Cmw april2015 de

PLASMA UNLEASHED New technologies advance capabilities – p36

APRIL 2015 PM 40069240

ARC REGULATION Manipulation, modification and the welding arc – p54

FASTER, FUNCTIONAL & SMALL A look at the latest milling machines – p62

JUST SAW IT Metal cutting saws gain momentum – p92

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APRIL 2015 ß VOL. 110 ß NO. 03

www.canadianmetalworking.com

A LOOK INSIDE SPECIAL ISSUE: ENERGY & RESOURCES FEATURES LOOKING BACK: MILLING MACHINES — 27 110 years of Canadian Metalworking

PLASMA UNLEASHED — 36 New technology enhances capabilities

THE ONE-TWO COMBINATION — 42 Abrasive wheels allow efficient work in the field

ARC REGULATIONS — 54 Modifying and manipulating the welding arc

ENHANCING RAPID SHOP FLOOR MEASURING — 58

COVER STORY — 30 OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND

Despite oil’s dip, energy sector still thrives

The latest and greatest in portable CMMs

MILLING MACHINES — 62 Faster, functional and compact

27 36

58

42

62

 www.canadianmetalworking.com

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APRIL 2015 ß VOL. 110 ß NO. 03

www.canadianmetalworking.com

A LOOK INSIDE SPECIAL ISSUE: ENERGY & RESOURCES

66 FEATURES (CONT.)

74

AN EFFECTIVE GRINDING PROCESS — 66 The many angles of centerless grinding

78

FINDING THEIR CENTER — 70 Echo Hill Automation, Beamsville, ON

SHORT-RUN SPECIALISTS — 74 The Machining Center, Belleville, ON

A BLACK ART — 78 Exploring deep hole drilling

JUST SAW IT — 92 Metal cutting saws gain momentum

SUCCESS IN MOBILITY — 96 Mobile Welding, Toronto, ON

DEPARTMENTS VIEW FROM THE FLOOR — 10 NEWS — 12 KEN HURWITZ ON FINANCE — 21 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT — 23 CMTS COUNTDOWN — 25 TOOL TECH — 29

92

96

UPCOMING IN METALWORKING We are excited for our upcoming tabletop show in Coquitlam, BC. These shows have been great and we are looking forward to continuing this success on May 5, 2015. Visit www.mmpshow.com to register for this FREE event.

It’s all about medical device manufacturing in our May issue. We will focus on precision machining, additive manufacturing, fabricating tooling, marking, gauging, and more.

Also, on www.canadianmetalworking.com, visit our “Product News” section for the latest product and booth previews for WMTS, coming up on June 15-17, 2015 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.

And don’t forget to follow along and engage with us on social media – look for us on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook!

FAB AND WELDING NEWS — 48 TOOL TALK — 84

BY THE NUMBERS — 106 8 | APRIL 2015

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www.canadianmetalworking.com

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2-2015_CM_IMP_Ad_Layout 1 1/9/15 11:49 AM Page 1

Keith Billings, President (right) and Brian Heins, General Manager Integrated Metal Products

At the Forefront.

“Amada’s ability to continuously innovate keeps us ahead of our competitors.”

— Keith Billings, President Integrated Metal Products

Integrated Metal Products Retains Their Leadership Position by Partnering with Amada.

Located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, Integrated Metal Products (IMP) is a leading contract manufacturer of precision fabricated metal components. For nearly 30 years, IMP has served a wide range of industries and earned a reputation for unsurpassed quality and reliability. IMP president, Keith Billings, attributes the company’s success to investing in leading-edge technology and state-of-the art equipment. Billings put it in these words, “Amada’s commitment to advancing technology has allowed us to improve efficiencies and attract new customers, as well as keep our long-term customers coming back. We’ve always used Amada equipment.

Over the years we’ve upgraded our older models to the latest generation — including press brakes, laser cutting systems and punch/laser combination machines. Amada’s innovative machines and processes keep IMP ahead of the competition.”

Amada’s Networked Solution Provides: • Maximum Productivity (High-speed shuttle tables on the FOM2 ensure continuous processing by externalizing the material setup process. The EMLK combines the punching power of the world’s fastest hit rates with the versatility of a 4kW laser).

EMLK punch/laser combination with MP automated load/unload system.

• Maximum Flexibility (The FOM2 provides high speed processing for a wide variety of material types and thicknesses. The EMLK provides the ability to tap, form, punch and cut on the same machine).

• Accuracy and Reliability (The EMLK’s high-speed motion system is repeatable to .0003˝, ensuring accurate parts every time. For more than 10 years, the FO series has a proven reputation for unparalleled accuracy and reliability. As the latest generation, the FOM2 continues to set new standards for precision and performance).

IMP’s General Manager, Brian Heins is also impressed by Amada’s service and support. Heins states, “Our Amada service engineer gave us his direct contact information and on one occasion came in at 10 pm on a Saturday night to ensure our weekend shift could continue cutting through the night. It’s great to work with a company that’s committed to our success.”

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VIEW FROM THE FLOOR

EDUCATION FOR ALL

B

Are you making an effort to keep everyone on your team challenged and engaged? Take advantage of attending industry events in your area, those small acts can pay huge dividends.

y the time you’re reading this column it’s likely that our first trip to Winnipeg with the Metalworking Manufacturing and Production Expo will have come and gone.

I expect that many of our readers from the area will have made the time on April 7 to attend the event. Thank you, and I look forward to your feedback.

These free, day-long expos (the next one is in Coquitlam, BC, May 5th) are a great opportunity for us to meet and interact, but more importantly they serve as small team-building events for shops of all sizes.

When’s the last time a group from your shop floor had the chance to attend an industry-related event together where they could see and talk about technologies related to their day-to-day work?

A lot of importance is placed on the need to fill the skills gap in the manufacturing trades across the country. The demand for the next generation of workers is growing, and all levels of government together with industry associations are doing their part to create a greater awareness of the opportunities.

And national programs like Skills Canada are also encouraging not only involvement but also excellence among the next generation of skilled machinists, welders and many other manufacturing trades.

PUBLISHER STEVE DEVONPORT 416.442.5125 ß sdevonport@canadianmetalworking.com

So while resources are being poured into the next generation, who’s making the effort to enhance the skills and development of existing employees?

In most small- to medium-sized manufacturing companies the only ongoing employee training arrives when a new piece of equipment lands on the shop floor. The Machining Center in Belleville, Ontario, a 16-person shop, took a refreshing approach when it involved its machine operators in the purchasing decision when it was buying a new machine tool (pg. 74). According to Paul Vreugdenhil, operations manager at the company, they make extra efforts to invest the time to challenge their operators and keep them involved.

This level of engagement keeps the employees sharp and is great for team building.

Our small expos, and especially the larger industry trade shows (WMTS in Edmonton this June and CMTS in Toronto Sept./Oct.), are supported by numerous suppliers to the industry all looking to share their knowledge of the latest and greatest offering to improve production in shops of all sizes. Bringing your crew to events like this is a small cost-effective way to help your employees and your company grow.

DOUG PICKLYK, EDITOR dpicklyk@canadianmetalworking.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ROB SWAN 416.510.5225, cell 416.725.0145 ß rswan@canadianmetalworking.com

HOW TO REACH US Published by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON M3B 2S9 Phone: 416.442.5600 ß Fax: 416.510.5140

ACCOUNT MANAGER NICHOLAS HEALEY 416.442.5600 x3642 ß nhealey@canadianmetalworking.com

CM, established: 1905 is published 9 times per year by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc.

EDITOR DOUG PICKLYK 416.510.5206 ßdpicklyk@canadianmetalworking.com

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Canada $55.00 per year, Outside Canada $90.00 US per year, Single Copy Canada $8.00.

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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR LISA WICHMANN 416.442.5600 x5101 ß lwichmann@canadianmanufacturing.com

All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. The contents of the publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, either in part or in full, including photocopying and recording, without the written consent of the copyright owner. Nor may any part of this publication be stored in a retrieval system of any nature without prior written consent.

ART DIRECTOR STEWART THOMAS 416-442-5600 x3212 ß sthomas@bizinfogroup.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER SELINA RAHAMAN 416.442.5600 x3528 ß srahaman@bizinfogroup.ca MARKET PRODUCTION MANAGER BARB VOWLES 416.510.5103 ß bvowles@annexnewcom.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER PHYLLIS WRIGHT 416.442.6786 ß pwright@bizinfogroup.ca PRESIDENT OF ANNEX BUSINESS MEDIA MIKE FREDERICKS VICE-PRESIDENT OF ANNEX BUSINESS MEDIA TIM DIMOPOULOS

10 | APRIL 2015

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Content copyright © 2015 by Annex Publishing & Printing Inc, may not be reprinted without permission.

CM accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported or advertised in this issue.

DISCLAIMER This publication is for informational purposes only.

The content and “expert” advice presented are not intended as a substitute for informed professional engineering advice. You should not act on information contained in this publication without seeking specific advice from qualified engineering professionals.

PRIVACY NOTICE From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1.800.668.2374 Fax: 416.442.2191 Email: jhunter@businessinformationgroup.ca Mail to: Privacy Office, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Canadian Publications Mail Agreement: 40069240. ISSN: 0008-4379 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

CM receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time.

CM, 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.

www.canadianmetalworking.com

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IN THE NEWS

FORD’S OAKVILLE PLANT CONTINUES TO EXPAND After kicking off production of the all-new 2015 Edge, Ford has announced that they have hired approximately 400 additional employees.

The Oakville Assembly plant recently underwent significant modifications. The automaker invested over $700 million at the facility for retooling and expansion in order to keep up with the growing demand the company is facing.

Ford explained in a statement that the transformation elevates Oakville Assembly to one of the most competitive and advanced global manufacturing plants in Canada.

Retooling and expansion of the Oakville Assembly will allow Ford to shift production more quickly and efficiently. New technology, processes and training have been integrated into the facility. More than 250 new robots were added, including new software and vision systems that improve efficiency, precision and quality. Additionally, 1,000 robots were upgraded and delegated with new duties.

Ford outlines the various processes now handled by the robots, including: • New robots to apply urethane to glass for consistent application every time creating a perfect seal that reduces wind noise and improves quietness and comfort for the customer • New robots to install panels, doors and hoods reducing variability and offering more control in installation for a more durable build • Laser brazing with new robotics to offer cleaner lines and higher strength and precision in the seaming of the roof for a more high-end design • A “Vehicle on Wheels” visions system to ensure the flushness of doors, hood and lift gate through laser and optical images for a seamless fit • 3D dirt detection technology and 12 | APRIL 2015

03CMW-News.indd 12

PHOTO: FORD

increased robotic automation in paint to employ a more durable paint application, resulting in bestin-class exterior appearance and a flawless finish. 3D dirt detection technology uses high resolution cameras to detect and locate any paint imperfections not readily seen by the naked eye “We’re proud to show the world advanced manufacturing right here in Canada and look forward to serving new global customers,” said Dianne Craig, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. “The Oakville Assembly team has worked relentlessly to deliver a quality product to the highest standard— from bringing in the best of Ford’s manufacturing technologies to training new employees across the facility.”

Since 2008, global demand for utility vehicles has significantly increased, up 88 per cent, and now account for 19 per cent of the global automotive market.

“Thanks to the new capabilities at Oakville Assembly, the 2015 Edge delivers improved driving dynamics, quality, quietness, interior space and

even more technology, and we are proud for our Canadian team to start bringing Edge to customers in even more markets around the world,” says Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas.

The Oakville Assembly has been in operation since 1953 and also produces the Ford Flex and the Lincoln MKT. It will also begin production of the new global 2016 Lincoln MKX this year. The facility has approximately 4,500 employees working a partial three shift schedule. Since 2013, Oakville Assembly has hired more than 1,700 employees.

“The new global Edge is an excellent and timely indication that Canada’s auto industry is poised to excel in coming years,” said Jerry Dias, national president of Unifor.

“Canadian auto workers have consistently demonstrated superior productivity and quality results, which are essential to the success of an innovative vehicle like this one. This new vehicle is great news for the company and its workers, and good news for all Canadians who benefit from a strong auto industry and the revenue it generates.” www.canadianmetalworking.com

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IN THE NEWS

CANADIAN AUTO SALES CLIMB IN FEBRUARY

PHOTO: GM

Despite frosty temperatures, Canadians risked the cold to purchase a new vehicle.

February 2015 was a strong month for automakers, as more than 109,000 vehicles were sold. This is up 3.4 per cent over February 2014.

Automakers have not seen this strong of a February since 2008.

According to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants, trucks continued to grow more market share, with sales up more than five per cent. In February, light truck sales reached 68,049, while sales of passenger cars creeped up 0.2 per cent to 41,199. Light trucks make up a record-high 63.3 per cent of

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03CMW-News.indd 14

the Canadian auto market, based on year-to-date sales figures.

Although these figures point to positive growth, some automakers were left in the cold. Of the Big Three, Ford Canada saw a slip in sales of over seven per cent, selling 15,021 vehicles.

FCA Canada only saw a one per cent gain, selling 18,711 vehicles, although they sold more vehicles than any other automaker. However, it was General Motors of Canada that really capitalized, selling 13,806 vehicles, which is an over 6 per cent increase from the previous year. In a year-to-year comparison, the Big Three’s February sales continued to remain steady, with a less than one per cent decrease in 2015.

“Given the coldest February on record for both Quebec and Ontario, the collapse in crude prices, and a declining Canadian dollar, it is a definite positive that Canadian consumers haven’t been steered away from the new vehicle market,” analyst Dennis DesRosiers said in a statement.

Other auto manufacturers varied in terms of sales figures. Toyota’s sales increased by 19 per cent from the previous year to 11,864. Honda’s sales slipped eight per cent to 7,200.

Nissan was up by 20 per cent, selling 7,213 vehicles. Whereas Hyundai only saw a nearly 3 per cent increase to 8,326 sales.

www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 3:59 PM

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IN THE NEWS

AEROSPACE MANUFACTURER OPENS NEW FACILITY IN ONTARIO Héroux-Devtek announced the inauguration its newest facility, located in Cambridge, Ontario. The aerospace manufacturing company, which specializes in manufacturing landing gear, says the facility will help the company deliver complete landing gear systems for Boeing’s B-777 and B-777X aircraft in 2017.

Héroux-Devtek has a significant contract with Boeing, and this facility it just one way the company is set to fulfill its orders.

The new facility is over 108,000 square feet and located at Cambridge’s Boxwood Business Campus, and although the plant is in the pre-production phase, the company expects that it will be fully operational by June 2015. This facil-

ity is where the company will focus manufacturing large scale, complex landing gear components.

“This new facility will play a pivotal role in executing the most important landing gear contract in Héroux-Devtek’s history and its high level of automation will allow us to provide superior quality products to Boeing at a very competitive cost,” says Gilles Labbé, President and Chief Executive Officer of HérouxDevtek. “This network expansion will also enable us to pursue other business opportunities to supply complete landing gear systems to our customers. We sincerely thank the Government of Ontario for supporting our industry, in which Canada ranks fifth worldwide. With this

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new plant…Héroux-Devtek’s Ontario workforce will grow to approximately 250 employees, predominantly in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo which strengthens its status as our centre of excellence in the production of mid-to-large scale, complex landing gear components.”

One of the benefits of this location is that if necessary, the plant can be expanded by approximately 100,000 square feet. This will allow for Héroux-Devtek to think of its longterm capital investment plan. At its current size, the company believes this facility is a leading example in terms of productivity throughout the industry, setting new standards for manufacturing technology.

“We’re excited to welcome HérouxDevtek Inc. to Cambridge and to our new Boxwood Business Campus. We look forward to working with the Héroux-Devtek team as they establish their state-of-the-art facility in Cambridge and in the future as they expand and grow. We’re proud to have them choose the City of Cambridge as they grow their North American presence,” says Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig.

The company says the total investment is about $54 million over five years, including a $7-million investment from the Ontario government.

Ontario Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid says it demonstrates “how targeted, strategic investments can strengthen key Ontario industries.”

The provincial government says aerospace is a key component of Ontario’s advanced manufacturing sector, employing 17,000 people.

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IN THE NEWS

THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS INNOVATION IN WESTERN CANADA The federal government has announced at $5 million investment to help develop and foster innovation in Western Canada. The Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced the support of the Orthopaedic Innovation Centre (OIC) in Winnipeg to develop an Advanced Digital Manufacturing Hub (ADMH) to meet prototyping and commercialization needs.

Additive manufacturing is a technology that builds 3D objects by adding layers of various materials, such as plastics and metals to create solid three-dimensional objects.

The investment will go towards the purchase of metal additive manufacturing equipment by the OIC, which

will aide in the testing, development, precision measurement, and fabrication of advanced orthopaedic materials and technologies.

It is estimated that the additive manufacturing industry is expected to surpass $6.9 billion by 2019.

“Additive manufacturing allows engineers and surgeons at OIC to design medical devices that will also allow for patient specific solutions in ways that were not possible with conventional manufacturing methods,” says Martin Petrak, president and CEO, OIC. The Advanced Digital Manufacturing Hub is a unique opportunity for OIC and its strategic partners, which include Stratasys, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, Magellan Aerospace, EOS of North America, Western Economic Diversification, and the Province of Manitoba.

This funding will help accelerate the

path of commercializing additively manufactured end products made from specialized metal powders and polymer materials for both the medical and aerospace industries in Manitoba and the rest of Canada.”

“Stratasys Direct Manufacturing aims to expand access to 3D printing in and across Canada, says Jim Bartel, senior vice president, Stratasys Direct Manufacturing Inc. “By establishing local presence in Winnipeg and leveraging strategic partnerships with organizations like the Orthopedic Innovation Center, we look forward to driving the innovation and commercialization of new applications in the medical and aerospace markets using additive technologies.”

“Partnering with the Orthopaedic Innovation Centre allows us to bring industrial 3D printing to a team of renowned surgeons, scientists, engineers, and technologists to offer innovative research and products for both medical and aerospace applications” explains Andrew Snow, senior vice president, EOS of North America Inc. This funding represents one component within a larger strategic project that will see OIC partner with Stratasys to establish its first Canadian presence in Winnipeg.

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IN THE NEWS

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN SASKATCHEWAN CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE The manufacturing sector employs over 28,000 people in Saskatchewan.

In order to focus on developing this area, the federal government has announced support of a new project A federal investment of over $1.4 million was announced in March by the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification.

This money will help establish and operate the Saskatchewan Manufacturing Centre of Excellence.

“To keep up with the demands of

“The Centre of Excellence will provide Saskatchewan manufacturers with the resources, services and leadership necessary to compete and win in both domestic and global mar-

kets,” explains Derek Lothian, vice president, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and executive director, Saskatchewan Manufacturing Council.

PHOTO: GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN

the growing manufacturing sector, our Government is pleased to invest in the establishment of the Saskatchewan Manufacturing Centre of Excellence,” says Rempel.

“Training skilled workers and increasing productivity and innovation are essential to the continued growth and prosperity of Saskatchewan, and Western Canada.”

Under the governance of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), the Saskatchewan Manufacturing Centre of Excellence will focus on gaps in industry and address critical impediments to growth for the manufacturing sector. The Centre will provide support for small- and medium-sized manufacturers throughout Saskatchewan in three core areas: productivity improvement, workforce and skills development, and innovation. The Centre will also develop and implement programming to connect Aboriginal participants to career opportunities in manufacturing. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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FINANCE

ONE SHOP’S STORY

BY KEN HURWITZ

T

his month I’m using this space to discuss a good client of mine, Douglas Zelaya, the owner of Premium Machining Solutions Ltd. in Toronto, who in a relatively short period of time has grown his business phenomenally. Doug’s success can be attributed mostly to hard work and the assistance of equipment leasing, banking and support from a one of the world’s largest machine tool manufacturers.

I first met Doug back in 2010, a referral from a well-established used equipment seller in the U.S. (As an aside, financing a good brand name used machine is just as easy as something new because it’s easy to appraise from a value standpoint and there’s always an active market in the event the equipment needs to be re-marketed, but I digress…)

Doug started his business in 2009 after being in the industry for almost a decade working in a few shops doing everything from automotive to mold making.

I had the pleasure of financing his first piece of equipment, a small CNC vertical machining centre. We not only financed the machine, but we also did his air compressor. That was the fall of 2010, and almost exactly one year later he visited our small booth at the Canadian Manufacturing and Technology Show (CMTS’11) and told me he was ready for his second machine. This time it would be a larger, brand new, vertical machining centre to provide more capacity and increase his capabilities. I think the cost of the machine alone exceeded his entire sales for the prior year, but having established a good relationship with www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Doug (along with a year of perfect payments), we believed in him and knew success would follow.

Well, we could not have been more correct. Within three months, once his customers knew he had installed another machine, he was full and sales tripled by the end of 2013. In that time Doug established a banking relationship to provide not only equipment financing but also business loans for projects and working capital to protect cash flow. I always tell my clients, you should never have one lender, just like you should never have one customer. The bank was able to provide financing for Doug’s third vertical machining centre—used, but with a larger work envelope than the two previous machines.

When I asked Doug what it was like working with the bank, he told me they are good people but, “slow in response time and always pushing to leave money in the company.”

“I ALWAYS TELL MY CLIENTS, YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE ONE LENDER, JUST LIKE YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE ONE CUSTOMER.” In early 2014 Doug was ready for another machine. The company’s newest customer was one of the largest privately-owned aerospace shops in Canada, and it was now starting to send him 5-axis work. He realized the only way he could continue to grow was to start machining more complex parts, differentiating Premium from other small machine shops. Once Doug identified the machine he wanted he gave me a call. It was about 2-1/2 times the cost of the new vertical we had done back in 2011, and although I could have gotten him approved, the terms would not have been as favourable.

His company had experienced amaz-

ing growth in a short period of time, but because we had financed two of his three pieces already, the size of this latest transaction meant I would need a large deposit—a tough ask for a growing business. We talked about his bank, but in typical bank fashion they were not interested unless Doug was prepared to offer his house as additional security. So the advice I gave Doug was quite simple, as a previous seller of machinery I told him that our company would offer favorable terms and/or guarantee financing from time to time when we believed in the customer. Well it didn’t take long for Doug to find a deal from his selected manufacturer which suited him. He still needed to come up with a deposit, but he got a deal which included skip payments for the first few months, a large residual at the end of the term which keeps the monthly payment down, as well as a subsidized interest rate.

