This stuff is just plain weird

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And now for something completely different

Every now and then, I run across something really odd that is peripherally-related to the machining biz. These two items fall into that catagory. Yeah, this is a bit beyond the usual coverage, but what's life if you can't take time out of a little fun.

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I think I need two of these
Everyone needs a little laugh now and then. If you're not inclined to guffaw yourself, there's a handy device to relieve you of that burden. Nobumichi Tosa, president of Maywa Denki*, built a manually-operated WAHHA GO GO laughing machine. This is a clockwork mechanism to reproduce human-sounding (kinda, sorta) laughter. Here's a video of it doing its thing.



Sorry, but the narration is in Japanese. Doesn't matter though, the point of the video is to hear WAHHA GO GO laugh. It's not exactly Joker-quality cackling, but at least it takes a lot of effort.

Notice how the "teeth" seem to need some orthodontia.

I can just imagine a shop manager looking at these plans: "You want me to build a clock-work laughing machine that doesn't do anything but reproduce a creepy laugh? That'll be ¥32 million . . . in advance."

* Be warned, the website is a wonder of style over function: lots of needless animation. Be sure to check out the company history to see how it went from producing useful stuff to this . . . I don't know what the hell you'd call it, "art" maybe.

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Now this is retro

Converting a typewriter into a computer keyboard

I've been searching for years for the perfect keyboard. I still haven't found it. In some cases, the backslash key – \ – is in an inconvenient spot. I hate the CAPS LOCK key, I'm forever HITTING IT WHEN I MEAN TO HIT THE TAB KEY. Oops. And, don't get me started on those goofy Windows keys along the bottom row.

The best keyboard I had was back in the Stone Age. It was by NCR and one of the first light-weight PC keyboards with rubber dome technology instead of the mechanical spring technology. It only cost $200.

I was at the computer store the other day and bought a comparable keyboard for $3.99. Of course, it only last two weeks, but I could get 50 of them for the price of that NCR. Then again, the NCR didn't have those annoying Windows keys. Does anyone really use those things?

To add to my eccentricity factor, I collect typewriters and related technology. I've got more than a dozen typewriters, ranging from small portables circa 1965 to 50-pound office monsters from the beginning of the XXth Century. I've also added some computers, such as an NEC PC-8201A notebook computer.

The NEC PC-8201A notebook computer

It was the fraternal twin of the Radio Shack TRS 80 Model 100. Programs and data were stored on cassette tape. You can imagine how conveninet that was.

I've also got an NEC Mobile Pro 790 in the collection.


The NEC Mobile Pro 790

Kind of a predecessor to the netbooks on the market today.

One thing I discovered while adding to my collection was the effort it takes to work those typewriter keys, especially the old office models. It's a wonder that secretaries back in the '50s and '60s didn't have forearms like Popeye. But, some people like that. There's a guy – Eric – who converted a portable manual typewriter into a computer keyboard. He tells his story here.

It's an interesting tale and looks like a lot more effort than he says it was. Just the amount of wiring and soldering looks daunting.
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"There's a light, over at the Frankenstein Place . . . ”

Some of you might recognize that line from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Brad and Janet saw that there were lights at the home of Dr. Frank-N-Furter and were given hope that there would be some relief from their troubles. It was literally the light at the end of the tunnel. Little did they realize – as the cliché goes – that the light was just the beginning of their troubles.

Well, there's been a lot of jawboning from the feds, and other sources, that the leading economic indicators are showing there's a light at the end of the tunnel of our economic woes.

According to a ThomasNet report by David R. Butcher, "Orders for durable goods rebounded sharply in July, representing their biggest gain in two years. Demand for motor vehicles alone rose 0.9 percent, on the back of the government's CARS program.

Manufacturers' orders for durable goods rose 4.9 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted $168.4 billion, the United States Department of Commerce reports today. That was the third increase in the last four months and the largest since the 5.4 percent bump in July 2007."

Sounds like the downhill slide has slowed and may have hit bottom, so we may be back on the upside of the economic growth curve. Keep your fingers crossed that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't an oncoming train.

