Canadian Metalworking April 2013

April 2013 • www.canadianmetalworking.com

Big Things Steels for large part forming Moving Mountains Resources move forward

Special Section: Tool, Die & Mold outlook

PM 40069240

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on 5th

COVER STORY: HSS FOR BIG PARTS............................................70

High strength steel dominates large pressing

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JOB SHOP SNAPSHOT........................................20 Orion Machining and Manufacturing

MOVING MOUNTAINS..................................... 22 Uncertain commodity pricing won’t stop the resource rush

MAKING IT WORK.............................................28 New and improved in work holding

SPECIAL: TOOL, DIE & MOLD OUTLOOK 2013........38 Market Outlook: The Road Ahead

THE KINDEST CUTS.............................................43 The latest cutting tools from roughing to finishing

PROFILE: REKO INTERNATIONAL GROUP................48 PROFILE: TOP GRADE MOLDS...............................50 P20 OR NOT P20?.............................................52

20

It’s still the grade of choice for many molds

MILLING ABOUT.................................................57 Multi-axis CNC changes a conservative industry

MOLDINGMAKING COMPONENTS.....................62

April 2013

Canadian

MOLD,TOOL &die making

What’s new, now

CNC MACHINER Y FOR MOLD, TOOL & DIE MAKING

COOLANTS 101................................................67

Multi-axis milling

CUTTING TOOLS FOR MOLDS Faster metal removal

Metalworking fluids are much more than a necessary evil ... they’re essential

MOLD MATERIALS P20 or not P20?

MOLDMAKING COMPONENTS What’s new, now

MARKET

outlook

The road ahead.. .

MORE PLASMA PRODUCTIVITY.............................72 Plasma carves out its niche

OXY-FUEL SAFETY................................................78

A supplement

to

and

2013 April Mold

Supplement.indd

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38

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It’s everyone’s responsibility

NEW CONCEPTS FOR DRILLING..........................89 Choose your tech for lower costs

DRILLS THAT THRILL..............................................92 Happiness is a perfect hole

NEW TOOLS FOR OLD JOBS.............................. 102 Specialty power tools for special tasks

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DEPARTMENTS View from the Floor........................................................... 6 News.............................................................................. 8 The Business of Welding.................................................. 16 The Business of Metalworking........................................... 33 Welding News............................................................... 76 The Cutting Edge............................................................ 84 Metals Report................................................................. 96 Tool Talk......................................................................... 99 By the Numbers............................................................ 106 On the cover: Schuler’s Crossbar Feeder automatically transfers auto body side panels from one press to another. Cover image courtesy The Schuler Group

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CONTENTS...

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Vol. 108 | No. 3 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

72 www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 5

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PUBLISHER Steve Devonport 416-442-5125 | SDevonport@canadianmetalworking.com ACCOUNT MANAGER Rob Swan 416-510-5225, cell 416-725-0145 | RSwan@canadianmetalworking.com EDITOR Jim Anderton 416-510-5148 | janderton@canadianmetalworking.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Nicholas Healey 416-442-5600 x 3642 | nhealey@canadianmetalworking.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lisa Wichmann 416-442-5600 x 5101 | LWichmann@canadianmanufacturing.com ART DIRECTOR Sheila Wilson 416-442-5600 x 3593 | shwilson@bizinfogroup.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER Selina Rahaman 416-442-5600 x 3528 | SRahaman@bizinfogroup.ca MARKET PRODUCTION MANAGER Barb Vowles 416-510-5103 | vowlesb@bizinfogroup.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright 416-442-6786 | Pwright@bizinfogroup.ca BIG MAGAZINES LP.........................................................

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6 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

View From the Floor Sergio Marchionne wants in.

So do we…

Few can argue that competition in open markets isn’t the most efficient way to generate economic growth.

And it’s not just the political Right who believe it…

Marx also wrote about the wealth-generating power of market economies.

Whether the fruits of that wealth generation are fairly or properly distributed is another argument entirely and after the banking crisis of 2008, it’s clear that wealth distribution is a real problem.

For corporations however, red –in-tooth-and-claw competition does select the best of the breed, if allowed to flourish.

Unfortunately, they aren’t.

Think our inflated bureaucracy, over-regulation and needless regulatory complexity is bad here? Imagine the plight of Sergio Marchionne, the Italian-Canadian CEO of Fiat and Chrysler. Italian Fiat plants are legendary for inefficiency; Marchionne once cited World Economic Forum statistics that placed Italy 118th out of 139 countries for labour efficiency.

That’s a situation that Marchionne is sure to change, shuttering older plants and negotiating more flexible labour agreements for the existing ones. But with European new car sales down again this year by eight percent and on a downward spiral since 2008, where will that capacity go? It doesn’t take a genius to see that the US market is the logical answer and Canada along with it.

Automotive News reports that Alfa Romeo will return and Maserati will switch from a niche luxury brand to a volume producer, boosting sales from 6000 per year to more than 50,000 units. The strategy is logical: faced with a higher cost structure in domestic plants, build high-margin products in them and export globally.

For Canadian part makers, it’s a mixed blessing. At first glance, it would appear to freeze Canadian plants out of the supply chain and add more price-crushing competition to a North American market glutted with light vehicles. On the other hand, moving Alfa Romeo and Maserati into the midvolume arena won’t generate enough sales to be engineered entirely from scratch, meaning some platform sharing is inevitable.

This means that Canadian firms that can develop good supplier relationships with Fiat and Chrysler will have an advantage in bidding for the new work. Navigating the political/bureaucratic minefield of doing business in Europe however, is a good job for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. To make the system work, the Feds need to wake up and understand that most Canadian suppliers are not multinationals corporations. They can’t spend hundreds of thousands on speculative programs, dedicate personnel to filling out forms and aren’t likely to join the Minister on his foreign trade junkets overseas…they need simple, easy to access help in basic issues such as receivables insurance and compliance with unfamiliar foreign rules and regulations. They need a simplified, easy to understand program that helps get smaller players in front of customers like Fiat and the ability to secure financing to make that trade happen.

So far, the biggest beneficiaries of government programs promoting international trade in our sector have been firms that are big enough to access global markets without the help. Does this make sense? Not to me.

The Minister you need to talk to is The Honourable Ed Fast, and he can be e-mailed at: ed.fast@parl.gc.ca...or reached by telephone at 613-9950183. You know what to do.

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JIM ANDERTON, EDITOR

Do you agree? Let me know, and feel free to drop me a line at the e-mail address below, or buttonhole me at a show or event. I’d love to hear from you! janderton@canadianmetalworking.com

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News Magna founder tours George Brown campus Frank Stronach was on hand at the college to talk about his new book, and speak to students about the importance of manufacturing in Canada.

By: Nick Healey

Frank Stronach is presented with an engraved aluminum cube by Pradeep Kalsi, Professor, Centre for Construction & Engineering Technologies, at George Brown’s Casa Loma campus in Toronto.

Stronach addresses the audience at George Brown.

(Photo: Nick Healey/Canadian Metalworking)

Stronach peers at a lathe while touring the facilities.

Photo: Jim Anderton/Canadian Metalworking)

(Photo: Jim Anderton/Canadian Metalworking)

Magna International founder, Frank Stronach visited the Casa Loma campus of George Brown College, in Toronto, on March 14, 2013 touring the college’s trade facilities.

Stronach was at the college to visit the tool and die program, speak to the students about the issues facing the manufacturing industry, and promote his recent book The Magna Man, which details his famous rags-to-riches story.

Students and faculty members were on hand to greet the former CEO of the Aurora, Ontario-based auto parts company as he was shown around.

During the tour Stronach also took the opportunity to get his hands on one of the lathes at the school’s shop.

He was also presented with an engraved aluminum cube, which was a homage to a reference in his book, where he described the challenges of having to file a perfect steel cube by hand.

“I felt a little sentimental when I saw all those machines out

there. They reminded me of days close to 60 years ago, but I haven’t forgotten it,” he said.

After the tour, Stronach spoke to an assembly of students, faculty members, and media about everything from business strategy, to economic and political topics.

“With the book I try to give guidelines to young people, but at the same time remind society that we are going more and more away from the real economy… that is one of my great, great worries.”

He also waxed philosophical about the need for manufacturing and its ability to create real wealth in today’s society.

“If we can’t create wealth, there’s nothing to distribute…

When you go to a department store now you see very few products which are made in America and Canada. And that should be of great concern. Because the well being of a nation ... continues on page 10

8 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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News ... continued from page 8

(left) Stronach talks with Julie Mills, one of the few women enrolled in trades programs at the college. He discussed the need for more women to get involved in the industry.

(Photo: Jim Anderton/Canadian Metalworking) (above) Stronach and George Brown’s president, Anne Sado talk shop.

(Photo: Jim Anderton/Canadian Metalworking) (below left) A crowd of students and media listen to Stronach speak at George Brown’s Casa Loma campus in Toronto.

(Photo: Nick Healey/Canadian Metalworking)

can be easily determined. The country which imports more and more, and exports less and less – the economy will break down,” Stronach said Stronach also expressed concern for the state of manufacturing and trades in Canada, and particularly how we are educating people about it.

“Between 16-18 I think we must put more emphasis (on the idea) that people could experiment with trades… I think that will make you a more complete person.”

He also stressed that Europe was in a much better position than North America when it came to the calibre and quantity of tradespeople. ““We’ve got to put more emphasis on trades in Canada, and the United States.

We are lacking in trades. There’s much greater focus on trades in Europe… We have a school, we teach toolmaking, we teach a lot of trades, but it’s not enough.

It’s not a level playing field either. It’s costly. But, if we don’t, we just won’t be on the leading edge,” he said.

It was a sentiment echoed by George Brown president Anne Sado.

“I think it’s a critical issue,” she said. “I think we’ve seen so much labour market data that says what the shortage of skilled trades is going to be… we’re growing our trades specifically because industry is telling us that’s what they need,” she said.

The talk was followed by a brief press conference where Stronach discussed his political career in Europe and Magna’s recent failed bid to take over the Opel car company – something he doesn’t necessarily regret considering Europe’s tumultuous auto market.

Stronach’s book, The Magna Man was published by HarperCollins, and released in December 2012. CM 10 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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News Plant Management and Design Engineering Show to feature solutions for manufacturing operations This year’s Plant Management and Design Engineering Show (PMDS) will be co-locating with the Advanced Manufacturing Expo (AMEXPO) and Contract Manufacturing Event (CONTREX). The show will be an all-encompassing event for manufacturers looking to improve their operations. The event runs April 23-24 at Place Bonaventure in downtown Montreal.

“Professionals today suffer from time poverty and don’t always have the time they desire to assess numerous suppliers in order to grow and sustain their manufacturing operations.

They are seeking easier and faster ways to do business,” explains Nick Samain, Group Manager, SME Canada. “SME hosts these events to meet the needs of busy manufacturing professionals.”

A number of new features will take place at the event: New Technology Pavilions: Attendees from previous shows indicated a desire to see more complementary technologies co-

Place Bonaventure in downtown Montreal.

located on the same show floor. Joining the Design Engineering and Plant Management pavilions will be AM Expo, Advanced Manufacturing Expo 2013 and a contract manufacturing pavilion - Contrex Montreal 2013.

Unparalleled industry support: In addition to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the success of Quebec manufacturers, new and existing local and national partnerships have been formed and renewed to bring the industry together such as MEQ, CRIQ, STIQ, REAI, CTMA, APMA, CANWEA and more.

Partnership with Montreal Aerospace Networking: This year SME and the Montreal Aerospace Networking have teamed up to offer manufacturing professionals the opportunity to broadening business networks in a casual unsolicited environment. Tuesday, April 23rd from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Place Bonaventure.

The event will feature approximately 100 companies who supply or provide services to the manufacturing industry, and feature some of the latest in automation and robotics, contract manufacturing, design, CAD/CAM, rapid manufacturing, rapid prototyping, measurement, inspection and assembly.

There will be no cost to attend the show on April 23 and 24 at Place Bonaventure in Montreal. The show’s hours will be 10:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. on April 23 and 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on April 24.

For more information visit: http://fabricationquebec.ca/en (Photo: Jean Gagnon, via WikiCommons)

12 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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News General Motors invests in CAMI Assembly Plant General Motors has announced a $250 million investment in the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The investment will be used to install flexible body shop equipment and tooling, converting the manufacturing facility to support future vehicle production.

“Conversion of the CAMI Assembly Plant to a flexible manufacturing facility will provide CAMI with the ability to

produce multiple global architectures and body styles,” said Kevin Williams, president and managing director, General Motors of Canada.

“Continually improving the flexibility of our manufacturing operations helps us respond quickly to customer needs and market demand.”

The CAMI facility in Ingersoll, Ontario.

(Photo courtesy of General Motors )

Assembly line work takes place at GM’s CAMI facility (Photo courtesy of General Motors)

“We have had a strong start to 2013 with customer demand for our newest vehicles driving improved sales,” added Williams. “This is strong confirmation that our investing in manufacturing flexibility, finding ways to bring new products to market faster, is the right strategy.”

General Motors and has made manufacturing flexibility is a key priority.

It’s expected this investment will give CAMI the ability to build a variety of differentiated products, on multiple platforms, at lower costs.

The company is also moving toward more flexible vehicle architectures, which will reduce assembly plant complexity, and increase plant efficiencies.

Construction is anticipated to begin in the coming weeks. CM 14 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Canada facing an engineering shortage as boomers near retirement A report from Engineers Canada suggests that job seekers in Ontario should focus their training and job searches towards the engineering field.

It anticipates a looming shortage in that area as the current workforce nears retirement.

The recently released study, Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2020, shows that Canada is facing a shortage of engineers with more than 10 years of experience.

The report projects 95,000 professional engineers will retire by 2020, and incoming Canadian, and internationally trained graduates will be unable to fill that gap. The report was commissioned by Engineers Canada and sponsored by Randstad Engineering.

“The study will help engineers, students, employers and governments plan for the future requirements of the Canadian engineering labour market,” said Kim Allen, FEC, P.Eng., chief executive officer of Engineers Canada.

“It makes sense to encourage youth in Ontario to consider engineering as a worthwhile career option,” said Keith Wark, Vice President Central and Eastern Region, Randstad Engineering.

Global vehicle sales and production surge in early 2013: Scotiabank A new report from Scotiabank is predicting that a surge of global vehicle sales in the early months of 2013 will lead to a boost in economic activity worldwide.

“Global vehicle sales shifted into high gear in the opening months of 2013, with purchases in January soaring 13 per cent above a year earlier - the strongest gain since early 2010 when the global economy was building momentum in the early stages of the current global economic expansion,” stated Carlos Gomes, Scotiabank’s Senior Economist and Auto Industry Specialist.

“China led the way with volumes soaring 49 per cent year over year, but the improvement was broad-based with every region, excluding Western Europe, posting solid advances.”

Another notable improvement was the increased sales of US pick-up trucks. The report cited an improved housing market as a reason for a 21 per cent jump in truck sales versus last year.

Conversely, Canada experienced a three per cent drop in pick-up truck sales compared to last February. The poor sales were attributed to bad weather, and weak consumer confidence. But, sales were expected to pick up in the spring, and overall 2013 sales targets remain on track.

Internationally, Thailand lead the way with the biggest surge in in year over year production. Vehicle output jumped 68 per cent against last January vaulting the country into the top 10 in global auto manufacturing.

Mexico is also leading the way in auto assembly in North America, while Canada is specializing in Crossover Utility Vehicle segment, which has seen a rising demand. As a result, Toyota has hired 400 new employees at its Woodstock, Ontario location (which makes the RAV4), while Honda is boosting assemblies of its CR-V at their Alliston, Ontario facility. CM

“This is a sector that is clearly in need of seasoned professionals as older engineers retire. If we want to develop that pool of talent, we must hire and develop young engineers now.”

Findings from the labour market report note that resource projects in the north, and infrastructure upgrades in most regions drive job creation, and that steady improvements in manufacturing create supply pressures for industrial engineers.

Randstad’s own projections foresee a demand for engineers in the Ontario aerospace sector, which requires a highly skilled workforce to deal with aging commercial fleets that will soon need replacing. Demand is also growing for engineers in the construction sector, a result of new infrastructure projects.

While labour market conditions vary from region to region, Ontario in particular is expected to experience a gap between retiring skilled engineers, and training incoming graduates and international candidates.

“We are encouraged by the provincial government’s stated commitment to youth employment and its understanding of the needs of Ontario’s labour market, “ said Wark. ‘’New projects mean great prospects for young engineers, but employers will need to start hiring based on potential instead of just experience, as a way to counterbalance labour shortages.” CM

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The The Business BusinessofofWelding Welding

Virtual Welding and the Federal Government E

ver wonder where the next generation of welders will get their training? There’s a good chance that most will cut their teeth on a virtual welding machine. At first the concept of “virtual” and “welding” might seem an odd pairing, after all welding is a very hands on, touch and feel skill. Some might argue that although computers, computer graphics and simulation software have come a long they will never compete with what goes on in the real world. Hard to argue the point, and not long ago I would have tended to agree, but technology is now blurring the lines between what could be and what can now be done.

There are numerous virtual simulators around the world but one simulator, the Lincoln Electric virtual welding simulator, is one we have in our Advanced Welding Technology Centre. It’s an amazing machine. It looks like a welding machine, and functions like a welding machine, even simulating the environment you are working in. If you are looking to teach welding without exposing novice welders to the heat, fumes, and potential dangers of the work place out of the gate, then this is a very good place to start. There’s also the advantage that it uses no consumables, gas or material, allowing a student to spend hours honing his basic skills before creating any real arcs and sparks.

On the arcs and sparks side the smart people at Edison Welding Institute (EWI) are also in the virtual welder game with their hybrid simulator/ welding station. This allows a student to start learning in the virtual space and then quickly switch over to the real world when they are ready (or more to the point when the instructor feels they are ready). Of course all this technology comes at a cost, but that should not be viewed as negative, as investment in new technology often is the pathway to improved revenue.

Which brings me to the recent federal budget. Around here we are referring to this as the “welding budget” due to the number of images of welders that seem to be popping up with respect to the budget key programs investment in skill

Ian Campbell, Director of Marketing and New Product Development, CWB

trades and training. Clearly Canadians want jobs, growth and prosperity – and welding is one of those trades that delivers on all points. If there’s one key problem, it’s the lack of people currently within the trade, which means we need to reach outside our borders to fill the jobs that are available now. The sad truth is we have spent too many years promoting university as the shiny bright future for everyone. What we have forgotten is that for every architect or engineers, there is a requirement for a whole host of skilled trades to bring their ideas into reality.

Have an MBA? Great, you still need a work force to make your company run. Simply put: No skilled trades, then no bridges, building, boats, etc.

Regardless of you political stripe, the latest budget does provide some good news for the future of skilled trades.

Programs like the Canada Job Grant (connecting skilled Canadians with jobs), Building Canada Plan (investment in infrastructure) and a commitment to help fund Canadian innovation helps set our industry, as well as all industries tied to skilled trades, on the course for success. But we cannot rely on the government to fix all our problems, it’s going to take action at all levels to make sure that current and future welders have the training, skills and jobs needed to for us all to succeed. So, recommend welding to a high school kid who is good with his hands. Talk about welding as a career (vs. a ‘job’) when discussing the industry and be sure to point out the important role welding plays in society – and how we would be in big trouble without it.

Canadian Welding Bureau/Canadian Welding Association

16 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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CMTS 2013 Returns to Airport Venue CMTS 2013 grows as organizers add a new exhibit hall

C

anada’s largest manufacturing event will attract industry decision makers from across Canada and beyond to see live equipment demonstrations, learn about new products on the market, and make purchasing decisions that will help them stay ahead of the competition. The 2013 edition of the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) will be the ultimate source for all manufacturing professionals to keep up-to-date with what’s new in manufacturing in Canada, and around the globe.

For those who love the sights and sounds of hundreds of machines removing metal, stamping, or forming it, CMTS 2013 will be packed with demonstrations of the latest advancements in metalworking technology. Hundreds of companies have already secured space to showcase their solutions at the show, making it more than 90 per cent sold out with six months still to go until show time!

