Industrial Machinery Digest - February 2022

IndustrialMachineryDigest.com | February 2022

North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

» AI is Here to Augment Human Workers, Not Replace Them » 3 Solutions for Sheet Metal Processing » Greater Precision, Greater Speed, Greater Durability Gorilla Mill Grows Up with ANCA » USA “Near-Post-Covid” Reshoring/Manufacturing Perspectives » Spencer Corporation Solves Problems

By Utilizing Sky Hook Chance Meeting Turns Santa Clara-Based Spencer Corporation Into a Faithful Sky Hook User » Delivered, Cut, Stored Handling Steps & Inventory Reduced by Half

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Table of Contents

COLUMNS

10

BUSINESS 4.0 Getting Your Team to Think and Act More Strategically By: Andrea Belk Olson, CEO of Pragmadik

14

Sales Manager, L&L Special Furnace Company Inc.

18 FEATURES

18

16

MANUFACTURING SHOWCASE Spencer Corporation Solves Problems By Utilizing Sky Hook Chance Meeting Turns Santa Clara-Based Spencer Corporation Into A Faithful Sky Hook User

20

INDUSTRIAL FABRICATION & AUTOMATION Delivered, Cut, Stored Handling Steps & Inventory Reduced by Half

22

30

3 Solutions for Sheet Metal Processing

PROCESS Greater Precision, Greater Speed, Greater Durability

22 FEBRUARY 2022

SAFETY & MAINTENANCE “Time-to-Action” Forecast Analytics

SURPLUS BUYING AND SELLING OEM Recycling: Large Chamber, Electric Shredders

DEPARTMENTS

42

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS USA “Near-Post-COVID” Reshoring Manufacturing Perspectives By: John Stoneback / JM Performance Products, Inc.

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6 8 38 40

NEW TECH

Gorilla Mill Grows Up with ANCA

34

16

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AI is Here to Augment Human Workers, Not Replace Them By: Chris Kuntz, VP of Marketing, Augmentir

26

TALKING SHOP Tom Schultz

49 50

EDITORIAL DIRECTIONS INDUSTRY NEWS PRODUCT SHOWCASE ON EXHIBIT MODEX

ON EXHIBIT D&M WEST

CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISER INDEX

ON THE COVER Dynabrade, Inc., is a global leader in the innovative design and manufacture of industrial power tools and related accessories headquartered in Clarence, NY. With a commitment to quality and an earned reputation for excellence, Dynabrade has grown into a position of leadership in the pneumatic power tool market.

aw material table : Tolerance 13materials 12of SCr415) 11 is defined 10 as 9 cluding corresponding t material of SCM415.11 erance 10 10 9 8 carburizing (case hardening), SCM415 is normally used. requirements for harder material, SNCM220 and/or SNCM420 aw material table : y used. cluding corresponding materials of SCr415) is defined as hardness is determined by production condition. t material of SCM415. pected hardness value is informed in a quotation of gears. carburizing (case hardening), SCM415 is normally used. requirements for harder material, SNCM220 and/or SNCM420 Gear precision grade table : y used. ntioned equivalent grades are for reference only. hardness is determined by production condition. des completely match each other. pected hardness value is informed in a quotation of gears.

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Editorial Directions One of the interesting things about talking with our subscribers is to find out how they have implemented solutions that we have covered.

Nothing makes our team feel better than to be at a trade show, on-site tour, or other event and to be told that the pages of Industrial Machinery Digest was where they found a new machine or service that has changed the way they handle their business.

Advancements in manufacturing technology are happening daily.

One way many business owners can dramatically change their business is to evaluate what processes they are currently outsourcing. Often, outsourcing is on the basis to reduce an overall cost. Another business or facility may specialize in a particular process or may be better equipped to handle a specialized job. If you can bring new equipment online in your own facility, would the net return be large enough to warrant a capital equipment purchase? Last year, more than $5.3 billion was spent on manufacturing technology according to AMT’s USMTO report, and that total still does not include December’s orders. Manufacturers across the United States are purchasing equipment to either upgrade or replace their existing equipment, or they are expanding their currently existing services with something entirely new.

For this month’s Talking Shop, I discussed one such process that some of our readers have indicated they were considering adding to their operations. Tom Schultz, sales manager for industrial furnace manufacturer, L&L Special Furnace Company Inc. shared his insights with me on the benefits of bringing heat treatment in-house, as well as the factors to consider when deciding on special industrial furnaces, ovens, kilns, quench tanks and other heat-treating systems.

Keep in mind, a solution might not always be bringing another piece of equipment online. Sometimes, you may discover a tool or piece of equipment in an unlikely place. The Sky Hook has been a long-trusted answer to heavy, difficult to manage loads that require a two-person lift. This February, learn more how one shop specializing in tight tolerance EDM and CNC applications utilizes the portable, load-handling solution to move parts weighing nearly 500 pounds onto their machining centers.

The previous year not only saw an increase in machine tool investment, but also in the American workforce.

The previous decades saw several companies move their operations offshore, but now, more and more, companies are understanding the importance of reshoring manufacturing back to the United States. John Stoneback, JM Performance Products, Inc., and Harry Moser of the Reshoring Initiative share their insights on “near-post-COVID” perspectives.

Stay safe,

North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

Editor, Industrial Machinery Digest

FEBRUARY 2022

36 YEARS

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Industry News

INDUSTRY NEWS Industrial Machinery Digest's Industry News features the latest news and press releases from some of the industries top companies.

WANT TO BE FEATURED? Send your press releases to editorial@indmacdig.com

Tormach Inc. Expands in USA and Europe

open IT architecture and multi-domain integrations within Capital enable straightforward deployment into Airbus’ Lean PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) environment and provides the backbone for E/E systems design and electrical harness manufacturing engineering across its multi-country development team.

Tormach Inc has announced it has expanded its domestic and international operations by moving to a new corporate headquarters facility in Madison, Wisconsin, and entering into a distribution agreement with CNC Machine Tools Ltd. of Snetterton, Norfolk, England.

“We are excited with our move to this new facility,” said Daniel Rogge, Tormach’s CEO. “We needed less office space, but more warehouse space to expand our machine assembly services and better serve our customers, and this new building is perfect for that.” Less office space was needed due to most company employees continuing to work remotely, said Rogge.

CNC Machine Tools Ltd. will be Tormach’s exclusive distributor in the United Kingdom and Eastern Europe. They will offer machine assembly services, training, and leasing and financing options. In addition, a UK demo showroom will soon be available for customers and prospects to see Tormach equipment in person. It will feature Tormach’s PCNC 440, 770M, and 1100MX CNC milling machines for in-person machine demonstrations. Meanwhile, virtual demonstrations will also be available.

Exact Metrology Uses Social Media to Collaborate with In-Place Machining Company Exact Metrology: A Division of In-Place Machining Company and a comprehensive 3D metrology service provider and hardware sales company, kicked off a new initiative to raise awareness of the capabilities of In-Place Machining Company. Taking place across the company’s social media platforms each Monday, hence the hashtag #MachiningMonday, this marketing tool will lead to a greater awareness of all the services that (IPM) offers. This concept was developed by Kelly Baldasare, Content Creator at the Exact Metrology Cincinnati, Ohio office. Besides raising awareness, Baldasare hopes that it will “…show the power of what IPM, Exact Metrology, and now the newly acquired OASIS Alignment Services can do together as one team.”

Siemens‘ Capital Software from Xcelerator Portfolio Selected by Airbus for Next Generation Electrical/ Electronic (E/E) Systems Development The Capital platform’s comprehensive digital thread and openness were key elements that drove this selection, as this facilitates integration within the broader engineering enterprise. Siemens’ strong support along with technical workshops will help to accelerate new process design and adoption. Capital delivers a true, configuration controlled, E/E system digital twin, supported by a comprehensive digital thread throughout the E/E system development, manufacturing and operational life cycle. Additionally, the

Bystronic Acquires 100% of the Automation Specialist Antil Bystronic is increasing its existing 70% stake in Antil S.p.A. and acquiring the remaining 30% minority stake. Bystronic is thus strengthening its portfolio in the field of automation in accordance with its Strategy 2025. Flexible manufacturing aligned with automated material handling and data flow

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Marius Braun Named VP of Sales at GMTA Today, Walter Friedrich, the president and CEO of GMTA (German Machine Tools of America), Ann Arbor, Michigan, has named Marius Braun to the post of Vice President of Sales for the company, effective January 1, 2022. Braun will supervise the North American sales for this powerhouse distributor of various gear making and related lines of machine tools for automotive and other power transmissions, plus cleaning equipment and the newly acquired line of lasers for motor lamination production, Steifelmayer.

Marius Braun has worked in the USA since 2017. He was previously a regional sales manager for Hermle and a Tier One Key Account Manager for Magna.

For GMTA, Marius will oversee the sales of the gear making machine lines sold by the company, most notably PROFILATOR, originators of the patented Scudding® technology for gear generating. In addition, he will supervise the efforts on BvL parts washers, the STIEFELMAYER laser cutting machines for motor laminations, the SAMAG Multi Spindle machining centers, the ARNOLD laser welding machines, and the entire line of RASOMA vertical lathe and special purpose machine.

Hypertherm Announces 2030 Environmental Sustainability Goals The goals are designed to reduce Hypertherm’s use of resources, the carbon impact of its global operations, and address the impact caused by Hypertherm products in use. The first goal covers Hypertherm’s direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Data from the Science Based Targets Initiative, an organization that sets targets in line with climate science, estimates Hypertherm would need to reduce its carbon emissions by 48 percent to help combat global warming. Hypertherm is committing to the greater goal of carbon neutrality. Hypertherm will increase the energy efficiency of its products, with a set goal of reducing energy usage and the amount of scrap material that remains once

cutting is complete by 50 percent. Hypertherm will also work to reduce waste from all waste steams—including recycling and wastewater—by 50 percent. In addition, the company will build upon a previous goal to achieve zero landfill waste for its New Hampshire operations to all Hypertherm facilities around the world. Hypertherm’s final goal is to achieve a circular economy score of B. The circular economy calls for reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling product instead of consuming more finite resources.

RAPTOCUT Machine Makes U.S. Debut to Revolutionize Aerospace CNC Machining Capabilities America’s first RAPTOCUT milling machine was installed into MERRILL’s portfolio thanks to a partnership with FPT Industrie S.p.A. and Fadal Engineering. The machining companies joined forces to integrate the revolutionary machine into MERRILL’s large component machining facility.

“At MERRILL, we are constantly looking for ways to expand our offerings and broaden our portfolio,” said Bob Yackel, President of MERRILL. “FPT and Fadal truly understand the ever changing needs of the manufacturing landscape. We’ve invested in FPT since 2018, and they have continuously produced equipment that meets our growing needs. Their technology has allowed us to remain at the forefront of the CNC machining industry and pioneer production in industries across the board.”

