Superior Toot Service, Inc., Wichita, Kansas, has recently installed its fourth ANCA CNC grinding machine and is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The firm specializes in industrial tool and cutter grinding, manufacturing and resharpening.

Founded in 1987 by Steve and Ellen Shofler, Superior Tool Service was started in the family's garage at the request of a customer.

Today, the company is in a custom built 6000-sq.-ft. facility (with a drive-up window) and features the new 11-axis ANCA CNC grinder with a CLX pallet loader ( the second one in the nation) as well as three other ANCA CNC grinding machines with 7 to 10 axis capabilities.

The new ANCA features upgraded software and new capabilities that will help Superior Tool Service serve a customer working with composites.

The shop also includes a wide variety of conventional grinders (22), a surface grinder, Starrett comparator and assorted support equipment. Tolerances can be maintained and measured to 0.0001.

"We are successful because of our great customers and our dedicated staff," noted Steve Shofler, a 32-year industry veteran. "We enjoy taking on the customers' challenges."

Ellen Shofler commented "Its been a fast 20 years. Our talents complement each other quite well ... he is the tooling expert and I have the ac count] counting/finance background. Hiring good people has also been key to our success."

Ellen is also 2nd VP of the Wichita Manufacturers Association, a 90-year-old group dedicated to supporting area manufacturing.

The company can modify, sharpen, size and radius a wide range of Hi speed and Carbide cutting tools including: end mills, mill cutters, comer rounding tools, gear hobbs, breaches, taps, reamers, piloted reamers, drills, step drills, countersinks, lathe tools and form tools.

Superior Tool Services' manufacturing capabilities include Hi Speed and Carbide end mills, line reamers, broaches, chamfer tools, porting tools, lathe tools and combination tools that do 2 or more operations at once, thereby saving the customer time and money. The company also produces prototypes.

The company's 14 staff has a broad knowledge of materials that customers use, everything from acrylic to Hastelloy and they modify clearance angles on their tools to match the material for longer tool life. The company motto is "Our tools are so sharp you can cut your costs with them!"

Coatings for tools (for longer life and higher productivity) are also offered. They include: TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, ZrN, CrN and AlTN.

Superior Tool Service serves customers throughout midAmerica in a wide range of industries including: aircraft, marine, medical equipment, defense, aerospace, computers and high-performance automotive.

Based on single-piece frame cast from polymer composite material, Genesis(TM) 130H can be installed and re-located with no special lifting equipment. Direct-drive spindle motors eliminate need for mechanical adjustments, while cam-driven double gripper loader enables part load/unload times of 2 sec. Work area is isolated from machine frame to minimize thermal expansion from contact with hot chips. Stainless steel cutting chamber with steep inclination ensures that chips fall clear of work area.

Rochester, New York, February 16, 2006-- Gleason's new Genesis(TM) 130H CNC Vertical Hobbing Machine features a revolutionary new design that optimizes dry machining, significantly reduces floor space requirements and greatly improves cycle times.

The 130H Hobber is the first in a new family of gear production equipment from Gleason called Genesis(TM). All of the Genesis machines share a common platform: a single-piece frame cast from an advanced polymer composite material, which can be made faster, more accurately and with inherently more rigidity than conventional cast-iron assemblies. This common platform design also ensures a small, compact machine footprint and enables the user to install and re-locate the machine with no special lifting equipment or special foundations.

While the 130H Hobber can accommodate wet cutting processes, it is particularly well-suited for dry machining. The work area is completely isolated from the machine frame to minimize thermal expansion from contact with hot chips, and a stainless steel cutting chamber with steep inclination ensures that chips fall completely clear of the work area.
The 130H Hobber is equipped with an innovative new mechanical cam-driven double gripper loader fully integrated into the machine. As a result, costly non-productive time can be cut to a minimum, with part load/unload times as short as two seconds.

Unlike conventional hobbing machines, the Genesis 130H utilizes a new, patent-pending hob drive system to eliminate complicated mechanical and hydraulic clamping systems. Instead a simple "D-Drive" system enables the spindle to transmit more torque, with less runout, and at the same time accommodate the use of larger diameter hobs for greater performance and longer tool life.

The 130H also features direct-drive spindle motors, which further reduces setup and machining times by eliminating the need for mechanical adjustments and change gears. Higher acceleration/deceleration rates and increased torque, combined with faster axis motions reduce non-cutting time between cycles and increase overall productivity during machining.

Other significant features include:

o An Easy Access Service Module that consolidates hydraulics, lubrication and pneumatics into one location.

o Optional on-board chamfering and deburring capability.

o Availability of the latest SIEMENS or FANUC controls and the latest Gleason software running in a true Windows[R] environment.

o The chip conveyor may be located from either the side or rear of the machine to meet any cell/system arrangement.

