Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Question:
“We’re really rethinking our rep/dealer/distributor force, in this internet age. What are your thoughts?”
Our President’s point-of-view…
Some companies, having actually received orders off their online rfq forms, have stumbled into thinking they no longer need those vital links (no pun at all, believe me) in their sales chain, namely, their reps, dealers, distributors or even their offshore agents. They tell us the age of the internet obviates the need for such personnel and the corresponding cost.
They are just plain wrong.
For numerous reasons, not the least of which are the local representation in a business community by someone who’s known to it AND the corresponding frequency of contact made, you all need these folks fronting your product message. For years, we’ve told our industrial clients that they’re not in the mail order or retail business. That’s as true today, even in the age of instant online purchases and even, I admit, in the age of one client who sold an $88,000 piece of equipment directly from their website to a company they’d never sold previously.
Your front line troops are exactly that, your first line of attack (or sometimes defense, when the internet rumors fly) in the market. Beyond sales contacts, they provide customer assistance in many, often unseen ways. We’ve worked for dozen of electrical clients over the years and there is no industry with a more multi-layered distribution channel to reach the various OEM, contractor and end user segments of that huge market. Quite naturally, the electrical market was one of the first ones we serve where clients began to think they could do quite nicely, eliminating a link in the sales chain. The smart ones have realized it’s not true, as each played and still plays a vital role in product delivery, but even more-so in product conditioning, product persuasion, product positioning and product promotion. Yes, just as their advertising, PR, direct/blast emailings, trade shows and other promotional tactics do, the reps, distributors and wholesalers in the territories each play a role in helping the overall marketing communication effort succeed.
Companies who overlook that fact are just dumb and will likely suffer the consequences of such short-sighted thinking.
The same applies to you capital equipment companies and even you contract manufacturers who might consider eliminating your reps or dealers. “Gee, Tim, we build a lot of custom stuff and our engineers can handle most everything online. We really wonder if those other guys are necessary.” The answer is a resounding YES. It’s a collateral consequence of the internet that MORE companies who once sold locally or regionally can now do business nationwide, even worldwide, owing to the online communication channel. However, along with this broader business base come all those “local” factors that must be taken into account. These might include local electrical codes, shipping restrictions, installation challenges and, on the international scene, currency and other cultural considerations. Having at least some regional representation can be very helpful in this process.
One longtime client of ours devotes an entire page of their catalog to extol the virtues of their reps, detailing the company’s philosophy for their use. Call me, I’ll share it with you, as I’ve handled the client personally for 35 years and wrote that page myself!
-TD
email Tim
Our Director of Social Media’s point-of-view…
The point of social media is to make you and/or your company MORE accessible, not less human. Social media should be used to help give your company and your products life and a personality.
Human connection; having a real person answer questions, solve problems and attend to clients or potential clients needs is still a necessary part of a thriving business.
One should not replace the other, they should work hand-in-hand to support each other.
-Wendy
email Wendy
Lasers under power for demonstration, test cuts, time studies and more; new facility will also house full application engineering, parts and service departments
Han-Kwang USA announces the opening of its new 13,000 square-foot Chicago-area facility with showroom for laser machine demonstrations, as well as application engineering, parts and service departments. Typically, the new showroom will house multiple plate and tube cutting laser machines for customer use in test cuts and time studies, plus interested parties can see these powerful CO2 lasers in action, when considering a purchase or investigating laser technology for their shops and in-house fabrication processes.
In announcing this opening, Han-Kwang USA VP Robert Won commented, “This showroom is a further step in our company’s long-term commitment to the North American market. We have worked hard over the recent years to develop our business, build relationships with our North American dealer network and especially support our customers with the latest technology and application assistance.”
The parts department is fully stocked with all key consumable and mechanical components for the full range of Han-Kwang lasers currently in the field and offered by the company, including the new PS, PL and TL plate and tube cutters.
Additional key personnel at this new facility include Eric Kim, operations manager, and Jane Lee, administrative assistant.
For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact: HAN-KWANG USA INC. 1120 Garfield Street Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630-916-0200 Fax: 630-916-0300 Web: www.hankwangus.com Email: salesusa@hankwang.co.kr Attention: Robert Won, Eric Kim or Jane Lee.
Agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company tdaro@bernardandcompany.com 847-934-4500
Release: HAN-KWANG USA INC.
Date: April 1, 2010
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WEST-MARK MAKING BIG MARK IN SEVERAL MARKETS By bringing laser and tower automation in-house, California fluid transport, fire apparatus, display builder sees the light!