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is key to the productivity of Bystronic’s customers in the sheet metal processing industry. In the summer of 2018, Bystronic (SIX: BYS) acquired 70% of the family-owned company Antil S.p.A. in San Giuliano Milanese (Province of Milan) in northern Italy. Since then, Bystronic has integrated Antil’s operations, doubled sales to approximately CHF 40 million at good profitability and increased the number of employees from 110 to 200.

Since the beginning of the year, the demand for automation solutions for laser cutting systems has grown well above average. Effective November 30, 2021, Bystronic acquired the remaining minority stake of 30% in order to further increase customer proximity and expand the market.

Antil’s portfolio includes loading and unloading laser cutting and punching systems, automated sheet metal storage systems, and robot-assisted bending solutions for the gold segment. In Italy, Bystronic also operates its group-wide competence center for automation solutions.

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Business 4.0

Andrea Belk Olson CEO of Pragmadik ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea Belk Olson is a speaker, author, applied behavioral scientist, and customer-centricity 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, No Disruptions: The future for mid-market manufacturing, and her upcoming book, What To Ask, coming in June 2022.

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, SMPS Marketer, and more. Andrea is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. She is a visiting lecturer and Lead Coach 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.

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Getting Your Team to Think and Act More Strategically

O

rganizational leaders often talk about strategy, but when it comes down to it, strategic thinking is rarely done. Leaders are often pulled back into tactical thinking due to a variety of factors, from putting out fires to having undue pressure to execute. These pulls create a culture of reaction. There's no time to actually develop a strategy. It's too long, complicated, and the outcome is unclear. Why spend time on theoretical, future stuff when we have so much to get done today?

Strategy isn't just an activity, but a way of thinking. It requires practice, focus, and time. It's not a thing that you can get done in a couple of weeks with a few leadership roundtable meetings. It's even harder when your team has never really developed a strategy before or has never been thinking strategically for the past few decades. No special process or technique will magically produce a strategy. You need to first start shifting internal mindsets to think differently.

It's actually an incredibly common challenge. CEOs that realize the organization is adrift and getting their

lunch slowly eaten bite-by-bite by the competition. They declare and establish a major initiative to craft a strategy that will turn things around. They make promises to their boards that their dedicated, senior-level leaders will develop a game-changing approach.

After multiple weeks of time and effort wasted in meetings and discussions, there's nothing to show for it, other than a few fluffy high-level diagrams. Nothing revolutionary. Nothing game-changing.

Why? Because their senior-level leaders did not have the right mindsets.

They bop back and forth from daily tactics to a bi-weekly strategy session, where they've had little time to prepare, and are mentally overwhelmed with the tactical activities they aren't addressing by sitting in yet another meeting. CEOs need a new approach to have their vision become reality.

It begins with mindsets. While the reality is these leaders can't simply unplug from the day-to-day, they can be exposed to what strategic thinking looks like. This starts with shifting thinking from internal to external before they dive into actually creating a strategy.

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Shifting to a strategic mindset starts with sparking depth, exploration, strategic dialogue, and transformative thinking. It demands that leaders flex a different set of muscles than they are used to. There are three steps to enabling this shift: 1. Taking the customers' perspective – While the past can offer critical lessons, a strategic mindset is open to choice and possibility. It is unimpeded by the limitations of present knowledge. Making this mental shift begins with putting yourself in the mind of the customer. Not just what they think about your company, your offerings, or your products - but also their lives - in the context of your business. This takes us to step two.

2. Understanding their context – Outside-in thinkers understand the customers' contextual environment.

This requires understanding their 'why' - the contextual catalysts (emotional, functional, social) that bring them to a need. For example, a customer seeking a mortgage of course is looking to buy a house, but why? It may be they got a promotion, just had a baby, or have an ill family member they need to take in. This context is critical, as it helps you consider the bigger picture and new opportunities to serve customers in a new way. This takes us to step three.

3. Challenging conventional wisdom – Long-established, familiar ideas breed predictability and rigidity. They are the enemy of innovation. By having an understanding of the customer and their contextual environment, new

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perspectives can be drawn. These perspectives will inherently challenge internally-focused, conventional wisdom because they draw from a new outlook. A new outlook that takes into consideration areas of customer need that were never considered in the old, internal mindset, and which will challenge status-quo thinking.

Before a new, revolutionary strategy can be crafted, your team must first build a strategic mindset. While the concept is easily understood, cultivating one is the key to creating that elusive, game-changing strategy you seek.

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

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Talking Shop

The bulk of new inquiries are from customers that no longer want to send their heat treat out to a secondary supplier.

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TALKING SHOP WITH: Tom Schultz —Sales Manager — L&L Special Furnace Company Inc.

By Nick Boliek & Loyd McIntosh

A

fter more than 40 years in business, L&L Special Furnace has developed a solid reputation for designing outstanding special industrial furnaces, ovens, kilns, quench tanks, and heat-treating systems. Based in Aston, Pennsylvania, L&L Special Furnaces specializes in batch production furnaces and ovens, with a special focus on applications requiring high uniformity and a controlled atmosphere.

L&L Special Furnace supplies furnaces to an array of industry sectors, including airline maintenance repair and operations (MRO) facilities, aeronautic engine manufacturers, and secondary markets serving the aerospace market. L&L also has an interest in an array of other sectors, such as medical, automotive, and environmental services, just to name a few.

Sales Manager Tom Schultz is one of the longestserving employees of L&L Special Furnace, having been with the company since 1981 - with a brief two-year sabbatical from 1983-1985. He is also one of the most knowledgeable minds in the industry, having seen loads of changes over the past four decades, even as some things have stayed the same.

“Well, having been involved with this business since the early ’80s, the technology certainly has changed. The heat-treating process, not so much. We still heat steel, get it hot and quench it, then check the hardness,” explains Schultz. “However, the newer technology and the accuracy of the instrumentation make it much more sophisticated than it was back in the day.”

L&L Special Furnaces manufactures more than 30 models for a variety of purposes. Some of the application

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processes L&L equipment support includes everything from art glass, ammunition cartridges, high-end fiber optics, military equipment, solar panels, and everything in between.

However, Schultz believes the company’s Ceramic Matrix Composite furnaces (CMC) are a true indication of L&L’s penchant for innovation within the industry.

“I think by far our furnaces for processing CMC (Ceramic Matrix Composite) materials are the most interesting application at present and are very cutting edge. The science behind this is really interesting in how CMC can take silicon carbide threads and make them stronger and more durable than titanium. This process can also make a commercial aircraft that is significantly lighter than the one next to it without CMC technology.”

While many companies continue to outsource their heat-treating needs, Schultz says he is fielding more and more calls from businesses interested in bringing their processes in-house. In fact, he says the bulk of new inquiries is from potential customers that no longer want to send their heat treat out to a secondary supplier. Schultz says before making the investment in a piece of equipment from L&L, decision-makers should spend the time to fully understand their current processes before searching for an in-house option.

“Other than the investment, I think customers should keep the actual heat-treating process in mind. Whether it is hardening, tempering, annealing, aging or what have you, each process requires somewhat different equipment solutions,” says Schultz.

“Also, keep the size and temperature in mind when considering a furnace purchase decision,” he adds.

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

“If you need a 48-inch square furnace, be sure there are no 56-inch parts that you might need to run.

Customers should anticipate all their needs not just their current ones. As far as temperature, if the customer has a process that requires 1300°F soak, you do not want to buy a 1300°F max-rated oven to do the work.”

Still, Schultz says there are plenty of reasons to bring a heat-treatment process in-house, such as the ability to direct the process from start to finish in a way that enhances the company’s overall efficiency, ability to control costs, and capability to meet specific customer demands. “First and foremost process control,” says Schultz. “The customer knows and has control over a part of their process which they have not had before.

“The customer can dictate how and when his heat treatment will be performed. So (A) the customer does not have to stock parts and (B) he can run the parts on-demand as needed,” Schultz adds. “Both of these ultimately

save the customer time and money while still allowing his heat-treat not to be a bottleneck.”

As the U.S. economy emerges from the effects of COVID-19, many companies in the aerospace industry and other sectors serviced by L&L are poised to return to regular production.

Schultz says L&L stands ready to help their customers start 2022 on a high note.

“L&L is looking forward to expanding into the additive manufacturing field and the recovering aerospace markets. Our continued work in the matrix composite fields carries our larger projects,” says Schultz.

“L&L also looks forward to having a good base of stock furnaces to help cut down on delivery times.”

For more information visit the L&L Special Furnace, visit the company website at www.llfurnace.com.

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Safety & Maintenance

“Time-to-Action” Forecast Analytics » Digital Twin solution enables industrial companies to predict, diagnose, forecast, and prevent downtime of critical equipment » Predictive analytics provide early and accurate detection of pending issues for hundreds of common industrial assets » SmartSignal customers have realized Return on Investment in three months

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Ellie Holman Product & Technology Communications GE Digital ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ellie Holman is Product & Technology Communications for GE Digital and previously was Product Launch Manager for the company. She began working with GE as Public Relations Manager in 2005.

E Digital has updated its SmartSignal predictive maintenance software solution that helps industrial companies proactively predict, diagnose, forecast, and prevent equipment failures. SmartSignal is available as a standalone software product or as an integrated component of the GE Digital Asset Performance Management (APM) software solution. New features include unique time-to-action analytics to forecast when a malfunction may occur, improved visualization and analysis tools, and continued expansion of the Digital Twin Analytics and Content Catalog covering more than 300 industrial equipment classes across manufacturers.

GE Digital SmartSignal has been a leading predictive maintenance software solution across industries for nearly two decades, with continuous investment in analytics breadth and innovation. While other solutions may provide only a general indication of a problem, SmartSignal diagnoses the cause and severity of the issue and determines the required timeframe for remediation. SmartSignal customers can also benefit from GE Digital’s Industrial Managed Services for remote monitoring, alerting, and remediation guidance.

New Time-to-Action Forecasting The new time-to-action analytics forecast when an equipment anomaly will actually reach an alarm limit and require immediate remediation. This information allows reliability and maintenance engineers to accurately

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prioritize and schedule corrective actions to keep operations and equipment running. Beyond helping assure zero unplanned downtime, SmartSignal now helps reduce reactive work and optimize Operations & Maintenance (O&M) scheduling.

“The time-to-action analytic adds a new dimension to GE Digital’s APM capabilities,” said Joe Perino, LNS Research Analyst. “With diagnostic, predictive, prescriptive, and now forecasting analytics, equipment maintenance activities can be defined, prioritized, and scheduled by actual operational risk windows. Adding a time factor to problem diagnosis provides an important benefit toward optimizing maintenance activities while avoiding downtime.”