At the end of 2014 Premium’s sales were up 1-1/2 times from 2013, and Doug and I are now talking about his next move—at least one more machining center. But first on his list is more space.

Clearly there are a lot of factors that have contributed to Doug’s success, much more than what can be detailed in a simple column, but if there is one take away from Doug’s story it is the realization that getting the good equipment on your floor first and then finding the work makes the most sense, and go beyond your typical bank for financing. It is out there, you just need to know where to look.

Till next month…

Ken Hurwitz is the Senior Account Manager with Blue Chip Leasing Corp. in Toronto. With years of experience in the machine tool industry, Ken now helps all kinds of manufacturers with their capital needs.

Contact Ken at (416) 614-5878 or ken@bluechipleasing.com.

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

GOAL-SETTING BASED ON PAST PERFORMANCE

BY ALMA JOHNS & ANDREW WOOD

A

s turnaround specialists, our expertise is in helping management teams determine and lead the direction of change in their companies. By developing strategies with specific and measurable goals we focus on what really matters so organizations can prosper.

Often surprising is the number of companies that seemingly operate at odds to this simple approach. With confused compasses, management teams will formulate strategies that encourage employees to react to short-lived events or respond to noise in their organizations. It’s best to avoid falling into this common trap by setting goals that will enable management to gain a sharp perspective and focus on what really matters.

Consider the following steps: • Review Year-End Income Statement. A key starting point in establishing financial goals, this document breaks down sales revenue, cost of goods sold, operations and administration costs and demonstrates the operational effectiveness of a company for the past 12 months. Often companies commit time to reviewing their yearly fiscal results with a misguided perspective. Unfortunately, last year’s P&L are lagging indicators, showing how the company did but offering little insight into what’s to come. Instead, use this template as a basis to model alternatives and determine the most desirable outcomes. This model will help identify how changes to key drivers will impact the bottom line.

• Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Once the key www.canadianmetalworking.com

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drivers on the P&L are determined, the next step is to identify KPIs that stand behind those drivers and what manipulation is required to improve results. In some cases, companies focus on sales growth and miss the obvious. Tasking the VP of Sales with increasing revenue may not be as effective as holding the individual accountable for improving Contribution Margins.

Additionally, even a healthy Contribution Margin can have its impact trumped by ineffective expenditures on some rogue administration expenses.

Unmonitored cellphone plans, travel costs, unhedged currency positions, etc. are all candidates to swallow the profit from the last big sale. Departmental teams should own a fixed budget for each variable on the P&L and those should be tied into overall strategies and corporate goals.

• Approach P&L from an Arm’sLength Perspective. Finally, examine the P&L like an external auditor not as a management team with a vested interest. Ask what changes to specific variables translate most profoundly to the bottom line.

Once the management team appreciates that targeting specific lines on the Income Statement facilitates building strategies that could shift those numbers in the company’s favour, they can proceed to re-engineering the P&L and setting specific financial goals as follows: • Establish Income Before Tax and Bottom Line. What income before tax defines a successful company performance? In addition, there needs to be a balance between maximizing tax efficiencies and the need for financing.

For example, were there previous years’ losses that can be carried forward to offset taxes on profits this year? Does the company need additional financing so that

financial statements are prepared to satisfy the lenders?

• Identify Total Operating Expense.

Which unnecessary expenses need to be eliminated this year?

Conversely, will increased marketing spend contribute to higher revenue and better profits?

• Determine the Required Gross Profit Margin. If the margins were 40% last year and 50% before that, it may be realistic to set the margins at 45% or a three-year average. If this variable is susceptible to market inputs, such as price of steel, fuel, etc., pick a number as a compromise. Setting a Gross Profit Margin and Gross Profit in dollar terms will provide guidance in producing the required top line.

• Review and Deconstruct the Top Line. With this goal in mind, determine which combination of existing and new business will likely generate this increase. Ensure that internal sales strategies, commission plans, staffing and organizational structure are all aligned to produce the desired outcome for client acquisition, organic growth and baseline protection.

Creating an alternative model of last year’s Income Statement or P&L is crucial to identifying this year’s financial goals. Task teams to improve key drivers, formulate strategies, and establish action items for each strategy that will help achieve financial goals and steer your company in a desirable direction.

Alma Johns is President of Bench Capital Advisory Inc., an independent corporate finance and debt advisory firm based in Toronto. alma.johns@benchcapital.ca.

Andrew Wood has held senior positions in manufacturing, supply chain and other industries and sits on TEC Canada’s Trusted Advisors Council. andrewjmwood@changeagent.ca.

APRIL 2015 | 23

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COUNTDOWN T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L CENTRE

SEPTEMBER 28 – OCTOBER 1, 2015

MISSISSAUG A

SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE SME issues call for speakers for CMTS 2015

S

ME, an organization dedicated to advancing manufacturing, is seeking industry professionals with subject-matter expertise to speak at the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS).

Being held September 28 to October 1 at the International Centre in Mississauga, CMTS is a leading-edge event that offers the Canadian Manufacturing community the most comprehensive display of cutting-edge technologies and solutions under one roof.

“Known across Canada as a must-attend event, CMTS is the place to share your innovative research, case study or application stories with a high-level and very influential audience focused on manufacturing technology,” says event manager, Julie Pike.

“We’re creating a powerful lineup of presentations featuring some of the most knowl-

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edgeable professionals in this industry.”

SME is inviting professionals representing all facets of the manufacturing community to stand up and stand out by sharing their know-how and position themselves as industry leaders at the show’s Tech Shop Theatre.

SME is heavily involved in technology transition and dissemination, and the education and training of practitioners through the education sessions at their events. The Tech Shop Theatre will offer attendees complimentary education and networking activities on the show floor at CMTS. The deadline to submit abstracts is April 17, 2015. For more information visit www. cmts.ca or contact Julie Pike, event manager at 888-322-7333, ext. 4471 or jpike@sme.org To learn more about SME, the producers of CMTS, visit www.sme.org.

APRIL 2015 | 25

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LOOKING BACK: MILLING MACHINES A

s we continue celebrating the 110th anniversary of Canadian Metalworking magazine, in this issue we take a look at the state of metalworking technology 110 years ago with a focus on milling machines.

“The milling machine as it stands today is one of the most useful machine tools we find in the manufacturing establishment,” noted John Edgar in his July 1905 article, “Modern Milling Practice.”

“NO OTHER MACHINE HAS RECEIVED SUCH AN AMOUNT OF ABUSE AND BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE…” In 1905, Edgar wrote that, “the milling machine has reached its majority. It has begun to demonstrate its usefulness. It, being an active factor in reducing the cost of production, has entered to a great extent in the progress that has been made in the machinery world within the last few years.”

As a matter of practicality for the 1905 audience, the article touched on best practices for operators at the time. “The milling machine, not unlike other machines in this respect, must be run with due regard to its efficiency and rated output…”

Necessary Conditions for Milling Machines: • We must have a machine of size and style chosen in view of the work it is to do • Our machine must be fitted with suitable fixtures for receiving work • The cutters must be so proportioned so we may get the best results with the least expenditure of time in sharpening, and with the minimum amount of power.

Like today, shops at the turn of the 20th century were expecting their machines to finish parts with very little in surface finishing required: “If we go into a wellequipped manufacturing plant—such it must be to be in competition—we will see not only one or two, but dozens of the milling www.canadianmetalworking.com

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machines in groups fairly pealing off the metal, leaving a surface that requires little or no finishing touches.”

Types of Milling Machines: In 1905 milling machines were made in four different styles, excluding specialty styles like the gear cutter, thread milling machine, rotary planer, etc. Here’s how the differences were defined back then, not too different from today: • The plain machine consists of a spindle set horizontally in an upright column. The column being fitted with a vertically adjustable knee, which carries the work table that has motion by power either parallel with or at right angles to the axis of the spindle, the latter motion being most used.

• The Universal machine, being similar to the plain machine, with the exception to that table, which is made to swivel in the horiContinues on page 100  APRIL 2015 | 27

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TOOL TECH

KEEPING COOL UNDER PRESSURE

BY RAFI RAVOACH

T

he many advantageous properties associated with so called ‘exotic metals’ such as titanium and superalloys, Hastelloy, Inconel and Waspaloy, have resulted in the ever rising use of these advanced materials within the global aerospace industry and beyond.

Usually alloyed with aluminum and nickel, titanium boasts a high tensile strength-to-density ratio, excellent corrosion and fatigue resistance, high crack resistance and the ability to withstand moderately high temperatures without creeping.

These beneficial characteristics render titanium an ideal material for use in a wide range of aerospace components, including critical structural parts, landing gear, hydraulic systems, critical fastener applications, springs and in hydraulic tubing. Titanium’s suitability for use in the above areas is reflected in the fact that approximately two-thirds of all titanium metal currently produced is used in the manufacture of aircraft engines and frames.

Superalloys typically have a matrix with an austenitic face-centered cubic crystal structure. Superalloys’ base alloying element is usually nickel, Fig. 2

cobalt, or nickel-iron. Prompted by the demands of the aerospace and power industries, chemical and process innovations have enabled significant progress to be made within the field of superalloys. Typical applications within the aerospace industry include turbine blades and use within hot sections of jet engines.

The increasing complexity of titanium and superalloy aerospace parts and the burgeoning demand for ever more efficient manufacturing methods has prompted the introduction of new machining technologies and the development of innovative tooling solutions, all aimed at assisting users to increasing their productivity.

HIGH PRESSURE COOLANT (HPC) DELIVERY MAXIMIZES MACHINE PERFORMANCE. Given the availability of high speed machines that offer standard or optional 70-bar coolant systems with through-spindle delivery, HPC technology has become much more accessible. For many years, machine tool manufacturers, including Iscar, have developed and launched hundreds of HPC turning tools. HPC solutions have been employed by customers throughout the world on turning applications involving difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium and Inconel, and they have consistently delivered impressive removal rates, up to three times greater than conventional flood coolant systems.

Users report the elimination of chip Fig. 3

Fig. 1

jamming, much faster cutting and significantly longer edge life when performing outer and inner diameter turning, grooving, parting and hole making. The advantages gained by the use of Iscar’s JETHP line, including improved tool life, are also evident when machining steel parts, where the chips are more manageable.

The configuration of the JETHP line ensures that coolant is delivered with enough force and fast enough to reach the cutting zone as a liquid— unlike systems that may result in the delivery of a less-effective coolant vapor to the critical zone. When high pressure coolant is applied in the liquid state it effectively lubricates the cutting process, and as it quenches the molten chips they shatter into smaller, more manageable, pieces. In addition, the product’s internal flow path keeps the tool, insert and workpiece cooler, resulting in longer tool and equipment life.

The JETHP tools are designed to operate at extreme pressure and high cutting rates across a wide range of turning applications. The advantages of HPC can be implemented on multiple tool set-ups.

For example, Iscar’s DO-GRIP can deliver the coolant jet through the insert directly to the cutting edge (fig. 1). Its Pentacut five-cornered insert and tangential clamping has a short distance between cooling outlet and cutting edge providing a continuous stream (fig. 2). And for Iscar’s ISOTURN lines an HPC system composed of a static housing and telescopic tube directs coolant to the cutting edge (fig. 3).

Rafi Ravoach, ISO Turning Products product manager, Iscar Global.

www.canadianmetalworking.com

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BY NATE HENDLEY

T

imes are tough in the oil patch, given collapsing oil prices and halted pipeline projects, and manufacturers that are part of the Alberta oil sands supply chain are feeling the pinch. On the other hand, the clean energy sector is booming, with rising investment and record employment. Pundits also point out there’s still plenty of oil—and opportunity—in the oil sands. But for the moment, the reality for oil sands suppliers is grim.

For a start, oil prices have crashed, from over $100 a barrel in mid-2014 to half that rate currently. According to a March 3, 2015 Associated Press story, there’s such a glut of cheap oil, the United States is running out of facilities to store it. On top of this, President Barack Obama recently vetoed a bill to build the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have pumped oil from Alberta to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

None of which is good news for Canadian manufacturers who supply products or services for the oil sands sector.

“Some of our members are being asked to take 30 to 40 per cent cuts in the price of the products they are providing. For some of them, they’re not sure how they can do it or if they can even do it,” says Mike Holden, director of policy and economics for the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters 30 | APRIL 2015

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(CME), which is headquartered in Ottawa.

The CME has been one of the most vocal boosters of Alberta oil, encouraging manufacturers across Canada to get involved in the oil sands supply chain. “[2015] is going to be a pretty difficult year.

There’s just not going to be as much demand for manufactured products [in the oil sands].

Many oil companies are cutting back on their capital expenditures and exploration development. That’s going to affect everybody, all the way down the supply chain. It might not affect them in the next month or so, but it will in the next six months. How long it takes to recover is uncertain at this point,” says Holden.

The Canadian Outlook Executive Summary: Winter 2015 report from the Ottawa-based Conference Board of Canada is equally gloomy.

“At around US$45 per barrel, oil prices have likely bottomed out. Although we expect that prices will recover to above US$60 per barrel by the end of the year, this still represents a 40 per cent decline in crude oil prices from last year…the drop in oil prices will strip more than $40 billion from corporate profits and result in a substantial decline in business investment,” reads the report, which was released in February, 2015.

CIBC, in its analysis, predicts real GDP in Alberta will decline by 0.3 per cent in 2015, while unemployment will rise to 6.8 per cent. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Ironically, the CME released a highly optimistic report in October 2014 which highlighted how profitable the oil sands were—until recently. Manufacturing Supply Chains in Alberta’s Oil Sands cites pre-oil crash figures from 2010 (the most recent year statistics were available).

“In 2010, manufacturers sold over $6 billion worth of high-tech products and services into the development and operation of Alberta’s oil sands—an increase of 27 per cent from 2009. While this $6 billion represents only a fraction of the total economic output of the manufacturing sector, it is a large and growing portion of sales for many sectors and many companies, especially those manufacturing machinery and equipment, steel and steel products and construction equipment,” states the report, which was written by Holden.

The $6 billion figure can be divided between “sales generated by oil sands capital investment and those triggered by MRO expenditures…in 2010, manufacturing sales from capital investment totaled $4.2 billion, compared to $1.7 billion for MRO activity,” states the report.

While Alberta was the largest beneficiary of oil sands supply chain expenditures, manufacturers in the rest of the country also shared in the largesse.

Oil sands capital investment in 2010 generated $519 million in manufacturing activity in Ontario and $307 million in Saskatchewan. Ontario manufacturers of steel and other metal products did particularly well. MRO spending in 2010, meanwhile, generated $329 million in sales for Ontario companies and $118 million for Quebec companies.

The CME document pointed out that www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Canadian companies accounted for only 43.3 per cent of oil sands manufacturing supply chain economic activity in 2010, down from 46.1 per cent the previous year.

“Increasing domestic manufacturing content in the oil sands must be part of a national strategy to maximize the value of natural resource development,” states the report.

In contrast to the depressing news regarding oil, Canada’s clean/renewable energy sector (wind, solar, hydro, biomass, etc.) is on a roll.

According to Natural Resources Canada, renewable energy sources currently generate about 16.9 per cent of Canada’s total energy supply. Hydro is the most prominent form of clean energy, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of Canada’s electricity production.

“Wind is the second most important renewable energy source in Canada. It accounts for 1.6 per cent of electricity generation in Canada.

Biomass is the third largest source of Canada’s electricity generation. Its share in Canada’s electricity generation is 1.4 per cent…wind and

CANADIAN METALWORKING MANUFACTURING SALES GENERATED BY OIL SANDS CAPITAL INVESTMENT (2010) PRODUCT TYPE VALUE OF SALES IN 2010 (MILLIONS) Iron and steel pipes and tubes (except castings) $220.6 Iron and steel basic shapes and ferro-alloy products 196.8 Boiler, tanks, and heavy gauge metal containers 127.1 Fabricated steel plates and other structural metals 116.7 Other ornamental and architectural metal products 61.1 Other engine and power transmission equipment 59.7 Prefabricated metal buildings and components 49.0 Metal valves and pipe fittings 48.3 Coating, engraving, heat treating, similar metal processing services 38.5 Forged and stamped metal products 38.4 Rolled and drawn steel products including wire 37.2 Ferrous metal castings 26.7 Source: CME’s report on Manufacturing Supply Chains in Alberta’s Oil Sands, October 2014.

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DIVERSIFIED AND CONFIDENT Savvy suppliers do work for a wide swath of energy-related clients and don’t tie themselves to one particular segment of the sector.

“I think machine shops should be diversified. We always have been. We don’t say ‘no’ to anything if we can get it onto our machines,” says Peter Alden, co-owner of Wessex Precision Machining in Ayr, Ontario.

Alden estimates that about 20 per cent of his company’s work was energy-related in 2014 and forecasts the same percentage for 2015.

Wessex has clients in the nuclear, oil/gas and renewable energy sectors.

Wessex has made down-hole tooling and oil rig parts as well as gear box components for Caterpillar earth moving and construction vehicles for oil/gas clients. In addition, Wessex has repaired gear box housings for wind turbines and worked on solar equipment.

“We are also doing hydro and mining equipment, large industrial gear housing, extruder parts and a variety of other components from all manufacturing sectors…we are still doing work for the oil and gas industry although not as much as we used to. We expect it to decline for a while, but it will come back,” says Alden.

solar photovoltaic energy are the fastest growing sources of electricity in Canada,” reads information from Natural Resources Canada.

Clean Energy Canada, a Vancouver-based advocacy group promoting renewables, released a survey in late 2014 looking at wind, solar, hydro, biomass etc. This first-ofits-kind survey pointed to large increases in investment and employment in the renewable energy sector.

In 2013 alone, Canadian investments in clean energy came to $6.5 billion (a 45 per cent rise from the previous year). Of this figure, $3.6 billion went into wind and $2.5 billion went to solar. Overall investment in Canada’s clean energy sector came to $25 billion between 2008 and 2013.

Employment increased 37 per cent from 2009 to 2013, to the point where “the clean energy sector—encompassing manufacturing, power production, energy efficiency and biofuels—accounted for more direct Canadian jobs than the oil sands,” states a December 2, 2014 Clean Energy Canada press release.

“EMPLOYMENT INCREASED 37 PER CENT FROM 2009 TO 2013, “THE CLEAN ENERGY SECTOR— ENCOMPASSING MANUFACTURING, POWER PRODUCTION, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND BIOFUELS— ACCOUNTED FOR MORE DIRECT CANADIAN JOBS THAN THE OIL SANDS,” In 2013, some 23,700 people worked in clean energy versus an estimated 22,340 in the oil sands.

Clean Energy Canada has been critical of what it called “a seemingly indifferent federal government” in a statement.

“In contrast with our southern neighbour, Canada’s federal government has yet to assume a leadership role in fostering the clean energy sector,” huffed the release.

Whether or not it’s because an election is afoot, Ottawa seems to be waking up to clean energy’s potential. On February 20, 2015, Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC, part of Natural Resources Canada) announced $26.8 million in funding for seven clean technology projects in Ontario.

Companies that received funds included OTI Lumionics in Toronto which garnered $5.7 million to build light-emitting diode panels and GaN Systems in Ottawa which drew $2.2

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www.canadianmetalworking.com

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million to maximize the efficiency of electric vehicle chargers.

As of early 2015, the SDTC has handed out $684 million for 269 renewable energy projects.

This impressive sum underlines Ottawa’s commitment to “investing in advanced clean energy technologies that create well-paying jobs and generate economic opportunities,” said Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford, in the SDTC press release.

For companies still committed to oil, the crash in prices and environmental concern about pipelines and oil sands development has actually created some new opportunities.

“Broadly speaking, anybody who can offer efficiency gains in the oil sands is going to benefit…anybody who can offer a product or service that will help with those efficiency gains I think has tremendous opportunities.

Same is true on the environmental side to some degree, although that’s unrelated to oil prices. A product or service-solution that can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or help with tailings ponds, creating a positive impression of oil sands development, has tremendous opportunities,” says Holden.

There’s also the fact, as Holden points out,

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that oil “is a volatile commodity. If you look back at oil prices over the last 20 years, there are all sorts of sharp increases and decreases.”

In other words, oil prices will increase after bottoming out.

Prior to the collapse in oil prices, industry experts were forecasting a huge surge in production. In 2013, total Canadian oil production came to 3.5 million barrels a day (b/d), of which 1.9 million b/d was from the oil sands. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) predicts total oil production will rise to 6.4 million b/d by 2030, with 4.81 million b/d coming from the oil sands.

The CME report on oil sands supply chains also predicts more production, and thus, more opportunity over the next few years.

“CME constructed three scenarios for oil sand expenditures between 2012 and 2030, based on historic spending levels and future expectations. These scenarios suggest there could be between $990 billion and $1.8 trillion spent on oil sands development over that period…if Canadian manufacturers are able to at least maintain their present level of supply chain access, oil sands expenditures could generate between $179 billion and $353 billion in total business sales between 2012 and 2030,” states the CME report.

Even if those forecasts are cut in half due to current oil prices, they represent a significant bounty for oil sands suppliers. Likewise, the fledgling clean energy sector is ripe for manufacturers and machine shops looking to pick up new clients and promote the green cause at the same time. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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APRIL 2015 | 35

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New technologies have greatly enhanced plasma cutting capability

BY NESTOR GULA

I

t is more than likely most of us heard of the term plasma while watching the original series of Star Trek. Yes, they had their handheld Phasers, set to stun, but the plasma cannons were more or less standard star ship armaments used by both the Starfleet Federation (Captain Kirk and company) and the dreaded Romulan Star Empire.

In the real world, plasma refers to a process of cutting metal where a gas—usually shop air, but for specific purposes can be pure oxygen or other gases—is blown out of a nozzle at high speed while an electric arc is formed simultaneously with the work surface through this gas turning the latter into a plasma. The plasma becomes hot enough to cut metal, and the speed of the air pushes all the molten bits of metal away.

“One of the fantastic things about plasma is its versatility,” says Michelle Avila, public relations manager for Hypertherm.

