Industry News

Both gold medalists- secondary and post secondary – are from NIMS accredited programs and both have NIMS credentials. The secondary winner is Kyle Brodeur from Diman Regional Vocational Technical in Fall River, MA and Mike Ehrenstrom from Ranken Technical College in St. Louis won the post secondary. Other medalists include:

Secondary-Level Silver: Alex J. Doman, Warren Occupational Tech Center (Conifer, CO)
Secondary-Level Bronze: Bryan Reiber, Wayne Education Center (Williamson, NY)
Post-Secondary Level Silver: Robert Brobst, Penn College of Tech (Salisbury, PA)
Post-Secondary Level Bronze: Chris Urso, Madison Area Tech College (Middleton, WI)

To view photos from Day 1 – Orientation and Contestant Luncheon – Click Here
To view photos from Day 2 – Manual Machining Events – Click Here
To view photos from Day 3 – CNC Machining and Other Events – Click Here
To view photos from Day 4 – Awards Ceremony at Kemper Arena – Click Here

Thanks to NIMS Board of Directors Chairman Greg Chambers and Board Member Bob Skodzinsky for working the competition from the beginning through the awards ceremony Friday night. Greg worked as the official score keeper, and Bob led the HAAS team. Sandvik-Coromant and LS Starrett were essential partners as well. NIMS Deputy Director James Wall did his usual excellent job of directing the competition with enthusiastic help from NIMS staff – Catherine Ross, Meredith Goff, and Rebecca Gardner. And, as usual, we had the fine services of the Crossland Machinery Company.

Congratulations also go out to Jacob McHaffey of Mid-South Community College (West Memphis, AR) for winning the silver medal in the post-secondary level of the CNC Turning Technology competition. Mid-South Community College is currently working towards NIMS accreditation.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed time, materials, or funds to make the Precision Machining Technology Competition a great success. See you next year in Kansas City!

MOORPARK, CA – June 23, 2010 – Gibbs and Associates, developer of GibbsCAM® software for programming CNC machine tools and a Cimatron company, announced today that it has granted Purdue University’s College of Technology sixty-five seats of its GibbsCAM software to run on five networks at the university’s Indiana campuses in West Lafayette, Kokomo, New Albany, Columbus and South Bend. GibbsCAM software now supports computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) courses in Purdue’s College of Technology, where more than 5,500 students are pursuing technical degrees. Among the various undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered by the College of Technology, including a PhD program, are Bachelor of Science degree programs in mechanical engineering technology and manufacturing engineering technology, within which students will use GibbsCAM throughout their studies.

“We are grateful to Gibbs and Associates for this generous grant,” said Dr. Henry Kraebber, Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MFET) Professor and Department Chair. “The donation of GibbsCAM is very important to the Purdue Engineering Technology programs, because the software significantly extends the CAM software capabilities available to Purdue students and faculty across our statewide facilities. GibbsCAM users have been able to generate good 3-axis CNC programs to make parts with just a few hours of instruction, significantly less time than with other software. Our students now have access to this powerful and robust industrial CAM package and, through its easy-to-use interface, drive machine tools with up to five axes in simultaneous motion.”

“Purdue’s College of Engineering Technology shares a strong and dedicated affiliation with industry, helping manufacturers improve competitiveness and increase profitability through education and research,” said Robb Weinstein, Gibbs’ Senior VP, Sales and Strategic Planning. “We are very happy to assist a university that supports manufacturing in meaningful ways, including the preparation and technical education of future employees.”

The grant, excluding training services, is valued at $758,475, and includes modules for 3-axis milling, rotary milling, lathe turning, 5-axis milling and turning, and machine tool simulation; ACIS and STEP readers; CATIA and UG/NX (Siemens) translators; and software maintenance. It also includes postprocessors for the various Haas, Emco, Hurco, Fryer and Mazak machine tools within Purdue’s College of Technology.

For more information about GibbsCAM, or to locate your local GibbsCAM reseller, call 1-800-654-9399, or email info@GibbsCAM.com. Information about GibbsCAM is also available at the company’s website, www.GibbsCAM.com.

In 2009, Pittsburgh, PA proudly proclaimed itself the” City of Champions.” On June 16, 2010, 20 companies and 35 of the nation’s brightest young persons demonstrated talent and leadership far beyond the sports arena. These 35 are the newest graduates from the regional apprenticeship program sponsored by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association. The success of Pittsburgh NTMA program is one of cooperation and collective hard work.

