Current pulse

Comprehensive listing of Swiss-style tool line

Carmex Precision Tools’ catalog covers recent additions to the line of tooling for Swiss-style machining. Ranging from conventional inserts to thread whirling tools, the line includes tools for grooving, deep grooving, parting, finishing, special geo-metry, thread turning, and cham-fering. To obtain a copy, email sales@carmexusa.com or call 888. 628.5030. www.carmexusa.com

HaasTec 2015 draws students, international attendance

Haas Automation Inc.’s recent HaasTec open house attracted nearly 3,300 attendees to its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California. The four-day event drew visitors from 48 countries. More than 330 students – from regional high schools, colleges, and universities – attended the open house.

HaasTec included machine demonstrations, tours of the company’s 1 million square foot facility, and 38 exhibitor booths with representatives from major CAD/CAM, tooling, and workholding manufacturers.

Attendees saw more than 200 Haas machines in action on the factory floor, making parts for more Haas machines. Of the 298 chip-making machines in the factory, 70% are Haas.

Providing visitors with a historical perspective, HaasTec also included a display of the company’s very first VMC – machine No. 1, fitted with an early Haas rotary table – alongside its modern-day equivalent. www.haascnc.com

New president for the Americas at MACtac

Ed T. LaForge has been named the new president for MACtac North and South America. LaForge most recently served as the Americas vice president of sales and marketing, having spent 23 years at the company in a variety of functions.

“We are very pleased that Ed, a seasoned industry veteran, will lead MACtac forward in both North and South America,” says Guido Alvino, president of MACtac Global. “His strong leadership, industry expertise, and operational and financial experience will be instrumental in driving continued growth for MACtac.”

MACtac is a manufacturer and distributor of pressure-sensitive labels with manufacturing locations in North America and Europe and sales offices and distribution centers in North America, Europe, and Asia. www.mactac.com

Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon, Google collaborate on advancing surgical robotics

Johnson & Johnson medical device subsidiary Ethicon has entered into a strategic collaboration with Google Inc. Working together to advance surgical robotics, the companies will bring together capabilities, intellectual property, and expertise. The goal is to create a robotic-assisted surgical platform capable of integrating advanced technologies and improving health care delivery in the operating room. The collaboration was facilitated by the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center in California.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation is the company’s new approach to partnering, which is aimed at advancing early-stage innovation. The team of science and business experts, based in regional innovation centers, collaborate with innovators to accelerate cutting-edge science into health care solutions.

“For more than 60 years, Ethicon has developed products and technologies that have transformed the way surgery is done,” says Gary Pruden, worldwide chairman, Global Surgery Group, Johnson & Johnson. “This collaboration with Google is another important step in our commitment to advancing surgical care.” www.ethicon.com; www.google.com