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MANUFACTURINGTALK
The Independent Weekly Product Information
Guide
for Manufacturing, Production and Automation Engineers
=======================================================
ISSN 1475-2921 - Free subscription
Last week's delivered
circulation: 23,427
Published every Monday from the UK.
Issue 115: 2 June 2003
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7016
product announcements and technical articles
on our web site, all
fully searchable at
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/ - take a
look!
=======================================================
In this issue:
* Editor's Message
* Our Top Ten new
Products Selection
[1] High-energy liquid jets perform
nano-machining
[2] Blow away swarf problems automatically
[3] Cutting oil for SS is environmentally friendly
[4]
Heavy-duty welding power sources are electronic
[5] Non-contact
measurement machine costs under GBP 15k
[6] Embedded network
connectivity simplifies E-net
[7] Software simulates
metallurgical behavior
[8] Programmable controller is also timer
and counter
[9] Current control enhances torque-speed envelope
[10] Systems integrator offers production solutions
* New
Technical Articles and Case Studies
* ...And take a look at these
stories too...
=======================================================
Mike Page, Editor, writes:
A little story goes like
this. A builder of machine tools had a cash flow problem. Significant
orders, worth some EUR millions, had been awarded. The company needed
financial support to support the progressing of the orders.
The Group Company approached banks, which wanted collateral. The
Group Company sold off some land to provide the collateral. The sales
fell somewhat short, but still produced a significant amount. The bank
refused to lend the money. The machine tool company has had to go into
liquidation.
OK I have had the story third-hand. There is
probably more to it. Even so, it all sounds too familiar and reflects
the on-going attitude of some UK banks to manufacturing.
On
a happier note, I was interested to see that the current owners of the
Crewe railway works site is creating a 'Centre of Excellence' in
wheelset manufacture and repair. The Canadian owner has invested
considerable sums there, including a new Sculfort CNC wheel turning
lathe and Swedish induction coil heaters for heating the wheel centres
for shrinking onto axles. I was interesting too to meet a very
enthusiastic and well-informed member of the work's management team,
who had also served his apprenticeship there.
Some 1200 are
still employed at the Crewe site, mostly in rolling stock rebuild and
repair work. The occasion was an "Open Weekend" with some 16 steam
locomotives as well as representatives of modern and preserved
diesel-electric, diesel-hydraulic and electric locomotives on view.
In the former erecting shops, among currently used
locomotives, was one steam locomotive nearing completion, after
extensive refurbishment and some re-engineering. The engine had
originally been built there in 1958 or so. There are still forges at
work in the UK capable of supplying the necessary forgings. Sadly, for
the modern rolling stock, wheels are no longer forged in the UK, so I
was told.
It was encouraging to see many children in the 9
- 14 age group taking an active interest in the works and the exhibits
on show. Let's hope the event wakened in them some engineering
interest for the future!
I hope you find this issue of our
weekly newsletter useful. In addition to the new products, news and
ideas featured here, there are hundreds more on our website and dozens
more being added daily, so do take a look if you can.
Alternatively, the full stories behind all the summaries and
headlines in this newsletter can be retrieved by email alone: see
details below.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions as to
how we might make the site or the newsletter better, email me
directly.
Best wishes
Mike Page, Editor
mailto:ne[-email removed-]turingtalk.com
=======================================================
Looking
for an engineering directory of suppliers for specific
products/services? EngNet is the place to start.
http://www.engnetglobal.com/
=======================================================
=======================================================
THIS
WEEK'S INDUSTRY NEWS
=======================================================
To read
more, use the web links. Or get the full stories emailed back to you:
just send a blank email to the address shown. It's a free service. Try
it! It works!
ORDER BOOK BOOMS FOR AUTOMATION SYSTEMS
INTEGRATOR
At a time when UK manufacturing industry feels a
noticeable drop in investment, a systems integrator has achieved the
largest order book in the company's 23-year history.
TEC
Manufacturing, 27 May 2003
mailto:tcm1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/tcm/tcm101.html
INSECURITY RIFE AMONG UK WORKFORCE
UK redundancy fears are
rising rapidly according to recent research from GoJobsite based on
the polling of 500 employees 77% of whom said their job was at risk
over the next 12 months.
GoJobsite, 27 May 2003
mailto:goj1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/goj/goj102.html
UK
GOVERNMENT BOOSTS VOCATIONAL SKILLS TRAINING
Recent Government
announcements that more money is to be channelled into vocational
skills training, is good news for the manufacturing industry.