Enhanced Visualization, Analysis, and APM Integration SmartSignal customers with on-premises software installations will now have enhanced thin client visualization and analysis tools on par with cloud-based solutions.

Expanded features include new charting capabilities, analysis overlays, and an updated case management interface. On-premises users can also now seamlessly integrate SmartSignal events and data into the rest of the APM suite, allowing full leverage of APM features like policy management, asset health management, action management, and end-to-end O&M workflows.

An added feature of the newest version of SmartSignal is its ability to be accessed by tablets and smart phones. This empowers the modern industrial worker to manage critical

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

assets, systems, and data from anywhere with remote capabilities and personal-based workflows proven in real industrial settings.

A customer who has been monitoring their global fleet of assets for more than a decade noted, “The enhanced analysis tools will help us to rapidly investigate early warnings, promote cloud-based monitoring scalability within our organization, and can be leveraged for better teaming. The new features also help to organize user access at a corporate level and ensure program compatibility to our internal security protocols.”

New Industrial Managed Services Offering Many SmartSignal customers take advantage of GE Digital’s Industrial Managed Services to continuously monitor plant equipment via SmartSignal and function as an extension of their reliability teams. Industrial Managed Services provides 24x7 asset monitoring, issue triage and notification, remediation guidance, analytics management, and strategy consulting.

A new inclusive service option also provides and manages the SmartSignal software itself, eliminating the need for a customer to own or operate the software directly. This new simple and economical service can deliver the benefits of plant-wide predictive maintenance to virtually any organization. Today, the GE Digital Industrial Managed Services organization monitors

thousands of assets and has saved customers more than $1.6B in avoided mechanical and production losses in 15 years of operation.

Digital Twin Analytics and Content SmartSignal Digital Twins are built on years of GE expertise in industrial manufacturing, operations, service, and software. The growing Digital Twin catalog covers more than 320 common industrial assets, providing predictive, diagnostic, and forecasting analytics. Standard analytic blueprints for rotating, fixed, electrical, and mobile equipment classes are rapidly trained to create accurate machine learning analytics tailored for each monitored asset. These analytics leverage a wealth of asset class intelligence including known failure modes, instrumentation inputs, operating context, engineering specifications, and GE subject matter expertise.

“Today’s industrial companies are challenged to deliver improved profitability and flexibility,” said Linda Rae, General Manager of GE Digital’s Power Generation and Oil & Gas business. “Digital Twin predictive analytics technologies in SmartSignal enable teams to optimize equipment reliability, improve O&M efficiency, and deliver ROI through decreased equipment downtime and improved operations.”

More information on SmartSignal visit ge.com

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

IMD | 17

Manufacturing Showcase

Spencer Corporation Solves Problems By Utilizing Sky Hook Chance Meeting Turns Santa Clara-Based Spencer Corporation Into A Faithful Sky Hook User

By Nick Boliek & Loyd McIntosh

L

ike many machine shops and job shops, Spencer Corporation was looking for a solution to safely lift and maneuver heavy equipment parts throughout its facility in Santa Clara, California. Working with parts weighing just under 500 pounds, the potential for accidents and injury was always a present danger. Specializing in close-tolerance projects, the workflow at Spencer Corporation regularly involves maneuvering large and heavy machining and fabricating parts in tight quarters, a significant issue when a piece of equipment weighs close to a quarter ton.

The company’s owner, Mark Spencer, identified the problem but the best solution eluded him until a chance meeting with Dean Christensen, owner of Syclone ATTCO Services, the manufacturer of the Sky Hook brand lifting solutions. “I met the owner of Sky Hook on a UTV ride,” Spencer explains. “After seeing the need for a mobile boom crane in our company, the idea of mounting the Sky Hook on a Big Joe lift was born.”

Established in 1977, Spencer Corporation has developed a solid reputation as a leader in close-tolerance projects, including wire EDM, CNC mill, Sinker EDM, EDM drill, surface grinding, CNC CMM, and Micro-Vue inspection, metal laser engraving, and other general manual machines. A small business with a limited staff, Spencer needed a lifting solution that would not only prevent lifting injuries but also help improve efficiency and productivity. He chose the A8727 Sky Hook, a model designed for lifting heavy loads in tight quarters and can be easily and quickly moved to other lifting

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locations. The model is offered in several configurations, the most popular being the Premium series with the LoadLock Clutch Brake system. “This provides smooth, safe handling of heavy, awkward loads and is extremely straightforward in operation making it easy to integrate into day-to-day procedures,” says Dusty White, Technical Sales Director for Syclone ATTCO Service. “The operator simply rotates the handwheel up to raise the load, and down to lower the load.

As soon as the operator’s hand is removed from the handle of the unit, the load is automatically locked and held in place.”

The portability of the Sky Hook A8727 allows it to be used in almost any setting with a flat surface. Additionally, mobile Sky Hook lifting devices such as the A8727 can be customized with caster wheels or with a mobile cart base for even greater maneuverability. The Sky Hook A8727’s portability and ease of use have made it a valuable part of the daily workflow at Spencer Corporation.

“The Sky Hook mobile crane is used almost daily for a variety of lifting, lowering, and repair applications,” says Spencer. “The fact that we can wheel it anywhere in the shop, makes it invaluable for quickly loading and unloading machines.

“The Sky Hook is used as a mobile crane to lift expensive machined parts and materials on and off CNC machines where overhead shrouds and shields prevent the use of overhead cranes,” adds Spencer. “It is also used to repair equipment in the shop where precise lifting and lowering requirements in tight spaces is needed.”

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Moreover, the Sky Hook crane is capable of lifting and lowering heavy equipment gentler and with greater accuracy onto Spencer’s close tolerance CNC machines, an added benefit for the company’s small staff. “The added reach and pivoting ability of the Sky Hook boom give us added reach and range to load up to 500-pound parts on our CNC machine tables with ease and delicate maneuvering thanks to the smooth cranking mechanism of the Sky Hook,” says Spencer.

ATTCO, Inc. DBA Syclone ATTCO Service, first began manufacturing the Sky Hook lifting devices in 1969. Based in Emmet, Idaho, the company now produces 12 Sky Hook models and seven accessories, allowing for an almost endless array of configurations and adaptations to fill a variety of industrial needs while preventing common lifting injuries that can cost a company time and money. All Sky Hook lifting solutions are built OSHA and ASME compliant, however, the Sky Hook team works with companies to develop custom lifting solutions based on their unique needs.

“For over 50 years, Sky Hook has specialized in increasing the manual lifting ability of operators, preventing dangerous lifting injuries, and improving operational efficiency," Thomas Christensen, Design Specialist for Sky Hook and the son of company owner Dean Christensen, says in an introductory video on the company’s website www.skyhook.cc. "With the industry's ever-growing interest in egonomics, our design team here at Sky Hook works

hand-in-hand with our customers to develop custom solutions that meet the project's applications, safety, and ergonomic requirements."

Another benefit to Sky Hook lifting systems is they can be used comfortably and easily by only one person, which not only reduces the number of people needed to complete a project but also helps companies maintain social distancing requirements. "During this time of crisis, we’ve been contacted by many companies seeking lifting solutions to fill these lifting needs and Sky Hook has been proud to rise to the occasion!" says Dusty White, Technical Sales Manager in a press release issued on April 1, 2020.

Back at the Spencer Corporation machine shop in Santa Clara, the Sky Hook has become an integral part of the company’s daily operation, a tool with an almost infinite number of uses and a price-point making it accessible to companies of all sizes.

“The Sky Hook,” Spencer says, “has become the most versatile lifting tool with the smoothest lifting and lowering mechanism of any crane I’ve used in its weight and price range.”

For more information about Spencer Corporation, visit www.spenceredm.com For more information about the Sky Hook industrial lifting device, visit www.skyhookmfr.com

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IMD | 19

Industrial Fabrication & Automation

Delivered, Cut, Stored Handling Steps & Inventory Reduced by Half "What we see here was not long ago distributed across several halls on our site", explains Heinz Weitner, CEO of Werner Weitner GmbH, with visible pride during a tour through the company's new production and storage hall.

Everything is bright, tidy, clean and relatively calm – a pleasant working atmosphere. The hall is the gem of the "Weitner Engineering World" – expresses the specialist for mechanical engineering and workshop equipment when referring to its headquarters in Eichstätt, located in Upper Bavaria. Founded in 1968 as a metal fabrication business, Werner Weitner has become a sought-after partner in the automobile industry and medical technology. With around 250 employees, the company manufactures primarily special tools that are used, for instance, in authorized workshops for numerous automobile manufacturers.

Organic Growth Requires Logistics To achieve this, Werner Weitner always relies on an extensive pool of machinery. However, due to spatial conditions, the machinery was located up until now in different surrounding buildings. "We grew organically and

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expanded our capacities gradually." Heinz Weitner reported.

It became more and more of a logistical challenge: "The effort needed to transport the required parts and materials back and forth between the individual process steps became very cumbersome over time." As a result, the company decided to centralize most of its process chain into a hall specially designed for this purpose.

The manufacturing engineer primarily processes steel and various alloys in its production plant; however, it also works with aluminum and resins. Its portfolio ranges from prototype manufacturing through to large-scale series.

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

"Because of this, we have a large variety of materials which requires the corresponding warehouse capacities", stated Heinz Weitner. "After all, our customers expect short delivery times and high product availability." To meet these expectations, the company orders many materials in larger quantities allowing it to respond quickly, if necessary.

The Path to a More Efficient Future In the past, Werner Weitner used various manually operated warehouse areas to store raw material – however, this led to extremely inefficient handling: "Moving goods in and out of storage and the transport to the various metal-cutting machines required a lot of time and workforce." explains Florian Winhard, the Sawmill Department Manager. The automation of the storage technology was also to be included within the construction of the new hall. "This decision was part of our internal project, 'Weitner 4.0', with the objective to improve all processes within the company sustainably for the future," added Daniel Miehling from Controlling and IT at Werner Weitner.

When looking for a partner for this endeavor, KASTO Maschinenbau soon became the obvious choice. Weitner supported this decision by explaining, "For many years, we have relied on this manufacturer for sawing technology and are extremely satisfied." "We were also aware that KASTO also provides automated storage systems for bar stock and metal sheets. Therefore, we sat down together to find a solution to our requirements."

Compact Tower Storage Systems To optimize the material flow in the new hall as efficiently as possible, KASTO recommended installing two tower storage systems from the UNITOWER series. The UNITOWER 1.0 is suitable for retrieving bar stock of up to three meters in length, whereas the UNITOWER 2.0 is ideal for retrieving materials of up to six meters in length. Both are freestanding dual towers. With 52 and respectively 41 cassettes, the storage systems provide ample space for the raw material inventories from Werner Weitner – and all that while maintaining a minimal footprint. "The tower storage systems make maximum use of the available space," finds Florian

Winhard. "Compared to our previous warehouse area, everything is now more compact, orderly and clearly arranged."