The enthusiasm around CMTS is compelling and contagious.

In fact, there is already buzz that many exhibiting companies are waiting for CMTS 2013 to launch new products and unveil exciting developments.

With continued demand by leading suppliers in the metalworking market, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), organizers for CMTS, had no choice but to add an additional exhibit hall. “We want to thank all those who have already chosen CMTS to showcase their solutions, and would

like to share this great news with the many others who are still considering CMTS in their marketing plans.” says Julie Pike, event manager for CMTS 2013. “We pride ourselves on being the ultimate face-to-face platform for the Canadian manufacturing community and those abroad to connect. We continue to be thrilled with the special attractions that are coming to life at CMTS this fall. The expansion of the exhibit halls speaks to the excitement building for this premier event that only comes once every two years,” Pike added.

To create a comprehensive experience for the thousands of expected attendees, SME organizers have dedicated Halls 1-4 of the airport venue, The International Centre, to machine tools, tooling and automation and Hall 5 to fabricating and metal forming, allowing manufacturing professionals the ability to easily find solutions to their design, manufacturing, and productions challenges. The latest products showcased will include CNC cutting systems, CNC software, tooling and workholding systems, milling and boring machines, machining centres, EDM, lasers, plasma and waterjet cutting, punching and stamping, press brakes, rapid prototyping, CAD/CAM software, metrology, hydraulic and pneumatics, robotics and much more.

CMTS 2013 will take place this September 30-October 3 at The International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario.

To learn more about CMTS, visit cmts.ca or call 888-322-7333.

18 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Job Shop Snapshot Orion Machining & Manufacturing Inc., Lloydminster, Alberta.

A

Orion Machining & Manufacturing Inc.

by Jeremy Wiebe...................................................................................................................................................

Owners Randy and Joyce Doidge.

Interior of the Orion Machining & Manufacturing plant.

rion Machining & Manufacturing creates production and prototype equipment for downhole oil well applications.

Located in Lloydminster, Alberta, Orion is in a perfect position to deliver products to oil field customers in a timely fashion.

Founded byRandy and Joyce Doidge in 1994, Orion has contracts ranging from mass production runs and repair to prototypes. The company has developed several oil well applications still in production and serves as an exclusive supplier for them. The 10,000 square foot shop is outfitted with 12 CNC and two manual machines in both milling and turning applications. An overhead hoist system helps minimize machine downtime and a Parkerizing station allows materials to be delivered as treated and ready to install.

To further expand their machining capabilities, Orion recently became one of the first machine shops in western Canada to acquire a Puma TT 2000 multi-axis turning centre. The machine has dual opposing spindles with live tooling for each spindle, a true Y-axis and an automated gantry loading system.

This allows for more automated machining for less operator interaction and faster turnaround.

When asked about Orion’s future, foreman Shawn Davidson was hesitant to disclose any information about confidential contracts. But a walk through the shop makes it clear that the company has carved out a place for itself in the market that serves the oil industry and will stay there for years to come. www.orionmachining.com/

O

ESSENTIAL NUMBERS FOUNDED: 1994 by Randy and Joyce Doidge.

facturing of downhole tooling for oil field applications.

Hyun

SIZE: 10,000 square feet.

FIRST CNC MACHINE: Haas HL-4.

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 10.

MOST RECENT ADDITION: Puma TT 2000SY GL.

SPECIALTIES: Production and prototype manu20 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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HORI

SMS Machine Tools 32 Claireville Drive, Toronto, Ontario M9W 5T9 Phone (416)675-7300  Fax (416)675-6965 info@smsmachine.com  www.smsmachine.com

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HORIZONTAL MACHINING CENTERS

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VERTICAL MACHINING CENTERS

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TURNING CENTERS

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MULTI-TASKING MACHINES

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Moving Mountains Resources drive the economy, now more than ever.

By Jim Anderton, Editor ..........................................................................................................................................

I

f there’s a single common point to all manufactured goods in the world, it’s their reliance on natural resources somewhere in the supply chain. Whether it’s metals, wood, paper, oil, gas or uranium, raw materials, plus the energy to convert them into useful products, comes first. In Canada, the resources industry has been a major economic driver since Confederation. The resource sector is important, but how important?

OIL DEMAND GROWS, BUT NOT FROM THE US

According to the IEA, an autonomous organization that provides research and analysis about the energy sector, even under the most optimistic scenario for alternative energy sources, fossil fuels will continue to remain the dominant source of energy in

the world. The organization expects that global energy demand is expected to grow by more than one-third by 2035, with China, India and the Middle East accounting for 60 percent of the increase.

Unconventional oil sources, like Canada’s oil sands, are expected to grow making it an important contributor to global oil supply and energy security. Oil sands production is predicted to increase from 1.6 to 4.3 million barrels per day provided environmental concerns are addressed and infrastructure to bring the oil to markets is built. A significant issue for Canadian oil exports, however, is the reemergence of the United States as a major oil producer. The US is projected to make the country the largest global oil producer by around 2020, while North America will becomes a net oil exporter by 2030. According to the IEA, the U.S. market will not be large enough to accommodate all of Canada’s oil exports.

By 2035, Canadian oil exports will be 4.0 million barrels per day, but total U.S. imports will only be 3.4 million barrels per day. The need to access new markets is obvious, with a pipeline to West coast terminals a clear necessity. Oil continues however, to be increasingly important in export terms.

According to Scotia Economics, crude oil exports represent just over 17% of total Canadian merchandise exports so far this year, with its trade surplus equivalent to $50bn annualized versus an overall trade surplus of just under $2bn. Canadian oil production reached just over 3m barrels per day in April 2012, up 6.4% from the previous year and output is expected to increase as oil and developments progress.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) predicts that production will reach about 3.9m barrels per day by 2015, a 19% increase over 2012 production Natural gas has slumped in comparison, now accounting for just 3% of merchandise exports, due to a collapse in pricing driven by US self-sufficiency driven by new fracking and shale gas technologies. Scotia Economics does forecast however, that increased crude oil output will more than offset any decline in the natural gas segment.

MINING STRENGTH CONTINUES

While Canada is a strong third in proven oil reserves globally, we’re an undisputed global leader in the mining sector.

Canadian firms operate mines in over 100 countries and there are over 200 active mines in the country producing more than 60 minerals and metals. In 2011, the mining sector contributed $63 billion to Canada’s nominal gross domestic product, accounting for 3.9 percent of total GDP. In 2012, the value of Canadian mineral exports was $92.4 billion, accounting for 20.3 percent of Canada’s total exports. Major commodities included aluminum, nickel, copper, gold, silver, uranium, coal, potash, zinc, diamonds, iron, steel and iron ore.

According to the Mining Association of Canada’s latest Facts & Figures report, Canada’s mining industry broke records in 22 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Wood Products Pricing Trends

2012 2013

Commodities

July

Lumber and other wood products

84.5

95.4

95.0

94.4

95.5

96.5

97.7

Lumber and timber

85.8

86.3

84.4

83.9

86.3

88.0

90.5

Vener and plywood

84.8

87.2

87.4

82.0

81.3

84.1

86.7

105.0

105.9

107.2

107.2

107.2

107.2

106.8

Other wood fabricated materials

August September October November December January

2002 = 100

Source: Statistics Canada

2011 for exploration spending, production and exports. Canada remained the world’s top destination for mineral exploration in 2012, attracting 16 percent of budgeted spending. In 2011, almost 40 percent of the world’s equity financing for mineral exploration and mining was raised by companies listed on Canadian stock exchanges and Canadian-headquartered mining companies accounted for nearly 37 percent of budgeted worldwide exploration expenditures in 2012. Total exploration expenditures within Canada were about $3.9 billion in 2012.

Commodity pricing is still the benchmark for production activity as well as explortation, and according to Scotia Econominmcs, the bank’s metal and mineral index showed a 13 percent decline in 2012, although base metal proices held well, particularly copper. China’s steel supply/demand conditions are major factors and as their economic growth has slowed so has demand for raw materials, driving down prices for coking coal, iron ore and alloying elements like nickel and chromium.

FORESTRY/PULP AND PAPER

The prolonged slump in US housing still lingers in the forestry sector, with signs that the worst is finally over. Scotia Economics’ Forest Products Sub-Index posted a significant improvement in 2012, up 2.9% year over year through November. Earnings in lumber and OSB (oriented strand board) products also rebounded sharply on 2012. If the slow recovery predicted for 2013 continues, tighter supply conditions should support prices, as the equivalent of 140 milling operations

across North America have closed since 2006. According to the Conference Board of Canada agrees, predicting 2013 industry profits to quadruple this year, as Canada’s wood products manufacturers reap some of the benefits of their restructuring during the past decade. Profits are forecast to double in 2013 to $787 million and exceed $1 billion annually beginning in 2014.

Pulp and paper products, a sector which has experienced relentless restructuring and downsizing since the 2008 recession, is enjoying relative price stability over the last two quarters. Newsprint and paper stock is off slightly however paper products are up noticeably since the fourth quarter of 2012 after flat pricing in the first half.

A COMMON ISSUE: LABOUR SHORTAGES

A common theme to all sectors is the real shortage of skilled workers. The analysis unit of PricewaterhouseCoopers, CEOs remain cautious on plans for increasing headcount for this coming year. 45% of CEOs plan to recruit in 2013 (down from 51% in 2012) while 23% plan to reduce the size of their workforce. Looking at which industries are recruiting and which are shedding jobs shows an interesting picture. CEOs most likely to be increasing headcount are in business services (56%), engineering and construction (52%), retail (49%) and healthcare (43%). While the biggest number of CEOs planning headcount reductions are in banking (35%), the metal industries (32%) and forestry and paper (31%). Despite this outlook based on global markets, Canadian firms continue to report skilled

Paper Product Pricing Trends

Commodities

July

August September October November December January

Pulp & paper products

100.1

Pulp

101.7 99.6

Newsprint and other paper stock Paper products

2002 = 100

96.1

2012 2013

99.0

94.9

98.4

99.2

99.7

99.5

99.7

98.0 99.1 99.9 100.0 100.6 94.3

94.8

95.3

94.8

94.9

105.7 105.5 105.8 106.6 107.0 107.0 107.2 Source: Statistics Canada

www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 23

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Commodity price forecast summary

Spot Price

Jan 31

2012 Q1

Q2

Q4

Annual Average

Q3 2012 2013F 2014F 2012 2013F 2014F FORESTRY

LUMBER 395.00 285.98 323.12 330.42 343.97 385.00 400.00 320.87 382.50 395.00 PULP

886.74 873.98 895.30 860.54 857.29 915.00 925.00 871.78 905.00 925.00

NEWSPRINT 640.00 640.00 640.00 640.00 640.00 630.00 650.00 640.00 626.25 640.00

ENERGY OIL

97.49 102.93 93.41 92.28 88.21 95.00 93.00 94.21 92.75 95.00

NAT GAS 3.33 2.45 2.28 2.88 3.40 3.75 4.25 2.75 3.50 4.01 COAL

91.15 114.07 96.51 89.86 87.42 95.00 85.00 96.96 98.00 90.00

NON-PRECIOUS METALS & MINERALS ALUMINUM 94.04 98.62 89.79 87.19 90.72 98.00 99.00 91.58 96.25 97.25 COPPER 370.54 376.47 357.09 350.08 358.52 350.00 325.00 360.54 360.00 333.75 NICKEL 8.33 8.91 7.77 7.42 7.70 8.00 8.17 7.95 8.15 8.32 ZINC

97.01 91.69 87.47 85.69 88.52 108.00 113.00 88.34 100.50 111.25

URANIUM 44.00 51.82 51.50 48.97 43.27 50.00 65.00 48.89 46.00 58.75 Source: TD Economics www.td.com

Canada’s shifting demographics will impact housing demand for decades

The long-anticipated slowdown in Canadian housing activity is well underway, according to Scotiabank Senior Economist and Real Estate Specialist Adrienne Warren. “Home sales have dropped more than 10% from last spring, and are now running below historical averages in most major cities,” Ms. Warren said in a presentation at the Scotiabank Real Estate Market Outlook Conference in Toronto. “Prices in turn are leveling out, with the return of balanced market conditions. Demographic shifts - particularly Canada’s aging population - will have important implications for housing demand in coming decades,” she added. “Contrary to some dire predictions, population aging will not fuel a demographically-induced selloff in Canadian real estate. However, an aging population does point to a lower level of housing turnover, sales and listings. Another important demographic trend impacting housing preferences is the rapid growth in the number of one-person households. This share is expected to continue to rise over the next two decades, driven in large part by an aging population, in particular an increase in the number of widowed women living alone.”

Singe person households infer condominium construction, with a resulting lower demand for wood-based building materials.

New Canadians may fill the gap, but not immediately, states Warren: “Immigration also will have a profound impact on housing demand over the next two decades, being increasingly the dominant source of new household formation in Canada.

The majority of new immigrants initially move into rental units, though most eventually become homeowners.”

24 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Commodity price forecast summary: % change

2012 Q1

Q2

Q4

Annual Average

Q3 2012 2013F 2014F 2012 2013F 2014F FORESTRY

LUMBER

PULP

NEWSPRINT

9.3% 13.0% 2.3% 31.5% 11.9% 3.9% 17.5% 19.2% 3.3% –5.7% 2.4% –3.9% –7.5% 6.7% 1.1% –10.9% 3.8% 2.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% –1.6% 3.2% 0.0% –2.1% 2.2%

ENERGY OIL

NAT GAS

COAL

9.4% –9.2% –1.2% –6.2% 7.7% –2.1% –0.9% –1.5% 2.4% 2.45 2.28 2.88 3.40 3.75 4.25 2.75 3.50 4.01 –1.2% –15.4% –6.9% –24.3% 8.7% –10.5% –20.1% 1.1% –8.2%

NON–PRECIOUS METALS & MINERALS

ALUMINUM

COPPER

10.8% –5.1% –2.0% 5.6% –2.4% –7.1% –9.9% –0.1% –7.3%

NICKEL

7.3% –12.7% –4.6% –7.3% 3.9% 2.1% –23.5% 2.5% 2.1%

ZINC

6.7% –4.6% –2.0% 3.0% 22.0% 4.6% –11.1% 13.8% 10.7%

URANIUM

4.2% –9.0% –2.9% –4.2% 8.0% 1.0% –15.8% 5.1% 1.0%

–0.8% –0.6% –4.9% –17.1% 15.6% 30.0% –14.6% –5.9% 27.7%

Source: TD Economics www.td.com

personnel shortages ... whatever their hiring outlook, finding and keeping the right people remains a major challenge for CEOs. Availability of key skills was ranked by CEOs as a major threat to growth prospects, cited by 58% worldwide. CEOs most concerned about the skills shortage were those in mining (75%), engineering and construction (65%), communications (65%), technology (64%) and insurance (64%).

The well-known appetite for talent in the oil patch has had a knock-on effect in other sectors, where skilled tradespeople are increasingly willing to relocate, given the huge wage differential between the energy and mining/forestry sectors. The non-energy commodities, however, suffer from volatile pricing

and a global supply chain that’s easily disrupted by economic, political or social factors … whether those sectors can compete for scarce skilled talent at oil patch levels of wages and benefits remains to be seen. The recently tabled Federal budget contained a new program, the Canada Job Grant, which will provide $5000 toward skills training, along with a presumed matching grant from the provinces and employers. With full participation of all three parties, which is uncertain in cash-strapped provinces like Ontario, it will be four to five years before trainees enter the workforce in numbers. In the meantime, all sectors will continue to compete for talent and automate where possible to reduce reliance on skilled labour. CM

26 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Making It Work What’s New in Workholding

By Nate Hendley ..................................................................................................................................................

T

here’s no shortage of new products on the workholding front. Manufacturers have released new clamps, vises, locks and collets, and are happy to tout their wares.

Here’s a look at what’s new and/or noteworthy in the world of workholding:

EMUGE

Through the application of axial force, a slitted collet is radially Emuge Corp. of West Boylston, Massachusetts offers a line of expanded by a cone. At the same time, an axial movement workholding solutions. These include System SG which, in addioccurs which clamps the workpiece. tion to milling and inspection, is used in gear Diaphragm clamping System SM is the production operations such as hobbing, shaprecommended choice when the eccentricity ing, and shaving. The System SG clamp boasts between pitch circle and seating bore is very an expanding-bush design and large surface small. This system allows clamping of the contact area for operations with higher transfergear wheel at the pitch circle for machining able torque values. System SP, meanwhile, can the seating bore. The gear wheel is clamped clamp workpieces and tools alike. Through the in both axial and radial directions. application of axial force, the clamping sleeves Emuge reports that System SH is the “perfect move in the direction of the force and expand solution” if there isn’t sufficient space for a radially—a move which eliminates the clearmechanical clamping system and for clamping long, thin-walled work­pieces or a collection ance between clamping sleeve and body and Emuge’s System SZ clamping solution of similar work­pieces. System SH is a closed clamping sleeve and workpiece, resulting in a system which utilizes hydraulic pressure to clamp workpieces. very accurate, rigid and repeatable workholding solution.

System SZ is recommended for work­pieces with a short www.emuge.com CM clamping base or for diameters with a very large tolerance.

FIXTUREWORKS

Fixturework’s One Touch Clamp

Fixtureworks, a workholding component supplier in Fraser, Michigan, recently expanded its lineup of Imao ‘One-Touch’ style clamps. “The newest style of clamp is the O.D. workholding clamp for side clamping of irregular shapes. Fixtureworks will be expanding this line of O.D. clamps with their next catalogue print in March 2013.

Smaller sizes and alternative clamp mounting options will be available,” says Justin Gordon, general manager at Fixtureworks.

The expanded lineup includes swing clamps with either rotational or cam handles, swing clamps with torque control, and retractable clamps with cam or adjustable handles. The clamps swing into position and clamp straight down onto workpieces for direct downward pressure. The arm is designed to swing out of the way, allowing for easy workpiece loading and unloading. “[One-Touch clamps] are not aimed at any specific industry but are typically used in production applications where repetitive, precise workholding is necessary. These products function [like] popular ‘toggle’ style clamps but offer superior precision,” continues Gordon.

Asked to cite the most notable features about the One-Touch clamps and he says, “precision and ease of use. Quick part loading and unloading. Versatility.” Customers “want to control the amount of force they are applying to their work pieces.

Over clamping can cause workpiece distortions,” states Gordon.

“This year we are continuing to promote new contact points for gripping delicate or smooth workpieces. These are Sof-Top Urethane grippers and Abrasive Diamond grippers. Part protection has been an increasingly popular comment we hear at tradeshows. We will also be introducing a line of One-Touch Fasteners for ¼ turn fastening where a SHCS would traditionally be used. These products will be in our March 2013 catalogue,” he adds. www.fixtureworks.net

28 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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BIG KAISER

Big Kaiser Precision Tool’s 5-Axis Duo Bridge, with Dual 45 degree 105/65 Base Plates, is now available as a standard catalogue item.

Based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Big Kaiser has a Swiss parent company.

The 5-Axis Duo Bridge can be mounted directly on top of a 5-axis table or loaded through zero-point chucks. Unilock’s 5-Axis Riser Chucks, Extensions and Reductions, with an 80 mm working diameter, are available on baseplates or as stacking modules in heights of 75 mm and 100 mm.

“The benefits of 5-axis machines are greatest when workholding is based on the size and shape of the workpiece and not by the limitations of the table interface.

We let our users pick the best clamping technology for the job,” notes Gerard Vacio, workholding product specialist at Big Kaiser.

Vacio says the “open architecture” of Big Kaiser’s workholding solutions helps customers “maximize the capabilities of their 5-axis machine tools.” www.bigkaiser.com

Big Kaiser’s 5-axis Duo Bridge

KURT

The Kurt Versatile Lock 3400 vise and the Kurt HD690 vise

Kurt Manufacturing of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been on a workholding spree, releasing several new products.

Among the new is the Versatile Lock vise 3400/3410 4-inch series. A single-station CNC vise, the Versatile Lock vise series has a full six inch opening, can be mounted on either side, a footprint under 13 inches and 0.0005-inch clamping repeatability.

