Our machine tool industry--changer or changee?

he United States machine tool industry is experiencing unprecedented change. Our historic business models are no longer applicable. Machine tool consumption has declined by more than 60% since 1997, causing ruthless and seemingly endless hyper-competition. Industrial globalization, outsourcing strategies, customer demands for more services, and the relentless advance of technology are heaping even more stress on machine tool companies.

The predominant feeling in our industry is that the good ole days are a distant memory, never to return again. Let's get real. Are we actually challenging ourselves as an industry, asking the right questions and analyzing root causes? What are we doing, other than lamenting and waiting for the economic turnaround? Are there deeper issues negatively affecting our industry long term we are not confronting?

Let's face some facts. In 2003 China is projected to be the number one machine-tool-- consuming nation in the world. Germany will be second and the United States will plummet to third. Why? Because other countries are aggressively building and protecting their manufacturing base while we let ours slip away. Even a robust United States economic turnaround will not bring back the substantial number of manufacturing jobs permanently lost to other countries in the past several years. Do we want to return to number one, or are we satisfied with third?

More facts. The United States machine tool industry is in danger of losing its technology and manufacturing process knowledge base. The machine tool business has been so difficult for so long that several industry icons have closed their doors forever. Some of the best people in the industry have tossed in the towel and left the business to work in other industries. Further mortgaging our future is our difficulty in attracting young applications engineers, service technicians, and sales personnel because of perceived poor career opportunities.

I believe the writing is on the wall. The US is losing countless manufacturing jobs as we continue to migrate from being a producer-nation to being a consumer-nation. This shift weakens our economic foundation, and makes us vulnerable to ever changing geopolitical scenarios such as we now face with oil-- supplying nations. The end result, if we take no counter measure, will be the decimation of the US machine tool industry, and the rendering of our prospects for future growth, prosperity, and manufacturing competitiveness DOA.

High-volume bar machine

The Romi CNC 30 G features hydraulic collet chuck and automatic parts unloading, as well as "U" shaped cross-slide gang tooling with T slots for toolholder positioning. Interactive programming screens make the machine equally adept at mixed-volume, short-run production, as well as dedicated high-volume applications, says Romi Machine Tools, Ltd.

The machine occupies a 94.5" x 86.6" footprint. Other specifications include maximum bar capacities of 1.625" (round), 1.250" (hex) and 1" (square): a maximum bar length of 47.42"; and a maximum cutting length of 4.72". In addition, the bar machine is capable of rapid traverse rates of 630 ipm and 512 ipm for the respective XZ axes.

In addition to "T" slots for one cut-off toolholder, the ten-station, "'U" shaped cross slide gang tooling system features one mechanical bar puller with a built-in cut-off toolholder; two external turning toolholders; two boring bar holders; one double boring bar holder; and five reduction sleeves.

Potential benefits of using the machine, as cited by the company, are accelerated cycle times and reduced non-cut time.

Companies collaborate to offer on-machine inspection

Delcam and Renishaw have joined forces to offer On-Machine Verification to companies seeking to increase the productivity of their machine tools. Though this technology is advantageous for companies that do not currently have existing inspection capabilities, it is also beneficial to subcontractors that need to machine larger components.

Data for the process can be collected using Renishaw's spindle probes, such as the established MP 700 or the compact OMP 400. Neither of these probes needs to be calibrated in all the vectors in which they are to be used. This reduces the number of points required to measure a given part and therefore produces shorter verification cycle times.

PowerInspect can use the data to gage surface accuracy or to measure features, such as circles, cylinders, cones, spheres and planes. The capability to program complete verification sequences off-line means that there can be minimal interruption of the machining operations, says the manufacturer.

The technology can yield time savings by enabling the quality of the component being machined to be monitored at all stages in the manufacturing process. Therefore, errors can be detected earlier, and thus corrected more quickly. Similarly, the extent of any damage caused, example, by a tool breakage, can be assessed. The user can thus determine whether the part can still be completed within tolerance or if the part will have to be scrapped. If a part has to be transferred to a dedicated CMM and the inspection indicates any errors, then the component must be returned to the machine tool and re-clamped in position before being machined again. Time-consuming for any component, this process might require hours for a heavy item, such as a large aero structure or a press tool for an automotive body panel. In addition, the setup back onto the machine tool might result in a new series of errors in the component and lead to a further cycle of inspection and re-machining.

