17°F increase in temperature can double reaction rates, which can drastically accelerate the process. Second, heat

Heat improves the cleaning process because hotter or faster moving water molecules do a better job of cleaning than slower moving molecules because the surface tension is reduced.

improves the cleaning process itself, thereby reducing the amount of chemistry required to do the same work. However, the level of heat also affects the chemistry. Not enough heat can cause chemistry foaming, and too much or improperly managed stack temperature can damage pumps or create acid rain. A well-designed parts washer will manage these issues and keep the operating tank temperature at an optimal 120° to 160°F, depending on the requirements of the chemistry and the bonding of the contaminants to the substrate.

Heat improves the cleaning process because hotter or faster moving water molecules do a better job cleaning than slower moving molecules because the surface tension is reduced. When this happens, the process displaces the dirt for the water to remove through the spray or immersion action. When washing, the soap molecules attach to the oils on a part, enabling water to seep in underneath. The particle of oil is then pried loose and surrounded by soap molecules to be carried off by the spray water.

How Heat Affects Spraying

Heating the water in a cleaning process not only improves cleaning results but also reduces the water pressure that is needed to dislodge dirt and contaminants. However, spraying that water has its own challenges. First, the water in the tank must be heated. Depending on the tank size, this can be done through electric elements or by using a gas burner, which typically involves an immersion tube or an external heat exchanger. The goal is to quickly heat the water with the ability to maintain the temperature. Conduction transfers the heat from the water to the physical tank itself. Heat loss from the tank walls to the exterior air needs to be taken into account. This loss can be minimized by insulating the exterior tank walls, but the return on investment will be unique to each project.

Water is sprayed on the dirty parts to clean them. Regardless of the washer design, once the water is sprayed, it is atomized. Once water is atomized through the spraying process, the surface area of the water is significantly increased. When this occurs, the rate of evaporation increases with the surface area ratio. Adding heat to the water further increases the evaporation rate as the water is exposed to the cooler air through the spraying process. Spray washers will have some type of walls to contain the spray. When the sprayed water comes into contact with the cooler washer walls and the parts themselves, that process also reduces the water temperature.

Although these heat loss effects cannot be prevented, they can be accommodated in the washer design. As the sprayed water is returned back to the tank, it is reheated to keep it at a constant temperature for optimum process control. Insulation can reduce the heat loss process, but it is an equipment investment decision compared to the utility consumption of heating the water. Insulating the water tank will provide the best economic and heat containment benefit followed by insulating the cabinet walls.

Air knives are the easiest way to move large amounts of water that gravity does not remove, but if that does not dry parts well enough, then a regenerative blower can be implemented. This will add about 40°F of heat to accelerate the process.

How Heat Affects Drying

After a parts washer has completed the cleaning step, a wet part is the result. To accelerate the drying process, air movement and heat should be present. Trapped and pooling water can best be removed through a targeted airflow. Air knives are the easiest way to move large amounts of water that gravity does not remove, but, if that does not dry parts well enough, then a regenerative blower can be implemented. This will add about 40°F of heat to accelerate the process. Even more heat can be added to the blower, if faster drying is needed. An oven can also be used with either convection or infrared processes to speed the drying process.

Working with an experienced parts washer original equipment manufacturer will ensure optimum design and performance for a particular application. If a part or process is unique, most manufacturers can perform testing to ensure an outcome to certain specifications. Depending on its construction of mild or stainless steel, a well-designed parts washer should last a minimum of 15 years to boost return on investment while meeting customers’ specifications for part cleanliness.

Trimac Industial Systems LLC | trimacsystems.com | 913-441-0043

An in-person PMTS/Parts Cleaning Conference is one of the promises this year, especially because of the show being pushed back to new August dates. 

Congratulations! You made it to 2021, overcoming the challenges of the past year. Maybe you have even made lemonade out of lemons. But whether you are thriving or simply surviving, you have been gifted another opportunity to do good things inside and outside of your companies and organizations. To support you in your endeavors this year, this brand will continue to offer articles on the latest parts cleaning processes and technologies, including topics we have never touched on before. Just as cleaning technology is constantly evolving, I hope to provide content here that keeps you abreast of the evolution within our industry. As always, please contact me with the subject matter you would like to see in this section.

