Industrial Machinery Digest - November 2021

» What the Pandemic has Taught us about Recruiting and Retaining Women in the Manufacturing Workforce » Supplying a New “Motion Picture” for Coil Handling » 6 Common Mistakes in Automated Brush Deburring » Why Your Data Isn’t Helping You Make Decisions

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Table of Contents

COLUMNS

10

BUSINESS 4.0 Why Your Data Isn't Helping You Make Decisions By: Andrea Belk Olson, CEO of Pragmadik

14

TALKING SHOP Eric Goodwin President, Goodwin Recruiting

20 16

FEATURES

20 22

MANUFACTURING SHOWCASE Flex Machine Tools

24

16

SAFETY & MAINTENANCE

By: Russ Willcutt

5 Benefits of Video Management Software for Manufacturers

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

By: Patrick Chown, Owner and President of Safe and Sound Security

What the Pandemic has Taught us about Recruiting and Retaining Women in the Manufacturing Workforce By: Allison Grealis, Founder and President of the Women in Manufacturing® Association (WiM)

NEW TECH

42

SURPLUS BUYING AND SELLING Metal Forming: An Expert Survey of the Key Equipment and Processes By: Del Williams

Supplying a New “Motion Picture” for Coil Handling

30 PROCESS

DEPARTMENTS

6 Common Mistakes in Automated Brush Deburring By: TJ Boudreau, category manager – HVP, Weiler Abrasives Group

34

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Reducing Runout

A new option in ANCA’s ToolRoom cures runout woes and helps to increase tool life and productivity

6 EDITORIAL DIRECTIONS 8 INDUSTRY NEWS 36 ON EXHIBIT – WESTEC 38 PRODUCT SHOWCASE 49 CLASSIFIEDS 50 ADVERTISER INDEX

ON THE COVER

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The FlexJet is the world’s fastest waterjet with the top speed, maximum acceleration, proven performance, and reliable service. FlexJet will cut virtually any shape in a single step with our dynamic 5-axis cutting head. Learn more about Flex Machine Tools on page 20.

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Editorial Directions SERVING AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS FOR OVER

I think we were all hoping the pandemic had run its course, allowing us to return to our normal lives filled with dining out with friends, attending sporting events, kids’ birthday parties, and maybe being able to travel and take vacations again. Oh, and also to return to our secure jobs once again. Normalcy.

Well, it didn’t quit work out that way. The Delta variant arrived and plunged everyone right back into the malaise again. Many people wonder if we’ll ever be able to rid ourselves of this deadly and ever-evolving virus. It’s even turned into a political issue, fraying relationships and turning people away from each other.

One surprise, to me at least, is the high numbers of people who took the time during quarantine to take a detailed look at their lives, such as examining their work/life balance and even considering whether or not they wanted to find a new job, or even a different profession to pursue. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or read more heart-warming stories in the news or on TV about couples deciding to quit their jobs and open the bed and breakfast they’d always wanted to, or to finish a degree or learn a new language.

This has posed problems for many companies, especially for manufacturers, many of whom expected their job openings to quickly fill. Again, this did not happen, or not to the extent that would turbocharge the economy or significantly affect the job markets. Instead, employers must learn how to navigate a whole new landscape filled with younger people with different expectations than those who came before them had. They’d rather have control over how they spend their time, and whether or not their ideas — honed by their exposure to social media and high-tech — will be taken seriously. And they’re not afraid to move if the work environment doesn’t provide these types of benefits.

One way to address the issue would be not to focus on a job candidates’ youth rather than their intelligence; a situation in which everybody loses. Or you could try and see through differences, to envision how that one persons’ insights could fundamentally alter the course of your company — and for the better.

35 YEARS

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SALES

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source

Russ Willcutt

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Editorial Director, Industrial Machinery Digest

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Industry News RAPID + TCT 2021: North America’s Largest Additive Manufacturing Event Celebrates Successful Return to In-Person Events In Chicago On September 13-15 at McCormick Place, SME and the Rapid News Group welcomed the additive manufacturing community back for another successful installment of the industry’s most innovative and influential event, RAPID + TCT 2021. The 30th edition of the three-day event featured the latest in 3D-printing technology from the industry’s leading product and service providers, a full schedule of speakers including three keynote presentations and 11 thoughtleadership panels and much more. SME Executive Director and CEO Robert Willig made the announcement.

“RAPID + TCT 2021 was a success on so many levels,” said Willig. “Having met incredible logistical challenges over the last 18 months, our team put in tremendous work to ensure this event would exceed the expectations of exhibitors, sponsors, delegates and attendees. The speakers, educational sessions and products that were on display at RAPID + TCT were of the highest quality you’ll find anywhere in the AM industry. We are thrilled to have welcomed more than 1,000 first-time attendees to the event as we reconvened the community, in-person to kickstart the collaboration and connection on which our industry thrives. We look forward to experiencing the next level of innovation in Detroit in 2022.”

RAPID + TCT 2021 drew over 6,000 participants — in-person and virtually through the RAPID + TCT Live Digital Experience—from 49 states and 37 countries. This year’s event signaled a new wave of users with 35% of the audience being new to adopting additive manufacturing technologies.

Caldwell Expands Bystronic Laser Fleet The BySmart cutting system was installed in August alongside a smaller BySpeed unit, as the manufacturer of lifting and rigging equipment continues to invest in state-of-the-art, Swiss-made sheet lasers, tube lasers, and press breaks.

Both machines can cut up to 60-in. by 120-in. plate. The existing BySpeed machine can cut up to 3/4-in. and can only work with mild steel, while the newer BySmart can cut up to 1-in. and can also work with stainless steel, aluminum, and copper. The technology starts the manufacturing process for pretty much all of Caldwell’s iconic range. The main operator has five years of relevant experience on the existing cutter, but comprehensive training on the BySmart took place over two weeks.

Thaddeus Grzeskowiak, plant manager at Caldwell, said: “This is a major part of our business. When we only had one cutter, when

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8 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

it went down or was being maintained, it became a real Achilles heel. Previously, we would cut what we could on the older laser and anything over 3/4-in. would be flame-cut and machined internally.”

The pair of Bystronic laser machines play a role in every product the company offers—from its tea-cup concrete pipe carriers to its spreader and lifting beams. They are operated by a single full-time operator and two others that step in from elsewhere on the production line, as demand rises. Programming, meanwhile, is split between manufacturing and engineering divisions—and the operator of the machine in use.

Weiler Abrasives Appoints Pete Hutchinson as Technical Applications Manager “We are pleased to welcome Pete back to Weiler Abrasives,” says Scott White, director of product management.

“In addition to his previous tenure as a product application engineer and manager, he is bringing several years of external project and product management to the company. Both will be an asset to Weiler Abrasives and our customers.”

In his new role, Hutchinson will focus on technical product support and training, with responsibility for leading both tactical and strategic efforts. His role will involve managing and executing both internal and external training initiatives, along with visiting customers onsite to provide application support. In addition, he will be responsible for developing, curating and continuously improving Weiler Abrasives training content.

Turkish Tool Maker Turcar Wins Both Categories at ANCA’s Fourth Tool of the Year Competition With 37 entries, over 202,480 social impressions and almost 8,500 votes, ANCA’s Tool of the Year was back at EMO Milano 2021 to celebrate the achievements of the global cutting tool industry which is estimated to be worth $34.42 billion. This year’s competition was particularly hot with impressive entrants pushing what was possible by applying exceptional skills to create complex tools that provide meaningful grinding benefits.

Turcar, a winner of the virtual tool category in 2020, takes home the #MadeonANCA and Most Innovative Tool categories this year, demonstrating their strength in both expert practical design and manufacturing of a cutting tool, and the imagination and skills to push the ANCA software to design a fighter jet.

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“Every episode gives these distinguished fabricators, welders and artists a worldwide stage to show what they can create from metal using ESAB equipment,” says Steve Molenda, Sr. Director of Global MarCom and Marketing Strategies, ESAB. “It’s an honor as well as a huge opportunity to promote the welding industry to new audiences, showcasing it as a career, hobby and means of artistic expression.”

Molenda notes that equipment used for the show is the type of equipment used by millions of welding professionals, contractors, metal artists, farmers, maintenance personnel, auto repair and motorsports shops and do-it-yourself enthusiasts.

Rauf Ötzürk, Managing Director of Turcar, said: “This competition has really been a defining experience for many people at Turcar.

After last year’s success and learning experience, we really wanted to take a step further this time. We collected ideas from all over the company and received many ideas for both categories. We went through the stages that define our company’s philosophy: from creative ideas to design, process realization and – in case of #MadeonANCA – also production. We profit not only from the strong message in this contest, but also the joint learning experience. We will definitely be back to defend this victory.”

A very close second in the #MadeonANCA category was FANAR and third place went to ARCH Cutting Tools from a field of exceptional winners who demonstrated very good use of software and machines to produce functional tools with good surface finish, runout and grinding accuracy.

Pat Boland, ANCA Co-Founder commented: “The excitement at ANCA has been intense in the lead up to the winner announcement and I have enjoyed a fantastic feeling of pride when evaluating the entries. The aim of the award is to recognize the incredible creativity in our cutting tool industry that underpins all of manufacturing.”