“Generally though, plasma is considered ideal when cutting any electrically conductive material greater than 1/4-inch in thickness but less than two inches.”

This isn’t to say plasma isn’t good at cutting thicknesses outside that range. It is; although, there are other methods in addition to plasma to consider.

Plasma cutting was developed in the 1960s and came to its fore in the ‘80s and ‘90s when the plasma cutting heads were mounted to CNC machines to produce accurate and repeatable cuts on sheet metal. With new technologies emerging, like water jet and laser cutting, plasma cutting has been facing competition in the sheet metal cutting sector.

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Plasma cutting can be the best solution depending on the individual application.

“Plasma offers an optimal blend of cut quality, productivity, operating cost and versatility,” says Douglas Shuda, director of marketing, global cutting technologies at ESAB Welding & Cutting Products. The process delivers a very good cut quality combined with high productivity, coming from high cut speeds and rapid cut-to-cut cycle times.

Plasma also handles a broad range of material types and thicknesses when compared with other cutting technologies, Shuda explains.

“In addition, the initial cost of a plasma system is lower than a laser or water jet.”

One of the earliest drawbacks of the plasma cutting systems was the cut quality and the accumulation of molten metal on the bottom of the cut, known as dross.

“Dross on the underside of the cut material may require a secondary cleaning process.

This is very easy to remove with a chipping handle,” says Steve Hidden, business development manager, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. “Dross build up can be minimized by accurate speed compensation for the amperage of machine versus the thickness of materials.”

Newer plasma technology has reduced the amount of dross that is left behind. “With high density plasmas, dross is kept to a minimum and if the material is cut at the proper speed you will only find slow speed dross around holes and corners,” says Mark Osowski, director global sales at Burny & Kaliburn, a Lincoln Electric Company. “This slow speed dross can be easily chipped off and does not require a grinding operation.

With high density plasma, you should have smooth and square cuts.” www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Since there is a lot of heat generated when plasma cutting the cut edges might get warped and a bluing of the metal might occur, leading to secondary cleaning processes before the part can go forward in the fabrication process. “A small heat affected zone exists after cutting with plasma and may need to be addressed,” says Hidden.

With a high quality plasma system and supporting items like the right CNC, a torch height control, software, etc. and a table with good motion capabilities, then no secondary processes are needed, explains Avila. “You can get good, clean cuts on the first pass. But there are some caveats. You need to follow book specifications—have the right amperage, correct cutting speeds, torch to work piece distance, etc. If you find yourself having to do a lot of secondary work, then something is wrong and it’s time to start troubleshooting.”

There is a remarkable difference between today’s plasma cutting systems compared with systems from the ‘80s. This will be apparent to anybody who has used an older and newer machine. “Hypertherm alone has made dozens of major advances starting in 1993 with our introduction of HyDefinition plasma,” says Avila. “It significantly narrowed the gap between plasma and laser cut quality.

The introduction of HyPerformance plasma a decade later only narrowed this gap even more by adding faster cut speeds and twice the consumable life. Actually, consumable life has increased 10 fold during the past 30 years.

Add in newer advances like True Hole technology for cutting bolt-ready holes, True Bevel for more consistent beveled edges, and Rapid Part technology for reduced non-cutting (or cut-tocut cycle) time and the capabilities of today’s plasma is nothing like the systems of old.”

Where older machines were large cumbersome and the plasma arc made a noise like a howling dervish, modern machines are civilized compact and more powerful. “Inverter technology has enabled Miller to reduce the size of a plasma cutter and still offer extreme cutting power in smaller, portable packages weighing less than 20 lbs.” says Hidden. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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A machine torch attached to a CNC system.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ESAB

“Torch and consumable technology offers increased precision of the cut. Some companies offer high definition cutting on CNC tables and the quality of the cut is very good.”

High definition type plasma cutting systems have greatly improved the quality of the cut and “get closer to laser cutting,” says Tass Hamstra, territory manager for Machitech Automation. “Things like Hypertherm’s True Hole Technology have improved hole cutting quality of plasma in recent years.” The capabilities of plasma and the CNC machines have also seen great strides. “The other big improvement is five-axis bevel cutting,” he says. “We have had great success with these in the past few years, allowing our customers to weld prep bevel right on the machine, eliminating handling and manual grinding or torch cutting for weld prep. All types of bevels are able to be programmed including K bevel and countersink holes.”

Handheld plasma cutting works well in most settings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MILLER ELECTRIC

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With significant improvements in cut quality, the plasma systems have also made great strides in plasma process technology, gas management, and the cutting application process technology.

Modern plasma systems are also more automated.

“Piercing, cutting holes and beveling are all operations that are vastly improved in capability and consistency,” says Shuda. “Today we can cut thicker materials and the cut quality is significantly better in terms of angularity, surface finish, top edge rounding, and levels of dross.”

Shuda explains that they have also advanced plasma cutting by further automating and integrating the process technology so that there’s less reliance on the operator to get an optimal result. Applications like cutting hole slots have become more automated and the automated process ensures consistent, high quality results.

This is also true with bevel cutting.

“Plasma cutting is more automated, which means that the outcome of the process is less dependent on the skill and knowledge of the operator,” he says.

With a much improved cut edge, plasma cutting systems can compete with other cutting systems. Plasma cutting is faster than other methods on thicker material.

“Plasma is definitely the fastest, most productive of all the processes when cutting metal greater than ¼-inch but less than 2-inch,” says Avila. “In addition, its ability to cut a wide variety of electrically conductive materials provides great versatility.” Quicker cutting means greater productivity. “It’s also a cleaner process than water jet, which requires an underwater garnet and high clean up. These are two key advantages that plasma has over water jet. Compared to laser cutting, plasma offers a lower total cost of ownership,” adds Shuda.

Generally speaking, a plasma system provides higher reliability and requires less maintenance and troubleshooting than a typical CO2 laser. When compared to oxy-fuel, plasma cutting generally provides a better cut quality and higher cutting speeds torch to torch, which means more productivity. And, plasma can handle a wider range of materials where oxy-fuel will not cut non-carbon steel, Shuda explains.

Plasma cutting systems have evolved into sophisticated machines able to cut a wide variety of shapes into metal. “We can cut fairly intricate shapes but there are limitations, kerf widths of .03 to .08 inches are typical depending on the process,” says Hamstra. “True Hole technology allows us to cut holes of 1:1 inches MS up to 1-inch thick. Hypertherm also has HDi technology for intricate cutting on stainless. Plasma as a process does not have the same tolerances as laser or water jet, that’s why we manufacture machines with all of these technologies, the right machine for the right application.”

Choosing between a handheld plasma system and an automated one is really not an issue as many, if not most, machines can work in either scenario. “Some conventional mechanized plasma systems can be converted to manual/handheld by changing out the torch leads and torch head,” says Osowski. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Powermax30 AIR defines portability

ESAB’s versatile SGX Designed to minimize floor space requirements, ESABS’s SGX plasma system has cutting widths from 1.5 to 2.5 m, and cutting lengths from 2.5 to 14 m. The operator interface is simple and powered by ESAB’s touchscreen based Vision T5 CNC. A built in process database fully integrates plasma and oxy-fuel setup into an easy-to-use touch-screen interface.

The system carries up to 3 tool stations, including up to 1 plasma, 2 oxy-fuel, and 1 marker station. www.esabna.com

www.canadianmetalworking.com

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With a recommended cut capacity of 5/16” and a severance capacity of 5/8” the Powermax30 AIR is a plasma cutting machine, featuring a built in air compressor and the ability to operate from both 120 and 240 volt power sources. Weighing only 30 pounds, the Powermax30 AIR is a versatile system that enables metal cutting just about anywhere. It can cut a variety of metal types and thicknesses and makes for a great entry level cutting tool for a variety of professions, as well as home users. www.hypertherm.com

Turnkey Plasma package Available in two table sizes, 2x2 and 4x4, the Torchmate ReadyPak comes ready to run. All you need to provide is a computer, compressed air, and power. A standard Plug-n-Play USB connection controls the movement. The unit comes with full Torchmate CAD/CAM shape creation software that includes nesting, scanning, tool pathing, kerf compensation and importing of 32 different file formats. The systems are completely assembled, with base and slats. www.torchmate.com

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Heavy plate cutting system Designed for steel industries such as shipyards, plate processing facilities, structural steel fabricators and structural steel fabricators the Platinum Cut processes large sheets with great accuracy and cut quality. It is a large format cutting machine that can be increased in size as your needs grow. Standard sizes range from 10 by 20-feet all the way to 20 by 80-feet, with custom dimensions available. With cutting speeds up to 500 IPM, the system has a repeatability accuracy of .003-inches and a positioning accuracy of 0.001-inch and can handle sheets up to 8 inches thick. The machine is controlled

by Edge Pro CNC controller, which is Windows based and has a 15-inch glass touch screen. www.machitech.com

Power and performance in a petite package Packing a 5/8-inch cut rating into a 21-lb. package, the 40-amp Spectrum 625 X-TREME plasma cutter from Miller is light enough to be carried by its shoulder strap to the job site. Not just small and light, it is powerful enough to cut 5/8-inch mild steel at 12 inches per minute and 1/4-inch steel at 60 inches per minute. The automatic air regulation adjusts torch air pressure for optimum cutting and gouging performance meaning that there is no need for a pressure gauge or manual regulator knob on the unit. This system runs off oper240 volt input power and can oper ate on a generator with an output of 10,500 watts. www.millerwelds.com

High density plasmas are normally dedicated automation systems and cannot be converted. Smaller shops may want to initially invest in a handheld system and adapt it later with a CNC-driven table.

“You can adapt a hand torch for machine use, but we do not recommend it. One reason is safety. All hand torches have a safety switch,” says Jim Colt, applications technology manager for Hypertherm. He explains, in order to make the hand torch work on a machine you’d have to break into the torch assembly to bypass the safety trigger.

Machine torches, at least for Hypertherm Powermax systems, interface directly to the rear panel CPC interface connector. The start signal on this connector will not work with a hand torch for safety reasons.

Another reason not to adapt the hand torch for machine use is torch life. “A hand torch mounted on a machine will not last as long as a machine torch because blow back and spatter is sure to stick to the handle and switch.

Machine torches are smooth and straight for a reason. Also, it is much harder to square a hand torch to the plate because the hand torch doesn’t have the same mounting brackets,” says Colt. “Now, this does not mean you need to buy a dedicated plasma unit. All Powermax systems—with the exception of our Powermax30 series—come with a quick disconnect feature so you can easily switch between the two torch types. You can keep your machine torch mounted to the table for CNC jobs, and easily plug in a hand torch for hand cutting jobs when needed.”

Compact size and portability The PNC-12 EXTREME is a whole new cutting solution developed with KOIKE’s highest standards. KOIKE designed a machine that is portable, operated by CNC, and suitable for both plasma and oxy-fuel cutting.

Due to its compact size and portability, installation of the machine is easier than ever. Assembly and setup of all components, such as machine body, rail, and cross bar do not require any special measuring tools. Prior to shipping, the PNC- 12 EXTREME is pre-adjusted at our factory.

Once you are ready, simply slide all comcomponents together and connect cables. www.koike.com

Newer systems allow precise bevel cuts to be made.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MACHITECH AUTOMATION

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www.canadianmetalworking.com

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THE ONE-TWO COMBINATION How abrasive wheels for both cutting and grinding make for more efficient work in the field.

BY DOUG PICKLYK

S

peaking with surface grinding experts, there really is no one abrasive wheel that fits all applications perfectly when it comes to cutting and grinding, however there are products that will deliver the cutting productivity and grinding stability to safely get the job done.

These so-called combination wheels are typically depressed center, or Type 27, design allowing for the lock nut to recess within the wheel so it won’t interfere with any grinding actions and to also provide the desired rigidity needed for grinding.

Typically, the combination wheels on the market are thin enough to efficiently perform cutting and notching operations while being reinforced enough so an operator is able to put a slight bevel on the end of a pipe or tube, or clean up and deburr any imperfections after cutting.

“Combo wheels are becoming more popular,” says Rick Hopkins, product manager for welding and fabrication with Weiler. “While

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they are reinforced to handle some level of grinding, they are not designed to handle heavy grinding.”

“Stability, reinforcement is the main factor here,” confirms Rick Hatelt, Ontario Territory Manager with PFERD Canada.

Dedicated cut-off wheels are very thin, around 0.040- or 0.045-inch thickness to deliver fast thin cuts, increasing productivity and reducing the possibility of overheating the metal. The typical construction design of these wheels will include two layers of fiberglass reinforcement.

“In order to handle any type of grinding operation you need a minimum of at least three layers of reinforcement in the wheel,” says Hopkins. For this reason the typical combination cutting/grinding wheels are between 0.065-inches and 1/8th-inch (0.125-inch) thick.

These reinforced products not only make the grinding of a surface faster and easier on the operator, but it’s also a major safety concern, as disc breakage can be a serious hazard.

“I would say that some 80 per cent of users out there are using cut-off wheels to www.canadianmetalworking.com

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deburr after their cut, and the discs are not designed for that application,” says Marc Brunet-Gagné, product manager with Walter Surface Technologies.

“Users don’t want to waste time. They want to do the job fast and well. But while it’s important to be productive and do the job well, it’s more important to work in a safe way.”

Brunet-Gagné notes that operator error leads to most cases of disc breakage, so when the company finds a high recurrence of breakage issues at a location they’ll first offer a safety seminar to ensure the operators are using the product in a safe way, but then they will also recommend that users move to a combination type wheel to prevent further accidents.

“We’ve had a huge success with our Combo Zip product in a very large shipyard factory in Western Canada,” he says. “They were having an issue with the breakage of cut-off wheels, and now they only use the Combo Zip, and no other cut-off wheels are allowed inside the yard.”

While the combination product is welcome from a health and safety standpoint in industrial locations, it’s also a product of convenience for operators out in the field.

Most shops will have multiple grinding tools on hand dedicated to either cutting or grinding, but the operator travelling in a work van from site to site will likely be carrying one grinder, suggests Hatelt. “Quite often that grinder has a cut off disc on it because you can’t cut with a grinding wheel, so that user will cut and deburr with that cut-off disc,” he says.

Of course, since the combination discs are thin they won’t have the same life-span as a ¼-inch dedicated grinding wheel. But where these discs saves time is in disc changeover.

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setting workers don’t always have a supply of wheels with them, so the trip to get the wheels takes time. “And time is money,” he notes.

Another prime target for these products is the entry-level worker. “For someone just beginning in the metalworking world, this is a very safe wheel,” says Brunet-Gagné. In cases where there are temporary workers being brought on to job sites, these people may not be getting the proper training because there isn’t always time, so having a cross-purpose wheel with a margin for safety makes sense.

“And on top of all of that, it’s a relatively inexpensive product,” notes Hatelt.

Another area where wheels of this size, Type 27 wheels at 1/8th-inch thick, are very well suited is the pipeline industry. Many of the cutting/grinding wheel manufacturers offer a dedicated 1/8th-inch thick pipeline product because an 1/8th-inch is about the size of the gap in the seam between two sections of pipe.

“With bonded abrasives there is a lot of variation in the actual thickness of the product.

The thickness that is printed on the wheel is really a nominal thickness. And based on the manufacturing process, there can be a slight variation in the true thickness of a wheel,” explains Hopkins. “But for the pipeliners that thickness is critical, so the 1/8th-inch pipeliner wheels are true 1/8th-inch wheels.”

These wheels are used primarily for root pass cleaning applications. After welders lay down their initial pass, or the root pass, on a seam, they will hard grind into that bead to clean it out of any impurities and grind down the bead into a concave shape to ready the seam for subsequent passes.

Pipeline welding is a critical application because of the amount of pressure and the potentially hazardous material that’s flowing through the pipes. These welds are x-rayed repeatedly to ensure the seams are cleaned of impurities to lay the foundation for every pass.

“A pipeliner is slightly different from a combination disc,” says Hatelt. “A pipeliner is always a 1/8th-inch thick, and it’s reinforced differently because a pipeliner is used probably 99 per cent of the time on its edge, like a cut-off disc.”

“We say a pipeliner can be used for light grinding, cutting is no problem because it’s reinforced that way, but our DUODISC is reinforced to cut and grind. It has slightly different reinforcing in it that allows it to put that lateral pressure on the angle of the wheel. “ Hopkins explains that Weiler is currently in the process of expanding its bonded www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 4:52 PM

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abrasive disc line. “We’re very happy with our general purpose line that we have right now (the Vortec Pro),” he notes. The company’s current 1/8th-inch offering is a general purpose disc, but because it’s not triple reinforced it’s not a true combination wheel, so they’ve designated it for notching. He adds that the company will be adding 1/8th-inch combination wheels as part of its complete program going forward.

Weiler is also in the process of doing extensive research on the pipeline industry in order to tailor products specifically to that use.

He notes that aside from root pass cleaning, other applications include facing a section of pipe that’s not butted up against another, where the pipe has been beveled and users

will want to grind the sharp edge of that bevel into a slight flat so it will butt together.

“It helps the welder have enough metal material to penetrate that weld and truly fuse those two sections of pipe together,” he explains. “So that’s the type of operation where having a 1/8th-inch combo wheel, where operators can do their cutting or notching and then immediately go on the side of the wheel and do some level of grinding is beneficial.”

Combination cutting and grinding discs deliver productivity benefits because of their versatility, but, it’s the safety benefits of these products that should make them an item to be considered for any applications where cutting and grinding are required.

Norton

PEARL Redline MAX A.O.

Among its broad offering of products, Norton includes 1/8-inch thick Type 27 wheels across its Gemini, BlueFire and NorZon lines. The discs are suited for applications from cutting-off, notching and light-duty side grinding.

It’s 1/8th-inch Pipe Notcher product, has 2-1/2 pieces of reinforcement suited for durable face grinding and root pass grinding. www.nortonindustrial.com

Pearl offers a variety of 1/8th-inch thick Type-27 wheels for pipeline applications. It’s Redline MAX A.O. super grain has a hybrid grain mixture with properties that enable individual particles to remain sharp and durable. www.pearlabrasive.com

Pferd DuoDisc

3M Cubitron II Cut & Grind Wheels

DUODISC, combination cutting & grinding wheels are available in 4-1/2- and 5-inch diameters at 0.065-inch thickness as well as 6- and 7-inch wheels at 1/8th-inch thick.

These aluminum oxide wheels are recommended for use on angle grinders of all power outputs and conform to European standard (EN 12413:200709) as well as ANSI, OSHA and OSA. www.pferd.com

The 3M premium performance cut and grind wheel contains precision shape grain for fast cut and long life. Specially formulated to be used on stainless and mild steel for all cutting, grinding and back gouging applications. www.3M.com/abrasives

Walter Surface Combo Zip

Weiler Vortec Pro

Designed to safely cut and light grinding and deburring as well as notching, route pass cleaning and chamfering, the COMBO ZIP is only 5/64th-inch (0.078inch) thick. Made with three reinforcing layers, these cutting wheels can safely bear the force of lateral pressure used in grinding. www.walter.com

The flagship general purpose line from Weiler, the Vortec Pro line comes in a 1/8th-inch thick, Type 27 version, but because it is not triple reinforced it’s not a true combination wheel, so it is not recommended for heavey grinding. www.weilercorp.com

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FABRICATING & WELDING NEWS

TRUMPF CANADA CELEBRATES NEW LOCATION AND LEADERSHIP It was double the celebration at the new TRUMPF Canada headquarters on Tuesday, March 10, as the company hosted the grand opening of its new Mississauga, Ontario location while also announcing that Stefan Schreiber, managing director of the Canadian operation since 2011, will be returning to Germany April 1 and will be replaced by Stefan Fickenscher, who moves up to Canada from Farmington, Connecticut where he has been serving as the product manager for TRUMPF Inc’s TruLaser prodStefan uct group.

Fickenscher, Over 60 people managing director of the were in attenTRUMPF Canada dance at the operations as new TRUMPF of April 1, 2015.

Canada location,

which offers approximately 35 per cent more space than the company’s previous spot, allowing for a larger dedicated working show room and the ability to house a larger selection of spare parts.

“This building is a reflection of the success and the importance that we attach to the Canadian market,” said Peter Hoecklin, president and CEO of U.S.-based TRUMPF Inc., who was in attendance at the grand opening event. “This investment also underscores our commitment to our customers, to increase our local competence and services that we can provide, to

expand our spare parts offering and enable faster response times.”

Hoecklin also broke the news of Fickenscher’s appointment to lead the Canadian operations. All three men played a role in cutting the ceremonial sheet-metal ribbon to officially open the new facility.

On the show room floor customers saw live demonstrations on a TruLaser 3030 fiber featuring the Rotolas option (a North American first), as well as a TruLaser2030 fiber, the new TruPunch 2000, new TruBend 3100 press brake, a TruBend 7036, a TruMark laser marking system and a selection of TRUMPF power tools.

The new TRUMPF Canada headquarters is located at 3755 Laird Road, Unit 1 in Mississauga, Ontario. www.us.trumpf.com

MC MACHINERY SIGNS DEAL WITH AKS CUTTING SYSTEMS MC Machinery Systems has entered into a multi-year agreement with AKS Cutting Systems of Cleveland, Ohio allowing AKS to license, manufacture, market and distribute the MC Machinery waterjet product line throughout North America.

AKS Cutting Systems will be the exclusive licensee and manufacturer of the MC Machinery MWX Series waterjet products and will manufacture them in Cleveland.

“I am pleased to announce this agreement, which optimizes and aligns our core competencies, while representing a successful step in our overall strategic plan,” says Takuya Yoshino, president of MC Machinery.

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“We are proud to be partners with MC Machinery and look forward to growing the waterjet market with their support,” says Dale Phillip, president and principal of AKS Cutting Systems. “This agreement offers opportunity for all our products through expanded distribution across multiple channels, and is another example of our focus on long-term growth in action.”

MC Machinery will support any machines purchased prior to this agreement with parts and service, as well as honor existing warranties. www.akscutting.com www.mcmachinery.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

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FABRICATING & WELDING NEWS

CWA FOUNDATION LAUNCHES ONLINE DONATION REPOSITORY The CWA Foundation is facilitating an online donation program designed to aid the needs of both industry and welding programs in secondary schools.