The location of the products in the individual cassettes is electronically stored in the warehouse management system.

It is connected via an individually customized standard interface to the ERP software proALPHA used at Werner Weitner. It is operated either via a control panel directly at the storage system or via a mobile hand-held unit. Based on the principle, "materials to operator", an operating gantry crane (OGC) supplies the necessary cassettes fully automatically to the respective output station. Weitner is pleased to report, "The workflow is now significantly more ergonomic, and assignment errors have been virtually eliminated." The short access times of the UNITOWER enable the company to process pending orders quickly.

State-Of-The-Art Equipped and Well-Positioned A swiveling frame bandsaw from the series KASTOmicut E 4.6 is located between the towers' two storage stations. The bandsaw is designed for crosscuts and miter cuts of tubing, profiles, and solid material – and it mainly fulfils one task at Werner Weitner: "Our materials are generally delivered with a length of six meters", explains Winhard. "We use this saw to cut all products that are only needed with a maximum of three meters in length and then store them in the smaller UNITOWER 1.0." The distance saved through the sawmill pays off with the extensive range of materials from Werner Weitner and significantly increases the efficiency of the storing process.

The sawmill also received a central location in the new hall to complete all other sawing tasks quickly. The pool of machinery comprises six other models from KASTO – most of which are from the universal bandsaw machine series KASTOwin. "Before starting the new build, our saws were also distributed across the premises – which caused unnecessary distances", recalls Winhard. "We were able to improve this situation and also replace three saws so that now we are state-of-the-art equipped and well-positioned."

The KASTOwin machines are suitable for a variety of materials and dimensions. For challenges, the employees also have the high-performance bandsaws KASTOwin pro at their disposal. "We have been satisfied with the saws from KASTO for many years, and we are impressed again and again with each new model which offers solid performance and a high range of functions", emphasizes Heinz Weiner, CEO. For more information, visit www.kasto.com INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

IMD | 21

Workforce Development

AI is Here to Augment Human Workers, Not Replace Them By: Chris Kuntz, VP of Marketing, Augmentir

T

he workforce crisis in manufacturing is at an all-time high. Lack of skilled labor is leading to hiring challenges. Decreased retention rates and the quickly retiring baby boomers are causing workforce instability. Artificial Intelligence is here to help.

This is not your father's factory floor. Today’s manufacturing workforce is different. It’s rapidly changing. It’s diverse. And it’s dramatically less stable than it used to be.

Today’s workforce challenges stem from the unprecedented levels of dynamism in the areas of skills diversity, reduced tenure, and increased churn. Unlike the stable and predictable workforce of the recent past, today manufacturers must live in the new normal where workers are hard to find, hard to engage, and hard to keep.

Along with the ongoing skills gap crisis and retiring workforce leading to tribal knowledge leaving, today’s workforce is also more dynamic and diverse than previous generations. The 30- year dedicated employees are no longer the norm. The average manufacturing worker tenure is down 17% in the last 5 years and the transient nature of the industrial worker is quickly accelerating. An outgrowth

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of the COVID pandemic brings forth the Great Resignation, where workers are quitting in record numbers, and worker engagement is down almost 20% in the last 2 years.

The result is that manufacturers are struggling to onboard, guide, and support their frontline workforce so that it can work at acceptable levels of safety, quality, and productivity.

The old way of supporting your workers doesn’t work anymore Manufacturers are quickly realizing that they can no longer train, guide, and support their workers using the static, “one size fits all” processes from the past. Today’s new workforce is changing in real-time – who shows up, what their skills are, what jobs they need to do, is a constantly moving target. The traditional approaches to training, guidance, and performance support are fundamentally incapable of enabling today’s workers to function at their individual peak of safety, quality, and productivity.

They are being forced to rethink everything from hiring, onboarding, training, and retention. The skills gap is widening. The senior workforce is retiring and walking out the door with decades of tribal knowledge that has not

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

been sufficiently captured in a way that can be shared across the entire workforce. Additionally, the new dynamics of hybrid and remote work brought on by the COVID pandemic are placing burdens on traditional training and apprenticeship methods.

Building a Modern, Connected Workforce starts with AI To deal with this rapidly changing workforce, manufacturers will need a more data-driven, individualized approach to effectively grow and support their workforce.

Many manufacturers are beginning to modernize and connect their workforce with solutions that utilize technology such as mobile and wearable devices, augmented and mixed reality (AR/MR), and artificial intelligence. Connected worker solutions that bring together these technologies are helping to connect a new class of workers and are allowing organizations to proactively and continually deliver the right level of training, guidance, and support.

As workers become more digitally connected, companies have access to a new rich source of activity and

job execution data, and with proper tools can gain insights into areas where the largest improvement opportunities exist. The challenge lies in the fact that connected worker data is inherently noisy, creating confusing signals that traditional business intelligence tools can’t interpret.

This is where Artificial Intelligence comes in.

While AI has traditionally been used to automate and replace human jobs, there is greater benefit by using AI to

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IMD | 23

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augment human intelligence and make workers more productive.

AI algorithms are ideal for analyzing large amounts of data collected from a connected workforce. AI can detect patterns, find outliers, cleanse the data, and find correlations and patterns that can be used to identify opportunities for improvement and creates a data-driven environment that supports continuous learning and performance support.

Using AI to Reduce Onboarding Time And Get Workers Productive, Faster Traditionally, there was a clear separation between training and work execution, requiring onboarding training to encompass everything a worker could possibly do, extending training time and leading to inefficiencies. Today, with the ability to deliver training at the moment of need, onboarding can focus on everything a worker will probably do, significantly reducing onboarding time.

With an AI-based onboarding approach, organizations are able to hire a wider range of individuals with varying skill sets. If a company can teach someone in the context of doing their work, onboarding time is reduced due to being able to train them in the field. This also results in an increase in productivity and worker engagement. When workers feel included and confident about their careers, they are also more likely to want to stay and grow with the company.

For example, Bio-Chem Fluidics, a leading manufacturer of medical device instrumentation, was able to reduce onboarding time for new employees by up to 80%, while simultaneously achieving a 21% improvement in job productivity across their manufacturing operation.

Using AI-based connected worker technology from Augmentir, Bio-Chem not only digitized several of their manufacturing processes, but also gained data-driven insights into areas of improvement within their workforce.

Additionally, the time spent monitoring new hires has dramatically reduced from an estimated 50% of a team lead’s time to just 10%.

Deliver Personalized Guidance and Support with AI With AI and connected worker technology, companies can greatly improve workforce efficiency by converting paperbased processes to digital work instructions and use AI to dynamically personalize those instructions to the needs of your individual workers. This allows companies to provide exactly the right information at the right moment to help workers perform at their personal best.

STRONGARM, a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of industrial workstations, was able to benefit from

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this approach. The company recently adopted digital technology to help streamline its assembly workflow with the goal of reducing costs and improving quality and performance across their workforce. When one of their senior and most experienced technicians retired, the company was able to onboard a new technician and leverage AI-based digital work instructions to guide him during the learning curve to get product out the door at 100% quality so that they didn’t miss shipments. Once Augmentir’s AI engine determined that the worker had become proficient, it recommended that the instructions should be adjusted to enable him to complete the job faster while still meeting quality and safety goals. This resulted in a 20% reduction in average build time in their most complex workstations.

Furthermore, workers that require additional support can benefit from AI bots that autonomously deliver a rich set of digital work instructions to that worker so that they can be guided to resolve complex issues independently and complete jobs safely and correctly.

AI Uncovers Previously Hidden Insights into Process Improvement and Worker Productivity Beyond the direct guidance and support that AI-based solutions can provide to the individual worker, there are also benefits across an entire organization. Using AI-based, data-driven analytics, companies can answer important questions in the areas of process improvement and workforce productivity, including: » Where should we focus for process improvement? » What type of training would give us the biggest return? » Who would benefit the most from targeted training? » How many hours of productivity opportunity do we have? » Who should perform this PM? » What training material needs Improvement?

Artificial Intelligence lays a data-driven foundation for continuous improvement in the areas of productivity,

quality, and workforce development, setting the stage to address the needs of today’s constantly changing workforce.

Shaping the Future of Manufacturing Some of the most innovative and forward-thinking manufacturers are realizing that AI is the key to saving the manufacturing world and unlocking worker potential.

However, many companies are reluctant to adopt AI in fear that automation will take over and eventually replace human workers in manufacturing. Others fear that AI would be used negatively to track workers, in a “big brother” type of way.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

AI is already largely embedded in most aspects of our lives. It will play an equally large role in helping augment the manufacturing workforce and the shape next generation of how people work. When AI is leveraged ethically with the workforce in mind, it can be used to help improve and ultimately grow the talent of your workers. Assessing workers on their performance has been done for years through subjective performance reviews. Using AI allows the assessments to be based on data and can provide a path forward for worker improvement and continued growth.

As we look ahead, AI will become pervasive in manufacturing, and will be instrumental in shaping the workforce of tomorrow.

For more information, visit www.augmentir.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Chris is the VP of Marketing at Augmentir, where he oversees the planning and execution of the company’s go-to-market strategy.

Chris has over 20 years of experience in high tech solution delivery, marketing, business development, and consulting in the industrial software sector. Prior to Augmentir, Chris was the VP of Marketing at ThingWorx, the leading Industrial IoT (IIoT) platform company (acquired by PTC), where he managed the IoT marketing activities and partner programs. Previously, Chris held executive positions in marketing and business development at multiple successful software companies. Chris has a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science from Binghamton University

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IMD | 25

New Technology

3 Solutions for Sheet Metal Processing

B

ystronic offers its customers solutions that make them even more competitive: From stand-alone laser cutting systems or pressbrakes, through automation solutions, all the way to a complete Smart Factory, “World Class Manufacturing” for every sheet metal processing enterprise.

With the message “Grow with our smart solutions,” Bystronic has brought numerous introductions to the market last fall to help sheet metal processors remain competitive in an increasingly tough field. From manual production, through automated production, all the way to the Smart Factory, Bystronic solutions help companies look to the future with success, thanks to optimized processes.

With three main categories of solutions, tailor-made for the individual needs of each client, Bystronic offers “World Class Manufacturing” solutions for all customer requirements.

Manual Production: Greatest Flexibility When flexibility is called for in cutting and bending, Bystronic solutions give customers the range to flexibly implement even small batch sizes.

