The Stem Solution
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- Category: Tungsten Information
- Published on Sunday, 06 January 2013 11:35
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A small shop committed to labor-saving automation added a nine-axis turning center to machine mountain bike stems. The value of this complex machine is that it delivers a simple process. The learning curve was worth it, the owners say.
For Straitline Components in Sidney, British Columbia, the difference between downhill and cross-country mountain bike racing was the difference between milling and turning. Introducing a new bike stem for cross-country riding required this small shop and bike component maker to invest in a nine-axis multitasking turning center with two workpiece spindles and the capability for five-axis milling. Company co-owner D.J. Paulson says a major part of the investment has been the learning curve he has gone through to become proficient with the machine and apply it effectively to Straitline’s new part.
It was worth it, he says. While Straitline certainly could have machined the part using its existing equipment—turning it on a CNC lathe and milling it on a machining center—producing it this way would have meant making and using specialty fixtures, which would add setup time and also add to the danger of setup-related error.
More crucially, co-owner Dennis Paulson says, “We would also have had to make fixtures just to prototype the part.”
The problem in this last point is that the part’s design is still being refined, even today. It is being improved for functionality, economy and manufacturability. While the new turning center is complex, that very complexity enables the machine to deliver simple processes. Because it permits single-setup processing with no need for special fixtures, the machine makes it possible to keep improving the part’s design well into production.
ID Gripping
The machining operations on the second spindle were the area of difficulty, D.J. says. The stem is not just a hardware connector, but also part of the appearance of the bike, and a rider is likely to choose a stem largely for its aesthetic appeal. Straitline’s process involved machining the part’s finished OD surface in the first spindle. Subsequently clamping the OD in the second spindle might distort the part and would almost certainly mar the attractive surface.
But clamping from the inside did not prove rigid enough, D.J. says. One problem was the part’s slight conical ID taper, which required chuck fingers to have the same conical profile. Another was the tendency of the chuck fingers to deflect. This led him to create preloaded fingers that would deflect into alignment with the inner surface of the part. Even with these steps, the part kept slipping. “It was baffling,” he says.
Worst of all, the slip often was too subtle to produce a clear and obvious defect. Just a slight slip during machining would throw the handlebar bore and steering tube bar slightly out of perpendicularity—an error that still would have to be caught because it would affect the alignment of the handlebars.
The solution was discovered thousands of miles away, at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago this past September. On their final day at IMTS, the brothers were making a hurried trip through the Tooling & Workholding Pavilion when they found Carbinite Metal Coatings, a company that adds tungsten alloy coatings to workholding components to improve their grip. Soon after he returned home, D.J. sent the ID grippers to Carbinite to receive this coating. As soon as the grippers returned and he re-installed them on the chuck—aligning them with the use of a sample stem part—it became clear that the coated surface would solve the problem. D.J. tried to turn the stem on the grippers by torquing it with a long-handle wrench, only to move the part, chuck and spindle all at once.
The brothers found another stem machining process improvement at IMTS as well. A boring tool from Criterion Machine Works that can be held in a collet chuck in the milling spindle is precisely the right size for the bore machined in the second spindle. Implementing this tool saved cycle time and improved accuracy by allowing the shop to get away from helical milling for this bore.
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Rwanda: High Quality Gold Spotted in Gicumbi
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- Category: Tungsten Information
- Published on Sunday, 06 January 2013 10:02
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Rwanda has for decades been portrayed as a tiny resource-poor country, despite lying in the Great Rift Valley well-known for its abundant mineral wealth.
News that there is gold in the Western and Northern provinces is well-known, but the quality and quantity is what played on as a mystery for a long time.
In September, the quality question was ticked off when Rogi Mining, the country's largest gold explorer, assessed the gold in Gicumbi, Northern Province to be of high quality.
When its quantity is also verified as large in the near future, Rwanda's mineral sector, which is largely made up of cassetirite, wolfram and coltan, will be largely boosted by the this precious metal.