A repository has been created where industry professionals can donate welding equipment and materials that are no longer needed or used. Donated items will be placed on the CWA Foundation donation site where educators from secondary schools in Canada have the opportunity to acquire the necessary materials to improve the quality of secondary school welding programs.

With donations, Canadian secondary school Students will be able to experience welding opportunities they otherwise wouldn’t have.

Benefits of the Repository • Satisfies needs of both industry professionals and high school welding programs • Serves a purpose for unused materials and equipment • Engages industry in philanthropic activity • Donation platform maintained and provided by the CWA Foundation • Increased materials and equipment within high school welding programs creates a more positive environment for educators and students • By supplementing high school welding programs, student experience and engagement will improve • Better school programs will increase awareness and student aspiration to join the Canadian

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE WELDER’S WORLD.

welding industry Eligibility • All individuals participating in the repository must register through the CWA Foundation donation site.

Recipient eligibility requirements • Individuals must be employed as a full-time instructor responsible for a welding program at the secondary school level • Individuals must be employed within a public or separate school board within Canada Donor eligibility requirements • Have the authority within a company or organization to donate relevant equipment and/or materials • Get the knowledge you need

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Materials and equipment needed: • Steel / Metal • Safety Equipment • Shop Equipment • Welding Equipment • Cutting Equipment • Welding Consumables How does the transfer of materials and/or equipment take place?

It is important to understand that the delivery or pick up of items is to be arranged by the donor and recipient.

The CWA Foundation is not responsible for these arrangements or for any delivery or transport fees incurred as a result of the contribution.

Where to Donate www.cwa-foundation.org/donations to register and donate today. www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 3:45 PM

AMADA FEATURES FIBER LASER AND ROBOTIC BENDING CELL Advancements in fiber laser cutting technology and the increased productivity gained through integrated automated robotic bending systems were featured presentations at a recent customer event at Amada’s Solution Center in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Amada America’s executive general manager Stephen Keating welcomed some 90 companies—over 180 people—to the event where attendees were educated on the latest in Amada’s exclusive fiber laser technology developments. Jason Hillenbrand, manager of the laser division, spoke of the company’s work with leading laser diode manufacturer JDSU in developing the energy-efficient modules integrated into Amada’s fiber machines. The focus was on Amada’s ENSIS 3015 AJ 2kW fiber laser system with 4kW cutting capabilities. The system adjusts the laser to optimize performance based on the material being cut.

Attendees also learned the benefits of automated robotic bending as Scott Ottens addressed the many perceived obstacles associated with

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automation—high start-up cost, space restrictions, or the need for longrun projects to justify the expense.

Running through a typical scenario using Amada’s EG 6013 AR automated robotic bending cell, Ottens demonstrated how the solution greatly reduces the price per part and returns a viable payback.

The large crowd also saw the featured technology in action along with Amada’s vast line of cutting and bending solutions, marking systems and fiber welding applications. www.amada.com

A unique solution for hole punching applications Combining Multicyl and Unipunch offers a unique solution for many hole punching applications.

The versatility of these products allows for a variety of options when designing a solution for an application which requires multiple punched holes.

Norm Krygier of UniPunch Products says “UniPunch Products has for many years recommended the Multicyl air over oil system to our customers as a reliable method to activate our modular tooling units. Simple to use and mainmaintain, the Multicyl system is capable of performing a wide variety of standard and custom part proproducing applications. The cylinder and cage designs provided by Multicyl are compatible with the working shut heights of our standard ‘A’ or ‘B’ series c-frame units.” www.multicyl.com

TIGER PAW™ FLAP DISCS For steel and stainless steel metalworking applications, you need more than just another abrasive flap disc.

You need maximum aggression for sustained stock removal. You need superior edge grinding. You need a contaminant free, long-life solution.

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FABRICATING & WELDING NEWS

WELDING SPECIALIST MARK IS OVER 300 STRONG The CWB Group’s Office of Public Safety’s CWB Welding Specialist Mark program is receiving great reviews by industry participants and gaining momentum as the program recently surpassed 300 members.

“This is a wonderful accomplishment so far in terms of participants getting engaged and signing up for this great initiative. Welding professionals throughout Canada are starting to understand the value of this program and its core purpose – to bring awareness about the relationship between welding professionals and their

knowledge of Building Codes at the National and Provincial levels, and CSA design and product standards,” said Cristian Zanfir, Office of Public Safety Assistant Manager, Standards.

The CWB Welding Specialist Mark program was launched last year as part of several public safety initiatives undertaken by the Office of Public Safety, a division within the CWB Group.

“As this program continues to grow, our goal is to engage as many welding professionals as possible so they understand the importance of the CWB Welding Specialist

Compact portable high-speed press brake Bystronic announces the new Xpert 40, a compact portable high-speed press brake that is “moveable on demand” to where you need it, when you need it.

The Xpert 40 is ideal when space is limited and capacities vary. With its integrated tool storage, Xpert 40 combines the entire setup and production from one single station, greatly reducing non-productive bending times.

With its flexible tool selection and a press capacity of up to 44 US tons, this machine offers a wide range of applications from thin and thicker materials, and the ultra-high performance back gauge system, with up to a 6-axis, enables the cost-efficient production of highly complex sheet metal shapes. High operator efficiency is also achieved through ergonomic design and individually adaptable workspace. www.bystronicusa.com

New auto body aluminum repair system Miller Electric Mfg. Co. introduces the new Millermatic 350P auto body aluminum repair system. This turnkey solution has been designed specifically to address the challenges posed by welding thin gauge aluminum, such as warping, distortion and burn-through. It builds on the trusted performance of the popular Miller Millermatic 350P MIG power source and can also be used to Pulse weld with silicon bronze, steel and stainless steel wires. feaThe Millermatic 350P auto body aluminum repair system fea tures the components necessary to meet the specifications set comforth by Ford and the Assurance Performance Network for com pleting weld repairs on the Ford F-150 aluminum-body truck.

The new Millermatic 350P auto body aluminum repair system offers an aluminum Pulse Hot Start that automatically provides more power to eliminate “cold starts” inherent with welding this material. www.MillerWelds.com 52 | APRIL 2015

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Mark,” said Zanfir.

The Office of Public Safety works to ensure that the welding industry acts in compliance with building codes and standards. They also continually provide resources that enhance understanding of welding practices in accordance with the standards and the positive impact this has on industry.

The OPS has also created the Weld QualityMark, a program that recognizes CWB Certified companies.

Improve throughput and cut quality Mazak Optonics releases its OPTIPLEX Fiber laser-cutting series with exclusive Zeta 9 technology.

Zeta 9 is a series of six intelligent setup functions and three intelligent monitoring functions designed to significantly reduce operator dependency and improve throughput and cut quality.

Although many of these functions have been available on CO2 series machines, their availability on fiber laser-cutting machines is a major breakthrough.

Available in both a 3015 (5’ by 10’) and 4020 (6’ by 12’) version, the OPTIPLEX Fiber with Zeta 9 can significantly increase the productivity of thin to thick worksheet cutting. It is also designed to process reflective materials at greater speeds and can significantly reduce operating costs for applicable material types and thicknesses. www.mazakoptonics.com

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MATERIALIZING VISIONS

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Having the machine adjust the spark means that the welder can concentrate on the job.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MILLER ELECTRIC

Modification and Manipulation: A lot goes into the welding arc each millisecond

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BY NESTOR GULA

W

elding is not just putting enough heat on some pieces of metal and having them fuse to each other. There are many elements to a proper weld. One of the essential requirements for a proper weld is to have a stable arc that shoots out of the wire and onto the part being welded. The better and more consistent the arc the higher quality the final weld will be.

“At the end of the day, it is about creating the best possible arc for the application,” says Caleb Haven, welding engineer, for Miller Electric Mfg. Co. “For example, the arc that I would want for handheld welding may be very different than the arc a robot operator would want for seam tracking or fast travel speeds.

Especially for more advanced processes (Pulse/Accu-Pulse/RMD), it is about building enough flexibility into the process that it can be adapted for many applications.”

When modifying or regulating the arc, the main goal is to maintain a constant pre-set voltage when welding—the adjustments, “allow for variations in stick out, torch angle, etc.,” says Jim Shields, a welding engineer at Lincoln Electric. “We are trying to maintain a voltage. If we are trying to maintain 22 volts, if everything is constant then everything is fine. But if it is pulled longer or pushes shorter this changes the amount of energy needed, so you have to modify some of those parameters so we still have the same voltage.”

Most power sources have microcontrollers that will adjust the arc as needed. “Arc control begins with conditioning primary power, transforming and manipulating it so that it becomes optimized for welding.

Virtually every power source does this to a lesser or greater degree, depending on its level of sophistication,” says Tom Wermert, senior brand manager for ESAB. “Our MICOR technology stores voltage and power so that the ArcMaster can provide a fast dynamic response to changing arc conditions,” he says.

“A simple analogy would be ensuring that your compressor tank always has enough air to meet the needs of an air tool, no matter how great or sudden the demand. In the case of the ArcMaster, it means that the system can do things to enhance arc stability and reduce spatter.”

Depending on the type of welding, the power source changes variables such as frequency, base current, and peak current, in

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an attempt to maintain the set voltage. “Let’s say you are trying to maintain 22 volts,” says Shields. He notes elements that can be modified include the background current, which is the current at the low level; the ramp break, which is how quickly it goes to the top, and then how long it stays at the top—what the current is at the top, and how quickly it comes down; and the frequency. “If you set 22 volts, the machine is always monitoring those parameters and then it will change those parameters to try and get those 22 volts that you are asking for.” This is manipulation of the frequency and amplitude and the duration at the high level, he explains. “Typically you are at the high current for two milliseconds, so maybe if you need more voltage you can stay at the high end for 2.2 milliseconds instead of 2. The main way to modify is the frequency and also the amplitude of both the background and the peak.”

Modern welding equipment monitors and regulates the arc many thousands of times per second in the background, constantly making tiny adjustments to the weld process ensuring a stable and consistent arc. “As far as arc regulation goes, there are really two aspects to consider,” says Haven. “One is the weld process control—usually a piece of software—that seeks to regulate the arc long term. For Pulse welding, this mostly relates to building and transferring the same size droplet across the arc with every pulse. The other aspect of arc regulation is how the process control responds to relatively short-lived events in the arc, such as shorting. For Pulse GMAW (MIG) and SMAW (Stick welding), the goal is to deal with these short-lived events in a way that preserves the stability of the process and generates the least amount of spatter.”

There are many different variables for regulating the welding processes. In pulse welding, a major component is regulating the frequency. “The frequency regulation in Pulse is often audible, a bumble bee-like sound in the arc. Some Pulse processes, like Accu-Pulse from Miller, use a fixed frequency and adjust other variables in the process,” says Haven.

“The stability and spatter generation of a SMAW or GMAW arc are related to how well the process deals with shorts. We don’t often think of shorting events in these processes, but the dig function in SMAW and the inductance control of GMAW both adjust how the process clears shorts.”

The adjustment of the frequency of the pulse is based on a number of factors. “The www.canadianmetalworking.com

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system is telling the power source to ramp up at a certain speed, let’s say for example, 50 amps per millisecond,” says Shields. “Let’s say you want to go to 450 amps, so you are going up 400 amps from your background to your peak. Let’s just say you are going up 400 amps per millisecond, so it will take one milliseconds to go from 50 to 450 and once you get up there, you stay there for a certain amount of time, let’s say two milliseconds and then you have to come down at a certain rate. Your background is determined by your frequency rate—the higher the frequency the less time you are in the background.”

One major aspect that affects the frequency is the wire feed speed. “Let’s say at a hundred inches a minute of wire feed speed you are running a 100 times a second, and if you are going to go to 200 inches a minute of wire feed speed you will go to about 125 times a second,” Shields explains. “If you want to go to 300 inches a minute you might have to go to 150 times a second. So the higher the wire feed speed is the faster your frequency. The higher the frequency the less time you spend at your background.

Typically your background is longer than your peak.”

When it comes to the selection of material that is welded or the wire that will be used to weld it, a specific arc setting must be used.

There is no one setting that works for all types of materials, wires and gases. “ESAB’s power source engineers worked hand-in-hand with the aluminum filler metal experts at AlcoTec, an ESAB company, during the development of the Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse power source, Aristo control panel and Aristo Feed 3004 feeder,” says Greg Stauffer, vice president, sales support and standard equipment

Spark control is essential for proper welding where high tolerances are required.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINCOLN ELECTRIC

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Portable performance Providing a 10- to 400-amp output, the recently introduced the ArcMaster 401MST (MIG-Stick-Lift TIG) and ArcMaster 401S (Stick-Lift TIG) power sources from Tweco, an ESAB brand, uses MICOR technology (MIcrocontroller Controlled Resonant) which enables producing more output from a smaller power source www.esabna.com

Modular welding system Providing improved arc starts and more-stable arc performance, the Continuum 500 generates better results for welding operators of all skill levels.

With user-friendly controls the system modularity provides a competitive advantage as fabrication and manufacturing needs evolve.

The system offers improved Accu-Pulse, MIG, Regulated Metal Deposition (RMD) and new high-deposition MIG welding capabilities. www.millerwelds.com

for ESAB. “As a result, the system delivers superior aluminum welding performance, especially with the SuperPulse process, which provides a TIG-like bead appearance without gun manipulation.”

To this end ESAB designed synergic lines—pre-programmed welding procedures—to help the operator avoid globular regions between short arc and spray arc where the arc becomes unstable and large weld spatter is generated.

Most manufactures have similar systems built into their power sources. Many of the simpler welding systems have one arc characteristic for all wires or electrodes, says Haven. “The more advanced welding systems can offer many arc characteristics that have been customized for different filler metals, shielding gasses or welding applications. This can be as simple as an inductance setting for GMAW wire or as complex as a set of pulse data for the same wire.”

Depending on the sophistication of the machine, end users have many different controls to adjust welding arcs for their own applications. “GMAW processes typically have an inductance control and a voltage control. SMAW usually has a current and a dig adjustment.

Pulse processes typically offer an arc length control and an arc control/sharp arc adjustment,” Haven says, adding “with the more advanced processes like Pulse, there is a whole list of underlying variables that determine the arc characteristic. These variables are typically set at the factory and not adjusted by end users.

“The arc length and arc control/sharp arc functions allow an end user a great deal of arc customization without having to understand the intricacies Having the spark of building a Pulse waveform. Essentially, automatically adjusted works well arc length and arc control/sharp arc adjust in critical situations many of the underlying Pulse variables, like out of position but in a simple, easy-to-understand way,” welding.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ESAB explains Haven.

Advanced multi-process welding A true multi-process power source that is able to weld Stick, DC TIG, Pulsed DC TIG, MIG, Pulsed MIG, Flux-Cored, the Power wave C300 Advance Process Welder is a compact system with an integrated wire feeder. Ideal for welding on a wide variety of materials, including aluminum, stainless, and nickel materials, where arc performance is critical, this power source has PowerConnect Technology that lets it automatically adjusts to input power from 200-600V, 50 or 60 Hz, single phase or three phase. www.lincolnelectric.com

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ENHANCING RAPID SHOP FLOOR

MEASURING

The latest and greatest in portable CMM products

BY LINDSAY LUMINOSO

M

eeting strict quality standards can be a challenge for any machine shop, often requiring expensive equipment and downtime in production. Having a dedicated metrology lab is a necessity for some production shops. However, not all shops need this type of dedicated inspection. Some smaller shops don’t always have the space or capital to invest in a traditional climate-controlled metrology lab, yet they are still required to meet quality standards.

Portable coordinate measuring machines (PCMM) are a great option for the shop floor and can be an integral part of daily inspection routines. Determining the appropriate quality control measures should be based on application. There are many options on the market and each system offers unique features designed for specific outcomes.

PCMMs offer rapid shop floor inspection with the flexibility to measure at all levels of the production process, from initial measurements to final part inspection.

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There are many different features and options when it comes to portable coordinate measuring machines. Choosing the right specifications and systems depends on each shop’s unique requirements. The technology is constantly improving and accuracy has significantly increased. End-users are able to purchase products with greater capabilities across a wide range of technologies. Will an articulated arm be a useful tool? What is the best type of senor to use? What styli works best for the accuracy specifications I need? Are there additional accessories that will enhance inspection? What software works best for interpreting and analyzing the data I need?

Here are some of the latest and greatest products for portable coordinate measuring machines:

HIGH PERFORMANCE CONTACT/NON-CONTACT PORTABLE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM FARO Technologies has combined several components to create a unique measuring system, the FARO Edge ScanArm HD. A high-definition 3D scanner is combined with the flexibility of the FARO Edge measuring arm to create a high performance contact/ non-contact portable measurement system.

The Edge ScanArm HD delivers rapid point cloud collection with extreme resolution and high accuracy in a compact, lightweight and easy-to-use system. The new functionalities enable users to seamlessly scan across diverse surface materials regardless of contrast, reflectivity or part complexity and without any special coatings or target placement.

The ScanArm’s hard probe and the Laser Line Probe can digitize interchangeably without having to remove either component.

Users can accurately measure prismatic features with the hard probe, then laser scan www.canadianmetalworking.com

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sections requiring larger volumes of data The extra wide scan stripe and fast frame rate boosts productivity by increasing coverage and reducing scanning time. Intricate components can be captured in fine detail as a result of the 2,000 actual points per scanline and the new blue laser featuring noise reduction technology. Users can dramatically reduce required training time with the new crosshair feature and existing LED Rangefinder functionality, which provides real-time scanning feedback.

In combination with the all-in-one metrology software CAM2 Measure 10, FARO provides its customers with a unique solution for both contact and non-contact measurement perfectly suited for metrology challenges for a wide range of applications. www.faro.com

STREAMLINING THE MEASUREMENT PROCESS ROMER’s Absolute Arm line provides high-accuracy 3D measurement. The latest additional to the series includes an arm with a 1.2 m volume. It is ideal for use within confined spaces, including inside a machining center for dimensional control of molds,

parts, tooling, castings, and more. The ROMER Absolute Arm 1.2m streamlines the measurement process.

To simplify set-ups, a counterweight system enables the ROMER Absolute Arm 1.2m to be used without mountings on any surface. Absolute encoders, a standard feature on the Absolute Arm line, eliminate complicated referencing procedures. The operator can start measuring with merely the flip of a switch. ROMER Absolute Arm feature packs allow wireless battery-powered operation for maximum portability on the shop-floor, while an integrated camera and worklight facilitate inspections in harsh environments.

A replacement for the ROMER MultiGage, the ROMER Absolute Arm 1.2m is available in two models and can be certified to ISO 10360-2 or B89.4.22.

Usability features include automatic probe recognition to ensure repeatable results for different probes without calibration and haptic feedback to alert users if an axis limit is reached, eliminating the risk of bad mea-

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surements. The ROMER Absolute Arm 1.2m is also compatible with all major metrology software packages including PC-DMIS Touch, the modern measurement software that uses high-resolution Multi-Touch display technology on a tablet PC. www.hexagonmetrology.com

FLEXIBLE CNC 3D MEASUREMENT SYSTEM Mitutoyo has developed a unique, flexible system designed for 3D CNC measuring.

Mitutoyo’s MACH Ko-ga-me offers a unique and flexible configuration for shop floor versatility. Ko-ga-me 3D CNC measuring head is installed with a base unit and provides end-users with high accuracy and high speed inspection results. This system is compact and available wherever you need a compact measuring system.

The Ko-ga-me measuring system can be used stand-alone or integrated into a custom designed cell for inspection of small or even large work pieces. A variety of probes such as touch-trigger, optical, or constant contact scanning, can be added for even more versatility. With Ko-ga-me’s compact design, users can provide their own fixed mount or design a moving structure to take Ko-ga-me to the inspection measurement location.

Ko-ga-me is available in ranges of 80x80x80mm and 120×120×80mm and offers a resolution of 0.02µm, measuring accuracy from (2.0+5.0L/1000(μm), maximum drive speed of 200mm/s (1 axis), maximum acceleration of 0.4G (1 axis) and supports TP200+PH6 probe, SP25+PH6M probe as well as QVP (Quick Vision Probe). Ko-ga-me is designed as a 3 axis or 2 axis measurement system and is available in either horizontal or vertical models. www.mitutoyo.ca

PORTABLE 3D MEASURING SYSTEM Measuring a product’s performance and design has become increasingly important, not only for research & development, but for production and quality control. To both improve and simplify the process, Nikon Metrology has announced the release of its portable 3D measuring system, the P3D. Nikon’s compact P3D NC-2323S is easy to carry and can be operated with a push of a button and without requiring a computer. It does not require professional expertise or technical knowledge to operate. With its intelligent 60 | APRIL 2015

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functions, portability, and immediacy, it is ideally suited for quick, on-site measurements, such as those required on the automotive production floor.

The simple GUI (graphical user interface) of the P3D allows first-time users immediate and intuitive operation. Capture 3D measuring data by simply moving the lens over an object and pressing the shutter button. The P3D projection system directs a laser beam onto a micro-mirror, made using a semiconductor micromachining technique, in order to project an optical pattern onto the object.

The compact P3D body includes a sensor, operator, and controller; enabling users to check data immediately. The P3D has been made small, light, and energy-efficient using a MEMS (micro electro-mechanical system) projector and laser source.

The newly developed P3D Viewer software meets a number of requirements, including data backup, 3D data reconstruction under different conditions, checking and editing, 3D data stitching, and 3D printer coordination. www.nikonmetrology.com

ACCURATE IN TOUGH ENVIRONMENTS MetroArm is a unique portable coordinate measuring machine solution, a light-weight hand-held probe observed by a camera.

With unrestricted probe movement from 1.5 to 4.5 meters from the camera, MetroArm provides 11 cubic meters of measurement volume. There is no need for pedestals inside the measurement volume, as the probe is connected to the system only by cable—although there is a wireless option—while the camera is placed on the tripod outside the work envelope.

With no mechanical moving parts, MetroArm is reliable and accurate over time and can be used in tough environments.

System setup and use is intuitive and easy to learn. Metronor PowerINSPECT Lite for measurement and analysis of geometrical elements to blueprint or CAD is included, with an available option to also enable measurement of free-form surfaces to 3D CAD models.