UK Skills, 29 May 2003
mailto:ukw1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/ukw/ukw100.html
WEEE
AND ROHS DIRECTIVES LACK AWARENESS
A recent survey carried out by
an Environment Agency Body revealed that only 18% of UK SMEs knew of
the environmental legislation that applied to them.
Zirkon,
30 May 2003
mailto:zir1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/zir/zir103.html
=======================================================
OUR TOP
TEN NEW PRODUCTS SELECTION
=======================================================
1. High
energy liquid jets perform nano-machining
NanoMatrix, the
developer of a new approach for performing small-scale fabrication,
offers its customers micro and nano machining services and equipment.
The company's proprietary technology includes the control of
high-energy liquid jets to cut and shape features with sizes below 50
nanometers in a wide variety of materials. The jet's stream of
individual molecules seems to produce a machining effect similar to
sand blasting, said the company.
* Request a free brochure
by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/nno/100/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/nno/nno100.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:nno1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
2. Blow
away swarf problems automatically
How much time do your
operators spend cleaning swarf off components, fixtures and tables on
machining centres? While the use of hand-held wash guns or compressed
air lines is commonplace, they are not the most efficient or safest
way to remove debris from the machining area. And if you are running
automated pallet-based machining centres, such methods require an
operator to clean off components at various intervals and the spindle
has to be stopped while this is carried out.
* Request a
free brochure by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/ftr/102/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/ftr/ftr102.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:ftr1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
3.
Cutting oil for SS is environmentally friendly
Shell
Metalworking Europe has developed a revolutionary environmentally
friendly metalworking oil that is suitable for the machining of yellow
metals, steel, aluminium and stainless steel. The new metalworking
oil, Shell Macron 2617 M-13, contains no sulphur or aromatics, and
delivers the same performance characteristics as leading traditional
EP-lubricants. The metalworking oil was developed because conventional
lubricity and EP additives in metalworking oils can cause staining to
finished yellow metals.
* Request a free brochure by
post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/sll/106/0
*
Read more: http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/sll/sll106.html
or send a blank email to mailto:sll1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
4.
Heavy duty welding power sources are electronic
Murex
Welding Products has introduced new air and water cooled welding
packages featuring the new Transmig 423S and 523S electronic
microprocessor controlled heavy duty power sources. They are designed
for fabrication and repair work in a wide variety of industries
including earth moving equipment, railway rolling stock, structural
steelwork, turbine manufacture, offshore equipment, shipbuilding and
hardfacing. MIG, MAG and Flux Cored Wire welding can be undertaken.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/mur/110/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/mur/mur110.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:mur1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
5.
Non-contact measurement machine costs under GBP 15k
Able
to provide a full colour image capture within the field of view, carry
out semi-automatic non-contact measurement in three-axes directly on
the shopfloor and compare captured data against programmed dimensions,
the latest SmartScope Starlite range of video-based, non-contact
measuring machines breaks into the market at under GBP 15,000. It is
said to be ideal for small machined parts, plastic mouldings,
electronic components as well as non rigid rubber type components.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/ogp/102/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/ogp/ogp102.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:ogp1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
6.
Embedded network connectivity simplifies E-net
Manufacturing Instrumentation for Industrial Ethernet Manufacturing
Instrumentation for Industrial Ethernet has never been easier with the
new Digi ConnectTM ME available through Entrix Computing. Entrix
Computing are experiencing a surge of interest from control and
instrumentation manufacturers since Digi International announced the
release of the Digi Connect ME.
* Request a free brochure
by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/ent/102/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/ent/ent102.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:ent1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
7.
Software simulates metallurgical behaviour
ESI Group has
announced the availability of SYSWELD 2003. Developed to meet the
demands of today's engineering enterprises, SYSWELD models complex
material behavior including metallurgy, and simulates processes such
as heat treatment, welding and welding assembly. With its new,
state-of-the-art advisor technology, the 2003 release enables part
designers and practitioners to save time for setting-up simulation and
analysis of virtual parts and processes.
* Request a free
brochure by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/esi/116/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/esi/esi116.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:esi1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
8.
Programmable controller is also timer and counter
The
innovative FP-e Programmable Controller from Matsushita Electric Works
is the first of a new generation of automation control products that
combines the functions of numerous automation devices in to the
extremely compact DIN48 (48 x 48mm) format package. The FP-e is truly
a new concept in programmable controllers that improves accessibility
and widens the potential for use in industry.
* Request a
free brochure by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/mat/141/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/mat/mat141.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:mat1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
9.
