June 2010 • www.canadianmetalworking.com
JOB
Shops POST-RECESSION SUCCESS Job shops learn how to grow in tough market
22 MACHINING: Boosting speed on EDMs to increase productivity.
28 CUTTING TOOLS: Advanced geometries
are helping thread milling make inroads into smaller job shops.
37 FABRICATING: Faster cutting speeds and higher
energy efficiencies are making fiber laser cutting the system of choice for thin sheet metal.
44 WELDING: Advice from an expert on modular and dedicated fixturing.
Very BIG and beautifully engineered
Hurco’s NEW DCX Series. High Capacity, Dual Column Machining Centers.
Because SIZE is important... CANADA
www.hurco.ca
VMX Series High Performance Mills
800.992.7314
Travels Spindle Tools
VM Series U Series (5-Axis) SR Series (5-Axis) General Purpose Trunnion Table Swivel Head, Rotary Table Mills Mills Mills
DCX22 - 40T 86.5″ x 66.9″ x 29.5″ 8k, 10k or 15k 40 CAT (BT) 40
DCX Series Dual Column Mills
Z Series Zone Mills
DCX22 - 50T 86.5″ x 66.9″ x 29.5″ 6k 40 CAT (BT) 50
HTX Series Horizontal Mills
Machines shown with options. Information may change without notice.
DCX32 - 50T 126″ x 82.7″ x 36.2″ 6k or 10k 40 CAT (BT) 50
TMX Series High Performance Lathes
TM / TMM Series General Purpose Lathes
Duplomatic Driven Tool Turnet
MACHINE OPTIONS
Capto Toolpost
• Superior precision manual 3 & 4 jaw chucks and hydraulically operated 3 jaw chucks from Pratt Burnerd International. • Range of Crawford collets. • Range of fixed and travelling steadies. • Rotating centres. • Choice of manual or automatic tooling systems. • Workholding faceplate with guard. • Work driver plate. • High pressure coolant system. • External floor mounted transformer.
FEATURES • • • • • • • • • • •
Automatic Bi-directional Indexing Disc Turrets
New High Performance lathes with 85 improvements. Greater cutting performance. Higher spindle speeds with wider ranges. Faster rapid travers e rates. Greater spindle torque at low speeds. Ultra high speed 21iTB CNC control. 10.4” colour touchscreen. Latest Fanuc Beta iSeries spindle and axis motors Fast, easy set up - quickest of any lathe on the market. Automatic slideway and ballscrew lubrication system. Optional milling function with Full C axis.
Elliott-Matsuura Canada Inc. 2120 Buckingham Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6H 5X2 Tel: 905 829 2211 Fax: 905 829 5600 sales@elliottmachinery.com
www.elliottmachinery.com
Parat 4 Way Indexing Change
MACHINE MODELS SWING Alpha 1000XS Alpha 2000XS Alpha 3000XS Alpha 4000XS Alpha 6000XS Alpha 7000XS
CENTER 650mm/25” 1200mm/50” 1500mm/60” 2000mm/80” or 650mm/120” 800mm/31 1/2” 2000mm/80” 3000mm/120” or 4000mm/160” 1000mm/40” 2000mm/80” 3000mm/120” or 4000mm/160” 350mm/13 3/4” 400mm/15 3/4” 460mm/18 3/8” 554mm/21 3/4”
600 Machine Tools
1200 Aerowood Drive, Unit #2 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2S7 Tel: 905 614 1010 Fax: 905 206 9500 tseccombe@600mtc.com
Inside this issue... Volume 105 | No.5 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
12
INDUSTRY REPORT
FABRICATING
JOB SHOPS
COIL HANDLING
POST-RECESSION SUCCESS .......12
STRONGER, BIGGER, BETTER ..... 42
Job shops learn how to grow in tough market. We profile three of the many shops across Canada.
Bigger and stronger coils made from high strength low alloy steels to meet market demands.
BUSINESS REPORT
WELDING
GREEN MANUFACTURING
POSITIONING & FIXTURES
GREEN SAVINGS ......................19 The benefits of going green.
MACHINE TOOLS
HOLDING ON .......................... 44 Bob Ellig, president of Bluco Corp., offers welders advice about modular and dedicated fixturing.
EDMS
QUALITY CANADA
CHARGING AHEAD ..................22
MEASUREMENT
Industry experts weigh in on optimizing speed and performance on EDMs.
(between pgs 22-23)
GAUGING MEASUREMENTS ....... 3
ElektroPhysik’s Aivars Freidenfelds discusses developments in thickness gauges.
CUTTING TOOLS
TESTING & INSPECTION
THREADING
IN-HOUSE OR OUTSOURCE? ...... 6
GOING THE DISTANCE .............28 Advanced geometries are helping thread milling make inroads into smaller job shops. TAPPING
TAPPING IN THE FAST LANE.......33 Recent advancements in taps are helping to boost tapping speeds in high production manufacturing.
Is it more cost-effective to calibrate your instruments in-house or source them out?
33
SOFTWARE
ERP FOLLIES ................................ 8
ERP software is important to a company’s success, but if not implemented properly, you won’t reap the benefits. PRODUCTS
TOOLS OF THE TRADE............... 10 A look at some of the latest tools for quality in manufacturing.
FABRICATING FIBER LASER CUTTING
FIBER FIX ...................................37
Faster cutting speeds and higher energy efficiencies are making fiber laser cutting the system of choice for thin sheet metal.
DEPARTMENTS Upfront .......................................... 6 News/Calendar ............................. 8 Shop Talk..................................... 10
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www.rogersb2bmedia.com/cmm www.canadianmetalworking.com | JUNE 2010 | 5
EDITORIAL ................................................................ EDITOR Mary Scianna
416-764-1540 | mary.scianna@rci.rogers.com
MANAGING EDITOR Daryl Angier
416-764-1508 | daryl.angier@rci.rogers.com ART DIRECTOR Jill Nelson 416-764-1518 | jill.nelson@rci.rogers.com JUNIOR WEB PRODUCER Jessica Mirabelli 416-764-1316 | jessica.mirabelli@rci.rogers.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Jim Howser 416-764-1684 | james.howser@rci.rogers.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Bibi Khan 416-764-1450 | bibi.khan@rci.rogers.com BUSINESS ................................................................. SENIOR PUBLISHER Larry Bonikowsky
416-764-1489 | larry.bonikowsky@rci.rogers.com SALES MANAGER Steve Devonport 416-764-1498 | steve.devonport@rci.rogers.com ACCOUNT MANAGER Jason Lofkrantz 416-764-1521 | jason.lofkrantz@rci.rogers.com TORONTO OFFICE One Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, ON M4Y 2Y5 Tel: 416-764-2000 Fax: 416-764-1735
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Upfront A Job Shop “Cooperative” A “cooperative” is defined as “characterized by cooperation rather than competition” according to the Canadian Oxford Dictionary. It’s the term that came to mind during a discussion earlier this year with a successful laser cutting job shop owner. We were discussing the challenges of operating a job shop in the current market and he said that he does “a lot of cooperative work” with other local job shops and that he’s been doing this for several years now. What’s interesting about what this job shop is doing is that it’s essentially an informal strategic alliance, something I discussed on this page in the October 2009 issue. Instead of an official contract defining roles though, the job shops that do business together simply help each other out when one business is in need. So if one successful job shop can’t handle an order because of volume, or the job shop knows that the business down the road specializes in a particular manufacturing technique or process, he can send the order there to get the job done. This type of informal cooperation isn’t just about sharing job orders. As a team, two or more job shops can create economies of scale to negotiate better pricing on materials, and better packages on benefits and insurance for employees. They can share manufacturing techniques that work and those that don’t, cooperate on skills training and share regulatory information that impacts their businesses. Strategic alliances and the less formal cooperative models are what some business experts refer to as “corporate partnering” and consider it a good way to grow, particularly in tough economic times. According to CPI Partnering Tools (www.corporate-partnering.com), corporate partnering is “the quickest way to grow” without having to implement major internal changes. It allows you to: • Seize opportunities quickly before they disappear; • Adapt to change with more flexibility; • Increase market share; • Gain access to a new market or beat others to that market; • Recognize and correct internal weaknesses; • Gain new skills or competencies; • Succeed in gaining new business even if your company lacks the key resources. In today’s challenging marketplace, job shops need to find better approaches to manage their businesses and secure future growth. Informal cooperation with your competitor down the road may well be one answer. MARY SCIANNA, EDITOR
CM, established: 1905 is published 9 times per year by Rogers Publishing Limited, a division of Rogers Media Inc. Rogers Publishing Limited. Printed in Canada. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Our environmental policy is available at www.rogerspublishing.ca/environment. Content copyright ©2010 by Rogers Publishing Limited, may not be reprinted without permission. GST# R103439444 QST# 1002114875-TQ-0001-MK ISSN: 0008-4379
6 | JUNE 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
If you want to comment on editorial in the magazine, I’d like to hear from you, so please contact me. mary.scianna@rci.rogers.com
HORN - THE LEADERS IN GROOVING TECHNOLOGY GETTING A GRIP ON PRODUCTIVITY PARTING OFF Pity the poor part-off tool. Under pressure all the time. Being worn down on all sides. Engaged in a constant tug of war with the material. Working in hot, cramped conditions. At HORN, we thought about this - a lot. The HORN part-off system draws on our extensive experience of grooving. It has positive geometry to optimise machining performance and tool life. Cutting edge corner and insert flank relief helps to minimise flank wear. And the extra long super secure six sided insert sits in a precision machined seating to maximise security and minimise movement. We couldn’t do much about the hot cramped conditions, but we have equipped our part-off tooling to survive them. HORN – INTELLIGENT TOOL DESIGN AT WORK.
HORN GROOVING • PARTING OFF • GROOVE MILLING • BROACHING • PROFILE MILLING • REAMING HORN USA, Inc. • 320 Premier Ct. • Suite 205 • Franklin, TN 37067 Phone: (888) 818-4676 • Fax: (615) 771-4101 • Email: sales@hornusa.com
•
internet: www.hornusa.com
News Elliott Matsuura forms alliance with Western Canada tooling firm
Elliott Matsuura Canada Inc., Oakville, ON, has formed an alliance with Alberta tooling supplier EDGE Production Supplies Ltd., with operations in Edmonton and Calgary. Frank Haydar, president of Elliott Matsuura Canada says that the partnership is intended to offer customers in Western Canada with “complete value-driven manufacturing solutions locally.” EDGE plans to expand into Vancouver later this year. The company is a cutting tool distributor offering lines from Ingersoll, Kennametal, Sumitomo and other tooling manufacturers. “In an effort to continue to expand our presence in Western Canada and to meet the growing demands of our customers, we feel it is necessary to increase our marketing, sales and service support system,” says Haydar. Elliott Matsuura will continue to provide technical support. The company’s Western Canada operation is overseen by acting sales manager Tim Scoffield.
Methods Machine Tools names new North American dealer for FEELER
Methods Machine Tools Inc., Sudbury, MA, is now the exclusive importer of Fair Friend Group’s (FFG) FEELER line of machine tools throughout North America, including Canada. FFG, Taipei, Taiwan, is one of the largest machine tool manufacturers in the world. Methods has introduced a totally new range of FEELER machines that feature extensive engineering by Methods, designed to provide users higher performance and value. The full range of machines encompasses vertical machining Centres, turning Centres, bridge mills and boring mills. The Methods-FEELER line of machine tools will be available at Methods dealers in Canada and Mexico, and in the US through Methods Technology Centres and distributors located across the US. “We are very pleased to have the FEELER product line. This new lineup of machine tools is the result of our Methods engineering group working very closely with FFG/Feeler” to meet the needs of customers, says Bryon Deysher, president and CEO of Methods Machine Tools. “FEELER will enable us to offer North American manufacturers a wider selection of precision machining solutions and will complement our existing line of high-performance milling, turning, drilling/tapping and EDM systems very well.” “We are pleased to have Methods as our exclusive North American importer. Their applications expertise, support, and extensive network of technology centers will help us aggressively penetrate the North American Marketplace,” says Jimmy Chu, chairman and CEO of FFG. “We are excited about the agreement and are looking forward to establishing a long and mutually successful partnership.”
Canadian Manufacturing Week gets new venue
Canadian Manufacturing Week 2010, which runs October 5-7 has been revamped and organizers are hoping the new format, new venue and a more comprehensive program will attract more manufacturers to one of Canada’s main events for the manufacturing industry. The event will be held at the Toronto 8 | june 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
Congress Centre in North Toronto, nearby the Pearson International Airport. “In the face of what’s being called the new industrial revolution, the manufacturing sector is being asked to rebrand, to look for innovative ways to decrease costs while producing high quality products,” says Mark Tomlinson, executive director and general manager of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), organizer of the event. New to this year’s event is a three-zoned format that groups the latest manufacturing technologies and solutions into specific areas: Weld Expo Canada; the Advanced Manufacturing Zone; and the Physical Asset Management Zone. According to Tomlinson, more than half of CMW visitors are high level manufacturing professionals, accompanied by buying teams with significant equipment budgets. He points to a survey conducted by SME in February, polling 552 Canadian manufacturers, that shows 70 per cent of respondents see their businesses increasing in the next 12 to 18 months. More than 14 per cent of respondents say they are likely to spend $1 million or more on manufacturing equipment in the next year to year-and-a-half, with almost 23 per cent citing budgets in excess of $250,000. For more information, to register or exhibit, visit www.cmwshow.ca.
Poll Do you think the measures to help manufacturers outlined in the 2010 Federal budget (extension of the accelerated capital cost allowance and elimination of tariffs on machinery and equipment) is enough to stimulate growth in the manufacturing sector?
Yes 26.7% No 73.3%
Calendar JUNE 9 Sirco/Haas Factory Outlet Toronto/Montreal Demo Days. dferko@sircomachinery.com 416-255-3503 JUNE 10 & JUNE 15 Sandvik Coromant’s Modern Art of Milling at Huron in Montreal, QC on June 10 and at Machinery BV in Dorval, QC on June 15. Randy.bossie@sandvik.com 905-826-8900 JUNE 20 World Tooling Conference at Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino, Windsor, ON. info@ctma.com 519-653-7265 JUNE 30 Sandvik Coromant’s Modern Art of Milling at Sirco Machinery in Toronto. Randy.bossie@sandvik.com 905-826-8900
News
PEOPLE
Shop Talk Do you attend industry conferences? If yes, what was the last conference you attended? Did you pick up any business thanks to this conference? “Yes I do. The latest one was the PMPA (Precision Machined Products Association) annual meeting in October 2009. [Conferences] are not a place to pick up business—they’re more to develop an understanding of what is going on in our industry, the changes which are occurring, etc. [Conferences] help with strategic planning and business development plans.”
-Ian Barrie, president, Advance Precision, Mississauga, ON
“Foldens generally does not go to industry conferences but we do attend the CMTS (Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show) and IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) ... we have attended the opening address functions [at these events]. We did not pick up any new business from these shows, but we learned more about our existing customers and the reasons for past actions taken during this recession. We also attend supplier open houses to keep up with advances in tooling and machinery.”
-George Barnes, owner, Foldens Machine Works Ltd., Tillsonburg, ON
“I don’t attend industry conferences.”
-Renny Husada, vice-president, Yess Products Ltd., Surrey, BC
“We try to attend various industry conferences and meetings. We feel that the networking available at those meetings is great and you usually come away from these conferences with something for your company. In the past, we have had great success in forming alliances at these conferences that have helped our company grow.”
