Current pulse

Fives acquires Bryant Grinder’s technology, intellectual property

Fives has finalized the acquisition of the Bryant Grinder’s ID/OD technology, intellectual property, and service activities, expanding its expertise to the design and manufacture of high-precision/high-production, inner-outer diameter grinders. Fives will also provide aftermarket services for the existing installed base.

The Bryant Grinder range of technologies and services will be operated and developed by Fives Landis Corp., Hagerstown, Maryland. Prior to this acquisition, Bryant Grinder was owned by Vermont Machine Tool.

The expertise of specialized precision grinders will allow Fives to enhance its services to the medical, bearing, drive-train, fuel systems, and valve-train industries. www.fivesgroup.com

MC Machinery appoints new national sales manager

Todd Romeiser has been hired by MC Machinery Systems Inc. as the national sales manager of its machining division to oversee sales of milling and turning centers.

“In addition to his impressive leadership experience, Todd spent years on the shop floor developing an understanding of milling and turning, and how those machines and processes support a broader operation, especially those heavy in EDM,” says Bill Isaac, vice president of sales and marketing at MC Machinery.

Romeiser has more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing. In that time, he rose from a tool-and-die shop apprentice to president of the U.S. subsidiary of Spanish-based machine tool manufacturer ONA EDM, responsible for managing budget, sales, and service. He’s also served as regional sales manager at Sodick, Tornos, and Agie Charmilles. www.mcmachinery.com

Orchid Design participates in FDA’s submission tracker pilot program

he FDA has selected Orchid Design as the sole regulatory consulting firm to participate in its submission tracking initiative. The web-based program tracks the status and key details of 510(k) submissions in an effort to add transparency and eliminate confusion surrounding the FDA Review Clock.

“The insights gained form working directly with the FDA on this project will allow us to efficiently and effectively navigate the regulatory submission process, as well as bring important issues to the FDA’s attention from a perspective they may otherwise not have considered in the development of the Submission Tracker program,” says Kellen Hills, senior quality and regulatory consultant for Orchid Design. www.orchid-ortho.com

Medical device companies adopt Arena’s cloud-based PLM solution

Arena’s cloud-based medical device product lifecycle management (PLM) solution is being adopted by the medical device industry. Arena has consolidated all product records and quality documents into a centralized system, offering visibility, cross-functional team collaboration, and long-term tracking of quality resolutions.

Requiring only a standard web browser, Arena solutions can validate every new release of Arena PLM and distribute the results to all Arena Validation Maintenance Service subscribers. With more than 100 medical device customers using Arena PLM, life sciences is consistently one of Arena’s strongest vertical markets, with sales having doubled in each of the last two years. www.arenasolutions.com

euspen Challenge 2015 winners develop engineering, business skills

The euspen Challenge 2015, held in Stockholm, Sweden, benefits students and industry. Students gain great national and international teamwork exposure and develop engineering and business skills. The Challenge also facilitates professional networking opportunities and allows contacts to be nurtured with leading companies operating in the precision engineering field.

In a similar way, the euspen Challenge allows industry to tap into the cream of new talent in precision engineering and to make unique connections in prominent research institutes.

The international competition is designed to identify students throughout Europe with potential to be future leaders in the field of precision engineering and nanotechnology. National heats were held across Europe earlier in 2015 identifying the best national students, who competed in international teams for the coveted title of euspen International Challenge Winners in Stockholm.

During the event – held at and supported by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Hexagon Metrology Nordic AB in Stockholm – students were required to address a technical challenge and to conclude with a presentation of their solution. An international jury of leading industrialists and academics selected one team for their overall best solution. Awards were also given to teams recommended for their most innovative solution and best presentation.

The event provided students with the tools to embrace and apply current and newly acquired skills in a constantly changing and demanding market. Working in culturally diverse teams, students had access to respected industry leaders to develop their commercial acumen.

