March 2008 Edition
westec
L.A. show marks 45th year being on the cutting edge
WESTEC continues to be the west coast's premier manufacturing resource. Celebrating its 45th year, the event will be March 31- April 3 in Los Angeles, CA. As the largest North American machine tool and advanced manufacturing event, WESTEC is the place to find advanced machine tools, cutting tools and accessories, manufacturing technology applications and solutions, emerging technologies, and other manufacturing and business resources for OEMs and small and medium-sized shops. This year, WESTEC launches an all-new Back-to-Basics program offering pathways to manufacturing careers. Count on WESTEC to put you center stage with over 600 exhibitors showcasing manufacturing's most advanced equipment, knowledgeable and highly skilled manufacturing professionals that will provide aggressive ideas, and the hottest trends. For more information,
(click here).
HMC-plus
The MAG Hüller-Hille NBH 6+ horizontal machining center features an extended work envelope with X/Y/Z travel of 41.3" x 31.5" x 39.3", a full fourth-axis rotary table, a large workpiece/fixture swing of 45.3" x 51.2" and capacity for changing pallets up to 24.8". A unique drum-type tool magazine holds 60 50-taper tools. An extremely heavy one-piece base casting provides high rigidity, stability and machining accuracy. It also features headstock positive air pressure protection against coolant and dirt.
Booth 3432 — MAG Industrial Automation Systems
3-Axis CNC Router
The new SR-200 Sheet Router from Haas Automation Inc. is an affordable solution of machining large sheets of material that provides expansive capacity in a lighter-weight, gantry-style, three-axis CNC machine with 148" x 76" x 8" (xyz) travels. It easily accommodates 6' x 12' sheets of material, and accepts ISO standard G-code programming through the user-friendly Haas CNC control. The router comes equipped with a 24,000-rpm, 5hp (continuous) 30-taper spindle for cutting and drilling various plastics and other light materials.
Booth 3232 — Haas Automation Inc.
Compact HMC
The Okuma MA-400HA is a compact, high-speed, horizontal machining center offering fast creation of precision-crafted components for exceptional profitability. Ballscrew cooling and a robust hand-scraped base casting ensure excellent rigidity. A high-speed cutting feed of 60m/min provides near instant access to parts, improving productivity and a max acceleration of 0.7G with rapid traverse rates of 2.362ipm. Extremely accurate, the double sleeve spindle cooling system balances the spindle head temperature to prevent deformation.
Booth 2932 — Okuma
Swivel-head VMC
The VMX42SR, Hurco's newest five-axis machining center, exemplifies the kind of leading edge innovation Hurco continues to develop for its customers. Hurco designed the VMX42SR with a swivel head and horizontal rotary table to meet the demands of five-axis machining. In addition to a small footprint, the VMX42SR includes a special version of WinMax control software designed to simplify setup and programming of complex, multi-sided parts. The VMX42SR delivers greater part accuracy with digital drives, larger ball screws, larger linear rails, and heavier servo drives.
Booth 2500 — Hurco Companies Inc.
High-volume lathe
Ideal for contract manufacturing and OEMs, the new TNW-3500R automated lathe from Fuji provides turning, drilling and milling operations – all in one machine. The TNW-3500R offers easy changeover, ideal for high-mix, high-volume production.
A best seller in Japan, the TNW-3500R is available for the first time in the United States.
Twin spindles, a gantry robot and slant bed are among its features. A live tool turret performs secondary operations.
Booth 2950 — Fuji
Matrix magazine
Toyoda's FH550SX HMC has a matrix tool magazine, and the horizontal machining center is designed to provide the cutting power of a boxway machine with 20 percent faster feed rates. Features include a newly designed column and high-torque spindle to speed through steel without compromising rigidity. The SX Series machines have a 40hp, 6,000rpm spindle. The high-performance spindle has double the driving force on the Y-axis, with a ballscrew and motor on each side of the spindle.
Booth 3232 — Toyoda Machinery
Multi-tasking centers
Mazak is offering a new generation of the Multi-Tasking Integrex i-150 Machining Center, which has a smaller footprint and more intelligent functions than previous models, and the all-new Hyper Quadrex 150 MSY, designed for high-performance Multi-Tasking of cylindrical and prismatic parts completed from bar stock. The all-new 150 MSY is specifically designed for efficient, high-volume, Done-in-One production of turned and machined workpieces from bar stock up to 2.56" in diameter. The Hyper Quadrex features two horizontally opposed spindles.
Booth 2900 — Mazak Corp.