-Marco Gagnon, co-owner, Gagnon Ornamental Works, Grand Falls, NB
“Yes. I went to an [Brazilian aerospace giant] Embraer event sponsored by the good folks at the Ontario Aerospace Council. This was a few months back. [We didn’t pick up any new business] but you’re kind of always fishing.”
-Rob Muru, president, A-Line Precision Tool Ltd., Toronto, ON
“We do not attend very many industry conferences, maybe one every year or two, as we usually can’t justify the overall expense. My partner attended a wind energy conference last year. No business resulted.”
-David Foscarini, president, Mecon Industries Limited., Scarborough, ON
“No. The main reason is time—we are mostly working through contracts. There are just two of us, so attending conferences is on the wish list but we have not attended one.”
-Steve Cotton, president, Micro Precision Parts Manufacturing Ltd., Vancouver Island, BC
“We usually go to industry specific conferences, such as automotive, power generation, medical, welding and shot peening shows. The last conference we attended was ASNT (American Society for Non-Destructive Testing) in Williamsburg, Virginia. Yes, we usually pick up business from all the shows we attend.”
-Robert Drake, sales and marketing manager, Proto Manufacturing Ltd., Oldcastle, ON
10 | JUNE 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
Juergen Moeglich has joined Single Source Technologies-Canada, Mississauga, ON, as the new president. He replaces Les Barsony, who has left the company to pursue Juergen Moeglich other endeavours. Prior to joining SSTCanada, Moeglich headed MAG IAS Canada, also based in Mississauga, ON. He’s a long-time veteran of the metalworking industry. Prior to MAG, he was president of UBJ-Boehringer Inc., a machine tool distributor that offered several lines of machine tools before MAG IAS acquired the company in 2006. Chris Pilcher has been named the new regional sales manager for TRUMPF Canada, Mississauga, ON, as part of several personnel changes in the company’s laser division. Pilcher has more than 25 years of experience in the welding and systems integration field. He holds degrees in mechanical engineering, mathematics and business, and his experience spans many industries, including aerospace, medical, nuclear, and automotive. David Havrilla has been promoted to manager of products and applications. He has been involved with industrial lasers for Juergen Stolhof more than 23 years and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He has also done post-graduate study at the Imperial College in England where he investigated the viability of laser cladding die components. Previously, he held the position of manager high power lasers. He will continue to be based out of TRUMPF’s Plymouth, MI, location. Havrilla replaces Juergen Stollhof, who has relocated to TRUMPF’s Farmington, CT, headquarters where he is the program manager of a new sales initiative on micro-processing in the photovoltaic, semiconductor and medical industries. He will be working with Paul Graham, Ph.D., who was named product manager. Also, Michael Nuessler, most recently a service engineer with TRUMPF Mexico, now has the title of sales engineer for Laser Products. He is based in Queretaro, Mexico. Bill Weston, a 10-year TRUMPF employee was named Southwest regional sales manager.
THE ALL-NEW 2010
ST-30
TURNING CENTER The all-new, 2010 ST-30 turning center is the culmination of 15 years of continuous development, and it offers the most performance for the money – the best value – of any turning center on the market today.
more rigidity. more tools. more power . . . more value. released for active duty: 01.01.10
Find your local Canadian Haas Factory Outlet 800.331.6746 • find them online @ www.HaasCNC.com Specifications subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical errors. Machines shown with optional equipment.
industry report
JOB SHOPS/MANITOBA
A Woman’s Touch Certified machinist Georgette Lang operates booming machine shop with husband Robert
By Myron Love . ..................................................................................................... Georgette Lang may not be the only woman in Canada working as a machinist and CNC programmer, but she may well be the only woman who operates her own machine shop. “I do the machining, the quoting, the drawing and the paperwork,” says Lang who operates GL Manufacturing with her husband and partner, Robert. And business is booming at their 3,000 sq ft custom machine shop which is located on 5 acres of land just north of Winnipeg. Georgette Lang took up the trade about 15 years ago. “I had been working for Boeing in the warehouse for five years when I was laid off”, she says. “I had been earning a good salary. I had been unemployed for a short time when I got a letter in the mail about a retraining program in machining for laid-off Bristol (Aerospace) and Boeing employees.”
Georgette Lang with husband Robert in front of one of their many machines, a Modern Bridgeport-type mill equipped with a Millmate part for hole drilling.
So she went down to the school where the program was offered to see what it was all about. She liked what she saw. “I had never done anything with tools before. It was all new to me. They showed us at the school some examples of what machinists could make.” Lang signed on to the one-year program and came out as a Level One machinist. After graduation, she was hired by Standard Machine Works. She spent three years working for the company and benefited considerably from the experience. “I was the second woman machinist that the company had ever hired and the first to get her Red Seal Journeyperson papers, she recalls. “There were a lot of skilled people there who were very helpful and willing to mentor me.” After Standard Machine Works, Georgette went to work in the machine shop at CancerCare Manitoba where she helped build 12 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
devices for use for patients being treated for cancer. She also worked with plastics and learned finesse because many of the devices required soft, smooth finishes. There are no other women with her skill level or overall set of skills, Robert says of Georgette. “You can bring her any drawing and she can figure how to reproduce it.” After five years at CancerCare Manitoba, Georgette moved to the provincial governments Apprenticeship Branch working with budding machinists, seeing to their schooling and making sure that they were well treated in their workplaces. Last July, Georgette quit the government to work full time at GL Manufacturing, the custom maching business that she and Robert started in 1999 in the basement of their home. Working two jobs all those years became too much to handle, she says. Robert Lang had been working during this time for the Manitoba Telephone System in the metal fabrication department. “We were doing a lot of sheet metal work building relay racks and battery stands, for example”, he says. Robert quit MTS in 1999 to run GL Manufacturing. The company began with some used lathes and CNC milling machines that the Langs were able to squeeze into their basement. They eventually expanded into their garage where they added a surface grinder and two more CNC lathes. “We didn’t keep a lot of materials in stock,” Robert says. They moved to their current location five years ago. The Langs continue to find value in acquiring used equipment at auctions in the U.S. They also buy demonstration models from American manufacturers. “We are very money conscious,” he says. “I once phoned Chevalier and asked if there were any demo equipment for sale. I was able to acquire a piece of equipment that had been sitting in a warehouse in Pittsburgh for a year.” They currently have equipment by EMCO (lathe and turning centre), Kent (manual lathe), Birmingham, Modern (lathe), Chevalier (VMC) and DMTG (lathe). “We are growing along with our clients,” Robert says. “We are adding more equipment every year. We are the only company in Winnipeg that has a Fused Depositon Modelling capability. That allows us to quickly build prototypes using ABS plastic.” Their first customer was a company called Meditek. “We had put some business cards out and Meditek came across one of them and called,” Georgette says. Meditek makes surgical tables. GL replaces worn-out parts for the tables and also makes add-on pieces. There are up to 100,000 parts to these tables. While medical devices continue to be one of GL Manufacturings’ specialties, the Langs do a variety of custom work. Their clients include railway companies, a major Winnipeg-
JOB SHOPS/ONTARIO
based window manufacturer and high tech companies. “We were approached by one company that needed internal tapered splines, Georgette notes. The company was importing the splines from Germany because there were no local shops that could make them. I said we could do it. They didnt believe me. We produced a sample within 24 hours. The company was very impressed.” GL Manufacturing used to be the only company in Winnipeg making beta protection devices, Robert says, but the work became too demanding. Everyone wanted custom work, he says. “It became too hard to put a price on the work. It wasnt feasible to continue doing it.” Robert adds that GL Manufacturing has gained a reputation for being able to turn around orders quickly. “That has become one of our niches. If a project comes in on a Friday, we can have the order completed by Monday. We also pick up and deliver work orders. We like to be hands-on. There is less likelihood of miscommunication if we meet face to face with the client.” Another factor in GL Manufacturing’s favour is its lower cost of doing business. “We try not to mark up material,” Robert says. We try to be fair. For example, when building models for customers, if the first model doesnt work because of a problem in design, we wont charge the customer for the model. We try to work with our clients.” Georgette adds that she and Robert like working with engineers and designers in developing clients prototypes. GL Manufacturing is open for business 365 days a year. And most of the time, Georgette and Robert Lang are going flat out, although it slows a little bit in July, Georgette notes. The Langs are so busy most of the time that they no longer bother to advertise. “We used to run an ad in the Yellow Pages, but we never got any calls as a result of that ad,” says Robert. Instead, Georgette says they got clients by knocking on doors, And these days, the internet is the way to go. While most of GL Manufacturing’s clients are located in Winnipeg, the Langs also have some in other southern Manitoba communities. They occasionally have someone drop in unannounced with a bracket to repair, but they don’t encourage that type of business. “We keep our property closed at all times so that we don’t have a lot of people dropping in and distracting us from our work,” Robert says. Because they are so busy, Georgette and Robert Lang are not actively seeking out new clients right now. Although Robert does say that GL Manufacturing would like to find one or two more customers to help fill in the slow times. CM Myron Love is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, MB.
industry report
Fabricating Growth Niche player in Ontario is a single source of specialty metals
By Robert Robertson................................................ Staying ahead of the pack isn’t easy in a challenging economy or competitive marketplace, but Hopeton D’Aguilar believes you have to start with precision-cut components, a wide selection of materials and quality customer service. As general manager of Cambridge, ON-based Symtec Specialty Alloys (a Superior Alloy Technology Company), D’Aguilar also knows his company must continue to innovate.
Symtec is a comprehensive job shop with a wide range of fabrication processng services for stainless steel and other specialty metals.
Symtec Specialty Alloys started business in 1986, cutting carbon components. The company was one of the first shops in Ontario to offer a laser cutting service. In 2007, Symtec transformed itself from strictly carbon components using laser technology to become an integral part of Superior Alloy Technology in Boucherville, PQ. Today the company provides precision-cut components in stainless steel, aluminium, nickel alloys, titanium and other specialty metals along with carbon. “We saw a lot of folks getting into the business,” says D’Aguilar. “You may not have had the entry level [capital investment] that was probably around $500,000 or maybe more for a laser, but if you could afford $10,000 or $14,000 a month—you would be in the industry. So, we started to look at ways of diversifying ourselves. “We then met with Superior Alloy Technology. It’s a well run and managed company. At the time, they liked what we were doing and we also liked what they were doing. We decided to join forces. It’s been a really good working relationship, as we share common philosophies and ways of doing things. We can offer broad based expertise in stainless steel and other specialty metals.” www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 13
industry report
JOB SHOPS/ONTARIO
Industries served by Symtec include transportation, aerospace, pharmaceutical, automotive, food production and more. The company also services a variety of consumer goods manufacturers, including ABM machines and Zamboni ice rink machines. “Our focus is to be a niche player and not the biggest. We have repeat business with many long-term customers. This loyalty stems from solid reliability, on-time delivery and quality work,” says D’Aguilar. “We’re proud of our ability to offer more than laser cutting as part of the transformation of the company. Symtec Specialty Alloys now provides processing capabilities with waterjet, plasma, plate saw and forming to complement our products.”
Symtec offers a variety of fabricating services, including forming using machines such as this TRUMPF TrumaBend and plasma cutting using an ESAB plasma cutter, seen here.
The 15,000 sq ft Symtec Specialty Alloys facility in Cambridge has room for future expansion. With 21 employees, the operation runs two shifts with a fluctuating third. Product quality is clearly job one. As a result, D’Aguilar believes the combined processing system in Cambridge and Boucherville along with the use of high performance equipment is a definite strength. “It’s hard to believe that three years have gone by since we merged [with Superior Alloy Technology]. Branching out into waterjet, plasma, plate saw and press brake has been an intricate part of the change since 2007,” says D’Aguilar. “We have two distribution points [Cambridge and Boucherville] where processing actually takes place and three sales offices, including one in Boston. Our machinery, product and expertise give us an advantage.” Prior to the merger with Superior Alloy Technology, Symtec Specialty Alloys called nearby Guelph, ON, home in a mall-like setting with a total of seven units. The company moved to Cambridge in 2009. The entire operation was then put under one roof, including the use of overhead cranes. Symtec is a full service shop offering laser cutting (stainless steel to 5/8 in. thick; carbon steel to 3/4 in. thick; aluminium to 1/4 in. thick; cutting table 80 in. x 160 in.; and oxide free edges); plasma cutting (stainless steel to 4 in. thick; and cutting table 14 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
120 in. x 288 in.); waterjet cutting (three axis cutting; maximum 6 in. thick; cutting table 96 in. x 144 in.), and forming using a CNC press brake with a 130 ton x 120 in. capacity and plate sawing (maximum 14 in. thick; maximum 162 in. long; square edges; minimal heat; and Kerf loss 1/16 in. per cut). Symtec uses five laser cutting machines between the Cambridge and Boucherville operations. Four of these are TRUMPF Trumatic L3030S lasers (several 4kws plus a 6kw) and one is a Mazak. Two PaR waterjet systems are put to work, offering five axis capabilities with oversized tables. Symtec also uses a TRUMPF press brake, a Katso plate saw, an ESAB plasma cutter and a Flow waterjet cutting machine. “We have a very experienced and knowledgeable workforce,” says D’Aguilar. “Most importantly, these people are committed to customer service. They have to feel this on the inside. We’re fortunate to have employees who support our initiatives.” Like other Canadian metal job shops, Symtec isn’t immune to the push back of a slowly recovering economy and rising Canadian dollar. D’Aguilar says the economic downturn is different from previous others. He’s also worried about the effects of the Canadian-US dollar exchange rate on industry shops, such as Symtec. “We’ve been holding our own very well as a combined company. I have seen downturns before, but this is the first time that I have seen a downturn so wide spread to so many industries. Usually in the past, you could go to food or pulp and paper, but this downturn has been right across the board,” says D’Aguilar. “And as a company and as a market, we’re not out of it yet. The US dollar exchange has also had an impact in most recent months.” He says he expects technology to get better and more efficient. “Two or three years ago, we had waterjets at 50,000 psi and this was the state of the art. Today, there are waterjets coming out at 90 or 100,000 psi. That’s a lot of power and speed. It’s the same with lasers. At one point, you had a 2.5 kW and then it went to 3 kW and 4 kW. Now it’s very common for companies like us to be running a 6 kW machine. On the forming side, there’s a tremendous amount of automation going into these brake presses.” Where is Symtec Specialty Alloys headed? D’Aguilar says it’s important to remain a single source of specialty metals of all kinds for customers. “Again, we’re a niche player. We’re not all that interested in moving truckloads of sheet or plate product,” he says. “What we offer is the processing side. We’ll do a fair amount of distribution where it makes sense. Somebody can come in and do one-stop shopping, but tonnage based on sheet and plate isn’t our game at all. I love the metals processing side. We’re already thinking about adding or upgrading machinery. We also have our eyes open for good, capable people.” CM www.superalloys.com Robert Robertson is a freelance writer based in Burlington, ON.
