Page 8 - MetalForming January 2011

News Fronts
Letter to the Editor
Dear Mr. Kuvin:
Kudos to you on your recent editorial, Be Like Gates—
Never Stop Learning (November 2010). Knowledge is power. I run a Center for Workforce Development in Mont- gomery County, PA, and manufacturing is alive and well in our county. I can tell you that PMA has a great friend in community colleges, and I encourage your membership to partner with them. The combined synergies of education and business working together will increase our country’s competitive edge.
Keep up the great work. As you well know, manufactur- ing is the backbone of any economy. Now let’s get that National Manufacturing Policy passed!
Brook P. Hunt
Director, Center for Workforce Development, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA
Facilities
Minster Moving
Its Expanding Automation Division
The Minster Machine Co. announced plans to relocate its growing automation divi- sion from its home in Beau- fort, SC, to its global manu- facturing headquarters in Minster, OH. “The decision was made to facilitate our automation initiative, which includes expanding our existing technologies and product offerings to include robotic-assisted part and blank handling, intelligent assembly and welding automation capabilities,” says executive vice presi- dent David Winch.
The automation division, which will move into a newly renovated 15,000-sq.-ft. space, manufactures coil- and die-handling products, in addition to its new offerings.
Stamper’s New Servo- Feed Coil Line Includes Traveling Upender
Royal Die and Stamping, Bensenville, IL, a stamper serving the automotive, electronics and telecommu- nications industries, has a new progressive feed line courtesy of Coe Press Equipment, Sterling Heights, MI. The line can handle 8000-lb. coils of steel to 0.090 in. thick by 18 in. wide and 0.120 in. thick by 9 in. wide. Included is a ServoMaster SM1-18 servo feed, CPPS-250-18 power straightener con- trolled by a Coiltek ultrason- ic loop control, and a Trabon automatic lubrication system.
A traveling upender, with 18 in. of vertical lift and coil
capacity to 60-in. OD, allows Royal to receive coils in the horizontal position.
New Fargo Service Center Adds
Stretcher Leveling Line
Red Bud Industries, Red Bud, IL, installed a 1⁄2-in.- capacity cut-to-length line with a stretcher leveler at the new McNeilus Steel facility in Fargo, ND. The line is the third of its kind acquired by McNeilus—the other two operate at the firm’s facility in Dodge Cen- ter, MN. Stretcher leveler lines prove ideal for produc- ing flat material that will stay flat, essential for laser- cutting applications.
Wind-Power Supplier to Open Ladder- Production Plant
New Berlin, WI, is the home of a new Avanti Wind Systems factory developed to manufacture aluminum ladders for wind-turbine tow- ers. The plant, which will take over work previously performed in China and Ger- many, will manufacture lad-
ders to 6 m long. Avanti also has its North American headquarters in New Berlin.
Agreements
Wilson Tool Acquires Canadian Tool Supplier
Wilson Tool Intl., White Bear Lake, MN, acquired Exacta Precision and Exacta FabTool, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The companies manufacture tooling for the fabrication and stamping industries. With the combi- nation of the two sales forces, customers of both companies should experi- ence enhanced customer service and support, say company officials.
Lincoln Electric Partners to Provide Hybrid Laser-GMA Welding
IPG Photonics Corp., Oxford, MA, a provider of high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers, and Lincoln Elec- tric Holdings, Inc., Cleve- land, OH, a manufacturer of arc welding and cutting products, have formed a
strategic partnership to explore global opportunities in the high-power laser weld- ing and cutting market. Under the agreement, the two companies will seek to provide expanded turnkey hybrid fiber laser-gas metal arc welding solutions to industrial customers around the world. The partnership will encompass cooperative sales, application develop- ment and marketing efforts.
Fanuc Expands Integrator Network into WI
QComp Technologies, Inc., Greenville, a robotic-system integrator, has become a member of the Fanuc Robot- ics America Corp. distribution network. QComp specializes in vision-guided picking, packing and palletizing.
Bradbury Group Expands in the Land Down Under
The Bradbury Co., Inc., Moundridge, KS, through its subsidiary Bradbury Aus- tralia, Pty Ltd., will acquire the assets and intellectual property of Hilleng Intl. and Diecraft. The Australian companies manufacture panel-laminating systems and rollforming equipment, respectively. “The acquisition increases our service and support of the Australia and Southeast Asia marketplace,” says Mike Lowe, managing director of Hayes Intl., also a Bradbury Group subsidiary.
Eriez Acquires Maker of Filtration and Fluid- Recycling Products
Hydroflow Filtration Sys- tems, Maumee, OH, and the Systems Equipment Division (SED) of fluid-recycling prod- ucts has been acquired by
6 MetalForming/January 2011
www.metalformingmagazine.com