TechniksUSA

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:00:00 +0000

March Digital Tradeshows On-Demand

If you'd like to attend again, or weren't able to make the live broadcast, here are our Digital Tradeshows for this month summarized and with the link to view on-demand. Remember: you can always talk live with an expert by calling 800-597-3921 or emailing us at info@techniksusa.com.

Earth-Chain sPINner Small Parts Deburring Machine

Understand the advantages of sPINner technology over other deburring methods.

Eliminate time-consuming hand deburring and improve part quality.

Learn how you can batch deburr small parts using the sPINner micro-deburring system.

Attend now!

Techniks MicroFLOAT Tapping System

Understand the advantages / disadvantages of different tapping technologies.

Learn how the MicroFLOAT system works and the technological advances of this system.

Learn how to extend tap life and improve thread quality.

Attend now!

Nexus Cutting Tools – Machining High Temperature Alloys

Learn why the latest advances in PVD insert technology from Lamina provide the longest insert life and reduce tooling costs.

Understand the factors you need to consider when choosing inserts and how to simplify your tooling inventory.

Learn how to maximize efficiency whether you want to produce more parts-per-insert, or reduce cost per part.

Attend now!

Digital Tradeshows – A Successful Start

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:16:00 +0000

This week began a new era for us when our Techniks solutions experts presented three Digital Tradeshows (DTS). If your schedule did not permit you to attend, no worries. The beauty of online content allows you to attend these presentations at your convenience. Below is a recap with links to the video and audio for each DTS, and remember: you can always talk live with an expert by calling 800-597-3921 or emailing us at info@techniksusa.com.

Techniks Toolholders

Advanced Milling Methods

New advances are raising the bar on milling performance by improving toolholder rigidity and holding power. Learn how Techniks technology can reduce scrap and improve tool life. View this presentation.

Earth-Chain

EEPM Magnetic Workholding

Magnetic workholding has helped hundreds of companies achieve new levels of efficiency by reducing setup and part-changeover time. Learn how to machine 5-sides with magnetic workholding. View this presentation.

Nexus Cutting Tools

Machining Stainless Steels

Groundbreaking advances in carbide insert PVD coating technologies set new levels of performance standards for machining stainless steels. Learn how these improvements will enhance your productivity and simplify insert selection. View this presentation.

To attend upcoming DTS's live, log in here.

Techniks Launches Digital Tradeshows

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:20:00 +0000

As an ongoing expansion of information, services and support to its own customer base as well as to the CNC machining industry at-large, Techniks, located in Indianapolis, IN, will introduce web-based, Digital Tradeshows (DTS) beginning February 20, 2013. The first DTS will focus on its core tool holding line with Advanced Milling Methods.

Techniks will produce Digital Tradeshows each month throughout the year. Each presentation focuses on innovative technology from one of its product lines—Techniks, Earth Chain Magnetic Workholding and Nexus Cutting Tools—that improves machining processes to save time and money.

Through the Digital Tradeshow format, Techniks enhances its abilities as a solution provider to the CNC machining industry. “We've always prided ourselves on superior customer support on site and over the phone. Now, this is our effort to give out valuable help and information through an interactive web-based experience,” stated Greg Webb, Vice President of Sales for the company.

Attendees will be able to interact with the presenters through live chat. “It’s like stopping by our tradeshow booth, seeing a demo and being able to chat with our support team, but without the travel and expense,” continued Webb.

Digital Tradeshows are approximately thirty minutes long and are scheduled with both coast’s time zones in mind. View the calendar of upcoming DTS events at www.techniksusa.com/dts

End Mill Holder and Runout

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 22:30:00 +0000

As a general rule most cutting tool & end mill manufacturers prefer to use single angle (ER/DR style) collet chucks for most cutting tool holding applications under 1/2". Why? Runout and uneven chip load. This is because of two reasons:

The error accumulation on ID tolerance of the end mill holder and the OD shank tolerance of the end mill or drill. The smaller the diameter the more potential for problems...
The imbalance created in the toolholder by the setscrew used to clamp the tool. When you tighten down the setscrew you not only offset the tool but also create an imbalance condition that is not repeatable due to the ANSI shank tolerance on all end mills.

Depending on the application, end mill holders can be used for holding larger insert style end mills, spade drills, etc. But somewhere between 1/2” and 3/4” there is a line that only you can determine when you need to move from a collet chuck to end mill holder. Generally we recommend using end mill holders only for very specific applications

Using small diameter end mills (1/4" and below) in end mill holders with set screws will have a adverse affect of both surface finish and tool life.