West-Mark is literally a tale of many chapters, especially when it comes to laser fabrication. Started originally in 1967 as a manufacturing and repair facility for dairy transport tankers, it quickly expanded to become a leading West Coast builder of fluid transport vehicles for many industries, including petroleum, firefighting, military, construction, food, liquid sanitation, even arctic equipment, through its branch in Anchorage, Alaska. Today, the company enjoys a diversified customer base and, in addition to the Alaskan location, operates manufacturing, fabrication, assembly and repair facilities in Ceres, Atwater and Bakersfield, California. Over 150 employees provide West-Mark customers a broad range of vehicles for sale or rent, plus the company maintains full service and repair operations.
In the late 1990’s, another market sprung up for the company, namely, the fabrication of display enclosures for entertainment venues, kiosks, elevators, airports, shopping malls and other retail/commercial establishments. Using the engineering and manufacturing skills that had proven successful in the industrial markets, the company opened its “Digital Factory” in Atwater, where today it produces an assortment of enclosures and freestanding kiosks, under the Perfected Protection™ brand name.
West-Mark had long been an integrated design, fabrication and assembly company, according to Fabrication Director, Chris Portmann, “…but we saw one area that needed better control and cost containment, namely, the laser cutting of the various stainless steel, carbon steel and aluminum materials we processed.” The company was utilizing the services of three local laser job shops and occasional bottlenecks would occur, in addition to the cost factors involved. As the company was continuing to grow, these production challenges grew, as well. West-Mark knew a change was in the wind.
At a meeting with one of their trusted machine/equipment dealers, Metal Process Engineering, West-Mark was introduced to the Han-Kwang plate laser with integrated material tower automation. In one of those classic “light bulb” moments, a decision was formulated and the sale proceeded. The company also hired an experienced laser operator from a local shop. The benefits soon became apparent.
As Portmann explains, “Very quickly, we realized we could run a lot faster to save time and money. Beyond that, we could be more responsive to the one-off and short run job requirements we get, all the time, in our operation. Because of the software we use and the products Han-Kwang provided us, we were able to integrate those short runs into the nesting strategies with our longer run jobs.” The tower automation provided West-Mark the flexibility to do several more things in its production. They could stack frequently-used materials on pallets into the tower for quick access and start-up, owing to the powerful CNC onboard the Han-Kwang laser, while the fully automated cycle capability allowed West-Mark to quickly move into a lights-out manufacturing strategy, thereby providing additional cost containment in personnel and power consumption.
The machine configuration utilized here is Han-Kwang’s Model FS 4020, a long bed gantry style, flying optic plate laser with twin 6’ x 12’ shuttle pallets and an 8-high materials tower, all controlled by the industry’s most powerful CNC, a Siemens Sinumerik 840D. Materials processed at West-Mark on this laser include 304 and 316 SS, plus A36 and 570 carbon steel as well as 3003 and 5054 aluminum. Portmann pointed out that the company uses Masonite® blanks to protect the high quality surfaces of materials during unload sequences and that this extra protection step has not slowed the laser’s production in any substantial way.
West-Mark utilizes Inventor® CAD and Radan® CAM systems, typically, plus the proprietary nesting software provided by Han-Kwang. Since West-Mark launched its 3D software use at approximately the same time as they purchased the laser, the company’s programmers and operators shared a learning curve, but Chris Portmann noted, “It was a ‘law of unintended consequences’ situation, because the market slowed at the same time we were acquiring the new machine and software packages, so our guys were able to learn in the slow times.” He further observed the company has enjoyed an ability to be more responsive to customer needs and that has led directly to more new business for West-Mark, including doing laser processing for other local firms in the area.
A particular benefit of the Han-Kwang laser, according to West-Mark personnel, is its ability to process aluminum tread plate with the diamond side up, so the dross falls onto the back side of the material, compared to the typical laser cutting diamond side down, where the dross falls on the visible side of the material.
A rather direct fellow, Portmann sums up by saying, “When we need another laser, there will be no question about getting another Han-Kwang. Their machine quality, application assistance, operator and programmer training, plus the
overall improvement they made in our company’s production makes that decision an easy one.” Portmann called out Eric Kim at Han-Kwang as having been particularly helpful in the start-up and application of the laser and tower automation at his company.
West-Mark, in addition to the Digital Factory production of enclosures and kiosks, builds fuel tankers, buffaloes and bowsers, water tenders, firefighting apparatus, grease trap and septic tank vacuum trucks, DOT Code tanks, even aircraft refuelers, working in a variety of industries, as well as for the Department of Defense, National Park Service, Department of Interior, U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and the civilian supply chain.
