Industrial Machinery Digest - February 2021

» Online and On-Demand Training » Additive Manufacturing Is Getting Smarter with a Digital Twin » Efficient Automatic Feeding of CNC Machines » A Turnkey Automated Solution for Mold Makers

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February 2021

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Table of Contents

COLUMNS

10

BUSINESS 4.0 Do You Have a Quantification Addiction?

By: Andrea Belk Olson, MSC – CEO of Pragmadik

14

TALKING SHOP Douglas K. Woods, President, The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT)

20 FEATURES

20

16

MANUFACTURING SHOWCASE BIG KAISER By: Russ Willcutt

22 24

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Online and On-Demand Training ESPRIT Announces New On-Demand Learning Center for Programmers

By: Megha Tatiya, CEO, SM Solutions

DEPARTMENTS

NEW TECH

28 PROCESS

Efficient Automatic Feeding of CNC Machines

32

SAFETY & MAINTENANCE Asset and Safety Management Post COVID: Why Safe Is Risky

Additive Manufacturing Is Getting Smarter with a Digital Twin By: Bill Davis, solution director of industrial machinery and heavy equipment industry for Siemens Digital Industries Software

16

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS A Turnkey Automated Solution For Mold Makers Unique compression mold build and robotic handling system delivered by Michigan-based, Commercial Tool Group

6 EDITORIAL DIRECTIONS 8 INDUSTRY NEWS 36 PRODUCT SHOWCASE 42 SURPLUS BUYING AND SELLING 49 CLASSIFIEDS 50 ADVERTISER INDEX

ON THE COVER

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Editorial Directions SERVING AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS FOR OVER

While it’s not yet time to put any of the trials we’ve been enduring over the past few years behind us, there is light on the horizon. The economy is recovering in fits and starts, and vaccines are now available to fight against Covid as effective distribution channels are being developed. I don’t think it’s too soon to allow ourselves the luxury of allowing a little optimism to surface in our lives.

In my conversations for our Talking Shop and Manufacturing Showcase features, I’ve noticed changes as well. Discussion about how manufacturers are dealing with these two issues has shifted from “what are you doing to get through it?” to “what have you learned from the experience that will be helpful in the future?” That might not seem like a monumental shift, but to me, it signals a sea change; being able to take your eyes off each careful step you take and instead start looking ahead and start planning for the future again.

As strange as this might sound, this inability to come together physically has, in many ways, tightened relationships between manufacturers and their customers and supply chains, and it has forced them to focus on their marketing and sales strategies. I’ve noticed that many OEMs and machine tool distributors have really cleaned up their websites, making them more informative and easier to navigate as virtual transactions have gained prominence. It seems that by communicating more frequently and efficiently via these means, all of the interconnected links within manufacturing have been examined, modified, and streamlined.

I’m no Sammy Sunshine, but I do like to recognize the positive wherever and whenever I can find it. I hope that things are improving for you, too, and that you’ll be able to carry whatever lessons you’re learning while surviving these challenges into a better, brighter future.

35 YEARS

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Industry News Manufacturing Industry Asked to Participate in Survey of Reshoring Opportunities What products and components offer the biggest opportunities for reshoring? What advanced manufacturing technology is needed to enable the reshoring? To what degree did the pandemic disrupt supply chains, and how did it affect sourcing? To answer these questions and better understand the needs of the manufacturing technology community, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology is asking industry, including OEMs, job shops, technology suppliers and distributors, to participate in an online survey to help in “Rebuilding the Supply Chain.” The survey is open through February 28, 2021.

The survey takes about five minutes to complete. Results will be published in March on the AMT website and on IMTS.com/ supply-chain, a one-stop repository for supply chain information, content and guidance resources. One of the key survey questions is whether or not OEMs and job shops would value an AMT service to connect OEMs with manufacturing technology solutions for reshoring opportunities.

“Participating in this survey will provide valuable insight on sourcing issues and which processes, products and components face the most pressure from imports and which offer the biggest opportunities to reshore,” says Peter R. Eelman, Vice President & CXO at AMT, which owns and produces IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show.

The survey is one of many activities related to AMT’s Rebuilding the Supply Chain initiative, which has gained greater visibility due to COVID-19 disruptions and shifting the emphasis of IMTS to further support the industrial base. Rebuilding the Supply Chain activities also include collaboration with the Reshoring Initiative, a not-forprofit organization dedicated to bringing manufacturing back to the United States.

Automation Personnel Services Opens New Location in Orlando Amanda Pruitt, Branch Manager of Automation Personnel Services's office in Tampa, is also leading the company's expansion into central Florida. "After being asked to serve the staffing needs of a single client in the area, Orlando feels like a natural fit for Automation Personnel Services," says Pruitt. "Whether you are looking for a good-paying job or need assistance with your company's staffing challenges, it is my sincere hope that Automation Personnel Services will quickly grow into the preferred light-industrial staffing agency throughout Greater Orlando."

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE Visit our website or connect with IMD on social media! www.IndustrialMachineryDigest.com

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Automation Personnel Services Orlando is located in the Regus Sand Lake Building at 7380 W. Sand Lake Road, Suite 500, Orlando, FL 32819. The office phone number is (407) 992-2309.

BIG KAISER Launches Online Customer Chat In order to help current and future customers with their inquiries, BIG KAISER Precision Tooling has introduced an easy and convenient way to directly access the company’s experts. LiveChat is available now on BIGKAISER.com. No matter which page a customer is on, they can connect directly and instantly with one of the company’s agents in just a few clicks. Agents will be available during normal business hours and customers can leave a message after hours for help with questions on topics such as application support, tool presetting, pricing and availability, order status, equipment maintenance, and more. Users can save a transcript of their chat for future reference. The chat feature appears on the lower right of any page on BIGKAISER.com.

Global Shop Solutions Director of Cloud & Technology Reaches 15-Year Milestone In today’s highly mobile workforce, working for the same business for 15 years says a lot about the person and the company. Global Shop Solutions, a leading producer of ERP software for manufacturing companies around the globe, is proud to celebrate 15 years of dedicated service from George Thuo, the Director of Cloud & Technology.

“George is the kind of person every technology company wants to have on their team,” says Mike Melzer, VP of Operations & Service at Global Shop Solutions. “Bright, personable, and motivated to achieve, he communicates well with customers and fellow employees. A relentless problem solver, he’s always looking to make our product and service better. When faced with a new challenge, you never hear George say, ‘I can’t do that.’ Instead he’ll say, ‘let me think about it’ and then figure out a way to get it done.”

A native of Kenya, Thuo holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nairobi and an M.S. in Information Systems from Baylor University in Texas. He joined Global Shop Solutions in 2006 as part of the technical service team, and quickly advanced to Technical Service Manager, where he oversaw the implementation of new installations, software updates, technical support, and much more.

Smart Press Shop Takes Shape at Porsche The first major members of Smart Press Shop GmbH have arrived at the Star Park industrial area in Halle (Saxony-Anhalt). These are the components for a ServoLine 20, induction press and laser blanking line, which is to be put into operation in 2021 in the state-of-the-art press shop of the joint venture between Porsche and Schuler. In this newly emerging press shop, the body parts of the Porsche Macan II are pressed, followed by assembly at the body shop in the Porsche plant in Leipzig.

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

Bernard and Tregaskiss Launch Joint Website Bernard and Tregaskiss have launched a new joint website to provide a one-stop destination for semi-automatic, fixed automatic and robotic MIG gun and consumables solutions.

The website includes a new look with improved mobile experience and a fully featured search to make it faster and easier to find valuable MIG welding information.

A new Support page provides access to services and tools to help users gain the best performance from their Bernard and Tregaskiss MIG welding products. The page offers access to customer service, technical support and welding distributors for personal assistance, along with answers to frequently asked questions about product manuals, replacement parts and product maintenance. There is also a new online tool to help users visually identify their MIG gun, reamer and consumables as reference for parts replacement and product reordering. Visit the new joint Bernard and Tregaskiss website at Tregaskiss.com.

WIMTS Set for October 5th 2021 The 17th Biennial Wisconsin Manufacturing & Technology Show will be held Tuesday, October 5 through Thursday, October 7, 2021. No longer simply a machine tool show, WIMTS is a go-to source to find technologies that solve real problems and to add capabilities that are needed to compete in the rapidly evolving manufacturing industry.

Critical areas of focus will include: Next Generation Manufacturing Principles, Artificial Intelligence [AI] and Virtual Reality [VR], Wearables, 5G Wireless Technology, The Industrial Internet of Things [IIoT], Industry 4.0, Global Group Buying, 3D Printing [Additive Manufacturing], and Automation.