The new HDM690 and HD690 Vises, meanwhile, both have a 9-inch opening between the jaws and a “quick change jaw system on the moveables,” says Steve Kane, global sales and marketing manager at Kurt. www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 29

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Other features include reduced deflection of stationary jaw, narrow body width (to accommodate more vises in the same work space), tall body design (less deflection under clamping loads) and a pull type body design which reduces stress and leads to more accurate clamping.

The SCMX250 self-centering 5-Axis Vise boasts an “AngLock” design that “pulls the part down while the ‘pull type’ feature decreases stationary deflection to hold parts securely. Clamp a part on either the I.D. or the O.D. The jaws are 2-1/2-inch wide.

Taller jaws allow for increased spindle clearance. The vise has flexible mounting options and reversible jaws for greater machining capabilities,” states Kurt literature.

The SideWinder second operation vise, meanwhile, is vertically mounted and highly versatile.

“There’s nothing like it on the market ... it mounts to the back of any Kurt industry 6-inch AngLock vise,” says Kane. www.kurtworkholding.com

JERGENS

Jergens of Cleveland, Ohio describes itself one of the world’s largest manufacturers of workholding solutions.

To this end, the firm has expanded their Ball Lock Quick-Change Mounting & Fixturing System, making it available in high grade 17 – 4 stainless steel.

According to the company, the use of stainless steel will ensure long service life, even in adverse operating conditions. The Ball Lock Quick-Change Mounting & Fixturing System is the first fixturing system ever to be produced in high-grade stainless steel.

The Ball Lock System uses a patented locking technology to securely hold fixture plates to subplates with up to 20,000 pounds (9,000 kilos) of hold-down force per shank. Ball Lock shanks can be locked or unlocked in seconds, which means fixtures can be exchanged in less than a minute, with a position repeatability and accuracy of +/- 0.0005 inches (+/- 0.013 mm) or better.

Last year, Jergens added threaded ER collets to its Fixture Pro 5-Axis Quick Change Workholding System. The new collets are designed to hold rods and other similarly round workpieces.

The goal behind adding ER collets to the Fixture Pro line was to enhance flexThe Jergens Ball Lock system ibility and quick-change fixturing options for people working with 5-axis machines.

The ER collet’s base is designed to be mounted to Fixture Pro risers and pallet systems.

The new collets were first displayed at IMTS 2012 in Chicago. www.jergensinc.com

Advanced precision, unequaled versatility • Drastically reduce set-up time • Maintain extreme accuracies • Maximize flexibility and capacity • Available in hydraulic configurations Contact us for a free

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30 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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HARDINGE

Hardinge of Elmira, New York, is expanding its FlexC Collet System for CNC lathes.

“By customer request, Hardinge is adding an 80 mm FlexC Collet System to its line of 42 and 65 mm sizes. These systems offer a collet change in less than 10 seconds using a compression wrench. The collet leaves are assembled using a vulcanized rubber process to enable repeated compression for insertion and removal of the Hardinge’s FlexC collet System

collet to and from the spindle. This system has a true parallel grip to minimize stock pushback and is a special accuracy 0.0004-inch TIR gripping device. The quick-change of the collet is eight times faster than changing a standard collet in a collet chuck and 19 times faster than changing three jaws on a chuck,” says states Richard Schonher, workholding product manager at Hardinge Inc. The FlexC Collet System is intended to enhance production: “When compared to a jaw chuck, the reduction in weight and the unique, efficient design of the FlexC Collet System allow you to increase the spindle RPM without concern for centrifugal forces. Advanced cutting tools, along with faster speeds and feeds, can now be used to boost your productivity,” reads Hardinge literature. www.hardingeus.com

Intermediate Height Jaws TE-CO’s 5-Axis Vise

TE-CO

TE-CO of Union, Ohio, has just released a vise for 5-axis machining among other workholding products.

Called the 5 Axis Vise, the product boasts clamping pressures to 6,000 pounds, a small footprint (four inches by four inches by 6.5 inches) and a body, segment and segment screw manufactured from 4140 hardened steel for enhanced rigidity and accuracy. Coolant and chips are evacuated via drainage slots while thru-body mounting removes the need for clamping on the body exterior. The vise’s machineable jaws are designed to allow maximum contact with the part, thus ensuring a rigid, accurate workholding fixture.

The Locator Jaw Parallel System, meanwhile, has built-in workstop pins that enable machinists to quickly locate workpieces and jaws that can be bolted to existing six-inch single station vises, allowing for fast, simple installation. A new locking/locating screw lets machinists use soft jaws with the system.

TE-CO’s new Toolex ReLock Double Acting Vise, designed for automated/ robotic applications and lights-out manufacturing, boasts a maximum clamping pressure of 5,900 pounds at 5,000 PSI (hydraulic). This vise also has a SnapLock knuckle system that allows for speedy change of top jaws, thru-body and side slot mounting and a cast iron body for maximum rigidity and accuracy. www.te-co.com

• Available in: - Serrated, Acme & Square Key, American Standard & Metric Tongue & Groove Styles • Steel or aluminum heights of 3”, 4”, 5”, 6”, 8”, or 10” • Lower cost versus buying a short and a tall jaw • Competitively Priced • Increase tool versatility • Always in stock • Suitable for 90% of all short tall jaw applications • Made in the USA ISO 9000 Certied QMS

DillonManufacturing, Inc. Peter Seessle | Expertech Dist. & Tech. Inc. 44 Goodfellow Crest | Bolton, Ontario Phone: 647-960-4478 | Email: peteseessle@rodgers.com www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 31

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The Business of Metalworking

Taylor’s Constant John Mitchell, General Manager of Tungaloy Canada

Know it and save money

By John Mitchell ..................................................................................................................

T

he Taylor’s Constant is a well-known equation for determining tool life. Taylor’s constant uses empirical data to predict tool life. This constant has been used for the cutting tool material and the cutting tool geometry, both of which play a major role in predicting tool wear. This article will look primarily at Taylor’s constant as it relates to cutting tool material and surface speed.

As you can see from the simple graph below, as surface speed increases tool life decreases. Also note that the graph does not fully reach both axes. The graph shows the range the tool can run. Of course, a speed that is much too high, or too low, will fall off the chart.

Surface speed

Grade “B”

Grade “A” Tool life in minutes

Surface speed

Tool life in minutes Different grades of carbide and different materials play a major role in the shape of the Taylor’s Constant. Some grades of carbide have a wide operating range while others have a very narrow operating range.

The ideal is to run at the maximum speed that will produce the desired tool life. Indexing inserts at predetermined times allows for the machinist to run as fast as possible. An example is where a predetermined tool change happens at lunch time and the end of the shift (twice per shift). The insert life should be close to fully worn at index time. Of course there should be a safety factor to prevent premature, catastrophic failure. If the insert is not nearly fully worn at the time it is to be indexed the insert may be running too slow. The result is a cycle time that may be too long.

A typical target for tool life is to select a speed that will enable a tool life of approximately 20 minutes of in-cut machining. This may translate in to several hours before an index depending on the amount of “in-cut time” the insert is cutting.

Some well-intentioned machinists try very hard to extend

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April 2013

Canadian

MOLD,TOOL &die making

CNC MACHINERY FOR MOLD, TOOL & DIE MAKING Multi-axis milling

CUTTING TOOLS FOR MOLDS Faster metal removal

MOLD MATERIALS P20 or not P20?

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NS?

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contents

Reshoring is real

T

o anyone following the mass media in this country, it would seem that manufacturing is dead or dying.

But the truth, as always, is far more complex. While job growth in manufacturing is flat to negative, the reality is that moldmaking is enjoying something of a renaissance in Canada, due to several positive developments. Molds are becoming more specialized, more complex, and just plain bigger. Today’s molds are also expected to cycle faster than ever. Many customers, especially Tier One and Two auto suppliers, need both reliability and the ability to get a broken tool up and running in minutes and hours, not days or weeks. Offshore moldmakers, many of whom can now build a good product, simply can’t deliver that kind of customer service. And their cost advantage is diminishing, too.

Another development is in new highlyautomated multi-axis machining centres which, combined with inserts and cutting tools designed for incredible stock removal rates, have reduced the labor cost advantage of overseas operations significantly.

And with machining often forming the majority of the cost of a mold, it’s good news for both moldmaker and customer.

Even texturing, formerly something of a black art, has gone high-tech, with surfacing options like lasers making the task faster, cheaper, and more consistent. If you’re a modern shop with modern equipment, you can survive and thrive in this economy and anything we’re likely to experience in the foreseeable future Some of these issues, and a lot more besides, are examined inside.

We hope you find this, the second joint supplement from our two magazines, worthwhile reading.

Jim Anderton, editor Canadian Metalworking Mark Stephen, editor Canadian Plastics

4 Market Outlook: The road ahead

We asked some moldmaking industry insiders for their opinions on the terrain going forward.

9 Cutting Tools: The kindest cuts

From roughing to finishing, here’s a look at the latest technologies for fast metal removal.

14 Shop Profile: Reko International Group

With a major relocation behind them, this Windsor-based company is well positioned for the business rebound.

16 Shop Profile: Top Grade Molds

This Toronto-area shop decided to get out of the automotive sector and focus on industrial and consumer goods packaging.

18 Mold Steel: P20 or not P20?

Mold steel isn’t the only choice for successful injection mold materials, but it’s still a stable foundation for a good mold.

23 CNC Machining: Milling about

Moldmaking with multi-axis milling machines: changing tech for a conservative sector.

28 Moldmaking Components: What’s new, now We’ve got some of the latest technologies inside.

A supplement to Canadian Metalworking and Canadian Plastics

Canadian Plastics

85

Cover photo credit: Reko International Group

April 2013 MT&D

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market outlook The Road Ahead

By Mark Stephen

After an extremely bumpy ride, Canada’s mold, tool and die sector has finally gotten past the Great Recession. That’s the good news. The bad news is, nobody really knows what the terrain ahead will be like. Here’s a look at some of the speed bumps, potholes, and clear stretches that might affect your ride going forward.

Remember that famous line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”? With apologies to its author Charles Dickens, for most moldmakers the past few years were just been the worst of times, period.

But that was then: the automotive sector in a tailspin followed by the worst recession since Warren Buffett was in nursery school. Cut to today, and everything heard about what a good year 2012 was for mold manufacturers — especially those that service the recovering automakers — seems to be doubly true. “The industry in Canada is definitely healthier than two years ago,” said David Palmer, president and CEO of the Windsor, Ont.-based Canadian Association of Mold Makers (CAMM). “Our industry is driven predominantly by the automotive OEMs, and in 2008-2009 the automotive OEMs were starting to reevaluate how they were going to market, and what kind of platforms they were going to use. We’ve seen rejuvenation, and although the economy hasn’t given us the mandate that it’s all good, we’re seeing good growth again that relates to new OEM platforms and vehicles.”

Down South, meanwhile, over 89 per cent of respondents to a recent American Mold Builders Association survey reported business conditions as being either good or excellent, with not a single shop — zilch — describing business as bad (See bottom of pgs. 6-7 for more).

AUTOMOTIVE IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the automotive sector for Canada’s moldmakers — particularly in On-

tario, which is home to 90 per cent of the country’s mold, tool, and die shops. According to Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, the auto sector currently accounts for about 60 per cent of sales within the mold, tool and die industry. Call it the Ground Zero of Canada’s automotive sector.

And as at the other Ground Zero, the rebuilding is going strong. Canadians and Americans are flocking to dealerships across North America at levels not seen since the global economic meltdown gutted the industry in 2008. Led by strong demand in resource-rich Alberta, Canadian auto sales will rise to 1.69 million units this year; just short of a Canadian record set in 2002 but up from last year’s levels, which were six per cent above 2011. Small wonder, then, that a lot of Canadian mold shops are continuing to be very busy, if not quite as swamped with work as many reported this time last year. “Earlier in the year, some of the bigger shops in the Windsor, Ont., area were so busy they had teams of people on the road looking for other moldmakers to whom they could subcontract work,” said Tom Meisels, president of Toronto-based FGL Precision Works. “The workload has dried up somewhat since then and become more manageable, but the shops are still busy.”

All in all, it’s been a remarkable renaissance. “Automotive OEMs are showing record sales, changing their platforms and putting a lot of new vehicles on the road, which is great not only for Tier One and Tier Two businesses but for those of us on the moldmaking side of

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market outlook things,” Palmer said. “Once again, there’s now a huge demand for new tooling.”

Automotive manufacturing renaissance or not, some long-standing problems still linger. “Payment terms from the Big Three automakers have not drastically improved; it can still take one to two years before we see our money,” said David Palmer. “The OEMs have stringent requirements for their production part approval processes, and they continue to use them to their own advantages.”

WIND POWER OVERBLOWN?

It wasn’t that long ago that a lot of shops in the industry were looking to transition away from auto parts.

CAMM, for one, encouraged its members to seek out new toolmaking opportunities for sectors like aerospace and wind turbines. So how’s that working out?

“There’s business available in the wind turbine sector, but the manufacturing that we can contribute is not at the same high level as in automotive,” David Palmer said. “We’ve seen some successes but also some failures in some of the new companies that we were relying on.

There’s some demand for it at present, but I think we’re approaching the saturation point until the infrastructure is more firmly in place.”

One Toronto-area shop that is travelling down the aerospace road, meanwhile, is FGL Precision Works.

“For us, it seemed like a good way to utilize machine downtime,” Tom Meisels said. “Currently we’re in an

in-between stage: there’s a lot of development and prototyping going on, but the work is sporadic. It hasn’t quite been the revolution we were hoping for.”

In short, as David Palmer put it, “The reality is that neither the aerospace nor the wind turbine sectors are going to replace the volumes we get out of the automotive industry.”

equipm “Also, ficienc that ga aches o of losin just isn

SLOW BOAT BACK FROM CHINA

THE O

It’s no secret that the worries about foreign competition kept most moldmakers up at night long before the financial troubles of the Big Three. But as long as Chinese suppliers were unable to meet international quality standards or to satisfy delivery schedules for North American-based customers, Canadian die/mold shops enjoyed a measure of protection. Then came the recession, and an increased concern for the bottom line that convinced many customers to move their tooling contracts overseas, even those in high-end markets that required complex, precision tooling.

A number of Canadian shops have closed their doors during the past decade as a result, but the dark cloud has had a proverbial silver lining for the survivors, forcing them to adopt new technologies and process improvements to maintain profitability. Now, as business picks up, there may be signs of a substantial amount of reshoring underway. “North American mold shops are getting back some of the business lost to China, in large part because we have the high-speed

MADE IN AMERICA: The view from south of the border HOW ARE CURRENT BUSINESS CONDITIONS?

80

COMPARE YOUR COMPANY’S CURRENT LEVEL OF BUSINESS WITH THAT OF 3 MONTHS AGO

70

Down

60

Same

Good 65% 50

Up

40

Excellent 17%

30

Fair 17%

20

Bad 0%

Poor 1%

10 0

20% 57% 23%

Quoting

32% 48% 20%

Shipments

36% 35% 29%

Backlog

14% 70% 16%

31% 64% 5%

Profits

Employment

* The Winter/Spring 2013 survey results reflect a 38% response rate from American Mold Builders Association members.

6 MT&D April 2013

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equipment to make us competitive again,” Palmer said.

“Also, we’re dropping our prices because of these better efficiencies and better machining capabilities. If we can close that gap, a lot of customers would rather avoid the headaches of doing business in China, which includes the big risk of losing control of proprietary information. In short, China just isn’t as attractive as it was two or three years ago.”

THE OLD YOUTH PROBLEM

Another commonly-cited business problem shows no signs of abating, however — if anything, it seems to be getting worse, and fast: the shortage of skilled personnel. The root of the problem is easy to identify: fewer qualified young Canadians are opting to become skilled craftsmen, as the emphasis placed on entering college continues to increase. And as shops that are suddenly busy again scramble to find qualified workers, and as older moldmakers retire from the workforce, the issue has suddenly become acute. “Finding good workers has always been an issue, but it’s even more problematic now that the recession is over,” said Tom Meisels. “Ideally, the solution is to market ourselves to kids when they’re at the high school level but, unfortunately, Canadian colleges have shut down their plastics and mold, tool and die trade programs, so it’s becoming very hard to reach them.”

There are still college-level apprenticeship programs out there — Conestoga College, in Kitchener, Ont., offers a two-year tool and die maker apprenticeship course, for example — but they’re not producing enough graduates to plug the manpower leak. What else can the industry do to

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market outlook recruit fresh faces? “One of our CAMM board members is a director at St. Clair College; he’s pushing for newer programs, and talking about boosting our presence in high schools,” said David Palmer. “We want to be able to make students aware of opportunities, and to let them know that today’s mold shops aren’t the tool shops that their fathers might have talked about; they’re clean, high-tech, climate-controlled, and everything is computer-generated. The problem is, companies are very aware now of their labor costs, and when things slow down they’re not afraid to lay workers off. This lack of job security is playing a big role in scaring people away from our industry, and countering it is probably our biggest ongoing challenge right now.”

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

So, peering out through our windshield at the road ahead, what do we see?

The consensus seems to be that the mold, tool and die industry will indeed enjoy a period of strong business but that, for most, the good times might not last.

“The automotive OEMs are changing over their platforms, which is good for us in the short term,” David Palmer said. “After that, though, they’re not going to want to change over their platforms again for several years at the least. This is a slowdown we see happening on the other side of 2015.”

And it’s a projected slowdown that speaks volumes about the new reality that moldmakers have to face.

“Years ago, if you’re business slowed down, you could give your workers a rest because you knew new orders would come in soon; now there’s too much uncertainty,” said Tom Meisels. “In today’s world, if we get swamped with work for a few weeks, we know we have to face the problem of finding work after that. It’s not a pleasant reality, but I believe it’s the new normal.”

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cutting tools The Kindest Cut:

Cutting Tools for Mold Applications From roughing to finishing, new technologies speed metal removal

By Nate Hendley

mance and insert seating stability are assured thanks to a new robust insert screw design which secures the insert in the pocket.

Ingersoll also offers the Form-Master R roughing technology for dies and molds. Double-sided inserts come in two different styles: round and serrated. Both inserts offer free-cutting geometry and an anti-rotation clamping system, but the serrated style boosts the application range of the tools to include extended-reach operations and high temperature alloys. The serrations also result in enhanced stability on the cut and better chip management. Through-the-tool coolant is standard on both end mills and face mills.

Fiorenza offers some wisdom to anyHi-QuadF high feed mills from Ingersoll. one using advanced cutting tools for mold machining purposes.

“My advice always is fairly consistent.

Tool path is everything. Programming technique is everything. The products that we, along with other manufacturers produce, are very good. We take pride in our designs. But, they are only as good as the tool path that’s applied to them.

Form-MasterR roughing technol- Having been a programmer, I can say ogy for dies and molds from that with confidence,” he notes.

Ingersoll. www.ingersoll-imc.com

Precision, flexibility and boosted productivity are the buzz words among industry experts when it comes to cutting tools for mold applications.

Here’s a look at what’s new and/or noteworthy in cutting tools for mold machining:

Ingersoll

2H5

m

Ingersoll, based in Rockford, Illinois, has several new cutting tool offerings that can be used in moldmaking.

Ingersoll’s new Pro-Trio Effective Ball Nose rougher has a three-effective flute ball nose configuration, designed to increase productivity and incorporate double-sided insert technology for more indexes. These roughers excel at copy, channel and deep pocket machining.

A robust dovetail clamping system for the ball nose inserts results in additional insert stability. Side cutting insert stations mean greater application flexibility when doing side-milling operations.

Ingersoll has also recently introduced the Hi-Quad F high-feed milling family.

This versatile cutting line comes with either a 13 mm or 19 mm IC quad-style insert. There are four indexes per insert and a total of eight different insert geometry types. The 13 mm IC inserts boast a maximum depth of cut of .088 inches while the 19 IC inserts have a .145 inch maximum depth of cut.

“It’s a very, very flexible line. What makes it so flexible [is the fact] there’s up to eight different insert styles. Which is really cool, actually ... the additional advantage of the product is extreme depth of cut for high feed,” says William Fiorenza, die mold line product manager at Ingersoll.