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industry report
job shops
Mining Success Metal shop alchemist finds gold in iron ore town By Mark Cardwell.......................................................... Karl Guillemette says he and his brother Steve didn’t know anything about metalworking in 2005 when they bought a small but established machine shop in Sept-Iles. “It was all new to me,” the 31-year-old recalled recently. “And Steve didn’t even know the difference between a nut and a washer.” Five years and much learning later, the pair now own and operate one of the biggest metalworking businesses in one of the hottest mining towns in Canada. Their company, Le Mineur, does mostly custom fabrication for the half-dozen world-class mining companies that extract and process iron ore and aluminum in and around the city of 25,000 on Quebec’s rugged North Shore, 650 kms northeast of Quebec City. According to Guillemette, the needs of those behemoths—including the Rio Tinto-owned Iron Ore Co. of Canada, Arcelor Mittal Mines Canada, Wabush Mines and Aluminerie Alouette Smelter, which has the biggest aluminum smelter in North America and the fifth biggest in the world—are as varied as they are voracious. “We are constantly being asked to do almost anything you can imagine,” he said. “If we can do it, we do it.” The most frequent demand is for custom-made parts to repair the thousands of boxcars that are used to carry mostly iron ore from the massive open-pit mines north of Sept-Iles, near Quebec’s border with Labrador. Other repeat orders include supplying custom-made replacement parts for the Wabush Mines’ two iron ore pellet plants in Sept-Iles (which literally means ‘Seven Islands’) and another in Labrador. Le Mineur is also right now making massive hardsteel seal bars for the endurating furnaces used to cook the iron ore pellets—a job that required the purchase of a huge 22,000-pound machine drill. “There’s good money in it,” noted Guillemette. “But it’s very stressful because we have to work fast. The companies always need things for yesterday.” Working with the mining industry sometimes provides the chance to be involved with innovative designs and technologies. Last year, for example, the Guillemette’s were hired by a Quebec City engineering firm to make several prototypes of a small electric passenger car. Dubbed Kar-Go, the vehicles are specifically designed to resist corrosion in the magneticallycharged confines of aluminum plants. “The project is currently on hold,” said Guillemette, who was originally contracted to build 300 of the vehicles—a deal that generated local headlines. “But it shows we’re not afraid to try things. We’ve always got our eyes and ears open for opportunities.” 16 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
That’s a big reason why he and his brother got involved in the metalworking business in the first place. Born and raised in La Romaine, a village 800 kms east of Sept-Iles that is accessible only by water and air—and where their father and both grandfathers fished lobster—the Guillemettes moved to Sept-Iles with their family when Steve and Karl were, respectively, 15 and 10. Steve eventually owned his own industrial construction company, while Karl tried forestry work and equipment rentals before landing a job as a sales rep for a company that sold gear boxes and other power transmissions to Quebec mining companies. “It allowed me to build a really good network of contacts,” he noted. “It also helped me to realize that I wanted to work for myself—or at least with my brother.” That desire trumped their lack of knowledge about metalworking, he added, when he and Steve first visited, and almost immediately decided to buy, Les Industries de Soudure Mineur. One of about a dozen welding and machine shop businesses in Sept-Iles, the 40-year-old company had “four or five” employees who helped the operator-owner do about a half-million-dollars worth of mostly mining industry-related work each year using conventional tools like an engine lathe, a mill, a drill, a press brake and welding equipment. “The owner stayed a couple of weeks to show me the ropes—how to bid on contracts, how to organize the shop, etc.,” said Karl Guillemette, who ran the shop while Steve concentrated on his construction business. “After that I was on my own. I just learned on the job.” Fuelled by contracts from friends and contacts in both the mining industry and Sept-Iles, and buoyed by the efforts of “really good employees who have taught us everything we know in the shop,” Guillemette said the business grew quickly from the get go, and has never stopped. Already squeezed in the original 3,000 sq ft shop which had no divisions, the brothers doubled the size of the building just a year later and purchased more conventional tools, including another lathe, a mill, and that big 10-ton drill. In addition to their regular core business, the brothers last year launched a new division (and brought in a new partner, Stéphane Lagarde) for the manufacture and installation of custom-made machined pieces for mining companies during plant shutdowns for maintenance purposes. The new venture is also fuelling their plans to build a new office/shop to house the new division, the shop, and Steve’s construction business which, together, now employ 75 people. The new 20,000 sq ft building, which may be built later this year on a property the Guillemette brothers recently bought a kilometre away, would also be equipped with a press brake, CNC mills and lathes and hovering cranes. “We want to have a modern shop,” explained Karl Guillemette. “Our goal is to be able to offer turn-key projects for the fabrication and construction of steel buildings like warehouses, office buildings—you name it. We are a young and aggressive company and his area is going through a boom now that high mineral prices have returned. We want to take advantage of the situation and strike when the iron’s hot, so to speak.” Mark Cardwell is a freelance writer based near Quebec City, QC.
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GREEN MANUFACTURING
Business report
Green $avings The cost benefits of going green
By Tim Wilson .................................................................... The environmental movement has been around for almost fifty years, but it has tended to ebb and flow with economic pressure: when times are tough, manufacturers tighten their belts. But this time is different, because going green has real economic benefits. “The majority of companies we work with are looking at competitive cost savings,” says Chris Rickett, senior project manager at the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority’s Partners in Project Green. Begun in 2008, Partners in Project Green is an initiative to engage the industrial and commercial community around Toronto’s Pearson Airport. “In some companies awareness is very advanced,” says Rickett. “I’d say 3 to 4 per cent are really gung-ho, then there is a mushy middle of 70 per cent that are looking at cost savings, and the rest who don’t really care. We are trying to bring them over to understand sustainability.” Partners in Project Green is aiming to create North America’s largest eco-business zone on more than 12,000 hectares of industrial and commercial lands. “We have 12,500 businesses around the airport, with about 1,200 in logistics, 1,300 in the auto industry, 300 to 400 in plastics, and another 300 to 400 in food processing,” says Rickett. “This is all about sustaining new market opportunities.” Given that green initiatives are new to many companies, Rickett finds that for many the best approach is to go after energy, because it’s the easiest. “We can typically go into a building, do an energy audit, and identify 15 to 25 per cent savings with limited capital outlay.”
Manufacturing: a special case
Manufacturing has its own unique challenges, however, with a sustainable model having more to do with processes than a simple building energy audit. “When you look at milling machines and cutting tools, we know that when they are manually controlled they are only working five per cent of the time,” says Paul Ranky, professor of Engineering Design, Manufacturing, Industrial and Management Systems at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. “The rest of the time is occupied for such things as set-up or maintenance. But with a CNC machine you can get 85 per cent utilization, and a flexible automation system can get you to 95 per cent or 98 per cent.” Ranky says that manufacturers are in better shape than they were ten years ago, because simulation technologies are more advanced. Simulation allows for processes to be optimized in virtual domains first, which then brings real savings. “Management has to understand they must invest in virtual modelling before they invest in the shop floor,” says Ranky. “Factories can improve efficiencies by 30 per cent to 50 per
cent—easily. This represents an enormous amount of time, energy, machine and human waste, as well as waste on the transportation, logistics, and storage front.” Ranky agrees with Rickett that energy management is fairly straightforward to tackle, largely because it is easy to measure. But things get more complicated when other costs are factored in, particularly smaller time increments and expense trade-offs. “For metal cutting processes, how you set the parameters is important,” says Ranky. “Do you want to minimize the cycle time or the energy use? Energy is more expensive at peak hours, so perhaps that is when you shut down for maintenance, and run an un-manned shift at night.” Price fluctuations as well as an individual manufacturer’s use profile can affect the best way to get the most out of a green investment, but none of this is possible without the right data and analysis. “Managers have to analyze their business, it’s what they do, but most don’t really understand costs,” says Ranky. “A proper process model must be updated to allow for fluctuations in energy and material costs.” Without this, a lot of managers don’t really understand what’s going on in their shop, and can’t properly assess the ROI of a waste reduction initiative. Scale is also an issue, because if the use profile for a small manufacturer indicates that grams, and not kilos, of metal chips are swept off the floor, then there is little incentive to recycle or reuse. That is, unless you can find a way to tap into economies of scale. “Only about 20 per cent of the ICI—industrial, commercial, and institutional—waste is now being diverted,” says Rickett, who adds that part of the problem is that capturing waste can cost money, and there is no model to fund that, particularly if haulage firms don’t see the value in small scale operations. www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 19
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GREEN MANUFACTURING
“There is a lot of room to develop relationships with haulers,” says Rickett. “This is where we come in, because we can provide the resources and institutional memory to keep all that together.” Rickett can also show haulers numbers that indicate all those smaller operations add up to real volume–-and money to be made. “There are huge waste opportunities,” he says. “It’s simply a matter of understanding the market.”
beginning. Fitch echoes Willard’s observation that the supply chain will determine the ROI on investments in green, because market opportunity will necessitate capital spending. “Manufacturers need to get ahead of the curve on this,” says Fitch. “Governments and big companies are going to be requiring higher environmental standards. If you want an OEM agreement with General Electric, then you’re going to have to give the company an accounting of your sustainability practices.”
Pressure from the supply chain
There is money to be made from energy conservation and waste reduction, but there is also money to be made in ways that many manufacturers are only now beginning to grasp, namely through new market opportunities and better employee engagement. “Energy and waste are the low hanging fruit,” says Bob Willard, a Toronto-based former executive who now makes a living as an author and speaker on business sustainability. “But it is also a great way to get employees engaged so that you can respond to a changing market.” Willard points out that Walmart recently announced an initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain, with the retail giant pressuring its suppliers to rethink manufacturing, packaging and transportation. IBM is another example – Big Blue has said it will require its 28,000 tier 1 suppliers to implement management systems for tracking energy use, waste and recycling. That means a lot of manufacturers are going to have to shell out some coin to comply with the green requirements of the big companies they supply. But how to go about what are, on occasion, capital intensive initiatives? Los Angeles-baed WB Financial, which does green manufacturing financing, might have the answer. “We facilitate the leasing and financing of energy efficient equipment,” says Nicholas Fitch, director of finance at WB Financial. “A lot of companies need new gear to be in compliance, and we help bridge the gap.” WB Financial is seeing demand for LED lighting retrofits in warehouses and manufacturing plants, but that’s just the 4548 CStrip 178x38 (L) AW.pdf
3/3/08
Business report
An HR issue
One aspect that many manufacturers overlook is that they are already making an investment in a source of green innovation— their people. “Many businesses will invest a lot of money in technology or a new process,” says Rickett. “But it’s better to leverage the HR-related stuff; it’s easier, and you can then put some of those ideas into the technology that comes later.” Rickett points out that some of the approaches are surprisingly simple, like having people keep the bay doors closed in a warehouse. In fact, Willard argues that the same culture that has supported safety and quality improvement can be brought in to advance green initiatives. “The unions are ready for this,” he says. “The Canadian Auto workers are way ahead of GM in terms of what they want to do with green manufacturing.” At the end of the day, however, it is senior management that has to see the material benefit from green investments. “We do a lot of assessments of small metalworkers, and we see the same things, most of which can be fixed from an HR perspective,” says Rickett. “But I have also seen leadership from the owner of a metal fabricating plant in Scarborough, who uses water to cool his spot welders, then circulates the same water to heat his shop.” That small investment has led to a smaller footprint and, intended or not, has made the owner more competitive in the new green economy. CM Tim Wilson is a freelance writer based in Peterborough, ON.
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www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 21
MACHINE TOOLS
EDMs
Charging Ahead
Industry experts weigh in on optimizing speed and performance of EDMs
By Nate Hendley ........................................................................................ Electrical Discharge Machines (also known as “Electronic Discharge Machines”) remove metal from work-pieces by burning, rather than cutting or grinding. EDMs come in two main varieties: die sinking machines (which utilize a machined graphite or copper electrode in order to burn a shape in a work-piece) and wire cutting machines (which utilize a very thin wire to perform the same task). In addition to wire and die sinkers, drilling EDMs make up a small but growing niche. The term “EDM” also applies to both the machines and their actual use, as in “Electrical Discharge Machining”. Our experts weigh in on the best ways to optimize speed and performance on an EDM: “EDM is an extremely accurate but relatively slow process.” What’s your opinion? “Wire EDM is a relatively slow process if you’re only looking at the rate at which the cutter wire is moving through the work-piece. Speeds and feeds for sawing, milling, turning and grinding are normally much faster, but you also must take into consideration the hardness of the material being machined … using spark erosion versus mechanical chip removal allows wire EDMs to cut through any material as long as it’s conductive,” says Greg Langenhorst, technical marketing manager with MC Machinery Systems Inc., in Wood Dale, IL, which sells Mitsubishi EDMs. EDMs also leave no burrs. “The other thing you have to consider when using wire EDM is the fact that the finished part is truly finished. No secondary deburring operation is required ... wire EDM, through a multiple pass machining process, can produce a very fine mirrorlike matte finish that in many cases is far superior, when it comes to performance, to a milled or ground finish,” adds Langenhorst. Stephen Bond, national sales manager for Sudbury, Massachusetts-based Methods Machine Tools Ltd., echoes this view. “Slow is a relative term. [Electrical Discharge Machining is slow] compared to conventional/traditional machining like milling. EDM can actually be faster, 22 | june 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
however, in many applications using tough to machine materials like Inconel and gummy materials that leave a burr and require a second operation to remove the burr,” states Bond, whose company distributes FANUC EDMs among other equipment.
Lights Out
If not the fastest machines in a shop, some EDMs can be used in a “lights out” fashion, which maximizes their utility. “Though the feed rate through the work-piece may be slow, the machines are fully Computer Numerical Control (CNC) operable and will run by themselves until they run out of supplies ... unattended time is all gravy as no operator is being paid to stand in front of the machine. In many shops, one operator runs several machines with no problem. This in itself is a huge advantage wire can bring to a shop ... those that have them run them 24/7 when the work is there,” says Langenhorst, of Mitsubishi wire EDMs. The Mitsubishi FA10S wire EDM has a CNC advance control system with a 15-inch LCD touch-screen with simple menu configuration. This EDM also uses 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) data.
Software and Technology
Shop owners are advised to seek out software that boosts EDM performance or buy EDM machines with built-in performance-enhancing technology. Makino’s wire EDMs for example, boast “WireWizard Technology”—a control system that includes a number of other technologies such as “BellyWizard” and “High Energy Applied Technology (H.E.A.T.)”. Makino describes H.E.A.T. as a new advancement in wire EDM technology “that dramatically reduces cutting times while maintaining exceptional part straightness and one or two pass cutting accuracy … H.E.A.T. cuts parts 18 per cent to 44 per cent faster … H.E.A.T. is ideal for practical high speed performance in … medical, aerospace and EDM job shops.” BellyWizard technology, meanwhile,
Makino’s new UPV wire EDMs are built with oil-based dielectic systems and designed for hardened material machining.
“greatly reduces belly or bow left in tall parts during the first pass. This allows the machine to take fewer passes to final size and finish, thus reducing cycle time ... anything that can help flushing or make a burn more stable will tend to increase cut speeds,” explains Jeff Kiszonas, the Auburn Hills, MI-based EDM product manager for Makino EDM Group. “The combination of these technologies ... allow Makino WEDMs (wire EDMs) to burn faster than other technologies, especially in certain applications,” he adds. The all new series of Makino WEDMs, including DUO and the U86, use the WireWizard control system.
Using EDM on New Materials
“Different types of aerospace material are now being run on EDMs with no fear of the old recast layer issues that limited this type of work being done on EDMs in the past. Power supply technology development plays a big part in this new capability by reducing the stray voltage in the machining area and reducing the stress-cracking and re-melt layer caused by the EDM process to virtually nothing … so power supply technology does increase speed not only by cutting faster, but by also reducing the post-machining clean-up of the parts cut,” says Langenhorst. The reference website www.toolingu. com defines “recast layer” as “the surface
EDMs
layer created by an EDM process that is composed of re-deposited bits of metal. The recast layer is very thin and can be removed by finishing operations.”