"The most important thing to say about toolholders in high speed milling of aluminum,” said Dr. Sinan Badrawy, formerly of Cincinnati Machine in a 2001 article “is not to use a set-screw holder.” Because the set screw moves the end mill off center to hold it against the wall opposite the set screw, it creates run-out. “At high speeds, at set-screw holder will chatter no matter what,” he said. The better choice are collet holders and shrink fit holders. Both do clamp the tool from all directions around the shank.”

AT3 Taper Tolerances

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:40:00 +0000

As the CNC manufacturing industry continues to grow we're meeting more and more new people coming into our industry. Although many experienced machinists have lots of knowledge, we're finding that the new people are asking questions about some things that may be common knowledge to the old hands. One of the questions relates to "Why the heck is the cone on the toolholder the angle that it is?" We're here to help answer that....

By now, many have undoubtedly heard that most steep taper (CAT, BT) Toolholders hold an AT3 taper tolerance or better. So what exactly is AT3?

Steep Taper, Fast Tapers & Locking Tapers

Before we get into the tolerance and specs it's important to understand that there are basically two classes of tapers:

Locking tapers - These can be at any angle less than 7° per side (14° included). The shallower the angle the better the holding.

Self Releasing or "Steep Tapers" - These tapers are typically made with short shanks and with an included taper angle of 16° or 3.5" (88.9 mm) per foot. These are also sometimes called "Fast Tapers"

Toolholders are 'case hardened"

Taper fit to spindle is critical

Most of the taper standards originated in the early days of the aircraft industry with rotors and propellers. There's quite a bit of thought that went into why the two types of tapers exists: It has a lot to do with "Van der Waals Forces" if you want to know about it in more detail.

What's important to know is that CNC spindles are made with Steep Tapers. Why? Well, just as the two names state the first is "locking" taper and the second is "free-releasing" Since Toolholders have to be automatically changed in the CNC machine you want them to be as close to a locking taper as possible (8°/side) without, well, 'locking' in place (7°/side)! This is also the reason the ER/DR style collets also are made to an 8°/side angle as well by-the-way.

What is AT3?

That brings us to the "AT" standard for steep tapers. "AT" is an ANSI/ASME (ASME B5.50-1994) and ISO Standard (ISO 1947 ) that runs from AT1 to AT11. Since the AT tolerance is essentially logarithmic, the lower the number the tighter the tolerance (and harder it is to 'hit' in manufacturing). In other words the difference between AT 3 and AT4 is NOT the same increase in tolerance as between AT3 and AT2. AT3 is harder to attain than AT4 and AT 2 is substantially harder to reach than the jump from AT 4 to AT3. Again, the lower the number, the tighter the 'self releasing' tolerance.

Most CNC Machines steep taper spindles are made to an AT2 Specification. In order to stay competitive most all toolholder manufacturers are holding an AT3 tolerance (or better). Because there are much fewer spindles made than rotary toolholders this makes manufacturing sense. The key words here to pay attention to is "or better" Just like when you make parts in your shop to a tolerance, that doesn't mean that every part is exactly the same. The parts are within a tolerance band. That's what the "AT" defines! So when a toolholder manufacturer says "AT3 or better" that can mean that some of the holders are actually holding an AT2 tolerance... and this is sometimes the cause of the tolholders 'sticking' in the spindle:Not because they are out of tolerance, but because they are actually holding a closer tolerance! (...nearer a locking taper)

By-the-way, most all steep taper toolholders are made from some derivative of 8620 steel and then case hardened.

Food for thought

So although most people think that the drive dogs on the spindle are doing the 'driving' of the rotation of the toolholder, it's actually the taper connection that is driving the rotation of the tool. If that wasn't the case, then you would see the drive dog notches in the toolholder start to show signs of wear when the spindle impacted them all the time. Afterall, the 8620 is only case hardened.

There are a couple of last things to make note of and think about:

So if you over tighten your retention knob (pull stud) it can expand the smaller part of the taper.

The sPINner Deburrs Small, Precision Parts

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:02:00 +0000

The sPINner magnetic deburring units use magnets to to 'spin' tiny 304 stainless steel 'pins' to deburr and polish parts. The pins resemble small roller bearings and are slightly magnetic themselves. When using the sPINner with non magnetic parts there is obviously little concern for any residual magnetism to be imparted to the material being deburred. However, we are often asked about what happens when we deburr magnetic components. It's actually very very simple!