The positive axial orientation creates the highshear, free-cutting nature of the Hi-Quad F high-feed cutter line. Chip thinning is leveraged to a factor of five times when figuring out feed rates. Cutter perfor-

Tungaloy

In January, the Tungaloy Corporation of Japan launched a new button insert milling cutter called FixRMill for fiveaxis machining. The cutter was specifically designed for profile milling components with complex shapes in the electronics, general machining and die and mold sectors.

Button inserts are known to rotate in the cutter body because of the feed force and thrust forces experienced during heavy machining. The FixRMill boasts a unique anti-rotation system that guarantees the location and continued positioning. The FixRMill design also allows end users to index the insert up to six times. When it

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Mo On Mo

cutting tools comes to complicated five-axis components that utilize higher depth of cut, the inserts can be indexed a minimum of three times.

The FixRMill has an optional shank type cutter body and the option of two, three or four teeth per cutter with an overall length of 5.9 inches (150 mm).

The shank type toolholders also provide through tool coolant capability to boost tool life and improve chip clearance during high production applications.

Last summer, Tungaloy launched a new face milling line for super high feed machining steels, cast irons and heat resistant alloys. The DoFeedQuad cutter line has double-sided inserts that offer eight cutting edges per insert. The line can be used for general machining applications and die and mold work.

The cutter line The DoFeedQuad cutter line from will boost produc- Tungaloy. tivity and lower costs for end-users, says Tungaloy. The DoFeedQuad has a new dovetail structure that increases clamping strength by over 50 percent. The enhanced design increases reliability and edge strength while decreasing vibration and providing an optimal surface finish, even when doing high-feed machining.

The DoFeedQuad’s rigid clamping design features only a single clamping screw. This design feature decreases cutter downtime, beefs up efficiency and enhances chipping resistance. DoFeedQuad inserts come with identification numbers in each corner to clearly mark each of four cutting edges. Honed inserts are available in Tungaloy’s AH725, AH130, AH120 and T3130 grades for stainless steel, cast iron and superalloy machining. Tungaloy’s proprietary PremiumTec technology further enhances insert life.

The insert’s design creates low cutting forces when high feed cutting, thanks to the large rake angle and optimal land width. Boasting an insert 6 mm thick and a tough cutting edge, the rigid and robust DoFeedQuad offers high fracture resistance and exceptional chip flow. Put together, these elements triple tool life, reduce machine tool load and result in productivity gains of 75 percent and beyond.

The DoFeedQuad is available with three to seven in-

sert pockets that allow bore type cutters to machine 50 to 125 mm diameters. www.tungaloy.co.jp/us

Walter USA

In May 2012, Walter USA, the Waukesha, Wisconsinbased branch of a German parent firm, introduced the Prototyp Protomax Ultra ball-nose end mill. These solid carbide HPC ball-nose end mills were made specifically for machining hardened materials.

The Prototyp Protomax end mills come in two different diameter ranges: a standard version from 3 – 12 mm and a mini version from 0.1 – 2.5 mm. Both mills boast highly heat-resistant gold TiAlSiN (TAS) coating.

They can handle hardened materials up to 70 HRC in die and moldmaking among other applications.

The ball-nose end mills have a helix angle of 30 degrees and two reinforced cutting edges. The mills are good for semi-roughing and roughing as well as semifinishing and fine finishing. They are suitable for machining 3-D freeform surfaces, with Z constant and in five-axis simultaneous milling operations.

According to Walter, the ball-nose end mills will reduce production costs due to less component reworking, provide reliable mold and die manufacturing even in operations that are unmanned, provide a high level of cutting efficiency during roughing and are very stable as well.

Walter USA’s new F5041 and F5141 Walter USA’s Prototyp Protomax Ultra ball-nose end mill and new shoulder mills in the F5041 shoulder mill.

Blaxx line “could be easily applied in the die and mold industry” as well, states Patrick Nehls, product manager at Walter USA. Blaxx shoulder mills feature Walter’s Tiger-tec Silver high performance aluminum oxide coating, and feature four, precisely 90 degree cutting edges and tangential indexable inserts with positive cutting characteristics. www.walter-tools.com/us

s

Sandvik Coromant

Swedish tool giant Sandvik Coromant has several new cutting tools that can be used for die and mold machining.

The CoroMill 419, for example, is a recently released

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cutting tools The CoroMill Plura line of solid end mills can also be used for mold work. The GC1610 grade was specifically developed by the company for machining dies and molds in pre-hardened steel. These mills have optimized grades for all materials and conditions, an unequal helix concept for maximum stability, variable flute depth design for excellent core stiffness and chip space, etc.

The CoroMill Plura solid end mill program includes tool shapes for operations, in diameters ranging from 0.1 to 25 mm (0.004–0.984 inches). CoroMill Plura small ball nose end mills are ideal for medium to hard steels, between 35– 63 HRC. “Small diameters down to 0.1 mm (0.004 inch) make them suitable for all small die and mold manufacturing, where high precision is important,” reads Sandvik Coromant literature.

The CoroMill 316 exchangeable-head milling system is also suitable for mold machining. The exchangeable

five-edge, high-feed milling cutter that can handle roughing and semi-finishing operations. Benefits include high productivity in applications that require light cutting action, long tool life, strong and robust inserts for reliable machining and Sandvik Coromant’s Coromill low power consump- 419 high-feed milling cutter tion. The CoroMill 419 boasts five cutting edges per insert, a wide variety of grades and geometries, radius inserts and inserts with parallel land, etc.

Sandvik Coromant also promises that “the high feed and light-cutting action enable a soft sound, creating a more operator-friendly environment.”

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cutting tools head milling system offers enhanced flexibility, higher productivity and lower tool and inventory costs. The system allows operators to switch quickly and accurately between operations such as cutter type, radius variation, teeth frequency, geometry and grade.

Outside of mills, Sandvik Coromant also offers the CoroChuck 980, a high-precision hydraulic chuck with high-pull out security and precision. Benefits include higher metal removal rates, quick tool change and setup, enhanced surface finish, boosted tool life and closer hole tolerance. www.sandvik.coromant.com/en-us/

Komet

“Many machines in the mold and die industry get a real beating ... and you try to do some accurate work with the same machine, and it’s almost impossible to get tools like reamers to be accurate,” states David Toomey, president of Komet of Canada, which is based in Newmarket, On-

tario with an Austrian parent company.

To ameliorate the kind of situation described above, Toomey recommends the Reamax TS reamer used in conjunction with the new DAH Zero adjustable holder.

The new adjustable holders allow concentricity problems from the machine or spindle to The DAH Zero be corrected easily. Four radialadjustable ly fitted screws allow for microholder with precision adjustment of concenthe Reamax TS reamer tricity. The modular Reamax from Komet TS tooling system, meanwhile, is a range of reaming heads offering premium system modularity and precision.

The holders have adjustable concentricity to an accuracy of less than 3 μm. www.komet.com

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shop profile REKO INTERNATIONAL GROUP

Moving with the times

By Mark Stephen

Probably there are some experiences in life less enjoyable than moving — being waterboarded comes to mind — but not many.

But if you approach it with the right outlook, it’s an opportunity to strip away what you don’t need and rebuild on a new foundation.

In 2011, Diane Reko, CEO of Windsor, Ont.based moldmaker and automation equipment supplier Reko International Group, faced some difficult decisions with the future of the company her father Steve founded in 1976 possibly hanging in the balance. “We were struggling financially, and had too much capacity in people, buildings, and equipment,” Reko explained.

Sounds like the ordinary problems of a million other mold shops, right? But Reko International’s solution was anything but ordinary. “We made a conscious, and very difficult, decision to relocate and restructure,” she said.

MISSION POSSIBLE

Known by the tongue-incheek nickname “Project Retool”, the three month process — carried out over the summer of 2011 — saw the company close

seven locations; consolidate its operations into two Windsor plants; cut its footprint in half; and reduce staffing levels to 160 from about 225, including shedding a layer of management. By any measure, it was a serious undertaking, and made while the clock was ticking. “We had a 90-day timeline to move a lot of employees and an enormous amount of equipment,” said Dave Romanello, the company’s sales manager. “People who were watching said we’d never do it, but our in-house expertise in assembling automation helped make the move go smoothly.”

Not that it was easy on any level.

“There were some tears shed on the day when we had to tell some people they wouldn’t be coming with us to our new location,” Reko said.

“As hard as it was to say goodbye to people because of a situation that wasn’t of their doing, it was essential if we were going to survive and continue to provide employment for our remaining workers.”

And like a good surgical procedure, it worked. The restructuring enabled Reko International to cut year-over-year labor costs by $4.4 million and fixed costs by $4.6 million while reducing debt service costs to $2.5 million. Most recently, Reko International, which went public in 1994, announced gross profits of $1.7 million for the three months ended October 31, 2012,

Top, middle, and bottom left: Working hard on the shop floor at Reko International.

Photo Credits: Reko International Group

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shop profile up from $1.2 million in the prior year.

The company currently operates from two buildings that occupy 153,000-squarefeet, and is back up to about 200 workers, including some who were laid off in 2011.

In addition to manufacturing molds and automation equipment mainly for the auto industry through a division called Reko Manufacturing Group, the company also operates Concorde Precision Machining, a division that does precision machining of large scale casting and assemblies. And as the above numbers indicate, business is booming. “We were in a strong position technically going into the recession and we’re in a strong position now after the move,” Romanello said. “The changes have allowed us to focus on core areas, including moldmaking, tooling and automation for automotive clients and machining for capital equipment, mining, oil, gas and military applications.”

FOREIGN FRIENDLY

Reko International was ahead of the curve in adapting to Asian competition years ago, and it’s an approach that continued to pay off during the hard times. “We were one of the first shops to get involved with importing Chinese tooling and supporting it here in Canada, and it still continues to be part of our business,” Reko said. “We have a joint venture called Reko Global Services in Alabama, the primary function of which is to arrange for the sourcing of tooling in China. As a result, we’re able to offer blended programs for customers, where some of the tools are built here in our facility and some built in China where it makes sense. These kinds of ventures, if not with China then with other low-cost countries, are the future shape of the industry.”

With the tough decisions behind them for the time being, Reko International is able to reap the benefits of a business rebound without having to wonder about the road not taken — because they took it. And while it only moved them across the city of Windsor, it also helped them

2013 April Mold Supplement.indd 15

refocus on their primary business goal. “We want to be the supplier that gives customers a competitive advantage by in-

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shop profile Top Grade Molds: A study in transitions

By Mark Stephen Transitioning out of a seemingly-profitable manufacturing niche might not fit into the master plans of most companies — but every once in a while, it turns out to be the right move.

For Mississauga, Ont.-based moldmaker Top Grade Molds Ltd., the decision to quit making molds for the automotive sector came in the mid-1990s — long before the Big Three began their financial meltdowns.

Top Grade’s reason? “We came to the realization that, while we were into everything, we were specializing in nothing, which wasn’t a good business plan for going forward,” said Vince Ciccone, president of the Toronto-based company. “We started to focus on industrial packaging and consumer goods packaging, which were already large parts of our business. We didn’t renounce our obligations to our automotive customers, we simply stopped quoting for new business.” The company also wound down its involvements with structural foam and large blow molds.

Cut to today, and it’s the reason Top Grade designs and produces high-quality plastic injection molds for some of the world’s leading industrial and thin wall packaging manufacturers, and has shipped product to 30 countries around the world.

Founded in 1964 by Joe Slobodnik, the company operates from a 65,000-square-foot facility and employs approximately 120 workers. According to Ciccone, Top Grade’s two biggest strengths are its engineering chops and its determination to develop its own mold design technologies. “Our innovations include a modular mold change system for quick changeovers of stack molds, an interchangeable spout system to change out spout or cavity inserts without bolts or witness blemishes, our Dyna-Loc locking system for reductions in wall section and cycle times, and our X-Tri-Seal technology that provides three seals for hot runner nozzle technology,” Ciccone said. “Our mold designs give consideration to balanced cooling, balanced hot runners, and ease of maintenance and longevity. Our catalogue of standardized components is stocked for same-day delivery. The goal is to help our customers to achieve shorter cycles, less downtime, and consistent part quality.”

(Above) Plastic paint cans manufactured

by Top Grade.

Photo Credit: Top Grade Molds Ltd.

(Left) Top Grade president Vince Ciccone.

With a list of technical innovations to its credit that reads almost as long as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, you better believe Top Grade has more filed than a few patents over the years. “We have three patents in Canada and 39 internationally,” Ciccone said. “They’re the result of our determination never to copy anything; we’re always trying to push ahead with new designs and technologies of our own.” It’s a strategy made more practical by their embrace of Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) program. “We’ve been able to develop so much of our own proprietary technologies in large part because SR&ED funding provided a cushion to our research and development expenses,” Ciccone said.

Despite going its own way as much as possible, the shop doesn’t exist in a bubble; just like everyone else, they were hurt by the Great Recession. But that was then.

“Business has been steady since 2010,” Ciccone said. “Our only complaint today is that, since we export almost 95 per cent of our product, the strong Canadian dollar is hurting. That said, I wouldn’t want it return below parity again, because having to compete with the U.S. on par is forcing us to become a better, more efficient moldmaker and all-around service provider on a worldwide basis.”

So it turns out that Top Grade’s transition isn’t over yet.

MT&D

F

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mold steel P20 or not P20?

The venerable mold steel isn’t the only choice for successful injection mold materials...but it’s a stable, solid foundation for a good mold.

By Jim Anderton Ask any mold maker most anywhere what’s the most commonly used mold steel and he or she will probably say, “P20” without hesitation. P20 is almost synonymous with injection mold steels, and with good reason.

What is P20? The popular material is compositionally very similar to the aerospace 41XX “chromoly” steel.

Carbon content is typically a full 0.40 percent, so it’s not surprising that P20 is an oil-hardening steel, quenching after a thorough soak at 830C. P20 is also versatile and easy to work with: it anneals at 780C and can be tempered at very low temperatures with still air cooling. It’s possible, for example, to temper a moderate section to 51HRc with temperatures as low as 100C, and importantly, P20 can be stress-relived just before final machining at a reasonable 480C with still air cooling. All of these temperatures and cooling conditions are achievable from widely available sources with excellent control, allowing heavy, high-speed roughing of cavities, for example, with the ability to stress-relive before the final, gentler finish cuts.

While 50-plus HRc hardness is available from the base steel, P20 can be case hardened to the high 50’s HRc and readily nitrided to 60HRc if hardness plus corrosion resistance is needed.

Case depths of up to half a millimeter are possible. Chromium plating is another option, although a modest tempering soak is recommended to prevent hydrogen embrittlement. There are two major advantages to using P20 from a heat-treating perspective. The first is that heat treaters are familiar with the material and can draw on lots of experience in recommending a profile to suit a specific job. The other is that P20 can be com-

monly machined in the pre-hardened and tempered condition, then readily treated post-machining if necessary. The use of pre-hardened grades, however, adds pressure on the mold maker. Deep cavities require thick section blocks, which if poorly heat-treated, will have a pronounced “case and core” effect. If the machining process strips off the outer layer, residual stresses will distort the block, requiring one or more stress relieving treatments. Through hardness can be

As molds get bigger and cavities deeper, material consistency and through hardness are more important than ever.

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mold steel improved with specialty P20 grades….ask your tool steel supplier and/or heat treater for recommendations.

Like most tool steel applications, material selection is about tradeoffs between desired properties. Steels with a high sulfur content for example, are well known for excellent machinability, but polish poorly. “Improved” P20 with significant nickel content helps improve homogeneity while retaining good polishability. Good polishability is a hallmark of P20 steels, but for surfaces requiring very close-tolerance mirror finishes, modified P20 chemistries are available for specialized jobs such as lens molds. Textured finishes also require consistent hardness across the surface to avoid issues with texture depth, haze and gloss. Acid etched finishes are especially susceptible to composition issues, as the acid eats preferentially at metal grain boundaries…inhomoge-

Good polishability is a hallmark of P20 steels, but for surfaces requiring very close-tolerance mirror finishes, modified P20 chemistries are available for specialized jobs. neous steels can pit noticeably when etched. Alloying elements are one way to improve consistency, but the way the block was cast is also crucial. Advanced production techniques like vacuum remelting and powder

WHAT CLASS MOLD? The SPI’s standard “100 series” mold classification system is a convenient way for a customer to specify the basic standards required for an injection mold. From a material standpoint, the

key to metal selection depends most simply on the number of parts the mold is expected to produce. Here’s a simple summary of the materials aspect:

MOLD GRADE CYCLES 105 Under 500

STEEL RECOMMENDATION Prototype mold…no restriction on material: mild steel / non-metals OK.

104

Under 100,000

Base, cavities mild steel/aluminum for non-abrasive resins.

103

Under 500,000

102

Under 1 million

101

Over 1 million

Base, min hardness 165BHN, cavities / cores min hardness 280BHN. Base min hardness 280BHN, cavies / cores hardened to 48Rc. Plating as required.

As 102, with highest quality, corrosion resistant materials, 4HRc hardness difference in metal sliding parts.

The message is clear: for higher volumes, harder wearing, more expensive steels are necessary including plating, hardening or surface treatments as necessary to cope with long runs and corrosive resins. The SPI mold standards cover more than material issues… for a downloadable white paper describing the standards in detail, visit the Craftech Corp. website at: http://www. craftechcorp.com/injection-moldmaking/spi-mold-standards.com

A TYPICAL P20 COMPOSITION Carbon

0.40 percent

Manganese

1.00 percent

Molybdenum

0.35 percent

Silicon

0.40 percent

Chromium

1.20 percent

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DE426-Undercu

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IN UNDERCUT MOULDING, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

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Protrusions. Internal threads. Grooves. Cut-outs. No matter what kind of undercut you’re moulding, DME is your complete solution. From collapsible cores to lifter systems to expandable cavities, we’ve got all the innovative technologies you need to mould complex parts more efficiently and effectively.

So go ahead and tackle those undercuts: DME is with you every step of the way.

Visit DME.net/undercuts for undercut solution videos, specs and more.

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mold steel metallurgy can make cleaner, more consistent steel, but naturally at a higher cost.

For all but short run, low cost molds however, cheap steel isn’t a sensible place to control costs. Machining, for example can be the largest component of the mold cost, and inconsistent hardness can wear tools and slow both feeds and speeds.

Mold repair can also be a consideration. The heat affected zone of almost all repaired tools will be significantly harder than the base metal…with implications for the surface texture. Pre and post-heating during the welding process is essential to reduce the hardness mismatch and also to stop the cracking that frequently occurs with hurried on-the-fly repairs. Mold welding is a specialty craft that should only be done by experts familiar with mold and tool steels.

P20 and associated grades are available in large slabs, simplifying large part moldmaking.

good way to eliminate surprises.

In the end, P20 remains a popular choice for injection mold making because of it’s all around balance of properties, ready availability, reasonable cost and perhaps most importantly, the comfort factor that comes

What specification?

With multiple chemistries from many suppliers, it’s difficult to define “P20” in today’s environment. Improved grades with fine control of composition plus extra elements like nickel can be ordered for specific applications. The size of the mold, needed hardness, desired surface finish, presence of abrasive resin fillers or corrosive gas formation from PVC for example, all require careful selection of the steel grade. Some non-P20 grades will work well in mold applications, but bring unique properties that may or may not be useful. A vanadium steel, for example, may have excellent red hardness, not important in an injection mold, but may also hold a good polish and resist wear in a tough application. There is no single “best” mold steel and as a result, P20 formulations have evolved into a family that varies by supplier and even by geographical region. A Chinese mold built with “P20” may have a significantly different steel composition than a Japanese, European or Canadian mold. Dealing with a trusted vendor with strong traceability and quality assurance systems in-house is a

Although typical P20 steels contain considerable chromium and some improved grades also feature nickel, neither are true stainless steels and often require plating or surface modification to resist corrosion. with years of shop floor experience. With ever larger molds representing greater risk with each project, few tool owners will take a chance on an unproven material, unless the performance benefits are substantial, or there’s no other choice for the application. P20 will be around for a long time to come.