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ByStar Fiber 15 Kw The Bystronic High-End Fiber Laser Speed, precision, flexibility: With the new laser power of 15 kilowatts, the ByStar Fiber precisely cuts steel, aluminum, and stainless steel in the range of 1–30 millimeters, and brass and copper up to 20 millimeters. Laser power thus increases by up to 50 percent, and sheet metal processors further optimize their production.

More information: bystarfiber.bystronic.com

ByTube Star 130 Tube Processing Made Easy Sheet metal processors speed up their tube laser business with the new ByTube Star 130, the high-end tube laser with

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

ByTube Star 130

the most functions. Precision, user-friendliness, and a fully automatic setup with open profiles and ellipses lead to greater flexibility and quality in production.

More information: bytubestar.bystronic.com

ByBend Star 120 Compact, Fast, And Powerful Speed and power in the bending process: The most compact solution for fast bending of small and mediumsized parts in the widest variety of material thicknesses and qualities – with the highest precision.

Customer satisfaction and quality are top priorities for Bystronic. The Bystronic laser cutting and bending systems were developed to optimize customers'

production processes as efficiently as possible. As a result, with Bystronic high-performance fiber laser cutting machines and precision bending machines, customers have the perfect conditions in which to flexibly adapt their production to the changing demands of the market.

Automated Production: Efficiency Around the Clock More and more sheet metal processors want to continue production through the night so they can be even more efficient and productive. Autonomous, automated, secure: Bystronic cutting and bending cells make this possible, thanks to mobile automation solutions, even within the smallest of spaces.

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IMD | 27

Robot Manager Simple Software for Efficient Automation The wide-ranging and powerful programming software for automated bending. With Robot Manager, sheet metal processors control and simulate the robotics in Bystronic bending automations. Efficiency and productivity represent automated production for sheet metal processing with Bystronic machines. Solutions from Bystronic help businesses optimize their production and thus use resources more efficiently.

Mobile Bending Cell Compact Bending Automation Mobile automation for high-speed bending: Bystronic is expanding the Xpert series to include the Mobile Bending Cell. This provides a compact solution for quickly switching between manual and automated bending.

More information: mobilebendingcell.bystronic.com

ByTrans Modular The Flexible Loading and Unloading Solution Larger capacity thanks to leading technology and bundled automation expertise: The new loading and unloading system ByTrans Modular manages any order situation with intelligent material handling, optimizing the performance of the laser cutting system. A big advantage is the modularity of the system, which presents an ideal solution for practically any sheet metal processor.

Smart Factory: Ready for the Future For sheet metal processing companies, there is enormous potential in networked production. Conveniently, Bystronic is the specialist for a fully integrated data and material flow.

Smart Factory Production Comprehensive Networked Production in Action For competitive production, fully automated production processes are necessary. They enable increased efficiency and productivity and ensure profitability.

ByTrans Modular

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Bysoft Suite Intelligent Software for All Processes, from Tender to Delivery The BySoft suite is the complete software ecosystem that turns the Smart Factory into a reality. Sheet metal processors accelerate their production and automate and orchestrate their business, enabling more agile decision-making that helps them adapt their enterprise to changed environments.

ABOUT BYSTRONIC

Smart Factory Solutions Scalable Solutions for Smart Production With scalable system solutions, Bystronic combines machines, automation, and software to create a flexible network of intelligent components. Thanks to the centralized control of networked components, the Bystronic software suite offers full transparency – at any time and from anywhere.

With scalable system solutions, Bystronic combines machines, automation, and software to create flexible networks of intelligent components for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and contract manufacturers. With centralized control, Bystronic offers full transparency – at any time and from anywhere. Sheet metal processing companies thus accelerate their production and workflows to stay one step ahead of their customers’ growing requirements.

Bystronic is a globally leading technology company in the area of sheet metal processing. The focus is on the automation of the complete material and data flow of the cutting and bending process chain. The intelligent connectivity of laser cutting systems and pressbrakes with innovative automation, software, and service solutions is the key to comprehensive digitalization in the sheet metal industry.

Bystronic headquarters are located in Niederönz (Switzerland).

Additional development and production locations are in Sulgen (Switzerland), Gotha (Germany), Cazzago San Martino and San Giuliano Milanese (Italy), Tianjin and Shenzhen (China), and Hoffman Estates (USA). We are actively represented by our own sales and service subsidiaries in more than 30 countries and by agents in numerous other countries. Bystronic AG is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BYS).

For more information, visit www.bystronic.com/en

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IMD | 29

Process

Greater Precision, Greater Speed, Greater Durability Gorilla Mill Grows Up with ANCA

C

arbide Grinding Company, Inc, was established in 1974, and developed a reputation as a small, specialist maker of tools, supplying Milwaukee-area manufacturers like Snap-on and Harley-Davidson.

After purchasing the company in 2003 and giving it a new image as Gorilla Mill two years after -- its branding is simian-themed, aggressive, fun, and comes with the tagline “Weapons of Mass Production” -- Kevin Cranker has set the company on a solid growth path.

They are now up to 48 employees, with 300 distributors worldwide, and a diverse spread of customers.

These include automotive and defense suppliers, aerospace customers including Boeing, and space clients like SpaceX and Blue Origin. But it’s the support of “mom and pop” shops that Cranker seems happiest about.

“They're the guys who keep our work up,” he explains.

“When one of the big guys goes away it stings a bit. But then we have a number of small mom and pop job shops that we love doing business with because they’re always there and just always buying.”

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FEBRUARY 2022

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

Cranker says ANCA CNC Machines has played a large role in Gorilla’s Mills’ progress.

After investing in and being disappointed by a European-made tool and cutter grinding machine early in the millennium, he decided to try an RGX, suitable for re-grinding and low-volume production.

The machine is still part of GM’s collection of ANCA machines and has been joined by 17 others.

“I've been buying a couple a year pretty steady here for the last five or six years. Probably going to need some more here before 2022.”

“We have several RX7s. Several MX7s. A couple of TX7s. We've got

now a bunch of FX7s. It's a mix of all different older ones and newer ones. I really, really like the new ones with the linear motors, which work really well.”

Cranker says linear motors made

by ANCA Motion offer a “night and day” difference versus ballscrew motion, with greater precision and speeds, and much greater

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

IMD | 31

FOR COMPLETE TOOL PRODUCTION, AUTOMARKX OFFERS AUTOMATED LASER TOOL MARKING The new AutoMarkX is ANCA’s tool marking solution designed particularly for the needs of cutting tool production. ANCA already has you covered with critical tool grinding processes; CPX for blank preparation, and tool grinding on ANCA’s TX, MX and FX tool and cutter grinders.

AutoMarkX will work seamlessly alongside ANCA CNC grinders and automates the tool marking process, further extending unmanned production operations.

Tool manufacturers are seizing options that streamline processes and save labor costs. AutoMarkX is capable of automated pallet loading and takes care of the tool laser marking process, freeing up operators to perform more value-adding tasks. AutoMarkX is designed for integration with AIMS, being able to automatically receive and dispatch pallets from AutoFetch, while connectivity to the AIMS Server provides details of the message to be marked on the tools.

Product Manager, Jan Irzyk said: “This machine is efficient and compact — but more than that, it can be integrated with your ERP and AIMS, so that technology can work together. Removing the need for manual handling, our new laser marking solution pushes tool marking capabilities into lights-out production.”

“For full production, flexibility is important. This system accommodates a variety of tool sizes as well as mixed batches. With an easy-to-use interface and customizable marking, it is a complete solution that boosts labor efficiency.”

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durability in a workshop where a lot of carbide sludge is generated.

ANCA’s pioneering simulation software was another enabler, and took the “heartache and headache” out of designing the geometries of Gorilla’s patented four-and five-flute mills, which Cranker designed with Mark Greenwood. The firm adopted simulation with the purchase of its second ANCA machine, and it has proved invaluable ever since.

“The GM Team quickly identified the value in ANCA 3D CIMulation in its assistance to design and develop new tool geometries without actually grinding a physical tool,” says ANCA Inc General Manager, Russell Riddiford.

“Then they take that design to the ANCA machine and get the first tool off the machine perfectly as designed in the 3D CIMulation.” Cranker adds of tool development that there would be “just no way we could do it” without the 3D CIMulation.

“We were able to mess around with geometries in a virtual space and not waste materials and machine time and everything else,” he says.

“But nowadays the simulator has just gotten so much better with all these new additions and the fact that now you can make blueprint drawings from it and you can just do a whole lot more.”

One software feature that gets regular use is tool balancing, introduced in ToolRoom RN34. This has proven “a huge help,” mainly for single-flute routers, enabling design of tools for high-speed machining that won’t produce noise and chatter and damage workpieces.

Levels of user friendliness and automation options available on ANCA machines have also grown up with Gorilla Mill.

“Cross training” required among the fast-growing workforce is minimal, and most of the workshop’s machines have the same ANCA software.

“Plus, we have all of our machines tapped into a network,” says Cranker.

“We can just manipulate toolpaths and tool programs right in our simulator and then shoot that over to whatever machine they’re needed at.”

Every machine is equipped with a robotic loader — either a pallet-style or a newer AR300 unit — helping

make lights out work possible. Daytime is for custom and short-run production. The third shift is unmanned.

As the company grows its staff and revenues — which have risen nearly 900 per cent since the beginning of the Gorilla Mill era — Cranker estimates it will continue to invest in FX and MX machines, as well as robotic options to go with these.

“We currently have the ability to make 3,500 endmills a night if need be, and that's huge for us, says Cranker, who recalls the company getting started with automation on the old RGX machine.

“It can be tricky if you don't know how to set things up right, and ANCA’s done a pretty good job of trying to keep complications to a minimum. But we honed our skills, and every time we moved up we bought another loader, because I really want to be able to make tools lights out.”

ABOUT ANCA ANCA is a market leading manufacturer of CNC grinding machines.

It was founded in 1974 in Melbourne, Australia where the company still has its global headquarters. ANCA has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Thailand, India, Japan, Brazil and the USA as well as a comprehensive network of representatives and agents worldwide. ANCA CNC grinders are used for manufacturing precision cutting tools and components across a diverse range of competitive industries including cutting tool manufacture, automotive, aerospace, electronics and medical.

For more information, visit machines.anca.com

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IMD | 33

Industry Insight

USA “Near-Post-COVID” Reshoring Manufacturing Perspectives

JM Performance Products & The Reshoring Initiative® Analyze “Near-Post-Covid” Parameters with a Trajectory Focus on Training, Technology, Supply Chain, Production, And Reshoring.

By: John Stoneback / JM Performance Products, Inc.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a national push moving forward to strengthen the domestic supply chain, especially of essential products, driving reshoring numbers higher. The following Q&A is designed to share insights on how today’s companies can address and prevent post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, advance their manufacturing productivity, and reskill workforces.