With On-Machine Verification, the part can be inspected prior to being moved. Errors can thus be detected and corrected before the component is transferred to the CMM for its final inspection. The capability to check that the part is reaching its specifications at the various stages of the manufacturing process will save time, reduce the amount of scrap and increase confidence that time is not being wasted working on components that are already too far out of tolerance, says the manufacturer

Mill-Turn Machine combines lathe and machining center

Barnant Company is offering a 24-channel engine exhaust gas scanner for monitoring gas, as well as oil/water temperatures and other critical parameters. The new gas scanner can be used to observe up to 24 Type J, K, T or E thermocouples to sense exhaust gas at various points. The ABS unit is configured for benchtop, control panel or wall, allowing sequential or selective monitoring of all probes. With accuracy of [+ or -] 0.1 percent, this reliable gas scanner is equipped with RS-232C for out-put to a PC or data logger, selectable F[degrees] or C[degrees] settings, hi/lo set points with audible alarm, store/ recall of 2520 readings per channel, 10 second-to-hourly sequential scan capability, real time digital clock, non-volatile memory, full immunity to RF interference and a three-year warranty. The Integrated mill turn centers in NT Series provide full lathe and machining center capabilities in one package with DCG(TM) (Driven at Center of Gravity) technology, box-in-box construction, and turret with built-in milling motor. Machines contain B-axis that uses direct drive motor, and indexing specifications allow for input by units of 0.0001[degrees]. Max spindle speed is 5,000 rpm, max tool spindle speed is 12,000 rpm, and tool-to-tool change time is 1 sec.

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The full capabilities of a lathe and machining center are now available in one package

Irving, Texas, September 20, 2005 - Mori Seiki's new NT Series of integrated mill turn centers fully combines a lathe with a machining center. In designing the series, Mori Seiki completely rethought the design and construction of multitasking machines to harness the turning ability of a lathe and the cutting ability of a machining center.

The NT Series employs both DCG(TM) (Driven at the Center of Gravity) technology and the box-in-box construction of the NH Series horizontal machining centers, along with the turret with a built-in milling motor from the NL Series CNC lathes. The combination of these features is included with no compromises in terms of their performancestan Machines in the NT Series contain a B-axis that uses a DD (Direct Drive) motor, eliminating backlash and making high-speed rotation possible. Indexing specifications for the axis cater to high precision machining requirements, allowing for input by units of 0.0001 degrees.

To make the NT Series as efficient and productive as possible, special attention has been paid to machine speed. Maximum spindle speed is 5,000 rpm with a maximum tool spindle speed of 12,000 rpm. Additionally, the machines' ATC (Automatic Tool Changer) features a tool-to-tool change time of just 1 sec. and a chip-to-chip time of only 3.4 sec.

Special attention to thermal displacement allows machines in the NT Series to perform at the highest levels of accuracy and precision. The lower turret is located symmetrically in relation to the center of the spindle, forming a construction resistant to the effects of heat. Additionally, ball screw and motor jacket cooling have been implemented to completely eradicate inaccuracy caused by heat variations.

The NT Series will make use of MAPPS III, the latest iteration of Mori Seiki's highly successful control system. MAPPS III allows fast processing and is equipped with a collision prevention function that monitors machine movements in real time. The controls also take advantage of the ease and convenience of conversational input, providing high-speed canned cycles that lead to dramatic increases in programming speed.

The NT Series will contain 9 models, with spindle, lower turret and no center support options bringing the total number of variations to 66. Varieties of the machines will be brought to market sequentially.

Mori Seiki will host an Innovation Days event in early November at its Chicago Technical Center to formally introduce the new line to the North American market. Details on the event will be announced in late September.dard unit weighs only 4 lb

Spain, a reference point for the machine tool industry

Surging ahead of countries such as United Kingdom and France, Spain has consolidated its position as one of the world's leaders in the machine tool sector and also as a major industrial country.

