Journal of the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association

cover | IMTS 2010
distributors in our region
Productivity Inc • Plymouth, Minn.
Andy Archer and Pete Nelson, sales managers
www.productivity.com
Productivity Inc. is a solutions-based provider in Plymouth,
Minn, representing a wide range of manufacturing solutions.
Manufacturing definitely looks to be having a better year, so
we expect to see a lot of activity at IMTS. We anticipate seeing the
most interesting developments in specific areas.
The first development is in the 5-axis machining solutions.
Traditionally regarded as advanced technology, best suited to
the aerospace and automotive industry, 5-axis machining now
is being applied to a wide variety of manufacturing applications,
including medical and the mold and die sector. One of the biggest
advantages of this technology, particularly in a slower economy,
is smaller lot sizes and quicker turnaround time in addition to
better overall accuracy and reduced work in process. The result
can produce a significant competitive advantage.
Second would be the multi-tasking machines. Some of the
new multi-tasking technologies that will be shown by Nakamura
include 3 turret—twin spindle machines capable of having three
tools in the cut simultaneously to drastically reduce cycle times
and increase throughput.
Another new technology that will be shown includes
machines with a B-axis head and full 5-axis machining capability.
They offer solutions to many typical production challenges:
multiple setups, tolerance stack-up, large in-process inventory
and longer cycle times.
Another technology worth exploring at IMTS is the nanoor
micro-machining technology. As applications grow in
complexity and shrink in size, the future is about miniature,
micron, and sub-micron parts production. The world definitely
is getting smaller, and we anticipate seeing some very interesting
demos in this area. Within our product line in particular, we
have seen some new advances in Swiss turning technology
with Citizen. Citizen has introduced a couple of new models,
particularly the A-Series machines. These machines are the
fastest CNC machines in the world with rapid rates at 1,576
IPM, easy to use and very cost competitive.
The field of robotics continues to develop rapidly, particularly
in the area of vision guidance. Robotic vision is used for part
identification and navigation, and applications generally deal with
finding a part and orienting it for robotic handling or inspection.
Productivity’s Robotics Division is happy to introduce the latest
in vision technologies at the Fanuc booth.
There are many new advances in the world of waterjet cutting.
Omax will be displaying their new Maxiem line of cost effective
machines as well as bevel cutting and 4th axis.
You also don’t want to miss the tooling and accessories at IMTS.
They are mostly in the West Hall and will afford great opportunities
to find specific tooling solutions to your most demanding needs.
Productivity works with a wide variety of tooling and accessories
companies and our staff will be at those booths.
Hales Machine Tool, Inc. • Plymouth, Minn.
Tim Hales, vice president
www.halesmachinetool.com
Hales Machine Tool, Inc., in Plymouth, Minn., is the number
one distributor in the country for major machine tool
manufacturers.
There is a lot to see at IMTS this year. Most OEMs are
introducing machines that can do more in one work envelope.
Combining multiple technologies on a single machine makes
the process more complex, but the advantages can be worth the
effort. Among other benefits, we’re talking improved component
quality, greater flexibility, and drastically increased throughput
and daily invoicing.
Doosan: Coming to you from Seoul, Korea, Doosan is now the
third largest machine tool builder in the world, and their booth
will have some really incredible demos at this show. They will
have 12 turning centers, many with multiple axis, and eight
machining centers on display. Their newest and biggest is a VTL,
60” swing with a 50” table. It is a RAM style with tool changer
and live tooling.
Doosan also has a new model in the MX Series, which is a
multi-tasking machine. It features an articulating milling head
on the upper slide and standard style turret with live tooling
on the lower slide and has two opposing spindles with identical
specifications. This is not unique to Doosan, but is a new model
for them.
Yamazen: Yamazen is an importer of multiple product lines. One
of their most well-known lines is Brother. Brother always has
been known for extremely fast, high-speed drill tap machines.
Their latest series of product takes it to another level of rigidity and
speed, and now will be considered a VMC rather than just a drill
tap machine. They will be displaying five new models in the booth.
Yamazen also imports Mitsubishi and they’ve got a new
machine, the V1, with super high precision for manufacturing
extremely high tolerance parts. One of the target markets of this
machine is the medical industry. The machine comes in multiple
configurations, and I expect to see a 5-axis model at the show.
Mitsubishi also builds bridge type mills. We will see a bridge mill
with attachment changers.
Milltronics: An American machine tool builder in Waconia,
Minn., Milltronics has come out with some really unique
machines in the last few months. Their new machines, the TT24
and TT40, are VMCs, with an in-line pallet changing system and
two pallets of either 24x24 or 40x40. Through programming,
these machines have the capability to sync those two pallets and
make the 24x24 into a 24x48 travel, or a 40x40 into a 40x80.
Milltronics is the only builder in the world with this capability.
They will have a TT24 with full synchronization in their booth.
Everyone has to stop and see that demo.
Also, don’t miss the tooling pavilion. Kurt Manufacturing
Company Inc., in particular, is showing off many productivity
enhancement products, including the NEMI flat table vacuum
pod workholding systems. One of the many workholding
innovations that Kurt will be showing, may be the item that pays
for your visit to IMTS.
10 | PRECISION MANUFACTURING July | August 2010