ESAB is Sole Provider of Welding Equipment for Netflix Series Metal Shop Masters The show features seven competitors, five men and two women, who face off in elimination-style fabrication challenges (view series teaser video). At the end of six challenges, the last fabricator standing will have earned the title of Metal Shop Master and win a $50,000 prize. The show is hosted by Jo Koy, an award-winning comedian and star of several Netflix stand-up specials.

New Hampshire Tech Alliance names Hypertherm’s Powermax SYNC “Product of the Year” Finalist Hypertherm announced that its Powermax® SYNC™ series—three new plasma systems with built-in intelligence and a revolutionary single-piece cartridge consumable—is a New Hampshire Tech Alliance Product of the Year finalist.

Product of the Year is sponsored by the New Hampshire Tech Alliance, a statewide technology association dedicated to supporting companies at every stage of growth and development—from startups to established leaders in the global economy. In addition, the alliance is committed to nurturing a vibrant tech ecosystem in New Hampshire by building partnerships, enhancing knowledge, and shaping public policy.

EMUGE-FRANKEN N.A. Promotes Scott Lowe to National Sales Manager EMUGE-FRANKEN N.A. has announced the promotion of Mr. Scott Lowe to National Sales Manager for the U .S. and Canada. In his new position, Scott is responsible for leading the EMUGE-FRANKEN N.A. sales organization to further strengthen support for customers and distributor partners, as well as grow market share. Prior to his promotion, Scott was the EMUGE-FRANKEN N.A. National Accounts Manager for the U.S. and Canada for approximately two years.

“I am very pleased to announce Scott’s promotion to National Sales Manager, which will provide strong leadership to our sales organization,” said Mr. Bob Hellinger, President, EMUGEFRANKEN N.A. “Scott has well over two decades of combined sales management experience and cutting tool technical skills which make him an ideal choice for this position.”

“I am excited to take on this new role at EMUGE-FRANKEN N.A. at a pivotal time, when in addition to continuing to advance our core tapping and thread milling products, we are aggressively expanding our milling tool portfolio including the manufacture of end mills in the U.S.,” said Mr. Lowe. “By leading a strong, technically proficient sales team that works closely with end users and distributors, I look forward to continuing the legacy of EMUGE-FRANKEN’s excellent reputation for the highest quality cutting tools and customer support.”

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 9

Business 4.0

Why Your Data Isn't Helping You Make Decisions

By: Andrea Belk Olson, CEO of Pragmadik

W

e all like to have data to support our decisions. But we tend to look at this myopically - a decision needs to be made, and we simply need some data to justify it. True, almost everyone, from retail companies to agricultural manufacturers, strives to make data-backed decisions, but what is the right way to use data to make better, more accurate decisions?

It begins with understanding what type of data you need for a particular decision. If you need to find the cause of a problem or

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predict what will happen in a specific part of your business, the type of data you choose is essential to success.

For instance, when you want to see what trends occurred in your business in the last quarter and find the data-backed explanation for them, descriptive and diagnostic data will come in handy. But in case you want to build a strategy or even shape the future of your business, predictive and prescriptive analytics will be much more applicable.

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

Here are the four types of data and how they can help you make better decisions:

Vodafone’s analysts built a predictive model trained on the data of the people who had been using their phones at major ski resorts throughout Europe in the past.

Descriptive Data Descriptive data answers the “what happened” question. Think of an e-commerce store owner who wants to know what products were the least popular in California during the Christmas season.

Descriptive data identifies information on what items people were least willing to buy in that period. It provides a historical view of past performance and is typically easy to capture.

Diagnostic Data While descriptive data shows us what happened, the diagnostic data answers the question of why it happened by seeking a cause-andeffect relationship. With diagnostic data, you can quickly identify patterns and how different factors relate to each other. For instance, marketing departments can use diagnostic data to define why some campaigns were more effective than others.

Predictive Data Predictive data uses historical or current data to forecast potential outcomes. For most companies, this is where the “magic” happens.

Predictive data is more complex than descriptive and diagnostic data, and it always requires data scientists’ expertise. For example, Vodaphone decided to offer special deals on plans and roaming to the clients who were most likely to go skiing. To define those clients,

Prescriptive Data Prescriptive data is based on predictive data but supplements its outcomes with recommendations for the future. In other words, this type of analytics answers the question “How to make something happen?” providing decision-makers with the optimal action plan.

For instance, airline companies can constantly adjust ticket prices depending on ever-changing factors like weather conditions, fuel prices, and customer demand.

Every type of data is intertwined with the others in the analysis cycle. The latter gives businesses answers to questions like what happened, why it happened, what could happen next, and how to make something happen. By using descriptive and diagnostic data, you can clearly identify what brought you to your current state.

Meanwhile, predictive or prescriptive data will provide you with a clear vision of future perspectives. All these types of data have their function - it's up to you to understand the decision you're trying to make, and what you need to make it.

Why We Misinterpret Wants and Needs as Problems I've spoken with hundreds of executives, CEOs, and business leaders about their organizational challenges. Across all industries, many of the problems are the same. We need more sales/revenue/members. We

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IMD 11

need more innovation from our employees. We need to reduce costs.

We need to reduce attrition (of customers/employees). Sound familiar?

In addition, there are other, more narrow, and specific problems that are voiced as well. We need better outcomes. We need more attendance/participation (whether with a product or service).

We need people to have more interest (in what we do, what we sell, what we offer, etc.). It really doesn't matter what you do or what your company does - these are many of the refrains you've probably heard.

You've likely heard them many times over, possibly each and every year as the company sets its "key objectives" for the upcoming business season. If it's so crystal clear these are the problems, why haven't they been solved? Because these aren't really the problems.

These statements are not problems, they're "wants". Replace "need" every time you hear a leader state the organization's objectives with "want" and you'll understand. We all have "wants".

The hard work comes with understanding and deciphering what the actual problem is - and then how to solve it. But we more often than not assume the "want" is the problem, and desperately struggle to find quick, easy, silver-bullet solutions to these broad and generic "wants".

Understanding a problem takes a lot of research, effort, data, insight, and curiosity. It's not simply proclaiming a "want" and then delegating the task of resolving it to your team. Understanding a problem requires discovering the causes, catalysts, influences, and context surrounding the "want".

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For example, take the "want" of increasing sales. Of course every organization wants to increase sales. Defining this problem requires understanding where sales are declining, what things have changed in the business environment to influence the decline (which could be a lot of things), where things are working well (and why), and what has changed within the customer environment (needs, expectations, etc.), to name a few.

Alternatively, organizational leaders will translate "wants" into directives. We need (want) to increase brand awareness. We need (want) to better differentiate our products/services/offerings.

Again, these "wants" are not clearly defined problems. How do customers perceive your product/organization today? Where do they find out/learn about your offerings now? Where do they gather and congregate? How do you position the organization today (if at all)? What has changed in the competitive landscape and customer expectations which has caused market confusion/ diminished presence?

Proclamations don't easily get translated into action, because they assume the problem's defined when it's far from it. Too many organizations don't take the time to dig into the details. They often default to past initiatives, activities, or tactics - all of which deliver less than stellar results, because the context and circumstances have changed. Or they examine high-level numbers (such as sales being low in one geographic area) and simply proclaim to increase numbers there. (This is yet another "want", just a little more specific.)

If you really want (ha!) to address your organization's challenges, start with having a stronger, better understanding of the problem.

Learn the what, where, when, why, and how of the challenge.

Dig into data. Gather new data if you don't have what you need to develop a comprehensive assessment of the challenge. This is why physicians run so many tests and evaluations - they want to understand specifics - where the problem is stemming from. If you don't know specifically where the bleed is, you're not going to stop it anytime soon.

author of The Customer Mission: Why it’s time to cut the $*&% and get back to the business of understanding customers and No Disruptions: The future for mid-market manufacturing.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, a TEDx presenter, and TEDx speaker coach. She is also a mentor at the University of Iowa

Andrea Belk Olson is a speaker, author, applied behavioral scientist,

Venture School.

and customer-centricity expert. As the CEO of Pragmadik, she helps organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500, and

More information is also available on www.pragmadik.com

has served as an outside consultant for EY and McKinsey. Andrea is the

and www.andreabelkolson.com.

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IMD 13

Talking Shop

FEATURING:

TALKING SHOP WITH: Eric Goodwin — President, Goodwin Recruiting When a manufacturing company comes to you needing help in recruiting employees, how does the process begin?

We have approximately 200 representatives in the field. We make a point of contracting with local reps so that they’ll already be familiar with the market and will know in advance how that community works. That’s one of the things we discuss during our initial conversation, whether that involves a phone call or a site visit. We learn what the company does before asking specific questions.

Some older manufacturing companies are quite proud of what their families have created, and even cherish the oldest machines in the shop. So you’ve got to tread lightly around these kinds of issues. We might gently inform that state-of-the art equipment and neat, organized workspaces make a big impression on potential employees as an incentive to join the company.