Demagnetizing after a cycle
After magnetic parts have been processed, it is important to demagnetize them so the media and other parts will no longer be attracted to them. One simple procedure is to remove the container from the sPINner while the magnetic field is in motion. At the end of a cycle, simply start the machine again waiting for the magnetic field to fully accelerate. Once this is done, simply pull the container from the machine. Please note, that due to the weight of the contents in the container and the magnetic attraction of the parts and media to the magnetic field in the machine, substantial force may be required to remove the container. Containers are easier to remove when the magnetic field is in motion. Also, if it is critical that the parts be fully demagnetized, Earth Chain USA recommends a separate de-gauss operation.

Removing Burrs From Media
After magnetic parts have been run in the sPINner some burrs may remain in the media. Separation of the media from the magnetic burrs is accomplished using a strainer. Place a wire strainer inside the separation container that ships with the machine. Pour in the rinsed and dried media. The strainer should be chosen so that it will not allow the media to pass through, but will allow the burrs to pass through. Place the lid of the separation container and start the machine. The magnetic field will pull the burrs through the strainer. The media in the strainer may need stirred or mixed to help remove all the burrs.

sPINner stories: Deburring Small Slots

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Here is an example of an application where the sPINner is being used to deburr small slots (.027”) in the part that were being hand deburred. The sPINner has automated this process. Where the customer was spending several hours deburring these parts, the sPINner runs the entire batch of the parts in 20 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions An In-Depth Look: Magnetic Parts

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:00:00 +0000

The sPINner deburring system uses a magnetic field, so there are several factors to bear in mind when processing parts with a magnetic property. This document will help explain the variables to factor in when processing or evaluating magnetic parts.

The parts will “stick” to the bottom of the container:

When magnetic parts are introduced in the sPINner, they will be attracted to the magnetic field. As the magnetic field is concentrated to the bottom of the container, the parts will tend to “stick” to the bottom and the media will move around the part. Non-magnetic parts will tend to tumble with the media in a circular motion. Magnetic parts (depending on size and material) will tend to move slowly along the bottom of the container during machine operation in the opposite direction of the flow of media. This is caused by the parts trying to keep up with a very fast moving magnetic field. Heavy part or parts with very sharp edges that are pulled along the bottom of the container by the magnets may score the container and may wear through the container over time. If this happens the container will need replaced. Also fixturing the parts can limit their movement and decrease the wear on the container. See below the Fixturing section for more details.

The parts will stay in the magnetic field:

Parts with a magnetic property will be attracted to the magnetic field at the bottom of the container. The parts will stay in the strongest parts of the field during operation. The parts will tend to “line-up” with each other during processing. As the parts are responding to the magnetic field, they will attract other magnetic items in the container. This includes the magnetic media and other magnetic parts. The result is the parts developing a layer of media around them during processing and parts sticking to each other during processing.

Picture of fixture used with magnetic parts. Shown here with a few parts, each part is placed on an arm. The angle of the arms allows the parts to sit in the flow of the media while preventing the parts for damaging each other. Parts are free to rotate insuring that all areas are exposed to the action of the media.

Single layer of parts:

As parts with a magnetic property will tend to attract other magnetic items in the container including other parts, only a single layer of parts should be added to the container at a time. If parts are allowed to stack on top of each other, they will “stick” to each other and may prevent areas from being exposed to the media.

Again, a fixture may be required to insure the parts do not damage each other during processing.

Fixturing:

Sometimes it helps to fixture the parts in the processing container. This can provide some benefits and eliminate some issues that can arise when processing magnetic parts. Fixturing parts can keep them in the flow of the media to insure the parts are being subjected to the action of the media. Also, fixturing the parts will help keep them separated preventing any damage from other parts and eliminating any void areas (areas where the media cannot get to) from parts ”sticking” to each other.

Types of Fixtures: There are as many different types of fixtures as there are different parts. Below are some common fixture types that can either provide a station for each part or simply “cage” of “harness” the parts.

These fixtures are placed in the processing container. Since the parts can no longer contact each other during processing, the potential to damage each other is eliminated. The associated batch size is limited to the number of stations on the fixture. Please note, many different designs of fixtures are possible and the design is dependent on the specific application. Precision Finishing can help design and build a fixture for any application. Call us for details.

Machine Speed: In order to minimize the cushioning effect of a layer of media around the part, the spin rate of the magnetic field may need to be slowed to about 30-40 Hz.

ID burrs are difficult with magnetic parts:

Because the sPINner uses a magnetic field to impart energy to the media as opposed to gravity or vibration, one advantage of the system is the ability to deburr ID areas. This benefit is primarily limited to non-magnetic parts. For a

Heat build-up:

During processing the friction of the media and the parts will produce heat. For non-magnetic parts the amount of heat is less than that of magnetic parts. The reason is that the magnetic parts create vibration that generates heat. Processing times of 30 minutes and longer in the sPINner on magnetic parts will generate heat and the contents of the container should be allowed to cool prior to handling.