I hope you had the opportunity to participate in the 2020 Parts Cleaning Conference through IMTS spark by either tuning in live to the webinar series or watching each session on-demand. Our conference sponsors covered many informative topics on new cleaning technologies, ultrasonic cleaning, CNC waterjet for cleaning and deburring, vacuum degreasing, and a presentation about the new Manufacturing Cleaning Association. It is not too late to watch these webinars on-demand at imts.com/spark. They will be available until the end of IMTS 2020 on March 15.

Although the pandemic has forced companies to offer online events, 2021 is promising in-person events once again, especially in the second half of the year. If you are like me and have a bad case of cabin fever, this is exciting news! I’m looking forward to meeting many of you at the 2021 Parts Cleaning Conference in Cleveland face to face! Its new dates that coincide with the Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS) 2021 are Aug. 10-12, which have been pushed back from the original April dates.

The outlook is bright for live events in the second half of the year, not only because of the availability of the COVID-19 vaccination but also the state of Ohio’s restrictions on large gatherings is expected to be lifted by that date. Also, many companies will be allowed to travel at that time. So buy a comfortable pair of shoes for walking the show and plan to join us at PMTS 2021!

For example, one company has developed a measuring system that uses multiple non-contact sensor technologies to rapidly measure in three dimensions and real time. The platform’s software then creates a highly accurate, dense 3D point cloud. By simplifying complicated programming procedures, the platform reduces the system configuration time to a few hours, saving substantial production time and costs, the manufacturer says.

This new high-speed measurement system is said to contrast greatly with conventional measurement systems such as coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) that are typically used for quality control. Most traditional contact-based inspection systems are characterized by long measurement cycle times and the additional time it takes for changeover to measure other parts. Because of these characteristics, contact-based measurement technologies are not suitable for generating large amounts of data points required for complex surfaces, such as 3D inspection, on the production line.

“Quality control is critical in production operations,” explains David Mendez, vice president of the ZeroTouch business unit at DWFritz Automation, which developed the ZeroTouch system. “Preparations such as programming as well as the measuring process itself often take a great amount of time and result in high costs. In addition, inspection tasks requested for manufacturing often collide with other measurement requests, such as those from other manufacturing lines, preproduction tests or even R&D.”

DWFritz Automation developed the ZeroTouch metrology platform to improve part measurement and inspection times. The system uses multiple non-contact sensor technology to capture the measurements in 3D and real time. Photo credits: DWFritz Automation

How it Works

The ZeroTouch measurement system features a five-axis architecture that captures millions of data points per second in a single scan to create a dense 3D point cloud. The system enables the rapid measurement of complex part geometries and precise inspection of complicated parts with high repeatability.

ZeroTouch uses a proprietary planar air bearing design that minimizes tolerance stack error. The near zero friction design provides extremely smooth, high-speed motion of precision stages and improves gage repeatability and reproducibility. Tactile probes typically operate at slower speeds as they require physical contact with the part surface. Contact measurements are primarily limited to 2D scans, typically generating sections or contours, whereas ZeroTouch can generate complete 3D surfaces with an accurate and dense grid of data points. Acquisition of the data points is rapid, at a rate of up to 4 million points per second. The system also combines laser and chromatic confocal sensors with high-resolution cameras containing multispectral illumination. Some custom sensing processes are also available.

The ZeroTouch system measures 240 × 150 × 190 cm and weighs 3,550 kg. It can measure parts as large as 300 × 300 × 300 mm, weighing up to 10 kg and uses a high-performance graphics processing unit with Intel Core i7-7700T processor and two capacitive industrial monitors with touchscreens.

Why it is Fast and Efficient

During the development of ZeroTouch, special attention was given to problems that conventional CMMs face: obtaining quick, accurate and reproducible results to keep pace with manufacturing cycle times. Most traditional inspection systems have issues, specifically with speed, ease of use and machine availability. As a result, traditional measurement technology does not lend itself to inline inspection or even fast sampling.

Providing the operator with a tool that is easy to use to perform rapid quality checks of various types of parts produced by different lines is vital to ensure the qualification of manufacturing lines, in addition to speeding up the production ramp.

CMMs are typically located in environmentally controlled inspection rooms, which often impact machine availability. If the parts are to be inspected in the metrology room during the production process, part queues are to be expected because of limited machine availability coupled with long CMM setup times. 

ZeroTouch better enables 100% part inspection and, by giving the operator an intuitive tool, different types of parts produced on different lines can be quickly inspected. Such capability will enable the rapid qualification of manufacturing lines and speed production.