The country ranks eighth among the world's main machine tool suppliers, and eighth in terms of export volume. Within the European Union it takes third place, after Germany and Italy.

Behind this significant data lies a long period of effort and initiative to reach such a position since the first mass-produced machine tool was manufactured in Spain in 1863. This is one historical aspect which illustrates the strong industrial tradition within the sector.

AFM, the Association representing the machine tool sector, was founded in 1946 and was one of the first Spanish entrepreneurial associations to become a member of an international professional organization when it joined the CECIMO (European Committee for Co-operation of the Machine Tool Industries).

With regard to the Machine Tool Industry in Spain, it should be said that over roughly the last seven years Spain has been one of the countries which has experienced the most growth in this sector, in proportion to the increasing size and importance of the main machine tool manufacturers. This rate of growth is in terms of both production volume and of exports Data gathered for the year 2002 show that Spain remains among the leading machine tool manufacturer countries.

How to pay for that new machine tool: innovative approaches to funding help shops and plants acquire the technology they need

In recent years, many machine shops have experienced a significant decline in sales; compression of margins; increased competition; exportation of machining and manufacturing demand; difficulty in obtaining working capital and acquisition financing resulting in operating losses; and an erosion in tangible net worth. Those shops that have remained profitable and experienced upward trends have several common characteristics: experienced and disciplined management, a diverse customer base, no significant customer concentrations, proper leverage and stringent cash flow management.

A challenge all equipment buyers experience is determining the best means to fund an equipment acquisition: cash/equity, a bank revolving line of credit or an equipment loan. Equipment financing is especially difficult during lean economic periods, when a prudent businessperson needs to monitor and forecast cash flow needs and availability to remain solvent.

All three acquisition payment methods entail both advantages and disadvantages. Cash purchasing is simple, requires no third party intervention and alleviates a buyer from future debt/rental payments--yet a cash purchase may adversely affect a company's solvency. Using a bank working line of credit availability is another simple funding method that requires no third party intervention. The bank line of credit financing method typically offers a competitive, variable rate loan, yet it may adversely affect a company's access to business flow interruptions and impact daily working capital requirements. Leasing has become the most common method of funding equipment needs

The Changing Equipment Finance Marketplace

The equipment finance marketplace has changed considerably in the last decade. As a result of consolidation, industry specialization and contraction of capital markets, machine tool buyers are left with fewer options to find financing sources in the traditional bank and finance marketplace. This has led to the growth of captive finance companies owned and operated by either a manufacturer or a distributor. Captive vendor finance companies provide finance products and services exclusively to their parent companies' customers. Most progressive manufacturers and some of the more prosperous distributors are providing equipment financing as an extension of their selling services in order to promote acquisition.

Captive vendor finance companies provide convenient, creative and alternative finance solutions to equipment buyers. These companies offer distinct advantages over banks, finance companies and brokers. They have an understanding of the industry and equipment, the intended use of the equipment, customer credit profiles and the specific customer equipment applications. Furthermore, captives are able to offer a variety or finance products tailored to meet specific customer needs.

Reviewing Options

Many different finance options are now available. These include a loan, capitol lease, finance lease, operating lease, off-balance sheet lease, tax lease, non-tax lease, promissory note/security agreement, skip payments, step-up or step-down payments, and many others. The variety or product options can often be confusing. To simplify the process, buyers should consider two financial concerns prior to selecting a finance product--tax appetite (the need for depreciation deductions to reduce actual tax paid) and cash flow.

If the buyer seeks the depreciation benefits of ownership, a non-tax lease, lease purchase, finance lease, loan or capital lease may be the product needed. Conversely, if the buyer has no tax appetite, prior or current losses, restrictive loan covenants regarding increased borrowing/leverage, or need for short-term utilization, then a tax lease, operating lease or off-balance sheet lease may be the product needed.

Once the lease product has been identified, the term and payment structure can be developed to meet the borrower's cash flow needs. Other features of the lease such as rate, down payments, balloon payments, deferrals, commencement terms, prepayment penalties and guarantees are then typically negotiated based on the customer's credit strength and specific needs.

