Gosiger News

Conceived as a personal gadget for Internet access, e-reading, playing games, and managing music, photos and more, iPads are now finding their way into the business world. But do they belong in a manufacturing setting? They just might. In addition to tens of thousands of apps, the iPad’s size, lightness and instant-on capability make it more convenient than a typical laptop, and easier to protect from harsh environments. There are several ways machine shops can use iPads to improve productivity. Here are three:

Accurate Grinding and Manufacturing Corporation and its Accurate Fishing Products division is a family business run by Jack Nilsen and his twin sons David and Douglas, Accurate began as a small CNC machine shop in 1950 and developed into a successful precision operation catering to the aerospace industry. In 1990, David and Douglas parleyed their passion for saltwater fishing into a line of high-end fishing gear that use the same close-tolerance manufacturing techniques they apply to their aerospace work. 

DGP, Inc. is a medium-volume Tulsa, Oklahoma CNC machine shop with key customers in the oil exploration and production industry. Among other products, the company makes a family of three control valve components for one customer at the rate of 900 – 1200 pieces per month. Owner Jay Taylor surmised that he could reduce his cost-per-part by automating the process. But what was the best approach, and how could it be accomplished most cost-effectively? For the answers he turned to Gosiger Factory Automation.

Every new part brings its own set of challenges to the machinist. Not the least of these is the metal to be cut, milled or drilled. Extremely hard metals like H-13, S-7, M-2, or CPM, and exotic metals like Titanium, Inconel® or Incoloy® can be particularly difficult.

The chief problem manufacturers run into when dealing with these kinds of materials, is failing to look at the whole picture. Our tendency is to “make do” with what we have and rely on a new fixture or different cutting tool to solve the problem. As a result we may be able to produce the part, but not as efficiently as we would like. And as we all know, efficient operation means greater productivity, less scrap and rework and a stronger bottom line.

Should your next CNC machine tool be a vertical machining center (VMC) or a horizontal machining center (HMC)? The answer depends on the kind of work your shop typically performs.

The phrase “Work smarter, not just harder” takes on new meaning as Gosiger helped convince Okuma to apply the company’s vaunted THINC system to the Hardinge-built Bridgeport VMC GX 1000. This enhanced version is named VMC GX 1000 OSP.

The idea is to make this rugged, affordable, Vertical Machining Center (VMC) with optional rotary 4th axis even more productive and versatile, while providing a common control system for Okuma machine users who need a value-priced VMC. It’s an idea that has taken off as customers recognize the uncommon value this marriage of technologies represents:

• Maximum feed speed increases to 1417 ipm (36 m/min) from 392 ipm (10 m/min) along with faster and more precise acceleration and deceleration.

• Greater machining accuracy enables efficient production of more complex parts.

• Increased power allows machining of harder alloys to 60 Rockwell.

• Digital THINC system reduces processing time from control to tool from up to15 milliseconds to a mere 3-5 milliseconds for faster throughput.

• Simplifies part programming with on-board capability, and increases program storage to 2 GB.

• Priced at less than $100,000, the VMC GX 1000 OSP represents outstanding value.

Dayton, Ohio – Gosiger, Inc., a leading machine tool distributor and factory automation provider, announces that it can now supply the Hardinge VMC GX 1000 vertical machining center (VMC) from Hardinge equipped with the Okuma THINC control system. The result is a value-priced VMC with enhanced capabilities and, for Okuma CNC users, the additional convenience of a common control system.

Adding THINC increases the VMC GX 1000 maximum feed speed to 1417 ipm (36 m/min) from 392 ipm (10 m/min) and makes acceleration and deceleration faster and more precise. Additionally, THINC enables the VMC to increase throughput by reducing processing time from control to tool to a mere 3-5 milliseconds, increases power to allow machining of harder alloys to 60 Rockwell, simplifies part programming with on-board capabilities, and increases program storage to 2 GB.

Cincinnati manufacturer Nilpeter makes five models of flexographic presses that include a number of high-precision machined parts. One such family of parts is a series of impression cylinders that are critical components of each press. A typical Nilpeter flexographic press has eight impression rollers. Each roller must be precisely machined to final diameter tolerances of +/- 0.00005” in order to evenly apply images to the label material. Each roller in this family of parts has slightly different diameter dimensions, ranging from 2.2621” through 2.2618” Steve’s challenge was to reduce production time for these and other press components.

The manufacturing process for each roller included a series of seven steps:

1. The 1215 stainless steel bar stock was cut to length
2. The stock was then blanked
3. The blank was faced on a manual lathe
4. The part was sent out for gun drilling
5. Upon return to Nilpeter, the part was turned on a CNC lathe
6. Following turning, the part was sent out for pre-grinding and chroming
7. The part returned to Nilpeter for finish grinding

Quickly and efficiently machining unusually long or large parts within tight tolerances can be challenging. To solve this problem Okuma developed a line of double column machining centers that use an innovative, bridge-built architecture to provide a solid and rigid foundation for precise machining.

Okuma horizontal machining centers include a number of unique capabilities including the Thermo-Friendly Concept to control thermal deformation, a broad range of spindles and horsepower to match your requirements, THINC intelligent controls, and other productivity-enhancing features.