New Uses for EDM
EDM drilling machines are still something of a novelty in a sector dominated by die sinking and wire machines. Bond expects this sector to grow, however, as shop owners continue to diversify away from automotive and into sectors such as aerospace. “If you want to get into aerospace, you have to be able to drill holes, and that’s where the market has increased for drilling,” states Bond, who adds that the medical parts sector has also taken to EDM drilling technology. Methods Machine sells drilling EDMs from a company called Current EDM, headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Bond estimates that drilling machines currently make up “about 15 per cent” of the EDM market (up from two to three per cent a few years ago), with a great deal of growth potential: the drilling EDM segment “could be 25 per cent in five years,” he states. Having said this, Bond does not expect the drilling EDM segment to ever get as big as wire or die sinking, “because of the versatility of the wire machines ... I still think the wire machines will be top dogs, the leaders, followed by die sinking and then drilling.”
Dirty Water + Frequent Flushing
“An old sinker EDM operator once told me the three most important things for speed in EDM was flushing, flushing, flushing. This holds true to both sinker and wire EDM. If you can’t get the dirt out of the gap, you’re going to go slow,” says Langenhorst. Likewise, “keeping the water clean and filtered to the proper conductivity level is important for the machine to reach optimum speed.”
Does Greater Speed = Less Accuracy?
“In the world of wire EDM, in terms of flat out rough cut speed, yes faster equals less accuracy,” says Mitsubishi’s Lagenhorst, Larger diameter wire, higher flushing pressure and higher amperage all create more wire vibration and that equals less accuracy, he says. “The way we go about going faster is to run a quick rough cut and then balance the amount of material to be removed with a power level and speed to clean up the inaccuracies of the first cut with several skim cuts. Each pass
MACHINE TOOLS
reduces the power level and step over amount to create a very accurate part with a great surface finish.” Makino’s Kiszonas says that the company has been developing “faster cutting technologies for both our wire and sinker EDMs for several years now. One of our targets has always been to cut faster without losing accuracy and we continue to meet or exceed this target with each new development—H.E.A.T. and precision technology for .012 in. wire for WEDMs and SuperSpark III and SuperSpark [software] for sinker EDMs. There will always be some jobs, however, that, because of the accuracies and geometries involved, will be looked at as being slow,” reports Kiszonas. As EDM capabilities continue to improve, is EDM a good alternative for some applications? “Yes. This is already happening as more difficult to machine materials are used. The EDM process is being used in areas where it was never used before, like aerospace parts for jet engines … small parts, tighter tolerances and improved accuracy have all led manufacturers to look for other ways to machine parts and in most cases EDM is looked to if traditional machining is not a useful [way] to make the part,” says Bond. “There are still plenty of applications where EDM is the best option, possibly the only option,” says Kiszonas. These applications include hard materials such as carbides and even some aerospace materials like Inconel ... “and crystalline materials like Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and cubic boron nitride (CBN). Also [EDMs can do] details that the milling cutters just cannot achieve, because those details are too deep for a specified cutter diameter/length or a square corner in a pocket is required or the like.” “As the tougher materials hit the markets manufacturers may try to machine it conventionally with lathes and mills. Depending on the application, results may not be optimal and an EDM machine can be an excellent alternative. An EDM machine may not be quite as fast as conventional, in general materials, but when those tough materials come up, EDM machines can be very competitive,” adds Bond. CM www.makino.com www.methodsmachine.com www.mitsubishi-world.com Nate Hendley is a freelance writer based in Toronto. www.canadianmetalworking.com | june 2010 | 23
MACHINE TOOLS
DROs & CONTROLS
A Controlled Approach Canadian Metalworking speaks with Scott Warner of Heidenhain Corp. about technology changes in DROs and controls By Jack Kohane .................................................................................................................................................... DROs
Why are the key reasons that manufacturers using manual machines should use DROs? The machining world has become much more competitive, with the influx of other foreign competition. Speed of machining along with final product quality is the only way to compete. Digital readouts are one of those tools than enhance both machining speed and product quality. What key technology changes have occurred with DROs in the past five years? The advent of Display screens, capable of graphical displays to enhance the intuitive nature of simple and advanced features, such as circular bolt patterns and help screens. Features have continued to be easier to use, (more intuitive), new features such as incline milling, arc milling, edge finding using a electronic edge finder. I can specifics on this if you wish. How accurate are the readings from DROs? The accuracy is always much higher than the machine can produce, the limiting factor is the machine itself. DRO’s help the machinist be more repeatable and reduce the chance of errors. Are DROs used on CNC machines? If so, why? Sometimes to display a manual axis such as a rotary table. There will likely always be manufacturers using manual machines, but as the manufacturing industry begins to migrate more and more towards CNC systems and automation to become more competitive, will DROs play a less important role? As machinist become more CNC literate, so does their expectations for the latest technology. More and more machinist are not trained or used to using dials and 24 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
PRODUCT REPORT Heidenhain
Heidenhain offers the GAGE-CHEK metrology readouts designed for multi-point readouts, and the TNC 620 contouring control for use on milling machine and machining centres. The GAGE-CHEK readouts have inputs for up to eight gauges, and are designed for multipoint measurements. The ND 2100G series will handle machine measurement and inspection tasks with ease, from simple pass/fail detection up to complex SPC evaluation. The instrument can manage up to 100 parts, each with up to 16 visible measurement features and 16 hidden ones. Soft and hot keys can be adapted as required. Min/Max functions monitor and store data, and warning and tolerance limits can be set to each display value. The ND 2104G covers up to four axes, while the ND 2108G can handle eight. The RS-232 interface is used for communications with a PC, and a connector for interfacing with relays is also included. Users can also connect printers and memory media via the USB port. The TNC 620 with digital drive control is designed for use on milling machines and machining centers with up to five axis plus spindle. This TNC is based on an innovative software platform NC Kernel. The control is quipped for handling even very complicated tasks, including those that that use swivel and rotary axes. And for simultaneous machining with up to five axes, it offers special functions that produce optimal machining results. Dynamic look-ahead, algorithms for jerk limitation and intelligent motion control are the type of available functions that enable the TNC 620 to handle even very stringent requirements on the surface of a finished workpiece. www.heidenhain.com
Fagor Automation
Fagor Automation Corp. has introduced a new control, the CNC 8065 and two new DROs, Innova 40i P and 40i TS. The new CNC 8065 features an industrial PC platform and is equipped with a new Icon-based Shop Floor Programming systems. The control combines the operating system aspects of the operator friendly 8055 series CNC with the power and technology of the CNC 8070. The 8065 CNC also has the capability of traditional ISO G-code programming and can control up to seven axes, multiple channels for independent operations and many advanced algorithms for high speed machining, Die and Mould and turn mill operations. Capabilities include block processing speeds of 0.5 ms and even less while analyzing the tool path with advanced high speed block look ahead. The New Innova 40i P & 40i TS Digital Readout Systems extend the range of the best TFT colour LCD DRO available in the market today, claims Fagor. The two models are designed to support machines with four axis and lathes with constant surface speed control (CSS). The 40i P is capable of controlling rotary axis and comes equipped with I/O to interface to control various external devices. The 40i TS offers “All new Thread repair cycle” and taper turning, 15 Tool offsets and additional I/O. www.fagorautomation.com
DROs & CONTROLS
therefore expect the use of a DRO as a standard item.
PRODUCT REPORT
Controls
Mitutoyo
How have controls on today’s CNC machines improve the machining operation? Today’s CNC controls allow the machine builder or integrator to more closely match the control to the machine, to optimize both speed and accuracy. It has become a closer marriage of joint engineering that allows the control to enhance performance in problem areas of a machine tool, creating tremendous leaps in performance. What impact does the type of CNC machine have on controls? The controls need to be much more powerful to deal with the multi-tasking of more complex tool changers and pallet changers. In the past these functions were handled, however not always in the most efficient manner and easy to program or use. What kind of learning curve is involved with using controls and reading data generated from the controls? This is a big improvement over the past, as more sophisticated operations take less time to learn and the operator does not have to be the engineer to foresee problems in programming.
What are the areas of improvement or R&D focus for control suppliers that addresses a need in the industry? Speed of machining while staying on the programmed path within tolerance. What controls can we expect to see in the market in the next five to ten years? Will they be drastically different, offer more capabilities? I think you will see , wireless hand wheels, touch screens with improvements to more icon based programming, better integration between control manufactures and CAD/CAM systems. CM Scott Warner is the regional manager for Heidenhain Corp., Mississauga, ON. www.heidenhain.com
Mitutoyo’s AT715 digital readout system provides maximum in-shop use. ASBSOLUE electromagnetic induction system is used to achieve IP-67 resistance to dust and coolants, perfect for wet milling, drilling and turning applications. It detects and outputs the absolute position of the scale. No reference point setup is needed at each power-on, and the scale is not affected by electronic noise. These linear scales are available in lengths from 4 in. to 120 in. and provide accuracy for most jobs at ±5 µm (100-500mm), ±7 µm (600-800 mm), ±10 µm (2000 – 3000 mm). The scale main unit has 2 mounting directions for easy installation on machining tools with difficult mounting positions. Mitutoyo s KA counter is available with one, two or three axis operation with 10 coordinate features. A sealed membrane hardens the counter against dirt and grit. The KA counter is fully compatible with AT715 and AT-100 series linear scales. Other functions of the KA counter are; Zero-setting, Preset, Low Digit OFF, Bolt-Hole-Circle, MM/Inch Conversion, Counting Direction Setting, Resolution Setting (Parameter Setting), Diameter Display, ½ Calculation, Smoothing Display, and Tool Offset (Parameter Setting) www.mitutoyo.ca
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CUTTING TOOLS
ThREADING
Going the Distance Advanced geometries are helping thread milling make inroads into smaller job shops By Tim Wilson ...................................................................................................................................................... As the North American economy recovers, some changes are afoot in the manufacturing sector, and one of the most compelling is the wider adoption of thread milling technologies with more complex thread geometries. “Because of the downturn, a lot of contract machine shops have to diversify into industries that they previously weren’t comfortable with,” says Mark Hatch, manager of thread milling for Emuge Corp., West Boylston, MA. “When traditionally they might have tapped, they are now considering thread mills.” The aerospace, healthcare, and oil and gas industries have for decades relied to some extend on thread milling, but now as advanced geometries—and the software to run more sophisticated applications—become user friendly, thread milling is within reach of smaller shops and non-traditional industries. “We serve many industries with a variety of thread milling technologies,” says Hatch. “It has come a long way in terms of the geometry of each tool.” Emuge has more than 1,500 standard solid carbide thread mills, with Hatch noting that the appeal of reduced cycle time means that thread milling is no longer only for hard metals and alloys like titanium, stainless steel, and Inconel, but is also now
used with softer metals such as aluminium and cast iron. “We can combine operations like drilling, chamfering, and threading,” he says, “and we can do this with mills that are common to specific industry applications.” As a result, CNC-driven thread mills can bring more advanced geometries to smaller shops. Having a three axis mill employ a helical interpolation (with the X and Y axis sculpting a thread with each turn, and the Z axis following a linear path) can offer up a lot of opportunities, but such complexity can also be daunting to new users. Fortunately, the latest in software-driven CNC technology can make a big difference. “We provide a complimentary, user-friendly, menu-driven thread milling software program to our customers,” says Tom Hofmann, global product manager, milling, for Stellram, a division of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI), LaVergne, TN. “It offers an automatic calculation of feed rate compensation, thread details and dimensions, as well as safety limits for the feed and speed rates.” These kinds of capabilities help smooth out the learning curve for people intimidated by some of the new advances in thread milling. In effect, it means that smaller shops can take advantage of more complex offerings such as octagonal milling inserts.
PRODUCT REPORT Emuge
Emuge Corp.’s expanded line of solid carbide thread mills, THREADS-ALL require minimal tooling and quickly adapt to a wide range of threading requirements to easily and safely machine with unsurpassed thread quality and tool life, claims the company. Requiring only eight standard tool sizes, #10 – 1/4 - 5/16 – 3/8 – 7/16 -1/2 – 5/8 – 3/4, it is now possible to quickly and economically produce 100+ commonly produced screw thread designations including UNC – UNF – STI UNC – STI UNF – UNEF – UNS - UNJC – UNJF – M – MJ. In addition, THREADS-ALL tools provide total control over pitch diameter limits including 2B, 3B, 3BG and all oversize variants. The Emuge THREADS-ALL program is designed for difficult-to-cut materials, up to 58Rc, including stainless steels, titanium and 28 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
Inconel often used in demanding industries such as aerospace, defense and medical. The Emuge thread mill range is designed through in-depth analysis of thread dimensions and tolerances and advanced profile geometry correction in the finish grind, for true-to-gage threads. The Solid Carbide Thread Mills Program also includes miniature tools for dependable, easy machining of difficult materials. Miniature size thread mills provide a reliable threading solution and are available in ten sizes ranging from 0 to STI 8. www.emuge.com
Komet
With the new MGF XH Micro, the KOMET GROUP has expanded its MGF thread milling tools into the dimension range of M1-M2.5. These left-hand cutting tools are designed with one profile, with two or three flutes and fitted with a 90° countersink that is standard in this
series. The attainable thread length is at a length-to-diameter ratio of 1.5 x D. The tools make machining directly into hardened metal possible, even with the smallest of diameters. As is the case with all other standard (drilling) thread milling cutters from Komet, CNC programs can be generated online under tpt.kometgroup.com and are available worldwide around the clock from every PC with internet access. www.komet.com
Precision Dormer
Dormer’s range of solid carbide thread mills produce high quality accurate threads on modern CNC machines. The current program covers Metric Coarse, Metric Fine, UNC, UNF, G (BSP), NPT and NPTF thread forms. Dormer can now offer a thread milling cutter for almost any application. Solid carbide thread mills are versatile tools that can be used in many different materials and the same tool can produce many different diameters as long as the pitch is the same. The fine grain carbide used by Dormer, combined with TiAlN-X (Titanium
ThREADING
An integrated approach
“The software provides pre-programmed codes for the proper cutting path, which can help ease adoption for the end-user,” says Hofmann. As well, a fully integrated company like ATI has some competitive advantage in that it makes its own substrate powders, manufacturing and grinding out its own materials, with complete control over the helix angle and geometry, as well as the micro grade of the substrate and the coating. “We are unique in that ATI produces a wide range of specialty metals and alloys and we produce the powder to manufacture carbide substrates as well as make the cutting tools,” says Hofmann. “We frequently have metallurgists and engineers in all parts of the company collaborating and moving forward with new innovation and design—the bottom line is that it brings more productivity to the end user.” Many companies offer free threading software for CNC program preparation, with full profile inserts that will cut the complete thread form, including the crest. CNC programs can often be configured online to take advantage of thread mill geometries that aren’t offered by tappin—like getting the thread at or near the bottom of a part. That being said, thread mills can have limits in deep holes, because a thread mill typically engages the material with multiple points of contact, meaning the cutting force can be significant. This force can also be unbalanced because a thread mill is slender and prone to deflection. “With thread mills, the cutting tool is not exactly to the same dimension of the internal thread, because the end of the thread isn’t ground into the tool like with a tap,” says Hatch. “Because the thread is made by the axis of the machine tool, it gets more
Aluminium Nitride Extreme) coating, means that these tools can offer the user an unbeatable combination of toughness and wear resistance when machining most materials. The solid carbide thread mills produce accurate threads and have a longer tool life when compared to conventional taps, claims the company. Dormers Product Selector CD offers programming examples of thread milling cycles for internal and external, right or left hand threading with incremental or absolute programming according to the most common systems. www.precisiondormer.com
Sandvik Coromant
For high quality in all your threading operations, the recently introduced insert grade GC1125 is now complemented with the new grade GC1135 from Sandvik Coromant.
complex as tool geometries are leaning toward longer cut lengths.” Normally, a tool is limited to a depth of 2.5 times its diameter. To overcome this limit, Emuge has a design that uses a replaceable insert for machining; as a result, the lower cutting force from the use of this single edge is coupled with a higher stiffness, which comes from a rigid steel shank.