In the production of its high-precision metal parts, assemblies and fabrications, the company operates a full complement of laser, shearing, rollforming, head forming and flanging, brake forming, punching, milling, welding and quality inspection equipment.
West-Mark service operations range from leak repair and testing to full retrofit and field replacement.
For more information, please contact: WEST-MARK 2704 Railroad Avenue Ceres, CA 95307 Phone: 209-537-4747 Fax: 209-537-1753 Toll-Free: 800-692-5844 www.west-mark.com www.digitalfactory.com Chris Portmann, Fabrication Director cportmann@west-mark.com
HAN-KWANG USA INC. 1120 Garfield Street Lombard, IL 60148 Phone: 630-916-0200 Fax: 630-916-0300 Web: www.hankwangus.com Email: mailto:salesusa@hankwang.co.kr Attention: Robert Won, Eric Kim or Jane Lee
Agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company tdaro@bernardandcompany.com 847-934-4500
Release: HAN-KWANG USA INC.
Date: March 8, 2010
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REP Corporation, the longtime leader in injection presses for rubber and TPE molding, announces the start of a new credit program, effective immediately and running through July 31, 2010. Molders who validate the scrapping of their older presses can earn up to $40,000 in credit against the purchase of any new REP machine, during this period. The announcement was made today by REP President Tim Graham, at the company’s Bartlett, Illinois headquarters, near Chicago.
Graham detailed the offer, saying it would apply to any make or model of rubber or TPE injection press. REP requires the molder to validate the scrapping of their old machine, thereby earning a predetermined credit, based on the old machine’s age and condition. The credit, up to $40,000, can then be applied to the purchase of any new REP injection press in the G9 series.
He further noted the advantages of a new machine. “Besides the higher quality parts a molder can produce, owing to the level of mold mechanics, material flow and control sophistication, a new press consumes less energy, has less downtime and less maintenance requirements, so it stays in production. Even REP presses from our earlier generations cannot match the productivity and resulting profitability of a new G9 machine. That’s not a brag, it’s a fact and it’s one we can document,” he said, noting the new machines offer better molding strategies, improved ergonomics and faster payback for the customer.
“It’s an offer you can’t refuse,” Graham joked.
REP Corporation is responsible for all sales and service in North America. However, this offer is being made to rubber molders worldwide by REP, based in Lyon, France.
For more information, please contact: REP CORPORATION 8N470 Tameling Court Bartlett, IL 60103-8146 Phone: 847-697-7210 Fax: 847-697-6829 Web: www.repinjection.com Email: tgraham@repcorp.com Attention: Tim Graham, President
PR agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company 847-934-4500 tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
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Model TL 6015 Tube Cutting Laser System
Automated loading and parts handling system complement state-of-the-industry laser and machine control technology
Han-Kwang USA announces immediate availability of its new Model TL 6015, a tube cutting laser system capable of handling 24’ long, 6.5” diameter workpieces up to 1/4” wall thickness in mild steel and 0.200” in stainless steel. Equipped with a powerful 2.5KW Panasonic laser and a versatile Siemens 840D CNC to control all functions of the machine, the TL 6015 can significantly increase the tube production in any department or shop, especially when used with Han-Kwang’s proprietary “Flex 3D” tube cutting software . The unit comprises an automatic bundle loading system with tube V-support, auto-centering rotary chucking system, laser cutting station and automatic parts removal station.
Maximum positioning speed on this new laser system is 4700 ipm for the X-
Han-Kwang S5 Cutting Head, featuring Auto Focus Control; adjusts focal length of cutting lens to automatically compensate for material variations and rapid changeover
axis and 120 rpm for the rotary A-axis. Max acceleration rate is 1G, while the laser beam is precisely controlled by the unique Han-Kwang Auto Focus Control (AFC). This AFC technology allows the machine to automatically adjust the focal length of the cutting lens to accommodate variations in the materials being processed or changes in material feed, which eliminates the downtime normally associated with manual adjustments.
A new generation of sensing board in the S5 laser cutting head on the TL 6015 translates into faster cutting speeds on round, square or rectangular shapes.
In a recent design modification, the entire loading section of the machine has been enclosed, as depicted in the attached illustration.
For more information or to arrange a demonstration, please contact:
HAN-KWANG USA INC. Phone: 630-916-0200 Web: www.hankwang.com
Agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company tdaro@bernardandcompany.com www.bernardandcompany.com
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No. 991 is an electrically-heated 350°F (~177°C) bench oven from Grieve, currently used for heating parts, including those with emissions of flammable solvents. Workspace dimensions are 28” wide x 24” deep x 18” high. 4KW are installed in Nichrome wire elements to heat the workload.