More time is saved by the simplicity with which parts and assemblies can be placed on the measuring table, instead of requiring complex positioning fixtures. This not only decreases the metrology preparation time but also enables direct cost savings in fixture design, development and management. The variety of available sensors enables 3D measurement on any kind of surfaces, including mirror-like ones.

The measuring system’s architecture features five independent axes and a rotating bridge – Gonio like – equipped with multiple non-contact sensors, including lasers and chromatic confocal sensors that increase inspection speeds in measuring the entire part surface, as there is no sensor change time. The sensor bridge is configurable, enabling optimal and appropriate sensor selections to suit part geometry and surfaces in addition to the complex dimensions being measured. Higher throughput of parts and increased capacity result in innovations associated with a horizontal rotary table and three translation axes, enabling 100% inline inspection rather than only sampling.

“The sensors can be configured to the specific geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) measurements and the part. And, in one scan, the system can capture data points to create a high-density 3D model,” Mendez says. “This makes it possible to measure objects made of a variety of materials with complex geometry — including holes, undercuts, bevels and surfaces — quickly and with micrometer precision. At the same time, the system provides high reproducibility and repeatability of results.”

The sensor bridge is configurable, enabling optimal and appropriate sensor selections to suit the part and surfaces, in addition to the complex dimensions being measured. Such innovations in the system result in higher throughput of parts and increased capacity, enabling 100% inline inspection rather than only sampling.

The various non-contact sensors on the metrology bridge can be easily calibrated by software directly via the metrology platform. More time is saved by the simplicity with which parts and assemblies can be placed on the measuring table, instead of requiring complex positioning fixtures. This not only decreases the metrology preparation time but also enables direct cost savings in fixture design, development and management.

“It was also important that ZeroTouch shows no signs of wear and delivers the same performance year after year,” Mendez says. “So we gave it a planar air bearing system.”

The moving parts, such as the measurement platform and sensors, generate virtually no friction during the measuring process. Part inspection plans can be created within a few hours and stored in the manufacturing execution system (MES) for management and retrieval.

“The user is assisted by menu-guided tools, making deep programming knowledge superfluous,” he continues. “Instead, inspection plans can be prepared using drag-and-drop functions.”

The sensors can be configured to the specific geometric dimensions and tolerancing measurements, and the part. And, in one scan, can capture data points to create a high-density 3D model. This makes it possible to measure objects made of a variety of materials with complex geometries — including holes, undercuts, bevels and surfaces — quickly and with micrometer precision.

Measurement data for each component is retained to ensure data integrity. Component-specific plans can be accessed in the MES for fast measurement. Components or assemblies can be given bar codes to be read by an onboard barcode reader. The inspection plan is then automatically loaded from the MES. The control software provides high personal safety by ensuring that the system does not move as long as the doors of the switchgear cabinet are open or if the system light curtain has interference.

What the Software Does

The 3D point cloud can be analyzed immediately after the measurement process thanks to the software’s analysis tools. These tools enable the accurate comparison of the scan results with part CAD models or a reference part previously scanned and measured — to not only check for GD&T but also for other previously undetected issues such as surface aspect defects. Using statistical process control, faults or outside tolerance deviations can be quickly detected and appropriate reporting can be sent back to the MES. This can enable the adjustments of process parameters in upstream manufacturing processes to minimize rejects downstream.

DW Fritz | dwfritz.com

Working from home may be an enduring outcome from the pandemic.

2021 will be a year like businesses have never experienced before. COVID-19 has changed work life forever. While no one has a crystal ball to accurately predict what 2021 will hold for manufacturers, we can explore the changing human capital trends that face us as we enter the new year. There is going to be an increased focus on leaders to strongly consider purpose-driven organizations centered on employees, not just profit-driven organizations, partially due to the demise of the traditional organizational design.

1. To Hire or not to hire…that is the question. The caution in hiring will continue for some companies, while others will continue to add talent to their workforce. The recent pandemic has driven home the possibility that revenue sources can dry up overnight. No employer wants to go to a point of layoffs and, hence, some organizations will be cautious in hiring over the next few months.
   
