Click this link to read the web version: Tooling and Production

November 10, 2010 - Volume:00 Issue:00

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The staff at Tooling & Production would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year! As we look back on 2014, we are encouraged to report that the metalworking industry remains at the forefront of an improving economy. With the recent IMTS success and the report that U.S. manufacturing technology orders are up nearly 4% for the year, the outlook for 2015 is bright.

The same can be said for us here at Nelson Publishing. Our eNewsletters -- Modern Applications News (MAN), Tooling & Production (T&P), and the Manufacturing Center Product Spotlight have again experienced exponential growth over this past year. Our lists of subscribers and advertising partners continue to expand at a rapid rate. We are grateful. While we are excited by the thought of even more growth in the days ahead, we never mind pausing to take a quick look back. Why not? MAN's proud history dates back to 1967 while T&P dates back to 1934. Amazingly, this publication will be celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2015!

In that spirit, we have put together this "Best of 2014" issue. We have compiled two lists -- the Most Read Features and Most Read Product Spotlights, as judged by our readers. We hope you enjoy these stories and catch some helpful information you may have missed the first time around. Again, we want to thank you for your loyalty to our publications and we'd like to wish you a successful and prosperous 2015!

Featured Articles

First Robot to Work Hand in Hand with Employees at Volkswagen Plant
The car manufacturing group Volkswagen has integrated an industrial robotic arm from the Danish manufacturer Universal Robots into mass production at its engine production plant in Salzgitter, Germany. The lightweight robot UR5 is installed in the cylinder head assembly section, where it is responsible for handling delicate glow plugs. The six-axis robotic arm is able to collaborate directly with people without any guards, contributing significantly towards optimizing ergonomic working conditions.
Full Article

Hydro System Manufacturer Switches to Multipurpose Mill and Roughs Nearly 5000 Pounds of Chips in 1/3 of the Time
An impromptu process switch and double-duty tooling helped Canyon Hydro machine hydropower runners faster and deliver them sooner.
Full Article

Bullseye! Bow Manufacturer Hits All of Its Production Targets By Machining With Tombstone Fixtures
Mathews, Inc. uses GibbsCAM's TMS (Tombstone Management System) to produce 75% of the metal parts found on their bows. The streamlined, multi-part Tombstone process has allowed the Wisconsin manufacturer to have one operator run three or four machines.
Full Article

Texas Shop Creates Hard-Turning Automation Cell That Pays for Itself in 18 Days
Conroe Machine is doing what most machine shops only dream of -- hard turning a family of parts around the clock in an unmanned cell that operates a 'self controlled' process. It integrates a Fanuc robot with the Equator™ gauging system, Renishaw software, and an Okuma lathe to produce 600-700 parts per day.
Full Article

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See the Line Vac in Action!

Line Vac air powered conveyors convert ordinary hose or pipe into a complete conveying system for bulk materials, plastic granules, scrap, trim, and other complex shapes. Line Vacs are available in many sizes and materials.

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Featured Articles

"Super" Speedy, Accurate CNC Machining for Curved Surfaces
New Super-NURBS white paper from Okuma America explains how to produce faster tool paths, higher feed rates, and significantly reduced hand-finishing time on curved surfaces.
Full Article

Ohio Manufacturer Finds New Solution to Old Problem � Eliminating Cracking Carbide Inserts
The machinists at Fairfield, Ohio's Positech Corporation were growing tired of constantly changing inserts. So they decided to try one hot idea -- cold -- a Cold Gun System to be exact. The result was a 50% increase in tool life.
Full Article

Connecticut Manufacturer Improves Throughput While Producing Mistake-Free Parts in a High Mix/Low Volume Aerospace Environment
Horst Engineering precision machines more than 4,000 active, unique parts with an average lot size of less than 100 pieces. So they've come up with a solution that gives them the flexibility, speed, and accuracy they need.
Full Article

Zero-Gravity 3D Printer Takes Manufacturing Out of This World
The first 3D printer intended for in-space use arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. last week. This "machine shop for space" marks the first time that a multi-purpose manufacturing device will be utilized off-world to create parts, tools and emergency solutions.
Full Article

Choosing the Right Fluid for Titanium Cutting Can Increase Insert Life 15-Fold
As part of a joint research project, the companies Blaser Swisslube and Kaiser have searched for the optimum combination of tool and metalworking fluid for titanium cutting. The results are impressive.
Full Article

Metal Technology (MTI) Speeds Into Metal 3D Printing and Leads English Racing to the Winner's Circle
The ProX 300 3D printer has allowed Metal Technology to produce end-use parts faster and more economically than ever before, and these parts are being used in some of the most demanding environments you can imagine, including the race track.
Full Article

Product Spotlight