We’ve come to realize that jobseekers are looking for more than a paycheck these days. They’re looking for an environment that compliments their own values; a place where feel that their input matters with a diversified workforce. Some might choose to go elsewhere for a few extra dollars, but we’ve found that the work/ life balance has emerged as an important issue, especially among younger graduates.

The pandemic and quarantine gave a lot of professionals time to think carefully about where their life and career is headed, and many have chosen to go in a different direction. This is also something manufacturing companies can focus on in their local

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marketing efforts, specifically addressing those who are ready for a life change. Videos of the various machines in operation on the company’s website and on YouTube also provide a glimpse into the latest technologies in action to help dislodge any negative opinions might hold. We help companies identify their areas of strength when evaluating what might be important to job seekers.

How are your clients protected from spending a lot of money on pursuing candidates who aren’t capable of meeting their requirements?

We work specifically on a contingency basis. Our clients can interview candidates without spending a dime if they don’t find who they’re looking for. We also help clients refine their own interview skills with the feedback we gather from individual candidates. Our field representatives in the company’s locale have developed academic contacts that will help companies locate potential candidates in area. These might involve speaking to groups of high school students and even holding tours of their facilities to let them see for themselves that that manufacturing is no longer the dirty job they once may have thought it was with high-tech equipment, clean work areas, automation and robotics.

What is the most basic advice you give your own clients?

We want our clients to truly understand that everything has changed post-pandemic. People are weighing issues like quality of life rather

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

income alone. You’ve probably read about folks who took the time in quarantine to evaluate their lives and maybe choose a different direction. It’s not just a matter of money and perks anymore, but a company’s values and the environment it provides in order to do good work. The power is really in the potential employee’s hands at this point.

Industrial Recruiting Specialists

So it sounds like you’re trying to help the employee as well as the employer.

Over 20 years of industrial recruiting experience at your fingertips

That’s true. We want them both to be educated in this process. For instance, we film all our interviews, but it’s not always about skills.

Sometimes we use them to point out weaknesses in how a candidate conducts themselves during interviews. And sometimes, in a very tactfully way, we need to tell the business owner where they fall short of a place where people want to work. More than ever, it’s a two-way street.

Companies are searching for great candidates, and potential employees are looking to find a position that complements their lifestyle, values and future plans.

More information at goodwinrecruiting.com

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IMD 15

Safety & Maintenance

5 Benefits of Video Management Software for Manufacturers By: Patrick Chown, Owner and President of Safe and Sound Security

T

he operation of any manufacturing facility can be complex regardless of the industry and geographical location.

Fortunately, for companies that want to maintain a safe work environment video surveillance makes the daunting task more manageable.

Video surveillance technology has come a long way from just being able to capture images. This is largely due to the development and integration of Video Management Software (VMS).

Today's video management software, (also referred as video management systems) enable manufacturers to transition from a reactive to a proactive security posture.

Video management software enable manufacturers to: 1. Integrate other security systems.

2. Secure business assets and property.

3. Support health and safety activities.

4. Monitor business operations.

5. Strengthen security awareness.

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Video Management Software When companies think about upgrading their current video surveillance they often focus on the features and benefits of security cameras. While cameras play an essential role in an organization's security setup, the video management software is just as important.

Here are five key benefits that video management software offers manufacturers:

1. Integrate Security Systems VMS empowers businesses with the ability to integrate video, access control, audio and other security systems into a single point of control, increasing effectiveness and enhancing security management.

Video management software enables access control and event notification such as intrusion detection systems to work together and enhance security. This is crucial for production facilities as they are exposed to both classic security concerns as well as emerging health and cyber-security risks.

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2. Secure Business Assets and Property Warehouses and manufacturing centers play a critical part in our economy because they facilitate the flow and delivery of products and employ over 13 million workers. As a result, maintaining the safety and security of these facilities is critical.

Manufacturers with 24/7 operations depend on constant and reliable surveillance. Some facilities may find value in receiving a daily summary video of their operations while others are more interested in license plate recognition for parking lot security. A high performing VMS can deliver both and many other important analytical insights.

3. Support Health and Safety Activities Video management software has increasingly been used for solutions that go well beyond security. Considering the pandemic, more and more manufactures are looking for ways to integrate their VMS with temperature screening, mask detection and people counting solutions.

All of these functions will allow organizations to support their health and safety programs in a Post-COVID world. Video management software combined with access control creates a unified solution for efficient safety risk management.

VMS allow authorized users to view and control camera feeds remotely.

Along with remote access, VMS facilitate actionable analytics.

Security analytics enables organizations to make prudent and proactive decisions in real-time. These types of analytics can range from occupancy tracking to motion detection searches for suspicious people to developing situations that require immediate attention.

5. Strengthen Security Awareness and Reduce Incidents In 2020, there was a global increase of warehouse and facility theft.

A recent report recorded losses of over $2 million in a single day in the greater Los Angeles area. That should not come as a major surprise as California typically leads the United States in terms of the proportion of cargo thefts.

Security awareness is instrumental to the overall safety and security of any facility. VMS can be used to review and analyze recorded footage. This is an empowering feature that enables security teams to review footage, assist in investigation and monitor operations in real-time.

Selecting The Best VMS 4. Monitor Business Operations In 2020, we learned many lessons. A circuital lesson for most businesses was the importance of remote access. Most cloud-based

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18 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

Selecting the best VMS for your business depends on many factors. Three important considerations to keep in mind before purchasing are:

» Desired analytics and important features: VMS often come with lots of bells and whistles, so it is important that you know what analytics and features are most important for your organization. » Integration with other security systems: Although a professional security integrator should be able to assist in this matter it is important that you consider your current security systems and account for cloud storage space. » Budget constraints: Prices vary greatly and costs range between $590 to $3,650 per initial software license plus additional connection fees may also be included.

The pandemic significantly impacted the manufacturing industry.

As businesses look to ramp up production, they will need to make good use of effective security tools such as video surveillance cameras, access control and video management software to remain vigilant during these turbulent times.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patrick Chown is the owner and president of Safe and Sound Security.

With a commitment to exceptional service and nationwide coverage, Safe and Sound Security specializes in integrating security cameras, access control, burglar alarms, and structured cabling.

For more information, visit getsafeandsound.com

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IMD 19

Manufacturing Showcase

Flex Machine Tools By: Russ Willcutt

R

ichard Kennedy launched Midwest Specialties, Inc., in 1971 as a government contracting manufacturing business. He designed and built a tapping arm to increase speed and efficiency when tapping holes off of his NC machining centers. The FlexArm was the first of many innovations the OEM now known as Flex Machine Tools, and is still based in Wapakoneta, Ohio, from which all of its products are assembled and shipped from CNC machine tools to laser and water-jet cutters.

Now a third-generation enterprise helmed by Nick Kennedy, Flex remains committed to quality while seeking out fresh opportunities to expand its product line to meet industry demands. Primarily

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20 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

devoted to the North American market, Flex has representatives located across the country, and their customers are loyal.

“I met a fellow awhile back who has a 20 year-old FlexArm, and he hasn’t had any serious problems,” Nick Kennedy, the current CEO. “So that’s proof of our equipment’s longevity, which will remain as we design new machines to harness the power of the industry’s latest technologies.”

“We’ve made no acquisitions, all our development has been done organically with the company's resources,” Says Kennedy. We started taking a close look at automation solutions in 2015 when Nick took over the company and we made the decision to be a "Growth"

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

Equipment Lines » FlexCNC » FlexJet » FlexArm » FlexBeam » FlexErgo

company. We looked at FlexArm closely and realized the product is excellent, but it is mature and we needed to invest into automation solutions to scale.

The FlexJet, which actually transforms the standard cylindrical spray into a “knife blade,” providing faster cutting speeds and greater precision than is found in most older water-jet machines. “The FlexJet cuts up to seven times faster than most machines on the market,” he says, “due to its design, a 6-axis cutting head, and AI in the controller is unlike anything that's been seen in the industry.

Although Kennedy admits that current industry leaders still access most of their information by reading trade magazines and attending trade shows, he has brought a social media specialist onboard to make sure Flex is taking full advantage of the latest platforms available in this fast-moving digital environment. “Our go to market is with aggressive marketing.

Something we do that's unique for a machine tool builder is the focus we have put into social marketing, “The reach you can obtain with social marketing to assist with brand awareness is huge. We tweak daily based on the analytics to see what will give us the most reach so we can ultimately eliminate obscurity for our brand. We can't afford a Nascar team, so the social marketing approach is a

great tool that we can leverage to help compete with companies that are 100x bigger than us.”

The next step involves developing dedicated software that will allow its machines to be user-friendly, precise, and capable of delivering the company’s customer’s goals and demands.

This approach — respecting its past while keeping an eye keenly trained on its future — has led to tangible rewards. It is currently adding on 55,000 square feet to its existing 50,000 square foot facility. “In addition to giving us more space for stock items, it will allow us to graduate from building five machines each month to 25,” Kennedy says.