   For those companies that need to add to their workforces, a cost-effective way to recruit new employees is by implementing a text message recruiting campaign. Text messages have a 98% open rate, resulting in recruiters get faster responses when they text candidates compared to telephone calls and emails. Some text recruitment platforms allow HR teams to simultaneously reach out to multiple candidates. This allows potential job candidates to get started on the application process right from their phones, improving candidate engagement. Additionally, recruitment specialists can use text messages to share relevant content about company culture or updates on the application process.
    
2. Working from home is here to stay. In the next several months, there will be more focus on the remote work experience and how to make working from home part of the new norm. Companies will need to engage with a workforce that may still be uncomfortable with commutes, meetings and being back at their desk.
    
    
   Additionally, working from home may be an enduring outcome from the pandemic as companies are able to see that productivity and engagement has not suffered, resulting in cost savings from lower office expenses.
   
   In 2021 we are moving into the next phase: the hybrid workplace. With the hybrid workplace we are able to take several aspects into account. 1. The nature of the work. 2. The task at hand. 3. The personality of the worker. 4. The home situation of the worker. Also, multiuse offices are still available such as co-working spaces or hotel rooms closer to where people live.
    
3. Increasing risk of employee detachment. As more work is getting done away from the office, keeping employees engaged while they are working remotely requires a conscious effort. For employees, it becomes more difficult to create a clear boundary between work and private life. At the same time, the connection to work becomes looser. Bosses and colleagues are out of sight most of the time. Zoom meetings help a bit, but may not be enough.

   
   As it becomes clear that many professions can do their work from home, it becomes easier to hire talent outside of your local market. People can work from home and it doesn’t matter where they call home.

   The long-term effects of working more from home have to be studied, but they will certainly not all be positive. To prevent detachment, it helps to focus on some of the traditional measures: make sure people are part of a team and that they have a team leader they can trust.
    

4. Leadership As We Know It Will Dramatically Change. As organizations continue to wrestle with mounting disruption, the nature of effective leadership itself has been transformed. In the age of #BLM and other awareness initiatives, outdated attitudes at the top are no longer tolerated, and leaders can find themselves, often uncomfortably, under both the employee and media spotlight.
   
   In today’s economic climate, employees must be prioritized without compromise. That means understanding what motivates productivity; recognizing and allowing diverse versions of work/life flexibility; and reimagining traditional work processes — for instance, adopting on-demand pay so employees can have easier access to earned wages when they need them.
   
   Investing in employees will also be on the rise in 2021 and beyond. Many CEOs, executives and HR teams are focused on reskilling and upskilling their workforce to fill their organizations’ needs for innovation and meet corporate goals. This push for additional learning for the workforce is compounded by a PWC survey findings that indicate the current workforce’s insufficient digital competency and the need to develop soft skills such as creativity.

The Impact of the Lack of Skills on Business Performance. Courtesy of PWC:

• Ineffective innovation 55%
• Rising people costs 52%
• Quality standards and/or customer experience are affected 47%
• Inability to pursue market opportunities 44%
• Missed growth targets 44%

One thing is for certain in 2021, changes around human capital are inevitable. In a competitive business environment, the key as leaders within our organizations is to embrace changes as effectively as possible.

About the Author

Todd Palmer

Todd Palmer is the president of Diversified Industrial Staffing, a national skilled labor recruiting firm, based in Troy, Michigan. 
Contact tpalmer@diversifiedindustrialstaffing.com.

Recently, Mastercam partnered with Haas Automation to create this waterwheel display for the American Precision Museum demonstrating how running water was turned into power to drive the building.

Windsor, Vermont’s American Precision Museum (APM), which occupies the former Robbins and Lawrence Amory built in 1846, was established to preserve the heritage of U.S. manufacturing. In celebration of that building’s 175th anniversary in 2021, the APM is designing new exhibits that are accessible in person and on digital platforms in what it calls “Looking Back to Face Forward.” Displays explaining how machine tools were developed in the creation of interchangeable parts for mass production (initially for rifles) will be combined with hands-on workshops and camps with both traditional and modern equipment to enable young people to understand they can have successful careers in manufacturing.

But to make this happen, the APM needs help in its efforts to reach its Phase 1 goal of $400,000.

If you’ve never visited the APM, you can get a glimpse of it by viewing an IMTS spark video in which Stephen LaMarca, manufacturing technology analyst for AMT — The Association for Manufacturing Technology, gets a personal tour.  

Consider donating to the museum’s effort and/or becoming a member.