The geometry of small
There is great appeal in being able to change a mill so that two holes of the same diameter are threaded to a different pitch, or with the same pitch but different diameters, and to do this without changing tools. Suddenly, new capabilities (and markets), open up—but only if the software makes it easy. “Thread milling can be very intimidating at the beginning,” says Don Halas, product manager for threading and grooving at Seco Tools in Troy, MI, who notes that demand is rising to match increased requirements for hardened steel. “Once you’re on it, it’s ‘Wow, this is amazing,’” says Halas. “But the software is very important, and for that you have to support the customer.” Software programs can allow a thread mill to produce either a left or right-hand thread, to conduct multiple passes, and to mange higher cutting speeds and feed rates. Because inserts can have multiple cutting teeth, with multiple thread diameters and pieces, this minimizes the number of inserts required. But when tools with adjustable operating parameters are working with smaller geometries, automation is a must. “With small threads, a metric profile is normally 60°, but when you measure out the tool it is not 60°, if you don’t account for
Both grades offer good function in all ISO materials although each grade has its own specialty. If the majority of your threading operations are in steels, cast irons or aluminum, GC1125 should be your choice, whereas for stainless steels, super alloys or profiles requiring sharp cutting edges choose GC1135. Both new grades are available in the new 16 mm insert for CoroThread 266. The 16 mm size insert is suitable for the majority of general threading applications and benefits from the unique iLock interface with its secure insert clamping. This exceptional stability improves the threading performance with greater precision and fewer passes. www.sandvik.coromant.com
Seco Tools
CUTTING TOOLS
Toolholders from Seco Tools Canada for use with the company’s range of Snap Tap thread
turning inserts feature an AntiTwist insert locking system to provide the most rigid insert holding possible. The Anti-Twist system is two-fold. First is the use of a solid carbide pin, located in the back of the insert pocket. This resists distortion by preventing the twisting and turning of the insert, which can often occur during machining with standard toolholders. Secondly, the inclusion of a HD (heavy duty) style clamp securely pulls the insert down and into the pocket. Seco’s Snap Tap threading system offers more than 1500 combinations of profiles and grades, making it an industry standard worldwide and a winner for pipe threading applications in the oil and gas industries. With new EPA regulations and companies that are drilling 24/7, each thread is now evaluated with careful inspection methods. For the oil and gas industry applications, the Snap Tap threading system meets the toughest demands for durability and reliability. www.secotools.com www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 29
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ThREADING
the correction then you won’t get the right profile on the part,� says Wolfgang Ruff, VP of engineering, Komet America, Schauburg, IL. For manufacturers who want access to the aerospace and medical markets, milling smaller, more complex geometries still has to be understood in the context of thread milling for harder materials. At Emuge, for example, precision ground rake and relief angles allow for tools to be used in all material groups up to 58 Rc. “We know that some people see thread milling as difficult,� says Hatch. “That’s why we have a full-time programmer on staff, to show that with a software-driven CNC we can take away the learning curve by providing the technical support to get people up and running quickly.�
says Ruff. “It has a chamfer behind it and doesn’t need so much torque. We can also switch out the pitch on the same thread size, so that, for example, we can use the same thread for an M10 and an M16.� And now these kinds of capabilities are extending out of traditional thread milling applications for hard alloys to include softer metals like aluminium. “We are seeing thread milling in the automotive industry, where fast machining is a
CUTTING TOOLS
must,� says Ruff. “Getting the tool change down from ten seconds to under four, when you have 200,000 parts in a year— these offer some amazing savings.� CM www.atistellram.com www.emuge.com www.komet.com www.secotools.com Tim Wilson is a freelance writer based in Peterborough, ON.
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And more and more operators are getting on board, using solid carbide thread mills for holes under ž in., with indexables—which only require insert changes—a good bet for larger holes. “About 10 to 15 per cent of our tools are for smaller diameters and longer reach,� says Hofmann. “These are special tools—we are seeing the benefits with them, with titanium and high temperature alloys being use beyond traditional markets like aerospace.�
Quality
Many people incorrectly see threading, though necessary, as having a minor role in high quality part manufacturing. In fact, because the threading comes near the end of the manufacturing process, there is little room for error, as the parts are near completion. In effect, one mistake could result in a ruined part, and cost a fortune. “When you have one big part, you don’t want to throw it away,� says Ruff at Komet. “Fortunately, if a thread mill breaks you can remove it, put in a new one, and finish—it’s the same quality.� In these kinds of application environments—high value, and high stress— having the right tool for the job is a must. And as CAD programs and advanced engineering demand finer machining of high quality materials, thread milling vendors have to respond. “We have a flat mill for smaller sizes,�
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TAPPING
CUTTING TOOLS
Tapping in the Fast Lane Recent advancements in taps are helping to boost tapping speeds in high production manufacturing By Mary Scianna .................................................................................................................................................. Thread milling continues to make inroads in many threading operations, but when it comes to machining deep internal threads in high production environments—where speed is critical—tapping works best say suppliers. While a relatively new application for taps, tapping in high production environments such as automotive manufacturing, is gaining ground say suppliers who spoke with Canadian Metalworking. That’s because advancements in tap geometries, coatings (e.g. nano-layered TiAIN), tooling materials (solid carbides) and toolholders (e.g. through-coolant designs) have resulted in a new generation of faster speed (some refer to them as “full speed”) taps that are three to four times faster than their conventional cousins at tapping speeds of 100 m/min (328 sfm). “High speed tapping is far faster than thread milling,” says Ted Henderer, a research engineer with Kennametal, based in Asheboro, NC. “We’ve seen major manufacturers, high volume/ high production manufacturers convert to high speed tapping, so it’s gaining a foothold in the market.”
The Emuge 1Enorm-S-TiN full speed tap with speeds of 2.0 seconds per thread in SAE 1018.
The Three Amigos
There are three critical aspects to achieving fast tapping speeds in high production environments: a modern CNC machine tool with a synchronous cycle; a rigid round toolholder and a solid carbide tap. “Without any one of these three, it’s not possible to have high speed tapping,” says Kennametal’s Ted Henderer.
1. Modern CNC Machine Tool
Faster tapping is what Alan Shepherd, technical director of Emuge Corp., West Boylston, MA, calls “the Holy Grail” of machining. “The faster you can do it, the happier people are. But before you’re going to be able to tap at what we consider high speeds above conventional speeds of the day, you have to ensure the machine tool itself is a modern design.” Indeed, Kennametal’s Ted Henderer says that “the biggest thing I see that users might not be fully knowledgeable about is the difference in machine tools...Some machine tools have spindles with high inertia and weak motor drives so they can’t accelerate and decelerate easily. Others have very low inertia and very strong motor drives, so they’re very quick. So when you buy a machine tool and want to use it for high speed tapping, this is something you need to consider.” To increase tapping speeds, you need to have a machine with the ability to synchronize the spindle feed and rotation for fast and accurate tapping. Suppliers say that most older generation machines don’t accurately coordinate or synchronize feed and rotation during tapping, essential for producing high quality screw threads. But with the ability to synchronize on modern CNC machine tools come some words of warning from industry experts. Synchronization errors can occur when tapping at high speeds,
says Emuge’s Alan Shepherd, which can result in reduced tap life and poor thread quality. When tapping blind-holes, Henderer has some advice. “Not all machines have equal [synchronous tapping] capability. Since the tap and spindle must decelerate at the bottom of the hole, lead errors can occur during reversal, which causes thrust on the tap and oversized thread gauging. The most accurate machines can use a totally stiff chuck or holder. For the machines that are less accurate, what’s available to them is a synchronous tapping chuck that allows a small amount of axial movement so that if the machine is tapping off lead, it can absorb the error.” Since the tap is still engaged with the workpiece during deceleration, tap reversal and reacceleration, Henderer advises that tapping speed should be reduced by about 40 per cent when tapping blind holes from the speeds recommended for tapping through-holes.
2. Rigid Toolholder
Rigidity is critical if you want to tap in high production environments, says Dave Vetrecin, rotating tools product manager for Iscar Canada, Oakville, ON. www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 33
CUTTING TOOLS
TAPPING
“You need to ensure that the part that is going to be tapped allow a slight amount of axial movement but with high rotational is held rigid. Rigidity aids in better tap life, part accuracy and stiffness work best with carbide taps. more consistent threads.” By way of example, Shepherd cites Emuge’s Softsynchro Ted Henderer notes that shrink-fit and hydraulic toolholders tapholder, a collet designed with a slight tension/compression— hold the tool with greater rigidity and reduce radial runout more tests Emuge conducted in Germany illustrated that the slight than flexible tapping heads. tension/compression can eliminate problems caused b a CNC “For example, the holder can be rotated concentrically machine’s synchronization errors when within three microns or less, and these methods can hold a tapping at high speeds. cylindrical shank with much higher gripping force and rigidity, “If there is any amount of backlash explains Henderer. He adds that precision collet-type TGHP when the machine reverses, the tapholder (tremendous grip high pressure) with high gripping compensates for it,” says Shepherd. force can also be used effectively, although Another design component on the they’re “not as desirable” as shrinkfit tapholder to consider is how the coolant is Widia’s new powder-metal Widia-GTD distributed through the holder to evacuate and hydraulic holders. HSS-E taps offer greater heat resistance chips, says Iscar’s Dave Vetrecin. “Taps are Alex Traianopoulos, marketing and improved tool life. manager North America for Precision designed specifically to tap a blind hole or Dormer, Mississauga, ON, advises that “tap drivers with a cona through hole. With blind hole taps, the coolant comes out trolled amount of axial float will lengthen the tool’s life. These straight through the end of the tap and flushed up the flutes. holders reduce the amount of flank wear, both on entry and exit With through holes the coolant passes through inside the flute.” of the workpiece.” He adds that the wear on taps can be caused While there are no specific coolants designed for tapping, by older spindles which no longer deliver true pitch control and manufacturers must take into consideration the type of material either underfeed or overfeed the taps. being cut and the type of tap being used for the application in Emuge’s Alan Shepherd says that it’s essential to have a a high production environment, says Craig Brydges, sales and high quality rigid tapholder and many suppliers have designed marketing manager for Milacron Canada, Burlington, ON. precision tapholders “that have the ability to take maximum “For cut tap applications most coolants containing boundry threading production potential from modern CNC applications type lubricants are sufficient. Boundry type lubricants provide with synchronous rigid speed and feed controls.” an excellent barrier between the two surfaces and do not Kennametal’s Ted Henderer adds that tapholder designs that require heat or pressure to form a protective film. For roll
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TAPPING
CUTTING TOOLS
form tapping applications heavy duty coolants containing both boundry and/or extreme pressure lubricants should be considered. Extreme pressure (EP) lubricants chemically react under conditions of high heat or pressure to enhance cutting performance. Roll form tapping applications are typically more demanding on Precision the coolants lubrication package.”
of taps with different flute designs for short and long chip materials. For through holes, Kennametal, for example, has a left-hand spiral fluted design for long chipping steel and for blind holes it has a right hand spiral fluted design. Tapping will continue to play an important role in metalworking, particularly in deep hole threads, says Iscar’s Dave Vetrecin. “In certain applications tapping has some advantages over thread Dormer’s new milling. For deep holes, tapping is a lot Orbital Thread Former, 3. Solid Carbide Taps quicker than thread milling.” the J500, combines the benefits of thread milling The ability to tap at faster speeds in high Indeed, in one early high speed tap test production environments is attributable to the cutters and thread forming taps. that Kennametal conducted where throughshift to solid carbide taps. holes were tapped in 32 HRC 4340 steel, TiN “Most cutting tools have made the transition from HSS (High coated HSS taps were producing 1,500 holes at conventional Speed Steel) to carbide. With that has come a big advantage— speed, 50 ft/min. At 300 ft/min, the HSS taps lasted 158 holes, for taps like all other tools—in speed just by having the tool whereas the new carbid taps had very little wear when the test made of carbide,” says Kennametal’s Ted Henderer. was conducted at 1,700 holes. In recent years, suppliers have developed new carbide taps, “High speed tapping is far faster than thread milling and some with cylindrical shanks that can be used in shrinkfit, it’s gaining a foothold in the market,” says Kennametal’s Ted hydraulic or precision TGHP collet holders (Kennametal) and Henderer. CM www.emuge.com others with innovative designs incorporating high profile relief www.iscar.ca angles (for faster tapping speeds), different shaped flutes and www.kennametal.com coolant-through technology (Emuge). www.milacron.com One of the big advances that cutting tool suppliers have www.precision.dormer.com made is the ability for taps to be used in long chip materials (carbon steel, alloy steel) in addition to short chip material For our Tapping Product Report, please visit us online at (cast iron). Suppliers advise that manufacturers ensure they’re www.canadianmetalworking.com. using the right tap for the application. There are different styles
www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 35
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FIBER LASER CUTTING
FABRICATING
Fiber Fix Faster cutting speeds and higher energy efficiencies are making fiber laser cutting the system of choice for thin sheet metal By Mary Scianna ....................................................................................... Fiber laser cutting is making fast inroads into the sheet metal fabrication market in North America because proponents claim that the technology offers faster cutting speeds of up to 40 per cent and higher energy efficiencies of up to 30 per cent over CO2 laser cutting systems on sheet metal thicknesses up to 8 mm (0.31 in.) Consider 1.85 mm thick Boron steel, a common material used in cutting automotive body and structural components. With a 3 KW fiber laser cutting machine with nitrogen as an assist gas, a fabricator can achieve cutting speeds of 12 m/ min. With compressed air as an assist gas, it’s 14 m/min. So you’re looking at a 40 per cent gain above a 4 KW CO2 laser with a 3 KW fiber laser,” explains Carl Bryant, sales and marketing manager for PRIMA 3D Systems, Chicopee, MA.
PRIMA’s laser cutitng machines, like the Rapido seen here, can be equipped with fiber lasers.
Bill Shiner, vice president of industrial sales for IPG Photonics, a supplier of fiber laser resonators in North America whose lasers are used in PRIMA, SLT and Salvagnini fiber laser cutting systems, says that a 2 KW fiber laser “can easily outrun a 3 or 4 KW CO2 laser in thin materials. We’re at a point where the fiber laser can outrun many of the laser cutting machines because they [fiber laser resonators] can cut so fast.” Fiber laser technology is not new; it was introduced in the 1990s for welding and laser marking. What is relatively
new to industry in North America is the use of fiber lasers in metal cutting applications. Fiber laser cutting is a European innovation that has been slow to take hold in North America, says Mark Barry, vice president for PRIMA North America, Chicopee, MA. “There’s a basic relunctancy of people [in North America] to adopt innovation. You can’t show anyone a fiber laser in production for any greater than five years here, and that’s probably an exaggeration.” One company that embraced the technology in 2000 is Indian laser technology supplier Sahajanand Laser Technology (SLT), Gujarat, India. Arvind Patel, managing director, says SLT was “the first company in the world to offer fiber laser cutting for sheet metal fabrication. SLT exhibited a 1 KW 4 ft by 4 ft (1.2 m x 1.2 m) fiber laser at FABTECH 2007.” SLT recently set up North American operations with a facility in Dallas, TX. Fiber lasers are high powered solid state lasers that offer a shorter wavelength (close to the visible spectrum light) compared to CO2 lasers (fiber laser wavelength is 1.07 µm and CO2 laser wavelength is 10.6 µm in the infrared part of the spectrum). A characteristic of a shorter wavelength is that it’s more readily absorbed into metals, which means higher cutting efficiency. The fiber lasers are generated in a fiber and created or stimulated by pumping light emitting diodes through the fiber to produce the beam of light. IPG’s Bill Shiner adds that users can expect “better cut sand at higher speed.” That’s because the “superior beam quality of a fiber laser allows for the use of a longer focal length lens for the same spot size. In addition, the mode quality at focus is very important and from a fiber laser you receive a uniform beam with a flat top mode with no structure on it.”
