Page 22 - MetalForming March 2020

FABRICATION
Today’s fabricating technology promises the ability to produce high-quality components job after job, in a variety of applications. And, in each issue, MetalForming is committed to informing you on how fabrication equipment delivers.
This month, MetalForming presents the advantages of servo ram control that enable CNC punching machines to outperform their mechanical and hydraulic counterparts, leading to improved capabilities, lower energy use and less maintenance.
Also, we see how robotic welding can help develop ‘new-collar workers’ with enhanced skills. And, the March issue’s Welding Well feature dives into the facts and fundamentals of projection welding.
Contents
20 News&Technology
22 Servo-lution Serves CNC Punching Well
Like stamping presses, servo- controlled CNC punching machines deliver benefits of both mechanical and hydraulic units, and much more
28 Projection Welding— Facts and Fundamentals
A primer to familiarize yourself with this popular process, provided by Bill Brafford, site content expert, www.howtoresistanceweld.info.
30 Robots + New-Collar Workers
...promise to help bridge the skills gap, particularly in the welding industry.
News & Technology
Round Punch
and Die Kits for Ironworking Machines
American Punch Co. has introduced Punch Paks―kits comprised of as many as 17 pairs of round punches and dies in the most common incremental sizes, depending on the user’s ironworker, avail- able in multiple kit sizes.
Punch Paks, available for immediate, free shipping, feature a variety of round tooling styles and sizes, enabling users to have extra tooling on hand. The kits come in a durable utility box with a sample of American Punch’s Punch Lube, used for extending tooling life. Also included: a catalog of American Punch’s full line of ironworker tooling, including punches and dies, couplings nuts, and shear blades. And, two reference magnets for determining typical die clearance and required tonnage for punching mild steel also are included.
American Punch Co.: www.americanpunchco.com
Web-Based Selection Tool for Band
Saw Blades
To help users determine the correct band saw blades for their applications, the L.S. Starrett Co. unveiled its web- based Band Saw Blade Selection Tool at FABTECH 2019. The new tool provides an efficient way to configure and select a Starrett Band Saw Blade.
Input parameters in the BandSaw Blade Selection Tool include specifying the blade type, such as bi-metal, carbide-grit, car- bide-tipped, carbon, diamond-grit or stain-
Waterjet Machine with Advanced Taper Compensation
At FABTECH 2019, Omax demonstrated its 80X-series JetMachining Center, a waterjet cutting machine featuring the company’s Tilt-A-Jet taper-compensation technology. The 80X series incorporates multiple table sizes and customizable work envelopes for precise abrasive water- jet cutting of large-scale components and multipart projects, with the Tilt-A-Jet tech- nology reportedly attaining virtually zero taper for precision, high-rate cutting of parts with square, taper-free edges, includ- ing interlocking pieces and dovetail fittings. Using the water-resistant Rotary Axis head for production of complex 3D parts, the 80X’ capabilities expand to cut in as many as six axes.
Adding Omax’s IntelliMax software suite and EnduroMax pump technology, the 80X swiftly and accurately cuts a range of materials and thicknesses, accord- ing to company officials, with the user- friendly software enabling projects to pro- ceed from concepts to finished parts in minutes. Designed for long life, the Enduro- Max pump is capable of running to as many as 1000 hr. before pump rebuild is needed.
Omax: www.omax.com
less. Users also can designate blade width, thickness and tooth pitch. Results display the Starrett band saw blade with a link to product details, including blade features and specifications. Users also have the option to start the selection process by sorting on the blade’s product name.
L.S. Starrett: www.starrett.com
20 MetalForming/March 2020
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