Mazak’s virtual campus tour is an efficient way to get a thorough tour without leaving your desk.

One of the positive outcomes of hunkering down during the pandemic, in my humble opinion, has been the development of the virtual tour. Not only do these tours not require you to leave your desk but the time savings is substantial compared with traveling to a location to do a tour that might normally take hours.

Take, for instance, the new Mazak Corp. virtual 360-degree tour, which gives users the option of viewing the inside and outside of the company’s iSmart Factory, the National Technology Center, or the North American Parts Center and Spindle Rebuild facilities, or all of them if desired. These separate buildings are all located at its campus in Florence, Kentucky. Users are greeted by a friendly tour guide that describes the facility in which they choose to tour as they tour it. By clicking on the screen and moving the mouse from side to side, visitors can see a 360-degree view of the room in which they are virtually standing.

The tour enables the user to click on the different departments within the facilities as well, providing a thorough digital journey. For example, the National Technology Center offers tours of the Learning Center, Customer Service, Mazatrol Lab, Automation Systems, and Digital Solutions areas of the building.

The availability of the virtual campus tour is not the only new offering from Mazak, though. The company also unveiled its new QT-Ez Series turning cen

Mazak’s new Mazatrol SmoothEz CNC on QT-Ez machines provides dual 800 MHz processors, 512 MB of RAM and a 15" capacitive touchscreen that includes a full keyboard and displays up to 60 lines of code.

ters as well as the Mazatrol SmoothEz computer numeric controller.

The QT-Ez Series has been designed for a range of automation solutions from bar feeders and parts catchers to full
cooperative robot installations.

The QT-Ez Series offers 8-, 10- and 12-inch chuck options, and some models include cobot automation. Other options for the new turning centers include automatic tool eye, hinge chip conveyor, high pressure coolant, automatic door, bar feeders, and more.

The SmoothEz CNC, an option on new Mazak machine tools, allows the use of existing programs from other controls, conversational programming with customizable speeds and feeds presets, and offers a keyboard, calculator and machine menu on one screen. The CNC’s touchscreen makes it easier to use compared with older models.  

More information about these new machines will be available in the weeks to come from Mazak. 

In the meantime, take a look at the company’s virtual campus tour to learn more about Mazak offerings and its manufacturing processes.

What do jazz greats such as Dizzie Gillespie and Miles Davis have in common with precision machining? We do our best work in a collaborative environment with other talented colleagues. In machining, as in jazz, the best work is generated by the back-and-forth exchange of ideas.

The role of collaboration in the development of works of art was brought to light by columnist Josh Linkner recently in an article he wrote for the Detroit Free Press. Linkner says great music results when highly talented performers merge their own ideas with inspirations from others. Having studied and performed jazz for more than 40 years, Linkner says a masterpiece begins with a loose structure of chords, scales, rhythms and harmonies that are wide open to interpretation. Through improvisation and collaboration with others, this loose structure is magically woven into a masterpiece that none of the individuals would have produced if working alone.

The takeaway for the machining industry is obvious — creativity, breakthrough thinking and innovative machining processes are most often the result of input from multiple machining professionals rather than a machinist or engineer working alone in a cubical with a desktop computer armed with CAD/CAM software.

Linkner further embellishes this point by noting that work produced by a single person locked away in a windowless room is likely to be as bland as the environment, which is exactly what many machining companies do with their design teams. Instead, by opening ourselves and our thinking to new and different ideas from others, we draw inspiration from others and create our most inspired work.

Linkner believes that when we surround ourselves with other talented and creative people, our creative output becomes transcendent. To him, creative collaboration is the best and most direct path to pushing your imagination to new heights.

The same thing is true for the machining industry. At Fordsell Machine, we use collaborative machining every day. Whenever a customer sends us a part to quote, we pull together a team of machining professionals from the customer’s engineering group, our team and other process experts (for example, heat treatment, anodizing, plating and more) for us to develop the very best way to make that part.

Over the years, this collaboration has resulted in breakthrough thinking and innovative machining solutions that have consistently produced better parts at lower total delivered costs. For example, we had a customer experiencing field failures in a spool for their hydraulic valves. Collaborating with the customer’s engineering group, our team of engineers, heat treating specialists and grinding suppliers, we traced the source of the problem to the failure of a stock restrictor screw. Together, we designed a custom screw that could handle the required tight tolerances and hardness issues. Teamwork solved the problem!

