Friday, April 19, 2019
All News
MMT is Looking for our 2018 Leadtime Leader Winner
September 26, 2017
It’s all about what you do with what you have. In this video, Graphic Tool demonstrates that size does not matter when it comes to bringing home MMT's annual Leadtime Leader Award.  Check out a video feature of Graphic Tool, MoldMaking Technology’s 2017 Leadtime Leader Winner and then visit our Leadtime Leader Zone to
FANUC: 35 Years of Making Robots in the U.S.
September 26, 2017
For 35 years, FANUC America has manufactured all paint robots and door openers in Rochester Hills, Michigan.  Company President, Mike Cicco remarked: “We have dedicated ourselves to 35 years of product innovation and manufacturing efficiencies to provide our customers with the highest quality paint robots that we design, assemble, and
Collaborative Robots Load, Unload Machines Without Need for Barriers
September 26, 2017
FANUC America will demonstrate machine load/unload with its CR-7iA table-top size collaborative robot equipped with iRVision. During the demonstration, the robot will pick up a part and load it into a lathe’s chuck, then remove the part from the chuck and place it back onto a part tray, showing how a collaborative robot can be used for
Haas Automation to Host HaasTec Open House at SoCal Facility in October
September 26, 2017
This October, Haas Automation, Inc. will open its doors again for HaasTec 2017, a four-day open house at its headquarters in Oxnard, California. The event is scheduled for October 10-13, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It will include machine demos, factory tours, a catered lunch and more. In 2015, the event drew nearly 3,300 attendees from 48
Technology Showcase: Heading to Westec?
September 26, 2017
If you’re planning to head west to attend Westec, billed as “the West Coast’s Leading Manufacturing Event,” today’s blog is a slideshow preview of products you can expect to see there. If you’re planning to head west to attend Westec, billed as “the West Coast’s Leading Manufacturing Event,”
VMC Includes Four-Pallet Automation
September 26, 2017
Matsuura Machinery will feature its MX-520 PC4, a four-pallet automated version of the MX-520 single-table, five-axis VMC, which was designed for customers seeking an automation solution. The VMC is equipped with 90 tools and a Universal Robot interface for added automation potential. It offers multiple configurations for different
Invest Now in Die/Mold Automation to Meet Growing Customer Demand
September 26, 2017
In today’s highly competitive global marketplace, there are two types of mold shop owners, (1) those who invest in new technology and automation to create innovative ways to meet customer demands for shorter lead times, more complex designs and tighter tolerances and (2) those show don’t invest and quickly fall behind other North
Moldmakers Share Benefits of Makino Die/Mold Expo
September 26, 2017
What do you gain by attending events like the Makino Die/Mold Expo that was held last week at the company’s Technology Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan? I asked three of the moldmakers I met there to share their personal takeaways and received three differently-focused responses. Here’s what they told me: Don Snow, president of CS Tool
The True Cost of Cobots
September 26, 2017
Collaborative robots, also called “cobots,” are the newest trend in robotics. A cobot is a special type of industrial robot designed to work with, or closely to, humans. Various technologies can be implemented to reduce the speed of a cobot’s motion when a worker enters its work area, or to sense when the cobot encounters a human
Cobot in Action
September 26, 2017
The HC10 ensures the required safety in direct contact with the operator by means of a sophisticated force/torque sensor in every axis, enabling flexible interaction between the robot arm and its environment. The Motoman HC10 requires no additional protective measures, e.g. a protective casing, thus saving space and expense. Installation is
Morris Group Supplies Desktop Metal’s 3D Printers for Rapid Prototyping
September 26, 2017
Morris Group Inc. (Windsor, Connecticut), a CNC machine tool distribution network, has been selected by Desktop Metal (Burlington, Massachusetts) as a top-tier, Diamond Partner supplier of its metal 3D printing systems in 30 states extending from Maine to Florida to the Dakotas. With the addition of Desktop Metal’s Studio System to its
Using Hybrid Additive Manufacturing, GE Leverages Turbine Blade Repair into Efficiency Improvement
September 26, 2017
An engineering modification that would have been impractical or cost-prohibitive in the past is realized on a machine tool performing metal 3D printing and machining in the same cycle. Blog Post: 9/12/2017 Peter Zelinski Editor-in-Chief, Modern Machine Shop GE is perhaps the major manufacturing company most closely associated with the advance of
GF Machining Solutions Names Distributor for Indiana
September 26, 2017
GF Machining Solutions (Lincolnshire, Illinois) has named Ellison Technologies a new distributor to serve customers in Indiana. Ellison will now provide manufacturers throughout the industrial state with GF Machining Solutions’ range of EDM, milling, laser texturing, additive, micromachining and 3R Automation products as well as a variety of
Laser Metal Deposition Head Installs into CNC Machine Tools
September 26, 2017