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It's time for a case history.

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The Clean Plate Club

Machining a large polycarbonate plate wasn’t the problem for this shop, it was how to hold it in place. Taping it down worked, but entailed after-work cleaning. Then the shop found the answer in a vacuum.

What do teenagers know? Sometimes quite a bit. Two teens – best friends Carlos Barrientos and Lino Covarrubias – had an interest in machining and decided to turn it into careers. They began their own business, and today, with 30 years of machining experience between them, own Motiv Design Group, Inc., in San Jose, CA.

“We knew how we wanted to run our business and we are proud that we are still running it the way we want,” Barrientos said.

As with many start-up shops, there is the desire to own every piece of equipment available. Realizing it is easy to get overly equipped and deep into debt, the two co-owners were careful to buy only the machines and tools that would keep them competitive and benefit their shop’s bottom line.

During their experience, they learned what would work for their business and what would not. They had experience with CNC mills, so they purchased a CNC lathe to make their business more competitive.

“We learned that the best way to go was to keep work in-house,” Covarrubias said.

Soon after they bought the lathe, they purchased a CNC horizontal milling machine to expand their shops capabilities and respond to customer demands. They realized that the worst reply they could make to a request for a quote was not to bid because they didn’t have the capability to do the work.

Besides the machine tools, the duo realized that an integral part of their capability was proper workholding. For their work, they chose the Mitee Bite VacMagic vacuum chuck.

Going to Tape
Before buying the vacuum chuck, they tried different hold-down methods, such as tape-down, thinking that a vacuum chuck would cost too much, considering the extra investment needed in a compressor or pump. They knew a vacuum chuck would be the ideal solution, but they considered the investment too daunting.


The VacMagic workholding system allows pieces to be held for machining without the use of clamps

One of Motiv Design’s continuing orders was for one of its major customers and involved tooling a 3/16"-thick, 18½"×27½" polycarbonate window. Quality was a major priority. Using the tape-down method to hold the piece for machining caused problems. It required applying alcohol to the tape – which would get on the part as well – using a scraping tool to remove the piece from the work table, then removing the protective paper which had tape stuck to it, and reapplying a new protective paper.

If the alcohol smudged the window, they needed to wipe it clean. Sometimes they would scratch the polycarbonate while trying to pry the piece from the work table, reducing it to scrap.

The use of tape wasn’t as inexpensive as they thought at first, since it involved purchasing the two-sided tape, alcohol, and protective paper.


Where Motiv Design once had to use double-sided tape – and the mess involved with its use – it now uses a vacuum workholding system to keep polycarbonate workpieces stable during machining

A visit to a machine tool distributor during an open house familiarized Barrientos and Covarrubias with VacMagic’s vacuum holding system and convinced them it was the way to go. With the next order of the polycarbonate windows, they purchased the system. Their biggest concern was the system’s ability to hold the 20"×30" subplate.

“I spoke to tech support at the company and they suggested a few ideas about how to make it work,” Barrientos said. “But, they told me our needs might be beyond the limits of the system.”

Customization
Working with technical support from Mitee Bite, Center Ossipee, NH, they made their own subplate out of ¾" thick aluminum, following the specs for hole locations and slot locations. They planned to use the rubber gasket that came with the VacMagic, but it didn’t fit the perimeter of the plate, but to their surprise, the vacuum held the material while cutting without the gasket. They used pins to position the material in place and then remove them once the vacuum seal is established. The VacMagic holds both the subplate and the material. The vacuum workholding system works without the gasket.

Compared to using double-sided tape and all that entails, using the vacuum workholding system is cost-free after the initial investment.

The system made the job easier, cleaner, and faster. One area where they gained efficiency was not having to take the time to let the alcohol soak the double-sided tape to make it easier to remove, then cleaning the subplate of tape and alcohol. It’s about 90 percent faster to remove a finished part and load a new piece of material.

With the tape-down method, the finished part was removed from the machine, and then placed where the tape wouldn’t stick to anything. It required a lot of table space to keep parts from touching and sticking when there wasn’t time to peel off the old protective paper and apply new protective paper.