Fiber laser cutting in action. Image: IPG Photonics.
Since the fiber itself is the resonator, it’s an airtight environment, eliminating possible contamination. “Nothing is exposed to the outside world until you have to exit the delivery fiber,” explains Steve Aleshin, manager, applications department for Salvagnini, Hamilton, OH. It also means you don’t have the mechanical and maintenance issues associated with Nd: YAG and CO2 lasers, such as water cooled-systems to control the temperature of the water. “When you think about maintenance on a CO2, it uses electronics, optics, gas, and water. A solid state fiber laser utilizes electricity, that’s it,” says PRIMA North America’s Mark Barry. “There are no moving parts in the fiber laser. Conventional CO2 lasers have vacuum pumps and turbines that are required to circulate the gas and cool the gas, so there’s a lot of preventative maintenance. Then you have to consider turbine or turbine bearing replacements and that adds into the cost of ownership equation.” Another advantage is laser beam accuracy. Since the beam of light is being delivered through the fiber, the fiber itself is a constant length. “So no matter how far or close from the source you’re processing, your optical path length never changes, so there is no need for adaptive optics that can drift over time, get contaminated and need to be replaced,” says Salvagnini’s Steve Aleshin. SLT’s Arvind Patel says that fiber laser cutting systems are “cost effective solutions for fabricators. They have relatively low maintenance, requires less space compared to conventional CO2 laser cutting systems, and are more www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 37
FABRICATING
FIBER LASER CUTTING
rugged, designed to function in varied shop floor environments.” The big application advantage for fiber laser cutting is with thin materials. Industry experts concur that the technology excels on sheet thicknesses of 8 mm or thinner. “If you go beyond 8 mm, there is still the advantage of the fact that it’s delivered through fiber, so it has a high wall plug efficiency,” says PRIMA North America’s Mark Barry. Indeed, Salvagnini president Bill Brossard says that the company has proven technical tables using an IPG 2 KW fiber laser “and we have proven cut capability up to 18 mm thick mild steel.” And while you can cut materials thicker than 8 mm, the cutting speed advantage is highest on thinner materials, adds Aleshin. “On thinner gauge steels such as 20-22 gauge mild steel, galvanized, with our 3 KW CO2 laser we’re cutting at 750 ipm. With the fiber laser the speed is 1800 ipm on 22 gauge mild steel. As you approach about a quarter of an inch, the speed advantage becomes equal.” Salvagnini’s Bill Brossard says that fiber laser cutting has a process advantage in piercing, something that was discovered by the company’s engineers in Italy. Steve Aleshin explains: “With a CO2 laser pierces, it creates a plasma that actually blocks the CO2 wavelength, so the CO2 wavelength is absorbed by that pierce. So you have to cut the amount of gas because the nitrogen that you’re feeding your cut has an effect on that plasma. The fiber goes through the plasma. The plasma is still created, but the fiber laser wavelength is not absorbed by that plasma and it allows us to get the gas at full pressure and we don’t have to delay between changing the pressure higher or lower as we make that pierce.” While fiber laser cutting offers many advantages in thin materials, in thicker materials, those advantages disappear “When you get to 3/8th of a inch or 0.375 in. (9.5 mm) you start to run into some problems, says PRIMA North America’s Mark Barry. Marco Holzer, product manager for solid state lasers for TRUMPF Laser and Lasersysteme, Ditzingen, Germany, adds that “it is important to have a certain spot diameter of the laser beam to get a die clearance which is large enough so that the waste produced during cutting can be blown out. In other words, this 38 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
MADE IN CANADA It’s not often that the manufacturing industry in Canada can claim to be at the forefront of emerging technology. A Quebec waterjet and plasma cutting machines manufacturer may soon be able to claim just that as it gets set to launch the first Canadian-made fiber laser cutting machine for the thin sheet metal fabricating market. The company is getting a little bit of help from a new player in the fiber laser technology business, Hypetherm, which has just developed its own fiber laser resonator. Machitech Automation, an eight-year-old privately owned company based in SaintMarc-des-Carrieres, QC, near Quebec City, is an OEM for Hypertherm plasma technology and KMT waterjet cutting technology. Machitech uses both companies’ technologies to manufacture its line of plasma and waterjet cutting machines. So when Machitech decided it wanted to get into the fiber laser cutting business, it was an obvious choice to go with Hypertherm’s technology. Danyel Benoit, director of international sales for Machitech, a 25-year veteran of the metal fabrication equipment industry, most of which were spent with two of the sheet metal fabrication equipment industry’s top manufacturers, says the company decided to focus on fiber laser over CO2 laser cutting because of the advantages the technology offers. “We wanted to offer something different. We have plasma cutting for thick plate and waterjet for other thicknesses. And we could have gone with a CO2 laser technology, but why would you want to pay for a super powerful CO2 laser cutting system that you’re going to use once and a while when 80 per cent of stuff is probably going to be thin materials?” He adds that Machitech’s price point will be competitive compared to many other fiber lasers on the market. He says the energy efficiency of fiber lasers is an added bonus in Canada, particularly in Ontario and Quebec. “Hydro Quebec and Hydro in Ontario have rebate programs for anyone going into
green initiatives and some of these rebates can be substantial.” Benoit also says that while the fiber laser cutting system may have a higher upfront cost than a CO2 laser system, manufacturers have to consider the long-term maintenance costs. “On average you would find that keeping a CO2 laser going would be a minimum of $50,000 while a fiber laser cutting system would be between $5,000 to $10,000.” Machitech plans to market its Canadian-made fiber laser cutting machine worldwide. Fiber laser technology is a new venture for Hypertherm, a 40-year-old company that is better known for its plasma cutting technology. But the company saw but saw a market need that could be filled by the benefits of fiber laser cutting. Hypertherm offers what the company describes A 3D rendering of Machitech’s fiber as a “unique” laser cutting system. approach “offering complete, seamless fiber laser cutting solutions for cutting applications.” For integrators—laser cutting machine builders—this eliminates the need to purchase all the parts and incorporate them into a system. So when a partner like Machitech wants to offer a fiber laser cutting system, the company can use a complete cutting solution for all the components. Machitech can then simply integrate it into its table, says Benoit. While Hypertherm isn’t revealing details about its fiber laser technology until its launch in the 4th quarter of this year, in an April 19 press release, OFS, Specialty Photonics Division, based in Norcross, GA, announced it had created an all-fiber beam combiner that enables multi-kilowatt laser applications and that it was working closely with Hypertherm on a new product that incorporates the technology. Machitech will be launching its fiber laser cutting machine worldwide in the 4th quarter of this year. www.machitech.ca www.hypertherm.com
FABRICATING
FIBER LASER CUTTING
Salvagnini’s L1X3 fiber laser cutting machine.
means that the best beam quality and hence a small spot diameter is not always suitable to get the best cutting results.” He adds that since fiber laser isn’t suitable for all applications, “a laser manufacturer should be proficient in all types of lasers for each material and material thickness. TRUMPF has the broadest spectrum of laser beam sources, including CO2, rod, disc, fiber and diode lasers.” For thin sheet metal fabrication, TRUMPF offers two types of what it describes as “fiber-guided” solid state lasers, the TruDisk and TruFiber. “This means that the laser is guided through a fiber from the resonator to the
workpiece,” explains Holzer. “One difference between the two types of solid state lasers is that the TruFiber uses a fiber as its active media, which is stimulated by a diode. The laser beam of a fiber laser is also fiber-guided. The TruDisk uses a disc.” A disk laser is a Nd: YAG laser that guides the laser beam through a fiber and is typically designed for applications with laser power of less than 1 kW. Wall plug efficiency of disc lasers is about 15 to 20 per cent versus fiber lasers that offer about 30 per cent wall plug efficiency. IPG Photonic’s Bill Shiner says fiber laser wall plug efficiency is higher “because the laser only turns on when
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output is required. In the case of the Nd: YAG disk laser, the laser is running in a simmer mode when output is not required, therefore consuming power when the laser output is not required.” TRUMPF’s disk laser is designed to cut materials up to 4 mm, while the fiber laser is better suited for cutting foils and thinner materials between 0.05 to 1 mm. TRUMPF’s Marco Holzer says that the disk laser has advantages when cutting materials in the multi-kilowatt range with high productivity. “There is no sensitivity to reflection that frequently arises when processing material with the laser.” TRUMPF manufacturers its own laser resonators, while PRIMA NA, Salvagnini and SLT use IPG Photonics fiber laser resonators for their fiber laser cutting systems. One distinction is that PRIMA NA does manufacture Nd: YAG and CO2 lasers through its other divisions. For the record, PRIMA, Salvagnini and SLT also sell standard CO2 laser cutting machines and while they’re promoting fiber laser cutting technology in the market and see a bright future for the technology (particularly in automotive and aerospace), they recognize that CO2 and Nd: YAG laser cutting systems will continue to be sold since they fit specific application needs. The one area where fiber lasers have not made any inroads is in hole drilling in the aerospace market, which today is typically achieved using a pulsed Nd: YAG laser. Companies like PRIMA NA, however, are investigating the use of fiber lasers for hole drilling, says Barry. “All drillers today are pulsed Nd: YAG drillers. If we could change that paradigm and make it so that the fiber laser was applicable to that, then we may be able to create a single machine that could be a driller, a cutter and a welder and that would be a wonderful thing,” says Barry. The technology is taking off in North America. “We have sold these machines in the US and in Canada,” says Salvagnini’s Bill Brossard. “We shipped our first fiber laser machines into North America in October 2009. We currently have four machines installed, two being delivered and several more being built at the factory.” CM www.ipgphotonics.com www.prima-na.com www.sahajanandlaser.com www.salvagnini.com www.us.trumpf.com
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FABRICATING
COIL HANDLING
The “R” Word Manufacturers coming out of a recession are looking to save costs, which means refurbishing old equipment By Nate Hendley ......................................................................................... The current buzzword in coil handling circles is “refurbishment” as the sector deals with the lingering impact of the recession and customers who would rather fix up older equipment than buy new. “Coil handling equipment sales are still way down from previous years. Many users are operating at much less than capacity and have idle machinery,” states Jeff Norman, vice president of Mecon Industries Ltd., a coil handling equipment manufacturer in Toronto. Thanks in part to the tough economic climate, “flexibility” has become another industry byword. “In today’s market, flexibility is critical as stampers are not sure what jobs they will need to process and want a broad capability within the stamping lines so they can bid a wide variety of applications,” says Matthew Watson, national sales manager of Formtek Maine, Clinton, ME. Formtek-Maine serves a parent company for a collection of firms whose ranks include coil handling equipment manufacturers. “[Our] recent focus is on improving operational efficiency through developments which increase flexibility, save time, increase safety and increase yield/ reduce scrap,” echoes Norman. Mecon has been going about this by “installing tail out feeders at the die, to feed the end of the strip past the press column”—a process that “reduces scrap and gets the strip out of the way for quick die changes,” explains Norman. In terms of other issues, industry experts note that the steel used in coils continues to get stronger: high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel is “very common today,” says Watson. This trend is particularly noticeable in the automotive sector, adds Mark Volkmann of president of OEM manufacturer, Metform International, Mississauga, ON. Asked if there is a trend towards HSLA 42 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
steel, and Norman says, “Yes. The trend continues. Materials are being developed to draw further, corrode less, weigh less, reduce processing steps and so on.” Offshore competition remains a perennial concern. This competition isn’t always direct: “the off-shore companies are always being thrown out there in the purchasing world as a comparison—as in, ‘This is what I could buy [if I went off-shore],” says Volkmann. The of-shore threat “is used as purchasing pressure,” he adds. Norman offers tips to shop-owners looking to optimize coil handling operations in tough times. Among other things, he urges owners to “do an inspection of materials to ensure compliance with specification and for defects like crossbow, pocketing, edge-wave and excessive camber” and “match the coil size to the production run to allow coils to be run out, not rewound and stored.” He also suggests shop owners “use coil cars, dual spindle uncoilers and other handling methods to reduce coil change times.” While the economy is picking up, the recession has left its mark—fewer new lines are being purchased as clients cling to older systems. “Some of our customers are taking it upon themselves to actually buy used equipment and ask for refurbishing or add-ons,” says Volkmann. “The trend is to reduce cost. We are doing more repair and reconfiguring of
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and can take a maximum feed length of 999.999 in. The system has a coil weight capacity of 6,500 lb and mandrel expansion range of 13 in. to 17 in. The system can manage 150 strokes per minute on a feed length of three in., 100 strokes on a six in. feed length, 75 on a eight in. feed length, 50 on a 12 in. feed length, 34 on an 18 in. feed length and 25 on a 24 in. feed length.
existing machines,” agrees Norman. When clients get new work, “idled equipment is converted to meet new production requirements, rather than new equipment being purchased,” he adds. “We are also seeing a big change in the components supply chain. Many suppliers have reduced inventory and closed warehouses. The choice of suppliers is reduced and delivery times are longer.” Industry experts aren’t all gloom and doom, however; they note that the economy is picking up and that the refurbishment trend can’t last forever. “I think the market is going to exhaust the used equipment out there and when that runs out, we’ll start building new stuff again,” says Volkmann. CM Nate Hendley is a freelance writer based in Toronto. www.formtekmaine.com www.metformintl.com www.mecon.com
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Canadian Metalworking asks Bob Ellig, president of Bluco Corp. to offer advice for welders on modular and dedicated fixturing
By Bob Ellig ......................................................................................................................................................... 1. When is it best to use modular fixturing or dedicated fixtures? What are the benefits of each?
where dedicated fixtures come into play. However, at the back end of the production curve where the lot sizes drop and the frequency is lower, it is time to retire the dedicated fixture and get back into modular fixturing.