“We want to be known as innovators” he says, “so we’re looking at ways to move manufacturing forward instead of gazing into the rear-view window. Our company vision is to "pioneer machine tool automation solutions" and that's exactly what we do. We have a team of software engineers and mechanical engineers that can literally build anything, “according tp Kennedy. “We really try to focus our energy on specific machines like the FlexCNC and our newest machine the FlexJET. These are machines where we see niches in the market for and machines that need new innovations that we are building.

To learn more visit flexmachinetools.com INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 21

Workforce Development

What The Pandemic Has Taught Us About Recruiting and Retaining Women in the Manufacturing Workforce By: Allison Grealis, Founder and President of the Women in Manufacturing® Association (WiM)

I

n October, nine new women manufacturing leaders were inducted into the Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Education Foundation Hall of Fame. Nominated by their peers, these women were recognized for their contributions over the course of their careers and their efforts to support the professional growth and success of other women in the sector. The ceremony was part of the 2021 Women in Manufacturing (WiM) SUMMIT in Cleveland, Ohio, which was themed, “Manufacturing HERoes,” in honor of manufacturing leaders who have stepped up during the COVID-19 pandemic by working tirelessly to produce essential products and to help lead a sector that continues to be the backbone of the U.S. economy.

This acknowledgement is all the more critical in light of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on working women. From widespread job losses across industries to the rise of remote work to having to manage virtual learning for our children, how and when Americans across the board are able to plot their careers and make a living has been upended.

And while some of these changes will prove short-term, and others, such as more flexible working options, may well be a positive for workers, there is one trend from the last 18 months that we need to take seriously and course-correct as quickly as possible: the rate at which women left the workforce.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, more than 2.3 million women have left the labor market since March 2020. Even more troubling, one in four working women are considering leaving their job or downsizing their career due to pandemic-induced factors, such as loss of childcare.

When you consider that, today, women make up 47 percent of the U.S. labor force, hold more than half of all U.S. managerial and professional positions, and earn more than half of all associates’, bachelors’, and masters’ degrees in this country, that is a serious blow to our nation’s workforce and economy, not to mention the financial stability and opportunity of American families.

The loss of working women also boils down to dollars and

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cents. According to McKinsey and Company, employing women in leadership positions helps companies’ bottom lines, and companies that employ women in senior roles consistently financially outperform those with all-male leadership.

In the manufacturing sector, the loss of highly-educated and accredited workers exacerbates an already significant gender gap. Today, women make up only 29 percent of our domestic manufacturing workforce. If we continue to lose women from these fields, then we run the very real risk of having the backbone of our economy become almost entirely male-dominated. That is not only problematic in principle, but means that an industry that touches nearly every corner of our day-to-day lives is missing out on the insight, experience, and expertise of half of our population.

That is why it is critical that manufacturing employers take this issue seriously and make proactive steps to recruit, train, and promote women within their companies.

The challenges experienced by women in the manufacturing sector is why WiM is committed to supporting the retention and advancement of our industry’s female workforce.

A challenge facing many women in the workforce is balancing the needs of raising their children with their professional lives. If we are going to reverse the trend of women leaving the workforce, it is critical that working mothers feel that they aren’t alone in balancing the demands of a career with the demands of parenting. That means recognition and support from their employers and colleagues, and it

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

means facilitating opportunities for working mothers to communicate with each other, offer lessons learned, and see that there is a path forward.

A new WiM initiative is focused on helping women who are facing these challenges of being a working parent. The Moms in MFG community is tailored to support the needs of mothers who work in the manufacturing industry. WiM established this network to support, promote and inspire working moms in manufacturing. WiM’s Moms in MFG community launched in May and the group held its first virtual event in August.

The visibility of women succeeding in the manufacturing sector is an important piece of the puzzle in recruiting and retaining women. It also goes a long way in battling antiquated stereotypes about what it means to work in manufacturing, and what types of job are available.

In short, manufacturing needs better exposure so that younger, female audiences are aware that manufacturing jobs are rewarding, exciting, and lucrative.

This means actively engaging young professionals, but also reaching out to K-12 and college students, because while the number of women graduating college has dramatically increased, the number of women pursuing STEM degrees and careers has not. In fact, a number of recent studies have shown that representation is key to attracting underrepresented demographics, including women, to STEM fields as a whole.

Individual companies can play their part by showcasing more female success stories – from women in senior leadership to engineers to everyday manufacturing workers – to illustrate the variety of ways manufacturing offers reliable and profitable employment with opportunities for growth and development. This will not only help recruit women, but support retaining and advancing workers equipped with the necessary skills to meet the workforce needs of the sector today as well as in the future.

Retaining women in manufacturing is not an issue that rests only on the shoulders of professional women manufacturers or select companies – it is an issue that our industry needs to tackle head-on and holistically given the long-term and intensifying skills gap problem

our workforce faces. A 2018 study from Deloitte found that up to half of the millions of manufacturing jobs that will open up this decade will go unfulfilled, largely due to failure to effectively reach out to communities marginalized by the industry.

Failure to reach women, and losing existing women workers, is a financial drain on our sector, and one that, given manufacturing’s role in supporting other sectors of the economy, has a domino effect across the U.S. economy, undermining this country’s competitiveness, innovation, and growth.

WiM is committed to being a part of the solution. Our work is dedicated to supporting the industry in deploying new and creative recruitment methods, providing the infrastructure for the networking and mentorship that allows workers to thrive, and supporting educational and training opportunities. Our goal is to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for women manufacturing professionals.

While our recent SUMMIT highlighted the fortitude and resilience of women manufacturers during the pandemic, we are now focused on manufacturing’s recovery and our sector’s bright future ahead.

We are confident that women are the linchpin to that success, and to mark it we are hosting the first-ever Winter Leadership Conference in St. Pete Beach, Florida early next year.

The experience of the last two years underscored that a company’s most valuable asset is its people. Now more than ever we must re-focus our efforts as an industry on recruiting, retaining, and supporting a workforce more inclusive of women for the benefit of all of us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Allison Grealis is founder and president of the Women in Manufacturing® Association (WiM), a national trade association focused on supporting, promoting and inspiring women in the manufacturing sector, and the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF), the 501(c) (3) arm of the association that provides and supports effective and affordable educational opportunities for women in manufacturing.

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IMD 23

New Technology

PLC unit controls the drives to position the crane for handling of each coil from the mill and position the coil in the proper staging area of the ACY.

Supplying a New “Motion Picture” for Coil Handling Siemens Partners with Morgan Automation to develop fully automated non-manned coil handling cranes and coil transfer cars integrated with motion control and communications hardware; zero downtime after six months of operation

A

major U.S. steel mill in Arkansas required an entirely new approach to coil handling for its rolled-to-order production strategy. Its engineering and materials handling equipment partner, Morgan Automation, devised and implemented a fullyautomated, non-manned series of three cranes to work with two coil transfer cars accepting hot coils off the walking beam from the hot mill. In manufacturing this system solution, Morgan turned to its longtime drives and motion control partner, Siemens, who provided a full complement of drive, plc, safety I/O, power quality meters,

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PCs, wireless hardware plus communication software and its TIA Portal for commissioning and monitoring on the project. According to the president of Morgan Automation, Mark Sharamitaro, “The excellent reliability and performance of the Siemens solution on this project was invaluable in helping us achieve complete operational efficiency and zero downtime during the first six months of operation.”

This greenfield project involved the handling of approximately 1000 coils or 30,000 tons of steel a day at the mill. A typical coil in

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“When we automate operations, our team always starts with a thorough analysis of a company’s existing processes,” said Mark Sharamitaro, president of Morgan Automation. “Then, we apply our decades of engineering experience to design a custom automation system that addresses the challenges of that unique application.”

this yard is approximately 83” OD x 82” W and weighs 28 tons on average. As the mill operates on a “made to order” mindset, there is a dual challenge of handling hot coils from the mill and organizing their staging for shipment by truck, rail or barge, with an additional quadrant on the ground for coils heading via the coil transfer cars provided by Morgan to the Pickling Line Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) on the premises. In the proposed and enclosed coil yard, the walking beam would deliver the coils from the hot mill, then the crane grab would secure the individual coil and place it in the coil transfer car or on a saddle in the appropriate quadrant on the floor. During low production times, the system would defrag the coil assortment into the proper positions to conserve storage space with full tracking in real time. Each crane has a thermal imaging camera for temp sensing plus a patent-pending laser positioning system. The comprehensive data tracking is clearly displayed in the mill control room with real time KPI calculations.

The goals for this new autonomous coil yard (ACY) included the indoor facility to reduce rust and corrosion, improved coil handling to meet the shipping protocols, reduced energy costs by eliminating lift truck handling and reducing physical distancing of coils, plus faster location of the coils on their saddles for crane handling into shipment staging areas. Critical overall was the safety of the personnel, so a system of nine remote I/O cabinets and 21 safety gates was to be implemented. Integration of the entire operation was to be handled by the proprietary Morgan CEPHAS logistic management system with a rules-based engine for algorithmic decision-making. All the information management would be transmitted and handled by mill personnel, using the in-house platform and virtual private network (VPN).

