A new range of linear drive high (HSM) - and ultra-high-speed (XSM) 3- and 5-axis machining centres have been launched by EDM and CNC Milling machine tool specialist GF AgieCharmilles.

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The 3- and 5-axis (Mikron) machining centres equipped with linear motors are aimed at precision component manufacturers. The machines provide better control and reliability over the milling process with consistently high surface finishes, increased productivity and improved part accuracy.

The 3-axis machines (HSM 400 LP and XSM 400 LP), and the 5-axis models (HSM 400U LP and XSM 400U LP) were launched at EMO 09 and are the ‘next generation’ of milling machines, designed for the high-speed machining of a variety of materials – steel, aluminium, titanium, hardened alloys and exotics.

A rigid and ultra-stable bridge structure, and polymer concrete construction that minimises vibration and significantly reduces thermal drift. Independent (water) cooling systems on all LP machines’ axes also help to reduce thermal displacement and distortion.

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/machine-tool-news/3-and-5-axis-high-speed-machining-c.asp

Five years after setting up their mould tool making business Dave Bowyer and Steve Riddle took delivery of their first CNC machine tool. This ProtoTRAK turret mill was the first of several CNC/manual mills and lathes to be supplied by XYZ Machine Tools Ltd of Burlescombe, Devon. However, Sterling Products’ latest investment is a full-CNC XYZ 1010 VMC equipped with Siemens 810D ShopMill control. This 15 kW (20 hp)/8000 rev/min vertical machining centre was installed some 18 months ago and, according to Dave Bowyer, &ampquotis providing the versatility and reliability that we need.”

Founded in 1992 and located in the historic Somerset town of Bridgwater, Sterling Products specialises in the design and manufacture of moulds used to vacuum form plastics packaging for a wide range of industries. The seven-strong company opts to machine moulds from solid rather than source raw castings because, says Dave Bowyer, &ampquotthis way we retain complete control of the production process. By not waiting on raw castings to be delivered we can save ourselves up to 48 hours – which is worthwhile as we are often working to very tight deadlines.”

Prototype moulds machined from model resin are used to produce sample packaging in-house, which is then submitted to the customer for checking and approval. This process includes ensuring that vacuum formed food containers, for example, when stacked prior to use can easily be separated, and transit trials to check that individual containers and their contents can be stacked securely and transported safely. Once a packaging design has been finalised, a production mould can then be machined in aluminium.

&ampquotHaving a machining centre with the capacity of the 1010 VMC allows us to load, say, a dozen workpieces on its 1200 mm by 450 mm table, download the required programs and then run the machine unattended overnight and at weekends,” says Steve Riddle. &ampquotWe come in to find that the job, which may involve machining several identical moulds for one customer or any combination of moulds for several customers, has been completed and the machine has turned itself off. This is how we stay competitive and maintain our business at a comfortable size.”

The 1010 VMC’s 24-station toolchanger has a 2.5 second tool change time (tool to tool) and features ‘extra wide’ hardened and ground box slideways for maximum rigidity and vibration absorption. X, Y and Z travels are 1010 mm, 504 mm and 540 mm respectively, with rapid feed rates of 24 m/min on all three axes.

Simple conversational programming of the Siemens ShopMill control ensures the minimum of operator keystrokes, with canned cycles catering for common machining functions such as contour pocketing, and no need for ‘G coding’ knowledge. Checking everything is correct before machining is equally simple: the control features a line trace view and a simulation package that allows the operator to see exactly what is going to be machined before pressing the ‘Cycle Start’ button. Having been introduced to CADCAM at an XYZ open day, anything other than relatively simple moulds or general machining work is programmed off-line. Using a network link from the PC to the machine, programs can be copied to the control system’s internal storage or executed directly from the computer’s hard drive. And rather than store NC programs, the original model information is kept on file to provide the basis for new programs that take account of any subsequent ‘design tweaks’.

Ex-apprentices themselves, Dave Bowyer and Steve Riddle are firm believers in the apprenticeship system and have helped a number of young people over the years to gain engineering skills and experience. One of the current team is a former apprentice with seven years service and another is in his first year as an apprentice, attending day release at Bridgwater College. ‘The practical side of mould making has been made less difficult in recent years with the wider use of CADCAM and CNC machine tools,’ says Dave Bowyer, ‘and the ease with which the XYZ machines can be programmed and operated is a case in point. However, mould tool making is still a very demanding discipline and one where there is an increasing requirement for more academically-based knowledge.’