First, a dedicated fixture and a modular fixture are identical in function and purpose. Each will provide an accurate means to locate and clamp a number of 2. What impact does automation in welding loose pieces or sub-assemblies that evenhave on the selection of fixture types? tually will become a finished weldment. Properly designed and constructed, these Automated welding fixtures are usually associated with high volume production. fixtures are also in-process gauges. If the Things like automatic clamps, part part does not fit the fixture, there is a problem with the part. From a cost standpoint, a single dedicated fixture should be less expensive than a single modular fixture. The difference is related to the features incorporated into the modular fixture which provides its flexibility and accuracy. However, six dedicated fixtures will generally be more expensive than As an alternative to traditional a single modular fixturing 2D welding tables, Bluco offers package which is capable 3D modular fixturing bases of holding many different which provide the foundation for different fixture setups. They’re parts with the same mix of expandable in five directions by components, simply reposattaching modular angles, blocks itioned for the next part. and beams with stabilizing legs Other dedicated fixturing where needed. costs include storage, either sensing, vision systems and other expensive in-door space or maintenancefeatures are incorporated to speed the heavy outdoor yards. As the mixture process, to protect the equipemnt and of parts increases, the complexity of to ensure the quality of the finished pat keeping track of the dedicated fixture meets specification. Dedicated fixtures storage area becomes monumental. At a are best for this application. Modular point, it may be possible to reconstruct fixtures can include some of these a modular fixture in the shop faster than features. However, the idea with modular finding a dedicated fixture in the warefixturing is to be agile, flexible and fast in house or yard. changeover. If, for instance, pneumatic Dedicated fixtures can be expensive. clamping were to be part of the process, Prototypes are an example where each new part would require a different modular fixturing should be considered. set of hoses, manifolds, actuators and Change is part of the process and sensors. This takes time to assemble modular fixtures respond very well. Once and is not practical for the short runs the prototype designs have been finalassociated with modular fixturing. ized, you not only have a completed part There are features that can be added but you also have a completed process. to a modular fixture that can reduce Measure the modular fixture and give the setup times and improve quality without data to the tool designer. The transition adding costly time or expense to the from prototype to production becomes process. Simple adapters designed to essentially seamless. It is at that point 44 | June 2010 | www.canadianmetalworking.com
interface with the precision bores in the base table simplify the setup, speeding up the process and reducing overall costs.
3. Robotic welding: modular or dedicated?
It is rare to hear the phrase “short run” and the word “robot” used in the same sentence. Robots have traditionally been purchased to handle high volume jobs with minimum changeover. For this, dedicated fixturing is the choice. The robot requires precision in the fixture and repeabablity in the setting of the loose pieces. There are some robots that have added vision systems, wire probes or seam trackers to locate the part and to manage the path the welding travels. These additions increase the capital costs, the programming costs and often adds time to the welding cycle. Setup times on changeover can be lengthy. With modular fixturing, the precision is already built into the system. It is possible to reset a previously built fixture within 0.005 in. Being able to construct a precise fixture in a short time brings the robot’s productivity and quality capabilities to short runs. Some robots have two people working on them. One is a setup operator. He builds a modular fixture for short run jobs right on the machine, using the teach feature on the robot to build a program on the spot. When he is happy with the program, he turns the robot over to the machine operator who completes the short run of parts. In the meantime, the setup operator has gone to the second setup station where a second fixture is built. Programs that have run before are verified by the setup operator before the robot is turned over to the machine operator.
4. What are some of the issues for fixturing in laser welding?
Unlike arc welding, laser welding requires accurate fixturing for every part. A welder has stated that if you can walk across a gap, it can be arc welded. Most
POSITIONING & FIXTURES
welding
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laser welding is done in high volume environments where speed is critical. Modular fixturing can be a tool used to develop the process and the fixture design. Once the process and fixture concept are proven, the data is gathered and translated into a dedicated fixture for full production runs.
5. What challenges does welding large parts present for fixturing?
Large parts require large fixtures which require large amounts of cash and long lead times. If we assume that the large part starts out as a prototype, then a dedicated fixture is subject to the same problems of change as smaller parts but the costs are much higher. When productive floor space is at a premium, the cost of storing, staging and moving large fixtures can be a significant factor. For smaller, but still large parts, modular fixturing tables can be joined together providing a common base for the construction of any number of fixtures. For very large parts, a rail system can be installed. The rails, lagged to the floor and leveled, have a pattern of bores in the surface that matche the pattern of bores in the tables and bridges. Simply plug the tables or bridges in along the rails where support and location of the weldment features are required. The relationship between elements is assured by the precision of the bores in the rail surface. One set of fixturing elements in a single location can handle a multitude of parts. With the bridges and tables installed, access to the parts for welding is simplified. As for ergonomics, the welder can walk “through” the fixture or maneuver between elements in the fixture to get closer to his work. Parts weighing more that 100 tons with dimensions exceeding 100 ft can be accommodated.
6. Have materials to manufacture fixtures changed to meet demands for more durable products?
Prior to the introduction of modular fixturing for welding to the North American market in 1994, companies made their own dedicated fixtures, created their own system of fixturing elements, used “tack” tables to create temporary fixtures, worked with cast iron utility tables with sledge hammer actuated goose neck clamps or simply used saw horses or the floor for fixturing their weldments. For everything but dedicated fixtures, productivity, costs and quality suffered.
Modular fixturing features five-sided steel tables with precision bores on all surfaces. When parts exceed the table’s surface dimension, system angles mounted to the sides become outriggers, effectively extending the surface area. In welding, spatter is an issue that needs to be addressed. Anti-spatter compounds are available which help reduce maintenance problems. Modern modular fixturing systems offer hardened table surfaces which resist spatter, abrasive wear and rust. This allows the welder to complete the weld in many joints without fear of striking the table with his arc. Because of its inherent accuracy, modular fixturing provides an additional function. Before the welder stikes his first arc, he will know if the guy on the saw got it right. If the loose piece does not fit the fixture, there is a problem with the part. The system can also help uncover engineering “oversights”, things like overlapping tolerances, dimensions to the inside instead of the outside of a sheet metal part, etc. For robotic welding, a “backbone” style modular block can be mounted between the headstock and tailstock of a robot. Fixturing components are mounted to the top and sides of the block. This rollover fixture provides access to the underside of a part which may eliminate setups and minimize quality issues, and extend the life of the system.
7. How have computers improved the fixturing process?
Computer Aided Design (CAD) has been available for many years. The concept has migrated from simple 2D systems with the traditional three flat views of the part to 3D solid modeling. With a solid model of a weldment with all of its associated features, it becomes matter of deciding on the welding process and then setting modular components where they are needed to complete the fixture. From the fixture model, the next step is to create setup instructions for the shop. This step by step document ensures that every fixture built by any individual will be exactly what is required to produce a quality weldment, every time. With robots, this solid model of the part and the fixture can be combined with simulation software to simplify the off-line programming process. CM
Bob Ellig is president of Bluco Corp., Aurora, IL. www.bluco.com
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600 MACHINE TOOLS (Elliott) 4 Agie Charmilles Corp 18 AMTS Show 35 Chem-Ecol Ltd. 27 Canadian Manufacturing Show 40 Esab Group Canada, Inc. 43 Fagor Automation Corp. 25 Haas Automation, Inc. 11 Horn USA Inc. 7 Hurco Canada Ltd. 2 ISCAR Tools Inc. 46 Jesse Engineering Co. 40 MAKINO Milling Machine Co., Ltd. 26 Mazak Corporation 32 Methods Machine Tools Inc. 17, 20 T.N.T Tools Inc. 34 Prima Finn-Power North America, Inc 36 23 Reid Supply Company Rofin-Baasel Ltd. 9 Sandvik Coromant Company FLAP, 30 31 Scientific Cutting Tools, Inc. Scotiabank 15 34 Stone Tucker Instruments Inc. Strippit, Inc. 21 39 TRUMPF Inc. Tungaloy Canada, Ltd. 3 QC Advertiser
Creaform Inc. Minitab, Inc. Mitutoyo Canada Inc. Renishaw (Canada) Limited Romquest Technologies Corp. 8CMM20186 01/07/2008 Stone Tucker Instruments Inc.
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www.canadianmetalworking.com | June 2010 | 45
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Precision Machining and Superior Quality for Maximum ProďŹ tability in the Medical Industry
www.iscar.ca
JUNE 2010
P R E lies l o F hen w o an d e fails c u o y ar What RP softw E your
3 GAUGING MEASUREMENTS
ElektroPhysik’s Aivars Freidenfelds discusses developments in thickness gauges.
6 IN-HOUSE OR OUTSOURCE?
Is it more cost-effective to calibrate your instruments in-house or source them out?
10 TOOLS OF THE TRADE
A look at some of the latest tools for quality in manufacturing.
Digimatic Coolant, Dust & Chip Proof. Micrometers: QuantuMike, Outside, Spline, Point, Crimp, Interchangeable anvil type, Spherical Face, Uni-Mike, Sheet Metal, Disk style, Gear Tooth, Screw Thread, Micrometer Heads
Choose digimatic tools from Mitutoyo for error-free reading, with uncompromised quality, accuracy and repeatability.
Calipers & Depth Gauges: Solar Powered, Absolute type, Carbon Fibre, Offset, Offset Centreline, Point, Blade, Neck, Knife Edge, Inside Groove, Point Jaw, Tube Thickness, Scribing type, Absolute Depth Gauge, Hook End Depth Gauge
Mitutoyo’s large selection of coolant-proof precision tools offer the security you need, in even the harshest shop conditions when subjected to grit and coolant. Take measurements with confidence where you never could before with conventional digimatic tools.
Inside Measurement Gauges: Holtest, Inside Tube Micrometer
Indicators: Absolute type, Absolute Back Plunger
Mitutoyo digimatic products offer easy operation, error-free reading, and many functions including SPC output so you can upload your measurements to a PC for data management, monitoring, analysis and reporting using Mitutoyo’s popular MeasurLink® Real-time Plus software. Try these products at our Metrology Centre in Mississauga or Montreal to experience Mitutoyo’s superior quality for yourself.
Mitutoyo quality. Made for the professional. Sensors: Linear Gauges, Laser Scan Micrometer
Scales & DRO: Absolute Scale Unit, Absolute Linear Scales Measurement data output function is available with a water-resistant connection cable
Precision is our profession. Mitutoyo Canada Inc. Toronto (905) 821-1261 Montreal (514) 337-5994 www.mitutoyo.ca info@mitutoyo.ca
MEASUREMENT/COATINGS & THICKNESS MEASUREMENT
Gauging Measurements Quality Canada asks Aivars Freidenfelds, vice president of ElektroPhysik USA about developments in coatings thickness gauges How has accuracy changed or improved in the past five years in coatings thickness measurement gauges?
The most noticeable improvements have been in retention and stability of the values set during gauge optimization (formally referred to as gauge calibration, see ASTM D7091 for clarification).Years ago it was almost a must to set to two and three thickness points during gauge optimization to obtain the accuracy statements associated with a particular gauge. Today with improved alogryityms and improved microprocessors, often all that is required is a zero point setting and a single thickness reference point. Accuracy statements on some devices have also improved from the previous expected range of plus or minus 1-3 per cent of the reading. The MikroTest gauge Display resolution in from ElektroPhysik. some platforms has also increased by a decimal place to read .001 mils.
Many people today in manufacturing talk about “intelligent design” or “smart” products. Has this type of technology found its way into thickness gauges? If so, can you provide examples of what types of technologies are making gauges better/more accurate/faster than past gauges? Of course, there are gauges in the marketplace with dual purpose probes that sense the type of substrate the coating is applied over (ferrous or non-ferrous) and automatically
Volume 3 Issue 3 Editorial Editor Mary Scianna
416-764-1540 mary.scianna@rci.rogers.com Managing Editor Daryl Angier 416-764-1508 Daryl.angier@rci.rogers.com Art Director Jill Nelson 416-764-1518 jill.nelson@rci.rogers.com Junior web prodcer Jessica Mirabelli 416-764-1316 jessica.mirabelli@rci.rogers.com Production Manager Jim Howser 416-764-1684 james.howser@rci.rogers.com Circulation Manager Bibi Khan 416-764-1450 bibi.khan@rci.rogers.com
switch to the appropriate measuring principle. For coatings applied over a ferrous substrate, the magnetic induction principle is typically used. For coatings applied over non-ferrous substrates, it is the eddy current principle. Many devices today can sense the type of substrate under the coating and automatically make the appropriate measuring principle selection without user interface.
Data collection is critical for quality management systems, particularly today as manufacturers focus more on quality to gain a competitive edge. How has data collection in gauges changed to help manufacturers process/collect and save data?
For one thing, data transmission protocols are less proprietary and more flexible today than they were in the past. Gauge manufacturers are constantly addressing the broad range of communication requirements and changes in this area. For example gauge manufactures offer IR communications, wireless communications such as RF and Bluetooth. And cables communication options are out there as well. And with adaptor/converted devices commercially available, almost and communications requirement can be accomplished within the parameters of the platform used (RF and Bluetooth have distance limitations, IR is line of site). Also, resident memory capacity has increased and along with that the way data can be filed and labeled has also improved greatly in the last 5 years.
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Mail Preference Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to reputable companies whose products or services may be of interest to you. If you do not want your name to be made available please contact us at rogers@ cstonecanada.com or update your profile at www. rogersb2bmedia.com/cmm. Undeliverables to: Canadian Metalworking, Circulation Department, 8th Floor, One Mount Pleasant Rd., Toronto ON M4Y 2Y5 Canadian Publications Mail Agreement No. 40070230 QC receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and
images) from time to time. QC, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. QC accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue. QC, established: 2008 is published quartly by Rogers Publishing Limited, a division of Rogers Media Inc. Rogers Publishing Limited. Printed in Canada. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Our environmental policy is available at www.rogerspublishing.ca/environment. Content copyright ©2010 by Rogers Publishing Limited, may not be reprinted without permission.
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Quality Canada June 2010 3
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MEASUREMENT/COATINGS & THICKNESS MEASUREMENT As critical in-line measurement tools, gauges must not only provide accurate measurements, but be capable of operating in sometimes harsh manufacturing environments. How has gauge design/construction/ engineering changed to meet the demanding field requirements in which coatings thickness gauges must operate?
I believe gauge manufacturers across the board have done a pretty good job addressing the various harsh environments coating thickness gauges are used in. One common service point in the past was probe tip wear but that has improved over time with harder wear resistant materials being developed and implemented. Also typically today there are less free exposed components and less components in general inside the gauge itself. Still, it has to be recognized that coating thickness testing gauges are precision scientific instruments and require care as such. For example, say you were taking off your watch and it slipped out of your hand and fell to the ground. What would your immediate expectation be? It’s broke now right? It may or may not be but you wouldn’t be surprised if it were. From what I see, most gauge manufactures do a fine job with gauge design with respect to durability and even go a little extra with protective casing. Still, I understand the question here, fact is the environments haven’t changed all that much over the years.
What key changes/improvements can we expect to see in coatings thickness gauges in the next five to ten years?
The answer as to what we can expect in the future in coatings thickness testing lies in what the future holds in the way of changes in the industry and requirements that accompany those changes and developments. Applications such as non-ferrous coatings over non-ferrous metals is an application that for the most part falls into a destructive test (coulometric principle) or expensive bench type equipment using X-Ray. I know an economical non-destructive test device like current hand held gauges for the plating industry would be a real positive. There are some applications that truly push the capabilities of current gauges mainly due to object size and/or geometry. Surface roughness is another challenge that represents an opportunity to concur. Currently, the effects of surface roughness can be minimized through a procedure but the reliability of that that exercise is greatly dependant on the
uniformity of the surface roughness. Rarely is surface roughness uniform unless it’s a machined surface. We are seeing more coatings applied over non-conductive materials. Current technology is limited to conductive substrates. However, the Ultrasound principle does reach out to some of these applications but it is strictly limited to flat areas at this time. Perhaps this is an area that we can expect to see some advancements in. Data management and the way data is stored and transmitted will surely change. This is a change that will be the easiest to keep up with from a gauge manufacturers perspective. It is really difficult to predict what changes we might see in the next five to ten years. The market will drive and determine that. The coatings thickness testing gauge manufacturer’s role is to address those changes and offer economical solutions that help support and advance quality control of coating thickness related applications. QC The Mini700 Series from ElektroPhysik features digital sensor technology.