MetroArm comes with a handheld carbon fiber probe and set of 7 styli. www.metronor.com. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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PORTABLE CMM The Ideal Contact + Non-Contact Portable 3D Measurement System

The FARO Edge ScanArm HD delivers rapid point cloud collection with high-definition data resolution and high accuracy – all in a lightweight, affordable, and easy-to-use system

WWW.FARO.COM | 800.736.0234

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15-03-31 10:26 AM

Faster, Functional and Compact

BY NATE HENDLEY

W

hat are customers telling machine tool companies they want in their mills?

“Customers are looking for more functionality of the CNC controls, larger work envelopes, the ability to machine heavier parts and the ability to machine parts faster,” says Tom Sheehy, manager of applications engineering at Elmira, New York-based distributor Hardinge Inc. The ‘customer request list’ also includes, “reliability of the machine tool and machine speed. Higher rpm for the spindle, faster tool changers and faster axis speeds.

Customers need their machines to stay up and running so they can keep making parts,” adds Bryan O’Fallon, product technical specialist for milling, Haas Automation Inc. in Oxnard, California.

“They are asking for higher rpm’s in addition to requesting affordable pricing options. Integration of monitoring software for machine uptime and cutting performance is a continuing trend we see as well,” echoes Bernie Otto, Kiwa product manager, Methods Machine Tools Inc., a distributor in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

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multi-axis machining and process integration (combining more operations in a single machine or set-up). These trends remain ongoing, say experts.

“Automation, multi-axis machining and process integration are still main concerns for customers when talking about buying machines,” notes Sheehy.

“The number of shops, big and small, who are moving toward multi-axis, or multisided, machining—whether it be in 5-axis milling machines, or multi-axis lathes— continues to grow. The process of running 100 parts through single sided operations is slowly becoming a thing of the past,” says Michael Cope, product technical specialist at Indianapolis, Indiana-based Hurco. “We have seen an increased adoption of 5-axis machines, being used to run what would be considered traditional 3-axis parts by many.

However, these parts have 3-axis features on multiple sides of the same part, which makes them perfect for 5-sided machining. Also, in addition to reducing setups, 5-axis machining increases part accuracy because everything is machined in relation to one single part setup, instead of flipping and repositioning the part throughout multiple setups.”

“I would also say that many of these shops are beginning to experiment with different types of automation as well, which could mean something as high tech as a fully-automated robot or pallet loader, or something as simple as hand-loaded pallets that just help them change out parts quickly. I have also noticed more and more shops using subplates on their milling machines to help aid in quicker part setup between jobs,” adds Cope.

“More and more we are seeing robots integrated with 3-axis mills and 2- or 3-axis lathes),” says O’Fallon. “This gives shops a great amount of flexibility to change jobs as needed, which cannot be done nearly as easily with a specialty machine (an expensive mill/turn machine, for example),” O’Fallon also sees a trend towards smallsized mills: “Shop space is expensive, so fitting a machine into a smaller space is becoming more important,” he states.

Another trend, noted by Jim Endsley, product specialist machining centers, sales, at Okuma America Corp. in Charlotte, North Carolina, comes as more of a sociological observation than a technical insight.

According to Endsley, machine tool customers have become “more cost conscious” in the last 10 years, something he ascribes to a “new generation of ownership in some of the shops.” www.canadianmetalworking.com

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New owners combine shop floor expertise with lessons learned at business school: “They are applying more of the business logic to machining techniques than ever before… they are asking, ‘How does this machine fit into our business plan?’ They want to discuss things like power consumption and ‘is the machine green?’” says Endsley.

In terms of “non-starter trends”, additive machining has had little impact on the machine tool sector to date. For all the hype about the additive machining process, customers are not buying 3D printers instead of new mills to make parts, say pundits.

“I have not seen a major impact on machine sales due to the interest in additive machining at this time,” says Sheehy.

“We do not see this as an issue for many years—if ever,” echoes O’Fallon. “Additive manufacturing definitely has its place, but traditional machining processes—milling and turning—still provide the speed, flexibility, and affordability that most shops are looking for.”

Here’s a look at what’s new and noteworthy in milling machines:

HARDINGE Hardinge released the Bridgeport Conquest V1000 vertical machining center last year.

Notable features on the V1000 include the largest ball screws in its class (45 mm ball screws are provided on all axes), a powerful direct-drive 20 hp spindle capable of 10,000 rpm with 75.2 pounds of torque, a 30-tool swing-arm automatic tool changer and a Mitsubishi M70M control. Travels are 40 inches, 24 inches and 24 inches on the X, Y, Z axis respectively.

Options include part probe, tool probe, X, Y, Z linear-scales, coolant through spindle, fourth and fifth (4+1) axis drive package, automatic power shut-off, chip conveyor and auto door.

Sheehy is particularly taken by the V1000’s Mitsubishi M70M control, which will, “accept any Fanuc style G-code program resulting in less edits from moving programs from one machine to another…the commonality of G-code programming provides www.canadianmetalworking.com

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the ability to utilize any basic CAD/CAM software to achieve optimum programming results,” he says.

According to Sheehy, the Conquest V1000 can readily handle tough cutting materials such as titanium.

“Titanium does exhibit a challenge for machining. However, the Bridgeport V1000 with its increase in hp, increased torque, Big plus spindle, large ball screws and accuracy specifications provides an optimum machine for handling the cutting requirements of materials such as titanium,” he states. www.hardingeus.com

OKUMA AMERICA CORPORATION Japanese firm Okuma introduced the Genos M560-V vertical machining center (VMC).

The highly rigid Genos M560-V offers a table size of 22.05 x 51.18 inches, maximum load capacity of 1,980 pounds, spindle speed of 15,000 rpm and magazine capacity of 32 tools. Travels come to 41.34 inches, 22 inches and 18 inches on the X, Y and Z axis. This VMC is equipped with THINC OSP P300M control, which uses a Windows-based open architecture platform.

The Genos 560-V “is good for general machining,” says Endsley.

Other notable features on the VMC include hand scraped mating casting surfaces to ensure accuracy, longevity, and harmonic dampening. Bi-directional spindle cooling, meanwhile, provides thermal stability and longevity. The Genos 560-V is also ergonomically designed, with operational access from the front of the machine and wide door openings to make work zones more accessible. www.okuma.com/americas

HAAS Haas offers the small footprint, 40-taper DM-1 drill/mill center and the UMC-750SS highspeed, five-axis universal machining center.

Notable features on the DM-1 include high speed (a direct drive spindle can reach 15,000 rpm and allows for high-speed rigid tapping) and small footprint (a work cube of 20 x 16 x 15.5 inches and a 26 x 15 inch T-slot table). The drill/mill center’s impressive tool change speed (an 18+1 side-mount tool changer swaps tools efficiently and quickly) and fast rapids (2,400 ipm) “mean reduced cycle time,” says O’Fallon.

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The Haas UMC-750SS is a 40-taper universal machining center with travels of 30 x 20 x 20 inches, 1,200 ipm rapids, an integrated high-speed dual-axis trunnion table and a 15,000 rpm inline direct-drive spindle.

“Our primary customer for the [The UMC-750SS] has been the small to medium job shop, where they have frequent changeovers and can benefit from setup reduction,” states O’Fallon. “Instead of using multiple set-ups on the same or multiple machines, three vises on a VMC for three operations; on the UMC-750SS, a single set-up means the machine can do all three operations in one operation.”

“The flexibility and reliability of the UMC750SS and DM-1 makes them well-suited for all types of work,” he explains. www.haascnc.com

METHODS Methods introduced an expanded line of horizontal machining centers from Japanese firm, Kiwa.

The Kiwa KMH line “now has pallet sizes ranging from 300 mm to 1,250 mm to handle a large range of part sizes,” says Otto.

The KMH-300 direct drive, 30-taper, 15,000 rpm horizontal machining center offers a compact footprint of 140 inches (depth) by 107 inches (width, including chip conveyor). Travels are 18.1 inches on the X and Y-axes and 13.7 inches on the Z-axis.

The KMH-630B is a 50-taper, 10,000 rpm, 630 mm dual pallet changer model. Its footprint measures 235 inches (depth) by 137 inches (width, including chip conveyor). Travels are 39.7 inches on the X-axis, 33.4 inches on the Y-axis, and 37.4 inches on the Z-axis.

The KMH-300 and KMH-630B series both offer integrated full rotary B-axis and Fanuc Oi-MD control with a 15 inch screen. A spindle oil cooling system and coolant-through ball-screws are standard. www.methodsmachine.com

MAKINO Japanese firm Makino introduced the a81nx horizontal machining center, the latest in a series including the a51nx and a61nx HMCs. The a81nx was designed with large-part machining and limited work space in mind 64 | APRIL 2015

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and features a 100 mm extension of the Y-axis column. This brings full-axis travels along the X, Y and Z axes to 35.4 inches, 35.4 inches and 40.2 inches. The increased Y-axis travel is particularly handy for automotive parts such as engine blocks and cylinder heads, where the critical mating surfaces require feed-on/feed-off milling passes to achieve optimal sealing.

The a81nx comes standard with a 10,000 rpm spindle that offers 305 Nm of duty-rated torque and 45kW of extended-duty power (26 kW of continuous output). Other advanced productivity features include new GI servo control mode that can decrease pocketing times for aluminum billet applications and a new chain-type 80-tool capacity automatic tool-change magazine for reduced tool-seek times. Options for this HMC include an 8,000 rpm high torque spindle configuration for manufacturers working with hard metals. www.makino.com

HURCO Hurco has five new 5-axis mills: the VMX30U-HSi, VMX42-HSRTi, VMX84-SWi, VMX60-SWi and VMX60-Ui. The VMX30U-HSi is a trunnion-style, 5-axis machine with a high-speed 18,000 rpm integral motorized spindle. The VMX42-HSRTi offers a swivel-head design with direct drive and an 18,000 rpm spindle. The VMX60-Ui is another trunnion-style 5-axis machine, with a 12,000 rpm spindle and X, Y, Z travels of 60 inches x 26 inches x 26.5 inches.

The two new SWi machines (the VMX84-SWi and VMX42SWi) both have 4-axis rotary functionality but can be equipped with an accomA-axis table to accom modate five-axis machining. The VMX84SWi has X, Y, Z travels of 84 inches x 34 inches x 30 inches while the VMX42-SWi has travels of 42 inches x 24 inches x 24 inches. www.hurco.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

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This extremely effective grinding process relies on basic geometry for high precision and high-volume applications.

BY DOUG PICKLYK

I

t’s not uncommon to find centerless grinding machines in operation today that have been running for decades. A precision grinding process suited to any cylindrical part that requires a tight tolerance, centerless grinding machines have few moving parts and perform their grinding magic through a miracle of basic physics. What’s really changing with today’s more modern machines is the addition of computer controls that take a very efficient process and make it even more productive.

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taining a high tolerance for roundness on metal parts and working very quickly, making it ideal for high-volume applications.

And it’s the relative simplicity of centerless grinding that separates it from other cylindrical grinding technologies.

At first glance the process appears almost primitive. The part to be ground is simply placed on a workpiece rest blade that is situated between two rotating cylinders: a regulating wheel (made of a dense rubber compound that controls the rotational speed and feed rate of the workpiece) and the larger abrasive grinding wheel.

The part simply sits on the work rest blade, no fixturing involved, and then the rotating www.canadianmetalworking.com

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United Grinding.indd 1

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The Glebar GT-610M is a compact centerless grinding system with an 8-5/8” wide grinding wheel built for machine shops.

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regulating wheel engages and spins the part at one speed while pushing it towards spinthe larger grinding wheel that’s spin difning even faster—the greater the dif ference in speed the faster the removal rate.

As unlikely as it may seem, the workpiece is held in place simply by the pressure of the rotating wheels. With the wheels rotating at speeds above 30 rpm, it’s a wonder the parts are not flying out of the machine.

But it all comes down to geometry, explains Harry foundSchellenberg, found ing partner of Echo Hill Automation in Beamsville, Ontario, manufacturer of the Tactic 8 centerless grinding machine.

“Centerless grinding is really good at making round parts, because of the geometry that’s involved in it,” says Schellenberg.

To get that roundness the angles that the wheels contact the part are critical.

In most cases the centers of the opposing regulating and grinding wheels are set at the same height on the machine, and the work rest blade is designed so the center of the workpiece sits slightly above the centerline of the wheels. By creating a triangular relationship among the centers of the two wheels with the

center of the workpiece at the apex, the force being applied to the part by one wheel is never directly applied to the opposite side of part on the other wheel. This principle allows for the precise roundness to be achieved.

“As long as you have good spindles you’re going to make a round part if your geometry is right,” says Schellenberg. He adds that you can also take a part that’s out of round from a turning machine and achieve roundness in a centerless grinding machine.

Because of the relative simplicity of the process, the speed of centerless grinding is also one of its primary advantages. “You don’t have to fixture each part,” notes Schellenberg.

“You simply set it in place, the wheels come together, grind the part and you’re done.”

For this reason, anywhere high volumes of small cylindrical parts are required makes this process a prime candidate. Industries that demand the tolerance and roundness of centerless grinding include aerospace, automotive, defense and medical.

The bolts in a motorcycle chain for instance are ground, notes Ralf Scheurl, sales manager with Mikrosa, the centerless grinding unit of the United Grinding Group. “That’s a lot of bolts,” he says, adding “The centerless grinding process is very good at putting parts into buckets.”

And it’s the consistency of the process; its ability to maintain its tolerance within microns that makes it first class. “I have a background of grinding parts between centers,” says Scheurl, referring to where a workpiece is clamped between two centers before grinding. “When I first came in contact with Mikrosa (centerless grinding) I couldn’t believe it. You can’t compare it with grinding between centers.”

The set up for a centerless grinding job requires first selecting a grinding wheel suited to the metal and the desired surface finish. Tooling required for set up includes a custom work rest blade to suit the part. As mentioned, the height of the work rest blade is critical. The top of the work rest blade generally has an angle of 30-degrees sloping towards the regulating wheel. This keeps the part in contact with—and rotating at the slower speed of—the regulating wheel.

The Tactic 8 centerless grinding system with an 8-inchwide wheel, designed and manufactured by Echo Hill Automation in Beamsville, Ontario is an integrated cell with auto handling, gauging and closed-loop accuracy controls.

WWW.ECHOHILLAUTOMATION.COM

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There are two ways centerless grinding machines operate, either infeed (also called plunge grind) or throughfeed.

The infeed is used to grind cylindrical workpieces with notches or complex shapes, such as gear shafts. In the setup, the work rest blade needs to be tooled to match the shape of the part. The grinding wheel and regulating wheel must also be dressed—having the part’s desired profile cut into them with a stationary diamond or diamond wheel (this process is done on the machine and takes some time).

To begin, the workpiece is placed on its customized work rest blade, coolant flows, the wheels engage the part, sparks fly, and in seconds the part is removed and the next workpiece is set in place. As the grinding wheel wears it will need to be redressed on an ongoing basis.

For throughfeed grinding, the workpiece travels along the rest blade between the grinding and regulating wheel. The part is driven through by a slight angle applied to the regulating wheel relative to the grinding wheel, basically squeezing the workpiece across the grinding wheel and out the other side. A throughfeed set up is typically used for parts with a consistent roundness across the length of the part.

While centerless grinding machines have been around for decades, new technologies continue improving the process. The introduction of CNC controls and direct drive motors are reducing the time and complexity of the setup and enhancing the already tight tolerance holding capability.

Robotic automation to load and unload the workpieces is also speeding up the process and ensuring accuracy, while automated gauges, set up at the delivery end to measure part diameters are ensuring accuracy and keeping the variance from part to part in the low micron level.

These advancements are all making centerless grinding a cut above when it comes to finishing round parts. www.canadianmetalworking.com

03CMW-Grinding.indd 69

The Mikrosa KRONOS S 250, is a highly automated centerless grinder with a 9.8” grinding wheel for the mass production of small workpieces.

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} Hard turning, scroll-free turning and ginding are performed on a single machine.

} The grinding wheel is designed specifi cally for the fi nishing quality.

} Hard finish-turning is performed first – for as long as component and process reliably allow it.

} Only a little material is cut when grinding – so the process is faster. In addition, the service life of the tool is also prolonged.

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APRIL 2015 | 69

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BUSINESS PROFILE: GRINDING

ECHO HILL AUTOMATION, BEAMSVILLE, ONTARIO

L

ike many technology invention stories, this one begins in the garage. Brothers Harry and Dan Schellenberg grew up around Beamsville, Ontario in the southeast tip of the province—wine country. Both brothers are mechanical engineers with a knack for tinkering and fixing things, so 20 years ago they started a business doing design work and operating a small machine shop in their Mom’s garage. Their main projects involved working for area machine shops, a lot of machine tool rebuilds including adding automation, specialty handling machines, and integrating servo motors to old machines.

A lot of their time was spent reconditioning centerless grinders, automating technology that was built years ago for manual opera-

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tion. They custom designed loading systems for these machines, but they knew there was more that could be done to improve productivity. So the brothers opened up their notebook and took a clean sheet approach to the design of the centerless grinding machine.

In 2009 the first prototype of their new design was built and running, and in the spring of 2011 they sold their first machine.

This year they have nine machines slated to be installed, accounting for 20 machines sold and counting. Harry Schellenberg estimates that roughly 150 million parts have been ground on their centerless grinding technology so far.

The Schellenberg’s company, Echo Hill Automation, no longer works out of a garage.

They’ve been in their 14,000 sq. ft. Beamsville facility for 10 years where all of the machines are manufactured and assembled. “We do almost everything in house,” says Harry. The nine-person company operates a complete machine shop including a recently-installed Milltronics vertical machining center purchased from Mitcham Machine Tools along with additional machining centers to create parts, wire EDM and waterjet for cutting, and welding is done in-house. The castings for the frames of the 12,000-lb. machines are done in nearby Brantford, and the bending of the machine’s exterior sheet metal housings are sent out to a local shop.

Called the Tactic 8 (Tactic stands for: total automatic compensation through integrated control), the Echo Hill centerless grinder is a turnkey CNC-driven system that has automation built into most every function of the process.

Beyond the grinding operation at the heart of the machine, the Tactic 8 has an integrated handling system for feeding and removing parts. The servo-driven loading/unloading system is also capable of handling multiple parts at once, a productivity enhancer. On the back-end the system has an in-line Keyence optical micrometer taking 1,000 reading per second. This inline gauging ties back into the system’s controller, so any variance detected can be addressed by the machine without any operator involvement.

The system’s Beckhoff controller is the brains of the operation, integrating all of the functions. According to Armando Afonso, technical sales manager with Echo Hill, the intelligent controller in the machine is like “basically having a built-in operator.”

The grinder’s set-up assistant allows for www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Harry Schellenberg, co-founder of Echo Hill Automation, holding the first part done on the company’s prototype machine produced August 22, 2009. The company has since sold 20 machines.

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operators with very little grinding experience.

The machine can be set up to run lights-out.

The most unique feature on the Tactic 8 is the positioning of the motors driving the grinding and regulating wheels. The patented “powered from above” design places the linear motors on an overhead roller rail system. Both the grinding and the regulating wheel move, and the control of the linear motors keeps the accuracy high. The cast iron frame filled with a polymer concrete base also dampens any vibration. According to Schellenberg the machine can hold a plus/minus 2-micron tolerance. Another benefit of the overhead motors is it keeps the motors clean, as coolant and debris flow down through the system.

Also, because both wheels are on rails, their machine dresses the grinding and regulating wheels in the center, along the same contact line as the part. And because of the tight tolerance and gauging system tied into a feedback loop with the controller, the machine can run multiple parts at once across its 8-inch grinding wheel width.

Before automation, traditional centerless grinders required many hours for set up. And while the centerless grinding process is best suited to high-volume applications, because of the fast set up time on Echo Hill’s machine it makes smaller batch runs more economical.

“In the past, shops would have up to 12 grinders set up,” explains Harry. “They would be dedicated to specific parts. Shops would run one for a day, and then it would sit idle because they didn’t want to have to change it over.”

“We built a system that’s flexible, so that you can change it over more easily,” says Harry. “We have companies running 10 or 12

different jobs on one grinder. And these are high-volume runs, because they can run up to four parts at a time.”

Most of Echo Hill’s centerless grinding machines are going into the U.S. Repeat orders are a great endorsement, and Echo Hill has one customer who has confirmed an order for his eighth machine.

Once companies install machines, Echo Hill also supplies tooling packages to set up the grinders for a particular part. The packages include the work rest blade suited to the part, a software program for dressing the profile into the grinding and regulating wheels, and tooling for the handling system including grippers. Depending on the complexity of the part, packages are put together in a few weeks. Harry says they’ve supplied about 100 different tooling kits to accommodate about 100 different parts.

The company has sold to companies for a variety of applications from automotive, to aerospace and it’s making inroads in the bearings industry, anywhere parts require precision grinding for high tolerance and roundness.

Schellenberg says that centerless grinding is widely used across North America.

He estimates there may be some 13,000 machines in operation on the continent, but the technology on most of those shop floors has been around for decades. The systems Echo Hill Automation is building today are a far cry from the manual grinders Harry and Dan had been refurbishing for clients in their Mom’s garage. Their home-grown innovations, digitizing and automating the process, are playing role in modernizing the art of centerless grinding.

Echo Hill Automation designs and handles most every aspect of manufacturing for its TACTIC 8 centerless grinding system in-house. The latest addition to its machine shop is a Milltronics VM16 vertical machining center used for making parts.

www.canadianmetalworking.com

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BUSINESS PROFILE: MACHINING

SHORT-RUN SPECIALISTS

Dick Wolters, company founder

The Machining Center, Belleville, ON

BY DOUG PICKLYK

L

ocated outside the hustle of the city and surrounded by acreages and farmland, there are actually horses grazing in the field behind The Machining Center, but there’s no horseplay going on inside. It’s all business for this machining and fabricating shop that has been experiencing what owner Dick Wolters calls “consistent and controlled growth” since it began operating in 1988.

The full service company has built its success through sound investments in its infrastructure (both its people and its technology) and by developing a reputation as a reliable partner for its diverse range of clients.