Current control enhances torque-speed envelope
Parker
Hannifin's Electromechanical Division has extended its award-winning
ViX product range with an all-digital, intelligent, microstepping
motor drive. The brand new ViX Microstep packs an advanced motion
controller with either a 250VA or 500VA power amplifier into an
ultra-compact case - providing a building block that can boost
automation throughput while simultaneously reducing system size and
cost.
* Request a free brochure by post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/pab/122/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/pab/pab122.html
or send a
blank email to mailto:pab1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
10.
Systems integrator offers production solutions
TEC
Manufacturing (TEC), established in 1980 and based in Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire, is a leading systems integrator specialising in the
design and manufacture of production solutions using robotics,
intelligent vision, data capture, lasers, pneumatics and other
advanced technologies. It is one of the few UK companies with
sufficient in-house disciplines to be able to offer a totally
integrated design and build service for turnkey projects and bespoke
special purpose machines.
* Request a free brochure by
post:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/tcm/100/0
*
Read more: http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/tcm/tcm100.html
or send a blank email to mailto:tcm1[-email
removed-]ufacturingtalk.com
=======================================================
New
Technical Articles and Case Studies
=======================================================
ONE GOOD TURNING CENTRE LED TO ANOTHER
(Mills Manufacturing
Technology, 28 May 2003)
To fulfil a collets export contract
worth GBP 400,000 a year, Holmes UK installed a 10-axis CNC mill-turn
centre and acquired a second to reduce costs on other tooling product
work.
* Free brochure on Nakamura-Tome WT-150 10-axis CNC
mill-turn centre:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/mil/130/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/mil/mil130.html
(or email
mailto:mil1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
FAST-ACTING PALLET HANDLING SYSTEMS CUT DOWNTIME
(Fastems
Division, Helvar, 29 May 2003)
Three fast-acting pallet handling
systems now deliver palletised vacuum pump components to machining
centre systems and considerably reduce cranage, waiting and handling
times.
* Free brochure on FM storage and handling systems:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/fas/109/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/fas/fas109.html
(or email
mailto:fas1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
SLIDING HEAD AUTOS RUN UNMANNED
(NC Engineering, 30 May
2003)
Running a subcontract two-man CNC turning business relies
heavily on the dependability of machines to run unmanned -
particularly if one partner is hospitalised.
* Free brochure on
Citizen sliding head automatics:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/nce/136/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/nce/nce136.html
(or email
mailto:nce1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
GROOVING TOOLING SPEEDS UP MACHINING CYCLE TIMES
(Horn UK, 29
May 2003)
Grooving tooling and applications engineering has
helped a transmissions manufacturer to make considerable savings in
machining times, tool life and solve swarf management problems.
*
Free brochure on Grooving tooling and applications engineering:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/hor/104/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/hor/hor104.html
(or email
mailto:hor1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
=======================================================
...And take a look at these stories too...
=======================================================
POLYESTER GUIDES REDUCE BAR FEED NOISE
(IEMCA Division of Igmi,
30 May 2003)
MDI-polyester bar guides, completely interchangeable
with the current guide channels on bar feeders, reduces noise levels
by 20% and are recommended for profiled bars too.
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/iem/iem118.html
(or email
mailto:iem1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
ADHESION TESTER MEASURES COATING ADHESION
(DeFelsko
Corporation, 29 May 2003)
Pull-off adhesion tester enables
coating inspectors to measure adhesion of coatings on metal, concrete,
wood and other substrates easily and effectively.
* Free brochure
on PosiTest Pull-Off Adhesion Tester:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/def/102/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/def/def102.html
(or email
mailto:def1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
MACHINERY SAFETY AND CONTROL INTEGRATED
(Fortress Interlocks,
27 May 2003)
Cabling system allows machinery safety equipment to
operate in parallel with standard machinery controls on a single
network with a common communication protocol.
* Free brochure on
AmGard AS-i heavy-duty machinery access control:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/foa/109/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/foa/foa109.html
(or email
mailto:foa1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
INTEGRATED SOLUTION CUTS MACHINE DEVELOPMENT TIME
(Inmoco, 29
May 2003)
Seamlessly integrated software and hardware solution
cuts machine development times by up to 50% and whole machine life
cycle costs by up to 30%, while upping productivity by some 25%.
* Free brochure on Elau PacDriveT system:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/inm/118/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/inm/inm118.html
(or email
mailto:inm1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
OIL STORAGE REGULATIONS CHANGE - ARE YOU AWARE?