Aivars Freidenfelds is vice president of ElektroPhysik USA Inc., Arlington Heights, IL. www.epkusa.com
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Quality Canada June 2010 5
TESTING & INSPECTION/CALIBRATION
| By Peter detmers
In-House or Outsource? Calibration is essential for quality instrumentation but is it more cost-effective to do it in-house or outsource it? Many companies have faced the decision of calibrating tools in-house or outsourcing. There isn’t one simple answer, because every company has different needs. Some have gauge lists that look like a precision tool catalog and others have only a half dozen tools that need to be calibrated. What steps should you follow in making this decision? First, what inspections can you actually do in-house? Perhaps the tools or equipment that you use require a manufacturer to perform the calibration. Next, consider the pros and cons of each, in particular, annual cost, turn around, logistics, and personnel needs. Lastly, consider the “Quality Standard” which you are working to in your company. Are there any restrictions or limitations in the standard that limit your choice?
for both the external and internal measuring jaws. To do this, you will need, at a minimum, a set of gauge blocks that cover the full measuring length. Or you may want to consider a “caliper-checking gauge.” These devices have stacks of gauge blocks or other precision surfaces that are incrementally stacked to allow quick checks of both external and internal jaws, normally in a range up to 12 in. (300 mm). Next, you must look at your facility to locate a permanent location in which you can perform the tasks required. You must consider temperature, humidity, and vibration sources. The temperature and humidity should be monitored throughout the year to confirm that from day to day, seasonto-season, there isn’t a significant shift in temperature. Significant temperature shifts of even 1 or 2˚C can effect the measurements that you make. Now you should review your personnel to see if you currently have someone who is “qualified” to do the inspections. This person may have formal education in metrology, but more than likely will be one who, through experience and knowledge of measuring instruments, is deemed to be capable. There are other things to consider for in-house calibration but the three items mentioned above are typically the most significant. In your evaluation be sure you perform a cost analysis. If you need to control temperature and humidity better than it is now, this will likely be a significant cost.You must also consider that floor space, even that area in the corner of the lab, because it will be a cost to the company. One of the most overlooked aspects of the cost assessment is the labour portion. The person selected to perform calibrations may also perform other work as well, therefore time spent on all activities must be accounted for to get a true picture of the cost for calibration. Once these steps have been completed, you can then evaluate commercial calibration laboratories to A quality technician prepares a part for inspection on a Legex CMM. Image: Mitutoyo determine how outsourcing compares to in-house calibration. In determining what calibrations you can do in-house, The review of commercial calibration laboratories can be take the time to review your gauge list.Your review should far easier than reviewing your own facility. These facilities include investigating the national or international standards have usually made substantial investments in equipment, to determine what tests you should perform. Using this environment, and personnel to provide services to you and information, develop a list of items you will need to purchase other companies. These factors however, while important, are to do the calibration. For instance, if you look at the caliper not the only things that need to be considered when assessing standard, you will learn that, among other things, you will the capabilities of a laboratory. need to inspect the measuring length at different intervals Automotive parts manufacturers should be aware of the 6 | june 2010 | Quality Canada
TESTING & INSPECTION/CALIBRATION ISO/IEC 17025 standard, which is the “General Requirement for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.” This standard provides detailed requirements for facilities involved in calibration and testing. One of the most significant aspects of ISO/ IEC 17025 is the requirement of the laboratories or testing facilities to have a “scope of accreditation” with stated uncertainties. The scope is to cover only the work for which they are accredited and potential customers of these laboratories or facilities must request a copy prior to issuing any contracts. The scope Calibration of a digital gauge. will provide details regarding the products for which the accreditation applies, and will state the “best measurement uncertainty” achievable (remember this is the “best measurement uncertainty” not necessarily their day-to-day achievement). Some customers who have not been diligent have assumed that because laboratory “A” was accredited to calibrate gauge blocks, they must be accredited for all measuring tools. This is a bad assumption as most facilities apply for only one or two product areas at a time, and add to their scope as time goes on. Another assumption that is commonly made is that accreditation means qualified. This would depend on your needs and expectations. For instance, if your 0 to 1
“ Some customers who have not been diligent have assumed that because laboratory “A” was accredited to calibrate gauge blocks, they must be accredited for all measuring tools. This is a bad assumption.” in. micrometer needs to be calibrated, and you want the accuracy verified to +/-0.0001 in., the laboratory must work with a measurement uncertainty of less than this value for this particular tool. This is because the measurement uncertainty must be considered when calculating the results of the calibration. As an example, suppose the laboratory’s “best measurement uncertainty” for testing 0 to 1 in. micrometers is +/-0.001 in., this value must be calculated into the test results. This means that if the indicated error at 1 in. is +0.0001 in. then the real value could be anywhere between +0.0011 and –0.0009 in. Would this be acceptable for your purposes? When you are reviewing the measurement uncertainty statements of any laboratory, do a little homework on your own to ensure that the values are reasonable. If for instance, a laboratory or testing facility claim an uncertainty equal to or better than the best capability of a National Laboratory
(NRC in Canada, NIST in the USA), you may want to know more about their evaluation methods. Another important consideration is the capability or authority of the accrediting body. The ISO/ IEC 17025 standard requires that the accrediting body “enter into mutual recognition agreements with equivalent bodies in other countries. Accrediting bodies such as Calibration Laboratory Assessment Service (CLAS) in Canada and A2LA in the US are examples of organizations that comply with the standard. This leads us back to the Image: Mitutoyo question of “what should you do?” Well once you have completed your analysis of the two methods for your own circumstances, hopefully you will have gained enough knowledge to make the right choice. QC Peter Detmers is the sales and service manager at Mitutoyo Canada, Mississuaga, ON. www.mitutoyo.com
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Quality Canada June 2010 7 Romquest Technologies.indd 1
8/17/09 11:59:55 AM
SOFTWARE/ERP | By Doug Mack
ERP FOLLIES ERP is an important component of a company’s success, but if not implemented correctly, you won’t reap the benefits Are you struggling with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software? Is the quality of the ROI poor? Are you almost ready to go back to manual systems or buy a different package? It has happened all too many times because the preparation was incomplete, rushed, or the implementation was lacking. Don’t give up. Instead, review the following steps, which will improve your chances of success. At the core of ERP one must accept that thousands of hours of professional thought have been devoted to perfection in communications and information capture and presentation. Over the years, the vast majority of “imperfections” have been fixed and a good software fit can be the proverbial Brass Ring. Unfortunately, most operations have job descriptions that evolved more along the lines of who liked or disliked certain tasks, or who was most trusted with certain information, or worse, who just simply picked up a dropped ball. ealize No software is tailored to function that way, nor should it be. Software customized to suit this situation will be expensive, problematic in maintaining, upgrading and expanding, and will entrench illogical and inefficient procedures. The first step in the ERP journey needs to be re-aligning tasks in the manual environment, so the job descriptions, work content and procedures will fit the impending software. For example, cost accounting at a furniture company was done by an engineering clerk (with no accounting expertise), just because the data was physically located there. ERP software will store the data electronically and make it instantly available to someone in the accounting department where it should be done. Imagine the confusion, increased costs, and bad management information that ensues if the software “arrives” and the engineering clerk doesn’t have the costing functionality, and someone in accounting gets surprised by the requirement to 8 | june 2010 | Quality Canada
do cost accounting. Multiply that confusion several times over for crosslinks in various areas (eg. who assigns part numbers, engineering or purchasing) and you may begin to appreciate the serious nature of properly preparing for ERP. Employees know they must continue to do the old tasks that keep the wheels rolling, but they soon get frustrated with the overload of this and their new tasks. Now we have the old manual systems and the new ERP systems being maintained because nobody trusts the new system. Did we hire double the staff to continue working both systems? step 1 is to provide generic training in how ERP systems want to work, which tasks will be done and where. Step 2 is to effect these change’s manually before ERP software makes confusion happen at light speed. An example is a manufacturer where anybody who needed some material, picked up the phone and called the supplier he knew. Office supplies, shipping cartons or other items were ordered from multiple suppliers in low volumes, with varying lead times, and little consideration for cost. Centralizing purchasing activities in one or more purchasing specialists enabled collecting multiple small orders to obtain volume discounts and fewer delivery charges, identifying preferred and back up vendors, reducing accounts payable, and preserving operating funds through Just In Time deliveries. Step 3 is to continue the generic ERP training to enable the software selection committee to better understand the impact of decisions they make.The Production & Inventory Control Society certification courses are a source of either intense, on sight, group classes or the more stretched out (a few years) public, continuing education sessions. Another source of generic ERP training is a video series that presents exactly the same message (consistency is great) every time, to an in house group or an individual “new hire” who will
SOFTWARE/ERP need to “catch up” to the rest. Questionnaires are available to help focus the software selection process but rarely do the people completing the questionnaires comprehend the consequences of answering yes (or no) to any question. Often neither yes or no is the perfect answer so the selection team must determine and then choose the lesser of two evils.These choices have long lasting impact. One word of caution: it is impossible to pre-think every eventuality. At some point, it will be necessary to accept that your first ERP system will be an imperfect choice or will be “tuned” inefficiently. What’s tuning all about? Many ERP software packages will typically work for a variety of industries depending on which modules you use, and how they are configured. Configuration is turning on or off features within a selected module.This is the closest you will get to “customization.” If your software is troublesome, is it because you are using batch process oriented systems in a continuous process environment or vice versa? Or, is it that the ERP system is used only for sales activities or for accounting, and lacks the management data that could be available in the manufacturing modules? This was the case at a multinational, high tech manufacturer proud of its ERP implementation.This begs the question, “what is ERP and what good is it?” Simply put, it is a management system (substantially enhanced by software) that integrates all aspects of the business, in a highly efficient way, with superb communication of up-todate information, and only the information required (by each function). “All” aspects, includes engineering, production, supply chain, cost accounting, management information/ control systems, human resources, logistics, sales and marketing. The real competitive edge in cost reduction, improved customer service and management control ERP can provide is low until all appropriate modules have been implemented to support each other in the pursuit of a unified corporate objective. Often a company uses ERP systems for their accounting and generally any package needs these modules implemented first but it doesn’t stop there. From there on, the ratio of implementation costs versus benefits becomes increasingly favourable. Step 4 is where the software selection team combines their inherent knowledge of the company with their enhanced ERP smarts, to begin the selection process. Many products are available but it takes more than just searching out those in a tolerable price range. A word of caution: don’t skim over the generic ERP training or the selection process to follow a vendor’s plea for “rapid” implementation.The greater the knowledge, the more benefit users will be able to squeeze out of the software.The team should get multiple testimonials and try to spend time with other users to see the software in daily application so they can visualize how it would work in their business.This will dramatically improve not only the choice of vendor, but also configuration choices. However, again, beware this doesn’t become a never ending process. At some point one must make a decision, knowing full well the choices will likely need to be revisited in five years and again in another five years.
Step 5 would be to begin the software specific training provided by the vendor. Although the underlying ERP concepts are quite similar, each package can have different locations for data, different ways to access it, and more or less “user friendly” screens. Generally the vendor’s training includes some degree of the generic principles but it may not be enough to ensure a smooth and complete implementation, and maximize R.O.I. At this point the selection team will likely become the implementation team.With their advanced understanding of ERP, they can be invaluable as coaches to various users through the start up phase. Step 6 will take the selection/implementation team back to the beginning to see if they can find unresolved problems. Closer scrutiny of system application may also reveal increased potential for R.O.I. Many decisions were made for expediency, during selection and implementation, that are worthy of review once things have settled in. It is highly probable that this transition will spur corporate growth which in turn requires top notch people to take the lead. On a final note, ERP requires regular, frequent interaction from every level in the organization. It is not something the boss buys for “others” to use. QC Doug Mack is president of Advanced Management Technologies, specializing in Lean consulting, training and services. www.advmfgtechs.on.ca
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Quality Canada June 2010 9 Stone Tucker V2.indd 1
4/27/10 3:40:31 PM
products
Tools of the Trade A look at some of the latest tools for quality in manufacturing THICKNESS GAUGE The Digi-Derm gauge from Mitutoyo is available in two styles, one to measure the thickness of non-magnetic coating on magnetic substrata. The unit’s measuring range of is 0 - .059 in. (0 – 1.5 mm) with LCD resolution of .00005 in. (0.001 mm). The second type addresses the application
Customer Relationship Management (CRM), inventory control, accounting, and production. The latest version of DEACOM now provides menu sections for frequently accessed forms and reports to reduce the number of navigational user clicks. An RSS feed is also depicted on the new menu to notify users of upcoming DEACOM University courses, software release updates, and Deacom User Conference information. The enhanced functions of DEACOM 12.1 include: • Physical inventory • Scanners for a layer of non-conductive material on • Material Requirements Planning (MRP) non-magnetic substrata. This gauge has a • Financial statements measuring range of 0 - .039” (0 – 1.0mm) • Dashboard reports www.deacom.net with resolution of .00005 in. (0.001 mm). Both units are battery powered 3D Measurement for portable use and can also operate on AC power with an optional adapter. The Hexagon Metrology has developed a new generation of measurements are displayed on the clear ROMER portable 3D LCD screen and can be output for SPC measuring arms. The data analysis. A set of calibration films ROMER Absolute and a metallic base is provided for each Arm what the describes unit. A special probe for measuring the as the “most accurate coating thickness on the inside wall of ROMER CMM ever bores is optional. www.mitutoyo.ca manufactured.” It is also the first measuring arm ERP Software to have absolute encoders, Deacom, Inc. has issued a new version of a development that the DEACOM ERP Software System. simplifies the inspection Updates to DEACOM 12.1 comprise process. This technology design changes to the main menu and avoids the earlier need with all measuring arms to initialize the encoders; now the user can simply switch the machine on and start measuring. The ROMER Absolute Arm is notable for its low weight and systematic, ergonomic design. Additional grip positions and a perfectly balanced main tube ensure the operator can work enhancements to specific functionality. productively without fatigue during the The DEACOM menu contains all the inspection. www.hexagonmetrology.com functional areas that are managed in the www.romer.com single system, such as purchasing, sales, 10 | june 2010 | Quality Canada
Dimensional Measurement Optical Gaging Products Inc. has introduced two new measurement/ inspection systems for medical device manufacturers—the SmartScope Specialist 300 multi-sensor dimensional measurement system and the Focus Specialist 16 in. Horizontal Contour Projector. These systems verify critical dimensions of orthopedic implants such as intervertebral disc spacers and artificial discs, the stem, ball and cup of prosthetic ball joints, tibial and femoral knee implants, and tibial and talar ankle implants, as well as syringe components and fluid flow components. SmartScope Specialist 300 is an optical-based benchtop metrology system offering micron-level measurements within a generous 300 x 300 x 250 mm (12 x12 x 10 in.) XYZ measurement volume. Specialist 300 verifies critical dimensions of a wide range of medical parts. A measurement routine for one part is easily repeated for a batch of fixtured parts, providing throughput to support production requirements. Focus Specialist is a premium benchtop optical comparator designed to meet the inspection and measurement needs of medical device manufacturers. Its completely telecentric optics yield upright and reversed images that are crystal-clear and undistorted. Its dedicated 5 x lens allows 3.2 in. of a part to fill its evenly illuminated 16 in. (406 mm) diameter screen—more than could be seen on a 30 in. comparator using a 10 x lens. The mechanical structure features a sturdy mineral cast base for metrological stability and measurement integrity. parts. www.ogpnet.com
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