In recent years, many machine shops have experienced a significant decline in sales; compression of margins; increased competition; exportation of machining and manufacturing demand; difficulty in obtaining working capital and acquisition financing resulting in operating losses; and an erosion in tangible net worth. Those shops that have remained profitable and experienced upward trends have several common characteristics: experienced and disciplined management, a diverse customer base, no significant customer concentrations, proper leverage and stringent cash flow management.

A challenge all equipment buyers experience is determining the best means to fund an equipment acquisition: cash/equity, a bank revolving line of credit or an equipment loan. Equipment financing is especially difficult during lean economic periods, when a prudent businessperson needs to monitor and forecast cash flow needs and availability to remain solvent.

All three acquisition payment methods entail both advantages and disadvantages. Cash purchasing is simple, requires no third party intervention and alleviates a buyer from future debt/rental payments--yet a cash purchase may adversely affect a company's solvency. Using a bank working line of credit availability is another simple funding method that requires no third party intervention. The bank line of credit financing method typically offers a competitive, variable rate loan, yet it may adversely affect a company's access to business flow interruptions and impact daily working capital requirements. Leasing has become the most common method of funding equipment needs

The Changing Equipment Finance Marketplace

The equipment finance marketplace has changed considerably in the last decade. As a result of consolidation, industry specialization and contraction of capital markets, machine tool buyers are left with fewer options to find financing sources in the traditional bank and finance marketplace. This has led to the growth of captive finance companies owned and operated by either a manufacturer or a distributor. Captive vendor finance companies provide finance products and services exclusively to their parent companies' customers. Most progressive manufacturers and some of the more prosperous distributors are providing equipment financing as an extension of their selling services in order to promote acquisition.

Captive vendor finance companies provide convenient, creative and alternative finance solutions to equipment buyers. These companies offer distinct advantages over banks, finance companies and brokers. They have an understanding of the industry and equipment, the intended use of the equipment, customer credit profiles and the specific customer equipment applications. Furthermore, captives are able to offer a variety or finance products tailored to meet specific customer needs.

Reviewing Options

Many different finance options are now available. These include a loan, capitol lease, finance lease, operating lease, off-balance sheet lease, tax lease, non-tax lease, promissory note/security agreement, skip payments, step-up or step-down payments, and many others. The variety or product options can often be confusing. To simplify the process, buyers should consider two financial concerns prior to selecting a finance product--tax appetite (the need for depreciation deductions to reduce actual tax paid) and cash flow.

If the buyer seeks the depreciation benefits of ownership, a non-tax lease, lease purchase, finance lease, loan or capital lease may be the product needed. Conversely, if the buyer has no tax appetite, prior or current losses, restrictive loan covenants regarding increased borrowing/leverage, or need for short-term utilization, then a tax lease, operating lease or off-balance sheet lease may be the product needed.

Once the lease product has been identified, the term and payment structure can be developed to meet the borrower's cash flow needs. Other features of the lease such as rate, down payments, balloon payments, deferrals, commencement terms, prepayment penalties and guarantees are then typically negotiated based on the customer's credit strength and specific needs.

Valid Machine Tool Setup for Helical Groove Machining

An investigation is reported on identifying valid machine tool setup conditions for grinding or milling of helical grooves using profiled disc-type cutting tools. When using existing analytical models to design cutter profiles for helical groove machining, it is often found that no valid solution can be found if the machine setup is not properly selected. In the present investigation, the criteria for obtaining a valid cutter profile are established and applied to finding the range of allowable setup conditions for both smooth workpiece profiles and profiles with one or more singular points. These results are illustrated using a CAD/CAM software package for helical groove machining.

Helical grooves for drill flutes, milling cutters, gears, screw mechanisms, and so on, are usually machined from cylindrical stock by grinding or milling using profiled disc-type cutters as illustrated in Figure I. During machining of the helical groove, the cutter rotates about its axis, Z^sub 2^, as the workpiece moves along and rotates about its axis, z. The combined motion of the cutter and workpiece generates the helical groove. Due to the nonrectilinear motion of the cutter along the helical cutting path, the cutter profile defined in the cutter axial section (section AA) in Figure 1 is different from the workpiece profile viewed in the same cross section. This makes it difficult to find either the cutter profile to generate a required shape of the helical groove or the helical groove shape generated by a given cutter profile. Furthermore, it is first necessary to specify the machine setup condition, which includes the separation distance, s, between the cutter and workpiece axes and the setting angle, α, as shown in Figure 1. Each machine setup can lead to a different solution for the required cutter or workpiece profile.