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CNC machining Milling About:

Moldmaking with Multi-Axis Milling Machines

Changing tech for a conservative sector

By Nate Hendley tinuous rotation) on the C-axis.

Are die and mold workers set in their ways?

The machine is standard equipped with a 15,000Jim Endsley, machining centre product specialist at Okuma America Corporation, based in Charlotte, RPM HSK-A63 spindle with 120Nm (42Nm continuous) of torque for flexible, high-speed machining of a North Carolina, suggests this might be the case.

Die and mold workers can be a “stodgy group. They variety of materials, including steel, aluminum and tidon’t like change ... I say that from personal experience. tanium. The D300 utilizes direct-drive motor technolThey are slow to grasp some of these things,” says Ends- ogy in the C-axis rotary table and A-axis trunnion for ley, who served a four-year apprenticeship as a toolmak- positioning accuracy and repeatability. www.makino.com er in his younger days.

“On the other hand, die mold processes [lead] the industry. A lot of the Hurco things you prove out with die mold Hurco of Indianapolis, Indiana, is applications eventually make their on a roll. “Hurco has introduced way into automotive mass producseven new 5-axis machining cention. It’s my belief that if you develop ters in the last five years, with things for die mold, they will migrate the newest one being the VMXinto mass production. So that tech42SRTi. The swivel-head design nology can be applied to other areas of the Hurco 5-axis VMX42SRTi as well,” he adds. features a flush rotary table that With this in mind, here’s a look provides an additional 3.5 inches at what’s new and/or noteworthy in of clearance in the Z-axis to supThe D300 five-axis vertical mold-making mills: port taller parts. Additionally, the machining centre from Makino. rotary table has unlimited angular movement, which reduces cycle times because the Makino Last June, Makino of Japan unveiled the D300 5-axis table isn’t forced to unwind multiple times during the vertical machining center, designed specifically for high- machining cycle, as tables that are limited to +/- 360 end part production in aerospace, medical manufactur- degrees are forced to do. Basic specifications of VMX42SRTi include X/Y/Z travels of ing and die mold applications.

42/24/24 inches, a 12K integral The D300 comes with a workspindle, a 40-station swing-arm table area diameter of 300 mm automatic tool changer, X/Y/Z and can handle workpieces up to rapids of 1,378/1,378/1,181 inches 450 mm by 270 mm and weighper minute, and the integrated ing 120 kilograms. The X, Y and Hurco control that includes both Z-axis travels come in at 300 mm, conversational and NC program500 mm and 350 mm respectively. ming modes,” says Phil Fassnacht, Feed rates can reach 60,000 mm/ marketing director for Hurco. minute. Rotary table axes feature Hurco has developed UltiMorotational motion of 240 degrees tion technology for 3 and 5-axis (+/- 120 degrees) on the A-axis Hurco’s new VMX42SRTi machining mills. and a complete 360-degree (con- centre.

April 2013 MT&D

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CNC machining “We have inverted the axis.

UltiMotion is “Hurco’s patTraditionally, Y goes back and ented motion control system that forth in front of you on a vertical simultaneously reduces cycle time machining center. What we did up to 30 percent, even more in was make the X go back and forth some cases, and improves surface in front of the machine. What this finish quality. UltiMotion uses allows us to do is have an operator software to control the motion on one side of the machine, like system instead of conventional a horizontal machining center and hardware, which means there is a pallet changer on the opposite less chatter, less vibration, less side of the machine,” he explains. machine jerk, resulting in a betwww.okuma.com/americas ter surface finish. The efficiency The MU6300 V vertical spindle maof the software also provides rapid chine from Okuma. cornering capabilities and optimized look-ahead, where GF AgieCharmilles the software evaluates each section of the motion pro- GF AgieCharmilles, the Lincolnshire, Illinois branch file and shifts the look-ahead to the maximum number of a Swiss-based parent company, has unveiled several of blocks. While UltiMotion is valuable to all shops, new, multi-axis mills capable of die mold work. mold shops in particular appreciate the significant imThe high-performance MIKRON HPM 450U provement in surface finish quality,” says Fassnacht.

5-axis milling machine was displayed at the Expo As for the future, Fassnacht says, “We will be intro- Bancomer Sanfe Fe in Mexico City in March, 2013. ducing a new 3.2 meter 5-axis large machining center. It features a new torque rotary/tilt table and efficient Customers have been pleased with our 3-axis, double spindle options for a variety of machining applications column, 3.2 meter, DCX32 and we have had requests including moldmaking. to make a 5-axis model in the large machine size.”

The MIKRON HPM 450U boasts a sturdy, comwww.hurco.com pact design with a large work envelope. Maximum X-Y traverse paths measure 600 mm (23.62 inches) and 437 mm (17.2 inches) respectively, with a Z-axis Okuma Okuma of Japan unveiled the new MU-10000H that provides a 450 mm (17.72 inch) clearance be5-axis, high-speed, horizontal machining centre at tween table surface and the nose of the spindle. The 450U also comes with an impressive rotary table speed IMTS 2012 in Chicago.

This CNC machine has a large trunnion table with of 140 RPM and tilting range of -120/+45 degrees. The a one-meter square pallet, workpiece weight capacity machine can handle tools with a maximum diameter of three inches (80 mm). of 5,500 pounds, workpiece size caThe machine’s high-end spindle pacity of 59.05 inches diameter by also comes in a 12,000 RPM ver44.29 inches high, and 1,416 maxision that features an ISO 40 tamum foot-pounds of torque (1,920 per for conventional tooling or a Nm) available from 50 RPM. 20,000 RPM version with an HSKThe MU-10000H’s impressive A63 taper for machining a broad workpiece size capacity is explained range of materials. The 450U has by the fact that the industry is “seean internal tool changer integrated ing a trend of parts getting bigger into the base of the machine, with [which leads to] larger die molds,” a storage capacity of nearly 60 explains Endsley. tools. This internal tool changer Okuma has also recently introis complemented by an external duced the MU6300—“a vertical circular magazine that boosts total spindle machine that’s a completely The MIKRON HPM 450U fivecapacity to 220 tools. new design. We’ve sold a couple, but axis milling machine from GF GF AgieCharmilles also renot in the U.S.” says Endsley.

AgieCharmilles.

ZER NO VIR IN TH MA

You’ deliv And poss enab step even All in make and

Don’ die/m MAKI

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ZERO STOCK CUTTING. NO HAND FINISHING. VIRTUALLY NO SPOTTING. IN DIE/MOLD, IT’S THE DETAILS THAT MATTER MOST.

You’ll do anything you can to reduce delivery times and operating costs.

And Makino is doing everything possible to help. Makino technologies enable you to bypass time-consuming steps to deliver mirror-like finishes on even the most complex geometries.

All in record time. Because when you make what matters, making it better— and faster—is what matters most.

Don’t wait. Get the whole Makino die/mold story right now: MAKINO.COM/DIEMOLD

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CNC machining Cut line was released by Wood cently released the MIKRON Dale, Illinois-based MC Machinery HEM 800 3-axis VMC, which is Systems (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi designed for high-precision proCorporation of Japan). duction in aerospace and die and The MCV Series boasts a two mold. The worktable measures spindle/tooling system: the CAT41.34 inches by 22.05 inches and 40 tooling system has an 8,000 can accommodate a maximum RPM motor while the CAT-50 load of 1,760 lbs. X- and Y-axis tooling system uses a 6,000 RPM travel comes in at 33.46 inches motor. The machine features X, and 20.87 inches, respectively, Y and Z travels of 24 inches, 16.1 while the Z axis provides 23.62 inches and 21.3 inches. Maximum inches of clearance between table tool weight is 15.4 pounds, while surface and spindle nose. the cutting feed rate is 0.04 – 394 The HEM 800 boasts a 12.75MCV Series general purpose machininches/minute. The machine also hp, 14,000-rpm, CAT 40 spindle ing center from MC Machinery. has coolant-thru-spindle preparathat can produce 31 foot-pounds of torque and makes high-powered milling and drilling tion and an M70 Mitsubishi controller. CV Series operations in the Z axis possible. The spindle motor mills can also be fitted with a ZF Gearbox, which provides uninterrupted production with high torque gives the machine the capacity to quadruple the torque of a standard motor. at low speed and high power at high speed.

GF AgieCharmilles’s new, high-speed MIKRON www.mcmachinery.com HSM 200U LP milling machine made its North American debut at the February 2013 Medical Design and Haas Manufacturing West Show in Anaheim, California.

“Our VM series VMCs for mold making are a very The HSM 200U LP comes in 3 and 5-axis ver- stable and shop-proven line of machines ... sions and is recommended for small, complex comWe don’t currently have any new models planned ponents. The machine weighs 3,600 kilograms for the VM line this year. However, our primary ob(7,937 pounds) with a polymer concrete base, an jective for 2013 is to continue improving the quality X-axis travel of 160 mm (6.3 inches), Y-Axis travel and reliability of all Haas products, including the VM of 160 mm (6.3 inches), Z-Axis travel of 200 mm machines,” states Scott Rathburn, of the marketing (7.87 inches), B-Axis travel of +30/-120 degrees and department for Oxnard, California-based Haas. a C-Axis travel of 0 to 360 degrees. The HSM 200U “The Haas UMC-750, while not designed specifioffers true 5-axis simultaneous high-speed machin- cally for mold work, still has applications for the mold ing and boasts linear motor technology in the main industry. The machine’s integrated dual-axis trunnion machine axes and optimized direct-drive motors can position a mold to nearly any angle for machining. for the B and C axes. All the axes This provides better access to deep are built on high rigid linear comcavities than a 3-axis machine, alpact roller guides that feature four lowing the use of shorter tools, rows of rollers per carriage. which improve surface finish and alwww.agiecharmilles.us lows higher feed rates. The ability to machine five sides of the part in one fixturing also reduces setups and MC Machinery improves accuracy. The UMC-750 The MCV Series is a general puralso offers simultaneous 5-axis mopose machining center from the tion to smoothly trace contours and new Diamond Cut milling line that blend adjoining surfaces,” he adds. can be used for fixture and mold www.haascnc.com MT&D base applications. The Diamond The UMC-750 from Haas.

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moldmaking components Sprue nozzle for zinc die-casting applications

The hotcast Sprue Nozzle ZD 50/80 and ZD 125 for zinc die-casting applications from HotSet America Corporation is designed to improve cycle time and part quality while decreasing tool costs and reducing porosity and eliminating costly sprue cones. Cycle time reductions of up to 40% are possible, with up to 30% less shot weight, and 7% more part weight due to higher microstructure density.

Additionally, traditional cold plug designs can be replaced by the hotcast sprue nozzle, and the device is also intended to offer improved mold design options. Reduced scrap after the electro-plating process is also possible.

The device offers continuous heating from goose neck to the mold, and can be integrated into 50 ton, 80 ton and 125 ton die-casting machines Options include compatible hotcast Sealed Heater (GMH), hotrod die-casting cartridge heaters (HHP/G), temperature control unit hotcontrol C448, the hotcast Set sprue nozzle and control unit, and the hotcast Set sprue nozzle, GMH, HHP/G, and control unit.

HotSet (Swainsboro, Ga.); www.hotset-worldwide.com; 912-289-1844

Heavy-duty vertical turning lathe for high repeatability

Methods Machine Tools Inc. as introduced the new high performance FEELER FVT600 vertical turning lathe, designed for machining large, heavy, challenging parts including those used in aerospace and power generation industries.

To easily automate processes for high-volume production applications, the FEELER FVT-600 is available in left-side and right-side versions, allowing automation to be strategically stationed between the lathes.

To minimize thermal deformation and vibration, and increase positioning accuracy, the FVT-600 features rugged construction and precision ballscrews that are directly coupled with highly responsive AC servo motors. The new FEELER vertical turning lathe offers a high-precision and high-rigidity spindle which is sup-

ported by two double-row cylindrical roller bearings and duplex angular thrust bearings, which enables the lathe to endure heavy cutting in both radial and axial directions, resulting in high accuracy during long cutting cycles.

The FVT-600 design permits coolant to flush chips to an extra wide conveyer where the chips are immediately evacuated.

The FEELER FVT-600 features a 12 position turret and offers an X-Axis travel of 12” (305 mm) and a 25.6” (650 mm) Z-Axis travel. Spindle speeds range from 50 to 2,000 RPM on a standard chuck size of 15” (381 mm) and optional chuck sizes including 18” (457.2 mm), 21” (533.4 mm) or 24” (609.6 mm), providing a high metal removal rate of 24m / min. The new FEELER lathe offers a maximum turning diameter of 23.6” (600 mm) and a maximum turning length of 25.6” (650 mm).

Maximum workpiece weight is 2,205 lbs (1,000 kg).

A reliable, easy-to-use FANUC 0i-TD control is standard and available in a swiveling control box for ergonomics and convenience. The FEELER FVT-600 offers a compact footprint at 134” length x 71” width (3,400 mm length x 1,800 mm width) and weighs 19,842 lbs (9,000 kg).

Methods Machine Tools Inc. (Sudbury, Mass.); www.methodsmachine.com; 978-443-5388 SMS Machine Tools Ltd. (Toronto); www.smsmachine.com; 416-675-7300

Linear ball bearings give precise control

The new Z 1000 and Z 1100 ball bearings from Hasco are designed for the precise control of stripper plates.

This tolerance coordination for h4 guide pillars produces a fit with virtually no play at all.

The exclusive aluminium cage allows, through high abrasionresistance, their use in food and medical technology.

The ball bearings feature unlimited stroke, with no movement of the cage; and circulating bearings in the guide pillar with twisted bearing tracks that prevent them from running into the guide elements.

With permissible operating temperature of 180°C and an exclusive aluminium cage for food and medical technology, the bearings offer easy assembly into H7 drillholes, and five different diameters.

Hasco Canada Inc. (Toronto); www.hasco.com; 416-293-5044

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moldmaking components Vision measurement and high accuracy 3D measurement in one machine

New from Mitutoyo Canada Inc., the new Quick Vision WLI vision measuring machine comes standard with an optical vision head and a white light interferometer (WLI) head. Together they enable high accuracy performance of non-contact vision plus non-contact 3D measurement of high aspect-ratio minute form (Z = Sub µm ~ 100µm) functions in a single machine, eliminating the need to move a workpiece from one type of machine to another.

As a result, the Quick Vision WLI offers a significant throughput improvement for non-contact measurement of molds combining both 2D and minute form 3D features in a single workpiece.

The Quick Vision WLI interferometer head splits a beam of white light in two; one beam goes towards a ref-

erence mirror and the other beam goes to the workpiece.

As the reference objective is moved along the Z-axis, a white “interference ring” is observed on the focus point; analysis of this ring makes it possible to determine the 3D shape of the feature under observation.

The Quick Vision WLI performs 2D/3D form evaluation using Mitutoyo FORMPAK-QV/FORMTRACEPAK-PRO software which features a refined, intuitive GUI. Results can be displayed in 2D/3D graphics for easy interpretation; a variety of editing and control tools are standard.

In addition, Quick Vision WLI 2D/3D non-contact measuring machines can support output to measurement data applications such as MeasurLink, Mitutoyo’s proprietary statistical-processing and process-control program which performs statistical analysis and provides real-time display of measurement results for SPC applications.

Mitutoyo Canada Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.mitutoyo.com; 905-821-1261

Ellwood Specialty Metals A member of the Ellwood Group

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United States Ellwood Speciality Steel 800-932-02188 esssales@elwd.com

Serving Your Metal Needs Since 1910

New Location in Hamilton to Serve You Better

April 2013 MT&D

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moldmaking components Monitoring device for important mold data

The CVe electronic mold monitoring device from Progressive Components is designed to gather a wide range of data.

In addition to mold cycles completed, the CVe records cycle time over the life of the tool, cycle time over the last 25,000 cycles, percentage of activity versus downtime, downtime date ranges, and increments where mold maintenance was performed.

Data can be viewed either directly off the CVe or downloaded via its mini USB port in order to drive comprehensive reporting.

The CVe is intended to fit into the same pocket as Progressive’s CounterView 100/200 series, making it easy to retrofit it onto tooling that’s already in production.

Progressive Components (Wauconda, Ill.); www.procomps.com; 1-800-269-6653

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NEW

Time-saving pre-pocketed mold bases

DME Company has enhanced its line of Edge mold bases to offer a pre-pocketed option that helps moldmaking customers significantly reduce lead times.

The new Edge PT Pre-Pocketed Mold Bases, which come with pre-machined pockets and top locks already installed, are well suited for producing molds for even the thinnest walled parts.

Pre-machined pockets enable a moldmaker to create separate cavity inserts and then place them into a pocket in the mold base, rather than machining directly into mold plate.

In addition, the pre-installed top locks assure better alignment of the tool to meet part specifications. Compared to only using leader pins and bushings, top locks can significantly improve part quality.

The new bases are available in five different sizes with three combinations for each size. All new bases also include the following Edge mold base features: Aplate, B-plate and support plates supplied with DME #3 steel; pry slots installed on both sides of “B” plate; lift holes installed; return pins installed 0.125 inboard to allow for spring pockets; leader pin vents machined in the housing under the bushing location; guided ejection installed; three-piece ejector housing; and center hole machining included.

DME of Canada (Mississauga, Ont.); www.dme.net; 800-387-6600

Exclusive aluminium cage for food and medical technology

Together we shape your ideas HASCO CANADA INC. Tel: (800) 387 9609 Info.canada@hasco.com · www.hascoshop.com www.hasco.com

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PAGE WEBSITE

AceTRONIC............................MT&D 7....... www.acetronic.com Basics of Injection Molding...MT&D 12..... w ww.canplastics.com/ thebasicsofinjectionmolding Bohler-Uddeholm..................MT&D 19..... www.bucanada.ca DME......................................MT&D 21..... www.dme.net DMS.....................................MT&D 2....... www.dmscomponents.com Ellwood Specialty Metals.......MT&D 29..... www.esm.elwd.com FARO Technologies Inc..........MT&D 5....... www.faro.com Haas Automation, Inc............MT&D 17..... www.haascnc.com Hasco Canada Inc.................MT&D 30..... www.hasco.com Hotset America.....................MT&D 15..... www.hotset-worldwide.com Makino.................................MT&D 25..... www.makino.com PCS Company.......................MT&D back cover ............................................................... www.pcs-company.com Progressive Components.......MT&D31...... www.procomps.com Renishaw..............................MT&D 27..... www.renishaw.com Scientific Cutting Tools, Inc...MT&D 13 .... www.sct-usa.com Schmolz + Bickenbach..........MT&D 11..... www.schmolz-bickenbach.ca Sorel Forge Co......................MT&D 8....... www.sorelforge.com

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Coolants 101

Metalworking fluids are much more than a necessary evil ... they’re essential

By J. Braks, PhD., P.Eng. Chairman, Lubricor Inc. and J. Murray, BSc. Chief Technical Officer, Lubricor Inc. ......................

P

eople in the machining industry tend to think of coolants and metal-working fluids as a necessary evil. Many manufacturing leaders, whether in a small job shop or in a huge multi-national automotive-supply plant tend to think of coolant only when there is a problem (or perceived problem) with it within the facility.

What follows are some fundamentals that everyone in the machining world should understand and some helpful ideas on how to get the most out of your investment.

WHY DO WE USE COOLANTS AT ALL?

• They provide Cooling to the work-piece and the tool • They Lubricate the work • Provide Chip Control • Apply Rust Inhibition to the surfaces • Most importantly they Extend Tool Life First some basics: There are two primary groups of metalworking fluids – Non-water soluble (Neat Oils) and water soluble (or Miscible). www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 67

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Coolant Selection TYPE

Advantage Disadvantage

Neat Oil

No bacteria Easy to manage

Semi-Synthetic Good Cooling and Soluble Oils Lubricity

Oil rejection

Slow speeds/feeds Oil residue Potential for bacteria

Synthetic Excellent Cooling Poorer rust protection

Oil rejection Bacteria and fungus Clinkering (the build-up and fusing together of chips inside the machine)

The very earliest types of cutting fluids used in machining were Neat (or Straight) Oils and for certain applications they still have a place in industry. The basic carrier of the fluid is typically a petroleum based oil with some lubricity and other additives in the mix but include no water.