This Grieve bench oven features 2” insulated walls, leg support stand, Type 304, 2B finish stainless steel interior and exterior of brushed #4 stainless steel. Two oven shelves are also included.
Since flammable solvents are handled in No. 991, a powered forced exhauster with powered forced airflow safety switch to shut down heat if there is an exhauster failure, as well as a purge timer to allow the oven to exhaust four volumes of fresh air prior to turning on the heat source are all onboard.
For more information, please contact: THE GRIEVE CORPORATION, Web: www.grievecorp.com. Email: sales@grievecorp.com. Attention: Frank Calabrese.
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Using Stotz air gages to validate spindle interface components, this leading supplier keeps quality on highest levels; every part, every time
Stotz USA, LLC, is a leader in air gaging technology, products and quality gaging system integration. According to company president, Chris Koehn, Stotz has achieved that goal by a variety of means, not the least of which has been the loyalty of good customers, who appreciate the value Stotz products brings to theirs. One of those customers is also a longtime friend of Koehn’s and he can say that with complete honesty, because he worked there, long ago.
Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME) of Rockford, Illinois is a world player in high-quality machine tool spindle interface components. As part of the Goellner, Inc. Group, AME enjoys a reputation throughout the machine tool industry for manufacturing the finest power drawbars, spindle shafts, guide bushings, locknuts, hydraulic sleeves, expansion gibs and more. AME components, through their own branded products and those of their brother companies such as OTT Jakob, Spieth and Tschudin & Heid, as well as their “other brother” Hennig, itself a world leader in chip conveyor and machine protection systems, are found on nearly every major machine tool brand.
AME was a customer of Stotz before Chris Koehn ever came to work at the air gaging company. Today, these two market leaders maintain a great working relationship, for all the right reasons. AME demands the highest level of quality in their machining and finishing departments and Stotz air gaging systems facilitate the accomplishment of that goal, every day, according to AME Service Manager, Greg Hobbs. “Air gaging is the only technology we’ve found that’s accurate enough to check the machine tooling and especially the spindle tapers we produce here. That’s a fact. In the past, we’d use hard gages and we still use them, but only for certain OD checks. We’d blue up the tapers, insert them, give them a good twist and do our inspections. Way too much inconsistency. Today, with sophisticated HSK tooling, this method is too hit or miss to be reliable. Air gaging provides dead stops on the test stand and the documentation is unbeatable for validation on the straightness, surface finish and taper angles. Plus, the Stotz system allows us to upload all the data on every part, so we have our favorite word…documentation…for every part we produce.”
Hobbs also commented on the user-friendliness of the Stotz air column. When the program is first input into the column for a part in the AME grinding department, for example, the Stotz column essentially becomes a PLC, providing hard data via the Ethernet connections to the host data base. In this manner, every parameter of every part is documented and recorded. In a classic example of the law of unintended consequences, this process is not only used on the parts run, it’s also used for calibrating the AME machines, in a predictive maintenance function.
At AME, various testing of machined spindle interface and other components is performed both at the machines in the grinding department, in a temperature-controlled 72° environment, plus in the company’s totally environment-controlled in-house testing department, supervised by the company’s Director of Quality, Brad Patterson. He confirmed Greg Hobbs’ observation that numerous other technologies have been investigated over the years for quality checking at AME and that air gaging has been found to be the best and most reliable for this company’s applications, particularly ID dimensions and configuration. Patterson also observed, “The sophistication of the Stotz air column is unmatched in the industry. We get all the data required and we get it in exactly the fashion needed to support our customers. Repeatable results and elimination of error, every time. Plus, the set-up is much faster than on our laser mics, which can’t be used for ID measurement.” Patterson further noted that the replacement of the bluing technique, one he termed a “black art,” with air gaging has brought and keeps AME up to the most current industry standards for quality evaluation.
The typical Stotz air column found here is the Model MSG, with four pneumatic channels or ten LVDT channels operating simultaneously, pneumatic length measuring, user specific programming up to 18 programs per column, full statistical analysis and full data transfer capability within the host network. All info is fed into the AME host computer by serial number, so any job can be quickly retrieved, while historical records on any part produced can be easily called up for evaluation, deviation claims or to dovetail with a customer’s internal quality protocols.
Typically, as AME’s Grinding Supervisor, Sam Schubert, explains, the finished product will rest for 24 hours of soaking, allowing the diameters to normalize. Though statistically predictable for most metal materials, thermal expansion can cause off-normal readings to occur. For checking certain bearing journals or spindle shafts, snap gages are set to accommodate size measurements down to the twenty millionths (0.000020”) range. The acceptable diameter tolerances for most AME products measured are in the 1-2 tenths (0.0001-0.0002”) range.