Compounds:

There are several materials that magnetic parts may be made of that will need a compound other than the soap and water solution typically used in the sPINner. When rust of other corrosion is a concern, a compound should be chosen that has an inhibitor. The results from using various compounds may vary greatly and should be carefully tested prior to mass usage. When using a compound other than the compounds provided by Precision Finishing, make sure to use a compound that has a flash point above 180° F. Also, make sure to try the compound in a little media first to help determine the effects on the media.

Please contact us at 317-842-8934 to discuss any specific application or if we can help provide any additional information on processing magnetic parts.

Our Power Coated ER Collet Nuts really ARE special

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 17:20:00 +0000

We view CNC tool holders for routers and milling machines to be a critical component of the entire machining process.
Each component of our toolholder systems has been looked at in great detail to determine who we can improve tool life and reduce cycle time for our customers.

One of the most important elements of the toolholding 'system' is the collet nut. Each toolholder "system" consists of a precision ER tool holder that comes with a special "Power Coated" high power nut that holds tighter than any other nuts. John Stagge, President of Techniks, says: "The 'Power Coat' nut is the secret to our high holding power. Because it holds so tight, the 'Power Coat' nut improves T.I.R., extends carbide tool life, and even permits light milling operations". Techniks recommends that for best results always tighten the nut to the proper torque using a torque wrench with a tightening stand, and never over-tighten the nut because this can damage both the collet and the collet pocket.

What makes the difference?

As anyone knows who has changed a flat tire on their car, tightening down a nut on a 60 degree thread involves some friction as the mating metal surfaces interact. That's why nuts can be a bit 'hot' to the touch when you take them off. Our objective with our "Power Coated" nuts was multifold:
First we needed to reduce the coefficient of friction on the thread angle to enable more lubricity for the nut to tighten down farther. As we all know 'heat' causes metal to "grow" so what may at first appear to be tight, in fact, loosens, as soon as you stop tightening it.
Second we needed to make sure that the front surface of the collet that engages the shorter 30 degree taper on the front of an ER collet did not 'twist' as the night tightened down.
Both problems really involved reducing friction and through a combination of engineering tolerances and unique coating process we believe that we've found the most economical solution to eliminate the use of cheater bars and collet over torque. Here's what we've found our in testing our "Power Coated" Nuts:

Up to a 75% increase in holding power
Can extend tool life by 20% by reducing TIR
"Engineered" balance for high speed machining

“Power Coat” is an innovative, permanent coating that increases clamping pressure of the nut up to 75% compared to standard ER nuts. More holding power reduces the chance of spinning the shank of the tool inside the collet, which can cause premature failure of the collet.

You know our toolholders...

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:22:00 +0000

...but did you know with Techniks you also get:

Live phone support - 8:00 am to 6:00 pm by our experienced team of customer support representatives
Fast, friendly response to your quote requests(phone or email)
Each order checked 4 times - 99.9% shipping accuracy
Same day shipping on orders in by 2:00 pm EST (standard ground orders - expedited orders ship same day until 5:00 pm)
In-house applications support – toolholding and workholding – call us with your questions
Field support provided as needed by our customer support team
All products backed by our 100% satisfaction warranty!

Stocking over $6,000,000 toolholder inventory for CNC machines and CNC routers in our 42,000 sq/ft central warehouse. We also provide turn-key solutions for magnetic workholding and magnetic deburring machines as well as out complete line up of CNC modular boring tools.

sPINner Stories: Gear Deburring Made Simple

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:30:00 +0000

Here is an example of an 6061-T6 aluminum gear application that is being deburred with the sPINner. The part is run for 10 minutes and as you can see the burrs on the teeth are cleanly removed.

CNC Aggregates used for Insertion & Glueing of Dowels In Light Weight Panels

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:40:00 +0000

For many applications, new, light weight panel technology is being used considered because it provides both high stability and light weight for ease of handling. However, the insertion and glueing of dowels can be a tedious and time consuming process.

We've solved this with automatic insertion and gluing of dowels or other fasteners with our ATEMAG CNC router Aggregate head.

The new ATEMAG system can be used for panel thicknesses of 18 mm through 50 mm, and for different dowel lengths. Fasteners are inserted evenly with the surface and glued in with accurately dispensed amounts of glue.

The insertion process is very accurate, and the panel surface is not damaged in any way. Most importantly, there are no visible pressure marks left on the surface.

The hole does not have to be dust free, because the dowel or fastener will not touch the bottom.