Encouraging business to “ReConnect…ReAssert… and ReCapture”, this is the largest manufacturing show in Wisconsin and an ideal exhibiting forum for OEMs, Tier Suppliers and Contract Manufacturers.

James Kim Named CEO of Doosan Machine Tools America Doosan Machine Tools has named James Kim the new CEO of its North American operations. Mr. Kim has spent the past 37 years at Doosan in a variety of roles.

“I am honored to be recognized for nearly four decades of faithful service, and I greatly look forward to promoting the incredible technology Doosan has to offer,” he said.

Mr. Kim has served Doosan Machine Tools America for the past 18 years. Prior to that, he was based in Doosan’s South Korea headquarters as Marketing Team Leader for the Machine Tool Business Group of Daewoo Heavy Industries. In his time in the United States, he has taken on many roles, including Sales Management Director, Vice President of Strategy & Planning and Corporate Secretary (also a VP role).

SERVING AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS FOR OVER

35 YEARS

IndustrialMachineryDigest.com

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IMPACTING DROP ZONE

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The press line with an output of up to 20 strokes per minute (for example 40 doors, 80 fenders) has numerous intelligent functions from the Industry 4.0 kit by Schuler.

For example, cameras monitor the drawn edge of the shaped components. Under consistent conditions in the forming process, the shape and size of this drawn edge remain largely the same. If there is a change here, it indicates a deviation in material properties, lubrication or pulling forces.

Process monitoring is used to inform the plant operator, so corrections can be made at an early stage to avoid expensive scrap/rework parts to a large extent.

The camera-based tool monitoring “Visual Die Protection” controls the correct attachment of connections, detects foreign objects such as wrenches or punch residues in the tool and checks whether the parts have been inserted, reshaped and removed correctly. In the event of a registered deviation from the target state, the press stops immediately to avoid costly consequential damage in the tool.

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IMD 9

Business 4.0

Do You Have a Quantification Addiction?

By: Andrea Belk Olson, MSC - CEO of Pragmadik

W

e love numbers. We're quite obsessed with them.

Everything we do in business has to be measured and tracked in a nice, neat metric, often color-coded with a red-yellow-green indicator. We also pick numbers that are easy to capture, typically pulled from a report already being generated for another purpose. And oftentimes, performance bonuses raises, and other incentives are tied to these dashboard numbers. So needless to say, we live and breathe by them.

However, this information never tells the whole picture, and frequently fails to provide the organization insight into threats and disruptions from left field. Smaller, more abstract - often called "thick data" - is just as critical to capture and track. It simply doesn't come in as tidy of a format as our "big data" numbers. This ambiguity requires interpretation, which can be seen as difficult and not as definitive as a clear-cut number. The problem is this bias towards

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quantitative data blinds organizations to critical nuances that aren't found in oversimplified, aggregate numbers. While it's comforting to see that our average Net Promoter Score is a seven and has remained there for three consecutive quarters, this information provides nothing as to why or how it's there, much less what's lurking in the shadows to drop it.

Take the analogy of personal health. You may go and get an annual physical with your primary care physician. They take all the vital statistics - blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, cholesterol levels, weight, height, etc. All the numbers look good, and they haven't changed significantly over the last few years. Everything's great. However, that 'numerical snapshot', while tracked over time, doesn't address more subtle and harder-to-measure elements, such as stress levels, mental health, or something as obvious as an ankle fracture.

While you may say, "Well, obviously if someone had a fractured ankle, they would bring up that issue to the physician." Or "If they had mental health concerns, they would voice them to their doctor."

However, in organizations, these types of things often aren't brought to the forefront, as they aren't part of the quantitative dashboard.

Consider a situation where customers continually voice their frustrations about the bill pay feature on your company website.

Front-line employees hear the feedback on a daily basis, and possibly put in a request to IT to address the situation. Yet, the skin-in-the-game for IT is their website uptime - measured and tracked on the dashboard. Even though the bill pay feature is an issue, it's not a priority, because the "numerical metrics" drive organizational priorities, and in turn, behavior.

It's hard to measure customer frustration with the bill pay feature.

You might collect anecdotal evidence. You might feel it's simply isolated to a handful of less technology-savvy customers. You may believe it's just as good as your competitor's offering, so there's little need to change it. And there's no way to tie it's impact to the financial metrics.

So it languishes amongst a long list of other "to-do" items because there's no effective way to measure its value. And this is the problem. By solely focusing on aggregate numbers, you lose sight of the myriad of small things that add up to true strategic differentiators. Subtle things, including respect and trust, communicating in a way that connects with a customer's emotional needs and empowering customers to conduct business when and how they want - these things can't be measured easily, but we all know they have a huge impact.

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We need to step away from our addiction to numbers and take time to look at the smaller, abstruse, hard-to-measure influences on business success. Consider this - you know being polite and saying 'thank you' to customers is a no-brainer - but how do you measure the value of that? You don't. But just because you can't measure it, doesn't mean you don't do it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea Olson is a speaker, author, behavioral economics, and customercentricity expert. As the CEO of Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the author of The Customer Mission: Why it’s time to cut the $*&% and get back to the business of understanding customers and No Disruptions: The future for mid-market manufacturing.

She is a 4-time ADDY® award winner and host of the popular Customer Mission podcast. Her thoughts have been continually featured in news sources such as Chief Executive Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, The Financial Brand, Industry Week, and more. Andrea is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer and Director of the Startup Business Incubator at the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, a TEDx presenter, and TEDx speaker coach. She is also a mentor at the University of Iowa Venture School.

More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com and www.thecustomermission.com

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Talking Shop

FEATURING:

TALKING SHOP WITH: Douglas K. Woods — President, The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) I was surprised to learn that AMT was established in 1902.

Tell us the story.

We were originally known as the National Machine Tool Builders Association, and we made our start in the Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio, area. The original question was “can we get competitors together for the good of the U.S. manufacturing industry?” The aim was to get involved in providing educational opportunities, helping guide governmental policies, setting industry standards, and things of that nature. We also wanted to bring OEMs and potential customers together periodically, and that was the beginning of IMTS, which took place prior to World War II. As the years passed we began to include all the systems and technologies that surround machine tools, which continues to grow every year.

Especially in challenging economic times, why should manufacturers support AMT? In other words, what are the benefits of membership?

I come from industry, actually running a company, so I can really relate to that question, where you want to see sales going up, and costs going down. The two most powerful ways that AMT supports that goal is by gathering and providing its members with industry intelligence, and also with marketing access. In order to offer industry intelligence, we have market researchers and analysts onboard who study trends, issue forecasts, and even perform custom research for companies that are considering

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launching a new product line, for instance.

As for market access, where else in the U.S. can you have 100,000 people exposed to your products, technologies, and services? In addition, we host pavilions representing U.S. manufacturing at international tradeshows, and we have tech centers located around the world to help American manufacturers wanting to expand into new markets to acclimate themselves to their target country.

We also have strong relationships with peer associations located around the world, and those channels of communication are open and active.

In what other ways does AMT work to represent the U.S. manufacturing industry both domestically and abroad?

Here in the States, we work with the Departments of Commerce, Energy, and Defense, among many others, to stay abreast of policy changes. While we don’t act specifically as lobbyists, we do offer ourselves as a resource that anyone in government can reach out to. We also sit on many panels and committees, both here and overseas, so that we can have a say in things such as the development of ISO and other technical standards. In addition, our involvement with technical universities around the world keeps us at the leading edge of advanced technologies and innovations to help keep the American manufacturing industry strong. We’re always asking ourselves the question “How do we make it easy for our members to succeed overseas?”

Once we recover from the twin fists of a pandemic and an economic recession, do you believe we will have learned any valuable lessons?

I think it’s clear that we’ve learned a lot in terms of streamlining and rethinking how we go about doing business. For instance, augmented reality is now a mainstay in how we talk about machine tools and peripheral devices, while at the same time minimizing exposure due to fieldwork. Automation has really taken off, as well, so there’s less chance of exposure on the shop floor. Another example of increased efficiency involves the relationship between manufacturers and their supply chains, in which clearer communication has helped keep lead times to a minimum and machine tools in operation. I think companies are also paying an interest in improving their messaging, concentrating on upgrading websites, focusing on the content of their webinars, and producing product demos for their YouTube channel, for example.

And all of this is supported by open platforms such as MTConnect, which we developed with our industry partners as a means of standardizing data from all the devices on the shop floor. So these are just a few of the ways AMT supports American manufacturing while at the same time representing our expertise and capabilities in all the major markets found around the world.

More information is available at amtonline.org

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Safety & Maintenance

Asset and Safety Management Post COVID: Why Safe Is Risky By: Megha Tatiya, CEO, SM Solutions

H

ow do asset and safety management changes at the facilities level apply to worldwide preparedness for the next pandemic? This is the question facilities managers are asking as they prepare for their return to work and consider how to respond to this current situation and then, the next pandemic/ epidemic/catastrophe. Undoubtedly, they will want to know, “What did we miss, and why? What are the implications for our places of work? What will ensure that the company’s equipment assets and human resources will be ready for a smooth and quick return to work this time—or next time?”