With those logistics, performance goals and system integration requirements, Morgan began the process of working with the Siemens team to utilize the full range of product and software

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IMD 25

Autonomous Coil Yard (ACY) run at major steel company in the Midwest, operated by crane system provided to the mill by Morgan Automation of Alliance, Ohio. Myriad Siemens controls are onboard the system, both hardware and software.

A New Approach to Coil Handling With more than 150 years of material handling expertise, Morgan Engineering continues to transform the way its customers do business. By taking an integrated approach to manufacturing automation, the company is designing, manufacturing and commissioning complex material handling systems from the ground up.

For this project, the Morgan team had several objectives: » To eliminate the need for outdoor coil storage, which leads to rust and oxidation; » To optimize the use of indoor space through dense coil storage; » To improve and track operational efficiency; » To save fuel and manpower costs by reducing the reliance on Taylor forklifts for coil movement; and, » To improve material tracking by removing the need for operators to locate coils.

Since commissioning the Morgan System, the facility has: » Improved operational efficiency. » Increased machine availability and reliability. » Reduced fuel costs. » More efficiently utilized personnel labor. » Reduced cycle times.

As Morgan Automation grows, the company remains committed to design, engineer, build and install every system from start to finish — making Morgan a one-stop-shop for any automation solution.

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options for construction of the optimum materials handling, motion control and data management system for the ACY. According to Mark Sharamitaro, “We were bringing our established CEPHAS warehouse management system to this challenge and seeking to marry it to a single user interface, driven by the rules established by our customer, so there’s essentially a single bucket of data on each coil.” In that “bucket” are all the physical characteristics CEPHAS logistic management system tracks and temperature of the every coil being handled coil plus the determined location for placement. All these data are transmitted through a series of Siemens SINAMICS drive modules, SIMATIC PLCs and the SINEMA network monitoring server, complemented by WinCC V16 supervisory control for monitoring over long distances. In addition, Siemens offered its SCALANCE wireless suite of ethernet switches Typical control cabinet houses drives and other hardware to run the crane system.

CEPHAS system provided by Morgan tracks the position and status of every coil in the ACY, divided by grid location for staging of shipments.

and access points to communicate the ring topology and VLAN data to the mill control room personnel.

The Siemens SIPLUS controller components were used outside of the e-house because of the higher ambient temperatures, as

these devices are built for more hostile environments. Sharamitaro reported that the Morgan team actually tested these components beyond their published ratings, so his team knew they would perform in this application, especially at the moment when the

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IMD 27

Morgan technician programs the Siemens PLC to coordinate with the Morgan CEPHAS system for ACY control

crane would pick up a hot coil and hoist it up near the trolley with the controls onboard.

Sharamitaro also noted the need for an embedded quality system to identify secondary coils on the floor and determine their transfer path. As each coil is grabbed, a full battery of sensors, switches, I/O power supply, drives, PLCs and wireless communication sends information from the crane trolley directly to the control house.

The three 190-ton cranes are thus fully synchronized for handling the incoming coils from the hot mill plus the placement of the coils in the transfer cars and staging lines. The information feeds the CEPHAS system of Morgan Automation, which makes the algorithmic determinations for each coil, based on predetermined parameters set by the mill. An extremely efficient and reliable system of coil handling is achieved, as a result.

Mill personnel (as shown in the video link) cannot access any of the four quadrants in the ACY if the lockout devices are engaged.

The ground-based safety system literally “asks” the crane for permission before allowing personnel to access the area.

Leading the project for Siemens were Roland Najbar, business development manager, as well as Rick Ludlow, account manager, both focused in the crane industry. Najbar comments on this project, “Once we had the full requirements from Morgan, we went to work assembling our motion control and material handling product and software suites to accommodate them. The need for fully unattended operation and wireless communication in the mill presented some challenges, but our team responded with a combination of time-tested drive, wireless and PLC products as well as some newer offerings such as the SINEMA network monitoring system.” He further noted that Morgan took the Siemens offerings to new heights of performance, through the integration with CEPHAS, the Morgan logistic management system that performs inventory tracking and routes every coil

“When the system is in operation, every movement is carefully orchestrated, and every sensor is continuously monitored and logged with its time stamp,” said Sharamitaro. “This real-time data collection and evaluation allows the team at Big River Steel to continually identify and improve operational performance.”

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“If your process has challenges that can benefit from automation, we have the expertise to develop a custom solution for you,” said Sharamitaro. from the mill to the shipping stage in a time-sensitive and deterministic order of motion.

The SINAMICS drives interface with the SIMATIC S7-1500 PLCs on this application to seamlessly distribute data and commands through a network of safety I/O, also supplied by the Siemens crane team.

Najbar also cited the intentional redundancy in the drive safety and production isolation that allowed the cranes to keep working independently but in a highly integrated manner to achieve a non-stop production environment at the mill. Through the Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500TF PLC, integrated safety is provided, along with the drives in this system. The open communication protocol on the PLC allows for C++ high-level language applications, such as protocol converters, database connectivity, complex algorithms such as those on the Morgan CEPHAS system plus integration of crane vision systems and laser trackers.

To evidence the energy savings, Siemens also provided its PAC3200 power meters that track and record power consumption ongoing in a system and efficiently communicate data over a network protocol. Another key component in the Siemens solution here was the SINAMICS S120 Smart Line Module for crane applications, which features onboard regenerative drive.

This feature takes the excess motor power from a crane hoist, for example, during descent and feeds it to another component in the system or back to the grid for trackable energy savings to the customer. Further, this Smart Line Module has particular application in the crane world, as it features a line-commutated infeed that is enhanced by the use of IGBTs that avoid commutation faults typical of thyristor-based rectifiers.

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IMD 29

Process

Automated brush deburring offers numerous benefits that make it a good option for many companies looking to switch from manual deburring. Those benefits include a reduction in direct labor costs, greater process consistency, and elimination of a common source of health and safety issues.

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IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

6 Common Mistakes in Automated Brush Deburring By: TJ Boudreau, Category Manager – HVP, Weiler Abrasives Group

I

mplementing an automated brush deburring process can reduce direct labor costs, improve process consistency, and eliminate common health and safety issues.

These factors may be appealing to companies that are considering a switch from manual deburring — but it’s easy to make mistakes without the right information to implement the process.

Keep the following in mind to avoid any pitfalls.

Mistake No. 1 Inconsistency in Incoming Parts When there is variation in incoming parts, it can result in outgoing part variation and, therefore, higher process costs during deburring.

Make the upstream process as stable as possible to help minimize this problem, and design the system based upon the worst-case scenario for the upstream process.

Companies can design a system capable of handling broad incoming part variability, but it is typically quite expensive. When variation of upstream parts cannot be reduced, the increased costs for a highly robust deburring process must be incorporated into equipment design and part cost estimates.

Mistake No. 2 Burr Access That’s ‘Close Enough’ Burr access is a common problem with system design, and getting the brush close enough to hidden or masked burrs is not good enough. Brush filaments must have unimpeded perpendicular access to the burred edge for effective removal.

Position edges in a way that minimizes masking of burrs by part features and workholding, and make sure the orientation allows brush filaments to strike the targeted edge at a perpendicular angle. When using wire brushes, orient the part to allow filaments maximum access to the root of the burr, which provides greater striking force where the burr is joined to the part.

Often, this type of mistake can only be corrected in the design stage, and it cannot be fixed on the shop floor.

Mistake No. 3 Assuming a Small Part Requires a Small Tool Part geometry is important to consider in deburring system design. However, most small parts do not require a small deburring brush. Because it is more difficult to manage wear compensation for small brushes compared to larger ones, using a small brush often leads to inconsistency.

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IMD 31

Using a larger brush results in a more robust system and allows more reliable wear compensation — lowering the overall cost per part. While a larger brush may have a higher initial per-brush cost and seem oversized for the part, this choice will almost always reduce consumable cost per part, increase system stability and reduce machine maintenance. It’s recommended to use the largest, densest brush allowed by the part geometry.

Mistake No. 4 Insufficient Horsepower or Motor Power While under sizing a brush drive motor may reduce initial investment costs, it often leads to operational problems. Without sufficient motor power, factors such as brush selection, parameter selection and equipment layout won’t matter. The motor will bog under the load, and the process will yield poor results.

It’s important to choose a motor with enough horsepower to maintain operating rpm when the brush engages the part. The amount of engaged brush face and the depth of interference between the brush and the part are key factors in determining the appropriate motor size.

Mistake No. 5 Getting Caught in the Speed Trap Wire and Nylox brushes are designed to operate within certain surface speed ranges and, in many cases, these surface speeds don’t correspond to spindle speeds of off-the-shelf motors. This means direct-drive systems operating at standard motor speeds may be doomed from the design stage.

For example, a 10-inch wire brush running at 1,750 rpm will only be marginally effective. At that speed, the wire tips will have limited energy and will be prone to rolling the burr instead of removing it.

Check the manufacturer’s recommended operating speed before selecting a motor. Recommended speeds are typically different than the maximum safe speed printed on the brush and can vary based on workpiece material, part geometry and other factors.