CNC honing system
Sunnen's new SV-1015 series vertical CNC honing system with integrated air gaging system, matched with Sunnen's diamond-plated CGT Krossgrinding tools or MMT TurboHone multi-stone mandrel, can automatically control hole size to accuracies of 0.25µm (0.00001") without operator intervention, working in a size range 0.120-2.56" diameter. The new machine provides closed-loop control of tool size, along with downloadable SPC data, making it ideal for automated, high-Cpk production of small engines and hydraulic valves/bodies.
Booth 2916 — Sunnen Products Co.
Gang tool lathe
SNK's Prodigy GT-27 gang tool lathe features C-Axis spindle as standard, a polymer base and precision components for fast and accurate small parts turning. The design, in which the absence of a turret eliminates tool changes, lends itself to short cycle times, as well as high precision. The GT-27's spindle speeds reach up to 6,000rpm. The Prodigy GT-27 lathe uses three axes of motion that can be commanded in absolute or incremental modes. The C-Axis spindle allows for indexing and positioning.
Booth 3544 — SNK
'Plug and Go'
The new air-cooled "Plug and Go" HFK 95 S40 high-speed spindle is designed for fast and easy setup in most vertical or horizontal machining centers. The spindle is rated at 4hp peak power, 2.6hp continuous duty, providing speeds up to 42,000rpm, infinitely variable. Also offered will be new 20mm and 22mm diameter high speed milling and drilling spindles (up to 100,000rpm) that eliminate secondary operations for "Swiss" type lathes providing ultra precision – less than 2 microns run-out.
Booth 2140 — IBAG North America
Pitbull clamp
The popular Pitbull fixture clamp is now available from Mitee-Bite Products Inc. in a machinable version. The clamp has positive down force and a very low gripping profile, making it well suited for machining pieces complete in one setup. The Machinable Pitbull clamp is made of tool steel and heat-treated for long life, yet is still machinable. There is additional material on the clamping face for machining a radius. It is available in two sizes with 6,000lb and 12,000lb of holding force.
Booth 2305 — Mitee-Bite Products Inc.
Carbide thread mills
Emuge Corp. has introduced a new series of Miniature Solid Carbide Thread Mills that are optimally designed for easy machining of difficult materials such as stainless steels, titanium, K-monel, hastelloy, and inconel. The line is suitable for a variety of medical, aerospace, defense, and computer industry applications. Due to their size and design, the new thread mills can increase productivity in several ways. The new thread mills eliminate the possibility and consequences of tap breakage.
Booth 4322 — Emuge Corp.
Toolholder inserts
Thinbit, manufactured by Kaiser Tool Co., announces MiniGroove 'N Turn , a new style of inserts for customers that require the ability to both groove and turn using narrow insert widths in small bores. The offset insert design allows grooving or turning up to a shoulder. The toolholders' unique clamping geometry and built-in stop prevent slippage and rotation during axial or radial cuts and allow the user to groove, turn and profile.
Booth 3557 — Kaiser Tool Company
C-Cutter Mini
BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling's new C-Cutter Mini's compact design reduces the cutting diameter to the lowest limit, helping achieve ultra-high spindle speeds and feeds. The ultra high-feed chamfer mill delivers multi-functional cutting, including chamfering, back chamfering and face milling. Its high-speed back chamfering capability reduces hand deburring, and face milling is possible with a 45-degree chamfering type with 0.394" square insert. The C-Cutter Mini is available in single insert and four-insert designs.
Booth 2632 — BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling
High-speed laser
The TRUMPF TruLaser 2030 high-speed laser features integrated automation. Other key features include a moving safety enclosure that provides safe operation with easy access to the processing area and integrated automation that is expandable with material carts to increase flexibility and reduce processing time in unmanned operation. The machine is available in three working area sizes. The TruLaser 2030 represents perfect synchronization of laser resonator, cutting machine and automated material handling.
Booth 2958 — TRUMPF
Versatile waterjets
The versatile High Rail Gantry precision waterjet system from Jet Edge features a iP60-50 ultra-high pressure intensifier pump and a new self-feeding pneumatic drill. Capable of producing complex parts out of virtually any material, the High Rail Gantry features a stable overhead design that allows full access to the work envelope and raises critical components out of the process environment. Jet Edge utilizes high-volume, low-pressure air around the ball screws and linear motion guides and bearings.