Generally, any CNC machine with c-axis and compressed air connection can be used with the new ATEMAG high performance aggregates. Contact TechniksUSA with questions or to get a quote on how we can retrofit your machine with one of our units. Here's a look at how the unit works.

sPINner stories: Cross Hole burrs

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 20:51:00 +0000

A manufacturer of small 7075-T6 aluminum valve bodies acquired a sPINner to help deburr difficult cross-hole burrs. The pictures below detail the results.

sPINner stories: Brass Electrical Connectors

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 20:43:00 +0000

A manufacturer of electrical connector parts acquired a sPINner to deburr the ID areas of the parts. These parts are all brass. The pictures details how the media is able to remove the ID burrs on these parts. The parts are run for 20 minutes with 1.2mm media in the sPINner to remove the ID burrs.

sPINNer Stories: Bone Screw Deburring

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:00:00 +0000

A manufacturer of titanium bone drills and screws bought a sPINner to assist in the deburring of these precision parts. It was critical that no material be transferred to the part during processing. Also, the parts could not collide with each other during processing because any collision would damage the flutes of the drill.

The sPINner met this customer’s requirements. The sPINner uses a stainless steel pins (SUS-304). No material is transferred to the part during processing. Also, since all parts move in the sPINner at the same speed and direction, the parts do not damage each other from collisions.

sPINner Stories: Credit Card Scanner parts

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 19:43:00 +0000

A manufacturer of credit card scanner parts makes small, intricate stampings out of 304 stainless steel. The stamping process left burrs on the bottom of the part. Due to the thickness of the part, about .015”, traditional methods such as tumbling often damaged the part by bending them.

The customer employed 20 full time workers to hand deburr each part. The results were inconsistencies, missed areas and very slow cycle times. At the right is a picture of the part. As you can see, because of the delicateness of this component part, manual deburring would be extremely difficult for even the nimblest of fingers.

During our testing of these parts, the entire production run of these parts was place a container and run through the sPINner for 2 minutes.

The sPINner does not damage even the most delicate parts, so no parts were lost due to bending. Also, the cycle time of 2 minutes for the entire lot was drastically less that the many days it took with manual methods. Lastly, all the parts were fully deburred as the sPINner does not miss areas. All areas of the part are affected equally. This customer has purchased two sPINners to meet a growing production demand.

Challengers Award WINNER!

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:15:00 +0000

The purpose of the Challengers Distinguished Achievement Award® is to encourage and promote the development of innovative new technology in the field of woodworking machinery, supplies, and services for the furniture, kitchen cabinets, architectural woodwork, store fixture, upholstery, or specialty and general wood product industries.

TechniksUSA is very proud to be selected as a 2012 Challengers Award Finalist for our ATEMAG Extra Plus Aggregate Head. This head features an oscillating cutting action that reduces the time it takes to cut a mortised lock pocket from 51 seconds to just 11 seconds. It eliminate door production bottlenecks and improves manufacturing quality with the amazing lock recess aggregate.

You can see it for yourself new aggregate router heads at IWF Booth 5239 August 22-25, 2012.

While you're there, don't forget to ask about our FREE COLLET SET with any aggregate head purchase. This is over a $400 value.

And remember to follow the @IWFAtlanta hashtag #IWFatlanta

On August 22, 2012 we where very honored to be named the Challengers Award WINNER for 2012 at The International Woodworking & Furniture Supply Fair, "IWF Atlanta 2012"

2012 IWF Challengers Award Winner: ATEMAG EXTRA Plus Aggregate Head

NEW Vario Visio DIGITAL adjustable aggregate head

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:41:00 +0000

Smart Line Vario

We've offered CNC Aggregate heads with adjustable angles for some time. Our Vario can operate at any angle within it's range to perform “impossible” cuts, …right on your CNC router. The Function Line Vario aggregate operates at any angle from 0˚ to 100˚. We've also had the The Ultra Line Vario aggregate that operates at any angle from -100˚ to 100˚ Each of these uses a Vernier scale on the side of the unit to adjust it.

The NEW VARIO VISO

The vernier scale is great but we thought that it was time to go Digital! Our new Vario Viso has a easy to adjust head and a DIGITAL Display which really makes it easy for Boring, Routing, and Sawing.

Here's some of the Tech Specs:

Speed max. 15,000 R.P.M. (drive)
Speed max. 15,000 R.P.M. (tool spindle)
Gear ratio i 1:1
Torque max. 20 Nm
Temperature max. 85° C / 185° F
Angle adjustment 0 – 100°

Remember we can attach the Vario Visio head to HSK, CAT and BT flanges to suit your specific machine. Just like our other Vario units you can use a combination of connections including ER 25/saw blade or a 30 mm saw blade connection flange and pitch circle of 45/52 mm with integrated Weldon connection diameter up to 10 mm.