Carlos Barrientos (right) and Lino Covarrubias were teens when they opened their shop, Motiv Design

Now that tape is no longer used, parts can be stacked on top of each other without worry. Also, there is much less part scrap since completed parts don’t have to be pried off the work table which resulted in occasional scratches, ruining the piece. Original protective paper stays on the piece from the start until the customer removes it, insuring there are no scratches, fingerprints, or smudges on their parts.

The VacMagic system resulted in about a 40 percent savings for the job. Not only has it made the work more profitable, it lets anyone, no matter what type of experience they have in machining to setup – and run the job. Clamping the VacMagic to the machine table and connecting the air supply is quick and simple.

“The VacMagic paid for itself within a couple orders,” Covarrubias said. “With it we can respond to an RFQ for a part that can’t be clamped in a vice. Though we’ve only used the VacMagic for the one job, we plan to build more fixtures to help speed up production of our aluminum jobs.”
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Try the Un-college

There was once an ad campaign for 7-Up that urged viewers to try the "un-cola." My play on the phrase has to do with the idea that everyone in high school has to go on to college in order to become a self-fulfilled member of society. Balderdash! if you'll excuse my strong language.

While a college education has some advantages – Where else can one study in-depth the obscure Scottish poets of the 14th Century? – there are a lot of people out there who don't need to spend another four years [or in my case five] taking classes that may, or may not, prepare them to make a living.

Ask the guy on the shop floor running the CNC lathe just how often he'd use the information he'd gained in his Women's Studies course to advance his career.

Not to say that there's anything wrong with getting a bachelor's degree, but on the other hand, there's nothing wrong with not getting a degree.

There's the old argument that a college degree will mean a higher life-time income, but there have been several studies that show that may not be the case. For instance, compare the guy who gets out of high school with machine shop training who goes to work immediately, with a guy who spends four years and incurs a mountain of debt to get a degree in History.

There are only so many spots for history teachers, and those usually go to people who have Masters or Ph.D.s. So, our shop guy has made pretty good money for those four years the history guy was in school. He's also gained four years of experience and seniority. And, he hasn't accumulated a mountain of school loan debt.

With any luck, the history major will find a job making $20k/year if he's lucky. Doing what? I dunno, probably something menial in an office cube farm. He'll be able to come home after a hard day at the office and be proud of pushing a stack of paper from the "In" box into the "Out" box. Where the shop guy can actually point to a piece of shiny metal that makes something real and say, "I made that."

Okay, I set up a straw-man example I knocked down pretty easily. Not everyone going to college gets a semi-useless degree. Some people, like my neice and nephew, are going into medical careers where they'll make more dough before they're 40 than I made during my whole career.

But, the point is that there is no shame working with your hands. In fact, machinists, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and others I'd classify as artisans, should take pride in their professions. There's no need to have any feelings of inferiority for not getting a sheepskin.

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New Products

Modular connection

The CKN modular connection for large boring tools from BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc.

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. introduces the CKN modular connection for large boring tools
BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. introduces the CKN modular connection for large boring tools using both steel and lightweight aluminum components. The system features a three-screw interface between steel double-connector couplings and aluminum extensions. When tightened, the slotted male connector expands to give additional rigidity. For large, heavy-duty roughing applications, various CKN components are available for optimized tool assemblies. However, the connection is almost 100 percent compatible with the existing Kaiser KAB system. Existing Kaiser modular components can be incorporated for lower torque operations such as finish boring. For more information contact BIG Kaiser at 888.866.5776, or by e-mail

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Strong attraction

Magnetic disk couplings from Sterling Instrument

A series of magnetic disk couplings from Sterling Instrument features no friction or wearing parts, uses no electricity, and leaks no magnetic particles. The S50DCM, in inch sizes, and the S50DCMM, in metric sizes, are stocked in eight different bore sizes ranging from 0.1875" to 1". The couplings consist of two opposing disk halves with rare earth magnets. The torque applied to one disk is transferred through an air gap to the other disk. Because of its flat design, one can have angular misalignment or parallel misalignment  and still transmit nearly full rotational torque. The 416 stainless steel couplings incorporate an NdFeB, nickel plated magnet. The hub sections are offered singularly, with or without a keyway, and are fastened to shafts with an included set screw. The coupling OD ranges from 1.72" to 2.86". Other features include repeatable torque control. Quotes, online orders, and 3D CAD models are available at the company's eStore. Details are available by calling 516.328.3300, or online.