Historically, cutter profiles for helical grooves have been designed by graphical trial-and-error methods (Dudley and Poritsky 1943). To overcome the inherent inaccuracy of this approach, analytical methods were developed to design the required cutter profile or to find the helical groove. These methods can be divided into two classes. The first class is based on graphic reasoning (Friedman, Boleslavski, and Meister 1972; Kaldor and Messinger 1988; Veliko, Nankov, and Kirov 1998), which considers the trajectories of selected points on the cutter profile. The results are visually presented as the envelope of the trajectories in the workpiece transverse section. However, this method cannot be directly applied to finding the cutter profile to generate a desired nelical groove shape. The second class is based on the condition that there is a common normal vector at the points defining the line of contact betweeni the cutter and the helical groove surfaces during cutting (Agullo-Batlle, Cardona-foix, and Vinas-sanz 1985; Sheth and Malkin 1990; Ehmann 1990; King, Ehmann, and Lin 1996a, 1996b). After each contact point is found, the corresponding points on the cutter and helical groove profiles are mathematicalfy related to each other. While the desired cutter or workpiece profile is obtained directly, the application of this method is complicated by the need to calculate the derivative of the given profile.

When applying these methods, it is often found that no valid cutter profile can be obtained for a given machine setup and helical groove profile. In such cases, the machine setup must be adjusted to obtain a valid cutter profile (Agullo-Batlle, Cardona-foix, and Vinas-saiiz 1985). However, no general method has been presented on how to adjust the machine setup. Some ressarchers statistically related the machine setup to a critic al portion of the required helical groove profile, but this inevitably leads to some errors in the resulting profile (Ekambaram and Malkin 1993).

The present paper is concerned with selecting valid machine setup conditions for helical groove machining. Beginning with an analytical model for the cutter profile design, criteria for identifying valid machine setups for a given helical groove are analyzed. The mathematical model for machine setup is then further developed for profiles with singularities. These criteria and the mathematical model are then applied to finding the range of valid machine setup conditions. Some examples are presented to illustrate the method.

Taiwan Machine Tool Industry Enjoys High Growth In 2000 - Brief Article

The export-oriented machine tool industry of Taiwan revived substantially after undergoing several hardships in 1999. In 2000, the import and export value of Taiwan's machine tool industry recorded a sharp growth of 31.9 percent and 64.1 percent respectively, with exports reaching a record high of US$1.5 billion.

There are more than 300 suppliers that produce complete units, and 1000 venders if peripheral satellite factories are also included. Most of them are small- to medium-scale enterprises. Two-thirds are metal cutting machine makers, while the rest are metal forming machine makers. The major Taiwan-made machine tools include machining centers, CNC/non-CNC lathes, CNC/non-CNC milling machines, CNC/non-CNC grinding machines, drilling machines, CNC/non-CNC electric discharge machines (EDM), presses and shearing machines. The top ten export markets for Taiwan-made machine tools in 2000 in order of priority are Hong Kong (including China), the United States, Malaysia, Italy, Thailand, United Kingdom, Germany, Singapore, Japan, and the Netherlands.

As the foremost non-profit trade promotion organization in Taiwan, CETRA and its four representative offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco and Miami have invested tremendous efforts in promoting Taiwan's machine tools in the United States. To increase bilateral trade opportunities, CETRA regularly offers American buyers and Taiwanese suppliers many trade-related activities in the United States that include the following:

Inviting buyers to visit TIMTOS (Taipei International Machine Tools Show)

Offering free trade inquiry services.

Setting up appointments for buyers before they visit Taiwan.

Holding seminars for Taiwanese exhibitors in Chicago's IMTS show.

Holding seminars on finance to solve financial problems and seek support from the government.

Supporting Taiwan makers to participate in machinery shows in the US.