Participating in this “POST-COVID-RESHORING-OPS” Q&A are two representative entities with vested interest on the subject−JM Performance Products, Inc. (JMPP: Fairport Harbor, OH) President, John Stoneback, and the Reshoring Initiative® (RI: Kildeer, Illinois) Founder & President, Harry Moser.

JM Performance Products, Inc. is a leading manufacturing innovator of CNC mill spindle optimization products since 2009. Their Patented High Torque Retention Knobs overcome a critical design flaw inherent in CNC v-flange tooling that is responsible for costly CNC milling

34 | IMD

FEBRUARY 2022

and boring issues industry wide−in terms of production, time, and tooling.

The Reshoring Initiative, founded in early 2010, takes action to bring five million manufacturing jobs back to the US by helping manufacturers realize that local production, in some cases, reduces their total cost of ownership of purchased parts and tooling. The RI also trains suppliers how to effectively meet the needs of their local customers− giving the suppliers the tools to sell against lower priced offshore competitors. The RI is a nonprofit organization that offers a number of free tools to advance their mission.

What are the aftermath effects in the “nearly” Post-COVID-19 landscape for US Manufacturing?

Moser: From a reshoring perspective it’s clear that government, consumers, and companies must understand that a global and fractured extended supply chain is not

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

good. Reducing our dependence on foreign countries and corporations for critical technology and products is critical.

Quite simply, we need to source more in North America, with the US getting the bulk of it. Without having to worry about geopolitics and the US/China ports (where things can go wrong), the risk comes down dramatically.

Many experts feel that China will begin to voluntarily decouple as a strategic shift, whereby they switch their focus from economic growth to economic control. China is furious because of the US resisting their efforts in the Western Pacific−particularly the protection of Hong Kong and Taiwan. If they are convinced that we’re trying to cut them off from their maritime supply chain, China may announce at some time that no Chinese company will ship to the US. They could also mandate their populace to just buy China-based products. This is made more plausible as 40% of Chinese income is saved by their populace vs.

3-5% for the US−making it easier for them to replace their dependency on us.

I believe it’s a question of degree where they may pick the 5-10 things that we need most (i.e.-penicillin, semiconductors, cell phones, etc.). If they tried this 20 years ago it wouldn’t have worked because they needed us more.

Now, we need them more as we have nowhere else to go for some of these vital items.

Other geopolitical landscape scenarios exist as well, such as Cuba being positioned to block trade from many areas in/out of the Caribbean. The question is, will Cuba, a target for China, help them financially/militarily to block the US? In many ways, the US is doing the same thing in Taiwan, Philippines, etc. This is a very extreme scenario, but also very possible on a percentage level as I believe these trends will continue.

Stoneback: From a small manufacturing perspective, we all need to recognize that we are never going to experience “business as usual” pre-Covid-19. The supply chain disruption has affected every manufacturer, whether they are a small “Mom & Pop” shop or a multi-national entity.

We are all being forced to examine our business practices and modify them, so that we can continue to produce our products with better efficiencies while controlling escalating costs.

Everything from buying steel to semi-conductors has been affected. Quoting has taken on a new level of difficulty because lead times are no longer predictable or dependable. Add to that the lack of skilled labor available, and the new deficit of people willing to work, and US manufacturers are now playing the game with a whole different set of rules.

The current domestic “hyper-inflation” has to be taken seriously. The cost of everything from food and clothing, to fuel and housing has jumped dramatically. The unfortunate reality is that many items are still significantly less expensive if they are imported. The challenge of making every dollar stretch further opens an argument that higher

costing domestically produced goods are an extravagance.

Changing that mind-set is a necessary but daunting task.

Additionally, we all need to recognize that the demand for higher wages to offset the escalating costs, and devaluation of the dollar is imminent. What affect will this additional layer have on reshoring? This is a question every business owner, especially manufacturers, needs to examine.

JM Performance Products is staunch about making our products here in the USA from domestic steel, and having to justify our cost over an import is our day-to-day challenge.

The fact of the matter is, we can and do guarantee our quality and performance. If an imported part fails, what is the remedy? A failure of our products, retention knobs, can cause catastrophic damage resulting in production down-time and repairs. It is highly unlikely that a cheap import comes with any sort of guarantee or cost mitigation policy. The reality is that paying more up-front often means saving money down the road; but that is a difficult message to convey.

What is the biggest/most immediate challenge for Post-COVID-19 domestic manufacturers?

Moser: The good news is that the reshoring effort has been on a successful track in bringing back manufacturing jobs to the US−6K in 2010, 160K in 2020, and 200,000 or more in 2021. This is still not enough growth needed to reduce the trade deficit and reach the goal of bringing back 500K jobs per year. Even if we reached that goal, we wouldn’t have the skilled (and unskilled) workers trained to handle the work at that pace.

Therefore, the biggest challenge/obstacle is the skilled workforce, and we need to establish recruiting the unskilled and skilled via aggressive apprenticeship programs for beginners and support college funding to go even further.

Lower-level jobs will benefit immediately from apprentice programs as social recruitment of manufacturing careers is key−with guidance counselors leading the way.

The second biggest challenge is to get the dollar down 20%. Also, don’t raise the corporate income tax as it will dissuade companies from building new manufacturing facilities, etc. Moving forward, we also need to adopt a value-added tax credit of 15% on every level of the supply chain (steel, etc.) for exports. Today, if a Chinese company ships to the US, China gives that INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

IMD | 35

company a 15% value-added tax/credit. We need to do this as well, as it is a critical incentive over and above taxes, duties, and tariffs.

How is the Post-COVID-19 drought in available/ willing employees affecting domestic manufacturers?

Stoneback: I agree with Harry. We need to incentivize North American manufacturers while protecting them by leveling the financial playing field. For many small manufacturers, higher corporate income tax will only dilute their efforts to grow and expand. It will also have a negative impact on their workforce.

Moser: In many cases, employees have been afraid to come back to work because of COVID-19 safety issues. Also, government stimulus aid has de-incentivized some from working, but I feel they’ll come back as funds run low and the pandemic continues to subside. The big challenge for manufacturers will be to get their share of those employees coming back to manufacturing.

Where is the global supply chain today in terms of speed of delivery, stock, etc.?

Moser: Delivery time is at least 50% longer to get to the US, as there is still a good amount of inventory of products stuck on ships and docks. Across the board, there are shortages in distribution centers and stores, and imported products are still the problem for companies waiting for materials to get here. Quite simply, if you use domestic materials and labor, you’ll have less issues.

Stoneback: Many manufacturers fail to recognize that the costs to use imported materials have to include the cost of added time, added transportation, and quite honestly, reduced quality in many instances. Yes, we may have to pay more at first blush, but the cost of buying domestic materials is easily calculated.

What needs to change in the global supply chain moving forward?

Moser: Ultimately, more reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI) may benefit local firms in the host country through various kinds of spillovers to recognize total cost vs. just the price.

I recently participated in a podcast for the AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence), which is a lean-focused organization that helps manufacturers successfully navigate the post-pandemic economy. We all agreed that JIT is a lean concept and we do need to get leaner. The problem is that JIT is a problem when you have no inventory and depend on products coming from foreign countries vs. domestic-based.

This still comes down to a sourcing problem where we need to be leaner by sourcing more locally. If we can overcome that problem−JIT will work just fine.

Stoneback: Sourcing local is key. JMPP currently manufactures and stocks over 400 different styles of retention knobs, so JIT local sourcing isn’t an issue for our customers. Additionally, we recently developed coupling bolts for live tooling on Mazak Corporation (Florence, KY) CNC lathes which are now available for immediate shipment–eliminating the traditional long lead times for comparable imported coupling bolts for Mazak CNC lathes.

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FEBRUARY 2022

Stoneback: Our domestic policies need to change. We have to stop paying people to NOT work. No one wants to cause anyone any harm, but there needs to be a limit to what an able-bodied person should receive in assistance.

What does the Post-COVID-19 landscape look like for the reshoring effort?

Moser: The current administration’s enhanced efforts are focused on manufacturing essential materials for precarious industries such as microchips, rare minerals, medicine, EV batteries, etc. We can’t be dependent on outsourcing so we must boost production at home. The problem is, for example, we can increase microchip manufacturing capacity, but our chips will be too high priced to compete.

The emerging chip factories must get costs down to have a competitive US market here for all the chips, as they are 20-30% cheaper to source from overseas. Plus, overseas is also our customer.

Notably, for the second year in a row, reshoring job announcements outpaced FDI – 62% vs. 38% (historically very high but lower than last year’s rate of 70% reshoring, 30% FDI.) Exhibit 1 below notes the number of companies reporting new reshoring and FDI is also set for a new annual record: 1,800+ companies.

What are the bottom-line revelations and insights that should be implemented for domestic manufacturers in the Post-COVID-19 era moving forward?

Moser: Again, a skilled workforce is the number one priority, plus automation and improving the trade balance are key. Germany is the best example of this as their trade balance is a surplus of 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), whereas the US is at negative 4%. Germany also has a better skilled work force, as manufacturing is 21% of their employment and the US is at 9%. It is also essential to get the dollar down.

Stoneback: While I agree with Harry that a skilled workforce is a priority, I also believe that adopting innovative processes that augment the skill level of our work force is key. Taking a hard look at production bottle necks, and working to simplify processes so that capable, but not necessarily

highly skilled workers can maintain the work flow, should always remain a consideration.

What can the Reshoring Initiative do to help manufacturers with supply chain problems?

Moser: The Reshoring Initiative offers the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Estimator®. It’s a free, online software that helps companies make better sourcing decisions about offshore vs. domestic sourcing, and is also use to sell against imports. The tool asks the companies to look at what products are causing “pain” via “hidden costs.” They can use the TCO to find the products where the hidden costs are greater than the price gap.

We also offer the Import Substitution Program (ISP), where companies can identify the right products to make and it qualifies the biggest importers of their product. The ISP was created to convince and facilitate importing companies to produce or source more domestically. Customized versions of ISP are available for U.S. manufacturing companies, technology suppliers, and trade associations.

These are unique tools that can become an important part of any sales, marketing, or economic development effort to make smarter sales decisions. Ultimately, lots of jobs are coming back (maybe 20%) so this could increase US manufacturing by 30%. If 2H2021 progresses at the same rate as 1H2021, reshoring and FDI job announcements for 2021 are projected to be over 220,000 – 38% above an excellent 2020 and, by far, the highest yearly number recorded to date.

Given these statistics, and using these tools to do the math and figure it out, manufacturers should have confidence moving forward that it can be done so we can then actively hire, train, and build more factories.

