shadow display so you can see precisely the adjustment you are making.”
“I was really impressed at the many capabilities of the system, and we are still discovering additional ways the Zoller redomatic can help us save time, improve tool setting, and maximize tool life on the line,” Malone said.
The system has also been very helpful with accurately set- ting valve seat tooling before running production, eliminating a lot of potential rework. The Zoller has caught incorrectly sized tools which would not have been noticed with handsetting. In the plant cutter grind department, Cummins uses a Zoller venturion for complete tool inspection after cutter regrinding. “We can input tolerancing for the tool and it can tell you if the tool is in spec and generate tool inspection data very quickly. All the reground tools are inspected and tracked. With the Zoller, we’ve reduced tool inspection time by at least 50%, and measurement is much more consistent. If there is ever an issue with a tool we will have the detail on its history,” Malone said. The venturion combines outstanding flexibility and preci- sion for checking a wide range of tools and is well-suited for every CNC production, and uses Zoller pilot image processing software. The machine generates measuring setting sheets/ tool lists at the push of a button with direct transfer to the tool machine and storage in the presetter. The operators appreci- ate the adjustable LED lighting that displays cutting edges in sharp detail for careful inspection.
With its investment in Zoller tool presetting and measuring
technology, Cummins is well on its way to further improve- ment of its production efficiency and product quality. ME For more information on Zoller Inc., go to www.zoller-usa.com, or phone 734-332-4851.
Creative Fixturing for Vacuum Furnaces
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acuum furnaces are expensive to purchase and operate. By using creative fixturing solutions, manufacturers and repair shops can safely increase the number of parts brazed or heat-treated per run, increasing productivity while lowering the cost per unit.
A shop can spend a million dollars purchasing a new vacuum furnace, and hundreds of dollars more on person- nel, process gas and electricity each time a batch of parts is run through a brazing or heat-treatment cycle. To obtain more value from their capital expense, many companies add shifts
so they can keep the furnace running. Often, however, there is a far simpler remedy: using a custom fixture that allows the maximum number of parts to be processed simultaneously. “With a custom fixture, we can get more production out of our furnace,” said Kim Hutchinson, senior project manager for Hitchiner Manufacturing Company Inc. (Milford, NH). “The low mass of the plate heats up faster and we can pack the parts more densely so there are more pieces per load.”
Hitchiner uses an Ipsen vacuum furnace with a 48 x 48 x 72” (1220 x 1220 x 1830-mm) work zone for solution annealing of turbine blades at 2250° F. A few years ago, it decided to go with a custom fixture from Hi-Tech Furnace Systems.
Most vacuum furnace manufacturers are focused on one thing, building and servicing their furnaces. These are the high-ticket items that make or break the company. But, as with so many aspects of life, it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference. With furnaces, it’s easy to find a fixture that fits. What is harder, but can pay the biggest dividends in production and profitability, is a fixture with the right size, materials and design for both the furnace and the parts that are being processed. The trick is to maximize the work zone.
Furnace manufacturers will specify the useable work zone for their equipment—the exact dimensions of the space which they guarantee will reach a uniform temperature. The work zone is often cylindrical, but many fixtures are square or rectangular and so they don’t efficiently utilize the entire work zone. Switching to a round fixture allows more parts to be processed at a time.
“Many companies don’t realize that even such a simple design change to the fixture can allow them to process 25%