Gleason Corporation is a world leader in the development, manufacture and sale of gear production machinery and related equipment. The Company's products are used by customers in automotive, truck, aircraft, agriculture, construction, power tool and marine industries and by a diverse set of customers serving various industrial equipment markets. Gleason has manufacturing operations in Rochester, New York; Rockford, Illinois; Dayton, Ohio; Plymouth, England; Munich and Ludwigsburg, Germany; Bangalore; India, Studen, Switzerland; and Harbin, China and has sales and service offices throughout the North and South America, Europe and in the Asia-Pacific region.

Having to increase its manufacturing capacity, a subcontractor has invested GBP 250,000 in CNC lathes and a vertical machining centre to meet growing oil/gas/subsea components demand

Having to increase its manufacturing and size machining capacity, a subcontractor has invested GBP 250,000 in CNC lathes and a vertical machining centre to meet growing oil/gas/subsea components demand. Investing more than GBP 250,000 in a package of Colchester-Harrison CNC machine tools from 600 Centre of Shepshed, subcontract precision machinist Ultimate Precision of Jarrow, Tyne and Wear sees the purchase of five machines as important in increasing its capacity to cope with 60 to 70% increases in production demands from oil and gas and subsea sectors.

The order, involving progressive installation of a Colchester-Harrison Combi 6000, MultiTurn 4000 and 2000 flat-bed CNC lathes, a Tornado T8, two-axis lathe and a Storm VMC 1300 vertical machining centre, is part of the company's planned increase from small to medium size part machining into high specification parts up to 1m cube and up to 1m diameter by 4m long.

The company, under managing director Ken Davidson, employs 30 people and has grown from its formation in 1997 supplying aerospace, automotive, medical and general engineering sectors.

It has recently added 55% to its turnover from contracts gained from subsea and offshore industry customers.

Said sales and marketing manager Andy Hey: 'We still produce batch work for existing customers and continuous production for the automotive sector, which tends to have very tight margins, but the new areas are really very challenging in materials, tolerances and machining knowledge so we need production equipment that is reliable, accurate and very flexible.' The company investigated the machines available and while managing the growth of the business, value for money against equipment performance and flexibility were key markers on the comparison spread sheets.

'Here,' said Hey, 'The performance of the Combi and its specification fitted our requirements exactly against machines costing 45% more.

With the rapid growth in China's installed base of CNC machine tools, there is expected to be high levels of interest in products that improve the machines' operating capabilities

Renishaw, a world leading metrology company, is supporting its increasing commitment to the Chinese market by attending the CCMT exhibition being held at the New International Expo Center, Shanghai, from 14th to 17th February 2006. Renishaw will be exhibiting at stand number W1-403. Renishaw is taking this opportunity to introduce Chinese visitors to a range of innovative metrology equipment.

Comments Jean-Marc Meffre, managing director of Renishaw (Hong Kong): 'Asian companies in general and Chinese companies in particular, are realising that lower labour costs can only offer a competitive advantage in the short term.

They know that long-term competitiveness relies on introducing more of the advanced technology offered by companies like Renishaw.' With the rapid growth in China's installed base of CNC machine tools, there is expected to be high levels of interest in products that improve the operating capabilities of these machines, including the OMP60 compact touch probe and a new tool recognition system for high-speed tool breakage detection.

For part measurement on co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs), visitors will see a revolutionary new enabling technology that will allow highly accurate, ultra high speed five-axis scanning measurement, plus a compact probe head offering low-cost 'motorised' head functionality.

Other products of interest to CCMT visitors will include Renishaw's QC10 ballbar system for the fast analysis of machine tool performance, the ML10 laser interferometer measurement system for machine calibration, a new angle encoder for precision position feedback on rotary axes.

Renishaw's new OMP60 touch probe is the first of a new generation of optical transmission products designed for compatibility with all current Renishaw optical receivers and next generation optical systems.
It brings the benefits of touch probes to a wide range of machining centres and mill/turn machines, offering users set-up time reductions of up to 90%, reduced scrap, reduced fixture costs, and improved process control.

For high speed tool breakage detection, Renishaw's new TRS1 system projects a beam of laser light at a tool and monitors the scattered light that is reflected to determine if the tool has been broken.

This new tool recognition technology distinguishes between the tool and coolant or metal chips (swarf), whilst it is also fast and reliable under real machining conditions.

More reliable than conventional non-contact systems, the TRS1 comprises a single unit containing the laser source and detection electronics, enabling it to be mounted outside of the working envelope, safe from collision and saving valuable space on the table.

Launched at the recent EMO Hannover exhibition in Germany, Renishaw's ground breaking Renscan5 technology allows the development of a range of breakthrough five-axis CMM scanning products that will measure at speeds of up to 500mm/s, and virtually eliminates the measurement errors normally associated with existing three-axis scanning systems.

A five-axis system achieves this by allowing the lighter measuring head to perform most of the motion during inspection routines, minimising the dynamic errors caused when moving the larger mass of a CMM structure.

Receiving its debut in China is REVO, the first product to take advantage of the new Renscan5 technology.

The first in a family of revolutionary measuring head and probe systems, REVO will maximise inspection throughput, whilst maintaining a high-level of system accuracy.

REVO uses synchronised motion when scanning to quickly follow changes in part geometry, without introducing its own dynamic errors.