Mistake No. 6 Disregarding Published Recommendations The importance of following a manufacturer’s recommended operating parameters is illustrated by the last two points. A brush

Weiler Consumable Productivity Program Helps Manage Spend, Improve Productivity Step-by-step assessment gathers data related to abrasives cost weighed against output “The WCP program can bring real value to end users, especially if they are experiencing bottlenecks in their operations, have short abrasive life and want to improve performance,” says Ron McCarthy, abrasives specialist, Weiler Abrasives. “Our goal is to set them on a path of cost savings and better productivity — and we’re confident we can do that.

One of our most recent WCP participants saved $62,000 annually, so our customers are finding significant value in this program.”

The program involves time studies and observation of abrasive usage to gather quantitative data that can be measured and verified, leading to a repeatable solution. Weiler Abrasives representatives look at how abrasives are used, how long they last and how productive they are. It involves five steps: 1. Evaluating the value related to purchasing the abrasives 2. Real-life testing at the company’s facility 3. Establishing a baseline through testing 4. Collecting data and establishing averages through product evaluation 5. Reviewing findings and creating an actionable plan By comparing several products throughout the process, Weiler Abrasives provides a recommendation for the best, most productive abrasive for the application.

For more information, visit Weilerabrasives.com/MultipassConsumable-Productivity

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32 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

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Not ensuring part consistency is a common mistake when implementing process automation.

Excessive variability of incoming parts adds expense to an automated deburring process.

may be rated to run at 3,000 rpm, but that may not be the optimal brush speed for your specific application.

An application’s optimal operating parameters are impacted by numerous factors, including those mentioned above, as well as process cycle time, coolant availability and a part’s surface finish requirements.

Usage parameter recommendations are available from most manufacturers — often online or in published literature — and some manufacturers offer lab testing so companies can test parameters on real parts before making an investment.

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ABOUT WEILER ABRASIVES GROUP As an industry leader and global manufacturer of surface conditioning solutions, Weiler Abrasives Group is dedicated to forging collaborative relationships with our customers in diverse markets — Metal Fabrication; Industrial Production; and Maintenance, Repair & Operations — to tackle their toughest cleaning, grinding, cutting, deburring and finishing challenges.

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www.weilerabrasives.com INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 33

Industry Insight

Reducing Runout

A new option in ANCA’s ToolRoom cures runout woes and helps to increase tool life and productivity

T

otal indicator runout (TIR) is a term often used in manufacturing, especially when dealing with rotating parts such as cutting tools, particularly endmills and drills. TIR is defined as the difference between the maximum and minimum values measured across an entire rotating surface about a reference axis.

Manufacturing high quality, high performance tools requires the Total Indicator Runout to be perfect or minimal for overall tool life and surface finish. Runout on blanks before grinding can be achieved by either spending a certain amount of time for work holding setup or alternatively, compensating the runout in software. The latest software update of ToolRoom has an option to apply complete tool runout compensation when needed.

Runout creates uneven chip loads due to uneven contact on the workpiece. The result, as pictured above, is that some flutes get way too much load and wear fast while others get too little. This is not an optimal situation for endmills during machining. Not only do tools with runout have shorter tool life, they tend to be unbalanced and more prone to breaking. Additionally, they vibrate and cause chatter, increase spindle load and result in a bad surface finish on the workpiece.

On the contrary, even cutting flutes result Axial runout compensation. in longer tool life, better surface finish and accurate finished parts. Circular runout controls only a particular circular cross section of an endmill, while total runout controls the entire surface of the endmill which includes the outer diameter and endface. There are two kinds of runout: Radial and Axial. Radial runout is when the axis of rotation is off-center from the main axis, but still parallel. Axial runout is when the axis of rotation is tilted to some degree from the main axis, meaning the axis of rotation is no longer parallel to the main axis.

On an ANCA tool and cutter grinder, runout is measured by rotating the blank around the A-axis (headstock) and using the Renishaw touch probe. The latest update in ToolRoom RN34.1 release contains the total tool runout measurement and compensation operation in iGrind as an option. This is an addition to the existing axial runout compensation.

The runout measurement and compensation can be performed on a

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34 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

blank or a pre-formed blank. A pre-formed blank is a tool that has flutes ground, for example tools requiring re-sharpening. Endface compensation is used for axial runout by digitizing a single point close to the end of the tool. Only the endface operations are supported for this type of compensation.

Total runout or full compensation will measure and compensate radial and axial runout. This is mainly used while manufacturing

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

All length values in above chart are in milimeter.

and two points are digitized. One is near the end of the tool and the other at shank end. With the digitizing results, users are able to convert the grinding to the centerline of the blank rather than the centerline of the A-axis.

When an endmill is in rotation it is important that each tooth cuts at the exact same spot along the workpiece for longer tool life and efficient cutting. Every tool in the batch can be measured and compensated for runout to ensure the entire batch is within tolerances. Runout in drills and reamers will result in oversized holes.

This can be avoided by using the runout compensation. The chart above shows the compensation test results.

It is important to note that accuracy starts with the quality of blank. Contrary to popular belief, carbide blanks can be out of round bent or tapered. Ensure that the blanks are checked for size and accuracy, cleaned, and chamfered at insertion end.

Blanks should be within 0.001mm (0.00004”) in straightness and 0.0005mm (0.00002”) in roundness to achieve the above accuracy.

Manufacturing challenges due to runout is a persistent pain point for many precision tool manufacturers. This new feature addresses this problem and will give users the assurance they need to manufacture high quality tools - ensuring that the hundredth endmill produced will be equally as good as the first.

The new complete tool runout measurement and compensation operation is now available as an option in the latest ToolRoom update for RN34.1 release. Customers will benefit from increase in productivity due to the reduced collet and collet adaptor setup time, and reduced scrap from zero rejections due to runout.

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 anca.com

Total runout compensation.

Endmill runout (before).

Endmill runout (after).

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IMD 35

WESTEC

WESTEC 2021 NOVEMBER 16-18, 2021 Long Beach Convention Center, CA WESTEC, the leading California manufacturing trade show, has been providing solutions to manufacturing challenges for 56 years. In the past iteration at WESTEC 2019, the west coast welcomed over 10,000 attendees that joined together to participate in world-class exhibits, industry-lead education sessions, networking events, and more!

For more information, visit www.westeconline.com

EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS..................................................................................

BOOTH: 1847

Supersonic is Here The FlexJet is the world’s fastest waterjet with the top speed, maximum acceleration, proven performance, and reliable service. FlexJet will cut virtually any shape in a single step with our dynamic 5-axis cutting head. FlexJet is the solution for fast and precise waterjet cutting in a broad range of materials. The unique, actual 5-axis design allows the FlexJet to set itself apart by achieving taperless cutting in challenging to reach areas and giving the flexibility to cut any angle. Flex Machine Tools’ novel design makes programming more straightforward and allows the machine to cut faster.

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BOOTH: 1817

Introducing the SW Plus +® Series NEW! Stor-Loc® announces its new Standard Wide Plus (SW+®) line of cabinets. The Stor-Loc® SW+® cabinet provides 700 square inches of storage space per drawer. Compared to the existing 625 square inches drawers available on the market today, the SW+® provides at least 12 percent (and up to 22 percent) more storage per drawer than any other comparable cabinet in the industry. Stor-Loc® is offering the Standard Wide Plus (SW+®) line at the same price of its current Standard Wide (SW) line of cabinets. Available in any cabinet height, the SW+® line provides the maximum value for small and medium tool storage.

For more information, visit www.storloc.com

BOOTH: 1908

Expanded Range Of Dovetail Vises From Jergens Provides Modular Quick-Change Applications Dovetail vises offer secure clamping with minimal material and are ideal for parts with multiple operations and larger metal removal. With the ability to utilize quick-change, users can spend more time in the cut and less time in part changeover. With a single drive screw, Quick-Loc™ provides fast and repeatable fixture changes for small tooling platforms. A square aluminum adapter base provides the connection to either of the two patterns. The third vise features a Quick Locating System (QLS) mount, for column-mounting possibilities, and a corresponding round adapter base for this type of workholding.

For more information, visit www.jergensinc.com

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36 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

BOOTH: 650

Low-Voltage, Severe-Duty AC Motors Now With 75-800 Hp Output Providing high productivity and energy-efficient operation in all torque ranges, these new cast-iron NEMA motors are built to power pumps, fans, compressors, hoists, winders and similar equipment in harsh environments. With a three-year warranty, the SD200 motors offer 75-800 hp output and feature 444-5013 cast-iron frames for operation in 460V and 575V ranges. They meet or exceed NEMA Premium® MG1 Table 12-12 efficiencies. A wide selection of options is offered, including IP56 ingress protection, encoders, brakes, and blowers plus others to suit the applications presented.

For more information, visit usa.siemens.com/sinamics-g120xe

BOOTH: 1605

Burr King’s Model 1200 Deburring & Polishing Machines The Model 1200 deburrs, grains, polishes, cleans, descales, and buffs at a single station, a single machine, and a single operator. Accepts up to 12 inch diameter wheels to 2 inch wide. The convenient up-front wheel design takes the difficult out of the difficult to finish parts. The Model 1200 features convenient spindle position for speedy, comfortable operator transfer of parts wheel to wheel and offers versatility of convolute, flap, wire, fiber, nylon, or bristle brush wheels. With a durable, cast aluminum frame, the 1200 delivers further versatility of variable speed controls.