The technical challenge in 2015 centered on high-precision metrology using low-cost imaging sensors. The challenge was to design and build an optical coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to achieve maximum accuracy with minimum budget. Focus was on appearance and functionality of the prototype, design, and construction of the machine; verification of performance; a review of the innovative aspects of the solution; the economics of its production; the compelling nature of the allied business case; and the overall quality of the presentation.

The winning team of Oskar Benjamin Klein was sponsored by KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Winning the award for Overall Best Solution was the team of students Alberto Figueroa de Godos from Bilbao Faculty of Engineering in Spain, Aslan Hüsnü from Aarhus University in Denmark, and Christian Young from the University of Huddersfield in the U.K.

Winner of the Most Innovative Solution award was team Christopher Polhem, sponsored by Hexagon Metrology Nordic AB. This team included students Paolo Micalizzi from ETH in Switzerland, Olatz Canovas Ahedo from the University of the Basque Country/Faculty of Engineering in Spain, and Qilin Fu from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.

The Best Presentation award, sponsored by Johannes Heidenhain GmbH, was won by team Baltzar von Platen, and included Steven R. Gillmer from the University of Rochester in the U.S., Jan Brajer from the Institute of Physics Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, and Johann Uphoff from the Universität Bremen in Denmark. www.euspen.eu

Epson Robots signs Cimtec Automation as distributor

The agreement incorporates distribution of all Epson Robots automation products including their large lineup of SCARA, 6-axis and linear module robots, integrated vision, and fieldbus I/O.

“With more than 25 years of experience, Cimtec Automation has proven to be more than just a distributor of products, but also a premier solutions provider in the industrial automation market in the Southeastern U.S., and we are proud to have them as part of our distribution network,” says Michael Ferrara, director of Epson Robots. “Cimtec’s industry-specific knowledge and experience with PLCs, controllers, vision systems, robots, and other automation products make for a natural fit to add Epson Robots products to their product solutions lineup.”

Cimtec will help Epson Robots continue growing robot-based automation solutions inNorth Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. www.epsonrobots.com; www.cimtecautomation.com

ecoTurn 450 is the 1,000th machine from DMG MORI’s California factory

At the end of August 2015, DMG MORI’s manufacturing plant in Davis, California, produced its 1,000th machine. With completion of the ecoTurn 450, the company celebrates its factory successes and sets global benchmarks in high-end machine tool production.

DMG MORI opened its North American manufacturing plant in Davis in July 2012. With a production capacity of more than 100 machines per month, DMG MORI domestically manufactures and assembles the NHX 4000 and NHX 5000 2nd Generation, NHX 6300, the DuraVertical 5100, and has recently added DMU 50 as well as the ecoTurn 450.

The ecoTurn 450’s new design has numerous features. Its optimized ergonomics and stable construction offer top precision, its high-technology components deliver maximum efficiency, the wide variety of 3D controls ensure flexibility, and the task-optimized options enable an upgrade of the machines right through to turn/mill complete machining.

The U.S. manufacturing plant in Davis has an extensive history. With more than 221,000ft², the factory was built adjacent to the design center and Digital Technology Laboratory (DTL) that Mori Seiki developed 15 years ago as an R&D site for machine tool designs, controls, and pallet systems. Establishing the manufacturing plant in 2012 created further opportunities for R&D in the U.S.

The site houses 180 employees – 120 in production, 60 in R&D – who work to ensure efficiency in the production process and overall, quick delivery of the machines. In addition, DMG MORI has established a design group in Davis to support product customization requests and turnkey projects. http://us.dmgmori.com/

CIMdata’s NC market analysis report, Vericut reviewed

CIMdata’s annual NC software market analysis report has a detailed product review for CGTech’s Vericut numerical control simulation, verification, and optimization solution suite. The report states that CGTech is positioned as the ninth-largest CAM software vendor and one of the only top 10 vendors expected to increase market share in 2015.

www.cgtech.com; www.cimdata.com