Water soluble fluids come in three basic types – Soluble Oils which have high petroleum oil content but are designed to be diluted with water into an emulsion. Semi-Synthetics have a medium to low oil content and include water as well as performance additives. Synthetics have no oil and in addition to water only contain water soluble performance additives.

When selecting what type of coolant to use for a particular application, consideration must be given to coolant’s characteristics – specifically it’s Cooling Capacity, Lubricity, effect on Tool Life, Part and Machine Rust Inhibition, as well as its propensity for Bacteria Growth.

Below is a chart that compares basic characteristics of the different coolant types. Of course different brands and different formulations will fine tune these features for different applications – e.g. not all semi-synthetics behave exactly the same as all the others but in general terms, these are the pros and cons of each family of coolants.

COOLANT SELECTION

The fact that we refer to these metal working fluids primarily as Coolants indicates just how important the discussion of heat and heat removal is. As the tool moves across the work-piece, 60% of the heat is generated from the tool deforming/cutting the part and creating the chip. The balance of the heat comes from the friction between the tool and the chip as the chip slides away and from the tool sliding along the part just ahead of the cutting zone. Excessive heat can have the following effects on the machining process: • Limits cycle times • Gives a poor surface finish and inability to hold micro finish • Built up edge on tool leads to premature tool wear • Catastrophic tool failure (Welding) • Premature oxidation of oil or early depletion of additives • Fire and/or Smoke Clearly, we want to decrease the temperature at the interface of the work-piece and the tooling and there are a number of ways to accomplish this: • Increase heat capacity of the fluid medium (water has twice the heat capacity of oil) • Increase the volume of fluid transiting the cutting zone (use high pressure coolant pumps) • Increase penetration of fluid Into the cutting zone (through the tool coolant and high pressure) • Increase lubricity of fluid

COST

The subject of coolant cost is often a discussion point that purchasing agents and business owners alike tend to focus on.

There are two critical points to consider when looking at costs.

In a typical high volume machining facility, the cost of coolant is only 1/10th the cost of the consumable tooling on an annualized basis. An improvement to the coolant that has a positive impact on tool life can have a significant impact on the bottom line. Also, the cost of coolant cannot be compared based on price per litre alone. What matters is total consumption cost over a period of time. It is critical when comparing coolants

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that the RF (Refract Factor) of the concentrate is taken into consideration as well. Simply put, if your operation runs best at a certain refractometer reading, how much concentrate will it take to make up a tank at that concentration? A product with a low price per litre and a high factor may not be as economical as you think when it’s in the machine.

Another key consideration to coolant cost and consumption is how well it is maintained. Coolant that is contaminated with tramp oils and is allowed to grow bacteria and consequently has to be “dumped” before its time (due to bad odours) is wasteful. Also, coolant tends to be dragged out with the chips being removed from the machine. A coolant recovery/recycling system that takes used coolant, removes excess oils and other contaminants and then returns it to the shop can save 20-30% on cost of annual coolant consumption.

WATER QUALITY

Metalworking fluids need good quality water to perform at maximum effectiveness. Two factories with identical processes may have widely different experiences with the same coolant because their water quality is different. Untreated tap water (whether city or well) will always contain some degree of contaminants and minerals. These can lead to scum, rancidity, foam and excess concentrate usage. Another consideration is the hardness of the water. Hard water is just a fact of life in some jurisdictions and is predominantly the result of calcium and magnesium ions in the water. These can affect the stability of some water based coolant solutions. Water softening is often used in communities with hard water for home use but should

not be used in preparing water-based metalworking fluids as the water softeners use a sodium chloride salt to remove the hardness. The chlorides that are left in the water can lead to rust issues in the manufacturing process.

Water should be treated with either a De-ionizing (DI) or a Reverse Osmosis (RO) process to provide impurity free water.

The RO type of system is often preferred as it tends to have lower operating costs.

CONCENTRATION

The ideal concentration to operate a system on is also not a simple single answer. Concentration affects a number of factors including the propensity for Rust, Bio-stability (the tendency to allow bacteria to grow), Tool Life, and the tendency for Foaming.

So what does all this tell us? While there is no single perfect coolant, our experience tells us that for a high percentage of applications in general machining semi-synthetics are often the best choice as they offer a balance of features considering tool life, overall cost and can often lead to a single product in a plant or shop that machines a variety of different materials.

Concentration must also be maintained at an optimum level to get the most performance out of your tools, equipment and coolant. Water quality is critical to the performance of your metalworking fluids. Coolant cost must be considered on a total cost basis, annualizing the cost of the coolant (not the cost per litre), impact on tool costs and other maintenance costs of supporting your system. www.lubricor.com

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even more opportunities to network, learn, and grow your business.

• Job shop night: a special evening for independent job shops who can’t get away during regular business hours

• engaging Conference line up: comprehensive education in a theatre on the show floor

interested in exhibiting at WMts? Contact us at 888-322-7333 ext. 4447.

Hurry! WMTS is already over 70% SOLD OUT. Produced by:

• tech Bar: bar-style interactive education sessions located on the show floor

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event Partners:

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HSS for BIG parts Transfer press inventor Schuler Pressen GmbH outlines the key material for large part pressing

By Nestor Gula .....................................................................................................................................................

WHY HIGH STRENGTH STEELS?

Testing on passenger autos have shown that a weight reduction of 100 kilograms (220 lbs.) can lead to a reduction in fuel consumption of 0.4 to 0.5 liter (0.1 to 0.13 gallons) per 100 kilometer (61 miles). Now in demand by the automotive market, such weight reduction in the area of body-in-white while maintaining at least the same stability and a simultaneous improvement of the crash characteristics is however, only possible if several areas of responsibility (such as engineering, manufacturing, material development, etc.) work together.

The measures shown to be useful are: • Design initiatives (for example, reduced wall thickness of the material and reinforcements in the areas of critical stresses) • New forming technologies • Innovative material applications • Higher material grades with reduction of the wall thickness Prompted by the increased use of aluminum, the steel industry in recent years has developed higher and higher strength steels with more or less good forming properties.

STEELS FOR FORMABILITY AND STRENGTH

Easily formable steels are used primarily for technically difficult components such as complete side panels or spare tire tubs.

Categories include: • Conventional deep-drawing grades • Conventional deep-drawing grades are unalloyed, soft steels such as, for example, DC04, DC05. These have been optimized for the best possible forming characteristics.

IF STEELS

IF steels demonstrate good formability for the most difficult drawn parts with high degrees of stretch and deep-drawing strain in the lower tensile strength range by high “r” and “n” values (e.g. door inner, wheelhouse).Designation: IF 180, IF 260.

BAKE-HARDENING (BH)-STEELS

There are two basic kinds of hardening effects. One is the so-called “work-hardening”, hardening caused by the forming process. This second is called “bake-hardening”, the result of a heat treatment after the forming process (usually the baked enameling of the paint).

The advantage of bake-hardening steels lies in the high degree of formability (comparable to conventional grades) in conjunction with the high final tensile strength of the component after the forming process. BH steels are therefore especially

A note about steel designations

The number listed in the designation of the steel for steels ending in “”E”” represents the tensile yield strength of the material in N/mm2 (1 N/mm2 = 142 psi). For ultra-high-strength steels on the other hand the tensile strength is often given. The clearest designation includes both values, for example ZstE 340/410.

used for outer skin panels. The Opel Corsa was one of the first vehicles in which this steel grade was used in high-volume production. Designation: ZStE 180 BH, ZStE 220 BH, ZStE 260 BH, ZStE 300 BH Higher strength steels have been in use since the 1990s, primarily for structural components. There is a distinction made between:

MICRO-ALLOYED STEELS

Micro-alloyed steels have been in use for a considerable time.

They combine relatively good formability with high tensile strength.

Designation: ZStE 260, ZStE 300, ZStE 340, ZStE 380, ZStE 420.

PHOSPHORUS-ALLOYED STEELS

Phosphorus-alloyed steels are similar to micro-alloyed steels. In this case, the alloyed element, phosphorus, increases the strength.

Designation: ZStE 220 P, ZStE 260 P, ZStE 300 P

ISOTROPIC STEELS

These are improved micro-alloyed steels that demonstrate no dependence of the material values on the rolling direction (no “earing”).

PRESS HARDENING FOR HIGH STRENGTH

The press hardening method is used for critical reinforcement parts to achieve extremely high strength. In this process, a conventional boron steel is heated to about 880 to 950° C (1620 to 1740º F), formed hot and then cooled, i.e. hardened, in the die. The hardening process is performed in the die to minimize any warping of the component.

Unhardened boron steels demonstrate a tensile strength of about 600 N/mm² and a 20% elongation at failure. Hardened boron steels achieve up to 1650 N/mm² at a residual elongation at failure of the finished component of up to 8%.

Designation: 22MnB5, BTR 1650, Usibor 1500.

Currently, press hardening is the only manufacturing method for such high-strength components. Due to the long cycle times and the high energy costs the use of press hardening should be decided case-by-case depending on the component and the vehicle class.

It is difficult to predict how high the number of hot-formed components will find use in vehicles. In the current VW Passat there are now, for example, eleven such parts.

Ultra-high-strength steels have been in use for only a few years since grades with a tensile strength of over 700 N/ mm² are, for the most part, not yet available in a constant quality. Categories include the following:

DUAL PHASE (DP) STEELS

Dual phase steels belong, like TRIP steels and complex phase steels, to the multi-phase steel category. Designation: DP 500, DP 600, DP 800, DP 1000 (in development)

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COMPLEX PHASE (CP) STEELS

As compared to DP steels, CP steels demonstrate a significantly higher tensile yield strength at the same tensile strength. Currently only CP 800 is available. Designation: CP-W-800, CP-W-1000 (in development)

TRIP STEELS AND/OR RESIDUAL AUSTENITIC (RA) STEELS Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels demonstrate extreme work-hardening characteristics (compared to easily formable steels, bake-hardening). This has the advantage of better formability in conjunction with greater component strength. A disadvantage has been noted in that a very undefined distribution of strength is applied through the component which, in turn, can result in undefined resilience (spring-back). Designation: TRIP 700, TRIP 800 (in development)

MARTENSITE PHASE (MS) STEELS

Martensite phase steels have high basic strength and are extremely difficult to form. It is used mostly for side impact elements that are more or less “bent” rather than formed. Designation: MS-W-1000, MS-W-1200 There is much more to steel materials for large, high strength part forming than can be covered in a single article..visit www.shulergroup.com for more information. CM

With its TwinServo Technology (TST), Schuler is presenting a new drive concept with two decentralized servo motors in the press bed, which enables a more compact design and greatly reduces noise emissions. It also improves both accessibility and rigidity compared to former servo presses.

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More Plasma Productivity Plasma carves out a comfortable cutting technology segment

By Nestor Gula .....................................................................................................................................................

T

here are many options when cutting metal for parts. The original solution of using a saw is nice but rather noisy, messy, costly, in terms of consumables, and therefore outdated. A stalwart of the small shop or home hobbyist is the oxy-fuel rig. Although still used when cutting steel over two inches thick, this method is not practical for a modern shop.

Plasma, laser and waterjet solutions are the most modern metal-cutting methods. These methods were all developed in the 1960s and have their fair share of proponents and detractors. Laser and waterjet cutting has always been associated with mechanical CNC cutting. Plasma has been comfortable with both handheld and mechanical cutting solutions.

“Over the last decade lasers have carved out a portion of the metal shape-cutting workload, particularly on parts with intricate shapes cut from thinner materials,” said Ruben

Chico, Global Product Manager, Mechanized Plasma for ESAB Cutting Systems. “However, the predictions of plasma cutting’s demise were premature. Improvements in plasma technology and automation have continued to improve the cost-effectiveness of the systems, the cut quality produced and the range of materials that can be cut.”

LOW COST CNC ADDS OPTIONS

A significant development is the introduction of low cost but accurate CNC machines which can mount either handheld plasma torches or torches designed for mechanized plasma cutting. “A 70 or 90 degree torch designed for hand-cutting is sometimes ideally suited to robotic applications particularly when access to the work-piece is limited and there is not sufficient clearance for an in-line mechanized torch,” said Chico. “Some manufacturers of small X-Y cutting machines

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design their equipment specifically to use hand torches. This allows their customers to use a single plasma system for both manual and automated cutting. It also allows them to buy standard manual packages which are readily available from welding distributors. To support these applications most manual plasma consoles have provisions for basic automation and upgrade kits available to install a full automation interface.”

“With our handheld systems you can run it in your house if you want to,” exclaimed Jim Colt, Strategic Account Manager for Hypertherm. “Almost all of those systems from Hypertherm have an available mechanized torch or an available interface connector. You can do electrical interface to go

fit perfect in height controls and if you want to hand cut all major plasma companies make quick disconnects on the power supply to quickly switch back and forth,” according to Josh Schohn, Sales Manager for Torchmate Inc. “Plasma hand torches are not insulated, your welding glove and hand are used as the insulation. Hand torches can be used but they are not designed for machine applications.” Mechanized torches will, be water -cooled and the power supplies have a longer duty cycle that will benefit a productive shop.

However, if you can’t afford a large CNC machine but still want to do some precise cutting than you can’t beat the entry level CNC machines with plasma adapters. Most times space is at a premium in shops and introducing new tool systems means a lot of moving around with the associated down time. “Torchmate makes many different sized CNC plasma machines. One of our models is call the Growth Series,” said Schohn. “This model allows for the “Growth” from the smaller machines into larger sizes and you don’t need to start over, in fact the upgrade cost from a 2x2 to a 2x4 is just the difference of what you would have paid in the beginning. Same difference to get up to a 4x4. Because our operating system works with various size machines when a customer needs to move to a larger machine it’s a seamless transition.”

SPEED WITH ACCURACY

This Torchmate unit uses a portable Lincoln supply for added versatility

with a CNC. There are some companies that actually adapt a handheld plasma torches directly to a mechanized device.

There is actually a growing trend for what I call entry-level CNC machines that at are extremely low cost CNC machines that a home-owner can use. I have one in my home shop. I have a PlasmaCAM machine and you can place a handheld torch in them for a very low price you can do CNC cutting in your home or small shop.”

UPGRADING FROM HAND-HELD TORCHES

While plasma hand torches can be adapted to fit some CNC machines, the preferred, more professional and certainly more accurate method is to use a machine style torch. “They

Accuracy in the cut is always important. CNC plasma is getting more accurate but its main forte is speed, low maintenance and durable consumable life. “You can get some pretty tight tolerances with plasma,” said Tim Lux, Plasma service and applications specialist for Miller Inc. “As far as the heat goes with the distortion, depending on the material thickness you can turn the amperages down and you can move the torch head around depending on the part.”

For most cutting applications plasma is perfectly adequate, “where the tolerances will be within plus minus twenty-thousandsth of an inch on one inch steel,” said Colt. He cautions that the cut quality is not only dependent on the cutting process. A lot of this has to do with the machine and software that is driving the, “the cutting process is no better than the motion control that is driving it. The better the CNC machine, the better the robot at maintaining the correct speed. Being able to maintain the correct torch to work distance and being able to turn the plasma on and off at the right points makes a big difference.”

A common complaint about plasma cutting is the dross that forms on the underside of the cut. This is most often seen in handheld plasma cutting and is a result of a combination and amperage and cutting speed.

“There is a sweet spot for every material thickness,” explains Lux. “The biggest trick is to find that sweet spot. You can almost eliminate the dross on any thickness of material but it is an issue of finding where the sweet spot is. It is a combination of amperage, what output the machine is set at, compared to your travel speed. Too slow or too fast you are going to build up dross.” Mechanized cutting should completely eliminate dross and its associated secondary clean-up costs.

“Dross occurs mostly with handheld. Normally, when people buy a plasma cutter they turn it all the way up and they cut.

When you get it on a cutting table dross will occur when the speed of the machine is not fast enough and the machine is

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Modern automated plasma systems, like this Hypertherm example, cut quickly with accuracy and minimal dross

True Bevel leaves nothing to chance.

True Bevel™ technology for HPRXD® plasma systems is a new performance application for mild steel that’s factory‑tested and scientifically‑adapted to take guesswork out of the plasma bevel‑cutting process. With True Bevel, setups for new jobs are quick and results are accurate.

No luck required.

turned up all the way. It is a combination of speed and amperage. If you are cutting thin material you have to turn the amperage down and put the speed up. And the dross will be eliminated.”

Another mistake at leaving the amperage all the way up is that the cut will become less accurate. “High amperage blows out so much base material that not only does your cut get wider but the metal actually folds back and forms the dross,” he said.

Connecting even a small plasma cutter to an entry-level CNC machine has lots of advantages for a fabricating shop.

The speed and accuracy of the cuts will improve the finished product dramatically. With even the simplest of CNC machines and a plasma cutter, “anything that you can put on a computer you can cut on a cutting table. Any type of the design you can come up with you can do.

I have seen very intricate designs done on cutting tables,” said Lux. CM

Scan for a video or see it at hypertherm.com/truebevel

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Welding News

$200M Vancouver shipyard upgrade adds welding automation

(Above, top right: PEMA welding equipment in action) (Bottom right: A rendering of what Seaspan shipyard will look like after renovations)

V

ancouver’s Seaspan shipyard is adding new welding equipment as part of a $200 million upgrade to the facility.

The upgrade was needed after the shipyard won an $8 billion shipbuilding contract from the Canadian government in late 2011.

The shipyard will be building non-combat vessels and as a part of modernization project, and they will be adding PEMA welding automation equipment for their panel production.

The contract includes a PEMA one-side welding station and stiffener mounting and welding stations equipped with the PEMA WeldControl 100 system.

The line is also equipped with a special covered conveyor solution to make working on the line safer and to transport

welded panels smoothly.

PEMA welding uses Lincoln Electric welding equipment in their machines, including Lincoln PowerWave welding power sources. Lincoln and PEMA equipment together made the solution unique and suitable for shipyard’s needs.

“Seaspan invested in PEMA welding automation because of their solid reputation throughout North America,” stated Denis Larose, Facilities Interface Manager.

“We are happy they are providing new technology solutions to our $200 million shipyard modernization program.”

PEMA welding automation is a subsidiary of Finnish company Pemamek Oy Ltd.. They design manufacturing welding automation systems, and workpiece handling equipment. CM

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All acetylene regulators feature a red line to remind operators that using acetylene at pressures above 15 PSI creates a safety hazard.

Oxy-Fuel Safety It’s Everyone’s Responsibility

By John Henderson, Group Brand Manager, Victor Technologies ................................................................................

G

ood oxy-fuel operators know that safety depends on proper and responsible use of oxy-fuel equipment.

Safety has been a central principal at Victor for 100 years. In fact, one of its early innovations was a safer regulator because founder L.W. Stettner had lost an eye in an industrial accident and wanted to prevent that from happening to others.

In that spirit, here are a few oxy-fuel safety tips that may prevent accidents from occurring in the first place.

FIRE TRIANGLE

The foundation for all oxy-fuel processes is the Triangle of Combustion or Fire Triangle. Combustion requires three elements: fuel, oxygen and heat. Operators must control each of these elements, which is why safety starts with a clean work area, free from combustibles.

Oxy-fuel processes produce flames, sparks and a small amount of infrared rays. Eye protection options include a face shield, goggles or safety glasses, all with the appropriate shade lens. If operators use a face shield, they must also wear safety glasses underneath.

For operators that work in street clothes, choose tightly woven fabrics made from natural fibers. Wool is naturally flame retardant, and blue jeans, denim and cotton duck are also good choices. Wearing a lab coat or welding jacket (or at least sleeves) is a good idea; heavy-duty applications often require leather chaps and spats. Button shirt collars and sleeves, and

don’t cuff pant legs, as they provide a perfect area to catch sparks and slag.

CYLINDER IDENTIFICATION AND HANDLING

Operators commonly assume cylinder colour indicates a specific gas. Unfortunately, distributors and gas suppliers can paint their cylinders any colour they want. To identify a cylinder’s contents, read the label. If a cylinder doesn’t have a label, don’t use it.