For more information, visit www.burrking.com

BOOTH: 1303

Mastercam 2022 on Display at WESTEC Many of the advancements in Mastercam 2022 are directly driven

by Mastercam users and shops. Feedback from Public Beta releases, shop visits, customer surveys, and consultation with our expert industry partners create the practical, shop-driven focus that helps ensure Mastercam users’ success. The 3D High Speed Dynamic OptiRough toolpath is now available for all Mill and Router product levels. This allows users to machine very large cut depths with a bidirectional cutting strategy to remove the maximum amount of material with the minimum number of stepdowns.

For more information, visit www.mastercam.com

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IMD 37

Product Showcase

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

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

COLE-TUVE Offers Enhanced NC Control COLE-TUVE's Sahinler Metal Makina 4-roll plate bending rolls can be equipped with an advantageous Upgraded NC Control, which means it's not always necessary to purchase the more expensive CNC Control. Elliptical shapes can be rolled with the Upgraded NC because it comes with additional pumps and software that keep the rolls moving throughout the bending process, thereby eliminating flat spots. The standard machines are featured with 3 LED Readouts and the NC, Upgraded NC and CNC Controls are available as optional equipment.

COLE-TUVE is the exclusive North American distributor for Sahinler and sells a complete line of fabricating machinery. » For more information, visit www.coletuve.com

NEW Coolant-Through-The-Tool Application For Quill Feed Units What is the main purpose for coolant application? Of course, among many reasons, primarily it’s for the lubrication and cooling of the cutting edge and, in addition, to help facilitate chip evacuation. A new approach engineered by REGO-FIX® is called reCool®, where the coolant-lubricant mix enters the collet from the radial direction and then passes through the tool. It is very simple and effective.

Drilling with coolant through the tool applications typically allow for a 20% increase in surface cutting speed, which results in higher chip removal rates and drastically reduces the machine cycle time. » For more information, visit www.suhner-machining.com

Siemens is Introducing the New SIMOTICS S-1FS2 Line of Servomotors These new servomotors are offered in a variety of power ratings, from 0.45–2kW (0.60–2.68 hp) with torque from 3.1–14 Nm (2.28–10.32 ft-lbs.). Crafted with housings of 1.4404 (AISI 316/316L) stainless steel, EPDM seals and bearing grease with NSF H1 approval, these new servomotors are highly resistant to corrosion and acidic chemicals found in the process industries. High dynamics due to low inherent inertia plus high overload capacity for use in pick-andplace applications, plus precise movement of heavy loads, are added features. One cable connection is provided for easy installation and cleaning. The standard absolute encoder is 22-bit multi-turn. » For more information, visit usa.siemens.com/simotics-s1fs2

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38 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

COXREELS® Exceeds Industry Recommended Salt Spray Testing Hours

Expanded Range of Dovetail Vises from Jergens Provides Modular Quick-Change Applications

Due to its numerous properties and, specifically, its corrosion resistance, powder coating is used for many applications in the industrial sector. The salt spray test is the oldest corrosion resistance test and the most widely preferred to evaluate anti-corrosion coatings.

COXREELS is proud to announce that they recently exceeded 20 percent more hours than the recommended industry standard for salt spray testing. The independent lab test performed measured the corrosion and UV resistance of COXREELS’ powder coated materials and results indicated that COXREELS’ products ranked in the top tier of the grading system for both UV and corrosion resistance.

Dovetail vises offer secure clamping with minimal material and are ideal for parts with multiple operations and larger metal removal.

With the ability to utilize quick-change, users can spend more time in the cut and less time in part changeover. Two of the three new vises are engineered to use with Jergens Quick-Loc™ pallet system and include industry standard patterns 52mm and 96mm. With a single drive screw, Quick-Loc™ provides fast and repeatable fixture changes for small tooling platforms. The third vise features a Quick Locating System (QLS) mount, for column-mounting possibilities, and a corresponding round adapter base for this type of workholding.

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IMD 39

Bench-Mounted Box Furnace L&L Special Furnace Co., Inc. has shipped a second bench-mounted box furnace to a worldwide leading manufacturer of high-purity fused silica and high-end ceramic products. These materials are used in the semiconductor and photonics industry as well as many other ceramic and composite industries worldwide. The furnaces are part of the research and development department and are an important component of the testing and quality control department. The elements are located on both sides as well as the top and bottom. This allows for equal heat distribution from all sides, and with the industrial control option, has proven to achieve a uniformity gradient. » For more information, visit www.llfurnace.com

Cincinnati Inc. Unveils the CLi, a Compact and Cost-Effective Fiber Laser Cincinnati Incorporated (CI), an American-owned and Americanbuilt machine tool manufacturer since the 19th century, recently introduced the CLi, a high quality fiber laser with a compact footprint and compact price. The machine neatly occupies a spot in the CI product portfolio, ensuring users no longer need to count on contract manufacturing partners and mysterious lead times if they need laser cutting done. The lowercase i in CLi stands for “introductory,” meaning it’s an ideal starting laser that has all the functions necessary for shops that want to make parts rather than outsource. » For more information, visit www.e-ci.com

agro-hytos hydraulic products

filtration… The range of filter solu-

tions implemented at Argo-Hytos extends from fixed-position industrial plants to highly mobile applications, primarily tailored to individual customer requirements. As a result of their vast experience with custom applications over a wide variety of sectors, Argo-Hytos offers a comprehensive range of innovation standard solutions: Suction Filters; Return and Return-Suction Filters; Pressure/ High Pressure Filters; Filling and Ventilating Filters; Filter Accessories; Sensor Technology.

fluid and motion control…

Directional control ValVes D02/D03/D05/D07/D08: Argo-Hytos DC and dual frequency AC coils can be rotated to locate connectors to your need. DIN, Deutsch Flying Leads and Wire Box Connection are available as standard Manual Override. Full line of Sandwich Controls.

FiVe series oF ValVes rate to 5000 Psi: RPE3-04, providing 8.0 GPM; RPE3-06, providing 21.0 GPM; RPE4-10, providing 37.0 GPM; RPE4-16, providing 80.0 GPM; RPE4-25, providing 160.0 GPM Gear PumPs: Argo-Hytos gear pumps provide high reliability, high volumetric efficiency, and low noise levels over the entire operating range. three series: GP1-P, maximum pressures from 2300-4350 flows 1.0 gpm; GP1-T, maximum pressures from 1700-4200, flows 1.0 to 17.0 gpm; GP1-Q, maximum pressures from 29004500, flows 7.1 to 42.8 gpm.

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40 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

Dillon Special Workholding Solutions Can Be Configured to Grip Any Workpiece Available in many materials with dimensions to suit the project at hand, they are available as soft or hard jaws, or full grip jaws, for virtually any chuck manufacturer. Any component dimension can be altered. Extra wide hard jaws provide more maximum part contact and penetration. Hard jaws can be configured to accommodate several different diameters; doing so without serrations eliminates marring of workpiece surface. Extended length hard jaws can be built to grip small to medium surfaces; incorporating multiple locating diameters gives machinists flexibility and the capability for quick changeover. » For more information, visit at www.dillonmfg.com/special-jaws/

Leica Absolute Tracker AT960 Offers Speed, Accuracy and Portability

These inverter-based power sources are small in size but deliver professional-grade power and performance for most auto/truck repair and restoration, light fabrication and construction and HVAC work. These units feature state-of-the-art digital controls typically found on industrial machines and use power management technology that delivers positive arc starts and a smooth, steady welding arc. Both welders weigh just 29 lbs. and deliver up to 200 amps of MIG welding power. They both use 115/230V primary power and can run off a generator with a 10 kVA output.

This is a robust, all-in-one laser tracker that fits in a single flight case. Offering high-speed dynamic measurement as standard, it is a complete solution for six degrees of freedom (6DoF) probing, scanning and automated inspection as well as reflector measurement. The AT960 laser tracker can be transported easily, unpacked quickly and powered up in minutes to deliver high-performance measurement almost anywhere. Featuring wireless communication and a battery operation option, the integrated-technology design of the AT960 reduces setup time drastically. The Leica Absolute Interferometer (AIFM) enables accurate high-speed measurement of a moving target.

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GF Machining Solutions Features DMP Flex 350 Metal 3D Printer at EMO Milano 2021 The DMP Flex 350 enables more efficient production of dense, pure metal parts and includes improved gas flow technology for uniform part quality across the entire build area.The machine’s repeatability and top quality result from a pure atmosphere during printing, a consistently low-oxygen environment with fewer than 25 parts per million. This solution ensures excellent microstructures, very high material density and stable mechanical properties. Fast, bidirectional material deposition enables high-throughput 3D metal printing. The DMP Flex 350 comes ready to run metal alloys with thoroughly tested build parameters for Inconel, titanium, cobalt chrome, aluminum and steel. » For more information, visit www.gfms.com INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 41

Surplus Buying and Selling

Within aerospace manufacturing, a wide variety of heavy-duty, metal forming, hydraulic presses are required to bend, form, bond, or straighten aluminum, Titanium, and alloys into structures and components such as fuselages, spars, and airframes.