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/engineers-case-studies/Siemens-810D-ShopMill-control-on-XY.asp

Standel Dawman is looking to the future with the launch
of the Greenhill range of electric golf trolleys. To produce a
competitive top quality product the company has invested over £750,000
in CNC machine tools for component manufacture and the machining of mould and dies for plastic mouldings.

These two VERTICAL CENTRE NEXUS 410A-II
machines are among a total of six Mazaks that are helping Standel
Dawman to maintain the quality expected of products for the golfing
industry.

http://www.machinetooldirect.co.uk/machine-tool-news/Standel-Dawman-invest-750k-in-CNC-M.asp

WAUNAKEE, WI, Jan 21, 2010 - Tormach, LLC announced today that it has released the new PCNC 770 personal CNC milling machine for sale on the company website, www.tormach.com.  The PCNC 770 has a space-saving footprint and a basic 115VAC household electrical service requirement.  The optional patent pending moving kit allows the machine to be transported as component pieces, making this the first serious machine tool designed specifically for a basement shop.

Over 2 years in development, the design of the PCNC 770 combines reliable cast-iron construction, P4 grade ballscrews, and sensorless vector drive spindle technology to create a simple and robust platform with ample options for user-installed upgrades, just like the best-selling PCNC 1100 Series II.  The mill weighs 662 pounds and is equipped with a 10,000 RPM spindle — well suited for prototyping, hobby, small business, R&D, or educational use.

“Since we first released the PCNC 1100, we’ve heard from many people that space is a real constraint,” said Greg Jackson, president of Tormach.  “We wanted to build a CNC machine that can fit smaller spaces without compromising the performance or quality that our customers have come to expect when they purchase a Tormach PCNC.”  Like PCNC 1100 Series II, the PCNC 770 has enough power to cut the toughest materials – steel, stainless, even titanium.

The PCNC 770 offers 130 IPM feedrates in both X and Y axes.  It features a 1 hp spindle that is compatible with both R8 and TTS tools. TTS, the revolutionary dual contact Tormach Tooling System, has become an industry standard for small machines offering quick-change with repeatable tool offsets.

The work envelope is 13” x 7.5” x 13.25” (X, Y, Z).  The PCNC 770 is compatible with the majority of the existing accessories in the PCNC line and is pre-wired for 4th Axis and digitizing probe.  An optional steel stand and coolant kit are available.

The PCNC 770 has a base price of $6200 and is available immediately for worldwide shipping.  Visit www.tormach.com to order.

2L inc. announced today that it is accepting orders for its’ new PRO 3 CAD/CAM Engraving Software Program.

The
PRO 3 Engraving Software Program creates G-code programs for producing
2D Data Matrix Barcodes on 3 or 4 axis cnc milling machines or
multi-axis lathes. It allows users to mark directly on parts (DPM –
Direct Part Marking) using standard 2L engraving tools and the cnc
equipment they already have. There is no special equipment or machines
required to begin engraving the barcodes.

Being able to produce
the engraved 2D Data Matrix Barcodes along with the human readable text
directly on the cnc machining centers already being used to produce the
components can significantly reduce manufacturing costs. Using a
separate single standalone engraving machine to produce 2D Data Matrix
Barcodes can cause manufacturing bottlenecks and add additional
handling and setup time.

The PRO 3 Engraving Software Program is
a full featured, simple to use drawing program that produces standard
G-code nc files that are compatible with virtually any cnc controller.
This brings the ability to produce 2D Data Matrix Barcodes into the
reach of any machine shop or manufacturing facility that uses cnc
equipment.

The program allows creating precise engraving layouts
using multiple fonts, drawn shapes, lines and incremental serial
numbers along with 2D Data Matrix Barcodes. The engraving layouts can
be precisely located using reference geometry or guidelines. The layout
orientation, alignment, spacing and size of multiple instances of text
are all easily controlled.

The 2D Data Matrix Barcodes can be
produced using any standard 2L engraving tool with either a rigid
toolholder or a Spring Loaded Engraving Tool.

“We are very
pleased to expand the capabilities of our engraving software programs
and respond to our customers requests for simple to use programs that
address challenging engraving opportunities”, stated the company
spokesman.

“Our new program offers a complete easy to use
solution for both the daily straightforward engraving jobs as well as
the much more difficult engraving such as 4 axis engraving or
programming multi axis lathes”, added the spokesman.

“The 2L
Engraving Software programs have proven to be so uncomplicated to use
that novice cnc operators can engrave 2D Data Matrix Barcodes as well
as standard engraving operations, which we feel can significantly add
to both the appearance of the products and the company’s bottom line”
he finalized.
Demonstration videos of 2L’s Engraving Software Programs are available on the company’s web site www.2Linc.com.