Wolters’ career began as an apprentice back in 1979 in Trenton, Ontario, located about 180 km east of Toronto along highway 401. A few years after completing his apprenticeship and working at a local tool shop, he and a colleague started up their own business in a Trenton industrial park. That partnership lasted three years before the two decided to go their separate ways, and Wolters launched The Machining Center down the road in an 800 sq. ft. unit with one CNC mill and some manual machines.

Taking in a variety of work, over the first few years his business began to grow, adding people and space. In 1996 Wolters strategically re-located midway between Trenton and the city of Belleville, moving into a 10,000 sq. ft. building that had previously been an indoor horse riding stable.

He initially setup the machine shop into 2,700 sq. ft. of the building and rented out the rest. With continuous expan-

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sion over the last two decades The Machining Center now occupies the entire building and 4,000 additional sq. ft. added in 2011. The company currently employs 16 people, 10 on the shop floor and six in the office.

Specializing in custom work, the company services customers from a wide variety of industries on projects from early concept through design to finished parts.

Services on the shop floor include CNC milling and turning, grinding, hardening, CMM measurement, welding, bending, sawing, punching and cutting.

“We’ve become a resource for local industry,” says Wolters, pointing out that some 98 per cent of the company’s work comes from within a 30-mile radius. Industries served include aerospace, nuclear, food processing, plastic extrusion, wire and cable, and agriculture, among others.

“WE SPECIALIZE IN THE WEIRD AND THE WONDERFUL.” —Dick Wolters “What we’ve tried to do is branch out our customer base into many different sectors,” says Paul Vreugdenhil, operations manager, explaining that as some industries slow down others will pick up, keeping their shop busy all the time. Vreugdenhil adds that exposure to that variety introduces a wide range of materials into the shop and many different processes that his team needs to be aware of, www.canadianmetalworking.com

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BUSINESS PROFILE: MACHINING production partners,” adds Vreugdenhil. “We’re willing requiring everyone at the shop remain sharp and flexible. to invest the time and money to work with companies to Vreugdenhil actually apprenticed at Wolters’ first shop help define and refine their processes or improve their in Trenton in the mid ‘80s, and then over a decade later, productivity. They see and respect that effort.” while he was working as machine shop coordinator at Their experience in product development actually cona major converting/manufacturing plant in the area, tributed to a recent award-winning innovation conceived Wolters stopped him on the street and offered him a job

by Wolters’ son and daughter-in-law. Their product, a on the spot. Since joining The Machining Center in 1998, portable housing solution for farm animals called “The Vreugdenhil’s played a strong role in managing and Calf Canopy”, received a Farm Innovation of the Year developing the shop’s technology platform. award from Farm and Food Care Canada. The product’s One of the most significant moves was embracing Solidworks 3D CAD design software in 2004. “We were the first ones in this area to be working with Solidworks and also GibbsCam (for programming the CNC machines),” says Vreugdenhil. Working with those applications for over 10 years now has given the shop valuable experience, and it’s also given them a lot of digital files.

The shop is very process oriented, Grades becoming ISO certified in 2007.

“We do a lot of data management,” Chipbreakers says Vreugdenhil, noting how that ability, tied in part to the Solidworks application, has become a valuable CA510 customer service opportunity. “We CA515 regularly get requests to call up past P05 CA525 jobs,” he says, and because of their P15 CA530 information management system P25 they’re able to go back to work done Conventional P35 as far back as 1995 and find data Coated Carbide files for a part.

Stability “I actually received an email the other day from a customer looking In comparison tests, KYOCERA’S for engineer-stamped drawings,” new CA5-Series steel turning inserts says Wolters. “Within 20 minutes I combined with the PP, PQ, and put them in an email back to her, and PG smart chipbreaker lineup have she was so happy. In a busy world consistently outperformed where faces are changing all the the competition. time, we’re the good old boys still Don’t take our word for it…try it taking care of things, and customers for yourself! Contact your local appreciate that.”

KYOCERA Sales Engineer or visit Vreugdenhil agrees: “Our customKyoceraPrecisionTools.com/CA5 ers have that sense of security and to request a FREE SAMPLE. comfort knowing that we’re going to handle their work with care—not only the machining or fabrication of the NEW parts, but also all of their informaSPECIAL OFFER tion. That’s a huge key to our success.”

BUY 20 INSERTS, GET 10 FREE More Information at KyoceraPrecisionTools.com/promo-pack And while The Machining Center has built a reputation for reliability in machining and fabricating great 800.823.7284 parts, according to Wolters, “process cuttingtools@kyocera.com development is where we shine.” www.kyoceraprecisiontools.com “Our customers recognize us as

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BUSINESS PROFILE: MACHINING development demonstrated the shop’s ability to move from concept, to prototype and sellable product over the course of five months.

While designing and producing their own product was new for the company, they were very familiar with the process, having helped many other businesses down that path.

But Vreugdenhil is quick to point out that moving into their own product development will not become a key business for The Machining Center. The company’s focus remains on helping other clients improve their processes and develop better products.

Apart from design and process, the sweet spot for the shop is taking on low-run custom jobs—particularly challenging parts. “We specialize in the weird and the wonderful,” laughs Wolters.

“The industry is very competitive on parts that many different shops can do,” explains Vreugdenhil. “Where we win is where customers come in with very particular parts that require meticulous attention or low-run projects. Because our set up time can be very short we regularly win bids on low-run 10- or 20-piece jobs.”

Key to the shop’s quick set ups are the programming skills and capabilities of their operators. On the machining side of the business they have four CNC mills and three CNC lathes. The most recent addition to their line-up arrived late last year with the installation of a new multi-tasking Nakamura-Tome precision lathe, purchased from Elliott Matsuura.

“Our new machine offers us the flexibility to be able to do operations on one machine that we were doing on multiple machines before,” says Vreugdenhil.

“There would be times where all of our lathes were busy and our mill work was slow, or more often the mills were crazy busy and the lathe work was up in the air,” he

The Machining Center’s lastest addition—a multi-tasking precision lathe.

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says. Looking for a solution, he noticed that most turning jobs also required some milling operations after, so now with the new multi-tasking machine they can do a lot of the turning and milling operations with one set up.

Flexibility is one reason they bought the lathe, and the other main reason was to bring in new technology to challenge their operators.

Like other machines they’ve purchased, Wolters and Vreugdenhil were very deliberate in their research. Once they had narrowed down the field to three options, they brought their operators along to provide input on the final decision.

Vreugdenhil notes that some machine tool sales people were shocked by that move. “We’re very invested in our employees,” he says, adding that the more ownership their operators have in decisions the more it encourages them to be engaged in the equipment and the future of the company.

Wolters notes that early on in the process, before they had even selected the final machine, they sent their operators out for a two-day stint with GibbsCam for multi-tasking machine training. “We wanted to let them get a feel for what it was going to take, and how it was going to change their lives.”

The new Nakamura-Tome turning center was The Machining Center’s first time working with Elliott Matsuura. “They’ve been excellent,” says Wolters, adding that the people at Elliott have consistently been able to anticipate their needs.

“We experienced a few hiccups at the very beginning, and the way Elliott dealt with that was phenomenal,” adds Vreugdenhil. “At one point our operator emailed their service guy a couple times during the week, and the guy called up and was here the next day just to help us out.”

CAM Solutions Inc., reseller of GibbsCam, was also a huge help. They offered flexible training times and helped our team onsite, to learn the nuances of the software to write programs for our new machine.

While shops of their size may be more likely to buy this type of equipment through an auction, the support and service they’ve received have gone a long way in justifying purchasing brand new.

And Wolters is comforted in knowing that the new multi-tasking turning machine can handle about 60 per cent of the type of jobs coming through their shop, freeing up other www.canadianmetalworking.com

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BUSINESS PROFILE: MACHINING machines on the floor for more work.

When Vreugdenhil looks at the company’s entire operation today he’s amazed at their increased productivity, a feat he attributes to the skills and capabilities of his team along with the quicker programming time and the speed of the equipment. “It surprises me because we‘re doing more work now with less people than we’ve ever done before,” he says.

Looking forward, Wolters says the company is currently building its next five-year plan. As far as Paul Vreugdenhil, operations manager at The Machining Center what new technology will be arriving on the shop and breathing the fresh air of their wide-open rural floor next, both Wolters and Vreugdenhil approach surroundings. those decisions cautiously. There’s no need to rush, they Business is good. insist. They’re happy, proactively evaluating options

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BY NATE HENDLEY

D

eep hole drilling is “a black art. The more you do it, the more comfortable you feel. Like anything, you’re scared at first, then it becomes second nature after you do it for a while,” states David Vetrecin, holemaking product manager at Iscar Tools Inc. in Oakville, Ontario.

To learn more about this black art, we ran a series of questions by cutting tool experts. We questioned them about the art of deep hole drilling and deep drill products from their respective companies.

Here is what they had to say:

THERE ARE THREE TRADITIONAL DEEP DRILLING METHODS: GUNDRILLS, SINGLE TUBE SYSTEM (STS) AND DOUBLE TUBE SYSTEM (DTS, ALSO CALLED THE EJECTOR SYSTEM). IS IT NECESSARY, WHEN DEEP DRILLING WITH EACH OF THESE METHODS, TO BEGIN WITH A PILOT OR START HOLE? “In the case of gun drills, a guide bushing is always used when the operation is done on a dedicated gun drilling machine (usually multi-spindle), ” says Randy McEachern, product and application specialist, holemaking and tooling systems at Sandvik Coromant Canada, based in Mississauga, Ontario.

“When gun drills are used in machining centers, a pilot hole in the part is needed,” McEachern continues. “On a double tube system (Ejector), a guide bushing in front of the part is sometimes used, but a pilot hole in the part is very common. On single tube systems (STS), a guide bushing is always used and is mounted in the pressure head which clamps up against the component.”

“Holes that are 16 x D or greater should begin with a pilot hole. For lengths less than that, such as 12 x D, pilot holes are not required,” says Luke Pollock, product manager at Walter USA, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. “Although, if the surface is not flat or even, the drilling operation could benefit from using a pilot hole or even just a small spot drill…for depths 16 x D and deeper, Walter recommends starting with a pilot hole that is 2 x D. At depths of 30 x D or greater, we also advise people to use an intermediate drill such as a 12 x D or 20 x D drill to guide the longer drill.”

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NEW AND NOTEWORTHY IN DEEP HOLE DRILLS Sandvik Coromant Sandvik Coromant recently released the CoroDrill 808 for single tube system deep hole drilling.

“This drill has been produced with an optimized pad design for good hole finish, unique edge preparation for increased chip breaking and a reinforced periphery insert corner for added security and reliability. Available as a stock-standard product in common sizes, CoroDrill 808 drills are equipped with a fully traceable dot matrix which stores a variety of informainformation about the drill, such as measurement protocol and product informainformation. The protocol includes data on diameter and run-out of the drill. With the addition of this information, it becomes an ‘intelligent tool’ which increases process security,” says Randy McEachern, product specialist.

Walter USA Walter USA has released a new Titex X·treme Pilot 180 pilot drill.

“Deep holes nearly always require a pilot or start hole and this is where the Walter Titex X·treme Pilot 180 comes in. It’s a versatile, high-performance solid carbide drill for drilling depths from approximately 2 x D. The solid carbide drill has internal cooling, which can be either emulsion or oil and can be used with coolant pressures as low as 145 psi. It possesses a point angle of 180 degrees and is available in diameters from 1/8 – 7/8 in. The drill features corner protection chamfer for maximum reliability, four margins for optimum alignment, and a TFT coating for protection against wear,” says product manager Luke Pollock.

“The new Walter Titex X·treme Pilot 180 can be used for cross holes, spot-facing inclined or convex surfaces and for counterboring drilled holes to recess bolt heads or protect threads. Even in conditions that are not level, the X·treme Pilot 180 yields precise and flat hole bottoms. It can be employed on all commonly used material groups. Application areas include general metalworking, mold and die making, and the automotive and energy industries,” adds Pollock.

Seco The Feedmax series is Seco’s latest generation of high performance solid carbide drills. They offer high feed per revolution (up to 0.70 mm/rev), high cutting speed (up to 220 m/min), self-centering geometry and special low-friction TiAIN coating that improves chip evacuation.

Drills are available in 3 x D, 5 x D and 7 x D.

IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO DEEP HOLE DRILLING THAT MACHINISTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF—THAT IS, FACTORS THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS BIG A DEAL WHEN DRILLING SHALLOWER HOLES? “Chip evacuation is critical to deep hole drilling on single tube and Ejector system,” says McEachern. “It can be affected by the feed, material, choice of tool and/or cutting fluid properties.”

“Yes. Number one is the toolholding method and controlling run-out,” says Cory Cetkovic, applications engineer, product manager for the Sphinx line from Big Kaiser in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

“Run-out will increase as you increase distance from the spindle face. When using a deep hole drill, the level of run-out is going to be much higher than it would be for a shorter 2 x D drill. Accuracy starts with the machine tool, but a high quality tool holder and collet is essential,” says Cetkovic.

IS COOLANT VITAL FOR ALL DEEP DRILLING METHODS (GUNDRILLS, SINGLE TUBE, DOUBLE TUBE)? IF YES, DOES IT HAVE TO BE HIGHPRESSURE COOLANT? “The purposes of coolant in a drilling system are support and lubrication of the pads, improvement of the tool life, dissipation of heat, and chip evacuation…in any drilling operation, coolant is a vital component to the chip breaking and evacuation process,” says McEachern.

“In small diameter drills, coolant pressure is important but in STS or Ejector, drilling flow is important. Gallons per minute (or GPM) is important to assist in carrying chips out the drill tube, then resident time in the tank allows it to cool before going back out to the cutting edge. During this process, the coolant should pass through a filtration of 10–20 μm which helps increase tool-life and provide better surface finish,” he continues.

“When high coolant pressure is applied to a long drill, it can cause the drill to become unstable which leads to chatter,” explains Pollock. “Chip packing can also result from using coolant pressure that is too high.

Walter recommends between 300 - 600 psi for most applications for twist style drills.”

IS IT POSSIBLE TO DEEP HOLE DRILL WITHOUT COOLANT? “I would say no. It would be almost impossible to flush the chips [without coolant],” says Vetrecin.

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“We definitely recommend coolant, and lots of it,” adds Manfred Lenz, product manager drilling, at Seco Tools LLC in Troy, Michigan.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL DEEP HOLE DRILLING? “Maximizing chip breakers with coolant flow and cutting data specific to the material being drilled is critical for chip evacuation and hole quality,” says McEachern. “However the condition of the guide hole or guide bushing is not to be overlooked in order to drill straight holes…when a guide hole is prepared in the workpiece, we recommend a tolerance of +0.0008 inches/-0.0000 inches of the nominal diameter and the depth should

be deep enough to fully engage the guide pads on the drill.”

“Evacuating chips is always a large concern because they have to move freely for such a long distance. Many machinists know this, but it can lead to some misconceptions.

Pecking, or adding a dwell, is a commonly used practice to allow the chips time to clear the cut area. Using a solid carbide drill can hurt your tool life. Feeding the drill properly and continuously, without pecking, will greatly improve tool life,” says Pollock.

“We recommend not pecking at all… because sometimes you retract and you get a chip that actually falls down and then you go back down into the hole and you could end up smashing right against that chip and breaking the drill,” says Lenz.

Iscar

Sphinx

Iscar’s Sumogun line is designed for deep drilling applications with a diameter range of 12 to 25 mm (total length of 1,000 mm). The Sumogun enables the replacement of the drilling head inside the machine, which means there’s no need to remove the drill for head indexing. The Sumogun boasts two straight flutes carrying the standard Sumocham drilling heads.

Iscar also just released the Trideep line of gundrills and deep drilling heads which boast a diameter range of 16 to 28 mm and three cutting-edge indexable inserts with chip splitters. The drills carry new solid carbide or brazed guide pads while a highly accurate peripherally ground insert provides high hole diameter accuracy.

“Where ever a gundrill is used, Trideep could be used—mold and die, aerospace, general engineering etc...,” says Iscar’s David Vetrecin.

In late February, Big Kaiser unveiled Micro Deep Hole Drills from its Sphinx line. These micro drills were designed with wire EDM starter holes in mind.

“Creating an EDM starter hole is a very time-consuming process. By drilling the hole, you’re able to complete the process up to five times faster than existing methods. EDM was where the idea began … whether it be medical, automotive or electronics, there’s really a lot of micro applications besides the wire EDM industry where this drill can be used,” says Sphinx product manager Cory Cetkovic.

The new program offers drill diameters from .25 to 1.5 mm and flute lengths 20 to 80 x diameter. Customers should apply external flood coolant when using the Micro Deep Hole Drills, as the latter aren’t coolant-through, adds Cetkovic.

Tungaloy Tungaloy’s GunDrills are well known to make highly accurate deep holes with 3-10 µm roundness and 5-15 µm cylindricity making it a very reliable and effective deep drilling solution in the general machining, die & mould, automotive and food industries. To reach these customers more widely, the Tungaloy Corporation now decided to standardize the most common GunDrill ranges, thus improving delivery response to the customer.

The Tungaloy Corporation has been producing made-to-order brazed Gundrills for deep hole drilling applications in steel, cast iron and aluminium alloys in the diameter range from 3 to 24 mm with overall lengths up to 2000 mm. However, the standardized GunDrills will now include diameters from 3 to 12 mm and overall lengths 400, 600, 1000, 1250 and 1650 mm depending on the market common demand. The extended availability of these GunDrills is a welcome addition to Tungaloy’s comprehensive holemaking range.

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www.canadianmetalworking.com

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TOOL TALK

SAMCHULLY CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING

Workholding specialist Samchully has expanded its capabilities by opening its newest facility in Incheon, South Korea, just an hour outside of Seoul. On March 6, 2015, the company hosted a grand opening event to showcase the 250,000 square foot facility.

The expansive manufacturing site is located just blocks away from another of the company’s locations, which will now primarily focus on application work.

The new building offers a bright and new environment for workers to machine, assemble and test the entire range of Samchully products.

The event kicked off with a rib-

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bon cutting ceremony where all key Samchully employees lined the entrance.

And with a bang, the new Samchully facility opened.

When you first walk in the doors, it is clear that the company is growing and expanding, and this new facility demonstrates a strong future for Samchully.

The CEO of Samchully, Mr. Hong-Suk Seo spoke to a crowded auditorium about his decision to expand and the goals he has for the company’s future.

“Moving forward, we will not play catch-up by replicating solutions currently offered. We will develop unique workholding solutions,” he explained. “I expect our sales will continue to grow in the future; however, I will not make this my primary goal. I think the journey is more important than the destination. It is important that we remain

agile and flexible making the right strategic decisions as they present themselves.”

Following the presentation, guests were given a tour of the impressive new facility. The expansion includes the addition of 10 new domestic machine tools and several more shipping from abroad that have not yet been delivered.

Samchully highlighted its expansive lineup of Doosan, DMG MORI, Gleason, Okuma machines as well as its latest JIG borer from YASDA on the shop floor.

“Samchully places technology and quality above all else. I believe that superior technology and quality are the result of skilled technicians and premium quality machinery,” explained Mr. Hong-Suk Seo. The new building is equipped with many unique features to improve quality of life for the workers. Mr. HongSuk Seo stressed how important it was to provide workers with a positive work environment in order to increase productivity. The facility includes rooftop amenities like a basketball court, soccer field and rooftop gardens. The interior, apart from the factory floor with its collection of machines, includes a table-tennis room, movie theatre and restaurant.

Guests were shown around the multi-level building and given a glimpse of the dedication that goes into producing various chucks, cylinders, rotary tables, among other products that the company offers. www.samchully.com

www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-27 10:35 AM

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CHROME IS THE NEW BLACK 15-03-25 3:08 PM

TOOL TALK

SANDVIK A PROUD SPONSOR OF SKILLS CANADA Magri, a winner at the national Skills At a media event held in late March Canada event held last year will be at Sandvik Coromant Canada’s travelling to Sao Paulo, Brazil this Mississauga headquarters, the comAugust to represent the country at pany took time out of its new product the bi-annual World Skills presentations to draw competition in the CNC attention to another projMilling category. He will ect it’s very invested in, be joined in Sao Paulo by Skills Canada the national Trevor Fandrick, a student program dedicated to of NAIT in Edmonton, who promoting skilled trades will compete in the CNC and technologies to youth.

Turning category.

On hand at the event was Georgian College Ross Carpino, global Jurgen Hierholzer, facstudent Tyler strategic account manager ulty member at Georgian Magri, and formerly country manCollege in Barrie, Ontario representing Canada at World ager for Sandvik Coromant and student Tyler Magri, Skills in Brazil this Canada, was enthusiastic a student in Georgian’s summer in CNC in his encouragement and Mechanical Technician – Milling category. rallying support for Magri Precision Skills program.

as he heads off to South America.

The media event included a welcome from Brian Wilson, the recently appointed managing director for Sandvik Coromant Canada, along with product demonstrations from applications specialists in the company’s presentation center.

Among products and solutions featured was Sanvik’s InvoMilling program allowing the production of spur and helical gears on a milling machine using indexable insert cutters. A fast solution for small to medium batch production with quick turnaround.

Another unique solution was SpiroGrooving, a technique for machining seal ring grooves on non-rotating components.

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5ME and Okuma intend to demonstrate the benefits of using cryogenic machining, which includes faster processing, longer tool life, increased part quality and lower environmental impact.

The partnership will establish two cryo demonstration facilities— one at 5ME’s Technical Center in Warren, MI and the other at Okuma’s Aerospace Center of Excellence in Charlotte, NC. Both facilities will have Okuma machines equipped with cryogenic systems that use vacuum jacketed feed lines to deliver small flow rates of liquid nitrogen through the tool directly to the cutting edge.

5ME’s unique, multi-patented cryogenic machining process is a breakthrough technology that enables higher cutting speeds for increased material removal and longer tool life by transmitting liquid nitrogen at -321°F through the spindle/turret and tool body, directly to the cutting edge. www.5ME.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 4:06 PM

TOOL TALK

REGO-FIX PROUDLY MADE IN SWITZERLAND On January 15th of this year the Swiss National Bank decoupled its currency (the Swiss franc) from the Euro, and the result sent chills through the country’s manufacturing base. By the end of that day, the value of the franc was up 23 per cent against the Euro and 21 per cent against the U.S. dollar.