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The answers to these questions can mitigate the costly problems produced by the lack of operation and maintenance protocols during the shutdown. Moreover, managers may learn that cutting back on maintenance crews over the closure to save money was a mistake that will slow a return to an efficient and productive workplace of any kind. Additionally, and perhaps fortuitously, firms that continued their equipment maintenance to some degree might have benefited in realizing that while technology can still help in many ways, it does not handle everything.

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COVID-19 Lessons Learned One of the biggest mistakes in hindsight was that cutting out maintenance during the pandemic—the safer route in terms of outlay during a prolonged period of low- or no-production—ended up being riskier. The difficulty was accepting that asset ownership costs would be increased as difficulties in obtaining proper PPE for maintenance staff pushed social distancing requirements to their limits.

That was coupled with the fact that it had become difficult to find trained maintenance resources.

The maintenance crew shortage grew from stay-at-home mandates coupled with a painful cash-flow crunch, tempting facilities managers into relaxing equipment upkeep routines. The problem would be to see how to keep their maintenance costs in check while keeping both physical assets and human resources in good health. The challenge turned out to be an opportunity to acknowledge how both would have to be ready to ramp up quickly and scale speedily when the pandemic was over. Asset and

safety management for businesses became a big priority literally overnight.

Overcoming Challenges In Adopting New Solutions One of the pandemic’s takeaways is a belief that investing in asset management systems can help companies deal with current and future epidemics. Mobile technologies such as handheld devices to enable remote monitoring are offered

by Maximo Anywhere, Interloc Maximo, Maximo Scheduler, and other enterprise asset management solutions.

Health, safety, and environment management tools can: » Inform tag-out procedures » Remind staff to practice social distancing » Alert personnel to hazardous conditions Today, IoT devices can be placed on assets to collect Big Data that will inform engineers’ calculated decisions for refurbishing, replacing, reengineering— without being near the asset. Artificial Intelligence combined with Alexa and Google assistant types can remotely handle

maintenance by sensing, diagnosing, and troubleshooting operations during the shutdown, and then be leveraged for future operations when normal functions return.

Doing nothing to handle facilities maintenance might be considered “safe,” because spending money with no revenue is risky. However, investing in an enterprise asset management system protects the future of an assets’ productivity. Companies can leverage asset management systems to plan for the re-start that will bring fabrication back safely, systematically, efficiently, and profitably. While humans are sleeping, integrated hardware and software systems can collect Big Data with wire sensors, meters, and photos that inform and optimize future shift planning schedules, materials use, asset replacement, and throughput.

The investments will be recouped as increased efficiency and decreased costs will make processes leaner. By training the workforce to use technology and continuing to invest in ongoing enhancements, companies can not only

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IMD 17

keep up, but also stay ahead of and be ready for any pandemic, epidemic, catastrophe, or natural disaster. To make it work, management has to both set the tone and be open to cooperation and collaboration in new ways.

A good example of handling the current situation and preparing for the future involves a shared safety and maintenance approach.

Three geographically separated transit authorities, RochesterGenesee Regional Transit Authority, (New York) Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (Colorado) and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (Florida) collaborated via the Trapeze™ Enterprise Asset Management group to help keep drivers and passengers safe by generally re-thinking the typical ways they had been doing things.

Schedules were re-routed, protective barriers were installed, surfaces were wiped and disinfected. Knowing the time and supplies needed to clean and adding these to the costs of doing business helped facilities managers keep passengers and customers safe.

The ‘new-normal’ costs will be captured and use by companies’ facilities managers who work in public transit or in other machineryheavy, employee-engaged, customer-facing industries. Public and private entities working together with consultants, scientists,

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and under the direction of the CDC and state and local authorities are finding productive, safe, yet risky and innovative ways to work through the pandemic.

Importance of Leadership and Culture Systems are great if they are enforced. Staggered shifts and mobile automatic notifications from mobile devices are useful during the pandemic. In addition, they will be a boon to restarting safely and

productively to prevent a new wave of pandemic from sloshing over the workforce and the assets the systems are trying to protect.

Sanitization and preventive maintenance that include cleaning, fogging, and disinfecting will be part of the health and safety-first culture from the top down. Prevention is being safe. That’s a given.

However, not being proactively involved in prevention is risky so that adherence to prevention protocols cannot be compromised as this pandemic continues. The workforce will be trained in using technology, but also in making technology serve humans and not the other way around. There will be future epidemics, and thoughtful science-based, man-machine maintenance during shutdowns is a big part of being prepared.

firms’ mission and vision statements, those underlying beliefs may need re-thinking and viewing through different lenses. It’s time to “Think Different” as Steve Jobs said. Surviving takes on new meaning in the post-COVID world, and business and society cannot go back to our BC (Before-COVID) ways because history has a way of repeating itself. Bill Gates invites us to do better for the next time because no one is ever safe. It’s an illusion. So, it makes more sense to be risky—and be prepared.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Megha Tatiya is a certified Enterprise Asset Management

Wake-Up Call

(EAM) Subject Matter Expert (SME)

By this time, it is probably not new news that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates predicted a highly infectious, lethal epidemic in an extremely short (eight-minute, thirty-two second), very prophetic 2015 TED Talk. The last sentence of his talk was, “In fact, if there's one positive thing that can come out of the Ebola epidemic [20132016], it's that it can serve as an early warning, a wake-up call, to get ready. If we start now, we can be ready for the next epidemic.”

Unfortunately, business and society did not follow Bill Gate’s marching orders and were not ready for COVID-19.

Survival of corporate bodies will need healthier habits, just like human bodies, and the brain of the corporate entity is its leadership.

Because leaders’ day-to-day decisions (should) derive from their

with extensive experience. She has helped many multinational companies in different verticals across geographies to design the roadmap of their asset and facilities management solutions. She is the founder and CEO of SM Solutions, an IT consulting company, focusing on EAM solutions. For more information, please contact, megha@s-m-solutions.com

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IMD 19

Manufacturing Showcase

BIG KAISER

By: Russ Willcutt

H

einz Kaiser founded his company in Switzerland in 1948 to provide tooling products throughout Europe. It launched U.S. operations in 1990, just three years before it was acquired by BIG DAISHOWA of Japan, which led to what is now known around the world as BIG KAISER Precision Tooling Inc., based in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Propelled by the success of its boring tools, BIG KAISER now offers products in eight distinct categories: » Tool Holders » Cutting Tools » Boring Tools » Angle Heads & Speed Increasers » Workholding » Measuring Instruments » Turning Tools » Accessories

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The products are manufactured by BIG DAISHOWA, Speroni, Innotool, Sphinx, Tekusa, and mptec, based throughout Europe and Asia, for which BIG KAISER is the authorized U.S. distributor, according to Jack Burley, president and COO. “We are represented throughout North America by a network of dedicated territory managers and authorized sales professionals, but all of our products ship from our headquarters in Illinois,” he says, adding that the vast majority of its inventory consists of stock items, with only 5 percent or so requiring customization, allowing for quick order shipment from its 33,000 square-foot facility.

The efficiency of this operation is aided by leading-edge technologies tracking the movement of all products from the moment they enter the site until the day they are shipped. This system is constantly updated to ensure that necessary data is available in many forms, at any time.

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

Another crucial element in BIG KAISER’s operational scheme is the relationship between its sales force and the engineers and technicians involved in R&D efforts. Sales gathers information collected from end-users about how products perform, how they could be improved, the particular challenges they face, etc., and this is reported to the R&D team for consideration – and possible implementation – into future design modifications. Being a global entity, these meetings are held virtually, which allows for quick and constant exchanges, as well as timely responses to customers’ input.

Digital communication has also allowed BIG KAISER to retain its role as a premium provider of educational opportunities to learn about all matters related to tooling. “We’ve long been known for hosting technical meetings at our campus here in Hoffman Estates, which were always well attended,” he says, “but times have changed, so we’ve changed as well.”

Luckily, the company’s website was already well-structured, informative, and easy to navigate before the pandemic, allowing the company to focus on content. “We started looking even more closely at what we were covering in our webinars, what we were discussing in our blog posts, what types of product demos we were putting on YouTube. We wanted to make sure that the resources we offered to the industry remained powerful and useful. And in terms of outreach to our current and potential customers, we were quick to explore communication pathways that were both effective and safe, so that we could minimize physical exposure while still providing the same service we’ve always been known for.”