All cylinders have a United Nations (UN) gas identification marking on their label. Common ID numbers include UN 1072 for oxygen, UN 1001 for acetylene, UN 1978 for propane and UN 1077 for propylene.

When moving cylinders, secure them with a strap or chain and install cylinder caps. Victor engineers understand that an improperly secured cylinder creates a hazardous situation.

EDGE regulators feature SLAM (Shock Limitation and Absorption Mechanism) technology. This three-stage “crumple zone” is built into the adjusting knob to help protect against serious cylinder damage in the event of a fall.

Ex bu fo ac

GASES IN THE WORK AREA

Oxygen is the source for many gas-related accidents, and a primary culprit is using oxygen in place of compressed air, such as to blow dust off clothing or work areas.

The most widely used fuel gas is acetylene. Other fuels are

C

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EQUIPMENT SET-UP: HOSES

There are three grades of hose. Use R and RM grade for acetylene. T grade hose may be used with any fuel gas and is the only grade allowable for alternate fuels. The acetylene hose, which is typically red, has a groove across one nut, which indicates a left-hand thread. The oxygen hose, which is typically green, will not have a groove, indicating that it’s a right-hand thread. Before attaching the hose, inspect it for oil, grease and cracks.

After attaching, remove potential contaminants by purging the hose. To purge a hose, adjust the regulator knob to about 5 PSI and allow gas to flow for a few seconds. Depending on the length of hose, that time may vary. Back out the adjusting knob after allowing adequate flow and repeat the process for the other hose.

Good safety practices shown here include securing cylinders to the hand cart with the black strap, installing cylinder caps, storing oxygen and fuel gases separately, and wearing proper eye protection.

commonly referred to as “alternate fuels.” These include LP gases (propane, propylene and butane) and compressed gases such as natural gas and methane.

Acetylene cylinders contain a porous mass saturated with liquid acetone. The acetylene gas is then pumped into the cylinder, absorbed into the acetone and released as it is used.

Because of its nature, always use and store the acetylene cylinder in an upright position, and never use acetylene above 15 lbs. pressure. Acetylene has a tendency to disassociate above 15 PSI, which can cause a chemical reaction.

Acetylene withdraw rate is critical: never withdraw more than 1/7th of the cylinder volume per hour. For example, if a particular cylinder held 280 cubic feet, dividing that by 7 yields 40 usable cubic feet per hour of gas.

Secure cylinder and hose connections with an open-ended or crescent wrench. A pipe wrench, pliers or channel locks will damage the nut.

TORCH INSPECTION

Only open acetylene cylinders ¾- to 1-turn. Also, notice how the operator stands behind and to the side of the cylinder when opening the valve, using the cylinder to shield him if necessary.

EQUIPMENT SET-UP: REGULATORS

Because different gases have different volume and pressure requirements, manufacturers engineer regulators for specific gases. Victor regulators are colour-coded and labeled for easy identification, such as green for oxygen and red for acetylene.

Pure oxygen can reduce the kindling temperature of petroleum-based lubricants to room temperature, leading to violent combustion. As such, the first safety check is to inspect regulator valves, threads and seats and ensure they are free of oil. Parts contaminated with oil or grease should be inspected and cleaned by qualified service personnel.

Most torches come in two sections, the torch handle and various attachments for heating, cutting and welding. Before using an attachment, check its cone end and be sure the two O-rings are neither missing nor damaged. Repair them or replace them if necessary. On a cutting attachment, check the seating end for the tip. Dents or scratches here could lead to a leak and promote an accident.

Before connecting any attachment to the torch, inspect the seating area of the torch handle and the thread assembly. When attaching them, hand-tighten only. Using a wrench will damage the O-rings.

Next, inspect the cutting or heating tip to ensure the holes are free of debris. On a cutting tip, check the seating end for scratches or dents. To properly secure a cutting tip, which is a metal-to-metal seal, tighten it with a wrench. Before cutting, make sure the cutting oxygen lever moves freely.

LEAK TEST

After connecting the attachments and tips, operators need to check the entire system for leaks. The steps to perform a leak test are as follows: Completely back out the regulator adjusting mechanism.

Open the cylinder gas valve slowly until the high pressure gauge

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Open the cylinder valves again. Any movement of the needles indicates a possible leak.

If a leak is observed, stop. Do not use leaking equipment.

Check all the connections. If the leak can’t be found, have the equipment inspected by a qualified technician.

PURGING THE TORCH

Torches also need to be purged to eliminate the possibility of gases mixing prematurely, which could lead to a flashback, or worse. To start, open the oxygen valve on the torch handle all the way. With a cutting attachment, also open the preheat oxygen valve. Depress the cutting lever for three to five seconds.

Shut the oxygen valves and repeat the process for the fuel side.

This is also a good time to recheck the regulators to make sure they maintained set pressure.

To leak test the acetylene side of the system, set the pressure to about 10 PSI, close the cylinder valve and turn the adjusting knob counterclockwise ½ turn.

Wait several minutes. If the pressure decays, the system has a leak.

reading stabilizes, then shut off the cylinder valve. Monitor the gauge for any pressure drop, which would indicate a leak of the high pressure side of the system. If no leak is evident, open the cylinder valve and adjust the oxygen regulator to deliver 20 PSI. Repeat the process with the fuel gas valve and regulator, but be sure to adjust the fuel gas regulator to deliver about 10 PSI. Close both the oxygen and fuel cylinder valves. Turn the adjusting screw or knob counterclockwise one-half turn.

Observe the gauges on both regulators for a few minutes. If the gauge readings do not change, then the system is leak tight.

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SHUT DOWN

Regardless of fuel gas used, always shut down the oxygen first and the fuel last. This technique leak checks both valves every time the torch is shut down. A snap or a pop indicates a leaking oxygen valve, while a small flame at the end of the tip indicates a fuel gas leak.

To shut down the entire system, start by closing both cylinder valves. Next, release the pressure inside the system by opening the oxygen valve on the torch until pressure decays; do the same with the fuel gas valve. Next, release the tension on the regulator by turning the knob or screws counterclockwise until they move freely. Check the regulators to be sure they indicate zero pressure in the system.

Always follow the proper shutdown procedures when finished cutting, even if it’s just for a lunch break. Never leave oxy-fuel systems pressurized while unattended. A leaking torch or hose could cause a pool of gas to build up (such as inside a barrel), creating a serious hazard.

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By following these guidelines, operators minimize the possibility of an accident and make the environment safe for those around them. To support training efforts, Victor offers a DVD featuring a 36-minute Oxy-Fuel Safety Video in English or Spanish and extensive supplemental documents. These documents include checklists for many of the best practices discussed in this article, a 65-page Leader’s Guide on how to conduct a successful seminar and a Participant’s Guide with training materials and quizzes to assess knowledge absorption. CM

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Cutting Edge Oilsands industry increases efficiency through automated pipe-cutting technology

The introduction of the pipe-cutter condenses the time-consuming process of layout, material loading and cutting into one automated step.

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he fabrication demands of the Alberta oilsands supply chain are staggeringly large. Miles of pipeline, hundreds of processing modules, and a steady need for new buildings, helical piles and support structures are all fueling a fabrication boom in the oil-rich centre of Canada’s expanding energy industry.

The volume and pace of work in Alberta is pushing large fabrication companies to seek out new, efficient and precise automated machinery that can speed the fabrication process, increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Ganotec West in Acheson, Alberta operates a five-axis, automated VERNON Tool MPM-5 pipe-cutter fitted with oxy-fuel and plasma torches to increase the company’s fabrication output and dramatically reduced the need for secondary processes.

Before purchasing the machine, Ganotec was hand-cutting all of the pipes, tubing, and metal needed in their fabrication processes, using magnetic travel arms to guide cutting. All material had to be hand-loaded and manually off-loaded from the cutting location.

The introduction of the pipe-cutter condenses the timeconsuming process of layout, material loading and cutting into one automated step. The machine can handle up to 48-inch pipes and can load and unload up to 45-foot lengths of material.

After the pipe is cut, the machine continues to save time because it cuts precisely. After hand-cutting, Ganotec workers spent significant time grinding, brushing or cleaning cuts before welding, but the precision of the automated cut eliminates the need for these secondary processes.

Ganotec builds pipelines and fabricates and assembles oilsands processing modules, as well as working on some power generation projects. Approximately 98 percent of the company’s work deals with piping.

Much of the work is building the structural frame, internal piping and pipe connections of oil sands processing modules used to convert the raw bitumen of Alberta’s oilsands into a crude product that can be shipped through pipelines.

Other oil and gas companies active in oilsands processing have also invested in new automated machinery, including Syncrude Canada, one of the largest private sector employers in Alberta.

Fabrication work in the supply chain of the Alberta oilsands is only projected to increase. According to the Canadian Energy Research Institute, capital investment in the regional industry is expected to total $218 billion over the next 25 years. Total economic activity generated by oilsands development is expected to equal $1.7 trillion. CM

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Cutting Edge BLM Group introduces fiber laser system for small tube processing

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he BLM Group has announced the release of the LT5, an entry level automated laser tube cutter designed to handle small and medium-sized tubes.

It uses a 1 kW IPG fiber laser to process mild steel as well as highly reflective materials such as aluminum, copper, and brass.

The fiber laser provides improvement in energy efficiency when compared to the more traditional CO2 laser, and can reduce hourly operating costs by up to 50 per cent.

The LT5 handles round tubes ranging from 0.5-5-in. (12-120 mm) square tubes from 0.5 x 0.5-in. to 4 x 4-in. (12 x 12 mm to 100 x 100 mm) and rectangular and oval tubes in the 0.4 x 0.5-in. to 5 x 2.75-in. (10 x 12 mm to 120 x 70 mm) range. It accepts tube lengths of 126-256-in. (3200-6500 mm).

The length of each tube is automatically measured during the preloading phase, permitting the machine control to optimize nesting and minimize scrap. Tube is supported and guided during each phase of the process to ensure accuracy of the cut and to protect the tube surface from scratches.

Unloading can be programmed to occur either on at the front or rear of the machine, and different types of pieces can be automatically collected in separate containers placed in the unloading area. In addition, an optional conveyor can be installed at the rear to unload short-length cut pieces or to collect scrap and end pieces.

The entire process is driven by Artube CAD/CAM software for laser tube cutting, a package that permits direct import of three dimensional CAD data, part simulation, cycle time generation, and advanced off-line nesting, all helping to reduce set-up time and scrap. www.blmgroup.com CM

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Cutting Edge US valve shipments to grow 3% in 2013; growth bodes well for fabricators

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hipments for the U.S. industrial valve industry will grow 3% in 2013, increasing to nearly $4.3 billion, according to figures released by the Valve Manufacturers Association (VMA) as part of its annual market forecast. The increase marks the fourth consecutive year of growth following the recession, and exceeds the industry’s previous 10-year peak in 2008.

“As VMA starts its 75th year, I’m optimistic about the outlook for our industry. We have rebounded from the downturn, which is a good sign for us and the overall economy. If the end users of our products are ordering from us, then they too are producing,” explained VMA President William Sandler. “I’m also proud of VMA’s important role in strengthening an industry that is the backbone for so many others and that stands out for its level of excellence.”

The membership is optimistic too, according to a recent VMA monthly economic survey, which showed that 85% of the membership expects 2013 to be better or equal to 2012. This follows on a year that turned out better than predicted, as 2012 figures surpassed initial projections reaching $4.15 billion, which represents 22% growth over the last decade.

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Overall, the VMA forecast reveals only slight changes for most of the 15 end-user industries. Power generation is predicted to have the largest increase in shipments from 2012, rising 1.0 percentage points. Four other industries are expected to record smaller increases of 0.2 or 0.1 percentage points. On the downsis. On the downside, the water and wastewater industry is forecast to decline by 0.6 percentage points, with seven other industries showing smaller declines. In terms of market share, the chemical industry is the largest consumer with 17.2% of the shipments, followed by water and wastewater at 16.2%.

Out of 11 categories of valves tracked, the most popular product last year was automated valves, accounting for nearly $1.3 billion in shipments; ball valves were the next most frequently shipped item, accounting for $760.5 million in shipments. The report also revealed that 21% of shipments are exports, a growing trend as the industry adapts to the opportunities presented by globalization.

One-touch swing clamps are simple and cost effective

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ne-Touch Swing Clamps from Carr Lane offer simple, cost-effective clamping and unclamping of workpieces.

Simply rotate into position, then clamp down in one continuous motion.

These manually operated workholders are available in three styles, including horizontal cam, or vertical cam, or hex drive.

Each style is available in four sizes, with clamping forces up to 800 lbs. www.carrlane.com

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Cutting Edge LVD Strippit now includes Touch-L touch screen on Sirius Series CO2 laser cutting systems

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ouch-L allows both routine and complex applications to be quickly and efficiently completed with minimal operator input. The screen features intuitive graphical icons and visual indicators to display functions such as lens and nozzle selection, set point piercing/cutting, cutting head position, parts nesting, and provide real time reproduction of the cutting path, guiding the operator through set-up and cutting application.

Touch-L also incorporates a part programming and nesting feature allowing users to import parts directly on to the control via a network drive or USB memory stick, apply cutting technology, nesting sheets and cut the nested parts directly at the machine.

The Sirius Series of lasers feature an integrated automatic shuttle table as standard with modular automation options for Sirius Plus, including a compact tower material warehousing system. Sirius is available with a powerful 2.5 kW or 4 kW CO2 Fanuc laser source. www.lvdgroup.com CM

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As an all-around, efficient drill, the CoroDrill 880 provides higher performance improved penetration rates for many whole types in different materials, especially for shallower holes.

88 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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New Concepts for Drilling, Reduce Hole Cost Drill selection is more critical than ever for the right hole at the lowest cost

By Christer Richt, Technical Editor, Sandvik Coromant.................................................................................................

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hen it comes to performance and results, hole-making has moved on in recent years. Penetration rates and precision have achieved new, better values through the right selection and application of indexable insert drills, exchangeable tip drills and solid carbide types. Making best use of the tool, set-up, machine capability and stability at hand means drilling that can be optimized to new productivity levels.

INDEXABLE INSERT DRILLS

Indexable insert drills are an all-around effective solution covering diameters from 12 to 80 mm. It’s an established way to make a very broad range of holes in most machines and conditions to depths of up to five times the diameter.

Since its introduction, indexable insert types have undergone considerable evolution. It is often the ideal solution for

shallower holes, using either a rotating or non-rotating drill, where tolerances are not closer than IT12. The modern drill can, however make holes to closer tolerances through pre-setting and the use of an adjustable drill holder.

Indexable insert drills are versatile, efficient and reliable and works well in multiple operations, materials, conditions, hole configurations and sizes. Modern indexable insert types have step-technology and wiper geometry for lower cutting forces, allowing high feeds, even performance and a good surface finish. It is also capable of non-drilling functions such as boring, hole interpolation and even plunge drilling.

EXCHANGEABLE TIP DRILLS

Exchangeable tip drills are a newer concept for hole-making, born mainly out of the requirement to change tools in the

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For hole tolerances down to IT9 in deeper holes and when tool change is carried out in the machine, the exchangeable tip drill CoroDrill 870 is ideal.

machine. It’s ideal for deeper holes, down to eight times diameter with hole tolerances as close as IT9. In the diameter range from 12 to 26 mm, it also has tool stock and cost advantages. New developments in this technology, especially at the interface between tip and drill body have added to reliability, penetration rates, finishing capability and handling ease, since the cutting tip is exchanged with the tool in the machine. Today there are step and chamfer options for this drill type, and good hole finish is ensured through newly designed geometries and drill flutes that provide good chip-breaking and efficient chip evacuation. Thanks to its performance and hole-quality capability, the application area is growing for this type of drill concept.

THE SOLID CARBIDE DRILL

Solid carbides have traditionally been associated with making holes with closer tolerances. And this is still the case today, but here the application area has been considerably broadened through the highly elevated penetration rate of this drill concept. The solid carbide drill is still superior and accuracy, delivering tolerances of IT8 in one pass, but, as a high-tech tool, they should also be seen as the means with which to more generally achieve high productivity – in many cases whatever the tolerances. A unique drill point geometry provides a new, higher feed rate capacity.

To get the most and best out of the new solid carbide drill concept, we should preferably be used in machines that have relatively high cutting data capability. An innovative design and a new cemented carbide grade vastly changed the application area and basis for selection for solid carbide drills

DRILL SELECTION PARAMETERS

Drill selection parameters are crucial in arriving at the best choice. The assessment and values of each of the following parameters will point to the best drill for the operation.

First look at the manufacturing and mission at hand:

The solid carbide drill, such as this CoroDrill 861, is the best choice for close tolerance holes to IT8. But today’s drill should also be considered for the high penetration rates achievable – often leading to the lowest cost per hole drilled.

– w orkpiece material, [type, hardness, condition] – m achine specifications [power, stability, strength, accuracy and space – feed capabilities] – a pplication set up [alignments, stability, single or multi-set up, rotating or nonrotating tool] – n umber of holes to be drilled [one off to mass production] – c oolant supply, [flow, pressure, quality and filtering] – t ool holding quality, [drill chuck type, integrated tool availability, amount of run out and quality of spindle interface] Then look at the whole and results specifications to determine the right drill type: – h ole diameter – h ole depth – h ole type [through or blind hole, interrupted or not, entry and exit conditions] – h ole tolerance and surface finish CM

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Drills That Thrill Happiness is a perfect hole

By Nate Hendley ..................................................................................................................................................

L

ooking to drill the perfect hole? Industry pundits offer insights, along with commentary about new drills.

“Making sure you have the correct point geometry for the application and workpiece material is key; this will reduce the cutting forces on the drill, thus minimizing drill walking. Drill size is also something to take into consideration: the smaller the drill is, the more important tool holding becomes; collet chucks have proven to be advantageous because of the even gripping surface the collet has on the drill shank,” says Alayna Roberts, applications engineer, Big Kaiser Precision Tooling, Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

“Monitoring chip evacuation is also important. When first drilling, it is best to start with conservative feed rates, and more peck cycles to get a feel for the performance of the drill. After positive results are achieved, it’s acceptable to start working on the application aggressively,” adds Roberts.

“I assume maintaining proper coolant flow would be one

essential tip. Make a conscious decision first, if a more multi application tool is the right one for the job (mostly for smaller lots and changing materials), or a specialized high performance drill (mostly for larger lot sizes). Then don’t be afraid to use the suggested cutting parameters. A tool that is used close to its limits runs the fastest and creates the most savings,” states Dr. Tilo Krieg, director of global holemaking and solid endmilling products for Latrobe, Pennsylvania-based, Kennametal.

For David Vetrecin, holemaking tools product manager at the Oakville, Ontario branch of Israeli tool giant, Iscar, it’s all about the coolant.

“High pressure coolant ... everyone overlooks it in drilling applications ... high-pressure coolant helps with increased speed and cycle time ... the initial investment up front for a high-pressure unit pays for itself in a matter of months,” says Vetrecin.

Here’s a look at what’s new and/or noteworthy in drills:

SECO

The Troy, Michigan-based American branch of Swedish tool firm Seco has added a new 8xd option to its Crownloc Plus family of exchangeable tip drills.

According to Seco drilling product manager, Scott Turner, the 8xD option was introduced to appease customer demand: “As customers do more and more drilling, they try to push the limit as far as diameter ratio goes,” he explains.

The diameter range of the Crownloc exchangeable tip line has been expanded as well to 12 – 19.99 mm. The tips themselves are coated with titanium aluminum nitride (TiAIN).

“With this one, we adjusted the mixture of aluminum nitride and titanium ... in testing, a problem with these drills [was] crater wear right at the very tip ... so we changed the mixture of the coating so it was a better heat barrier, so you wouldn’t see so much cratering in the tip. We also worked on the geometry a bit to eliminate cratering,” says Turner.