The management of Swiss-based precision toolholding manufacturer Rego-Fix addressed this issue and shared some insight into its direction going forward at a recent event at its Swiss headquarters.

Started in 1950 by inventor/entrepreneur Fritz Weber in the small Swiss village of Reigoldswil, today the company is run by his three sons: Richard, CEO; Andreas, president of Rego-Fix Tool Corp. based in Indianapolis; and Stefan, in charge of strategic planning and business development.

A tour of the Rego-Fix headquarters in Tenniken, a short drive from its original home, reveals the company’s automated manufacturing processes including multiple robotic cells, extreme quality control requirements and a commitment to the environment—a green roof on their recently-renovated building filters water used for the toilets.

Since 1999, Rego-Fix now produces four times the products with only twice as many people. The company has been making collets since 1972 and is constantly refining its process. “Improving is in our DNA here,” says Richard Weber. The owners’ solid connection to the community and proud tradition of quality-made Swiss products will keep the manufacturing grounded in Switzerland. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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To address the currency surge Andreas Weber insists internal manufacturing productivity, not raising prices, will be key. Seeking new opportunities, he adds that the automotive industry is a “strategic target” for the toolholding company.

Richard Weber, Rego-Fix CEO

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TOOL TALK

TUNGALOY COMPLETES PRODUCTION FACILITY Tungaloy Corporation announced the completion of significant additional production facilities at its headquarters located in Japan.

The new facility is added on to the existing manufacturing complex opened in 2011 and will help the com-

pany to provide additional products to its customers.

Surface area of approximately 6,000 m2 has been added to produce both standard and

special cutting tools, and the entire plant now covers 21,000 m 2.

Responding to increasing market demands the expansion has enabled Tungaloy to meet these demands and offer additional capacity for its premium quality cemented carbide inserts, milling tools, indexable drills and CBN (one of only a few manufacturers) to the market.

MEMEX AUTOMATION RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING Memex Automation has qualified for up to $800,000 in Government of Canada funding. The manufacturer of Machine to Machine (M2M) productivity software will direct funding towards the continued development of its flagship product, MERLIN (Manufacturing Enterprise Real-time Lean Information Network) software.

“We are grateful for the support from the Government of Canada’s Investing in Business Innovation initiative from FedDev Ontario” said David McPhail, President and CEO of Memex Automation. “Memex Automation is a high-growth company that is adding knowledge-based jobs in Canada while we transform the productivity of global manufacturing firms with our shop-floor-to-top-floor communications technology.”

“Memex Automation is changing how manufacturers operate by providing ways to maximize the efficiency of existing machines on the shop floor,” said Mike Wallace, Member of Parliament for Burlington.

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www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 5:14 PM

TOOL TALK Double-sided inserts with multiple corners Tungaloy has expanded its line of positive inserts for DoOcto, the series for face milling operations.

DoOcto/DoQuad includes the advantage of double-sided inserts with multiple corners. The series now introduces 2 types of 8-cornered positive inserts applicable on the existing cutter bodies.

OWMT-ML insert is suitable for machining workpiece materials with low rigidity and difficult-to-cut materials, such as stainless steel and heat-resistant alloys, due to low cutting force and good chip control. OWMT-HJ insert is ideal for roughing large-sized workpiece materials with wide surfaces

as it performs excellent chip evacuation at high feed. Plus, the inserts provide stable machining and long tool life, thanks to the new grade AH3135 with alternately stacked layers.

This expansion makes the lineup of the inserts of DoOcto / DoQuad 4 types, including the existing 2 types of economical double-sided inserts which are suitable for steel and cast iron machining, and now the series is applicable for a wider variety of face milling operations. www.tungaloy.com

Dedicated for groove milling and parting off operations CoroMill QD takes care of chip issues with optimized geometries and the unique internal coolant solution. The chips are deformed by the insert geometry to a more narrow shape than the groove and then flushed out by the coolant. Combined with long and predictable tool life, this makes CoroMill QD a reliable solution for secure and trouble-free production processes.

Complementing the new cutters is a wide range of adaptors, which enable use of CoroMill QD cutters regardless of whether the preferred machines are small- to medium-sized machining centres, large machining centres or multi-task machines. Silent Tools adaptors are available for long overhang machining.

The internal coolant is based on a four-channel delivery solution.

By implementing this solution on the new adaptors for CoroMill QD, coolant delivery into the groove is achieved. www.sandvik.coromant.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

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TOOL TALK Part detection and integrated grip force control system SCHUNK has now expanded the WSG series of servo-electric 2-Finger Parallel Grippers with a long-stroke version and a compact small parts version.

The WSG has a long stroke which allows reliable handling of different components and grip force can be precisely controlled internally. These grippers have part detection and integrated grip force control system. Through standard sensor interfaces in the base jaws, sensors are directly integrated into the gripping process without any additional cabling or interfering contours. By using the optionally available force-measuring fingers, forces which occur at the gripped component can be recorded and allow reliable handling of fragile components.

A specially developed belt drive ensures high jaw speeds and short cycle times achieving speeds of 400 mm/s. High position accuracy is achieved by detection of the gripped

components through integrated systems in the WSG and is not monitored via attached end position switches. An integrated energy management feature ensures that the gripper is working at the highest efficiency.

The WSG is available as WSG 050-110 with a stroke of 55 mm per finger and a long-stroke version type WSG 050-210 with a stroke of 110 mm per finger. Both grippers achieve gripping forces between 5 N and 120 N. The WSG 32 is compact and has been specifically designed for handling small parts. Jaw guidance is completely covered which allow for easy cleaning.

Stroke per finger is 34 mm and grip force range is 5 – 50 N. www.schunk.com

Extended x- and y-axis movement Schütte introduces its latest 5-axis CNC grinder, 325LINEAR. The machine offers extended x- and y-axis movement plus two auxiliary slides for workpiece clamping and improved grinding wheel guidance over the entire machining envelope.

Micro tools, gun drills, hob cutters and complex geometries ERI America_CMW_04-15.pdf 1 3/17/2015 can be accommodated on this new machine, which1:02:34 oper- PM

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ates in the range of 2500-4000 rpm. The additional second auxiliary slide enables the 325linear to utilize tool guidance, part support, tailstock or workpiece pallets in operation.

Specifically, on the a-axis, a user can install collet chucks, hydraulic expansion chucks or multi-range chucks. With the automated collet changer on the machine, workpieces with different diameters can be clamped with high concentricity in the unmanned loader station.

The Schütte grinding system offers scalable automation, with a 140-position tool changer, 5-24 grinding wheel magazine and a flexible robotic tool gripper for changing the smallest micro tools as available options. The same base machine can be utilized for continuous production of a single part in a work cell setup or used for sequential one-off work. www.schutteusa.com

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THINBIT is expanding its line of support blade style tooling, the DEEPGROOVE line.

The new tools are designed to cut internal face grooves with major diameters starting at 1.574” and depths of cut to 1”.

Inserts are available in 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm and 6mm with a variety of coating and corner radius options.

Shanks are available as left or right hand orientation in 20mm, 25mm, ¾” and 1” diameters. DEEPGROVE round shanks will also accept OD/parting & external face grooving heads.

THINBIT is manufactured

by Kaiser Tool Company. www.thinbit.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 4:06 PM

TOOL TALK High-speed spindle speeders for metalworking BENZ now offers high-speed spindle speeders for the wood, metal and composites industries.

Primarily designed for high-speed drilling, BENZ highspeed spindles are also suitable for precise machining and slight millworking without any specific surface hardness.

They offer increased surface finish and milling capabilities and are capable of running ceramic end mills.

BENZ offers high-speed spindles in two different variations, Type SL and Type SLI. Type SL is available with jacket cooling.

Type SLI, equipped with an internal coolant system and a jacket cooling system, increases in-use speeds by thousands, with a 1:5 ratio, and is designed for tools with a cooling channel and an internal coolant supply. Those equipped with coolant can operate at up to 40,000 rpms and coolant pressure up to 80 bar, while those without coolant can run at

up to 18,000 rpms.

All high-speed spindles are self-cooling and engineered for an unlimited duty cycle. Their tools can be changed automatically with a Stop Block machine tool changer, or manually by installing a block or pin to keep the torque arm from rotating. www.BENZ-inc.com

Cost

Providing a higher transmission of force Walter has enhanced its family of Xtra·tec Insert Drills with the addition of the Walter Capto clamping system and indexable inserts with Tiger·tec Silver cutting tool material. The Xtra·tec Insert Drills range in diameter from 16 to 45 mm, with a depth of cut of 3xD, and feature optimized chip clearance for reliable chip evacuation.

The addition of the Walter Capto clamping system provides higher transmission of force via the system’s polygonal interface, high process reliability due to the positive locking of the indexable inserts with TorxPlus screws, and faster tool changing. In addition, its hard-nickel plated surface provides protection against corrosion and wear, and its cylindrical collar promotes straightforward measurement of the tool diameter.

The indexable inserts, available in three different geometries and four different grades, have four cutting edges, helping to reduce the number of additional operations necessary. The ground indexable inserts are also fitted with a wiper edge, ensuring superior finish. www.walter-tools.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

03CMW-ToolTalk.indd 91

Savings The Series 33 uses the latest in engineering design and grinding capabilities to handle

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APRIL 2015 | 91

15-03-26 4:06 PM

JUST SAW IT Metal cutting saws are gaining momentum

BY NESTOR GULA

U

sing a saw to cut something to length is perhaps the most basic and ancient of manufacturing processes. Copper saws were documented in Egypt, back around 3000 B.C. While headlines and stories abound about great new technologies, like lasers and high definition plasma cutting, sometimes a band saw is the best solution.

“Band sawing is actually gaining momentum and has not lost its foothold in the market,” says Dave Snyder, business development product specialist at Cosen Saws. “You have steel mills producing larger and larger pieces of metal. Twenty years ago, to see a 24-inch I-beam was rare unless it was manually made. Nowadays, you are looking at milled run beams that are much, much larger—36-inch, 40-inch, going on to 48-inch.

So the mills are making these materials... someone has got to somehow cut those down into usable lengths.”

According to the experts, saws are still a preferred option over lasers, plasma or oxyfuel for large metal. “When you are cutting a beam or something like that, in most cases it is a hand operation. Someone is going in there old style with an oxy fuel torch or a plasma to cut it, but you will still end up with a rough edge,” says Snyder. “I believe that band saws are still the most popular way today to cut material down to specified lengths.”

Cutting material to length, especially tubing, beams, solid bar stock, inexpensively is the saw’s forte. “Band saws in general are much lower cost solutions, and they can cut much thicker pieces of metal,” says Bill

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Verbrick, national sales manager for Marvel Manufacturing Company. “Both the initial investment and the operating costs are much less. Plasma and laser are common in the plate processing industry and are generally used to cut shapes. Lasers are limited to about 1-inch thick and plasma can cut up to 12-inches thick.

A straight cut using a plasma will be faster but causes deformation on the cut surface.”

Saws are not an old crude technology. Not only are they less expensive to acquire and operate, they are very accurate and fast.

There are two types of saws that can be used in the manufacturing process. Like in woodworking, you can have a band saw or a circular saw, also called a cold saw.

The cuts on a cold saw are typically straighter and smoother than from a band saw, and they can be taken to the next step of fabrication whether it is milling or welding.

Typically no cleanup is required.

“The main advantage to a circular cold saw verses other types of cutting machines is a circular saw will give you a very accurate/ square cut +/– .002 per diameter inch with very minimal burr,” says Jerry Kroetch, president of Scotchman Industries. “By giving the square, burr-free cut in most cases this will eliminate the necessity to deburr the part after it is cut.”

“Automatic cold saws, or circular saws, are gaining popularity in high production environments,” says Snyder. “They have an extremely high cutting rate, accuracy, and good quality finished cuts on the ends. They are gaining popularity, especially when it comes to cutting solid bars in the 1-inch to 6-inch range and even up to 8-inch sizes. They www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 4:04 PM

are very efficient as far as productivity, but there is a premium because they are expensive. If you have a requirement where you have a very high production, a cold saw will certainly have the ability to pay for itself. But it has to be in a high production environment for this to make sense.”

High Speed circular saws are usually found in very high production applications where many short length parts are being cut. “High speed circular saws are limited by capacity and typically max out at 9 or 10 inches in diameter,” says Verbrick, who notes that band saws can cut much larger diameters, while the high-speed circular saws cut 3 to 5 times faster than conventional band saws.

Like most equipment designed for production and manufacturing, saws can be automated. “Machines can vary from a manual machine, semi-automatic machines to a fully automatic machine with an in-line bundle loader from ferrous to non-ferrous material cutting,” says Kroetch.

THE BLADE IS THE THING It is no wonder that blades are the most crucial part of the saw, and they are the biggest

consumable item as well. It is important to know that there is no such thing as a one blade cuts all.

“There is no such thing,” reiterates Snyder.

“Customers would certainly like to find that blade one day, and I’m sure blade manufacturers would love to find and make that blade.”

There are many things to consider when selecting the right blade for a job. “The blade teeth have to be tougher and harder than the material being cut,” says Snyder. “Otherwise you are just going to wreck your blade. The pitch of the blade—how many teeth per inch—has to be considered. If I was to cut a piece of 6-inch bar stock, I would probably use a 4 to 6 pitch blade. That allows the saw blade to have gullets that allow the material to build up in there and the material can be evacuated from the teeth. If an operator would go in there with finer toothed blade, the chances are that those gullets would be over-packed with material and it could break the teeth.”

While there are many types of blades to suit all cutting applications, blades do wear out.

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AL100U-02 TUBE & PIPE GRINDER/NOTCHER

50514 CM IRONWORKER

To find a dealer in Canada, contact: William Brennan Company, 2135 Jetstream Road, London, Ontario N5V 4H7 • Call 519-455-7100 • Fax 519-453-4589 • sales@brennan.ca In the USA Call Toll Free 1-800-843-8844 or Call Direct 605-859-2542 • Fax 1-800-843-5545 or 605-859-2499 • www.scotchman.com • info@scotchman.com • Scotchman Industries Inc., P.O. Box 850, Philip, SD 57567

www.canadianmetalworking.com

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production cutting out a blade before it needs to be re-sharpened. Most circular blades can be sharpened 70 to 80 times,” says Kroetch.

“Blade life is measured in square inches of material removed,” adds Verbrick. Material hardness, type of coolant, over feeding, vibration and chip build up all affect the blade life.

However, Blade life is completely reliant on the type of material being cut, says Verbrick.

Most circular blades can be resharpened but band saw blades can’t and must be properly discarded when worn out. Snyde explains that you can only bend the blade so many times before they break and if they cost about $50

no one will really sharpen them.

To ensure getting the maximum life out of a saw blade use proper coolant. “In some applications some people still use straight cutting oils,” Snyder says. “Then there are the oil solubles where you mix water with the oil soluble coolant and then of course you have synthetic coolant. And really what the coolant does typically keeps the cut part and the saw blade cool. If the saw blade gets hot then it will get soft it will wreck the teeth very quickly. The coolants keep the work piece and the saw cool so they can maintain the proper cutting rates.”

Enhanced vertical tilt-frame band saw

Semi-automatic circular saw

The 8-Mark-II is a mechanical, universal, metal cutting band saw with a capacity of cutting at 90-degrees of 18 x 22 inches for the stanstan dard column. The saw can make straight or miter cuts, 45-degrees right and left. The 5 HP motor is controlled with a variable frequency drive, with a speed range of 50 to 450 ft/min. www.marvelsaws.com

With a double clamping and self-centering vise, the Scotchman CPO 350 PKPD, semi-automatic circular cold saw with electric power down feed, can miter up to 135-degrees (45-degrees to the right and 90-degrees to the left) producing a burr-free high-quality cut. www.scotchman.com

15HP band saw system With a cutting capacity of 26-inch round and 21.3- x 51.2-inches rectangle, the SH-1300F Semi-Automatic Band saw from Cosen Saws USA has two linear guides per side that ensure rigid support throughout the cutting cycle. Powered by a 15 HP variable motor the saw is suitable for cutting large beams and other structural materials. www.cosen.com

Cosen Advantages:

The HBE Dynamic Series horizontal band saws come with auto precision servo down feed control, blade protection sensors, cast iron dual column construction, and hydraulically tensioned double-sided linear guide bearings for the band wheels. Available in four models with cutting ranges from 10.2- to 20-inch diameters for round stock and up to 20 x 20 inches for flat stock, the cutters’ blade speed ranges from 50-350 ft/min. www.behringersaws.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

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BUSINESS PROFILE: WELDING

(L-R) Jeff, mother Elizabeth, and father Jack in front of one of the trucks in the shop.

PHOTO: NESTOR GULA

SUCCESS IN MOBILITY Mobile Welding, Toronto, ON

BY NESTOR GULA

I

t is usually a good thing to pick up a ringing phone.

Sure, it might be a salesman asking about your ducts, but it also can lead to a great opportunity.

Such a call was answered in 1994 by Jeff Arnold, president of Mobile Welding Inc. It was a call from a concert promoter. The job was to assemble, fabricate and install the stage for Pink Floyd’s 1994 tour. This also led them to work on the stage for that year’s Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge tour and the Bridges to Babylon Tour in 1998.

They have worked on many rock show stages since then including 2003’s SarsStock, which featured the Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Rush among others.

Mobile welding is known for its quality work. The company has been in business since 1926. It was founded

by Jeff’s grandfather, John Arnold, as J. T. Arnold Blacksmithing and Welding.

“My grandfather was in military school when he was 12 years old,” says Jeff. He came to Canada in 1925 and moved to North York to start his blacksmithing business.

“The original location was at Dufferin and Lawrence, which is not too far from where we are right now,” he says.

The original work of the shop was forging horseshoes and ornamental jobs. “It is funny that we still get calls to repair railings and it’s my grandfather’s work,” says Jeff. “I know that because of his markings…He built the fences at Bayview and Lawrence and part of the fencing at Queens park.”

When World War II erupted, both Jeff’s father, Jack, and grandfather, John, enlisted in the Canadian Army and served in Europe. After the war the nature of the business had changed. It became less serving the farming community and more about building and helping shape the infrastructure of what is now the Greater 96 | APRIL 2015

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Toronto Area.

Jack Arnold, who is now retired, says, “I worked mostly on heavy equipment and pipes when I came back from the army…I decided to work with dad.” After taking over the business, Jack thought of a name change to reflect

The Mobile Welding truck at the Downsview field assisting the assembly of the SarsStock stage in 2003.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOBILE WELDING INC.

the new business model. “I was looking at the truck with the machine on the back and just came up with the name Mobile Welding. This was about 1952. There was no other company that had that name,” he says.

In the early days the welding that they did was forge welding, and then the company moved to oxy-acetylene.

“Welding happened ever since I was a kid,” says Jack.

“We got our first electrical welding machine in 19281929. It was called a Jukebox welder back then.”

He notes the company was very active in the development of the area’s infrastructure. “We worked on most of the bridges on the QEW from Toronto to Hamilton,” he says.

“There isn’t a building in downtown Toronto that we weren’t involved in,” boasts Jeff. “In 1997 we worked on installing the elevators on the north side of the CN tower.

We did the First Canadian Place and the TD Centre. We did a lot of work at York University. We made railings for Ontario Place. In fact, when the City of Toronto was making its first water plants and water mains, my grandfather worked on them. We have dealt with the City of Toronto since 1926 and we still have contracts with them.”

After several years of working with his dad, Jeff bought the company in 1980. www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 4:03 PM

BECOME A BETTER WELDER THE CWB INSTITUTE For over 65 years the Canadian Welding Bureau has been training and qualifying Canadian welders. The CWB Institute provides range of newly developed online courses to help welders, inspectors and supervisors at all levels get the education they need, where and when it’s required.

Scan here for more information on CWBi Training cwbgroup.org | 1.800.844.6790

The CWA Foundation key mandates are to support public safety awareness, and to address the skilled labour shortage in the welding trade. The CWA Foundation is committed to the funding of education and research to ensure that the Canadian welding industry has both the human resources and technology necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

Scan here for more information on the CWA Foundation cwa-foundation.org | 1.800.844.6790

CERTIFICATIONQUALITY THE CWB QUALITY MARK If you are looking for a partner with integrity, knowledge and the trust of the industry then look no further than the CWB Group. The CWB Quality Mark is now available for FREE to existing CWB Clients.

Scan here to sign up for the quality mark program cwbquality.org | 1.800.844.6790

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BUSINESS PROFILE: WELDING A Mobile Welding truck loaded up in the shop and ready to go out and work.

PHOTO: NESTOR GULA

For its long history and list of impressive projects, Mobile Welding occupies a very modest 3,000 square foot shop in the north-west area of Toronto. “At any given time we have four or five trucks on the road,” says Jeff. All the trucks are equipped with diesel Lincoln Electric Vantage 140 and 300 series welders.

The building is just storage. This is where the trucks can pick up what they need as they are meant to be self-sufficient during the day. They also use a combination of Miller and Lincoln portable MIG and Stick welders.

Most of the work that this company does is done using the Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) process. “We primarily use stick welding. We have the welders set up for Aluminum MIG, but I prefer not to run the MIG at all for steel welding,” says Jeff. “We tried MIG with some bridge work and I’m still a fan of 7018 5/32 and 1/8 rod. I know I will get proper penetration. When we get to a job site and I am using a moisture resistant rod, I know I will have positive penetration when compared to the seal with MIG or solid core wire. We use portable heaters, put the rod in to get it up to the proper temperature and we do not have an issue.”

All the employees are certified welders with the Canadian Welding Bureau.

New technological advances in welding systems impress Jeff. “Technology is changing. There are new machines out there all the time.

The machines are getting lighter. The invertFACTS ers come in suitcases.

Name: Mobile Welding Inc. They are great,” he says.

City: Toronto, Ontario “They have a smart Employees: 5 to 10 switch and can plug into Industry: Welding 110 or 220. We can plug subcontractor into an elevator shaft www.mobilewelding.ca with 120 outlet and they 98 | APRIL 2015

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A lot of interesting work has emanated out of this small shop.

PHOTO: NESTOR GULA

burn 3/32 7018 rod. And I am not running 500 feet of cable trying to get up an elevator shaft. You walk in with a suitcase, plug it in, and an hour later you are done.”