This allows the CMM to move at a constant velocity along a constant vector whilst measurements are being taken, removing the inertial errors that result from acceleration of the machine during conventional 3-axis scanning.

For visitors to CCMT interested in sensors for DCC CMMS will also see RTP20 ('round the pole'), a unique low-cost probe head with integral probe sensor, that offers the functionality and benefits of a motorised head system.

Based on Renishaw's existing MH20i probe head, it allows automatic repeatable 15 degree indexing which, combined with an integral TP20 touch probe, offers a flexible touch-trigger probe system that will significantly increase measurement productivity.

Since its launch some 10 years ago, the Renishaw QC10 ballbar has established itself as an industry standard system for rapid machine tool performance analysis and diagnosis.

CCMT 2006 visitors will see that the QC10 ballbar test typically takes about 15 minutes.

The ballbar attaches magnetically between the machining centre's spindle and table, and tracks machine movement to +/-0.5 microns.

A simple CNC circular program is run which allows the ballbar software to calculate machine circularity error, servo gain mismatch, vibration, stick-slip errors, backlash, repeatability and scale mismatch, as well as machine geometry.

Renishaw's ML10 laser interferometer measurement system is used by some of the largest OEMs and end users in industries such as metal cutting, semiconductor processing, flat panel display production and biotechnology.

The ML10's unique properties ensure that the system provides a linear position reading resolution of just 1.24nm, a range of up to 40m and accuracy better than 1 ppm.

This combination of resolution, accuracy and range makes the laser interferometer an ideal tool for characterising the performance of motion systems, both large and small.

Visitors to CCMT 2006 requiring a precision motion analysis system should also evaluate QuickView, a new software package from Renishaw designed to make the ML10 laser an even more flexible and powerful analysis tool.

For years, electronic engineers have relied on oscilloscopes to study high-speed variations in voltage or current.

Now, QuickView software provides mechanical engineers with a similar capability, allowing them to study minute variations in linear or angular displacement, velocity or acceleration.

With a simple graphical interface QuickView allows very flexible operation, avoiding the need for predefined measurement targets and sequences - just point and measure, ideal for ad-hoc system investigations.

CCMT was first held in 2000 and is the sister exhibition of the Chinese International Machine Tool show (CIMT) held bi-annually in Beijing.

Both exhibitions are organised by the China Machine Tool and Tool Builders' Association (CMTBA) and is billed by the organisers as giving priority to domestically-made machine tools.

However there will also be around 100 foreign exhibitors from 11 countries, which the CMTBA reports as including renowned international brands such as Heller, DMG, Siemens, Heidenhain, Renishaw, Agie and Mitsubishi.

A 5+2-axis CNC machine, travelling on a 60m track, automatically drills and fettles leading and trailing edge assemblies for miltary transport aircraft wings in a single cost-saving set-up

A new special purpose machine for manufacturing major parts of the A400M military transport aircraft has been successfully installed by its maker HYTRI for its customer, Airbus. Commissioning has been completed and the machine is now in full-scale operation at the Airbus wing manufacturing plant in Filton, Bristol, United Kingdom.

Supplied as part of a comprehensive turnkey contract through HYTRI the sophisticated 5+2-axis CNC machine automatically drills and fettles leading and trailing edge assemblies for the wings of the new A400M.

The A400M is due to make its first flight in 2008.

The contract to supply the complete system including the machine was awarded by the customer in 2005.

HYTRI is a joint venture between production engineering specialists AMTRI and the world's largest, privately owned aerospace tooling design and manufacturing enterprise, Hyde Group.

Working closely with the tooling supplier Hyde Group, AMTRI designed, developed, and manufactured the sophisticated special purpose machine.
The machine employs a number of clever design innovations to minimise set-up times, and position features with high precision on very large workpieces.

Notable features include a unique post-out beam arrangement that has been incorporated to enable two-sided operation of the machine.

The whole machine is mounted on a bogie that travels along a 60m rail track, enabling an entire wing-set of spar assemblies to be machined in a single cost-saving set-up.

Further, in each and every working zone, special transformation algorithms devised by AMTRI are used to reference automatically the coordinate frame of the machine to that of the components.

This feature combined with the implementation of comprehensive error compensation ensures high precision is maintained over the full working volume of the machine.

Graham Wood, head of A400M Manufacturing Engineering for the A400M Outer Wing at Airbus, said: 'The integrated jig and machine facility represents a critical production system for the A400M Wing Assembly'.

'The machine is performing well in production with hole drilling performance and quality very good across a number of varied and demanding applications.

The fettling process is also performing to the required specification.' Philip Sholl, managing director of AMTRI, said: 'Many of the features in the HYTRI machine have been made possible as a direct result of the technologies developed in the DARWIN and AWBA research projects, where AMTRI was a key participant in both projects'.

* About DARWIN - DARWIN (Drilling Automation Research for WINg manufacture) was a GBP 1 million collaborative project, part-sponsored by the DTI, involving AMTRI, The Hyde Group and Airbus UK.