Metal Forming: An Expert Survey of the Key Equipment and Processes Partnering with a metal forming professional provides manufacturers with the specialized equipment and expertise required to customize the process By: Del Williams

W

ithin the metal forming industry, a wide variety of heavy-duty, metal forming, hydraulic presses with capacities of 10,000 tons or more are required to bend, form, bond, or straighten aluminum, Titanium, and alloys into structures and components.

On the production floor, specialized machines such as stretch forming presses, hot stretch straighteners, contour rolls, superplastic forming presses, diffusion bonding presses, and powdered metal compaction presses are often required to manufacture to custom metal forming specifications under process-specific applications of pressure and temperature.

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42 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

Because these machines are customized and require precise controls and processes to reliably achieve the specified final product, partnering with a manufacturer with deep expertise in such metal forming is frequently essential for success.

“A custom-engineered machine and control solution is often required when precise control of position, axis synchronization, force, and heat and force is essential for the forging\forming process," says Bill Goodwin, Vice President of Sales and Engineering at Erie Press Systems, a company that manufactures customengineered hydraulic presses for applications including metal forming, stretch forming, composite compression molding

IMD – The Industry’s Most Extensive Industrial Publication

presses, cold extrusion, and forging. The company was acquired by Park Ohio and is now a part of the largest forging equipment supplier in North America: Ajax-CECO-Erie Press.

Drawing on Erie Press's decades of experience in aerospace applications, Goodwin surveys some of the essential equipment utilized in custom metal forming.

Stretch Forming Machines When applicable, stretch wrap forming methods provide several unique advantages over pure bending and other types of metal forming. Stretch wrap forming machines operate by stretching the metal to its elastic limit, then wrapping the part around a forming die. This process increases the metal's yield strength and results in a stronger part. Since stretch forming machines also keep the metal under constant tension throughout the process, they minimize imperfections such as "cans" or "buckles."

Stretch forming machines also perform a task in one step that would

A hot stretch straightener machine like that of Ajax-CECO-Erie Press is used to resistively heat, stretch, and straighten long extruded tubes or flat plates, because the cooling process after the heated extrusion cycle tends to introduce curvature.

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 43

otherwise require several machines and multiple steps, improving efficiency and saving time and money. For some parts, where it would otherwise be impossible, stretch forming machines allow for production runs of the part.

cooling process after the heated extrusion cycle tends to introduce curvature. When using the hot stretch straightener, the pressure is gradually reduced as the long, extruded metal component cools. This maintains a tensile load on the part, maintaining part straightness during the cooling process.

Sheet Stretch Forming: According to Goodwin, stretch forming machines for sheets are designed to meet all tonnage, length, and width specifications.

Historically, these machines have been widely used in stretch forming aluminum fuselage, wing, and engine cowl panels. Still, the process has now evolved to forming exterior panels on a high-speed locomotive, recreational vehicles, and buses, as well as proprietary aerospace and commercial rocket applications. Additionally, a special adaptation of high tonnage stretch forming machines can manufacture the main structural support spar used on large commercial aircraft. Heavy crosssection beam material is gripped in specially designed jaws, stretched to its yield point, and bent over a die that follows the plane's curvature.

Extrusion Stretch Forming: Extrusion stretch forming machines were developed to bend and form complex aluminum, Titanium, and stainless steel structural components that have been challenging to work with using other manufacturing processes. Due to highly accurate and repeatable part production, extrusion stretch forming machines have also gained wide acceptance in structural applications within high-speed locomotive, rail, transit, and automotive industries.

"Typically, aluminum tends to wrinkle if bent. However, the stretch forming process can eliminate those defects, because the first step is stretching the part to yield, and then bending it so that you can bend extrusions without wrinkling," says Goodwin, whose company designs and builds stretch forming machines for extrusions, with all associated tooling.

High Production Rate Stretch Forming: Aluminum Stretch Forming (ASF) machines have been developed to service the automotive industry's high production requirements.

CNC-controlled AC servo motor technology combines with high-resolution load cells and rigidly guided, low friction components to optimize the speed and accuracy for high production rate stretch forming of extrusions. ASF machines are ideal for stretch-forming extrusions with profiles up to 90⁰ total bend angles, such as bumper and luggage rack support rails and structural frame components used in the automotive industry.

ASF machines use two vertically mounted jaw carriage assemblies to apply full stretching and forming force on the part against a stationary die. Each jaw assembly includes systems that automatically center and clamp the piece, program tangency tracking, engage a support mandrel into hollow extrusions, and provides an inertia suppression system to protect the machine from damage if a part breaks during forming.

Hot Stretch Straightener: This forming machine press is utilized to resistively heat, stretch, and straighten long extruded tubes, or flat plates, because the

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44 IMD NOVEMBER 2021

Contour Roll Forming: Specially designed for stringers and frames, contour roll forming machines bend and twist on three planes and allow for theoretically unlimited lengths. These multi-axis bending machines are utilized to manufacture rounded, structural aircraft parts, such as those used around a fuselage. Generally, a straight piece is run through the machine, and it is bent and curved to the desired shape.

Super Plastic Forming - Diffusion Bonding Hot Presses Erie Press Systems manufactures many machines dedicated to superplastic forming, both with and without diffusion bonding capabilities. Superplastic forming (SPF) was developed as an advanced forming process for making complicated and large parts and structures, such as vehicle and airplane components, difficult to manufacture by the traditional forming process. Commonly used materials to form superplastic formed parts are Titanium, aluminum, stainless steel, and magnesium alloys. The superplastic forming process requires high heat. When Titanium and stainless steel reach temperatures between 1400 and 1850 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1000 to 1100 for aluminum), these metals become incredibly malleable.

When in a superplastic state, pressure from inert gasses (mainly argon) forms the metals. As a result, superplastic forming proves especially useful for producing complex shapes out of difficult to shape materials. Created to manufacture engine blades, a variety of applications now employ the use of superplastic forming.

The company's hot forming and superplastic forming presses implement a multi-zone heating process that ensures precise thermal control, uniform platen heating, and consistent part production.

According to Goodwin, diffusion bonding essentially takes two thin sheets of material and bonds them together into one homogeneous piece via a long heat and pressure cycle.

The bonded metal components being joined undergo only microscopic deformation.

Isothermal Forging Forging superalloys and other materials with a low forgeability can create difficulties during a metal forging process. Also, the mechanical properties of some metals may vary greatly over small temperature ranges. Isothermal forging may help eliminate some of the problems associated with manufacturing with these types of materials, particularly concerning more complex parts. This process is also called hot die forging.

Isothermal forging is a hot working process that attempts to maintain the workpiece at its maximum elevated temperature throughout the entire operation. This is achieved by heating the die to or slightly below the starting work piece's temperature. As forces exerted by the die form the work, cooling the workpiece

between the mold work interface is eliminated, and thus, the flow characteristics of the metal are greatly improved. Isothermal forging may or may not be performed in a vacuum. Isothermal forging is a hot working process that attempts to maintain the workpiece at its maximum elevated temperature throughout the entire forging operation.

“These are typically high tonnage machines that must have the capability to move at a wide speed range, including very slow velocities down to .5 mm per minute to generate a precise strain rate curve required to form these parts,” he explains.

Powder Compaction Presses Sometimes, manufacturers will take a special blend of metals to achieve certain material properties and turn them into a hybrid powder. After hydraulic presses compact the powder to a specific force, the powder is heated and forged to create a special hybrid piece.

"With powder compaction, manufacturers spin a powdered material at thousands of RPMs while heating it to specified temperatures. The process produces two different metals: a lower-cost metal at its base and a very high-cost metal at its skin.

The process then compacts the two layers of powder together and uses this as a raw material to forge into a final multilayered piece," explains Goodwin, whose company offers a variety of designs to accommodate compaction processes for powder metal, ceramics, carbon anodes, and more.

The Future of Metal Forming With all the demands placed on manufacturers for lighter, stronger materials and greater efficiency, innovation must be a priority within metal forming.

Teaming up with a partner that can provide a wide range of specialized, high-tonnage machinery, along with the ability to customize, can be critical to ongoing success. Because metal forming providers like Ajax-CECO-Erie Press continue to invest in innovation, such a partnership can also provide an edge in future applications.

"In the next 5 to 10 years, instead of hydraulic drives, we expect electric presses driven by geared servo motors and larger roller screws to become increasingly important to manufacturers for any application that is sensitive to oil leaks or where precise control is required. So, we are developing the technology today," concludes Goodwin.

For more information, call Erie Press Systems at 814-455-3941; visit them online at www.eriepress.com; contact them via email at info@ eriepress.com; via mail at 1253 West 12th Street, Erie, PA 16512; or call Ajax-CECO at 440-295-0244; email info-sales@ajax-ceco.com; or visit them online at www.ajax-ceco.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Del Williams is a technical writer based in Torrance, California.

INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY DIGEST.COM

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IMD 45

SELECT

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