With an effective vaccine in place, and the COVID-19 crisis nearly over (apart from the new Omicrom variant threat), the negative effects have still permeated the US manufacturing community at every turn and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future–and beyond. Actively addressing the challenges at the forefront as a result of this pandemic, can ultimately create opportunities that pave the way for a stronger, more sustainable US foundation for the future–with advanced manufacturing, training, and reshoring as the essential bedrock.

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IMD | 37

Product Showcase

PRODUCT SHOWCASE Industrial Machinery Digest's Monthly Product Showcase features the latest from some of the manufacturing industry's top suppliers.

Cracking the Code: Connecting IMD Readers with More Information To learn more about each product, scan the included Quick Response (QR) code with your mobile device.

These special barcodes have been designed to allow our readers to quickly and easily discover more information available on IndustrialMachineryDigest.com.

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

New Sinamics G115D Distributed Drive System Specifically Designed for Conveyor Applications

c3controls Introduces Upgraded Line of IEC Pilot Devices

EMUGE-FRANKEN USA Expands TOP-Cut VAR High Performance End Mills Line

Comprised of the drive, motor and gear box, this new distributed drive system is available as a complete solution for motormounted and wall-mounted horizontal motion control conveyor …

c3controls is launching an upgraded line of IEC Pilot Devices, with the new Series GT directly replacing the 22mm IEC Pilot Devices – Series B products.

The c3controls IEC pilot device line features pilot lights, push buttons, selector switches, and E-Stops…

TOP-Cut VAR end mills feature unique flute and profile geometries optimized for long tool life and superior performance in both roughing and finishing applications.

Variable helix angle flutes provide extensive vibration dampening…

NEW PRODUCT: EXAIR’s Basics of Static Electricity White Paper

HEMCO Rust Proof Chemical Resistant Canopy Hoods

KAAST Offers 5 Axes For All Your Machinging Needs

The Basics of Static Electricity white paper presents 20 comprehensive and full colored pages on the causes of static electricity, how it develops, and solutions for combatting it in manufacturing processes.

Static electricity is a product of non-conductive materials coming into contact…

Canopy Hoods are designed to collect and exhaust corrosive vapors, heat, steam and odors. They are available in 36”, 48”, 72” & 96” widths, in Wall or Island models. Canopy hoods are available in either molded chemical resistant flame-retardant one-piece composite resin or…

KAAST Machine Tools, Inc. is proud to present the V-Mill 600.5X, a 5-axis CNC Vertical Machining Center (VMC) which utilizes a massive gantry structure consisting of a base frame, double racks, and stable crossbeam to ensure rigidity and cutting performance.

This model also features…

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IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

Kassow Robots’ KR810 7-Axis Cobot is a Perfect Fit for Machine-Tending Applications

KHK USA Inc. Announces Extensive Line of Premium Metric Worm Gears

Kassow Robots, developer of 7-axis robot and cobot solutions for machine tending, material handling, and related applications, is pleased to introduce the KR810, during the upcoming A3 Business Forum event to be held in Orlando, January…

KHK USA Inc., distributor of the market leading KHK® brand of metric gears, announces its extensive line of metric worm gears, manufactured to the highest quality standards by Kohara Gear Industry Co., of Japan. KHK’s large selection of worm gears are very…

New 1:4 Speed Multipliers from Heimatec

Okuma America Corporation Launches MA-600HIII Horizontal Machining Center

Heimatec, a world leader in live tools, angle heads and multi-spindle drill heads, today announces immediate availability of its newest development, a line of 1:4 live tool speed multipliers in 24,000 RPM max. styles, available for all popular live tool lathes currently on the market.…

New Seco High Feed Square Cut Size 14 Milling Systems To Tackle Difficult-To-Machine ISO P, M, And S Materials Seco Tools has launched a new High Feed cutter and insert series in size 14. Increase tool life and maximize the value of every edge with this new series in stainless steels, titanium, and superalloys milling applications. The…

Members of the management team at Okuma America Corporation are excited to announce the launch of a next-generation machining center to join the company’s horizontal machining center lineup. This new machine – the Okuma MA-600HIII…

New Walter Shoulder Milling Cutter Reduces Finishing While Boosting Reliability Walter has introduced the M5137 Xtra·tec® XT shoulder milling cutter. It features six cutting edges, approach angles of exactly 90°, positive geometry, and two pitches for different applications.

The cutter’s exact 90° lead angle eliminates the…

18-inch Vertical Wood/Metal Band Saw from Palmgren® The versatile 18-inch Vertical Wood/ Metal Band Saw is really two saws in one. The specially designed multipurpose saw effectively works on a variety of materials that includes wood, plastic, composites and ferrous and non-ferrous metals. It comes with two blades — a ¾-inch-14 TPT…

The New Generation Of Micro Drills From Sandvik Coromant The CoroDrill® 462 and 862 are the next generation of micro drills from Sandvik Coromant. Available in new geometries to offer a wide variety of cutting diameters and lengths, the drills boast an increased product range compared to previous assortments. The drills have been specially…

DiPaolo Machine Tools And Kitamura Machinery DiPaolo Machine Tools, a leader in supplying industrial machine tools and turnkey systems has added Kitamura Machinery’s line of vertical, horizontal, 5-axis and double column machining centers to their milling and automation solutions line up.

With more than 50 years of supporting industry…

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

IMD | 39

On Exhibit - MODEX

ON EXHIBIT Industrial Machinery Digest's On Exhibit features the latest news and press releases from companies exhibiting at the leading trade shows across North America.

WANT TO BE FEATURED? Send your press releases to editorial@indmacdig.com

MARCH 28-31, 2022 Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center When the largest manufacturing and supply chain trade event of 2022, MODEX, returns to Atlanta on March 28 it will include over 900 exhibits from leading solution providers and a comprehensive Educational Conference of over 150 sessions focusing on best-inclass solutions for manufacturing and supply chain operations.

MODEX 2022 exhibits will represent all segments of the material handling, logistics and transportation industry, from traditional, manual equipment to computerized, automated systems and smart, connected supply chain technologies.

www.modexshow.com

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ABB is expanding its range of SCARA robots with the launch of the IRB 920T. Designed to meet the requirements of the electronics industry for high-speed production in increasingly complex manufacturing processes, the IRB 920T provides the highest levels of speed, accuracy and repeatability for assembly, picking and handling tasks.

The new AA3000 series electric cylinders from Beckhoff are ideally suited as direct drives for linear motion applications with high process forces and speeds. The series offers optimal force, dynamics and a compact footprint combined with the advantages of servo technology, such as closed-loop positioning…

ABB Expands SCARA Robot Range For Faster, High Precision Assembly

Beckhoff AA3000 Electric Cylinders Provide Precise, Energy-efficient Motion

BOOTH: B6848

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Creform Corporation, a manufacturer of unique products for material handling structures has designed and produced a mobile heavy-duty flow rack for use in the body shop of a large automotive assembly plant. The flow rack is used to “flow” in production parts on their assembly line.The rack is built using Creform 42 mm pipe and joints for extra capacity…

The new robot’s design includes a new arm structure, drive system and lighter main unit, which enables high speeds and a large working area. Its 1,460 mm reach is the largest in its class, allowing for installation flexibility and use in a wider variety of applications. The RS013N robot also leads its class in speed, resulting in reduced cycle times and increased productivity…

Creform Heavy-Duty Mobile Flow Rack…Let It Flow, Let It Flow, Let It Flow

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Kawasaki’s RS013N Robot – An Evolution of the R Series

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

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OTTO Motors, a leading provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and Siemens Canada, a leader in the global digital transformation in industry and a division of Siemens AG, have announced a new partnership.

Together, the companies are breaking new ground in Industry 4.0 technologies, in areas…

PAC Machinery, Leaders in packaging with one of the most diverse ranges of machinery, has entered the Rollbag® R3200 Fulfillment Automatic Bagger in the MHI Innovation Award competition in the “Best New Innovation”category. Winners will be selected at the 2022 MODEX show in Atlanta, GA at the…

OTTO Motors and Siemens Partner to Implement Leading Autonomous Mobile Robot Material Handling Solution

PAC Machinery, Enters NEW Top Fulfillment Auto Bagger for an MHI, MODEX Show Innovation Award

BOOTH: B7857

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Pneumatic Leveler Automatically Adjusts Pallet Load Height The P3™ All-Around level loader from Presto ECOA Lifts is economical as well as ergonomic. It dramatically improves worker productivity in manual pallet loading and unloading applications by eliminating awkward and physically stressful motions like bending, lifting, reaching, and stretching. Once filled via shop air or a compressor, the P3 All-Around’s heavy-duty …

Reliable, Small Footprint PL80 Robot Adds High-Speed Versatility to PL-Series Line Highly efficient and flexible, the five-axis PL80 robot brings robust capability in a compact design to Yaskawa’s PL-series robot family. Ideal for a variety of palletizing applications, order picking and other logistical tasks for end-of-line or distribution automation, the PL80 excels at case palletizing, bag palletizing, de-palletizing…

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IMD | 41

On Exhibit - D&M WEST

APRIL 12 – 14, 2022 Anaheim Convention Center From design and prototyping to 3D printing, materials, automation, and machining , D&M West is the most comprehensive design and manufacturing event for suppliers and buyers to discover innovation, engineer new technology, and build a better tomorrow. nSuppliers will showcase their latest innovative designs in 3D printing, prototyping, automation, manufacturing equipment, contract manufacturing, and more right on the expo floor.

www.dmwest.com

BOOTH: 4615

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ATI Industrial Automation has developed the ultra-thin Mini43LP Force/Torque Sensor, providing high-precision force sensing in a rugged, yet compact transducer. At less than 8 mm tall, the newest member of ATI’s force/torque…

The uptick in automation continues as companies seek to update manufacturing processes to meet production demands while improving value, managing costs and ensuring employee safety. As new entrants and seasoned experts search for the right automation solutions, Epson Robots, the #1 SCARA robot manufacturer in the world, today announced new updates…

ATI Industrial Automation Develops The Mini43LP Ultra-Thin Force/ Torque Sensor For Compact, High-Precision Applications

BOOTH: 4500

FANUC Introduces New M-1000iA Robot Designed to Handle Heavy Products The M-1000iA’s serial-link construction gives the robot a wider range of motion in every direction. It can extend its arm upright or rotate it backwards, which is not possible for typical heavy-payload robots with a parallel-link mechanism. With a 1000 kg payload, a 3,253mm horizontal reach, and a 4,297mm vertical reach the M-1000iA is ready to go to…

Epson Updates T-Series All-in-One SCARA Robots Lineup

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GF Machining Solutions CUT P 550 Pro Builds on More Than a Century of Advanced EDM Technology The new CUT P 550 Pro electrical discharge machine (EDM) from GF Machining Solutions capitalizes on more than a century of EDM technology expertise to deliver superior performance. Like all the wire EDMs in the company’s CUT P Pro Series, including the CUT P 350 Pro and 800 Pro, the CUT P 550 Pro…

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For over 55 years, Guill Tool has been providing tooling for the aerospace, extrusion, medical, consumer and commercial, defense, wind, oil and energy industries.