In cases where new masters are made for setting control values, those values are preset offline and programmed into the air column’s software, according to Greg Hobbs. Stotz typically performs this function for the customer in a remote manner over the Internet, through a proprietary IP address.
Among the many products finished in this grinding department are CAT/ISO 40 taper spindles, HSK test arbors, HSK grind quills, HSK steep taper milling tools and more. Often, older and worn spindle shafts are reverse engineered by AME for retrofits and reman’s. Even in these cases, air gaging is used to evaluate the finish process on the ID taper, as this versatile technology is easily adapted to such applications, according to AME personnel.
Sam Schubert expanded on the use of Stotz air gaging at AME.
“We have a full and very expensive inventory of hard gages with state-of-the-art indicators attached. But the air gages can do so much more. We use them for set-up on the grinding machines and they save us hours, every week. When you run the number of jobs we do here, that translates into substantial, additional work product and therefore more revenue for the company. In terms of reliability, some of the Stotz air gages we run here have been at AME since we began using the technology, nearly ten years ago now.” Schubert also noted the air gaging set-ups on the grinders dramatically reduce the time to first part in his department’s operation.
On one major spindle shaft project for an Asian machine tool builder, who was looking for a local source of supply in America, Schubert notes, AME was confronted with an unusually large quantity run, where tool degradation during the run would normally impact the production at some point. After an initial batch was produced, the machine builder claimed that everything but the taper was satisfactory. Quite surprised by this claim, AME checked all the documentation and determined that the customer’s test unit was actually out of spec, in a case where the error was repeated consistently and thus overlooked. In the end, the AME products were deemed better than perfect, in that instance.
Sam Schubert cites a useful analogy here. “The documentation we can produce from the air gaging procedure is like a birth certificate on every unit we make. All our spindle shafts for customers, for example, can be viewed as a series of genetically identical twins to each other and we’re providing the documentation of their DNA.” Quite a family.
As evidence of their commitment to this technology, Schubert notes that AME is now purchasing air gaging fixtures for all new customer applications. This quality spindle interface manufacturer aims to “keep breathing easy” in their process and product validation, as a result.
“Stotz has been a leader in gaging technology for almost 60 years. We are constantly striving to improve our designs and develop new products to solidify our position as a leader in measuring technology. The Stotz customer base consists of the top manufacturers and suppliers in the machine tool, automotive, aerospace and medical industries,” according to company president, Chris Koehn.
Harold Goellner, Vice President at AME, also contributed to this article.
For more information: STOTZ USA, LLC Email: chris@stotz-usa.com Attention: Chris Koehn, President
All photos kindly supplied by Bill Edmundson of Advanced Machine & Engineering
Release: STOTZ USA, LLC
Date: January 20, 2010
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Noisy gear trains have been a common problem for gear designers for a long time. With the demands for smaller gearboxes transmitting more power at higher rpm and incumbent demands for greater efficiency, gear engineers are always searching for new ways to reduce vibration and limit noise, without increasing costs.
Some popular solutions to the noisy gear problem include enlarging the pinion to reduce undercut, using Phenolic, Delrin or other noise-absorbing products, where possible, or changing to a helical gear train. Other methods include tightening specifications to insure greater gear quality or redesigning the acoustical absorption characteristics of the gearbox. Occasionally, experimentation with gear ratios can limit harmonic frequency amplification, which otherwise can cause a gearbox to amplify noise like a finely tuned stereo system. The engineer can also study material and hardness requirements, so that modifications may be made to minimize heat treatment distortion or possibly eliminate the need for heat treatment entirely.
Particular attention must also be paid to gear geometry to insure maximum contact.
Another approach to the gear noise problem that yields good results is crowning or barreling of the teeth. This technique involves changing the chordal thickness of the tooth along its axis. This modification eliminates end bearing by offering a contact bearing in the center of the gear.
A second benefit of the crowning approach to gear cutting is the minimization of misalignment problems, caused by inaccurate machining of the casting, housing, shafting, gearboxes or bearing journals. Crowning can also reduce lead problems in the gears themselves, which causes the gears to wear unevenly and bind because of eccentricities and position errors. Obviously, a gear with a center contact is less affected by discrepant manufacturing or design; furthermore, one can reduce the backlash requirements and allow the gears to wear in rather than wear out.
Shaving is a secondary gear finishing operation done after rough hobbing or shaping to create the desired crown. Crown shaving has long been a popular method, especially in manufacturing coarse pitch gears. With the recent evolution of gear equipment capable of crowning while cutting, the need for shaving just to achieve a crown has been eliminated.