Launching the Image Enhancement Plan to promote a value-added image of Taiwan-made machines.

The American market will no doubt still be one of the most important markets for Taiwan-made machine tools. To keep its competitiveness in the American market, Taiwan's machine tool industry has increased its investment and cooperated with research institutes in developing high speed, high precision automated products. To improve after-sales service and shorten delivery time, many companies have set up their own warehouses or offices in the United States. Taiwan's machine tool manufacturers are one of the major participants in international machine tool show, You can always find them in major machinery shows worldwide, such as IMTS in the United States, EMO in Europe, JIMTOF in Japan, CIMT in China, BI-MU in Italy, and FEIMAFE in Brazil

The United States ranks as the second largest market for exports of Taiwan's machine tools, in which major machine tools purchased by U.S. buyers are lathes, machining centers, milling machines, grinding machines, EDMs and presses. The total export value to the United States was US$273 million in 2000, with a 25.2 percent growth. In the same period, Taiwan also imported US$434 million worth of machine tools from the United States, of which most were used for semiconductor production.

Machine Tool Sales Jump Nearly 35%

Sales of US machine tools continued to rise in November with equipment purchases increasing 34.8% during the month compared to October sales, according to the latest figures available from the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA, Rockville, MD) and AMT-The Association for Manufacturing Technology (McLean, VA).

For November, US machine tool sales reached $210.25 million versus October sales of $156.02 million. The month's sales also were up 54.7% from the $135.94 million in sales reported in November 2002, but year-to-date sales of $1.796 billion declined 8.5% compared to the $1.964 billion for the same period in 2002. The data are based on the totals reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

"The stars are aligned for a steady manufacturing recovery in 2004," according to Ralph J. Nappi, AMTDA president. "Economic data and anecdotal evidence indicate monetary and tax policy is having the impact many hoped for in the manufacturing community. But a fragile recovery it may be unless Congress makes a genuine effort at dealing with the increasing costs for business and consumers in areas like health care and frivolous litigation."

Regional sales showed increases during November in the Central (115.5%), Midwest (33.9%), and Northeast regions (23.3%), while sales declined in the West (-18.6%) and South regions (-12.9%) versus October sales. Year-to-date sales regionally rose in the South (5.1%) versus YTD 2002 sales, but fell in the West (-21.6%), Northeast (-18.7%), Central (-13.5%), and Midwest regions (-4.4%).

National Tool & Machine Co. Celebrates 75th Anniversary

National Tool & Machine Co., Inc., East St. Louis, Illinois, is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

The company produces a wide range of tools, jigs, fixtures, special machinery and offers general machine work and repair.

Founded in 1929, National Too & Machine has been owned by the same family and stayed in the same location throughout the 75 years.

Sylvester "Syl" Fontana Sr. started the company. In 1969, his son, "Syl" Jr., and brother, John L. Millick took over operations. In 1994, Millick retired and his son, John M. Millick joined Syl Jr. as a co-owner.

"We have always had a willingness to stay on the cutting of technology," stated Syl Fontana. "Combining the technology with lots of effort and an impeccable reputation and one can understand how we lasted 75 years."

An example of staying on the cutting edge of technology is the company's latest equipment acquisition, an OKUMA MX55VB 50 taper CNC vertical machining center with a full 4th axis.

Today, National Tool & Machine operates in a 7,000-sq.-ft. facility (expanded twice over the years) with 12 employees.

The company is divided into several departments including: a CNC department with five pieces of CNC equipment; a Quality Control department; a lathe department with three lathes; a grinding department with eight grinders; a milling department with eight mills; a drilling department with four drill presses; a sawing department with three saws and a welding/fabrication department with welders, presses and shears.

National Tool & Machine's equipment can handle milling jobs up to 20" x 25" x 48" and its lathes go up to 20" swing with four-foot centers.

The programming department utilizes Mastercam software.

The company focuses on small to medium sizedruns and works with virtually all metals and some plastics.

National Tool & Machine serves a wide range of industries within a 200-mile radius of the St. Louis area including: automotive; chemical; aircraft; railroad; medical equipment; appliances; hand tools and general industrial equipment.