Booth 4112 — Jet Edge
Speedier cutting
Flow's Integrated Flying Bridge machine incorporates 87,000psi waterjet cutting. Flow's HyperPressure technology enables faster, more cost-effective cutting, lower part cost and higher production, including cutting speeds that are 20-50 percent faster than 60,000psi; 20-30 percent lower part cost than 60,000psi; lower abrasive consumption, with 30-50 percent less abrasive used than 60,000psi; and simpler, faster maintenance. The IFB's design combines the motion control, pump and high-pressure components of a waterjet cutting tool into one compact machine.
Booth 3350 — Flow International Corp.
Medium duty saw
DoALL Sawing Products' Model DC-310NC II is a dual column metal-cutting band saw that offers a variety of features to provide greater value and increased performance. The DC-310NC II has a 1¼" blade for greater beam strength and a powerful 5hp AC inverter band drive system with variable speeds from 50 to 400fpm for efficient cutting of a wide range of materials. Productivity is increased through the use of a split-style front vise assembly.
Booth 4344 — DoALL Sawing Products
CUT 20 wire EDM
The GF AgieCharmilles CUT 20 wire EDM combines outstanding EDM performance with remarkable ease of use. The new and intuitive human-machine interface is built on a Windows XP platform, and is designed with "non-EDM experts" in mind. Adding to the smart design of control is the proven performance of the Swiss-made IPG-V generator. The generator's reliable electronics makes extremely fast removal rates possible, even with economical brass wire. The long working life of the wear parts reduce operating costs and ensure profitability.
Booth 3228 — GF AgieCharmilles
New wire EDM
The new Mitsubishi FA10 Advance wire EDM features a new M700 Series Mitsubishi control. The Windows-based system with 15-inch LCD touch screen provides a simple menu configuration allowing for easy navigation. The machine has the world's first 3-D adaptive EDM control, which can analyze 3-D data and recognize shape characteristics virtually eliminating transition lines in stepped workpiece areas. The M700 Series brings significant new dimensions of power and user-friendliness to CNC applications.
Booth 3532 — Mitsubishi Electric
Pulsed MIG inverter
Miller Electric Manufacturing Company's Invision 350 MPa MIG/pulsed MIG inverter features built-in pulsed MIG programs with excellent out-of-the-box performance for immediate productivity, especially in high-volume applications. The Invision 350 MPa is designed to solve distortion, burn-through and spatter issues associated with welding light gauge material. When combined with the S-74 MPa wire feeder, the two create a synergic system with easy-to-use one-knob control, freeing the operator from setting multiple parameters to achieve optimal results and virtually eliminating the pulsed-MIG learning curve.
Booth 4161 — Miller Electric Manufacturing Co.
VC collet system
Lyndex-Nikken's new high performance VC Toolholder, operating at up to 40,000rpm, offers the ultimate in high speed, high accuracy and ultra smooth surface finishes. The unique design characteristics of the VC result in high accuracy (runout is within 0.00012" at 4xD) and finishes. Its slim and smooth profile eliminates noise related to high-speed rotation, while it reduces the air current created by the hex nuts and slots on the periphery of most toolholders.
Booth 2616 — Lyndex-Nikken
Rotary union
Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. offers the latest products from OTT-Jakob, including the OTT-Jakob GDR rotary union. It has now a top spindle speed of 24,000rpm and a maximum coolant pressure of 80bar. In addition, a new small rotary union is available from OTT-Jakob: the GDP. It has a maximum spindle speed of 75,000rpm, 80bar coolant pressure. It features a hybrid bearing, balanced design for high-speed rotation, a closed sealing surface and minimum volume lubrication (externally mixed) pmax=5 bar.
Booth 5630 — Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.
Modular subplate
The QwikStack from Chick Workholding Solutions Inc. is a modular subplate designed for small workpiece fixturing. Designed to utilize large workholding systems for high-density, small workpieces, the QwikStack interfaces directly with Chick System 5 1550 QwikLoks and MultiLoks. This also creates a pallet changing system that allows for seamless transition between jobs, since the QwikStack is easily removed in seconds. The QwikStack can also be easily mounted to a VMC's T-Slotted table or Chick Foundation using toe clamps.
Booth 4423 — Chick Workholding
Radio touch probe
Bringing "out of sight" precision to complex 3-D part measurement on machine tools, the new Renishaw RMP600 touch probe combines two exclusive Renishaw technologies – highest accuracy strain-gage sensing and frequency-hopping spread-spectrum radio transmission. The design allows unmatched part checking precision on five-axis machining, contours, deep cavities, undercuts, etc., where obstacles or part features can block transmission by optical line-of-sight probes. The versatile probe makes possible rapid, automated part set-up and changeover.