Looking back over some 30 years with BIG KAISER, Burley lists many things he’s proud of, and others that he’s excited about seeing in development. “I think one of our greatest successes has been the BIG-PLUS Spindle System, where the shank contacts the spindle taper and the spindle face simultaneously to provide increased tool rigidity, and which has been adopted by the vast majority of machine tool builders. What really excites me looking forward, though, is the digitalization of tooling, where there is true two-way communication between the tool and the controls.

“When you have a tool telling the controller ‘I can do more,’ or ‘I’m about to fail if you don’t back off,’ that’s when manufacturers will really begin to benefit from this technology.”

For more information go to bigkaiser.com

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IMD 21

Workforce Development

Online and On-Demand Training ESPRIT Announces New On-Demand Learning Center for Programmers

E

SPRIT has announced the debut release of its on-demand training platform, ESPRIT Learning Center, to the general public.

Traditionally, ESPRIT’s applications engineers lead in-person trainings in ESPRIT offices and also on-site at customer facilities around the world. While application engineers offer some of the best CAM courses in the industry, the ESPRIT team understands that not everyone who needs software training has the resources to travel to an ESPRIT office.

To support customers throughout the pandemic, ESPRIT began conducting instructor-led, online training sessions in early 2020. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. To further satisfy users’ growing appetite for high-quality online training, ESPRIT now introduces the ESPRIT Learning Center to the general public.

The ESPRIT Learning Center is an online training platform with on-demand, self-paced training courses created specifically for ESPRIT CAM programmers. ESPRIT’s top engineers and instructors have poured a huge amount of effort and energy into creating these courses. The first learning paths to be released are “New User Milling,” “New User Turning,” and “New User Mill-Turn.” Each learning path includes five to seven training courses that guide users through several different machine models and part models to introduce different machining processes in ESPRIT.

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22 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

The main purpose for creating discrete online learning paths is to replicate what a student can learn from an on-site training class. Users may take the course anywhere, and at any time. ESPRIT customers can learn at their own pace while saving the time and cost associated with traveling. Each learning path also comes with one ESPRIT student license for each learner, so users can take the courses at home or in their free time, without interrupting their daily programming or production work.

"ESPRIT Learning Center gives us the exact learning experience that we’ve been looking for. The courses are very thorough, wasting no time getting to the point. Having all the supplied files and models within the course window makes access quick and convenient.” said Scott Hornbeak, programmer at Cassavant Machining. “This online training will not only make it easier for existing ESPRIT users to transition to the new ESPRIT—it will also help our new programmers rapidly get familiar with ESPRIT, without the need to travel to a training site.”

“ESPRIT Learning Center is a game-changer for our customers who want to learn ESPRIT,” says Yijun Fan, director of product marketing at DP Technology, the makers of ESPRIT. “Our end goal is to make high-quality ESPRIT training courses more accessible to our global customers. We want to share our best practices with users so they can optimize their machine programming to reduce the cycle time, machine setup time, and machine downtime. We want our users’ machines to start running as soon as possible and keep

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

ESPRIT CAM Collaborates with Alma CAM for Robot Additive DED Programming Additive DED (direct energy deposition) is a series of metal 3D printing technologies that creates parts by melting and fusing material as it is deposited. Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), also known as DED-arc, is one of the additive DED technologies being applied in robot additive DED to produce the near net shape preforms with significant cost and lead time reductions, increased material efficiency, and improved component performance.

Compared to a machine tool-based DED machine, which can cost up to several million dollars, a robotic DED machine costs significantly less (close to $150,000 to $200,000 USD). Additionally, many companies have existing programmable, industrial robots that can be retrofitted for additive DED applications. To provide customers with an end-to-end solution for programming robot additive DED, ESPRIT has been working with Alma to bring the best of the two worlds together—the world’s

running at the highest efficiency. And that’s always going to be our priority at DP Technology.”

To learn more about the ESPRIT Learning Center, please visit: www.espritcam.com/learningcenter

ABOUT ESPRIT AND DP TECHNOLOGY CORP. DP Technology Corp. is a leading developer and supplier of computeraided manufacturing (CAM) software. ESPRIT®, DP Technology's flagship product, is a powerful CAM system for CNC programming, optimization, and simulation—supporting the entire manufacturing process. With factory-certified post processors delivering machineoptimized G-code and ESPRIT’s ability to solve unique challenges with automation solutions, ESPRIT is the smart manufacturing solution for any machining application. With world-class technical support, ESPRIT empowers you to get started quickly and keep running at

most advanced toolpath planning in both subtractive and additive areas, and the industry-leading technology in robotics trajectory computation and off-line programming of arc welding robots.

This solution allows Alma to use the full ESPRIT additive DED cycles such as 3x, 4x, and 5x, bringing the software to a new level of support for additive technology. On the other hand, the solution allows ESPRIT to support industrial robot brands including Yaskawa, ABB, Fanuc, Kuka, and many others.

The result of this technology partnership is a complete workflow to provide end users with: » Dedicated additive toolpath planning and programming » Robot programming, simulation, verification, collision

detection, and code generation » Subtractive finishing process planning, simulation,

verification, collision detection, and G-code generation

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DP Technology reinforces its commitment to technical excellence by dedicating nearly 20 percent of its annual revenue to ongoing research and product development. This long-term focus has produced powerful technological innovations that have placed ESPRIT in an industryleading position since its market launch in 1985.

For additional information about DP Technology and ESPRIT, call +1 805-388-6000, email esprit@dptechnology.com, or visit www.espritcam.com

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IMD 23

New Technology

Additive Manufacturing Is Getting Smarter with a Digital Twin By: Bill Davis, solution director of industrial machinery and heavy equipment industry for Siemens Digital Industries Software

A

dditive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is moving into mainstream manufacturing due to its compelling benefits — it can be faster and more flexible than traditional manufacturing approaches. It also imposes fewer constraints on product design, supporting design freedom that comes from not having to integrate or consider manufacturing methods like welding, sheet metal, and casting. Instead, engineers can focus on the minimum material needed for the design. Additive manufacturing

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can also combine multiple separate parts to design as a single additive component, which can eliminate the cost of precision machining each individual part.

Given these potential benefits, manufacturing companies need to be thoughtful as to where they integrate additive into machine design, focusing on areas where additive can improve machine performance and where cost and quality can be managed effectively versus conventional machining and fabrication.

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

However, for all its attractive qualities, there are still considerable challenges in delivering additive manufacturing for high-quality parts at an industrial scale. There is a need for a tightly integrated and closed-loop design-simulate-manufacture flow to achieve quality additive products while minimizing design iterations. Before printing, designs need to undergo rigorous simulations of the printing process to mitigate risks, optimize the printing, and improve yield. This method must cover the full breadth of variables that can affect the outcome of additive, including the mixture of virgin and recycled print material, ambient humidity, machine parameters, and more. Besides, most companies will need to fit AM machinery into existing facilities, integrating it with conventional manufacturing processes.

Smart Manufacturing and a Digital Twin Only a comprehensive digital twin spans initial design to simulation, production, and testing with the goal of improving yields from additive manufacturing. This type of robust digital twin even includes post-process machining, plus make-ready processes for industrial machinery assembly. When the digital twin encompasses the electrical, software, and PLC programming it creates a true multidisciplinary approach for a full digital twin.

A smart manufacturing approach with this type of digital twin can help manufacturers respond to industry trends, such as the need to respond to customer-driven customization. Machines automate processes to help companies’ lower costs and expedite delivery of their goods to the end user. Hence trends in the broader consumer market ultimately end up defining what machinery customers need.

A typical consumer product’s development cycle is compressing – lot sizes are smaller, and product life spans are shorter. So, machinery customers need machines that are more flexible and adaptable to an ever-changing product mix, often with customized features or functions that require machine builders to innovate more quickly. Using a digital twin offers this flexibility required to meet changing customer needs.

Not all additive machines or technologies are equal, and not all additive part suppliers are equivalent. Because post-additive part geometry stability and heterogeneity are variables resulting from the additive process, manufacturing companies need to consider inbound inspection processes that directly address these issues.

Implementing A Digital Twin and Virtual Machine Simulation Designing and manufacturing machines using a digital twin provides additional advantages via the virtual machine simulation and commissioning process. This simulation enables the validation of a manufacturing machine’s software code virtually before it physically operates on the factory floor.

Currently, machines contain tens of thousands of sensors; thus, it’s common to not identify all of them in the code from the beginning, pushing that behavior expectation downstream. Instead, compressing the delivery time in terms of code writing simulation is the payoff, when the machine is sitting on the floor, waiting for the customer to accept the written code.

