Checking In

Product Enhancements for Estimating, Data Mobility
Recently, customers and representatives from FANUC’s global subsidiaries gathered at the corporation’s Japan headquarters to be treated to the annual open house. The event at the robotics and machine control manufacturer’s campus in the foothills of Mt. Fuji highlighted new product improvements that, notably, give added functionality and harmonize data presentation across multiple platforms.

The FANUC NCGuide/NCGuidePro PC-based CNC simulation software now allows users to quickly estimate cycle time for laser, punch-press, or 5-axis machining operations. Cycle time, travel distance, and tool-path drawing are neatly displayed in a single window. Examples of the differences in actual cycle times versus estimated times for the NCGuide/NCGuidePro show an error of less than 1.8%. This high degree of accuracy gives production managers a better prediction of actual production time, whether the cycle takes minutes or hours. Also, the software can simulate operations using any FANUC CNC, without regard for the brand or model of machine ultimately controlled.

FANUC’s general purpose motion controller, the Power Motion i-MODEL A, is designed for general motion control machine applications including winding machines, wire saws, gantry loaders, die cushions, press machines, multi-axes positioning systems, large robotic positioning tables, wing riveting machines, and polishing machines. One important feature of the solution is its torque control, which maintains a constant tension for applications such as winding. Pressure also can be programmed, which is critical in metal forming, pin-seating, and other rolling applications. The MODEL A supports four paths and up to 32 axes. Customers utilizing FANUC’s CNC on machine tools will recognize similar functionality, with a complete package from a single supplier rather than a system consisting of PLCs, motors, and drives from several vendors.

Mobility and consistency of interface across platforms also were demonstrated in the iPendant for CNC and FANUC Series 0i-MODEL D. The iPendant is a portable interface that functions both as an operator panel and a machine control panel. It displays the identical screens used by the control display and offers multi-window color graphics. Features include a manual pulse generator and USB memory, and it is available with touch-screen capability available as an option

The Series 0i-MODEL D control features remote diagnosis of machine function via the Internet, and CNC status notifications can be sent to a smart phone or tablet device without relying on connectivity with enterprise software systems or dedicated mail server. www.fanucfa.com

Major Tool & Machine Adds Large-Part Production Capacity
A multi-million-dollar order, by Major Tool & Machine, for large-part machining systems from MAG IAS, includes a new VTC 2500, a new U5 XL 2500 universal portal mill with turning capabilities, and a rebuild/retrofit of a DSI mill/turn gantry machine. In addition to milling, the U5 will provide large-part turning with an integrated 4m (13ft) rotary table. Major Tool’s existing DSI machine will be retrofitted with a new cross-saddle and ram from the MAG U6 line, along with five interchangeable cutting heads and Siemens 840D sl CNC. Scheduled for completion in 2015, the machines will be delivered to, and retrofit work done at, Major Tool’s 500,000ft2 climate-controlled campus, which serves the aerospace, nuclear, energy, and general industrial markets. www.mag-ias.com; www.majortool.com
 

Lighter Weight Material, Fuel Consumption Savings
Icon Polymer Group, a technology company in engineered polymer products, has delivered a major boost to designers seeking to minimize aircraft weight and fuel consumption, with the introduction of a new lighter weight material for aircraft seals.

Offering weight reductions of around 20% when compared with standard silicone rubber materials, ICONlite low specific gravity silicone nonetheless maintains the unique mechanical and chemical properties that make silicone rubber so well suited to aerodynamic aircraft seals.

Based on a proprietary technology through which hybrid polymers can be produced to exhibit a wide range of performance attributes, ICONlite represents a major step forward in low-weight seals. It even allows variable densities to be tuned to the requirements of the platform.

Icon Polymer’s own research estimates a total fuel saving in the region of $5 million in one application, based on the use of ICONlite seals creating a 240kg weight saving on an aircraft flying for a total of 700,000 hours, with a cost per gallon of $3.09 for kerosene-type jet fuel. www.iconpolymer.com
 

MTConnect V1.1 Adapters Come Standard on New Machine Shipments
As of June 1, 2013, all new DMG / MORI SEIKI machines equipped with the MAPPS control come installed with an MTConnect Standard V1.1 compliant MTConnect Adapter. With these pre-installed MTConnect Adapters, DMG / MORI SEIKI customers will have a plug-and-play solution that allows easy, real-time monitoring of their machines – from anywhere, at any time. This remote-monitoring capability is enabled with MTConnect – a standard, open web protocol that allows interconnectivity between manufacturing equipment, peripherals, and software. For data collection, archiving, and reporting, customers have the option of choosing DMG / MORI SEIKI as their remote monitoring vendor, or a third-party vendor. www.MTConnect.org; www.dmgmoriseikiusa.com/MTConnect
 