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For aluminum welding, it's Miller time

Miller Electric's XR-AlumaFeed and AlumaPower 350 MPa power supply

The XR-AlumaFeed and AlumaPower 350 MPa power supply from Miller Electric, combine for a synergic system for MIG and pulsed MIG aluminum welding applications. The AlumaFeed’s built-in pulsed MIG programs set the optimal parameters for the most commonly used aluminum alloys, such as 4000 and 5000 series, with wire diameters up to 1/16" for high-deposition applications. The AlumaFeed System is portable. The ergonomic design of the XR-Aluma-Pro torch allows access into the tight quarters. Coupled with the XR-AlumaFeed feeder and the AlumaPower 350 MPa synergic power supply it has a push-pull wire feed system. The AlumaPower power supply features Auto-Line Power Management Technology for any input voltage hook-up – 208 to 575 volts – with no manual linking required; a Fan-On-Demand cooling system that operates only when needed; dual digital meters; inverter arc control technology; line voltage compensation  if input power varies by ±10 percent, and other features.

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A MAG-nificent machine

MAG's HyperMach series of processing cells

MAG's HyperMach series of processing cells comes in three models. The three H-Series models encompass the H6000, H8000, and H12000. The H12000 allows horizontal part loading on a 12m×2m pallet for machining wing spars, ribs, fuselage frames and floor components, or nested part groups. It offers a choice of 30,000 rpm at 60kW or 100 kW HSK63A motorized spindles, or 20,000 rpm at 85kW a HSK100A motorized spindle. The spindles deliver metal removal rates of 8066.5cc/min on aluminum plate or forgings. All HyperMach H-Series machines feature a full-portal, open-center design. Cutting operations are  enclosed with chip fall-through to a high-volume conveyor, avoiding chip recutting and the need for a chip blow-off attendant. There is scale/encoder feedback on all five axes. The 4m, 6m, and 8m machine models use a fixed-column, traveling-table/pallet design, while the 12m model use a traveling-column, stationary-pallet receiver. Water-cooled servomotors are used on all five axes of H-Series machines to eliminate thermal influence of the motors and maximize performance for high acceleration/deceleration and feedrates. For more information visit MAG

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Psy-cological waterjet advantage

WARDJet's Psy-Winder 5-axis abrasive waterjet cutting head
WARDJet has released the Psy-Winder 5-axis abrasive waterjet cutting head. Improvements include a height and crash sensor option, fixed mechanical tool tip – no kinematic model, greater range of travel with a  capacity of  12" to 24" vertical travel on the Z axis, and cutting angles from 0 vertical  to 90° horizontal. Software allows programming of bevels on parts or for taper compensation. Post processors are available for both 2D and 3D CAM software. Up to nine 5-axis cutting heads can be installed on one cross beam with a single X-Classic controller, which can be retrofitted to all past WARDJet systems and to most other waterjet systems. Depending on the waterjet system, speeds can be up to 2,000 ipm.



For more information call 330.677.9100, ext. 6, or e-mail WARDJet sales

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Some animals are more equal than others — Animal Farm

Liberté! Égalité! Fraternité! Pick any two

Liberty, equality, and brotherhood were the goals of the French Revolution of 1789 to 1799. Pretty noble sounding. Who could argue with those sentiments? Too bad that revolution ended up eating itself. Makes you stand in that much more awe of how we accomplished ours without the usual reign of terror that accompanies most revolutions [see French, Russian, etc.].

But, liberty, equality, and brotherhood, like that other tripartite slogan – Time, Quality, Money – are somewhat mutually exclusive. It's possible to have any two, but impossible to have all three.

