59
Multi-media links young minds with old tech; Women In Science & Engineering
anniversary; Milan EMO technology trends; better business for Cincinnati Milacron &
Platarg; Dugard gets Niigata; grinding tech news; new route to engineering
april 1995
We celebrate the use of the new medium of computerbased
multi-media at the Kew Bridge Steam Museum.
It claims the world’s largest collection of large steam
engines, the world’s largest working waterworks engine and the
world’s largest collection of Cornish beam engines. Interesting as
this old technology is to some adult visitors, we say that it is the
more familiar multi-media element that engages children, who
have shorter attention spans and may not be able to digest a
more traditional, fact-laden tour guide delivery. We congratulate
the museum, a charity, so short of money, and call for help in
expanding its multi-media efforts. Machinery also highlights the
10th anniversary of the Women into Science and Engineering
(WISE) campaign. As part of this celebration, there’s a
competition being run that asks young girls, 14-18, to write an
essay on why the UK needs more women engineers and how to
attract more girls into science and technology. WISE continues its
work in this area today, of course.
Our second issue gives over many pages, including the
comment page, to the forthcoming EMO show in Milan. The
inevitable mention of Leonardo Da Vinci is there, with the
magazine suggesting that even he would marvel at the technology
on show. Themes include: high speed machining, of both hard
and soft material via both vertical- and horizontal-spindle
models, with accompanying fast feed rates, such as
circular interpolation at 20 m/min – supported by the
application of the new area of linear motor technology;
hexapod-style machining centres offering 5-axis
machining; turning centres with three turrets to
reduce cycle times; faster processing CNCs that
reduce non-cutting times; the inverted spindle
VTL (self-loading, pick-up spindle) is becoming
even more prevalent; more open CNC
systems that draw on standard PC
hardware are increasing in number; and the European OSACA
open CNC project demonstrator is making its appearance at this
Italian EMO.
In news, Birmingham-based Cincinnati Milacron is celebrating
improving business, predicting production of 1,500, mostly
vertical, machining centres – it was 500 two years previously. We
celebrate press maker Platarg Engineering’s success across the
years since establishment in the 1950s. Both these companies
no longer operate. Dugard, which is still in business today, has
snapped up the Niigata machining centre agency, returning to an
area it previously served via the Kearney & Trecker Milwaukee
machines. That stopped when K&T merged with Warner &
Swasey, however.
In other news, coolant use in grinding is the subject of a
seminar put on by the Institute of Grinding Technology, with high
pressure application shown to deliver improved surface nishes
by removing debris from grinding wheels and so also supporting
elevated material removal rate. Staying with grinding, a machine
to produce the internal and external edges of ceramic computer
disks has been designed and made by Cran eld Precision
Engineering (now part of French engineering giant Fives). It
delivers zero-defect manufacture. Eight machines have so far
been sold, mostly to the US. The Engineering Council (Engineering
UK today) is proposing a new system for registration, initial
formation and continuing professional development.
Feature articles this month take in: bar feed selection, both
long and short styles; maintaining consistent angles when
forming on press brakes; machine attachments that enhance
functionality; a cutting tooling project in the automotive sector
that pays off big; ozone-friendly degreasing developments as 1, 1,
1-trichloroethane comes under legislative pressure; and a
computerised machine tool maintenance package that is aiding
planning to keeps machines running.
▼
Key Events
apr 95
Pirate radio
DJ and comic
presenter
Kenny Everett
dies, 50
▼ ▼ ▼
cars in the UK
25years ago
Titanium Machining to Perfection
MonsterMill TCR – ensuring service life
and process reliability
For more information:
cutting.tools/en/monstermill-tcr
PhONEday: UK- ▼
wide
dialing code
changes
Internet
becomes
solely private;
US government
funding ceases
40-1 outsider
Royal Athlete, trained
by Jenny Pitman,
wins The
Grand National
Daewoo begins selling
All Action/EMPICS Entertainment
black_kira /stock.adobe.com
Mike Swope /stock.adobe.com
S_E /stock.adobe.com
millenius /stock.adobe.com
Christos Georghiou /stock.adobe.com
Oklahoma City
bombing, 168
people die, Timothy
McVeigh & Terry
Nichols responsible