The behavior of machines is driven by software via simulating the code on a virtual digital twin to produce considerable benefits, including reducing time and resources when commissioning a new manufacturing machine or reconfiguring a line for a new product type. The PLC software code is validated, via virtual commissioning, in a controlled environment with a

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Utilizing a Digital Twin The holistic digital twin is ready to tackle these issues and optimize production beyond the factory floor. A digital twin provides a representation of all phases of the product life, from ideation (engineering and simulation) and realization (manufacturing and requirements) through to utilization for operation and maintenance information. This abundance of information assists in completing the product.

The digital twin is essential for constructing and executing the printing of additive parts while managing delivery, manufacturing, operations, and quality of manufacturing operations management.

All these components deliver an awareness for harmonizing the activities to deliver the correct parts at the right time. Manufacturing machinery necessitates skillfully orchestrating the supply chain, internal manufacturing, and assembly. Hence, the united knowledge management portion is a crucial element for designing and manufacturing, because supply chain management is essential in integrating additive manufacturing.

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IMD 25

modular product development strategy. This method permits machine builders to complete the simulation in the beginning, linking the software to the modules.

The Future of Manufacturing – Smart Manufacturing Via the Digital Twin Implementing smart manufacturing via a digital twin and virtual commissioning simulation provides the essential stages to an innovative future of industrial mechanical and product design, including the use of additive manufacturing. A comprehensive digital twin that spans conceptual design to product conclusion can deliver quality-of-life advances to the design engineers and all parties controlling manufacturing, operations, or management. When providing virtual commissioning capabilities, it empowers machine building, and a new process line, digitally simulating it before

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shipping the physical product, thus reducing downtime.

Additive manufacturing unlocks tremendous flexibility in the manufacturing process by allowing organizations to create lot sizes of one. Additive manufacturing is a technology uniquely positioned to help machine builders quickly respond to the flexibility and short lead times that are required due to current industry trends. Using additive manufacturing with a digital twin can drive new frontiers of performance and mass individualization, enabling new business models and new methods of production.

Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio provides capabilities to simulate additive manufacturing as well as the production floor, saving time and money in modeling, and optimizing operations before construction or equipment installation begins. The digital twin for smart manufacturing enables innovation for the machine manufacturer, the product manufacturer, and the end customer. It

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empowers all areas to know what needs to be built, thus providing extraordinary value for all parties. Smart manufacturing with a comprehensive digital twin is where today meets tomorrow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bill Davis is the Solution Director of Industrial Machinery and Heavy Equipment Industry for Siemens Digital Industries Software. His experience and insights have been acquired from a career spanning 30 years in engineering and operations management with machinery and heavy equipment companies. Bill holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from Marquette University, with a concentration in Operations Management and Strategic Marketing, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering.

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IMD 27

Process

Denali window wells from RockWell are lightweight and attractive, plus they won’t rust or corrode as metal wells do.

A Turnkey Automated Solution For Mold Makers Unique compression mold build and robotic handling system delivered by Michigan-based, Commercial Tool Group

E

stablished in 2004, RockWell Window Wells of Springville, Utah provides advanced technology window wells that are fast gaining popularity in the country, thanks to their exceptional quality, wear life, attractiveness and versatility. The company also continues to expand its product line to fit the needs of homeowners and contractors across the U.S. and Canada with various types of basement window coverings and window well ladders. RockWell window wells are built from high-strength composite materials, rather than conventional metal wells and coverings. Their products are rust proof, temperature resistant and won’t collapse under backfill pressure.

Furthermore, new egress window well models from RockWell feature built-in steps that allow easy-escape access during

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Lightweight and easy-to-install Denali wells are available through various building supply and home center outlets across America.

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

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emergencies and all wells can be mounted directly to the foundation wall. The window wells are sold through various wholesale distributors to contractors and builders. RockWell needed a mold maker who could produce large molds at an economical price for its new Denali line of window wells, so they reached out to Commercial Tool Group (CTG) at a recent Amerimold show in Novi, Michigan.

Commercial Tool Group, located near Grand Rapids in Comstock Park, Michigan, is a family-owned company with several divisions.

Commercial Tool & Die (CTD), was founded in 1953 by Al Bouwman.

With a wide range of large-scale CNC machining capabilities, CTD can accommodate customer needs for single-mold or multi-mold packages. CG Automation & Fixture (CGAF) has over 185 years of combined experience in the design and manufacture of down-line equipment, fixtures, gauges, applique form tools, trim dies and trim presses, as well as advanced materials handling systems and robotic articulation. CTG continues to invest in the latest large, accurate CNC machining and CAD/CAM technologies.

Vaughn Cook, the President and founder of RockWell, called Commercial, looking for assistance for production of a new line of egress window wells. He met with Scott Chase, Commercial Tool & Die Engineering and Sales Manager at the Amerimold event. They discussed the project, which involved forming composite material into unique window well products under the brand name Denali, as a lightweight yet rugged alternative to heavy metal window wells that often rust and corrode in use. Cook wanted to work with a mold maker who had large CNC mills for massive molds and that was familiar with composite technology. After a series of CAD reviews and working prototypes, Commercial Tool Group made large production molds from aluminum.

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IMD 29

Molds made by Commercial allow the composite materials to be heated and formed.

A robotic articulation system for loading and unloading was also designed and provided by Commercial to work in tandem with the molds during production.

The mold sections begin as large aluminum billets and the machining is done on a Zimmermann portal milling machine at Commercial’s plant. Scott Chase mentioned that the typical finished mold measures an impressive 66-inches wide by 109-inches long by 60-inches tall. He added that the molds utilize a thermal imaging camera in process to monitor temperature variation.

Commercial also produced three prove-out molds during the development process on this project. The molds were designed using Siemens NX CAD/CAM/CAE software and they are among the largest production molds ever made by Commercial, according to Scott Chase. The entire project took just over a year, from the initial contacts to the production of the first mold for use at RockWell.

When picking a partner company for this critical project, RockWell President Vaughn Cook chose Commercial Tool Group, as he notes, “because of their integrity and commitment to being open with all of the issues, as well as the company’s transparency and

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honesty. One-stop shopping was also such a huge benefit, as we were able to communicate through one company to get all the work done. CTG is a true turnkey partner to us.”

This Commercial system benefits its customer in various ways, as the system is more automated, permitting the company to produce greater volumes of product with higher consistency and traceability. Furthermore, it is much easier for RockWell to access all the information they need from one company as opposed to coordinating with three or four different ones, as Cook noted. This seamless flow minimizes errors, which reduces production lead time and keeps costs down. Without the collaboration between RockWell and Commercial, Cook believes that there would be delays in scheduling, higher costs and lesser quality of workmanship on the finished products being produced at his company.

Vaughn Cook praised Commercial during the implementation and runout, saying, “It’s wonderful to work with and have support from a single source, leading up to and during the implementation of processes.” Commercial made adjustments to the software programs and processes on-site at the RockWell facility. “These

“Although this was RockWell’s first project with Commercial, it certainly won’t be our last,” Vaughn Cook concludes, adding he is certain his company will once again partner with CTG because of the high technical skill set of the personnel and the great people that he met. “It was a perfect match for our success with this new Denali line, which is , which is already gaining popularity in the market.”

For more information, please contact:

ROCKWELL WINDOW WELLS Vaughn Cook – President 786 W Spring Creek PI #5 Springville, UT 84663 Phone: 801-396-7020 www.rockwellinc.com

COMMERCIAL TOOL GROUP Keith Foster – Vice-President, Sales & Marketing 5351 Rusche Dr. NW Comstock Park, MI 49321 Phone: 616-785-8100 ex 1188 www.commercialtoolgroup.com keith.foster@commercialtool.com

designers and builders of hydraulic products and custom assemblies products would have been impossible to fabricate without Commercial’s automated systems, as the cost and safety risks would have been too high, in our calculations,” said Cook.

RockWell uses Solidworks for engineering design work, while Commercial Tool Group uses the easily interfaced Siemens NX suite of CAD/CAM/CAE. The two companies seamlessly exchanged conversion files.

Regarding issues encountered by RockWell, Cook mentioned there were some early challenges, but Commercial had been supportive in making sure everything was working well at each stage of the process. He was very happy with assistance received from Scott Chase and other employees at Commercial. Cook mentioned he would often be present at RockWell’s meetings with Commercial, making sure the process was running smoothly and that RockWell requirements were satisfied. Cook emphasized that many Commercial team members would travel to his production facility frequently to manage commissioning of the entire system during this project.

According to Cook, they were “highly dedicated and committed to hitting our scheduled deadlines, which were very tight.”

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IMD 31

Industry Insight

How Does Automation Keep Manufacturing Resilient?

By: Emily Newton

I

mproved resiliency is a common goal for most manufacturers.

Disruptive events can happen at any time, but the most resilient companies can recover from them faster. There are many ways to strengthen an organization, but manufacturers often rely on automation. Here are some of the benefits they frequently see while doing so.