Two variations of the crown shaving method will produce a gear to compensate for off-lead or misalignment conditions.
One approach produces a crown by rocking the table during the reciprocation of work and cutter. The degree of crown is readily changed by this method. The other approach is plunge feeding, which requires dressing the shaving cutter to the desired crown. Generally, it is faster to plunge feed, but the technique can subject the cutter to greater wear. Of course, it is more difficult to change the crown, provided one starts with good quality gears. Shaving improves the quality of profile and reduces error in the gear tooth, through the cutting and burnishing action of the cutters.
The crown form can be produced on gear teeth in several other ways. One method is to shape the gear by use of a crown cam in the shaper back-off mechanism. The proper radius of the gear is calculated by using the amount of crown on the flank and the pressure angle of the gear. Unfortunately, the blocks, while not complex, tend to be expensive.
The advent of the latest generation of gear equipment has made two methods of crowning while hobbing popular. Both methods produce crowns by increasing and decreasing the center distance of cutter to workpiece. The first method utilizes physical copying of a template by a hydrocopying or mechanical following device. This allows taper hobbing or even the creation of sinusoidal wave forms, if desired. More recently, the second method, CNC hobbing, has become commonplace.
Depending on software limitations, CNC allows cutting gears in almost any desired form. A disadvantage to this approach is the high cost of the equipment, though the payback has decreased considerably, in recent years.
New CNC shapers can cut a crown gear or spline without the need for buying a special crowning cam. On our Gleason Pfauter P 300 ES, for example, we can crown by cutting a slight right and left hand helix angle along the face width of the part. This leaves the root diameter straight. We also have a Bourn & Koch Fellows MS 450 with a U-axis for controlling the back-off. It can be programmed to move the cutter spindle in and out during the stroking cycle to crown the tooth by cutting deeper at the ends of the face width and more shallow at the high point of the crown.
Who is using this gear cutting technology today?
Users of heavily loaded gears have been using crowning for quite some time. Another area ripe for the use of crowning is in the manufacturer of hydraulic wobble motors. Here, the application is strictly for misalignment problems rather than for noise
reduction. An allied area involves heavily loaded pinions used in actuators for aircraft control surfaces. Generally speaking, it is more advantageous to crown the pinion because it makes more revolutions per minute and may generate more noise. In this case, it is of paramount importance to compensate for load deflection. Unfortunately, few companies in the United States have been applying this technology to commercial fine pitch gearing. However. the few manufacturers who have tried it are most pleased with the results. Some users have reported a 5x to 10x reduction in noise, accompanied by less vibration, wear and power draw.
Prime candidates for use of the crowning technique are the small fractional horsepower motor manufacturers or anyone dealing with spur or helical pinions that are susceptible to noise or misalignment. Because crowning on foreign gear hobbing equipment has been available for a greater length of time, this method has been developed to a greater extent in Europe.
American manufacturers would be wise to take advantage of the availability of this kind of technology. Exploration of crowning as a solution to noise and misalignment problems can produce a real competitive advantage for gear manufacturers and users alike.
Fred Young, CEO Forest City Gear Roscoe, Illinois
For more information, please contact Fred Young at: Forest City Gear 11715 Main Street Roscoe, IL 61073 fyoung@forestcitygear.com 866-623-2168
AUTHOR-Fred Young is the owner and CEO of Forest City Gear Co. in Roscoe, Illinois. He has worked for the company since the mid-1950s and assumed its management in 1968. He is a graduate of Rockford College, where he studied physics, mathematics and English literature. Mr. Young is a leading authority on gear manufacturing.
Agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company tdaro@bernardandcompany.com 847-934-4500
Editor note: Mr. Young is available for interviews on this or other gear design and manufacturing issues. Please contact agency to arrange. Also, any publication-generated leads from this article should be sent to Wendy Young at wyoung@forestcitygear.com. Thanks!
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Practical Operation
The SCHÖMA machine factory opted for a cycle turning machine with Sinumerik 840D solution line CNC for the manufacturing of individual parts and small batches of locomotive wheels; this machine also features Siemens ShopTurn with Manual Machine function. This hardware and software solution combines the flexibility and benefits of conventional machining with the productivity and efficiency of a CNC and this is what tipped the balance in its favor for one customer.
Christoph Schöttler Maschinenfabrik GmbH (SCHÖMA) is based in Diepholz, Germany. The company specializes in the development and production of diesel-engine locomotives. The model range includes tunnel and shunting locomotives; service, field and narrow-gauge locomotives; handcars, passenger carriages and gang cars. Around 90 percent of the locomotives produced each year at SCHÖMA are destined for use in tunnel construction.