"We serve the entire spectrum of manufacturing industries," noted John Millick. "Which is unusual in the marketplace today."

US machine tool consumption steady - Materials Outlook - Brief Article - Industry Overview

U.S. machine tool consumption totaled an estimated $186.93 million in October, virtually even with a revised $186.95 million the previous month but down 0.6 percent from $188.06 million in October 2001, according to a joint report by the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association, Rockville, Md., and the Association for Manufacturing Technology, McLean, Va. "Reports noting the current contraction of the manufacturing economy and excess production capacity for durable goods underscore the need for U.S. manufacturers to adapt to permanent systemic changes taking place," said AMTDA president Ralph J. Nappi. "No doubt, business will improve, but not to prior levels. We must recognize the playing field has changed and that value-added processes are increasingly more pivotal than the rigid product focus embraced in the past." Machine tool consumption in the first 10 months of 2002 totaled more than $1.72 billion, down 26.6 percent from nearly $2.35 billion in the same period last year.

Machine Tool Sales Rebound

The machine tool industry showed continued signs of awakening from its economic doldrums as December US machine tool consumption rose more than 15% compared to November sales, according to the latest data available from the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA, Rockville, MD) and AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McLean, VA).

Sales in December totaled $220.88 million versus November sales of $210.25 million, an increase of 15.4%, which also, represented a 10.8% increase over sales of $199.43 million in December 2002. For the year, industry sales of $1.993 billion for 2003 trailed 2002 sales of 2.163 billion by 7.9%. The data are based on totals reported by companies participating in the USMTC program.

"Manufacturing technology orders finished strong in the fourth quarter last year," according to John B. Byrd Ill, AMT president. "Our customers' capacity use and profits are growing, a combination that has historically signaled previous recoveries in capital spending."

Regional sales in December showed big improvements versus November sales in four of five regions with sales increases in the South (86.3%), West (64.6%), Northeast (33.1%), and Midwest (21.9%) regions, and only the Central region's sales fell (-36.0%). In regional sales compared to December 2002, sales improved in the Northeast. (28%), Midwest (18.8%), Central (11.2%), and West (7.0%) regions, but declined in the South (-14.1%) region.

The U.S. Metal Cutting Machine and Stationary Tool Consumption Will Reach Over $7 Billion In 2006

We have studied the machine tool, hand tool, power tool and Lawn & Garden markets since 1987. Metal cutting machine tools will reach over $5 billion in 2009 and this is one in a series of tool and machinery reports that accurately accounts for consumption dollars through detailed studies of production, imports and exports with in-depth analysis throughout.

The "U.S. Machine and Stationary Tool Market" entails full color exhibits and charts with commentary that ties them into a cohesive look at a most dynamic market place. This study takes a close-up view of the economy and how it drives machines with up to date facts on production, imports, exports, ultimate consumption and anomalies.

This study offers the product decision maker the opportunity to visualize historical facts with in-depth analysis and reliable forecasts through 2009.U.S. metal cutting machine and stationary tool consumption will reach over $7 billion for 2006 and may well see some of the consumption dollar successes of the last decade. Production will reach over $2.5 billion with strength in numerous product groups.

This complete study shows how machinery interacts with other types of tools and the economy as a whole. In particular, this study depicts the rate and quantity of imports as well demonstrating the actual effect on production values. This study offers the producer and seller essential facts and accurate and insightful analysis for detailed product management decisions.

More tools, faster changes - Westec 2002 - Turretgang machine tool from U.S. Shop Tools

The company introduces Turretgang, a tool that increases the number of tools on CNC lathe turrets and provides rapid tool change.

The Turretgang holds up to three round tools and is mounted in OD tool locations on the turret. It speeds up machining due to the gang-style spacing of tools. Rapid movement from tool to tool permits turret lathes to compete with screw or slide machines. X-axis programming allows the operator to take advantage of the reduced machining cycle benefits of slide-type lathes.

The product is available in several standard models, all in coolant through design, for both channel and tool block style turrets and holds up to three tools. The additional tools on the lathe that are made possible will often eliminate secondary operations, said to result in improved quality and reduce machining time and cost. Turretgang can be special ordered per customer specific sizes and tool pockets.