Facilitating Better Collection and Use of Data Internal data can help company leaders depend on factual information rather than guesswork when making decisions.

Although effective data collection can be a daunting task, automation often makes it easier.

For example, an automated tool could seamlessly gather data associated with certain machines. It could also automatically put it in the desired format. Then, a plant manager or other person in authority could quickly review it and take appropriate action.

Many automated platforms that collect data work in the cloud, allowing authorized users to view it from anywhere. That benefit proved particularly advantageous for an executive at Chobani who previously traveled extensively to oversee operations at two plants in the United States and one in Australia. He now uses an automated platform to see real-time activities at each facility, plus manage projects associated with each one.

If a company leader wants to collect and act on data to make their operation more resilient, they must first determine what problems they want to solve. Collecting information without formulating a strategy first could prove overwhelming and largely useless.

Avoiding Costly Downtime Unexpected machine failures can quickly hinder even the most high-performing manufacturing facilities. Costs can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, even for relatively short outages.

Fortunately, automation can reduce such hassles, making manufacturing facilities more stable and reliable. For example, many company leaders connect their most crucial equipment to connected sensors that automatically monitor a machine’s condition, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can also verify that items adhere to efficiency standards, saving energy and reducing emissions.

These sensors cannot prevent every failure, but they’re useful for alerting plant managers to signs of trouble. They might pick up on

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32 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

excessive vibration or unusual temperature changes. Getting prompt alerts about those abnormalities helps people act faster to assess the problem before it causes downtime.

Some automated tools assist even more by providing statistics that technicians can access in the cloud. Getting those details before showing up to work on a piece of equipment could help a professional diagnose an issue faster. It might inform them that they need to order a part beforehand or help them rule out common problems before seeing the machine in person.

Technology project manager Steffen Knoll pointed out, “Our employees are very experienced in this work, but risk of injury cannot be ruled out. What could be more appropriate than a division of the entire handling process between man and machine?” For example, employees must place trays into slots, which introduces the possibility of crushed fingers. Automated products could eliminate, or at least reduce, that threat.

Reducing Injury Rates

Most manufacturing professionals know that there are typically direct links between product quality, customer satisfaction and trust.

If a buyer perceives a manufacturer as providing high-quality goods, there’s a higher chance of feeling they made a worthwhile purchase.

That leads to a customer having increased confidence in doing business with the company again.

Companies often rely on automation to reduce the likelihood of defects and recalls. High-tech machines are not foolproof, but if programmed properly, they’re usually less prone to errors than humans. Also, since many automated machines collect data continuously, it’s easier to determine the products or lines associated with faults — often before items leave the factory.

Relatedly, automation can speed up the warranty claims process, benefiting consumers and companies alike. For example, a manufacturer might use a process automation tool to sort digital warranty claims according to a tagging system. It’s then more

Manufacturing jobs often have inherent dangers. Training can reduce them, but so could automated solutions. For example, people who work in manufacturing frequently suffer repetitive motion injuries. If robots could carry out the movements instead, humans are at a lower risk of encountering problems that could put them out of work for days or weeks.

When employees have to take time off to heal, a manufacturing company’s resilience could decrease. An organization typically has less flexibility when coping with reduced staff numbers, after all.

Swiss manufacturer Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG recently began a trial to investigate how automated technologies could reduce injury rates. Employees tended to get hurt when they put aluminum trays onto carts. Each tray measures 900 x 900 millimeters and weighs 5 kilograms.

Limiting Defects and Accelerating the Warranty Claims Process

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IMD 33

efficient for the responsible parties to access particular electronic folders and get the relevant details.

Such efforts bring more transparency to consumers, especially if they receive automated alerts about products under warranty. They might get notifications when a company receives a faulty product, after a technician verifies the defect, and for the issuance of refunds or replacements. These updates contribute to company resilience by helping customers feel well cared for, even when problems arise.

Helping Companies Cope With COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic affected the world in unimaginable ways. Manufacturers encountered numerous associated challenges, ranging from supply chain shortages to decreased output due to social distancing and fewer people on each shift.

The leaders of affected companies frequently discovered that automation was crucial in helping them bounce back while adjusting to new health and safety requirements. For example, an automated tool could trigger the placement of new orders whenever essential supplies go below a defined threshold.

At Axis Machining, a metal fabrication facility, eight robots kept output at normal levels, even when all workers on one shift had to self-quarantine due to possible virus exposure. The company began using robots in August 2018. Since then, productivity has reportedly doubled without increasing staff numbers.

Moreover, a Northwestern University project involved using robots to test the protective equipment medical personnel don to reduce virus-related risks. This approach reduced a manufacturing

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34 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

bottleneck caused by the requirement to subject those products to specific tests before distribution. The issue is that only certain laboratories can perform the evaluations, and many were backed up due to demand. The new solution incorporates a robotic arm and machine learning. It could let manufacturers handle the tests in-house.

Letting Humans Use Their Expertise Automation can also unlock human potential, giving people the freedom to solve problems, develop better processes and tackle other necessities that boost operational resiliency. Even the most advanced automated tools cannot replace humans — and they likely won’t for a long time, if ever.

Automated solutions are not magic fixes for every problem a manufacturing company faces. Some leaders invest in automation solely because they notice competitors doing it. However, the far superior approach is to investigate how automation can complement work done by humans.

Human ingenuity remains crucial in manufacturing and other industries. Investments in automation can help people focus on what they do best, such as being creative, expressing innovative ideas and pursuing continuous improvement.

The best opportunities to harness automation relate to well-defined, repetitive duties. When machines handle those, people get to apply their talents and knowledge in more rewarding ways.

Making Manufacturers Stronger with Automation The examples here should give manufacturers valuable food for thought during their automation journeys. Some may already use automated tools and want to increase their dependence. Others may want to start using automation and get ideas for where to start. In any case, learning how peers rely on automation can guide company leaders to similar successes.

For more information, visit www.revolutionized.com

Premium Features: Included Tormach. We’re known for compact, affordable, and capable CNC machine tools that help people make parts and live their dreams.

To make sure the 1300PL CNC Plasma Table offers the value we’re known for, we gave it standard features that are a premium with other plasma tables. These include: • • • • • •

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IMD 35

Product Showcase

PRODUCTSHOWCASE WANT TO BE FEATURED? Send your latest product information to editorial@indmacdig.com

IMD's Monthly Product Showcase features the latest from some of the manufacturing industry's top suppliers.

Tormach Introduces Its New 8L Lathe This new 8L Lathe is a small machine with big capabilities and has the ability to fill turning needs in a variety of spaces. Rigid enough to cut anything, whether it’s plastic, stainless steel even titanium, this machine can handle it, and at an approachable price point.

Starting at $6,595 for the basic machine with tailstock and fullyassembled enclosure, an 8L Lathe Deluxe Package with numerous features including a robust machine stand with integral coolant tank, separate chip drawer for easy removal, storage drawers and optional side shelving, as well as PathPilot controller, tool holder/tool kit, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and more is available for only $8,875. » For more information, visit www.tormach.com

New Intellistat Ion Air Gun for Static Elimination in Sensitive Processes

COXREELS® Offers Upgraded Swivel Options for the 1125 Series

EXAIR's patented Intellistat® Ion Air Gun is a handheld and lightweight solution to static elimination in clean processes or sensitive assembly work such as scientific and electronic test facilities, laboratories, and clean rooms. The Intellistat was designed to consume minimal compressed air while simultaneously delivering precise blow-off, and exceptional static decay rates capable of reducing 1000 volts to less than 100 in less than a second at up to 24-inches away. This Intellistat is activated with a comfortable, ergonomic short throw trigger which requires minimal effort.

COXREELS is pleased to offer our customers two upgraded swivel options for the 1125 Series. The medium pressure (up to 4,000 PSI) and high pressure (up to 5,000 PSI) can both be factory installed on the standard 1125 Series. The high pressure swivel is machined from high strength steel and nickel plated for corrosion resistance. This ball bearing swivel features maximum flow and enhanced load bearing capabilities. Offering a full product line serving the industry in every channel and application, COXREELS® takes great pride in designing, building, and supporting all of their products right here in the U.S.A.

» For more information, visit www.exair.co/153-iiag

» For more information, visit www.coxreels.com

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36 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

LMT Fette’s Precision Tools Bring Ideas To Life Using ANCA’s Igrind Software From simulation to production, tool manufacturers rely on flexible and robust machines, with automation options to drive technology development. “The ANCA machines match the requirements for the tool types that we make,” says Uwe Kretzschmann, LMT Fette. “They have a high degree of flexibility due to the easy automated change of grinding wheel packs. They are very robust machines and are very suitable for technology development For these tool requirements, it is particularly important to use a production machine during the development process and during the production of the first prototypes.”