Additive manufacturing company Formalloy has released its Formax metal deposition head. Using laser metal deposition (LMD) technology, the head can be integrated onto an existing machine or robot to repair, clad and create metal parts. According to the company the Formax head offers a reliable design for minimal maintenance and downtime, and
Video: Functional Excavator Features 3D-Printed Components
September 26, 2017
The cab, arm and heat exchanger were all 3D printed on the first excavator to feature major components produced additively. Blog Post: 9/4/2017 Peter Zelinski Editor-in-Chief, Modern Machine Shop ​ Making its debut earlier this year at the ConExpo-Con/Agg trade show for the construction industries was the first fully functional excavator
How Additive Manufacturing Is Like Five-Axis Machining
September 26, 2017
It’s not the similarities in the technologies, but in how they were and are being adopted. Like five-axis machining, additive manufacturing’s adoption will accelerate as its best applications are identified. These metal parts were built on DMG MORI’s Lasertec 30 SLM powder-bed additive manufacturing machine. “We used to ask
ProX SLS 500 3D Printer is Newest Generation of SLS Printers
September 26, 2017
Methods 3D Inc.’s 3D Systems’ ProX SLS 500 Selective Laser Sintering production 3D printer was created for the manufacturing floor, is the newest generation of SLS printers, and is designed to produce exceptionally smooth surfaces and high-resolution thermoplastic parts. New Product Post: 9/22/2017 Edited by Bart
Cimquest Expands Its Mastercam Territory
September 26, 2017
Cimquest Inc., a provider of manufacturing products and services and a Mastercam reseller, announced in August the expansion of its Mastercam business territory. Accordingly, Cimquest has taken over Fisher Unitech’s Mastercam business in Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia for Mastercam sales, support and services. The deal significantly
Additive Manufactured Fixation Plates Better Match Patient's Jaw Bone
September 26, 2017
A combination of selective laser melting and NiTi material enabled the creation of plates matched to both the shape and stiffness of natural bone. Researchers created porous fixation plates for reconstructive jaw surgery that precisely match the geometry as well as the stiffness of a natural jaw bone. Traditionally, fixation plates—the
Software Delivers Job Files, Process Control for AM
September 26, 2017
DP Technology has announced its Esprit Additive Suite, a comprehensive software product designed to deliver efficiency and accuracy while simplifying the additive manufacturing process into a few steps. The software delivers machine-optimized job files and process control for direct metal deposition machines and 3D powder bed fusion
Media Advisory: Details of Ford Motor Company’s September 2017 U.S. Sales Conference Call
September 26, 2017
DEARBORN, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) will release its September 2017 U.S. sales results at approximately 9:15 a.m. EDT Tuesday, October 3, 2017. At 10:00 a.m. EDT, Erich Merkle, Ford U.S. sales analyst, will host a conference call for the investment community and news media to discuss the results and related market trends.
Intelsat’s Chief Financial Officer to Present at Deutsche Bank’s 25th Annual Leveraged Finance
September 26, 2017
LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), the world’s leading provider of satellite services, announced today that Jacques Kerrest, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will present at Deutsche Bank’s 25th Annual Leveraged Finance Conference in Scottsdale, AZ on Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at 1:35 p.m. Pacific
Precision Products Soars into Aerospace Industry
September 26, 2017
DALTON, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Precision Products, a high precision parts manufacturing company in Dalton, GA, is proud to announce it has achieved AS9100 registration. Certification to this international aerospace quality standard is proof they have achieved excellence in the areas of research and development, product design, production and
Tooling: Critical Design Considerations for Sprue Bushings
September 26, 2017
Last month I discussed how to reduce the massive area where the sprue, runner, and cold well intersect at the parting line. This month let’s take a look at some additional sprue-bushing design considerations to further improve the cycle time and to help avoid several processing problems. Cooling: The sprue doesn’t need to
Tooling: Mold-Tracking App Adds Collaboration Features
September 26, 2017
Share tooling projects with an unlimited amount of users and suppliers. New Product Post: 7/12/2017 ToolStats (Warren, Mich.) has released a redesigned version of its app that in addition to a new interface now allows users to easily communicate and collaborate with their supply chain. The app allows users to share their tooling projects with an
Tooling: High Temperature Hoses Swap Metal Sheath for Silicone
September 26, 2017
Worker protection against burns and abrasion from frayed metal sheath. New Product Post: 7/12/2017 Meusburger's new high-temperature hoses feature silicone sheathing, protecting workers from burns or abrasions possible with wire mesh coatings. The new E 2187 IsoTemp high temperature hoses from Meusburger US, Inc. Standard Molds (Charlotte, N.C.)