The rotating direction of the head can be left or right, but remember, the spindle rotating direction opposite drive rotating direction

Features:

Digital display of adjusted angle
One single clamping screw
Conical pin for 0° reference adjustment
Aggregate can be rotated 360° around drive

Super-Charge Your #CNC ToolHolders with Shrink-fit Extensions

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:51:00 +0000

Shrink Fit extensions fit into any toolholder

TechniksUSA Shrink Fit Extensions

Get the most out of your tool holders by adding shrink-fit extensions to your tool crib. These handy extensions add shrink-fit capability and reach without the expense of buying dedicated shrink-fit toolholders. They work great with Techniks'low-cost induction heat shrink machine the TechnoSHRINK 2.

Shrink fit extensions are used with most types of tool holders including: collet chucks, shrink-fit holders, hydraulic chucks, milling chucks, end mill holders, etc. They hold cutting tool shank sizes of: 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 5/8".

Features:

More rigid and better T.I.R. than collet extensions
Extended reach and slim design fits tight clearances
Works with your existing tool holder inventory

Benefits:

Lower cost than any other shrink fit system!
Improved rigidity makes carbide cutting tools last longer
Eliminates purchasing dedicated shrink-fit tool holders

#Eastec 2011 PROMO: TechniksUSA Booth 5132

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:03:00 +0000

Eastec

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Technology meets

State-of-the-Art Communications

TechniksUSA will be at the #Eastec and conference in booth 5132 May 17 - 19, 2011. EASTEC is three days of straightforward insight into vital manufacturing technologies, progressive management strategies, the latest lean thinking, and clear advice on making your operations greener.

Grand Prize: NTS Toolholder Set-up fixture

We want to improve our communications to our customers so we've created a promotion just for those who are following us on Twitter, us on Facebook or became our friend on Foursquare.

Two easy ways to enter:

Check in on Foursquare and become a "friend" of TechniksUSA
Click "I'm attending" on our #Eastec Facebook Event Page

Show us that you did either of these on your smartphone at the show and you will receive either a sleeve of Nike Golf Balls or a Techniks Golf shirt. You'll then be entered to win our Grand Prize at the end of the show.

TechniksUSA Golf Shirt

TechniksUSA Golf Balls

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106898526051368

Can the sPINer help your company Deburr? It's not for everyone...

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:37:00 +0000

Process Benefits

Eliminate expensive and time-consuming manual methods!
Many manufacturers of small parts are required to deburr parts by hand due to several factors (critical tolerances, burrs in the ID, external threads, light/thin areas prone to damage, etc.). The sPINner uses a very small stainless pin media available in sizes under 0.008” diameter. This allows the sPINner to deburr areas without damage to critical tolerances and can deburr even very thin work-pieces without deforming the parts.

Deburr ID areas and small holes!
The small size of the media driven by a magnetic field allows the sPINner to deburr ID areas and cross-holes not possible with other technologies. The small size if the media (to under 0.008” diameter) can help deburr holes from 0.010” and up.

Deburr parts with external threads!
External threads pose a problem for traditional deburring technologies since the threads would be damaged from grinding of the media. The sPINner media is not destructive to threads. In fact, due to the small size of the media it can help remove galling or chattering lines at the base of the thread and help gently smooth threads without damage.

Eliminate media jamming!
The deburring media used in the sPINner does not have the same breakdown characteristics of ceramic media used in other technologies. Traditional ceramic media is designed to breakdown during processing. This results in the media changing size and dimensions over time that can begin to jam in the parts. The stainless steel media used in the sPINner does not suffer from this limitation and will not dimensionally change. The sPINner media last about 2-3 years in most applications. This means a media size can be used without the fear of jamming!

Eliminate parts washing after deburring!
Parts typically need washed after processing in other technologies due to the fact these processes leave a residue of ceramic or porcelain sludge or dust on the parts. The stainless media used in the sPINner does not create this sludge. The result is that parts come out of the sPINner clean. This can eliminate the need for a separate washing after deburring saving both time and money!

Eliminate sludge in the wastewater!
As mentioned above, other technologies use a media (ceramic or porcelain) that breaks-down during processing parts. This leaves sludge in the wastewater that needs removed before the water can be either drained or recycled. The sPINner uses a stainless media that does not breakdown during processing like ceramic media. The result is the wastewater is free of sludge. This can help eliminate the separate processing of the wastewater to remove the sludge saving money.