Allied Machine Launches New Large-Diameter Boring Tool – VolCut

» For more information, visit www.anca.com

VolCut combines the benefits of the modularity of the Wohlhaupter MVS connection with Allied Machine and Engineering’s large diameter holemaking solution. This time-saving combination offers increased material removal and excellent chip control at greater depths for large diameter applications - even on underpowered machines. The VolCut insert holder is stocked for quick delivery with bore diameters ranging from 2.559-inches – 128.149-inches. Its unique design incorporates serrations designated to connect seamlessly with Wohlhaupter’s Twin Cutter and AluLine boring systems. » For more information, visit www.alliedmachine.com

Dillon Vise Jaws Can Be Machined to Match Contours and Curves of Workpiece Dillon Manufacturing, Inc. introduces vise jaws with exacting tolerances (+/- .002-inches in all dimensions, including flatness), with machined work surfaces to fit the contours and curves of the workpieces. Available in 1018 steel, stainless, 6061 aluminum, or specified alloy materials, in standard or custom blanks. Soft jaws or hardened (heat treated) jaws in HD or HDL vises. Dillon Vise Jaws are available with industry standard hole patterns that fit most manufactured vises including Chick, Kurt, TE-Co, Toolex, and Palmgren. » For more information, visit www.dillonmfg.com INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 37

Doosan Announces the New DHF 8000ST Five-Axis Machining Center

ESAB Launches Heavy Industrial Welding Systems Designed For Extreme Durability And Performance

Customers from two industry segments were influential in the development of the DHF 8000ST. The first was heavy equipment manufacturers (earthmovers, etc.) who machine large diameter gearboxes that require turning operations. The second group were companies, such as those found in the oil field industry, that also machine large diameter components. The nodding head spindle and direct-drive B-axis rotary table allow the DHF 8000ST to handle a complete range of machining and turning processes from roughing to finishing in a single setup. This ability to attack parts from all sides provides increased parts accuracy.

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products has launched its complete line of heavy industrial systems featuring the new Warrior® 750i CC/ CV power source, the new Aristo® 500ix pulsing power source and new Robust Feed Pulse and Robust Feed U6 wire feeders.. With a 750-amp output at 100 percent duty cycle and an 820-amp output at 60 percent duty cycle, Warrior 750i offers up to 100 amps more power than competitive systems. The extra output enables greater productivity with the larger diameter electrodes used in such applications as flux cored welding, hardfacing, cladding, mechanized applications and carbon arc gouging.

» For more information, visit www.doosanmachinetools.com

» For more information, visit www.esab.com

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38 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

Exact Metrology Introduces PolyScan XL Exact Metrology proudly represents PolyScan XL. Part of the Polyrix PolyScan™ Surround 3D Scanner family, these scanners are motionless by design during the inspection. Their unique calibration avoids the need for data alignment or sticker targets, and multiple baselines increase accuracy when measuring points. Surround Scanning is made possible by the huge amount of R&D that Polyrix placed on software development since 2005. The PolyScan Control Center (PCC) manages data acquisition from all scanning units, thus generating 3D models. Furthermore, PolyScan operation is made easier by the simple interface of the Automation Manager, or by 3rd party plug-ins (e.g. Polyworks Inspector™ Plug-in). » For more information, visit www.exactmetrology.com

GMTA Offering Stiefelmayer Lasers In North America German Machine Tools of America (GMTA) proudly announces the signing of an agreement with Stiefelmayer GmbH (Denkendorf, Germany) to represent that company’s line of laser machines in North America. Stiefelmayer offers lasers for various cutting applications, including motor laminations, plus laser hardening.

The Stiefelmayer laser is particularly well adapted to cutting precision shapes in thin substrates, including mild steel, stainless, copper and brass. Motor laminations are a particular specialty, and this fact matches the drive to EV in the American auto industry. » For more information, visit www.gmtamerica.com

Jumbo 500-Degrees-Fahrenheit Walk-In Oven from Grieve No. 1019 is a 50-degrees-Fahrenheit electrically heated walk-in batch oven from Grieve, currently used for curing coatings onto large discs at the customer’s facility. Workspace dimensions on this oven measure 18-feet wide by 18-feet deep by 10-feet high. 260KW are installed in Incoloy-sheathed tubular elements to heat the oven chamber, while a total of 66,000 CFM generated by two 30-HP recirculating blowers provides combination airflow to the workload.

This Grieve walk-in oven features six-inch insulated walls, aluminized steel exterior and interior, two-inch thick insulated flooring with built-in oven truck wheel guide tracks. » For more information, visit www.grievecorp.com

Fastest, Most Accurate Bar Puller On The Market Watch the video now at: ezpullerusa.com • NO MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENT NECESSARY (X axis end point gets changed in the program when changing bar diameters) • ONE TIME SETUP • NEVER NEEDS ADJUSTMENT •CHANGE BAR SIZE IN SECONDS (BY CHANGING “X” VALUE IN PROGRAM) • EXTREME REPEATABILITY RESULTS IN LESS MATERIAL WASTED PER PART

Hypertherm Introduces Extreme Bevel Plasma Consumables for Its MAXPRO200 Air and Oxygen Plasma System

• NO GRIPPING FINGERS TO ADJUST, LOSE OR BREAK • EZ-PULLER WORKS ON ROUND, HEX AND SQUARE STOCK.

The consumables, designed for mechanized, robotic, and handheld cutting, have an aggressive pointed geometry so the plasma torch can tilt to an angle of up to 66.5 degrees. This makes the consumables ideal for a wide range of jobs including steep mechanized beveling, tube and pipe cutting, structural steel work, pressure vessel construction, and handheld cutting. In addition, it makes it easier for operators to see what they are cutting and gives them better access to beam flanges and areas with limited clearance for better cuts and fewer secondary operations.

RANGE: .093″ – 1.750″ ROUND STOCK .125″ – 1.375″ HEX STOCK .125″ – 1.000″ SQUARE STOCK

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IMD 39 1/22/21 12:35 PM

L&L Ships A Large, Fiber-Lined Box Furnace for A New Aerospace Heat-Treating Facility The Model FB666 is a front-loading box furnace with a pneumatic vertical door. Its working dimensions are 60-inches wide by 60-inches high by 60-inches deep.

There are a series of castable piers and an alloy grid that supply a stable work platform for various part sizes and configurations. The furnace has a high-convection, air-cooled fan for air circulation and excellent uniformity at low temperatures. It was surveyed for performance prior to shipping and obtained certified temperature uniformity of ±10 degrees Fahrenheit from 500 degrees Fahrenheit to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. » For more information, visit www.llfurnace.com

Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas Group Launches New UniCarriers Forklift Heavy-Duty Cushion Truck Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas group announced the official launch of the CF100-CF155 Series, 4-wheel internal combustion heavy-duty cushion tire forklifts. These engine-powered forklifts are available to all UniCarriers brand dealers across North and South America, as well as the Caribbean. This product lineup addition now completes the Class IV product line for UniCarriers Forklift. Some key advantages include 10,000-15,500-pound capacity, low noise and vibration levels, and a low-profile counterweight allows for more compact turning radius. » For more information, visit www.logisnextamericas.com

Heavy-Duty Bench Grinders from Palmgren Palmgren’s family of Heavy-Duty Bench Grinders are designed and built with high- quality motors specifically for heavy duty and long duty work cycles.

Every grinder provides four to seven times longer duty cycle under load and eight times less speed degradation than the competition. The grinders provide smooth, quiet power for grinding cleaning, deburring, chamfering and sharpening. Among the features are adjustable tool rests, and adjustable eye shields and spark guards.