Also importantly, the government is also seeking to increase production of other minerals including tantalite, tungsten, niobium and lithium.
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It’s The Season for Slippery Streets and Sidewalks
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- Published on Saturday, 05 January 2013 16:57
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It’s the season for slippery streets and sidewalks, when just the simple act of walking from Point A to Point B can be an exercise in treachery.
With that in mind, a Grand Forks-based company has a simple, lightweight solution in the form of its DueNorth All Purpose Traction Aids. Available in small, medium and large sizes for both men and women, the devices feature tungsten carbide spikes on the soles and slip over boots or shoes to provide protection against slipping and sliding on even the iciest of surfaces.
Made of a durable rubber that retains elasticity in all temperatures, the traction aids are available in “Everyday,” “All Purpose” and “All Purpose Oversized” styles. Whether it’s ice fishing, running, working at an outdoors construction site or just stepping out to get the mail, Sure Foot’s traction aids will eliminate the need for walking like a penguin when shuffling across icy surfaces.
“People are able to decide which product is better for their needs, depending on how they plan to use them,” Jon Larson, president of Sure Foot, said in a news release.
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Late-season Migratory Bird Seasons Continue
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- Published on Sunday, 06 January 2013 09:40
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The 2012-2013 late migratory bird seasons continue through early 2013.
The 2012-13 migratory bird brochure is available at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website.
There is no open season on harlequin ducks.
Feb. 2-3 are Federal Youth Days. Only hunters 15 years of age or younger may hunt waterfowl (ducks and geese) on these days. The youth(s) must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age. The adult is not allowed to carry a gun or hunt, and does not have to be licensed. The regular duck season limits apply.
Shooting hours for late-season duck hunting are uniform statewide. Hunters should take notice that DNR law enforcement officers will pay special attention to "late shooting violations" throughout South Carolina. Check local newspapers for sunrise and sunset times. Any South Carolina hunter born after June 30, 1979, must complete an approved hunter education course to purchase a hunting license.
Federally approved nontoxic shot (such as steel, bismuth-tin, tungsten-iron or tungsten-polymer) is required for all waterfowl hunting. The possession of lead shot is prohibited for all waterfowl hunting statewide.
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Benchmark Designer Black Diamond Collection Added
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- Published on Saturday, 05 January 2013 16:41
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Online men’s jewelry store JustMensRings.com has recently introduced new wedding bands and fashion rings from the Benchmark black diamonds for men collection. These upscale bands have a decidedly masculine look that is already proving to be popular with customers, and are backed by Benchmark’s quality-driven production process and Lifetime Guarantee.
Jensen Beach, FL (PRWEB) January 03, 2013
Building on the popularity of its pre-existing collection of men’s diamond rings, online jewelry superstore JustMensRings.com (JMR) has recently added new black diamond styles from the designer brand Benchmark. Ultra-masculine yet undeniably luxurious, the selection of Benchmark black diamonds for men is an eye-catching addition to JustMensRings.
JMR’s dedication to carrying a wide and varied selection of higher end designs is evident in the new styles of Benchmark black diamonds for men. Set in precious metals like 950 platinum and 14K white gold as well as more affordable contemporary materials like cobalt chrome and Argentium silver, the designs in the Benchmark black diamond collection range from more traditional wedding bands to strikingly modern designs to classic eternity styles.
JustMensRings carries the Benchmark designer brand exclusively, and has a long-held partnership with the U.S. based manufacturer. Benchmark is known for an extreme attention to detail in the design and production processes, which includes die striking each ring, precision setting diamonds for a secure display that showcases each stone, and ensuring that each diamond ring passes through multiple operations and quality inspection points.
“We’ve had an incredible response to our new selection of Benchmark black diamond rings,” notes JMR president and owner Roy Devine. “Men love the element of luxury and the fact that they’re so different from traditional white diamonds.”
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