A view on advancing metalcutting technology: as vp of technology at AMT, Paul Warndorf is keeping tabs on what's going on in both the commercial and academic worlds when it comes to material processing. Here's some of the things he's seen of late.

As he's anticipating the 2006 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), Paul Warndorf, vice president-Technology, AMT--The Association For Manufacturing Technology (www. amtonline.org), the organization that puts on IMTS, says that one of the key trends he sees in metalcutting technology is "precision." Precision in at least a couple of ways:

1. "Precision in the way they have designed the machines." Warndorf explains that one of the things that has been going on in the machine tool industry of late is that there is an increased use of computer-aided engineering in order to assure that the machines are built in such a way so that they can meet production requirements more precisely. Whereas machine tools were once built as rather monumental structures, they are now, generally, based on a leaner concept.

2. Precision in the performance of the machines: "It's something that people strive for every year," Warndorf says, adding that going forward this is likely to be an even-greater characteristic, especially as the machine builders face new competitors from China.

In either case, it is a win for the customer of the machine tool.

SMALL. There is another area of precision that Warndorf sees emerging in metalcutting and processing. This is the area of "small machines," machines that are in the realm of "micromachines." Warndorf says that heretofore, "You have to buy a pretty large machine"--which he says might measure 5 x 3 ft., which means that "pretty large" is a relative term--"to produce these small parts." The parts he's talking about range in size from approximately that of a pin head to 0.125 in. (2). Now there is a move toward producing machines that themselves are 1 x 1 ft.--desktop machines, in effect. What's more, there is research and development under way in what he calls "microfactories." Presumably, one could build an entire factory in a space about the size of a desk or conference table, given the small size of the machines. Because they're interested in seeing this sort of development advance, there is an "Emerging Technology Center Pavilion" at IMTS, where there are a number of universities, research groups, and companies displaying microdevelopments, including those for metalcutting.

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BIG. Precision is something that, Warndorf says, is being driven by changing requirements in industries. He points out, for example, that the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program has reduced the tolerances on parts to the extent that "the manufacturers, the sub-tiers, are having a challenge to produce those parts. In the aerospace world you're going to see a change to tighter-tolerance parts, which will then raise the issue of the precision of machine to be highlighted even more." To be sure, if you're making exceedingly small parts it is necessary to have tight tolerance, but Warndorf points out that in the case of the JSF they're talking about large parts, too. Presumably, if there are these precision demands in aero, it is simply a matter of time until they reach auto.

SMART. This discussion of the sub-tiers doing more of the actual parts manufacturing leads to an issue that Warndorf describes as being challenging, especially as people start trying to achieve what he calls "first-part correct." That is, how can a manufacturer make a complex, tight-tolerance part right the first time, especially if that manufacturer is at a second or third tier and doesn't necessarily have access to all manner of advanced technology? Right now, it probably can't. So AMT is working with several other organizations in the Coalition on Manufacturing Technology Infrastructure (CMTI), and one of the programs that is being undertaken by the coalition is called the "Smart Machine Platform Initiative" (SMPI). It has received its initial funding, $2-million, through the U.S. Department of Defense.

Speaking of the type of capability that they would like to have for the SMPI--and Warndorf emphasizes that the undertaking is not about a machine design, per se, as it is about the performance and functionality of the machine--he references work that was done by the late Professor Jiri Tlusty of the University of Florida. Tlusty found that there is a "sweet spot" in machining that is found when there is the right correlation with the depth of cut, spindle speed, tool geometry, etc. Warndorf says that presently, it is necessary to assemble the tool, but the cutter in the holder, then use a measuring device to determine the frequencies of the cut such that the "sweet spot" can be determined. This is the sort of thing that the aforementioned second- or third-tier supplier (and to be fair, OEMs and tier ones) might not be likely to do. "We're looking at how we could automate that," Warndorf says. But this isn't automating it from the point of view of going through the mechanical sequences, achieving the results, then dialing in the machine. Rather, he explains, what they're hoping to come up with is a means by which when the machine control receives the program for a particular part it is able to make the determination of given the required outcome and the specific parameters (e.g., the tooling, machine capability, part to be produced), it could make a recommendation that there be a modification to the program (e.g., to back off on the federate) so as to get to the "sweet spot." Given that, Warndorf says, "It would increase the first-part-correct confidence level."

Of course, achieving this is no mean feat, nor is it something that is going to be achieved inexpensively, so the CMTI members are looking at other research programs that are being conducted so as to determine if and where there could be some benefits for SMPI.

"What we're trying to push in the Smart Machine," he says, "is making all of this capability available to the user, but the user doesn't even know he's using it. The customer doesn't have to program the capability--the feature is used automatically."

By Gary S. Vasilash, Editor-In-Chief

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