The grinders are available in wheel diameters ranging from 6-inches to 12. The 100-year-old Palmgren is a C.H. Hanson brand. » For information, visit www.palmgren.com

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40 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

New High-Performance Family Of Spindle Motors For Heavy-Duty Machine Tool And Motion Control Applications After considerable research and product refinement, as well as extensive field contacts with end-users, Siemens Industry, Inc. introduced the new 1PH8 family of high-performance induction motor drives and servomotors. Available in a wide power range, from 2.8 kW up to 1340 kW, these new motors provide excellent dynamic response, smoother operation and lower vibration levels. This new line combines induction and high-powered servo technologies to give machine designers and end-users a greater degree of efficiency and more precision in the production process. » For more information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/motioncontrol

Siemens announces Simcenter 3D 2021 New to Simcenter 3D is an auralization post-processing tool that allows users to listen to simulated pressure results to evaluate sound quality. “Simcenter Multimech allows us to model microstructural cracks and determine how they would affect the overall part,” states Neraj Jain, group leader in simulation and engineering at the DLR Department of Ceramic Composites and Structures. “Using this tool, we can actually see where a crack is developing, how the crack will change our material, and how it will affect the final microstructure of the material.” New to Simcenter 3D is an auralization post-processing tool that allows users to listen to simulated pressure results to evaluate sound quality. » For additional information and a full list of Simcenter 3D enhancements, please see: blogs.sw.siemens.com/simcenter/whats-new-in-simcenter-3d-2021-1/

Brochure from TAB Industries Showcases Cutting, Fabricating, Key Services A new brochure from metalworking manufacturer TAB Industries, LLC., showcases the company's laser cutting, metal fabricating, welding, powder coating, design engineering, and other in-house services. Entitled, “Now, Your Metal Parts and Products Get Delivered On-Spec, On-Deadline Every Time”, the brochure captures the company's key systems in action such as a 3300 W Bescutter Fiber Optic Laser cutting system, a U.S. Industrial hydraulic CNC brake press, MIG and TIG welding, 3D solid modeling, and a multi-stage powder coating line. Supply chain, logistics, assembly, packaging, fulfillment, and other critical support services are also highlighted. » For more information, visit TABIndustries.com

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IMD 41

Surplus Buying and Selling

Flexible Industrial Plant Gas Monitoring Key to Safe, Profitable Operation

Detecting dangerous gases with versatile, advanced modular systems can speed compliance and construction project completion By: Del Williams

W

hether new or retrofit construction, monitoring hazardous gases in industrial plants and warehouses, as well as at loading docks and receiving areas, is often crucial to safety, compliance, and productivity. Exposure to potentially toxic gases can come from a wide variety of sources, particularly in partially or totally enclosed areas.

According to an OSHA Factsheet, carbon monoxide (CO) is a common industrial hazard resulting from the incomplete burning of material containing carbon such as natural gas, gasoline, oil, propane, or coal.

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42 IMD FEBRUARY 2021

“Carbon monoxide is harmful when breathed because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overcome you in minutes without warning — causing you to lose consciousness and suffocate,” states the OSHA Factsheet.

“You may be exposed to harmful levels of CO in boiler rooms, warehouses, petroleum refineries, pulp and paper production, and steel production; around docks, blast furnaces, or coke ovens” as well as in occupations such as forklift operator, diesel engine operator, and welder, adds the Factsheet.

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

Similarly, industrial workers are exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from the burning of fuel for vehicles, equipment, and power generation, which can cause respiratory irritation and aggravate respiratory diseases.

Within warehouses and around loading docks/receiving areas, propane burning forklifts and equipment can result in a build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) with complete combustion, or result in excess CO with incomplete combustion. Breathing too much CO2 can cause headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, elevated blood pressure, and even coma, asphyxia, and convulsions.

Even with ventilation systems installed, the systems can be insufficient, become overwhelmed, or break down and fail.

Any areas at risk in industrial plants and warehouses should be continually assessed to avoid the inadvertent accumulation of dangerous gases.

To enhance safety, comply with regulations and minimize the risk of dangerous gases that can be inhaled or even flammable or explosive, gas monitoring systems can be set to detect for specific thresholds. After detection, such systems will typically alarm to warn workers in the vicinity, and can also text or email supervisory personnel or managers to trigger an immediate response. A record is often kept to document compliance.

However, the challenge is that industrial processes and capacities change over time. Design specifications written at the start of a project can evolve, and so can the requirements. Also, local jurisdictions and code officials may have different demands that must be accommodated.

“On almost every project, design changes occur so we choose to work with expert vendors that help us quickly adapt,” says Adam Hitchen, President of Atlantis Comfort Systems, a Rhode Islandbased HVAC contractor that provides commercial and residential service across the East Coast.

According to Hitchen, in one project in Boston there were changes in the design of a loading dock area that required accommodation.

“They erected a wall, which required an extra ventilation system, a makeup air system, an independent CO/CO2 detection system, and a change in the existing panel planned for the job,” says Hitchen.

“Our vendor helped us change midstream seamlessly. Acme provided the new system, the new panel, and adjusted the existing panel,” says Hitchen, who notes that the wiring diagram, engineering drawing, and necessary sequence of operations was also provided.

Acme Engineering is an ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturer of environmental controls and systems with integrated mechanical, electrical and electronic capabilities. The company has expertise providing equipment for monitoring a variety of gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, ammonia, and refrigerants.

all that is required is mounting the sensors and establishing the connection with the system.

“In terms of installation, a warehouse can have 40-foot-high ceilings so it would be costly to run conduit and wires all over for gas monitoring, power and connectivity. Loading docks tend to be situated at the ends of a facility, so wireless could be a big benefit there too. By avoiding the cost and complexity of requiring an electrician for such areas, you could probably save about 20 percent on installation costs,” says Rainone.

Acme, for its part, has developed a wireless version of its MGMS system that incorporates a unique Wi-Fi capability, so it is not necessary to have a control panel as the sole point to receive feedback from the gas detection network. With the wireless MGMS users can observe current conditions via their computers, tablets, and phones, with real-time alarms in case of emergency.

“When it comes to reducing installation cost and expediting the project, there is going to be a benefit with wireless. Because anytime you eliminate conduit and wire from one sensor to the next, to the next – and you eliminate all that material and labor – there are going to be savings with wireless,” concludes Rainone.

For more info, visit Acme Engineering Prod. Inc. at acmeprod.com or

Next Generation Wireless

in the U.S. phone Michael McKee, National Sales Manager at: 514-718-

Wireless capability is extremely advantageous from an installation point of view for reducing installation time and costs. Gas detection networks, generally speaking, are installed by licensed electricians and labor costs are fairly high. With wireless gas detection networks,

4868; fax: 518-236-6941; email info@acmeprod.com; mail Acme at Trimex Building, Route 11, POB 460 PMB 10, Mooers, New York. In Canada phone: 514-984-4603; fax: 514-342-3131; mail them at 5706 Royalmount Ave., Montreal, Quebec, H4P 1K5.

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IMD 43

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IMD 45

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IMD 47

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IMD 49

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Betenbender Manufacturing, Inc — www.betenbender.com ....................................................... 13 Carell Corporation — www.carellcorp.com ........................................................................................ 5 Clamprite — www.clamprite.com ....................................................................................................... 41 COLE-TUVE Inc. — www.coletuve.com ............................................................................................49 Denver Breaker & Supply — www.denverbreaker.com ..................................................................45 DHM Associates, Inc. — www.dhmassociates.com ........................................................................49 Dynabrade, Inc. — www.dynabrade.com ..........................................................................................FC Eagle Bending Machines — www.eaglebendingmachines.com ..................................................... 5 ENM Co — www.enmco.com ..............................................................................................................49 Essex Structural Steel Co. — www.essexstructuralsteel.com ........................................................ 47 Formdrill USA Inc. — www.formdrill-usa.com ................................................................................. 33 Fortville Feeders — www.fortvillefeeders.com .................................................................................38 H&K Equipment, Inc. — www.hkequipment.com ............................................................................45 HMI div of Betenbender Manufacturing — www.betenbender.com ........................................... 23 Hydraulex — www.hydraulex.com ......................................................................................................34 Kanetec USA Corp — www.kanetec.com .......................................................................................... 37

ARE YOU LISTED?

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IF YOU’RE NOT LISTED, YOU’RE MISSING OUT!

KHK Gears — www.khkgears.us ......................................................................................................... IBC Lenzkes Clamping Tools, Inc. — www.lenzkesusa.com ................................................................... 3 L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc. — www.llfurnace.com .....................................................................49 MacMillin Hydraulic Engineering Corporation — www.macmhydraulic.com ........................... 31 Pro-Line — www.1proline.com ............................................................................................................49 Radwell International, Inc. — www.Radwell.com ........................................................................... BC Royal Products — www.mistcollectors.com .....................................................................................49 Select Equipment Company — www.selectequipment.net ..........................................................44 Sprinter Marking, Inc. — www.sprintermarking.com ...................................................................... 25 Standard Direct.com — www.Standard-Direct.com .......................................................................45 Stor-Loc — www.storloc.com ............................................................................................................. 15 The Caldwell Group, Inc — www.caldwellinc.com ....................................................................... IFC Tormach — www.tormach.com .......................................................................................................... 35 Trim-Lok — www.trimlok.com ............................................................................................................. 27 US Shop Tools — www.usshoptools.com ..........................................................................................11

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carburizing (case hardening), SCM415 is normally used. requirements for harder material, SNCM220 and/or SNCM420 y used. hardness is determined by production condition. pected hardness value is informed in a quotation of gears.

Gear precision grade table : entioned equivalent grades are for reference only. ades completely match each other.

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259 Elm Place, Mineola, NY 11501 Phone: 516.248.3850 | Fax: 516.248.4385 Email: info@khkgears.us

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