Tooling: Dealing with Sprue Bushings On the Production Floor
September 26, 2017
Causes of and solutions to some problems you probably deal with every day. Various causes of bad surface finish in a sprue bushing. “Necking” (top) on the end of a sprue indicates a hobbed nozzle seat caused by using sprue break. A raised line (bottom) beginning at the orifice of a sprue indicates the bushing might be cracked.
Virtual Tool Alloy Selection Confirms Benefits in Cost & Part Quality
September 26, 2017
Using simulation to understand cost-benefit ratio in using tool alloys with high thermal conductivity.  Before specifying expensive tool alloys with higher thermal conductivity, it is important to have a clear understanding of their cost- benefit ratio. That was the situation facing packaging molder Proplas S.A. in Medellin, Colombia. It
Seeking Moldmakers That Are Fast…and Smart
September 26, 2017
Now in its 15th year, MoldMaking Technology’s Leadtime Leader Award is once again seeking out tool shops that get things done. Blog Post: 9/18/2017 Tony Deligio senior editor, Plastics Technology While one of the criteria for the annual reward is average leadtime for tools (broken down by tool complexity), MoldMaking Technology (MMT)
How CT Scanning Can Cut Your Product-Development Time
September 26, 2017
Computed tomography scanning offers molders a wide range of benefits, often saving them hundreds of hours during the processes of mold building, mold tryout, and first- article approval. Here’s what you need to know. The CT data display using Zeiss NEO insights software shows whether the seal is properly positioned on the bottle. In this
Injection Molding: Differentiated Power Distribution Give Hot Runner Nozzles a Uniform Temperature
September 26, 2017
Interchangeable nozzle tips make different types of gating possible. New Product Post: 8/24/2017 The smartFILL single nozzle hot runner temperature nozzles feature an array of interchangeable tips to take on different gating scenarios and materials.  Austrian standard mold components supplier Meusburger Georg GmbH & Co. KG (Wolfurt;
Mold Performance: Tap Into the Power of Data Collection
September 26, 2017
Collecting core data in a transparent way allows molders to drill into the true cost of tooling issues and develop real goals to keep production flowing. As part of MoldTrax training, operators are shown how documentation can be used to identify and troubleshoot mold issues by observing defect patterns and trends. Scheduled vs. unscheduled mold
HRSflow Opens Service Center in Mexico
September 26, 2017
Local spare-parts service. After opening a state-of-the-art hot-runner manufacturing plant in Byron Center, Mich., last year (see Nov. ’15 Starting Up), HRSflow of Italy has established a service center in Queretaro, Mexico, in cooperation with WCS. It will provide 24-hr spare-parts service to all of Mexico. +52 (1) 442 38 62 975 • email
One Place to Hang Out at K
September 26, 2017
If You Thirst for More Than Technology I gather it’s something of a K Show tradition: Near the end of a hard day at the world’s biggest plastics trade fair, those in the know (and maybe a journalist with an interview appointment) repair to a quiet upstairs lounge at the booth of Gammaflux, the venerable hot-runner controls source (since
Novel Hot-Runner Technology Borrows From Flat-Die Extrusion
September 26, 2017
Nozzles with a wide slit fill at lower temperature and pressure. At this month’s K 2016 show in Dusseldorf, Austrian moldmaker Haidlmair will introduce a new hot-runner technology that combines the know-how of its injection moldmaking business with that of its extrusion flat-die business, called EMO. The new FDU (Flat Die Unit)
Block Cavities and Keep Molding
September 26, 2017
AN ‘EXTREME’ EXAMPLE To illustrate the procedure using these control techniques, a trial was conducted at our sister company, Synventive Molding Solutions, in its lab in Peabody, Mass., using a four-cavity direct valve-gated mold (Fig. 4). In the first set of trials, automatic hot-runner balancing and switchover from injection to
INJECTION MOLDING: Hot-Runner Enhancements Ease Processing & Maintenance
September 26, 2017
Three new hot-runner components are available from HRSflow of Italy (offices in Byron Center, Mich., and Windsor, Ont.). First is the new Three-Layer Tip, a nozzle tip made of three materials, with no coating. One of the materials is a copper bushing inside the flow channel to improve thermal conductivity. It’s said to provide
Barnes Group to Acquire Gammaflux
September 26, 2017
Hot-runner controls supplier joins a stable of prominent names in hot-runner, controls, and tooling. Adding to its growing stable of plastics injection molding and tooling-related companies, Barnes Group Inc., Bristol, Conn., has signed a definitive agreement to buy privately held Gammaflux L.P., a leading supplier of hot-runner
Incoe Recognized for Workplace Safety
September 26, 2017
Amerisure Insurance acknowledges hot runner supplier. Hot runner supplier Incoe Corporation, Troy, Mich., has received a safety award for “Outstanding Safety Performance and Continuous Improvement” from Amerisure Insurance Company for the years 2015–2016. “Receiving this award validates the commitment we’ve put
Hot Runners & 3D-Printed Molds Headlined at K Show
September 26, 2017
The FDU is still developmental and is currently available only with Haidlmair molds. The company hopes to make it fully commercial this year. It is also working on an FDU 2.0 version for 2017 that will leave less gate vestige and have faster cycles. In other hot-runner news, Gunther Hot Runner Systems, Inc. (U.S. office in Hoffmann Estates, Ill.)