2L
inc.’s Engraving and Workholding product lines continue to grow,
offering superior quality products made in Hudson, Massachusetts, USA.

Please refer all inquiries to: 2L inc., 4 Kane Industrial Drive, Hudson, MA 01749, (978)567-8867, website: www.2Linc.com.

About
2L inc.: Since 1998 2L inc. has been designing, developing and
manufacturing innovative tools and product solutions for the
manufacturing, engraving and industrial markets.

http://www.pr.com/press-release/207084

Machine Sales - America’s new online marketplace for buying and selling new and used machinery was launched in October 2009. http://www.machinesales.com was built to make it easier to search, find, compare and buy machinery and machine tools from America’s leading manufacturers, dealers and distributors.

Like
the many marketplaces for buying and selling cars, Machine Sales
enables people and companies buying machinery to search through 1000’s
of machines from a large range of new and used machinery sellers to
help them get the machine they want at the price they want. From
Lathes, Grinders, Presses and CNC Machines to Edgebanders, Panel Saws,
Sanders and Table Saws it can all be found at MachineSales.com.

Previously
a machinery buyer would have to contact many different machinery sales
companies looking for a particular machine wasting a lot of time and
money, firstly trying to find the right machine and then negotiating
the best prices. Now a machinery buyer simply needs to go to Machine
Sales and search through a huge selection of new and used machinery
from machinery sales companies across America.

‘Buying machinery
has never been easier’ says head of web programming at Machine Sales.
In difficult economical times machinery sellers also need to make the
most out of every advertising dollar. Paul Rogash, business development said ‘Machine Sales is the most affordable online advertising available to machinery sellers’.

Machine
Sales which is already getting over 1000 visitors a day to the site, is
growing rapidly and aims to quickly become the largest machinery
marketplace in the world.

Although dedicated to American
sellers, Machine Sales enables buyers from around the world to quickly
and easily purchase new and used machinery related to the woodworking
and metalworking industries.

http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=316941&Itemid=95

Hewlett Packard, reigning inkjet giant, has partnered with Stratasys, a leading manufacturer of rapid prototyping machines, to bring 3D “printing” of solid objects to the desktop.The HP-Stratasys models have been described as small enough to sit on a desktop, quiet enough to use in an office, and priced under $15,000.

Currently, Stratasys’ most popular offerings under the Dimension brand, the “SST” series, are priced closer to $30,000, and are roughly the size of a small refrigerator.

The push by HP-Stratasys to market an entry-level desktop rapid prototyping platform may have been spurred by a series of successful DIY projects; Most notable among them the “RepRap” and “MakerBot Cupcake”, both of which sell as kits for under $1,000.

Like the RepRap and Cupcake, the HP-Stratasys platform will operate using ABS plastic material. It’s likely that the HP-Stratasys machine will, at least initially, be more like the additive approach used by Stratasys’ Dimension line and the Reprap, not the CNC-style of the MakerBot Cupcake machine.

Since the initial release of Stratasys’ rapid prototyping platforms, the software used to create the STL files required to generate a three-dimensional print has dropped significantly in price commercially, and been released free and open source by the Blender project.

Assuming HP-Stratasys can continue to lower the price of their desktop-style rapid prototyping machines, it may not be long until we’re printing our own household items as-needed, and one step closer to a Star Trek-style replicator.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/187307/3d_printing_coming_to_the_desktop.html

Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland has announced that sales in 2009 exceeded £25M and that over 250 customers took delivery of new Doosan machine tools.

Nick Frampton, Mills’ managing director said, “Clearly we are delighted with our performance in 2009 and that customers reacted and responded so positively to the new and different initiatives we introduced during the Year. As far as 2010 is concerned - we will be launching new Doosan machines into the market in the very near future, (the first of these will be the new range of Doosan 5-axis machines that will come on-stream in February 2010), and will be developing more exciting initiatives that I’m confident will capture the imagination of customers.”

Reviewing 2009, the “better than expected” sales results, according to Nick Frampton, “demonstrate the continuing high demand for and popularity of Doosan machine tools, and the significant pulling power and strength of Mills’ after-sales services with UK and Irish precision manufacturers.”

The results also reflect the success of a number of innovations and initiatives introduced by Mills during the Year that helped stimulate sales and raise the profile (and market share) of both the Mills and Doosan brands.