Reduce cycle times!
Cycle times in the sPINner vary according to the specific application. However, generally the cycle times in the sPINner are a fraction of the time required in traditional vibratory or tumbling technologies. The table below gives some guidelines on cycle times.

Material Est. Cycle Times

Aluminum 5-15 minutes
Brass 5-20 minutes
Copper 5-20 minutes
Stainless Steel 10-20 minutes
Titanium 10-30 minutes
Steel 10-30 minutes

Again, the individual application will determine the actual cycle time required.

Fits Any Size Operation!
The sPINner is available in four sizes ranging from desktop units with 6” diameter containers to floor standing models with 21” diameter containers. There is a sPINner to fit both centralized deburring and cell manufacturing!

If you are interested if the sPINner can help with your small parts deburring application, send a few parts to:
Earth-Chain USA
9930 East 56th Street.
Indianapolis, IN 46236
Attn: John Swann

What kind of burr can the sPINner magnetic deburring remove?

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 23:19:00 +0000

What kind of burr can the sPINner remove?

We are often asked, “What kind of burr will the sPINner remove?” The standard answer is “a light burr”. This answer leaves a lot of room for interpretation. What is a light burr to some will be a heavy burr to others.

The rule of “Thumb”:

In order to form an initial evaluation if the sPINner will work on a particular part try the rule of “thumb”. As a general rule, if you can take a fingernail and remove the burr, the part has a good chance of testing well in the sPINner. Burrs heavier than this may tend to roll and flatten, but not be removed during the process.

A quick lesson on burrs:

To the left is a drawing of a cross-section of a burr on a part. From the drawing you can see some main areas we will be concerned with; the part itself (parent metal), the burr thickness at root, burr thickness, and burr height.

Light Burrs
A lighter burr can be loosely defined as a burr with a thin thickness at root (B₁). As the amount of material holding the burr to the parent metal increases, a more aggressive deburring action is required to remove the burr. Using this definition it is possible to have burrs that are tall, yet are “lighter” by our definition because the thickness at the root is small. Burrs of this type are good candidates for the sPINner.

Short Heavy Burrs
An example of short, yet heavy burrs are the ridges created from drilling. When a drill breaks through a part a ridge is pushed up around the hole on the side where the drill breaks through. While this ridge can be short in burr height (H₀), the thickness at burr root is wide. Often this material is more a part of the parent metal than the burr. These burrs will not be good candidates for the sPINner as a very aggressive and abrasive action that has a high stock removal rate is required to remove these burrs.

Brittle Materials
Another factor to weigh in this process is the material itself. More brittle materials will tend to have the burr break away from the part (parent metal) making the sPINner a good option.

Softer Materials
Softer or more malleable material will tend to have the burr roll and flatten. Softer materials need to have a thinner thickness at root to be good candidates for the sPINner.

If you have a question regarding if the sPINner may work in a particular application, please contact Michael Harris or John Swann Earth-Chain USA at 317-842-8934

Little Pins Pack A Powerful Punch for Medical Devices

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:07:00 +0000

The famous actress Judy Garland is said to have adlibbed about fellow child-star Micky Rooney: "It's the little things that matter". For central Indiana based Greenwood Machine, little burrs in a 1mm slot, mattered a lot.
Even the smallest burrs were not acceptable for this critical tolerance (0.0001” air motor. The company had an opportunity to diversify into the medical industry, manufacturing an air motor for a biopsy device that takes breast tissue samples for diagnostic analysis. Metal burrs left over from the manufacturing process were a part quality problem that had to be solved before they could move ahead with the project. These burrs could not be removed with conventional tumbling equipment, and that limited Greenwood Machine's ability to provide the quality and quantity of parts the customer needed.

While looking for alternative deburring technologies, they discovered the sPINner small parts deburring machine. They found that it's unique stainless steel pin media was able to quickly deburr the small slots.

With 25 years in the business, Greenwood Machine's owner Fred McWilliams has loads of experience producing small, complex parts. His business began machining small, precision parts (primarily RF connectors) for the electronics industry, and has grown to include a variety of quick-setup, short run jobs, and also some high-end bicycle components.

When the opportunity to manufacturer the air pump came up, Fred decided to move quickly and increase capacity by purchasing a bar-fed, Citizen/Cincom M32 CNC swiss-type turning machine to expedite production of the air pump.

This configuration allowed them to perform 3 operations at once, giving them a big advantage in cycle time. Their customer asked that they produce prototypes within 3 weeks of the CNC machine hitting their floor.