Crownloc Plus drills are also available in 3xd and 5xd options in addition to new 8xd drilling depth. www.secotools.com

KENNAMETAL

Kennametal has a slew of new drills. The GOdrill is Kennametal’s first microdrill that can be used for multiple applications and multiple materials. The YPC Beyond Drill for cast iron boasts asymmetrical flute spacing and is designed to offer best-in-class hole quality and long tool life. The KSEM Modular Drill System, meanwhile, offers extended length and drill diameters up to 40 mm (1.575 inches) and hole depths of up to 10xD. The KSEM Modular Drill System is built around “the completely unique concept of a double modular drill for larger diameters and deeper holes. The combination of indexable drilling inserts with a modular drilling center insert results in impressive feed plus speed capability. The modular FDS interface allows for easy handling and insert change outside of the machine while the basic body can stay inside and no further pre-setting is required,” says Dr. Krieg.

Kennametal’s new drills were designed with specific applications in mind.

“The YPC is a specialized high performance drill for cast iron applications, which mainly occur in the automotive industry. KSEM Plus has been developed for applications in the energy sector, particularly wind energy bearing rings. The GOdrill with its high flexibility is targeted at general machining applications, in particular on small and very small diameters,” says Dr. Krieg. www.kennametal.com 92 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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SGS

SGS Tool Company of Munroe Falls, Ohio, a self-proclaimed leader in round, solid carbide cutting tool technology, introduced a new line of composite cutting tools at IMTS 2012 in Chicago. The line included the Series 120 8 Facet Drill, which is designed to create accurate holes without splintering or delamination.

“When we talk to our composite customers, we often hear that drilling is their most challenging operation ... they have the toughest time controlling the delamination,” notes SGS product manager, Jason Wells.

The Series 120 8 Facet Drill was created specifically to deal with this issue.

“In the centre of the drill, it has an angle of 140 degrees ... and then on the corner, as you get to the outermost diameter, it changes to an angle of 90 degrees.

This allows the drill point to penetrate through that composite material ... instead of breaking out of the backside of the material all at once, it breaks out in stages ... the front centre portion comes through then the steeper angle comes through ... by coming out in stages or distributing that load across those two angles, our goal is to minimize or eliminate the pressure

vehicles,” says Wells.

One way automakers can improve mileage is by using composites, which would in turn necessitate equipment such as the Series 120 Drill, he says. www.sgstool.com

that can cause delamination or flaking on the backside of the component when you drill through,” explains Wells.

A stable, double margin construction drill, the Series 120 8 Facet Drill has proprietary crystalline diamond coating for even wear, extended tool life and improved finishes. The drill is aimed in part at the aerospace industry which has embraced composites.

“Various aircraft manufacturers are pushing the boundaries with composite machining ... we are also starting to see some opportunities open up for us on the automotive side of the equation, as the government, especially U.S. government becomes more pushy with regards to MPG [miles per gallon] ... the pressure is on the auto companies to lighten up these www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 93

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WALTER

Walter USA, the Waukesha, Wisconsin-based branch of a German parent firm, has added their Tiger-tec Silver high performance aluminum oxide coating to its lineup of Xtra-tec indexable insert drills.

“The Silver [coating] came out first in milling tools a couple years ago ... then step-by-step we began incorporating it into our turning and drilling and boring programs ... the Tiger-Tec Silver for drilling was released about one year ago,” says Patrick Nehls, product manager at Walter USA. Walter USA has also expanded their Xtreme Inox line of drills.

“We had the five times diameter program initially. In March we officially announced sales started of the three times diameter program ... it’s got all the same features and benefits as a five times D, it’s just a shorter tool,” says Nehls.

The 3xD program is designed primarily for “stainless steel applications ... medical, aerospace, oil and gas fittings—things like that,” he continues.

“One of the things we see in indexable drilling—a lot of shop owners want to keep the tool simple and use the same insert on the inner and outer pockets.

Our new insert drill is a step away from that. We’ve got different inserts on the inner and outer pockets. The reason we do that is to maximize the performance of the tool.

The centre needs a tough insert because of low cutting speed and high thrust. The outer insert needs to have wear resistance because that’s where you encounter maximum cutting speed. If we use the same insert in both pockets, we lose the benefit,” says Nehls. www.walter-tools.com

ISCAR

Iscar has added a flat-face drill head with an FCP designation to its Sumocham drilling line and introduced a so-called “Sumogun.”

The FCP drill head “is unique to the market ... no one else has a flat-bottomed, exchangeable head. It increases productivity for sure,” says Vetrecin.

Designed for use on steel components, the FCP drill head can be mounted on any drill from the Sumocham line with the appropriate pocket size.

The Sumogun, meanwhile, was unveiled at IMTS 2012 in Chicago.

“It’s like a two-fluted gun drill ... it’s almost four times faster than a gun drill [however],” states Vetrecin.

The Sumogun can be used for deep drilling applications in a diameter range of .472 – 1.0 inches (total length of 60 inches). As Vetrecin notes, it has two straight flutes with a standard Sumocham head. http://www.iscar.com/index.aspx/countryid/1

SANDVIK COROMANT

In October 2012, Swedish tool giant Sandvik Coromant launched the CoroDrill 460-XM, a multi-application, high-performance drill that can be used with a wide variety of materials. The drill is made from micro-grained carbide (thus combining toughness and hardness, resulting in high wear resistance and extended tool life) and comes in a diameter range of 3 – 20 mm and in drill lengths of 2-5 x drill diameter.

The CoroDrill 460-XM “is very effective for a shop that does work with a variety of tools ... they don’t want to buy a drill that’s a high performance, material-specific drill that’s just good for one material. They want to be able to use [the drill] in carbon steels, cast irons, non-ferrous materials and stainless steels or even heat resistant super alloys,” says Randy McEachern, product and application specialist at Sandvik’s Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.

The CoroDrill 870, meanwhile, is now available for steel and cast iron drilling operations. The CoroDrill 870 is an exchangeable tip drill designed to lower hole costs and save users time. The drill body and tip are joined by a “secure interface that’s also very friendly” while the tips themselves can be replaced with minimal fuss and effort, says McEachern.

The CoroDrill 870 comes in the 12 – 25.90 mm diameter range, with lengths 3, 5, and 8xd as standard.

Last year, Sandvik Coromant also released the CoroDrill 801 and CoroDrill 818 for deep hole drilling. The CoroDrill 801 is designed to support secure drilling procedures in difficult-to-chip materials while the CoroDrill 818 is a counterboring tool for deep hole operations. www.sandvik.coromnant.com 94 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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13-03-27 7:05 AM

fabricationquebec.ca

The premier event for manufacturers in Quebec in 2013 April 23 and 24, Place Bonaventure, Montreal Three shows – one great location

Advanced Manufacturing Expo: AMEXPO

Plant Management and Design Engineering: PMDS

Contract Manufacturing Expo: CONTREX

Offering industry professionals the opportunity to compare advanced technology solutions from both capital equipment

Specialized in plant and facility management and equipment design.

Featuring contract manufacturers with expertise in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, defence, semiconductor, energy, medical, automotive and many more.

pmds.ca

contrexquebec.ca

and service suppliers.

amexpo.ca

Call today to reserve your spot : 1-888-322-7333 extension 4416

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Not Just Skin Deep Bohler-Uddeholm’s handy guide describes the most common surface finish defects.

96 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Courtesy Bohler-Uddeholm www.bucanada.ca

98 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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13-03-27 7:06 AM

Tool Talk Hardinge releases new 80 mm FlexC vulcanized collet system

H

ardinge has released their new 80mm FlexC vulcanized collet system, with collet chucks that mount directly to the machine spindle.

The 80mm vulcanized collets are inserted and removed with a manual compression wrench for collet changeover in less than 10 seconds.

The FlexC collet system falls in the “special accuracy” collet classification having guaranteed accuracy within .0004-inch (.010mm) TIR for style A (pull-back Dead-length stationary stop) and .0008-inch (.020mm) TIR for style DL (push-to-close).

These systems achieve the same gripping capability as conventional collets while using less draw bar force. Additionally, the all too frequent variation in bar stock will no longer be a hindrance. The collet head has a gripping range of ±.020-inch (.5mm) of its nominal size to allow for variation in bar stock without having to change the collet.

Because there is no collet body, the collet segments will remain parallel to the stock even when there are variations in

the bar stock. This parallel clamping insures full bearing contact with the part for optimum holding power and reduced push back.

Hardinge FlexC collet systems are interchangeable with other brands on the market. Collets are available in round and hex smooth, round and hex serrated, square smooth, emergency and S-master styles. www.shophardinge.com

New! ™

Provides “inline” fluid recycling faster, easier & cheaper than how you maintain your cutting fluids today

It’s like dialysis for your sump!

No more draining tanks, lost production time, wasted labor, moving hundreds of gallons of new and old fluids around the shop, disposing of valuable/recyclable coolants, and high coolant bills!

The SumpDoc™ simply moves from one machine to the next, seamlessly cleaning and rejuvenating the machine’s coolant. All in the background while your machines continue to produce parts.

Call 888.300.3743 or visit Hydroflow.Eriez.com

www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 99

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Tool Talk Mazak Canada host first event in their Lunch and Learn series

M

azak Canada launched the firm’s Lunch and Learn seminar series on March 1 at the Mazak Canada Technology Centre in Cambridge, Ontario.

The 71 attendees learned about Sandvik Coromant’s Silent Tools anti-vibration tooling products from Sandvik experts David Andrews and Kevin Burton.

Lunch was served on site and the day included real-time demonstrations on the Mazak machines in the tech centre. Also at the event, Sandvik Coromant announced new Coromill and Corochuck products.

The new series from Mazak will run throughout the year, with other events on April 5, May 3 and 31, September 6, and November 1 and 29. The other events will also feature partner suppliers such as Renishaw, and Kennemetal.

For more information and a schedule of the Lunch and Learn series, visit www.mazakcanada.ca CM

Mazak Canada general manager Ray Buxton introduces the Lunch and Learn series)

P

100 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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META MET ME TAManufacturing LMANUFACTURING LWORKING WORKING&& W PrODuctiOn PRODUCTION Expo EXPO

Mark Your Calendars!

May 7, 2013

Coquitlam, British Columbia

A one day table-top show targeted to the manufacturing & production audience in the greater Vancouver market. n Meet face-to face with knowledgeable product and application engineers n Get hands-on experience with the latest products and solutions on display n Learn about processes in industries including automotive, aerospace, energy and resources, medical, transportation and tool-die moldmaking.

FEAturEd produCtS And tEChnoLogiES inCLudE: the latest machine tools, cutting tools, software applications, automotive, fabricating and welding technologies, And MorE! SponSorEd BY:

AdMiSSion iS FrEE Register to attend at: mmpshow.com Registration also grants you access to Design Engineering Expo.

Two great shows under one roof!

Presented By:

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PrODuctiOn PRODUCTION Expo EXPO

LiMitEd ExhiBit SpACE AVAiLABLE Business Information Group

Leading the Way Since 1905 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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tel: (416) 510-5225 info@CanadianMetalworking.com www.canadianmetalworking.com

13-03-27 7:06 AM

New tools for old operations There’s more to grinding and drilling than contractor type hand tools

F

or modern high productivity fabrication work metal stock removal is a daily part of the business. Whether it’s snagging castings, beveling seams for welding, leveling and buffing surfaces or just plain fixing mistakes, grinding and drilling can be approached from many ways. While conventional

hardware store tools can do the job, special hand tools are significantly more productive and more than pay for their higher upfront cost. Still burning out DIY and contractor type hand tools? Check out these industrial-grade productivity enhancing solutions

S o c

High power grinder with multiple uses

T

he Walter Duron 6 angle grinder is a powerful, high torque professional unit designed for demanding grinding, beveling, cutting and pipefitting applications. The guard is adjustable without tools and the full grip rear handle is available with a twister handle lock on switch or a “dead man” switch for safety www.walter.com/Walter/en-ca

Lightweight mag drill for tight areas

H

ougen has released their HMD150, a low-profile, lightweight, and compact mag drill can be used in tight places where a regular electric drill may not work.

It features Hougen’s bayonet-style twist and lock cutter mounting system and a height of just 7-13/16-in. (6-1/2-in. W x 11-11/16-in. L), the drill was designed for fast, efficient holemaking in confined spaces.

Most applications include general fabrication, plant maintenance, and on-site assembly and installation projects.

The drill weighs 22.7 lb (12.5 kg), and has an electric rating of 120V, 50/60 Hz and 9 amps. The motor operates from any standard 115/120 volt power source and develops 450 no-load RPMs. The magnetic base has a powerful 1,200 lb (544 kg). dead lift rating on 3/8-in. plate and 2165 lb (982 kg) on 1-in plate. Drill point breakaway limits are 500 lb (226 kg) for 3/8-in. plate, and 735 lb (333 kg) for 1-in. plate. The unit is equipped with a removable feed handle for ratcheting the feed in extremely close quarters.

Controls include separate magnet engage/disengage and motor spindle on/off switches. As an added safety feature, a switch detects vertical magnetic lift, shuts down the motor should lift of the magnet occur.

The drill has a rigid quill feed, which prevents tool vibration, eliminates gibs, slide/way adjustments and maintenance while providing a constant low profile.

Each drill unit comes with a plastic carrying case and carrying handle. www.hougen.com

F

102 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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13-03-27 6:34 AM

Superior cleaning of industrial contaminants

CB 100

TM

Powerful Natural Cleaner and Degreaser Made with natural and renewable vegetable extracts Biodegradable and VOC-free Ideal for pre-soaking and immersion applications

VIDEO DEMO

CB 100 is an all-natural, water-based cleaner and degreaser. Through the powers of our exclusive Nature Boost technology, CB 100 boasts superior cleaning results when challenged with the removal of stubborn ink, rubber marks, tar, wax, carbon, soot, pastes and many other common industrial contaminants. Made with natural and renewable vegetable extracts, CB 100 is biodegradable and VOC-free.

For more information, visit: walter.com or contact your Walter Representative.

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Power drilling and core drilling in one unit

F

EIN’s new KBH 25 combines the qualities of high performance power drills and carbide-tipped core bits in a single system.

The new drilling technology enables rapid work with less effort, and allows work to be done up to five times faster when core drilling. Even in tight, difficult-to-reach locations, the FEIN KBH 25 plays off its strengths.

The combination of a core drilling machine, optimum speed, patentpending drilling technology, and carbide bits with special tooth geometry, has the ability to offer time and money savings compared with conventional drilling methods.

Because of a newly developed drilling technology, the pilot bit in the FEIN KBH 25 core drilling system for metal is only in use as long as necessary.

In order to absorb the lateral forces that arise during subsequent core drilling, the pilot bit ensures the necessary positioning in the workpiece by means of an approximately ¼-in. (6 mm) deep pilot hole. Once the pilot bit hole depth reaches ¼-in. (6 mm), the carbide core bit meets the material and the pilot bit is disengaged. www.fein.ca

New angle grinder is reversible

C

ampbell River, B.C.-based Turtek Technology Inc. has launched a new angle grinder with a unique feature; reversibility. Reversibility gives the operator an option for spark deflection, options for reducing kickback and options for increased disk utility. “This is the first clockwise/ counterclockwise rotating disk, angle grinder on the market”, declares Turtek president Patrick Turley. The unit features a top lock arbor system, a trigger lock out mechanism and a low profile disk retainer for flush cutting. The 8-amp grinder weighs five pounds and has a 15-foot power cord is pliable down to –40°C. www.spinrite.ca

1-800-265-2581

www.fein.ca

104 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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Beveller feeds automatically

T

he new beveller uses an automatic forward feed, which reduces the physical strain on the operator.

The tool is placed into the metal and runs independently with minimal supervision. Weld edges are prepared at a working speed of 79 in/min.

Because of the continuous self-feed and the adjustable feedspeed it is much easier to a very uniform edge quality.

With automatic forward feed: – Processes straight edges on long sheets of metal as well as T and double T carriers.

– Continuous self-feed and adjustable feed speed; machine operates on its own with minimal supervision – Adjusts to sheet thickness without tools – Cutting tool can be changed without tools and can be reground multiple times – Welding seam preparation in a single step – Bevelling angle is adjustable from 20° to 55°

The beveller is ideal for applications like, machine manufacturing, shipbuilding, boilers, steelwork, and bridge construction.

The model is available in electric version. www.us.trumpf.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

American Torch Tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Messer Cutting Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

SME - CMTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

AMT Machine Tools Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Metalworking Mfg & Production Expo. . . . . . . . 101

SME - PMDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Benz Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Multicyl Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

SME - WMTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Bohler-Uddenholm Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Nederman Canada Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Brother . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Brubaker Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Cecor Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 CWB Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71,87 Dillon Manufacturing, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 31 Dipaolo CNC Retrofit Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . 11 Elliott Matsuura Canada Inc. . . . . . . . . . 4 Eriez Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

PFERD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Renishaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Retention Knob Supply & Mfg. Co. Inc. . . . . . . . 105 Sandvik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

SMS Machine Tools Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 SST Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Sumitomo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 TE-CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 TRUMPF Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC Tungaloy America Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Schunk Intec Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Victor Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Scientific Cutting Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Walter Surface Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

SGS Tool Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Walter USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

8CMM20186

01/07/2008

08:19 AM

Page 1

Faro Technologies Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Fein Power Tool Company . . . . . . . . . 104 Ferro Technique Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Gravotech - Gravograph . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Gravotech - Technifor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 H&R Mfg. and Supply, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . 12

Filter coolant faster, easier, cleaner and save!

The power of CECOR high suction lift cleans sumps down to the bare metal in minutes.

Haas Automation Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Henkel Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

IN STOCK

HORN USA, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

American Standards and specials.

Japanese Standards inch or metric.

Hurco USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC Hypertherm Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Hyundai-Wia Machine America Corp. . 21 Ingersoll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

FOR FAST DELIVERY:

Iscar Tools Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBC ITI Tooling Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Koma Precision, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Lincoln Electric Co. of Canada Ltd. . . . . 77 Machitech Automation. . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Makino Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Mascoutech Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

CECOR Sump Cleaners pick up everything in the sump - coolant, chips and swarf.

Filter separates solids from the coolant.

www.cecor.net 1-800-356-9042

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, OH 43311

Megatel Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 www.canadianmetalworking.com | APRIL 2013 | 105

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By The NUMBERS Bouncing Back Commodities are volatile, but energy, mining and forestry are holding their own

Excluding Metals & Date Total Energy Energy Minerals Forestry Agriculture Fish 2012

634.01

412.23

1,602.79

781.99

333.49

306.64

938.37

2011

672.12

413.63

1,769.37

813.45

318.60

301.05

938.42

2010

576.15

356.42

1,511.18

700.09

318.34

227.64

948.38

2009

469.07

303.55

1,197.34

590.60

250.03

204.44

844.08

2008

691.16

362.47

1,996.84

664.58

297.72

265.42

952.51

Source: adapted from the Bank of Canada commodity price index, www.bankofcanada.ca

T

he Bank of Canada maintains an excellent website with multiple statistical tools to analyze the Canadian economy.

The Banks’ commodity price index is a useful way to measure output on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis. The above chart shows the sector-by-sector progress of the economy since the 2008 economic crisis. Energy is down slightly reflecting global oil price volatility and weakness in natural gas pricing. Metals and minerals are also off, similarly affected by downward pressure on pricing for critical raw materials such as iron, copper and nickel. Forestry is up significantly, reflecting a rebound in US housing starts and supply issues driven by mill shutdowns in Canada and the US. By comparison the fisheries

sector is back and agriculture follows the resource trend with modest growth. With the European financial crisis far from over, rebounding US demand coupled with Asia represents the major portion of near term growth in the Canadian resource sector. In the US, the question remains: what will happen when quantitative easing ends and interest rates return to historically normal levels? Can the seemingly insatiable Chinese appetite for raw materials go on forever? Even if demand remains strong, can the sector find and keep trained personnel to fill the demand? We are not out of the woods yet, but compared to Europe, it’s smooth sailing. CM

106 | APRIL 2013 | www.canadianmetalworking.com

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3/1/12 10:36 AM 13-03-27 7:07 AM

Why Pay More?

Improved Productivity and Tool Life for Less Money with

CTIVE E F F E COST ROACH APP

ECO THICKER INSERT

TURNING LINE

CNMG 0904.. (33...)

CNMG 1204.. (43...)

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