“2009 was an important year for Mills. Despite the severe economic downturn, sales of our ever-popular Puma and Lynx lathes and turning centres remained strong - and our overall machine tool sales performance was boosted by the introduction of new machine models like the new Doosan DNM (Heidenhain-Controlled) range of vertical machining centres and the new range of Doosan horizontal machining centres - both of which took the market by storm.”

As well as launching new machines in 2009, Mills also introduced a number of machine tool initiatives and incentives such as the ‘SMART Options’ rental scheme. This allows customers to acquire and take advantage of having a new Doosan machine on a short-term basis - enabling them to defer the decision to either purchase the machine outright, continue renting or return the machine until after the initial 12 month rental period elapsed.

2009 also saw Mills significantly strengthen and improve its after-sales service provision.

“In tough economic times customers expect and demand more from their machine tools,” continued Nick Frampton, “As a consequence during 2009 we employed additional service and application engineers, and recruited a dedicated Project Manager to handle the large and complex (often turnkey) projects we are increasingly being asked to manage for our customers.”

In September 2009 the ‘360′ Training Academy was opened at Mills’ Leamington facility, providing manufacturers with access to high-quality, cost-competitive and comprehensive CNC programmer (Fanuc and Heidenhain), CNC operator and CNC machine tool maintenance training courses.

Companies and organisations that have already booked courses at the ‘360′ Training Academy include the MAA (Midlands Aerospace Alliance) and Cambridge University.

http://www.machinery.co.uk/article/21903/Mills-CNCs-sales-in-2009-top-25-million.aspx

With the @Event software embedded on the Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC, machine shop owners can get alarm alerts by phone, fax, e-mail or even mobile phone.

Renee Robbins — Control Engineering, 1/13/2010

Siemens CNC: Get a text message alarm on your phone.Randy Pearson, a longtime veteran of the machine tool industry, is the Siemens sales support manager for U.S. dealers and OEMs. His special interest is training on CNC machine tools, which he does through various seminars and classes the company conducts at schools, on-site at shops, and at Siemens training facilities around the U.S.

One of his recent lessons involved technology that can call, text or e-mail machine shop owners with alarm alerts. While users of larger systems have enjoyed this technology for a while, systems are now available for small machine shops that run unattended cycles over the weekend and on holidays, he says.
When you would setup your machines for unattended operations in the past, says Pearson, you often had the following scenario: Load the bar feeder, set the program, go home and pray nothing goes wrong.
“About 15 years ago, some machine tool and fabricating equipment companies began to institute call centers to flag you on an alarm, but those systems were often hit-or-miss, depending on the quality of the personnel and the chances of reaching you at your designated phone number. One laser manufacturer had this system running, in fact, but the success rate was far less than optimal. Entire weekends might have meant lost production due to a single tool break, bar jam, low lube or coolant level, air compressor stall, spindle speed slowdown or just a power spike,” he says.With the @Event software embedded on the Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC, machine shop owners and operators can get alarm alerts by phone, fax, e-mail or mobile phone via a call or SMS text message. “A message telling you what alarm has tripped comes to you automatically, because the software is encrypted right on the CNC.
There is no human intervention needed, except by the shop owner or production supervisor.
The above scenario now can look like this: You load the bar feeder, and setup the machine for a pre-determined alarm tag or sequence of alarms, since the machine can now periodically alert you to various parameter checks. Then, you set the program, go home, and enjoy the weekend. There’s no chance of a shutdown that isn’t flagged for you, depending on the way you program the machine. Since the alarm is set off the fault code on the machine, there’s no human intervention whatsoever, and the messages are completely automated.
With the purchase of a pre-paid SIM card, the machine becomes another one of your kids, who calls you only when he gets into trouble!
“This is a relatively simple system to setup. With the purchase of a pre-paid SIM card, the machine becomes another one of your kids, who calls you only when he gets into trouble!” says Pearson. “Of course, what such systems do is keep your productivity in motion, all weekend or anytime you can reasonably run unattended. Especially for the shops where you have more machines than operators, this can be an instant journey into the world of remote alarm sequencing, formerly the realm of only the biggest shops and captive production departments in automotive, aerospace and other dedicated production operations.”
On a higher-level CNC, you can get this feature as part of the production software embedded in the controller. The savings from just one occurrence will more than pay for the upgrade. Most popular CNC brands currently have some type of e-mail client server such as Outlook Express, but the @Event system is the next step up, because the software is fully automated to send messages to selectable locations in different modes for an array of messages. The e-mail or text message, for example, can contain one or more alarm messages, with details provided as attachments. One e-mail or text can be set for each alarm or sent periodically with all the alarm messages that have been generated during a specified period of time.

http://www.controleng.com/article/444037-Note_to_CNC_machine_shop_owners_Texting_is_not_just_for_teenagers.php

Thermwood Corporation, always on the cutting edge of technology, is now taking its CNC expertise to new markets

Written by Militza Richard & Produced by Shaheen Mohammadipour

The Thermwood Corporation has never been intimidated by technology. Founded in 1969 as a plastic molder for wood-grained parts for the furniture industry, the company developed their own CNC tool in the mid 1970s.

