be worth a thousand words, but being able to catch a tool collision before it gets to the shop floor can save customers thousands of dollars.”
Automated Production Applications
Production technology combined with automation was the focus of Makino’s (Mason, OH) lines of machines from large four and five-axis VMCs and HMCs, grinders, and EDMs, to precision micromachining capabilities. Production machining demonstrated single-piece part flow through an automated cell was accomplished using both horizontal and vertical milling of a crankshaft case. Additional automotive applications included Makino demonstrations of cylinder boring and honing and transmission valve EDMing. A series of popular Lunch-and- Learn events featured presentations by Makino customers.
Methods Machine Tools Features Range of Tools and Solutions The Sudbury, MA-based Methods Machine Tools showed off more than 35 machine tools and automation solutions at its crowded booth during IMTS. That included a full range of precision machine tools such as Matsuura, Nakamura-Tome, KIWA-Japan, FANUC, FEELER, Exeron and Current.
tomer at a press conference at IMTS on September 11, 2012. Delcam Lifetime Products manufactures sports equipment such as basketball equipment and kayaks as well as lawn furniture and storage sheds. The company employs over 1300
Part of the kayak mold that was the first project undertaken at Lifetime Products with Delcam’s PowerMill CAM software.
workers in 2.6 million ft2 of facilities spread over 21 buildings.
Lifetime Products Mold Design Engineer Dennis Norman said that Delcam’s PowerMILL CAM package “intrigued us” with its functionality and speed at calculating toolpaths. Lifetime made 30 molds in Utah last year and expects to complete 36 in 2012, Norman said. Delcam North America President Glenn McMinn presented a plaque to Norman, saying that Lifetime Products is “a true US success story.”
SB Machine Tool Shares the JapanTec 5X-410 Machining Center James Yeakley, Houston-based regional sales manager for SB Machine Tools (Schaumburg, IL) shared information about
A particular highlight was the new FEELER FT-Series High Performance CNC Turning Center, which featured a new all- boxway design to significantly increase cutting capacity. “For increased productivity, the new FT-Series design pro- vides customers with exceptional cutting capacity,” said Paul Hurtig, FEELER product manager, Methods Machine Tools. The FEELER FT-Series includes four models, the FT-200, FT-250, FT-350 and FT-350L.
Delcam Salutes Lifetime Products Inc. as its 40,000th Customer CAD/CAM solution provider Delcam recognized Lifetime Products Inc. (Clearfield, UT) as its 40,000 worldwide cus-