Booth 4016 — Renishaw Inc.
Coolant cleaner
Maintaining clean coolant is important in any operation to ensure machine accuracy and reduce costs. Eriez Ceramic and Rare-Earth Magnetic Coolant Cleaners extract ferrous particles to help meet tolerances and improve surface finish in grinding and metal-cutting operations. Eriez Ceramic Magnetic Coolant Cleaners, available in several sizes, remove ferrous particles as small as 15 microns. Eriez Xtractor Rare-Earth Magnetic Coolant Cleaners remove ferrous particles as small as 3 microns. Magnetic coolant cleaners are effective wherever clean coolant is required.
Booth 5528 — Eriez Magnetics
Parsetter TMM
Parlec's Series 1500 Parsetter TMM is the latest innovative tool measuring system that provides complete presetting, tool inspection and tool measurement along with exceptional repeatability. The 1500 offers ergonomic positioning which allows the tool edge to come quickly into view, while the dynamic crosshairs automatically find and track the cutting edge. Another advanced feature is the flexible configuration of axial orientation and measurement values, which allow the 1500 to be used for both turning and milling applications on one vertical presetting platform.
Booth 2963 — Parlec Inc.
Probing system
Marposs Corp. offers its new Mida Wireless Intuitive Probing System for use with Haas CNC machining centers. The probing system is designed to simplify programming and execution of machine tool probing routines. The kit, available as a factory-installed option from Haas Automation, includes a spindle probe, which makes setup work offsets easy, and a wireless contact tool-setter that can be used to quickly set tool length and diameter.
Booth 2519 — Marposs Corporation
Digital readout system
Heidenhain offers its latest entry into the digital readout market with the versatile ND 500 system. The DRO is now coupled with a Heidenhain high quality LS linear scale, making this an extraordinary system offered at a value price. The ND 500s come in two- or three-axis versions, an LCD screen and offer many standard functions for both milling and turning applications. New functions were also added: the milling of radii and of gradients, as well as "vectoring" for turning applications.
Booth 2612 — Heidenhain
Measuring software
Carl Zeiss has introduced Calypso 4.6, a new version of the CAD-based measuring software. Calypso improves combined optical and contact measuring with multi-sensor applications. For users, this primarily means additional timesavings coupled with even more reliable, error-free measuring: whether contact or optical measuring, scanning or single-point measuring. Calypso combines several measurement strategies per geometric element in a single measurement plan. Contact and optical measuring methods complement each other ideally with many workpieces.
Booth 4259 — Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology
Compact laser
Optodyne's MCV-4000 is a complete laser calibration system for calibrating and compensating linear, angular, straightness, flatness, and squareness errors. The MCV 4000 features a dual beam laser head, dual channel processor and squareness optics for running linear, angular (pitch, yaw, straightness, flatness) and squareness calibration. Available accessories allow calibration of tilting spindles and rotary motion for calibration of five-axis machine tools, which require calibration periodically to maintain accuracy.
Booth 2420 — Optodyne Inc.
3 measuring modes
Mahr Federal's new Digimar 817 CLM Height Measuring Instrument offers three distinct ways to initiate measurement. In addition to normal keypad initiation, a Quick Mode feature allows the measurement cycle to be initiated by simply pushing the carriage in the direction of the object to be measured. Also, two Speed Keys on the base allow the operator to comfortably move the measuring carriage to the desired position and start a measurement. Combined with an easy-to-program Teach-In Mode, these features can greatly reduce inspection time.
Booth 2416 — Mahr Federal Inc.
Way covers
Hennig Inc. offers machine protection and coolant management products including steel way covers, bellows, wiper systems, roll-ups and apron covers, as well as chip conveyor systems. Hennig manufactures new steel way covers and provides repair services. Hennig provides full repair and refurbishment services for both Hennig and non-Hennig way covers. Hennig's line of chip conveyors includes the highly effective Hennig Chip Disc Filter and the Cast Iron CDF, designed to catch those elusive cast iron fines.
Booth 5628 — Hennig Inc.
Automatic bar feeders
IEMCA automatic bar feeders are for single-spindle and multi-spindle lathes, such as the Genius 120. The Genius 120 offers superior accuracy and can be used in high RPM applications. In addition, users can run very small diameter bars without sacrificing precision. The hydrodynamic guide channel system enables simple, quick changeover. The unique guide channel design allows the guide diameter to be modified by only changing the front guide sections.
Booth 3500 — IEMCA