Injection Molding: Differentiated Power Distribution Give Hot Runner Nozzles a Uniform Temperature
September 26, 2017
Interchangeable nozzle tips make different types of gating possible. New Product Post: 8/24/2017 The smartFILL single nozzle hot runner temperature nozzles feature an array of interchangeable tips to take on different gating scenarios and materials.  Austrian standard mold components supplier Meusburger Georg GmbH & Co. KG (Wolfurt;
Injection Molding: New Compact Hot-Runner Nozzles Debut at Fakuma Show
September 26, 2017
At next month’s Fakuma show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, HRSflow of Italy (U.S. office in Byron Center, Mich.) will show off a new family of screw-in hot-runner nozzles for small, delicate parts such as loudspeaker grilles and for reverse gating from the ejector side. Thanks to a space-saving heating system,
HEATING/COOLING: Lower Temperature Range for Portable Chillers
September 26, 2017
Expansion of temperature control line extends chilling range lower. New Product Post: 5/5/2017 Mokon, Buffalo, N.Y. has expanded its Iceman SC Series of portable chillers, adding the ASL and WSL lines. The ASL and WSL offer a fluid temperature range of 5°F to 30°F (-15°C to -1°C) and a capacity of 1½ to 7½ tons. The
HEATING/COOLING: Compact Mold Temperature Controller Gets Smaller, Lighter
September 26, 2017
New series is 27% lighter and has a 23% smaller footprint. New Product Post: 5/5/2017 Matsui’s new MC5 mold temperature controllers reportedly reach temperature settings quickly, allowing molders can start processing sooner. The controllers are available in 12 different models, with the MC5-G1 series hot-water controllers sold in 25-, 55- and
Chiller Sets New Benchmarks For Energy Efficiency, Tight Control
September 26, 2017
Here are more details on what is heralded as “the most efficient industrial process chiller on the market,” first discussed briefly in last month’s Keeping Up section. Jochen Naujokat, president of Delta T Systems, Richfield, Wis., and Rick Holzhauer, the firm’s chief mechanical engineer, previewed this development
TOOLING: 3D Printed Mold Inserts With Conformal Cooling
September 26, 2017
The DME brand of Milacron Holdings Corp., Madison Heights, Mich., has partnered with Linear AMS (a Moog Company), Livonia, Mich., to offer metal 3D-printed molds with conformal cooling. Unlike conventional cooling with straight, gun-drilled cooling channels, conformal cooling can employ complex arrangements of curved and
The Next Game-Changing Technology in Tools and Dies
September 26, 2017
The first conformal-cooled tools entered the European market 25 years ago; a new conference aims to determine what the next 25 years could hold. Blog Post: 4/18/2017 Robert Beard, P.E., Honored Fellow SPE Guest Blogger and President, Robert A. Beard & Associates Inc. Last year, I achieved 50 years of continuous membership in the Society of
Heating/Cooling: New Central Cooling Pump Sets Features Variable Frequency Drives, New Control
September 26, 2017
Pumps automatically equalize pressure depending on process cooling demands, including number of machines, process pressures and flow rates. New Product Post: 8/24/2017 The Frigel Aquagel GPV central cooling pump sets follows up on the GPP line, adding variable frequency drives and Frigel’s 3PR control.  Italian process cooling
Materials: Cycle Time: Science vs. Rules of Thumb—Part 2
September 26, 2017
In June’s column, I discussed the often-cited connection between the deflection temperature under load (DTUL) for a given material and the appropriate temperature at which a part molded from that material can be ejected from the mold without exhibiting excessive distortion while cooling the rest of the way down to room temperature. Not
Thermal Care Names New Director, Sales & Marketing
September 26, 2017
Specialist in process cooling adds former Grainger exec. Thermal Care, Niles, Ill., a division of IPEG, has named Brad Regillio director of sales and marketing for the company, which specializes in process cooling equipment. Regillio’s most recently worked for W.W. Grainger, where he was director of global sales and