Of course, it doesn't sound like that on first blush, but liberty means having the freedom to take one's fate into one's own hands and either succeed or fail. Equality – beyond one's standing before the law – means that everyone is kept even, usually by legal mandate. No one can be better than anyone. We're all reduced to the lowest common denominator.

Kurt Vonnegut wrote a good example of the extremes to which equality can be imposed in his short story Harrison Bergeron. Harrison is shot to death at the end of the story by United States Handicapper General Diana Moon Glampers for the crime of showing his superiority, his inequality.

Where's this going? It's headed to that third rail, the whole health-care issue before congress.

One of the fears is that we will lose our freedom to determine our own health-care needs. We're now at liberty to spend as much as we care to, or can afford, on maintaining our health. Sometimes that can be overwhelming in the case of a catastrophic illness. I have an acquaintance who went to heroic measures to find a cure for a spouse's lung cancer, even to the point of taking part in investigational drugs and procedures. The spouse died more than 10 years ago and this person is still working two jobs to pay the expenses.

But, they were both at liberty to seek the health-care they wanted.

Under federally-mandated rules, where people are treated "equally," there is the fear that the government will not only deny such experimental treatment, but also make it illegal for people to pay for it themselves.

A lot has been said about how the health-care system in this country is broken, with citations about the number of uninsured in the U.S. But, since when is health-insurance a right? How about all of the people without life insurance? Does everyone deserve equal coverage for their deaths?

Right now, I'm worth about $20,000 dead. Not much considering the expense of taking care of my remains and filling the income loss to my wife. But, that's what I can afford. I'm sure the president of Government Motors is insured for a lot more. I'm also sure that the guy we pay to mow our lawn may not have any life insurance at all. Should all three of us be treated equally in terms of life insurance? Should there be government spending to be sure that my lawn guy's heirs get an "equal" amount of death benefit?

Sure, there are problems with health coverage in the U.S., but there are better solutions than the government taking charge of it.

For those who are demanding government health-care, let them remember the last time they stood in line at the post office.

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A bit o' news

Siemens PLM Software give big to Arizona State University
Arizona State University will enrich its engineering education and provide students more advanced preparation to enter the workforce through an in-kind software grant from Siemens PLM Software to the university's Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, is a provider of product lifecycle management – PLM – software and services. The grant has a commercial value of nearly $245 million, and is the largest in-kind grant in the university’s history. The grant was made through the Siemens PLM Software Global Opportunities in Product Lifecycle Management program – called GO PLM – and includes engineering software, student/instructor training and specialized software certification programs.

“Advanced tools, such as the PLM software, are essential to preparing our engineers for the challenges they will face in a complex and global economy. They will be able to meet demand for designing and analyzing systems that transcend traditional boundaries,” Deirdre Meldrum, dean of the engineering school, said.

"It will definitely open more doors," Adam Dixon, ASU grad student, said. "Training on the technology will make ASU engineering grads more marketable."

"Our mechanical and aerospace engineering graduates go to work for major engineering companies that use these kinds of high-end computer –aided design and finite element analysis software packages,” Jami Shah, and engineering professor and director of the school's Design Automation Lab, said. “It’s important to instruct students with tools they're use in business."

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New Products

Until it's measured, it just opinion (Have I written that before?)

EasyForm 3.0 dimensional metrology system from Mahr Federal Inc.

EasyForm 3.0 dimensional metrology system from Mahr Federal Inc. provides a touchscreen interface that guides operators through measurement setup and operation. A teach-in mode remembers every step taken and can easily combine steps to perform repetitive multi-feature measurements. Measurement results are displayed on the screen, including 3D representation, with color or grid lines, providing an interactive graphic preview. Results can be printed, saved in file formats such as PDF, or exported for analysis in ASCII or optionally in QS-Stat formats. The software can exclude certain trace data after measuring or analyzing part features. This allows inadvertent data from dirt, or from recurring features such as splines or grooves, to be removed from consideration without remeasurement. Also included are options for output formatting to enhance the usability of the results for different users. To support applications on CNC systems as well as basic manual systems, abilities to separate positioning movement of the probe or measuring device from evaluation has been added. For manufacturers of high-precision parts interested in harmonic analysis, EasyForm offers a variety of analysis methods including basic Fourier analyses, input of multiple bands, and generation of tolerance curves for the histogram. For additional information, e-mail Mahr Federal Inc. or call 800.333.4243.