Due to its years of experience, the company has a highly skilled team of expert machinists engineers trained in the latest CAD, CAM, CFD and FEA programs. Besides being experts in extrusion…

To meet the needs of high accuracy machinists, HEIDENHAIN introduces the new TS 760 touch probe for use with its contouring TNC and other major CNC controls. This device is distinguished by extraordinary 3-D accuracy making it especially useful during 5-axis machining and more. The new TS 760 probe offers extremely…

Guill Offers Machining and Fabricating Manufacturing Services for Aerospace

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HEIDENHAIN’s New TS 760 Probe Offers Extraordinary 3-D Machining Accuracy and Speed

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Due to their unique stepless horizontal and vertical adjustability, Lenzkes clamps are commonly used on machines for Injection Molding, Blow Molding, Rubber Molding, Stamping, Punching, Grinding, Die Casting, Ceramic Molding, Gear Cutting, Drilling, CNC Milling, and Machining. Lenzkes clamps are also used on Machining Centers…

Mahr has invested in a meticulous overhaul of the tried-and-true Marameter 844 K variable plug measuring system, developing new materials, processes and options to ensure maximum performance, linearity and accuracy. Because of their constant measuring force to sensitive contacts, the 844 K plugs are self-centering and reduce operator influence…

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SCHUNK gripper fingers can now be exchanged even more quickly and easily. The new manual BSWS-M system only requires the push of a button to mechanically unlock the top jaw and pull away from the gripper. Attaching a new jaw and connecting it with the gripper is also just as easy. As a result…

Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ: CGNX), the leader in industrial machine vision, announces VisionPro® 10.0 and VisionPro Deep Learning 2.0, two new releases in its VisionPro line of vision software. VisionPro 10.0 is a major update of the company’s industry-leading PC-based platform that delivers faster application…

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DESIGNERS AND BUILDERS OF HYDRAULIC PRODUCTS AND CUSTOM ASSEMBLIES POWER UNITS… As designers and builders of custom hydraulic assemblies, MacMillin offers solutions for both your system and physical requirements. Wide range of capacities and components to suit every application. Both horizontal and vertical configurations.

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IMD | 43

Surplus buying and selling

OEM Recycling: Large Chamber, Electric Shredders Make Quick Work of White Goods

Designed to handle large, bulky recyclables like home appliance metals and plastics, electric shredders are cost effective, quiet, and eliminate the potential for hydraulic fluid leaks

W

hen home appliance, aka “white goods” manufacturers need to shred defective oversized sheet metal or component parts prior to shipping for further recycling or re-use in production, the only option traditionally has been hydraulically powered, due to the high torque and power delivered. Although this is important for oversized parts, thick-gauge metals, and other hard materials, it is overkill for the light-gauge mild steel, sheet metal, and plastics used to manufacture most home appliances.

Enter electric powered shredders with design advances that can deliver the necessary torque and chamber size to quickly shred bulky, recyclable materials as used in the largest home appliances.

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FEBRUARY 2022

For white goods manufacturers, electric power offers some key advantages over hydraulic power. To start, electric shredders are generally less expensive than comparable hydraulic units. Electric shredders also eliminate the maintenance and inspection associated with hydraulic systems, namely fluid leaks and ruptured hoses. By eliminating hydraulics from the equation when large cutting chambers are still needed, facilities ensure a cleaner, safer work environment and prevent the potential slip and fall hazard represented by leaked hydraulic fluid on the plant floor.

Electric shredders are also much quieter. This lowers the noise level in decibels in already loud facilities.

Consequently, it is easier for workers to communicate

IMD – North America’s Manufacturing Resource for Industry Professionals Since 1986

without having to shout over the loud background noise of operating machinery. The quieter operation of an electric unit also facilitates compliance with OSHA’s permissible occupational noise exposure limit.

“Appliance manufacturers that recycle oversized products constructed of light-gauge steel and plastic have expressed a preference for large chamber, electric shredders that are quieter, eliminate the potential for hydraulic fluid leaks, and cost a bit less,” says John Neuens, Industrial Consultant for Milwaukee, WI-based BCA Industries, an established developer and manufacturer of industrial shredding and recycling equipment for a variety of industries.

Although electric shredders provide slightly less torque than hydraulic models, those designed to handle large white goods and other bulky recyclables can still deliver more than 100,000 ft. lbs. of torque per knife.

“Applying over 100,000 ft. lbs. of torque per knife in a large chamber is more than enough to efficiently shred sizeable, defective white good materials from stoves, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, tumble driers, dishwashers, water heaters, and air conditioners,” says Neuens.

He points out that one electric-powered unit, the customizable ES2000 shredder called “The Beast” from BCA Industries, is already being successfully used by the appliance division of a major global OEM at a facility in the U.S. Midwest. At the facility, the OEM is shredding bulky, hard to feed, substandard or defective appliance parts into small one-inch pieces and then transporting the scrap by rail to their recycling division.

With chamber sizes from 48” x 48” up to 48” x 72”, the electric shredder provides from 100 HP to 800 HP and 100,000 ft. lbs. of torque per knife. This is more than enough size and power to quickly reduce defective oversized items into easily transportable, recyclable scrap.

According to Neuens, BCA Industries designs the electric shredder to many of the same specifications as its hydraulic models to maximize durability and longevity in the field.

“We designed the electric shredder to be extremely durable even if the intended use is lighter duty metals and plastics, in the event the manufacturer pushes the envelope of what feed materials are placed into it in the future,” says Neuens.

For example, the electric shredder is designed with 24” AR500 base alloy knives with a hard-face weld, the same as the hydraulic alternative. The knives can be selected in a wide variety of sizes and specifications, which allows customization to suit the manufacturer’s specific application.

Several features are designed to increase the electric shredder’s useable life and reduce maintenance. Instead of 7” shafts, 8” chromoly shafts are utilized – the same as the hydraulic unit. In place of old HEX shaft design or a double key round shaft, the unit also uses an eight key design where the knife literally rides on disposable keys, not directly

on the shaft. With the keys taking any abuse instead of the shaft, the design eliminates shaft washout and simplifies knife changes.

Since the electric unit is designed with a double labyrinth style drop zone and outboard bearings, this eliminates any direct path to the shaft bearings. It also allows compressed material a path to exit the shredder, eliminating the “catastrophic costs” of bearing and shaft replacement.

To expedite scrap reduction to the appropriate specified size, the electric shredder offers the option of BCA’s patented Triplus system shredder “knife” technology. When used in the shredder, the knife technology can uniformly cut to any size in a single pass without a screen to quickly reduce scrap to a reclaimable proportion. The technology utilizes a unique bed knife design in a dual shaft shredder to cut the width of the material of the shredder. The size of the end-product is based on the size and geometry of the rotary and fixed knives as well as their gap distances.

A shredder using this design can produce over 85% correctly sized material in one pass with less than 10% oversized material, according to Neuens. He notes that the knife system can reduce scrap to the appropriate size with much less energy than typical shearing and grinding equipment. Power efficiency approaches 150% over any standard shredder.

Large chamber electric shredders are also easy to use for plant operators. The latest offer touch screen programmable functions and diagnostics and are PLC controlled with auto-reverse and overload protection.

“Manufacturers of oversized product that needs to be recycled finally have an electric-powered option that makes shredding onsite much easier, quieter, cleaner, and cost effective,” concludes Neuens. “Although hydraulic power has been the default choice, large chamber, electricpowered units are an attractive alternative for home appliance manufacturers, bulky industrial tubes, gas tanks, plastic totes and barrels, laser skeletons, and most other recyclables.”

For more information: call 414-353-1002; fax 414-353-1003; email john@bca-industries.com; visit www.bca-industries.com; or write to BCA Industries, 4330 W. Green Tree Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53223.

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IMD | 45

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Advertiser Index Accudyne Products USA — www.ezpullerusa.com ........................................................................ 9 Actek Manufacturing and Engineering Inc. — www.actekmfg.com ......................................... 37 ATTCO, Inc. DBA Syclone ATTCO Service — www.skyhookmfr.com ........................................ 7 Attica Hydraulic Exchange — www.ahx1.com ............................................................................... 25 Betenbender Manufacturing, Inc — www.betenbender.com .....................................................11 Burr King Mfg Co. — www.burrking.com ..................................................................................... IFC

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Carell Corporation — www.carellcorp.com ................................................................................... 15 Clamprite — www.clamprite.com .................................................................................................... 31 Cosen Saws, USA — www.cosensaws.com ....................................................................................17 Denver Breaker & Supply — www.denverbreaker.com ............................................................... 47 Design-2-Part Shows — www.d2p.com ......................................................................................... 47 DHM Associates, Inc. — www.dhmassociates.com .....................................................................49 Dynabrade, Inc. — www.dynabrade.com .......................................................................................FC Eagle Bending Machines — www.eaglebendingmachines.com ................................................ 15 ENM Co — www.enmco.com ...........................................................................................................49 Essex Structural Steel Co. — www.essexstructuralsteel.com .....................................................48 Formdrill USA Inc. — www.formdrill-usa.com .............................................................................. 27 H&K Equipment, Inc. — www.hkequipment.com .........................................................................48 HMI div of Betenbender Manufacturing — www.betenbender.com ........................................ 33 HYPNEUMAT, Inc. — www.hypneumat.com .................................................................................. 23 IMDauctions.com — www.imdauctions.com ......................................................................... 47, 49 IMTS | International Manufacturing Technology Show — www.imts.com ............................ IBC Industrial Magnetics, Inc. — www.magnetics.com .......................................................................29 Kanetec USA Corp — www.kanetec.com .......................................................................................48 KHK-USA — www.khkgears.us ............................................................................................................ 5 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 ........................43 Pro-Line — www.1proline.com .........................................................................................................49 Radwell International, Inc. — www.Radwell.com ........................................................................ BC Royal Products — www.mistcollectors.com ..................................................................................49 Schweiss Doors — www.schweissdoors.com ...............................................................................49 Select Equipment Company — www.selectequipment.net .......................................................46 Sprinter Marking, Inc. — www.sprintermarking.com ...................................................................43 Standard Direct — www.Standard-Direct.com .............................................................................48 Stor-Loc — www.storloc.com .......................................................................................................... 13 Tormach — www.tormach.com ....................................................................................................... 19 Trim-Lok — www.trimlok.com .......................................................................................................... 41

50 | IMD

FEBRUARY 2022

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