(Castrol UK, 2
June 2003)
Industrial oils supplier is offering an Oil Storage
Audit for companies concerned by the implications of the new Oil
Storage Regulations introduced on 1st March this year.
* Free
brochure on Oil Storage Audit:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/cst/115/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/cst/cst115.html
(or email
mailto:cst1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
COMPOUNDS ARE UL LISTED FOR 94VO FLAME RESISTANCE
(RBC
Industries, 2 June 2003)
Formulated to meet the most stringent
physical, thermal, and electrical properties for potting/
encapsulating electronic components, epoxy based compounds offer
choices in working properties.
* Free brochure on Epoxy based
compounds:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/rbc/101/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/rbc/rbc101.html
(or email
mailto:rbc1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
PROJECT-BASED MANUFACTURING IMPROVES SUPPLY CHAIN
(Lilly
Software Associates, 27 May 2003)
Project-based Manufacturing
improves supply chain planning, monitoring and control while two
software modules to improve integration of design and manufacturing
management.
* Free brochure on Project-Based Manufacturing
module:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/lil/105/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/lil/lil105.html
(or email
mailto:lil1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
CONVERT PC INTO A MEASUREMENT DATA ANALYSER
(RDP Electronics,
28 May 2003)
A versatile signal conditioning and display module
quickly and simply interfaces with a PC or laptop to provide a
combined transducer conditioning, display and data logging system.
* Free brochure on E725 signal conditioning and display module:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/rdp/109/0
* Read
more: http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/rdp/rdp109.html
(or
email mailto:rdp1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF USING ETHERNET
(Hayes Control
Systems, 30 May 2003)
Users of fieldbus-based control systems can
now take full advantage of the low cost and high performance offered
by Ethernet, without having concerns over Ethernet's suitability.
* Free brochure on TwinCAT RT Ethernet:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/hay/129/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/hay/hay129.html
(or email
mailto:hay1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
SHEET AND PLATE FINISHING AUTOMATED
(C&H Precision Finishers, 2
June 2003)
An automated Wide Belt, Steel Plate and Sheet
Finishing Machine that is specifically designed to grain finish steel
plate and sheet has much reduced lead times, and offers a 24h turn
around.
* Free brochure on Wide Belt, Steel Plate and Sheet
Finishing:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/rdx/da/chp/101/0
* Read more:
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/chp/chp101.html
(or email
mailto:chp1[-email removed-]ufacturingtalk.com )
=======================================================
Have you seen our other newsletters?
=======================================================
We also
publish other professional technical newsletters like this once a
week. All are free, so take a look:
Electronicstalk - for
electronics engineers
Email mailto:join-electronicsta[-email
removed-]o-talk.com for your copy
Engineeringtalk - for
mechanical/automation engineers
Email
mailto:join-eng-ta[-email removed-]o-talk.com for your copy
Laboratorytalk - for all lab and research personnel
Email
mailto:join-laboratoryta[-email removed-]o-talk.com for your
copy
Processingtalk - for process engineers
Email
mailto:join-processingta[-email removed-]o-talk.com for your
copy
QA-talk - for quality assurance professionals
Email
mailto:join-qa-ta[-email removed-]o-talk.com for your copy
Subcontractingtalk - for the subcontract manufacturing industry
Email mailto:join-subcontractingta[-email removed-]o-talk.com
for your copy
*** Coming soon - join now ***
Buildingtalk -
for the building and construction industry
Email
mailto:join-buildingta[-email removed-]o-talk.com for your
copy
CIMtalk - for automation engineers and the industrial IT
sector
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for your copy
Printingtalk - for printers and print buyers
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your copy
=======================================================
Engineering units converter - free
=======================================================
Many
engineers have found this free engineering units converter very
useful. Use it online or download it to your computer.
EngNet
Converter - Online: http://www.engnetglobal.com/tips/convert.asp
EngNet Tools Download:
http://www.engnetglobal.com/tips/toolsapp/default.asp
=======================================================
Engineering vacancies on the internet
=======================================================
There
are many recruitment websites out there, but Manufacturingtalk can
recommend the following as we have had a relationship with them for
some time:
Engineers Online:
http://www.engineers-online.co.uk/
GoJobsite:
http://www.gojobsite.co.uk/
Jimfinder.com:
http://www.jimfinder.com/
=======================================================
Browse
the Manufacturingtalk archive by email!
=======================================================
There
are hundreds of recent stories in the Manufacturingtalk database, and
you can browse them all by email. Send a blank email to:
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