“We ended up building the first CNC control system ever offered commercially,” says company founder and CEO Ken Susnjara. The company developed its own operating systems and evolved their CNC routers into a very powerful and capable system.

Used to cut, trim and shape a wide variety of materials including wood, plastic, composites, foam, honeycomb core and non-ferrous metals into either flat or three-dimensional shaped products, CNC routers have changed the face of the machine industry. Thermwood is the oldest CNC router company in the world and the only CNC manufacturer in the country with a GSA certification.

With customers ranging from NASA to Broadway, Thermwood offers a wide variety of systems, in both three and five axis configurations in a wide range of sizes. The company has also become a major international player with operations across the globe.

NEW MARKETS

For many years, Thermwood Corporation has been extremely successful focusing on three key markets: woodworking, plastics and aerospace. However, the company has recently begun expanding into new markets, such as the growing wind sector.

“We’ve made a huge number of changes in the downturn,” says Susnjara. “We’ve revamped marketing, targeted the wind energy market, and created some new machines. We didn’t pull into our shells. You have to go out there and get the business.”

With Ken’s son Jason Susnjara heading up the marketing department, Thermwood Corporation has embraced online marketing and begun attending new tradeshows, opening doors into new business sectors.

“We had a traditional marketing plan that had worked well for us, but over the past few years we have begun embracing electronics and becoming internet savvy. It’s worked rather nicely. By spreading out our marketing we have been able to pick up business in new sectors,” says Ken Susnjara.

Entering these new markets has been essential as the economy continues to struggle. “The biggest trends are our competitors going out of business,” says Susnjara. “We are in a dozen markets in 35 countries, and we would have never believed they would all dip at the same time.”

But the company has taken the down time to revamp and is now excited about the future. “As the economy recovers we will be much stronger,” states Susnjara. He believes the economy is turning around and is excited that more and more companies are beginning to adopt CNC technology.

IMPROVED MACHINES

As Thermwood enters new market places, the company has also developed larger, more accurate machines. However, one problem with large machines is the head alignment. Ensuring accuracy comes with a

high cost.

To solve this problem, Thermwood has employed 3-D laser systems to measure the exact position of the head everywhere in the working envelope. They then developed technology that allows their CNC control to take this data and compensate for any machine error.

This system cuts down on the cost, making it practical to build larger machines. “We have sold 60ft machines and with the new system we can run the Z axis into the 10-12ft range,” explains Susnjara.

As Thermwood continues to improve its systems, its technology continues to become more accurate and easier to use. For example, mounting a fixture used to be a task that could take hours of painstaking work, but Thermwood’s new technology can transform the program to match the fixture instead of the other way around, cutting out hours of work.

“Things that used to take a lot of time and skill are now being handled in the control,” says Susnjara. “Once we discover the needs of a client, we can generally come up with a way to meet those needs better than our competitors. We can offer the machines for 1/3 less money with specs that are better.”

Thermwood hopes to apply this technological savvy to the growing wind sector. Susnjara says the company has programs in place with leaders in the industry and is excited about the “unique technologies they will be able to bring to the industry.”

STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

Thermwood is able to offer flexible technological solutions to its clients thanks to the hard work and skill of its employees. “We get pretty good folks. This area has a strong work ethic and skilled people,” says Susnjara.

In fact, he says many of the people who were with the company in the beginning are still there today. Their very first employee just retired last year, and many employees are second generation. And while there have been layoffs and pay cuts due to the economy, Susnjara says that in a normal year a turnover rate of 1 or 1.5 percent is bad.

Thermwood also cultivates long-term relationships with its vendors and distributors. Having been in the same business for so long, they have maintained great relationships with all of their vendors. “We have a philosophy that everyone needs to make money. We don’t squeeze our vendors. It’s better to create relationships where you support each other,” says Susnjara.

Similarly, the company has worked with many of its distributors for 20 or 30 years. Many are now second generation.

http://www.energydigital.com/Thermwood-Corporation–CNC-Innovator_41103.aspx