There are several items on Jeff’s wish list of equipment that would make his business more productive and profitable. “Give me the machine that I have but lighter,” he laughs. “That’s a four-cylinder Perkins diesel in that welder. I would love to have a portable amperage control so that I could change the amperage when I am in an overhead, vertical or horizontal position. Your heat ranges are always different when you are doing your groove pass or your cap. It is available and you want it but then it comes down to do you need it. I guess eventually I’ll get it.” He notes that he has mulled about a laser set up to make cuts on plates so that he can walk into a job site and all the parts are perfect and do not require grinding. “Eventually somebody will convince me that portable MIG is the way to go, so I will downsize the machines and save fuel. But right now I am not there,” he says.

He is rather optimistic about the future as the need for his service is steady and most likely will not go away.

“Welding is not as big now as it used to be, but it is more technical than it used to be,” he says. “What I am telling the welding schools is that they have to get up to speed on the equipment.” www.canadianmetalworking.com

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coquitLam, bc may 5, 2015 hard Rock casino vancouver theatre Keynote Speaker: 9am - 10am expo hours: 10am - 4pm

marcus ewert-Johns

divisional vice president, canadian manufacturers & exporters, bc

KEynoTE SpEAKEr

TIME: 9AM - 10AM

attend and heaR: Keynote address by manufacturing industry leader maRcuS eweRt-JohnS, divisional vp, cme, british columbia manuFactuRinG matteRS An update on the important economic contributions made by manufacturing in BC and a look ahead at current initiatives aimed at strengthening competitiveness and growing business.

9am-10am • INCLUDES FREE BREAKFAST

Register at www.mmpshow.com

The Metalworking Manufacturing & Production Expo will attract regional buying influences from manufacturers, job shops, maintenance, tool rooms, automotive, aerospace, energy and resources, medical manufacturing, transportation and tool-die moldmaking.

SponSoRS: Produced by

Limited exhibit Space avaiLabLe! (416) 510-5225  RSwan@canadianmetalworking.com

MMP Show.indd 1

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Fig. 1

 Continued

Fig. 2

from page 27 zontal plane, is fitted with a universal spiral and dividing head.

• The vertical machine is also identical to the plain machine, except that the spindle is set vertically and perpendicular to the plane of the table.

This style is on occasion fitted with a rotary table which is used in milling circular work.

• The planer type is built on plans similar to the planer.

Its general design varies with different builders and a much more notable degree than the other three styles.

Examples of Work Done: • Figure 1: an example of surface milling on a vertical milling machine. Here will be seen the great advantage the vertical has over the horizontal machine for such work.

The work is clamped in the table vise which makes it a good fixture for this piece.

• Figure 2 and 3: a miller has shown superiority over a planer in working out dovetails.

Any machinist knows of the many accidents Fig. 3

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Fig. 4

•

•

that are liable to occur while doing a job of this kind on a planer, such as breaking off of the point of the tool, gouging in of the tool or shifting its position, causing a change of the angle, in any case spoiling the work.

Figure 4: this is an example of milling with the periphery of the cutter, and it is easily seen that the job can be done with the one cutter and with but one setting of the work.

Figure 5: this is an example of where the same cutter is used to mill the inner and outer conical surface of the rings shown.

This insures absolute accuracy of fit.

Cutters to be used: In the vernacular of the metalworking industry in 1905, cutting tools were referred to simply as cutters. In this article Edgar includes some tips for selecting tools and why an operator needs sharp tools— suggestions that are as valuable today as 110 years ago: “In selecting cutters it is best to have them as small as possible. It is also important to have the arbor of such a size to be able to resist the strains set up in milling.

Since the introduction of special high-speed steels, cutters have undergone many changes www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Fig. 5

for the better.

For finishing work the carbon steel cutter has proven that they are best suited for this purpose, but when time spent in grinding and high speed are taken into account they have shown to be far inferior to the special steel cutters.

Effect of Dull Cutters: Dull cutters are the cause of a good many failures in milling practice.

Cutters must be kept sharp because (1) they require more power when dull, consequently the machine cannot work at its highest efficiency; (2) they strain both the machine and cutter arbor, causing the latter to spring, allowing the cutter to leave the work when any hard spots are encountered; (3) the surface left by a dull cutter is anything but satisfactory.

Edgar finished off his treatment of milling practices by saying, “I am sorry that time and space available for such work does not permit me to be more explicit in some matters touched upon in this article, but hope that I may have the pleasure of treating more fully some of the most interesting features found in milling practice in the near future.”

Milling has featured prominently in many Canadian Metalworking issues since 1905. Check out our latest article on “Milling machines: faster, functional and compact,” which can be found on page 62. www.canadianmetalworking.com

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TAKE FLIGHT WITH CANADA’S LEADING METALWORKING MAGAZINE.

 Nine issues  CMTS & WMTS show guides  CMTDA directory  100+ e-newsletters  Metalworking Marketplace product newsletters & whitepapers  E-blasts  Direct mail  Vancouver & Winnipeg table top shows

CONTACT Steve Devonport

Rob Swan

Nicholas Healey

Publisher Associate Publisher Account Manager t: 416-543-1641 t: 416-510-5225 t: 416-442-5600 x3642 e: sdevonport@ e: rswan@ e: nhealey@ canadianmetalworking.com canadianmetalworking.com canadianmetalworking.com

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Doug Picklyk

Lindsay Luminoso

Editor t: 416-510-5206 e: dpicklyk@ canadianmetalworking.com

Associate/Web Editor t: 416-442-5600 x3645 e: lluminoso@ canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-05 3:12 15-03-25 1:40 PM

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Introducing an opportunity for small-space and classified advertising in Canadian Metalworking

For a quote on any size ad, contact: STEVE DEVONPORT, Publisher 416-543-1641 sdevonport@canadianmetalworking.com

Metalworking Marketplace will be available in all nine issues of Canadian Metalworking, and provides the opportunity to run small space advertising and classified ads at low cost.

There are two main parts to Marketplace, Listings for Products and Services, and Classified for Machine Tool and Fabricating Equipment.

ROB SWAN, Associate Publisher 416-510-5225 cell 416-725-0145 rswan@canadianmetalworking.com

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING RENISHAW (CANADA) LIMITED. Renishaw laser melting system is a pioneering process capable of producing fully dense metal parts direct from 3D CAD. From tooling inserts featuring conformal cooling, to lightweight structures for aerospace & high technology applications, laser melting gives designers more freedom. Find out more at www.renishaw.com/additive.

T: 1 905 828 5519 E: Canada@renishaw.com www.renishaw.com

ASSOCIATIONS CANADIAN MACHINE TOOL DISTRIBUTORS’ ASSOCIATION (CMTDA) The CMTDA is a trade association dedicated to the marketing of machine tools and services in Canada through distributors. For more information about CMTDA or our members products and services, contact us at: T: 519 599 2803 E: info@cmtda.com www.cmtda.com

CUTTING TOOLS HORN USA, INC. HORN is the technology leader of indexable cutting tools with experience in over 100,000 custom application solutions and engineering expertise applied to more than 17,000 standardized turning and milling tools.

T: 888 818 4676 E: info@hornusa.com www.hornusa.com ISCAR TOOLS INC. ISCAR provides industries machine tools, carbide cutting tools, engineering and manufacturing solutions for a wide range of metal cutting applications, including innovative products, designed specifically for customer increased productivity requirements globally.

T: 905-829-9000 www.iscar.ca SANDVIK COROMANT (Cutting tools for turning, milling and drilling, modular tooling systems for lathes and machining centres. Direct sales personnel and specialists in more than 60 countries plus authorised distributors and 20 Productivity Centres worldwide providing training in tooling solutions for increased productivity) T: 905 826 8900/800 268 0703 E: coromant.ca@sandvik.com www.sandvik.coromant.com SGS TOOL COMPANY. SGS is a privately-held, ISO-certified leader of round solid carbide cutting tool technology providing value at the spindle for the aerospace, medical, power generation, and automotive industries.

T: 330-688-6667 E: sales@sgstool.com www.sgstool.com TUNGALOY. Tungaloy has supplied carbide cutting tools for over 70 years.

Supported by our sophisticated materials technology and state-of-theart processing technology, Tungaloy is committed to quality. For more information on our extensive range of products contact us at: T: 888 886 4256 www.tungaloy.co.jp.ca

NICHOLAS HEALEY, Account Manager 416-442-5600 x3642 nhealey@canadianmetalworking.com

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Campbell Morden specializes in recruiting full-time staff for a broad range of industries, such as aerospace, automotive, CNC Machine Builders, and system integrators.

Positions include: technical sales, CNC machining, applications engineers, manufacturing management, and field service technicians – among others.

Email: bp@campbellmorden.com Call Brian Pho at 905-482-0636

SETUP, OPERATOR & SUPERVISOR

NEEDED

We are seeking a CNC Trumpf Brake Press – Supervisor to oversee all production jobs in our CNC Trumpf Brake Department. Requirements for this position include a min. of 5 years setup and operational experience, as well as the ability to program off line with related software. A min. of three years in a supervisory role in the custom metal fabrication environment is also required. F/T $27/hr. Trumpf experience is a definite asset. Please send your resume via email to careers@marfabmetal.com.

Marfab Metal Products Inc. Concord, ON www.marfabmetal.com

EVENTS – TABLE-TOP SHOWS

April 7, 2015 Winnipeg MB May 5, 2015 Coquitlam BC CONTACT: 416-510-5225 www.mmpshow.com

Sponsored by:

WALTER TOOLS. The five competence brands of Walter, Walter Titex, Walter Prototyp, Walter Valenite and Walter Multiply, are united under one umbrella. With a product range of around 49,000 catalogue tools for milling, drilling, turning and threading. Walter is a complete service provider for the metalworking industry.

T: 800 945-5554 E: service.ca@walter-tools.com www.walter-tools.com/us

www.canadianmetalworking.com

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PRODUCTS & SERVICES

EVENTS – TRADE SHOWS FABTECH CANADA. March 22-24, 2016 Toronto Congress Centre, FABTECH Canada is Canada’s largest one-stop, all-encompassing venue for the latest technologies and trends in fabricating, welding, metal forming, stamping, coating and finishing. With an unmatched reputation in the industry, FABTECH is the largest event in this sector in North America. For more information contact us at: T: 1 888 322 7333 E: jsaperson@sme.org www.fabtechcanada.com WESTERN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOW (WMTS). June 1517 2015, Edmonton EXPO Centre. Evaluate and compare cutting-edge manufacturing equipment, advanced technologies, new products & applications, and services at Western Canada’s largest manufacturing technology event. For more information contact us at: T: 1 888 322 7333 E: jsaperson@SME.org www.wmts.ca CANADIAN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY SHOW (CMTS). Sept 28 – Oct 1 2015, The International Centre, Mississauga. Canada’s largest display of manufacturing equipment and technology attended by over 8,000 professionals. Connect with over 700 suppliers under one roof demonstrating live, working equipment. For more information contact us at: T: 1 888 322 7333 E: jpike@sme.org www.cmts.ca

FABRICATING MACHINERY AMADA CANADA, LTD. Since 1987, Amada has provided the Canadian industry with innovative sheet metal fabrication equipment including: CNC turret punch presses, lasers, punch/laser combination machines, press brakes, automated systems, tooling and software.

Peter Burell T: 905 858 4496 pburell@amada.ca www.amada.ca TRUMPF INC. TRUMPF Inc. is the largest manufacturer of sheet metal fabrication equipment and industrial lasers in North America. Our Farmington, CT facility produces precision laser cutting machines, punching machines and CO2 and solid-state lasers.

T: 860 255 6000 E: info@us.trumpf.com www.us.trumpf.com

LASERS ROFIN-BAASEL, CANADA LTD. A Canadian division of the laser industry leader ROFIN-SINAR, provides applications, sales and a sophisticated service/technical support network for our vast line of lasers for marking, welding, cutting, and surface treatment. For more information contact us at: T: 905 607-0400 E: Info-canada@rofin-inc.com www.rofin.com

MACHINE TOOLS AMT MACHINE TOOLS LTD. AMT specializes in Sales & Service of: Star CNC Swiss Style Automatic Lathes and Hydromat Transfer Machines. We also have a complete line of filtration products including Filtermist Oil-Mist collectors.

T 416-675-7760 E: sales@amtmachine.com www.amtmachine.com DIPAOLO MACHINE TOOLS. DiPaolo Machine Tools is the one stop shop for all of your machine tool needs. We’ll source the equipment, rebuild it, retrofit it, calibrate and service it. For more information contact us at: T: 905 676-9265 E: sales@dipaolocnc.com www.dipaolocnc.com HAAS AUTOMATION, INC. Haas Automation, Inc. – America’s leading machine tool builder – manufactures a full line of CNC vertical machining centers, CNC horizontal machining centers, CNC lathes, 5-axis machining centers, and rotary products.

T: 805 278 1800/Toll Free: 800-331-6746 E: haascnc@haascnc.com www.HaasCNC.com

Canada’s leading source for metalworking news and information www.canadianmetalworking.com

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HURCO COMPANIES, INC. Hurco invents CNC technology that makes our customers more profitable. We design and manufacture more than 60 models of CNC machines with the most versatile control in the industry— equally powerful for NC and conversational programming.

T: 1-800-634-2416 E: info@hurco.com www.hurco.com MAKINO, INC. Makino is a world leader in advanced CNC machining centers for today’s most complex metalworking applications. With a wide range of high-precision metal-cutting and EDM machinery, we help our customers make what matters.

T: 513-573-7200 E: webmaster@makino.com www.makino.com MAZAK CORPORATION. Mazak is a leader in the design, manufacture and support of advanced technology solutions, including Multi-Tasking, 5-axis, milling, turning, CNC controls and automation, for all metal working industry segments.

T: 859 342 1700 E: triddell@mazakcorp.com www.mazakusa.com MITCHAM MACHINE TOOLS INC. Mitcham Machine Tools Inc. are Canadian distributors of CNC and manual Machine Tools. With our extensive product line from manufactures around the world, we will work with you to find you the right machine for your needs, both on time, and within budget.

T: 416-458-7994.

E: sales@mitchammachinetools.com www.mitchammachinetools.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 3:56 PM

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

TOS TRADE CANADA Inc. is a subsidiary of TOS Varnsdorf, the established manufacturer of a broad range of quality horizontal boring mills. Over 1000 boring mills installed within past 25 years.

T: 905-878-0888 E: info@tostrade.com www.tostrade.com

MACHINERY ELLIOTT MATSUURA CANADA INC. Elliott Matsuura Canada Inc. is an industry-leading supplier of quality machine tools coast to coast in Canada.

Since 1950, Elliott has provided complex metal cutting solutions to meet the challenges of aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, and other industries.

T: 905-829-2211 E: info@elliottmachinery.com www.elliottmachinery.com

QUALITY CONTROL RENISHAW (CANADA) LIMITED. Introducing a unique versatile gauging system. Equator, an alternative to custom gauging, offers inspection of an unprecedented variety of manufactured parts. Proven and Developed on the shop floor with industry leading gauging users in a variety of industries and applications. For more contact us at www.renishaw.com/gauging.

T: 1 905 828 0104 E: Canada@renishaw.com www.renishaw.com

RETENTION KNOBS

MARKING

IN STOCK American Standards and specials.

Japanese Standards - inch or metric.

GRAVOTECH, INC. Gravotech are global leaders in the design, manufacturing, sales, and support of innovative solutions for engraving, marking and artistic modeling. As a global leader in durable marking technologies such as engraving, laser, micro-percussion and scribing, we utilize our expertise to develop and market equipment, software and consumables for every application.

T 800-843-7637 E: sales@us..gravotech.com www.gravotech.us

FOR FAST DELIVERY: Contact your local tooling dealer or order direct.

TEL 937-686-6405  FAX 937-686-4125 www.retentionknobsupply.com Retention Knob Supply Company P.O.Box 61 Bellefontaine, OH43311

MATERIAL HANDLING PRAB. A global manufacturer of material handling equipment for scrap metal and coolant recycling. A broad line of conveyors, wringers, crushers, briquetters, and fluid filtration and recycling equipment will automate scrap processing while maximizing production and improving safety and environmental compliance.

Robert Webb Authorized PRAB Sales Representative T: 905-296-2039 E: robert@rgwsalescanada.com

METAL FINISHING PFERD. The PFERD brand name is synonymous with outstanding premium-quality tools and abrasives. Today, we manufacture more than 7,500 PFERD brand grinding, cutting and surface finishing tools. And a complete range of ADVANCE BRUSH power and maintenance brushes.

T: 905-501-1555 E: sales@pferdcanada.ca www.pferdcanada.ca WALTER SURFACE TECHNOLOGIES. Walter Surface Technologies has been a leader in surface treatment technologies for more than 60 years, and has been providing high productivity abrasives, power tools, tooling, chemical solutions and environmental solutions for the metal working industry.

T: 1-888-592-5837 E: csr@walter.com www.walter.com

WELDING SUPPLIES LINCOLN ELECTRIC COMPANY OF CANADA. Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment and brazing and soldering alloys. For more information contact us at: T 905 565 5600 www.lincolnelectric.ca

WORKHOLDING SAMCHULLY WORKHOLDING, INC. Samchully Workholding leverages a broad range of complementary products to provide full turn-key custom solutions. The ability to single source the solutions ensures customers optimal compatibility and unsurpassed quality control.

T 949-727-3001/1-877-750-4747 E info@samchullyworkholding.com www.samchully.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX ADVERTISER 3M Canada ABICOR BINZEL Allied Machine & Engineering Corp.

Amada Canada, Ltd. AMT Machine Tools Ltd. Benz Inc. Blaser Swisslube Inc. Bohler-Uddeholm Ltd. Cosen Saws Creaform 3D CWB Group Dipaolo Machine Tools E.M.A.G. L.L.C. Elliott Matsuura Canada Emec Machine Tools Inc. ERI America Inc. FARO Technologies Inc. Ferro Technique Ltd. Fives Machining Systems GMN USA Gullco International

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ADVERTISER

PAGE#

ADVERTISER

Haas Automation Inc. Hobart Brothers HORN USA, Inc Hurco USA Ingersoll Iscar Tools Inc. ITI Tooling Jet Edge, Inc. Kinetic Cutting Systems Inc. Kyocera Precision Tools Inc. Lincoln Electric Company of Canada Mascoutech Inc. Mazak Corporation Canada Megatel Inc. Messe Dusseldorf Mitcham Machine Tools Multicyl Inc. Niagara Cutter Okuma PFERD Powerhold Inc.

28 57 11 IFC 81 OBC, 83 89 6 39 75 49 34 65 IFC 38 26 18 24 33 45 86

PRAB Renishaw (Canada) Ltd. Samchully Workholding, Inc. Sandvik Scientific Cutting Tools Scotchman Industries, Inc. Seco Tools SGS Tool Company Sirco Machinery SME CMTS SME WMTS SME WMTS Job Shop Soraluce Thomas Skinner Tungaloy America Inc. United Grinding Walter Surface Technologies Walter USA, LLC Weiler Corporation

PAGE# 71 22 19 4,5 88 93 85 91 28 94 79 41 26 28 3 67 43 15 51

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BY THE NUMBERS

A LOOK AT ENERGY AND RESOURCES IN CANADA CANADIAN INDUSTRY STRUCTURE •

CANADIAN SUPPLY & DEMAND 97% of Canadian crude oil exports are to the U.S. Canada was the largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the U.S., accounting for 33% of total U.S. crude oil imports and for 17% of U.S. refinery crude oil intake.

• •

•

•

Canadian imports come from a wide range of countries, including the U.S. (20%), Algeria (13%), Iraq (12%) and Norway (11%).

•

•

Grande Prarie

Kitimat Prince George Jasper

CANADA’S POSITION IN THE WORLD:

The upstream oil and gas industry comprises several hundred companies that engage in activities such as exploration, drilling, production and field processing.

The 10 largest companies are responsible for more than half of oil and gas production in Canada.

A variety of firms provide support services to oil and gas extraction operations such as contract drilling and maintenance.

Oil pipelines, as well as trucks, tanker ships and railways, transport crude oil between production areas, refineries, and export/ import border points.

Burnaby

Regina

CRUDE OIL

NATURAL GAS

COAL

URANIUM

ELECTRICITY

RENEWABLE

HYDRO ELECTRICITY

WIND

BIOFUEL

PRODUCTION

EXPORTS

3rd 19th 15th 4th 7th – 4th 9th –

5th 5th 12th 2nd 6th 7th 3rd – 5th

4th 4th 7th 2nd 2nd – – – –

Note: Rankings relate to proved reserves for oil, natural gas, coal and uranium.

Other resource rankings relate to capacity.

Bruderhelm Hardisty Edmonton

Kamloops

RESOURCE

PROVEN RESERVE/ CAPACITY

Quebec City

St. John

Winnipeg

Gretna

Montreal

KEYSTONE XL (TRANSCANADA)

NORTHERN GATEWAY (ENBRIDGE)

TRANS MOUNTAIN EXPANSION (KINDER MORGAN)

• • •

Capacity to export 525,000 b/d of crude oil and import 193,000 b/d of condensate Marine terminal would be constructed

106 | APRIL 2015

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•

•

Incremental capacity of 590,000 b/d Marine terminal inw Burnaby (BC) would be expanded

• •

Capacity of 830,000 b/d Fifteen Gulf Coast refineries are configured to process heavy crudes.

Cushing

From Hardisty (AB) to Saint John (NB) Capacity of 1.1 M b/d • •

MAINLINE EXPANSION (ENBRIDGE)

Twinning of existing pipeline from Edmonton to Vancouver

Two new pipelines from Edmonton to Kitimat (BC)

Conversion of existing natural gas lines to oil and construction of new oil lines

New pipeline from Hardisty (AB) to U.S. Gulf Coast

Lincoln Steele City

ENERGY EAST (TRANSCANADA)

Port Arthur Houston

Expansion of Alberta Clipper from Hardisty (AB) to Gretna (MB), with incremental capacity of 350,000 b/d

Source: Energy Markets Fact Book – 2014-2015, Natural Resources Canada

www.canadianmetalworking.com

15-03-26 6:04 PM

People

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15-03-25 2:36 PM