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Home, home on mid-range

LVD Strippit introduces a line of PPEC mid-range press brakes

LVD Strippit introduces a line of PPEC mid-range press brakes for less challenging forming applications. The line includes the PPEC-6 and PPEC-7 models with capacities from 80 tons and 2m, up to 220 tons and 4.2m, with four to seven CNC controlled axes, depending upon machine model. The press brakes have a welded one-piece frame machined without repositioning. Hydraulic cylinders are machined from a solid steel billet. Pistons are steel forgings, precision ground, and micropolished. Microprocessor technology is linked to servo-controlled hydraulics and electronics for optimum control of the bending. Double bed referenced encoders are connected to the bed in such a way that deformation of the side frames during bending does not influence the positioning accuracy of 0.01 mm of the upper beam – Y1-Y2. A two-axis backgauge allows X-axis depth and R-axis height positioning of the two standard backgauge fingers. The standard PPEC backgauge fingers allow gauging to 39.4" and serve as material supports. PPEC-4 and PPEC-5 models can be fitted with an additional third finger support for bending channels. For more information, call 800.828.1527, or visit the LVD Strippit website.

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A real cut-up

The Pro Pegasus DS Mitre Semi-Automatic Saws, from Pat Mooney Inc. – The Saw Company

The Pro Pegasus DS Mitre Semi-Automatic Saws, from Pat Mooney Inc. – The Saw Company, feature 1¼"-wide saw blades. The gear-drive saws have an electronic display of the cutting angle. the saws perform semi-automatic operations, including positive hydraulic cutting control, hydraulic clamping, and auto return of the saw head after the cutting cycle. Its swivel saw head mitre cuts up to 60º both left and right. The saw head rotates via a rack and pinion system. The saws have a locking cabinet, carbide blade guides with roller guides, and case-hardened and ground helical gears. Variable blade speeds from 50 to 400 fpm are controlled via the saw’s inverter. Cutting capacities are 12½"×20". For more information, e-mail Pat Mooney Inc. – The Saw Company or call 800.323.7503.

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Micro manipulator with macro features

The MP63 3-axis micro manipulator module from Steinmeyer, Inc.

The MP63 3 axis micro manipulator module from Steinmeyer, Inc., is a fully-enclosed 3-axis positioner with 25mm stroke in each direction. Included are DC gear motors, rotary encoders, lead screws, and non-contact limit switches. Accuracy in each direction is 5µ with ±1 micron repeatability. Standard straightness and flatness is ±3µ, with 1µ available as an option. The assembly weighs about 2 kg. All cable connectors are located on one end. For more information call 781.273.6220.

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Take this rotary table for a spin

The 5AX-201 rotary table from Lyndex-Nikken

The 5AX-201 rotary table from Lyndex-Nikken features a 8" faceplate trunion work envelope that can be incorporated in smaller BT30 vertical machining centers such as the Fanuc Robodrill, Brother Drill and Tap, and Kitamura Mycenter. It provides a workholding space once associated with larger 40-taper machines, but with a body design for use in conjunction with BT30 machines. The carbide worm system uses a carbide worm screw and ion nitrided worm wheel rather than a conventional bronze or bronze-alloy actuation mechanism. The result is a reduction in friction and wear by up to eight times, according to the manufacturer. The worm screw consists of a less brittle V-grade form of carbide, while the worm gear is ion nitrided to a depth of 0.1mm and an external surface hardness of 68R_C. These properties, as well as a steel way hardened to 58-60 R_C, add to system rigidity and longevity. To machine five sides of a workpiece, the 5AX-201 features a drop trunion and rotary/tilting axis clamping torque of 434 and 452 ft/lb. For more information, visit the Lyndex-Nikken, Inc., website, call 800.543.6237, or e-mail Lyndex-Nikken
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