During the few weeks they had to set-up the machine and begin running prototypes, the deburring problem was discovered by Manufacturing Engineering Manager Joe Bowman. Joe's background includes experience with ISO 9001 certification and 8 years in CNC machining. He manages all the manufacturing processes even down to the CNC programs and setups. "This part is a cylindrical rotor that has 6, 1mm slots, each cross-drilled twice. The burrs in the 1mm slots could not be reached with our conventional tumbling deburring equipment, and our only other options were deburring by hand or sending the parts out for electrolytic deburring". said Joe. Both options were unacceptable due to the additional cost and time they added to the production cycle.

Joe had heard about the sPINner from Earth-Chain, and sent some sample parts to Mike Andrews for testing. A few days later the parts were returned, completely deburred, with a report documenting the media used and the run time (20 minutes).

Pleased with the results, Fred and Joe went ahead and purchased the sPINner and have been very satisfied with it. “This machine paid for itself in about a year. It reduced our cycle time, and gave us the ability to control quality in house.” said Joe.

The sPINner saved Greenwood Machine 17% on the cost to deburr each part compared to hand or electrolytic deburring, and even though they expect to nearly double production this year, they know deburring will not be a bottleneck.

According to Bowman “The sPINner is unlike other deburring technologies because the media is stainless steel pins, hardened to HRC 30 for long life. These special pins are why the sPINner can deburr small, complex parts so well.”

The parts and pins are placed in a deburring container and media solution is added. Next, the container is put into the machine and the cycle time and rotation speed is set. While it runs the pins are activated by a rotating magnetic plate underneath the deburring container. This causes the pins to rapidly reverse polarity, and jump up and down from 1 to 3 inches while rotating in the deburring container along with the parts. The parts and pins "spin" together to perform the deburring. The sPINner can even deburr internal cavities like slots and cross-drilled holes other media cannot reach.

Michael Harris, Vice President at Precision Finishing said: “The sPINner works best on small, precision parts made from non-ferrous metals including aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and even titanium.” The aggressiveness of the deburring is controlled by programming the speed of the magnetic plate and selecting from a variety of media sizes. The machine is easily programmed and can run unattended.

For more information on the sPINner contact Michael Harris at (877) 354-3837, or visit them at: www.earthchain.com. Michael's email address is: mharris@earthchain.com

Techniks Bar & Grille at IMTS2010 & TweetUps!

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:52:00 +0000

TechniksUSA Bar & Grill
IMTS2010 Hours: 11am-5pm Daily

FREE BEER! No Kidding! The "Techniks Bar & Grill" opens up at DAILY at 11AM, just in time for our DualDRIVE demonstration, and closes at 5PM.

Stop by, relax, have a drink on us and find out about all of our new products to help you make more money!

TechniksUSA Booth W-1636 Daily "TweetUps"

9:30am 'Shrink Fit Machines' - Understanding Shrink Fit & how it works

10:00am 'sPINner Deburring' - Sit & Spin: the easiest way to magnetically debur parts!

10:30am 'Coolant Products' - CoolBLAST, CoolFLEX, Coolant Collets & Coolant Rings - Learn about various ways to seal your Rotary Toolholders

11:00am 'DualDRIVE Toolholders' - Improve Rigidity, Tool Life & Surface Finish with our Dual Contact Toolholders

2:00pm Pinzbohr boring and modular tooling systems - Modular Boring to improve shop efficiency.

2:30pm Workholding - 'Electro-Permanent Magnetic Workholding Chucks'

3:00pm 'Collet Chuck's - Power Coat Nut, Inspection and Balance Reports, DNA collets are "dead nuts accurate"

3:30pm Workholding - 'MagVise': perform complex 5-sided machining on a manual magnetic vise

CoolFlex Toolholders have Multiple Coolant Paths

noreply@blogger.com (TechniksUSA) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:12:00 +0000

CoolFLEX collet chucks and end mill holders feature a coolant path that can be switched from coolant-through-spindle to DIN style coolant simply by removing two setscrews.

Now you don't have to buy machine-specific toolholders!

This feature can save thousands of dollars when compared to the cost of tooling-up both coolant- through and DIN coolant spindles.

CoolFlex holders are available for CAT40 and CAT50 spindles, in ER collet chuck and End Mill holder styles. The collet chucks are available in sizes in ER16, ER20, ER25, ER32 & ER40 and are balanced to 18,000 RPM. The end mill holder styles range from ID 1/4” to ID 1-1/4” and are balanced to 10,000 RPM.

All CoolFlex holders are factory set for the coolant-through-spindle application and can be changed to DIN style by the user. CoolFlex collet chucks come with Techniks’ “Power Coat” nut that increases clamping power on the tool shank up to 75%.