Ingersoll Cutting Tools Selects LIEBHERR Machine
Ingersoll Cutting Tools has selected a Liebherr LC1200 gear hobbing machine for installation in its Rockford, Ill., Technical Center (ICTC). The LC1200 will demonstrate the productivity of Ingersoll’s indexable carbide tools for gear machining. Indexable carbide insert (ICI) cutting tools, including Ingersoll’s innovative two-start hobs and single-index gashing tools, offer more cutting edges, permit higher cutting speeds, and therefore greater cutting capacity for large module gears.

The Liebherr LC1200 has special design features for ICI applications. Its rigid structure, 900mm table diameter, and 45kW (60hp) spindle drive is an ideal platform for large cutting tools, permitting high metal removal rates. Liebherr’s new FK 3.3 hob head can handle tools up to 450mm diameter, 540mm length, and gears up to module 27mm. Liebherr also offer a form-milling head for internal gear applications.

Last year, Ingersoll Cutting Tools completed construction of its ICTC, which is equipped with state-of-the-art machines from select machine tool partners for turning, milling, hole making, and now gear machining. The ICTC will be used primarily for training seminars, testing, and product demonstrations. www.liebherr.com; www.ingersoll-imc.com
 

Contract for 99 V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor Aircraft
The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. and Boeing, has been awarded a five-year U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) contract for the production and delivery of 99 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, including 92 MV-22 models for the U.S. Marine Corps and seven CV-22 models for the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command. Valued at approximately $6.5 billion, the contract is structured to provide nearly $1 billion in savings to the U.S. government compared with procurements through single-year contracts. The contract also includes a provision permitting NAVAIR to order up to 23 additional aircraft. More than 200 V-22 Ospreys are currently in operation and the worldwide fleet has amassed more than 185,000 flight hours, with half of those hours logged in the past three years. www.boeingcom
 

Aerospace Excellence Delivered for 50 Years
Phillips & Johnston Inc. is celebrating 50 years in the aerospace industry. As a manufacturer of specialty tubular products, and a subsidiary of Webco Industries Inc., Phillips & Johnston has grown from two employees to 84 dedicated professionals with several strategic facilities deploying the most advanced technology. Throughout the past 50 years, the company has evolved from a manufacturing sales organization to a precision fabricator of tubular metals for a variety of markets worldwide. From the early days of the organization, the company’s objectives have emphasized continuous improvement and being the valued business partner of choice. By providing quality manufacturing, fabricating, and inventory solutions for stainless, specialty alloys, carbon steel, aluminum, and red metals, Phillips & Johnston matches its customer’s requirements to the most cost-effective fabricating technology available. www.pjtube.com

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Market Expected to Grow to $8.35 M by 2018
According to industry estimates cited by analysts at market research firm Markets­andMarkets, Dallas, Texas, unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations will increase significantly in a variety of key military and civil areas. About 50 U.S. companies, universities, and government organizations in the U.S. are developing over 150 different unmanned aircraft designs. From an operational, infrastructure, and safety perspective, this presents a number of challenges due to the diversity of aircraft, control stations, levels of autonomy, and communications methods, according to the research.

The firm’s report states that the global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market size can be expected to grow to $8,351.11 million by 2018. The research also suggests that the high-altitude long endurance, medium-altitude long endurance, and small unmanned aerial vehicle markets will have the highest business potential throughout the study period, 2013 to 2018.

Two more take-aways from the report: USA and Israel will be the maximum revenue generators among the countries manufacturing UAVs, and solar powered unmanned aerial vehicles (SPUAVs) will be one of the major technological advances in the near future.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, manufacturer of the Predator line of UAS, is currently the leader in UAV market with 18.78% of the market share. www.marketsandmarkets.com

White Paper Available on Thermal Cycling
"Specialized Adhesives Withstand Thermal Cycling" is a new white paper available from Master Bond, Hackensack, N.J.

Adhesives capable of withstanding severe thermal cycling offer many functional benefits. Rather than designing an application around substrate materials with matching coefficients of thermal expansion, many specialty adhesives can handle these fluctuations.

To download a copy of the white paper, visit http://bit.ly/196yncg.