It is overseen by a 16-person Chapter Steering Committee and incorporates NIMS accredited training programs at the Central Westmoreland Community Technical College and the Steel Valley Area Vocational Technical School with a combined 18 instructors. The program is administered by the non-profit New Century Careers. Nine companies provide volunteer personnel for the Metalworking Technical Committee that evaluate the NIMS performance parts. Most importantly, the program’s high degree of success results from the participating companies who have the wisdom and foresight to invest in the apprentices.

NTMA Chapter Executive Edward J. Sikora, Jr. noted that that the program “was one of the first in the country to recognize the importance of NIMS competency based credentials and to incorporate NIMS as part of the training process.” He told the graduates, who collectively earned 104 NIMS credentials, “These credentials are recognized across the country as proof of your skills.”
The 35 graduates heard from NTMA National Chair Russel Reschke, CEO of Metal Processors, Inc. who delivered the keynote address. Phyllis Miller of Hamill Manufacturing Company is chair of the Apprenticeship Steering Committee. Kevin Hartford of Alle-Kiski Industries is the Chapter President.

MINNEAPOLIS, June 10, 2010 – Mid-Continent Engineering has been selected to manufacture and assemble a critical assembly for GE Healthcare’s industry-leading ultrasound business.

Mid-Continent Engineering, a Minneapolis-based precision contract manufacturer, adds the latest contract to an ongoing portfolio of work for GE Healthcare.

“We’re proud to build upon our existing partnership with GE Healthcare,” said Sanders Marvin, president and CEO of Mid-Continent. “Our record of quality, innovation and on-time performance has helped us grow a lasting relationship with GE Healthcare, the world leader in innovative healthcare technology.”

The contract is valued at more than $1 million. For competitive reasons, further details on the critical ultrasound assembly cannot be disclosed.

GE Healthcare is a $17 billion unit of General Electric Co. whose transformational medical technologies and services are shaping a new age of patient care.

“As a premier U.S. contract manufacturer, we’re especially pleased to win the contract for this assembly, which was previously being sourced from Europe,” Marvin said. “It’s proof that U.S. manufacturers can compete worldwide – if they’re prepared to deliver world-class performance.”

CLEVELAND, Ohio — June 10, 2010 —Abanaki Corporation reports that its patent-pending Fuzzy2™ oil skimmer material has been at work on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for 38 days and is exceeding expectations by recovering  up to 385 gallons of oil per minute from the water’s surface, more than three times the capacity of ordinary skimmer material.

Abanaki’s Fuzzy2 material is attached to the surface of 30-inch diameter skimming disks on a floating skimmer made by CRUCIAL Inc. of Gretna, Louisiana.   CRUCIAL has tested the material in front of oil clean-up experts, and the company expects to see an increase in orders for its disk skimmer equipment.

A disk skimmer uses a rotating disk to remove oil from water. Oleophilic (oil attracting) material collects oil as the disk passes through the water, and wiper blades scrape off the oil for collection. Unlike other skimmer disk materials, Fuzzy2 has a hairy surface that greatly increases its surface area, making it more effective at removing oil floating on the surface of the gulf.  According to Tom Hobson President of Abanaki  “The beauty of the Fuzzy2 is that it can be retrofitted to virtually any brand of drum or disk type skimmer out there, making it possible for existing skimmers to triple their pickup rate”.

A mile below the water surface, the Deepwater Horizon oil well has spewed oil following an explosion. The spill has exceeded the Exxon Valdez as the worst spill in U.S. history.

For more information and to see a video demonstration, visit www.abanaki.com/116.

About Abanaki Corporation: Abanaki, the world leader in oil skimmer products, manufactures a wide range of products to remove oils, greases, solvents, and related hydrocarbons from water. Belt and Tube skimmer models are available with removal rates ranging from 1 to 200 gallons per hour in both stationary and portable systems. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Abanaki has served a global customer base in industries as diverse as iron and steel, wastewater, paper, food processing, automotive, environmental remediation and recycling for more than 40 years. Today, under the corporate motto “Clean Our World ^TM,” Abanaki continues to address pollution in industry through innovation, customer commitment, and environmental stewardship within its own operations.

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