Each construction project brings its own specific requirements and each country through which the locomotives travel has different environmental and safety legislation. SCHÖMA uses a modular system to meet a diverse range of customer requirements and the resulting need for a variety of equipment and product versions. One of the tasks facing the company is working out how to equip the locomotives for transportation by rail on differing track widths. Another requirement is locomotives with driving wheels featuring diameters between 600 mm and 900 mm, depending on local track usage.
The right decision
Faced with even more demanding requirements in terms of production capacity and flexibility, SCHÖMA’s Managing Director, Christoph Schöttler, last year decided to add a cycle-control Seiger Record LC 1400 lathe to his inventory of machines. “We opted for a head turning machine, as we do not need a tailstock to produce driving wheels, axle bearing housings and gear wheels. It is working just as we envisioned, so we obviously made the right decision,” says Schöttler.
SCHÖMA constructs around 120 locomotives each year, which equates to 480 wheels. In addition, there are also repair orders, which increase the workload to between 560 and 600 driving wheels per year. These wheels are produced in two mountings from forged blanks on the cycle turning machine. The first mounting is used to machine the wheel flange on the reverse side and the wheel hub. The shaft locating bore is pre-turned. In the second mounting, the first task is to pre-turn the driving wheel profile, then the rolling circle level and the wheel shaft locating bore are finished.
Careful approach
The cycle turning machine is controlled by a Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl CNC, equipped with the ShopTurn software package with Manual Machine feature. If required, ShopTurn programming can be performed on a separate PC as part of an operator’s work planning, without interrupting the work sequences on the machine. The programs are routed to the machine via the network, where they are called up as required, depending on the workpieces to be produced. The Sinumerik CNC is used for both numerically controlled machining and manual operation with the ShopTurn’s Manual Machine functions. In manual mode with electronic handwheels, the machine behaves just like a conventional lathe with an actual value display.
During face and longitudinal turning, the process operates with the entered feed and spindle speed. The real highlight of the system is that every cycle can be used straightaway, without having to create a custom program. At SCHÖMA, the option for manual intervention is used for setting the zero point or for simple contours. Diameters are determined manually, if driving wheels have been newly profiled or if driving wheel profiles require resurfacing. The wheel profiles abrade as a result of the high loads experienced in heavy-duty operation or on poor-quality tracks or as a result of the driven wheels skidding.
“With a machine that uses only CNC, it is difficult to rework the driving wheels, as it is not possible to determine how much material needs to be removed. With this optional manual mode, however, users can adopt a careful approach. This sums up the ease of control,” explains Walter Horstmann, head of mechanical production and wheel set construction at SCHÖMA.
Siemens ShopTurn with Manual Machine for the job shop
After machine start-up, the basic MANUAL screen is immediately displayed and offers direct access to choosing machining options without having to create a parts program.
Machining procedures such as “taper turning” and “straight line face and longitudinal turning” can be executed immediately. The operator simply selects tool, feed speed, spindle speed and orientation, plus, if required, machining angle, then presses “Start”. The active direction is graphically displayed in the basic screen, using a compass rose symbol. All machining steps such as entry, thread grinding and drilling can also be started in manual mode.
For additional product information and inquirie, contact:
SIEMENS MACHINE TOOL BUSINESS
John Meyer
Manager, Marketing Communications
Siemens Industry, Inc.
(847) 640-1595
www.usa.siemens.com/cnc
SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
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Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue readingHAN-KWANG INTRODUCES THREE NEW LASERS
Korean giant enters U.S. market with big splash at recent FABTECH show
PL Machine
At the recent FABTECH show in Chicago, the largest builder of laser machines in Korea introduced three new CO2 lasers for metal fabrication, including two plate/sheetmetal machines and one tube/pipe cutter. Reaction from the attendees was very positive and interest quite high, as all three machines ran continuously throughout the show.
Details on the machines follow here:
Han-Kwang takes the next step in its technology development with the introduction of the Series PL laser system. Incorporating our unique Beam Radius Control (BRC) and Constant Beam Delivery System (CBDS), Series PL also features the newest Han-Kwang laser technology, our S5 High-Speed Cutting Head, which significantly increases the cutting speeds on all sheet metals, up to 1120 IPM for 20ga mild steel and 790 IPM for 16ga stainless. In addition, the practical machine design and highly functional, ergonomic controls make the Series PL the new benchmark in long gantry laser systems.
Features
• BRC-Beam Radius Control
Through optimizing the beam diameter for each different material and thickness, cut quality is greatly increased.
