The TRIBOS-RM precision toolholder from SCHUNK has a one-piece, rotationally symmetric design with a precise run-out accuracy of less than 0.003 mm for small tools for micro machining. It is designed for spindle speeds of up to 60,000 rpm in high-speed cutting. Sizes ISO 10 D 1 to 6 mm are available. The balancing grade [...]
Makino introduced the Ram EDM machinery, the EDAF Series. It is designed for manufacturing in uncontrolled thermal environments and long hours of unattended burning. EDAF-series machines are also equipped with a servo system for rapid response to signals from the spark gap monitoring circuits, enabling cycle time reductions of 10 to 20 percent in burns [...]
Water jet manufacturer Jet Edge, Inc., is now offering 5-axis water jet cutting technology with Intelligent Kerf Compensation – IKC. The IKC 5-Axis water jet cutting head is capable of making inclined cuts and controlling kerf. The capabilities include 600º rotation, a maximum angle of ±60º, and dynamic precision from ±0.2 to ±0.5 mm/m, depending [...]
May US manufacturing technology consumption totaled $178.34 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association [AMTDA] and The Association For Manufacturing Technology [AMT]. This total, as reported by companies participating in the United States Manufacturing Technology Consumption [USMTC] program, was down 22.9 percent from April but up 58.6 percent from the total of $112.42 [...]
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I read science fiction. Not exclusively, but I do enjoy the techie stories of authors like Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven, and Robert Heinlein. They blend stories about people and technology with an optimistic outlook about what’s in store for us. The characters that populate their stories are [...]
Yeah, I’m a codger — not yet by definition “old” since I don’t yell at kids to get off my lawn, but I’m getting codger qualified. I can tell because I like some things that have changed, but shouldn’t have, like the nickname of what was once America’s best-selling car. This all began soon after [...]
Gibbs and Associates, Moorpark, CA announced the availability of GibbsCAM VoluMill Solids, an option for the high-speed-machining of solid models directly within GibbsCAM. The VoluMill Solids option – an incremental enhancement to the GibbsCAM VoluMill Wireframe option – is integrated within GibbsCAM and lets users select solids, surfaces, and facet bodies, to generate HSM toolpaths [...]
The YMC430 Micro Center, from Yasda Precision America Corp., Elk Grove Village, IL, is capable of processing molds for Light Emitting Diodes – LEDs. LEDs are the latest trend in backlighting technology for Liquid Crystal Displays – LCDs. LEDs are a semiconductor-based lighting solution that overcomes the limitations of commonly employed Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps [...]
CNC Software, Inc., Tolland, CT, released Mastercam X4 Lathe, a suite of CAD/CAM tools for machining jobs. Each piece of geometry created in the application is “live,” allowing modification. Other features include • “Quick Toolpaths” for programming parts with a few clicks; • Optimized facing including roughing and finishing; • Complete threading with multiple starts, [...]
LVD Strippit, Akron, NY, released CADMAN-L 3D and CADMAN-P 3D version 28, offline programming software for LVD laser cutting systems and CNC turret punch presses. The software provides enhanced functions for laser cutting and punching applications, according to the company. CADMAN operates on Windows platforms and includes new punching and laser cutting modules within a [...]