Another example of how collaboration solved issues was a part that was being made from 4140 steel. It was being turned from bar stock, machined to specifications and heat treated. The final part, however, had distorted threads. Collaborating with the customer’s engineers, our engineers and a heat treating expert, we found the heat treatment process was causing the part to shrink. Working together, we determined that the solution was to make the part bigger to accommodate shrinkage. The question was how much bigger? The team was able to precisely determine the size the part needed to be and then developed special gages for quality control. Problem solved.

In both cases, highly qualified engineers working independently were unable to solve the problem. Through collaboration, we were able to solve both these problems in just days.

The good news is that developing a collaborative environment in the machining industry is not rocket science, but it does take a laser focus on the part of senior management and a lot of hard work. For many machine shops, it requires a company culture that recognizes everyone is better off asking for and providing help when needed. It also requires partnerships with trusted machining professionals from outside the company for things such as heat treating, plating, anodizing, broaching, painting, metallurgy, welding, finishing and more.

Collaborative machining is more than just working together. It is a strategic choice.

The bottom line is that collaborative machining is more than just working together. It is a strategic choice. Over time, it transforms our relationships with customers in unexpected and powerful ways because collaboration changes how we view ourselves, the parts we make, customers we serve and everyone around us. Collaborative machining ups everybody’s game, builds a higher level of trust and results in outcomes that would have been unattainable otherwise…and that’s as good as it gets.

About the Author

David Redfield is president of Fordsell Machine, a precision machining company that is a major proponent of using collaboration to make better parts and lower a company’s total delivered costs.  Fordsell Machine is located in Warren, Michigan. Contact Fordsell at fordsell.com or 586-751-4700.

Since opening in 1996, MetalQuest has focused on adopting multitasking machine tool technology. Its latest addition is this eight-spindle multi that currently runs a family of five parts. 

Learn how diversifying can help your precision machining business. Derek Korn, editor-in-chief at Production Machining magazine, serves as host for this informative live IMTS spark session as he talks with Scott Harms, president at MetalQuest Unlimited Inc. During this live event, they’ll discuss how this early adopter of multitasking equipment has taken what it feels is the next logical step to diversify its contract machining operation by adding a multi-spindle for greatly reduced cycle times on an existing high-volume job.

When Harms started his MetalQuest contract machining business in 1996, the company president set it up to be different from others. The Hebron, Nebraska, company’s first machine was a CNC lathe with live tooling. The goal was to make multitasking its niche, machining parts complete rather than running them across a lathe and a mill as other shops commonly did at the time. Today, all of the heavily automated shop’s production machine tools have some combination of subspindle and live tooling.

Its most recent equipment addition was a multi-spindle machine, which is a first for the company. As Harms and Korn will discuss in this session, MetalQuest made this significant investment to be more profitable on an existing high-volume job, to diversify from the oil and gas industry and to add technology that further sets the shop apart from others. It also recently won a complex new job for this eight-spindle machine that simultaneously uses 59 of the machine’s available 62 axes.

The live session is Friday, December 18 at 1:00 pm-2:00 pm EST. Register to see this IMTS Spark session. Once registered, you can watch the webinar on demand, any time after the live presentation until March 15, 2021.

Visit IMTS spark to view the presentation, “Decide! Choose the Best Cleaning Process.”

Do you know the best cleaning process for cleaning your precision metal parts? Are you stuck using an old process, but realize it is time for an update? Darren Williams, Ph.D., cleaning research group leader at Sam Houston State University, and Barbara and Ed Kanegsburg, consultants at BFK Solutions, offer help with these questions and more in the online presentation, “Decide! Choose the Best Cleaning Process,” as part of the Production Matters series on IMTS spark.

The presenters offer efficient, successful techniques to choose, test, and ramp up new processes for cleaning and surface prep, whether you are on-site or working remotely.

Here are some basic points that the presentation touches on:

• Working with your customers and others within your company to find the best cleaning process
• Techniques for navigating roadblocks caused by the pandemic
• Growing and learning in your position as a cleaning expert for your company
• How to work with a lab, if necessary
• Dealing with environmental and safety regulations within a cleaning process

The presentation will be available on-demand until March 15 at IMTS.com. A quick registration is required, which gives you access to all Production Matters Series presentations as well as the Parts Cleaning Series webinars. Check it out!