• CBDS-Constant Beam Delivery System
By keeping the entire length of the beam delivery constant over the work area, beam quality at the cutting focal point is enhanced.
• S5 High Speed Cutting Head
Adopting the new generation of the sensing board and the cutting head means cutting speeds for sheet metals such as mild steel, stainless and aluminum are dramatically increased.
• PMU-Plasma Monitoring Unit
Constantly monitors cut error such as plasma and restart with faster piercing and more stable cutting quality.
• LCS-Lens Crack Sensor
Built-in LCS monitors the status of lens contamination to give maintenance personnel instant alerts for replacement.
• Rotary axis for tube cutting
Cuts tubes up to 12” OD to give your operation substantial flexibility in work strategies
• Siemens SINUMERIK 840D with 15” touch screen
Use of the highest powered CNC, with open architecture and simplified set-up with plain language commands, plus full interface to your shop programming/monitoring network, means greater productivity at the machine and overall in your operation
• Onboard high-efficiency air filter & dehumidifier with monitoring window
Utilizing its own power supply, this unique Han-Kwang system guarantees contamination-free cutting and unmatched consistency.
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PS Machine
Han-Kwang takes the next step in its technology development with the introduction of the Series PS laser system. Incorporating our unique Beam Radius Control (BRC) and Constant Beam Delivery System (CBDS), Series PS also features the newest Han-Kwang laser technology, our S5 High-Speed Cutting Head, which significantly increases the cutting speeds on all sheet metals, up to 1120 IPM for 20ga mild steel and 790 IPM for 16ga stainless. In addition, the practical machine design and highly functional, ergonomic controls make the Series PS the new benchmark in short gantry laser systems.
Features
• BRC-Beam Radius Control
Through optimizing the beam diameter for each different material and thickness, cut quality is greatly increased.
• CBDS-Constant Beam Delivery System
By keeping the entire length of the beam delivery constant over the work area, beam quality at the cutting focal point is enhanced.
• S5 High Speed Cutting Head
Adopting the new generation of the sensing board and the cutting head means cutting speeds for sheet metals such as mild steel, stainless and aluminum are dramatically increased.
• PMU-Plasma Monitoring Unit
Constantly monitors cut error such as plasma and restart with faster piercing and more stable cutting quality.
• LCS-Lens Crack Sensor
Built-in LCS monitors the status of lens contamination to give maintenance personnel instant alerts for replacement.
•Siemens SINUMERIK 840D with 15” touch screen
Use of the highest powered CNC, with open architecture and simplified set-up with plain language commands, plus full interface to your shop programming/monitoring network, means greater productivity at the machine and overall in your operation
• Onboard high-efficiency air filter & dehumidifier with monitoring window
Utilizing its own power supply, this unique Han-Kwang system guarantees contamination-free cutting and unmatched consistency.
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Han-Kwang takes the next step forward in fully automated tube cutting systems with the introduction of the new Series TL. All our experience in tube cutting technology has joined with our expertise in the design and engineering of materials handling systems to offer users a very affordable yet superior quality and highly flexible system for virtually non-stop production of tubes and shapes. Coupled with our exclusive Han-Kwang ProDesign 3D CAM/CAM software and fully controlled by a single CNC workstation, Series PL will provide unmatched productivity to your operation.
Highlight of the Series TL is our highly advanced S5 cutting head, which combines superior measurement and sensing mechanisms to change from signal size to pulse monitoring, resulting in optimum cutting conditions. This new cutting head design is further enhanced by Han-Kwang’s quick piercing nitrogen-injection technology. Smaller holes, quicker ambient area cooling and a substantial reduction in hole-to-hole cutting time will all benefit your production and your bottom line.
Features
• BRC-Beam Radius Control
• CBDS-Constant Beam Delivery System
• Magazine-fed bundle tube loading system
• Tube V-support system
• Rotary chucking system
• Completely enclosed safety workstation with automatic doors and light barrier system
• Panasonic 2500W resonator
• Cutting capability to 21’ long x 6” diameter
• Material thicknesses to 0.25” mild steel and 0.2” stainless
• Siemens SINUMERIK 840D, the highest-powered CNC on the market for maintaining complete processing cycle control by a single operator, using touchscreen and simple language commands
• ProDesign 3D CAD/CAM enabling fast adjustments to the production scheduling to yield maximum productivity from the system
• Unique Han-Kwang air filtration and dehumidifying system for cleaner cuts and more operator-friendly environment
For more information on this emerging new player in the laser machine market, please contact:
Robert Won, Director/North American Sales
HANKWANG USA, INC. Web: www.hankwang.com
Agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company www.bernardandcompany.com