Author: Miles Free

Metrology’s Role in Reverse Engineering

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With many OEM’s out of business or the details of their designs lost or out of reach due to closings, downsizing, and consolidation, many replacement parts are needed for which drawings are unavailable.

Critical components deserve better than calipers and a hand mike, especially when they provide essential functionality to aerospace, automotive, or automated systems.

PMPA Technical Member FARO Technologies provides this case study on use of their Faro Arm Platinum for shop floor measurement and data acquisition to reduce time to measure the parts and to assure key characteristics (like blended radii) are captured.

Headquartered in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, Astro Machine (www.astromachineworks.com) serves top regional and national companies like GE, Hershey, DuPont, Bayer, and the U.S. government. They serve industries such as aerospace, general manufacturing, medical, pharmaceutical, food processing, and energy.

PROBLEM:

Each of Astro Machine’s different applications presents unique challenges, but their work in reverse engineering obsolete OEM parts was a particular challenge. These parts range in size from 1” cubes through 48” cubes and larger. Previously, AMW used older methods such as hand gages, calipers, micrometers, and protractors. These options proved to be ineffective since many of these OEM parts are very complicated, with an array of blended radiuses and compound angles. Manual tools, even when used carefully, resulted in “hit or miss” accuracy.

SOLUTION:

AMW searched for a better solution for their metrology needs. They considered a conventional fixed CMM, but found a more versatile solution matched their needs: the 8-foot FaroArm® Platinum. This tool serves both in-process and final inspection functions, as well as reverse engineering. It can be taken directly onto the assembly floor and secured to custom machine assemblies while manufacturing is still in-process. This provides an integral inspection device that can aid in alignment and part position during various stages of assembly.

Any inconsistencies associated with manual reverse engineering have been eliminated and AMW’s work is now totally accurate, while increasing productivity. What previously took hours of work has been reduced to approximately one-tenth the time. Many of the parts they reverse engineered manually in the past are now being done again so as to bring the accuracy up to their new “FARO standards.”

ROI:

The greatest value to Astro Machine with the FaroArm has been the massive time reduction in reverse engineering obsolete OEM parts. In many cases, the time has been reduced ten fold. “Prior to our FARO solution, it was not uncommon for our more sophisticated parts to take 8 to 50 hours to reverse engineer,” says Designer Dan Hughes. “This time has now been reduced to 30 minutes to 5 hours.” A reduction in time is a reduction in cost, which makes AMW even more valuable to their customers.

Astro Machine invests heavily in its technology, and advancements are the cornerstone of their continuous improvement strategies. Not surprisingly then, the FaroArm was well accepted. The implementation process was very easy and the learning curve was extremely simple with the user friendly software. AMW uses their FaroArm on a regular basis for inspection purposes and at the outset of projects for reverse engineering. With the gained versatility of the FaroArm, no part is outside their capabilities.

Here is link to Faro Case Study

OSHA Proposes Revisions to Injury and Illness Reporting Requirements

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Your chance to comment on the proposal is NOW!

On June 22, 2011, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking an update and revision of two aspects of the agency’s recordkeeping and reporting requirements for work-related injuries and illnesses.
The new proposed reporting requirements revise OSHA’s current regulation that requires an employer to report to OSHA, within eight hours, all work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of three or more employees.

Under the revised proposal, employers would be required to report to OSHA any work-related fatalities and all in-patient hospitalizations within eight hours, and work-related amputations within 24 hours. Reporting amputations is not required under the current regulation.

OSHA is requesting public comments on the proposed revisions, and has included in the proposed rule’s preamble specific questions about issues and potential alternatives. 

 Written comments must be submitted by Sept. 20, 2011.

 See the Federal Register notice    for details on how to submit comments.

 Here is link to official OSHA /DOL June 22, 2011 News Release

WTO Rules Against China’s Raw Materials Hoarding

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The World Trade Organization ruled Tuesday that China was unfairly protecting its domestic manufacturers by limiting the export of nine raw materials that are used widely in the steel, aluminum and chemical industries.

We wrote about this http://pmpaspeakingofprecision.com/2009/12/30/china-resource-hoarding-wto-panel-convened/

and originally here: http://pmpaspeakingofprecision.com/2009/11/04/chinese-resource-hoarding-dispute-before-wto/

Today, the WTO panel  ruled for the United States, European Union and Mexico,  all of whom had filed complaints against China  using export duties and quotas to drive up the prices they pay for raw materials such as coke, bauxite and zinc.

The panel rejected China’s argument that its export limits were needed to “protect its environment,” and said those export restrictions should be removed.

The WTO panel concluded that “China’s export duties were inconsistent with the commitments that China had agreed to” when it joined the trade organization in 2001.

This is an important development for our industry which uses vast quantities of raw materials  such as steel aluminum, and brass.

But it is also an important bellwether for the Chinese export restrictions of rare earth metals.

Round 2 coming up…

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(compiled from press reports and Michelle Applebaum Commentary.)

Independence Day- Grateful To Many

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Our country has a long tradition of citizens standing up for what they thought was right, or against what they thought was wrong.

Our history books were replete with stories about the Boston Tea Party, the Stamp Act, impressment of American sailors into the British Navy.

Reading the Stamp Act

Image

Thanks for your courage.

Civil War, Womens Suffrage.

During my teenage years I witnessed people taking to the streets to right wrongs,  to push for civil rights, and to protest the draft.

This is the Selma I’d like to remember

Joan Baez poster

 
This is the Selma I saw on the Evening News.
Tough times to be a teenager

Vietnam protest

I don’t remember ever seeing very much coverage of people going to work, stepping forward at the  armed forces recruiting station and swearing an oath to serve their country, but they did. And they still do.

R Day. West Point. A grateful nation thanks you, New Cadets!

West Point AOG

My family has some stories about this. About how my namesake, Miles Sr., joined the army cavalry back in WWI. Sounds dashing, but the assignment in the cavalry in those days for farm boys from Ohio was all about the barn, not about riding.

My father, Miles Jr., was first in his graduating class of 1942 to enlist in the Army. He got some great training at the New England Aircraft School and as ground crew chief was responsible for the maintenance of a number of B-17’s over Europe.

Thanks Dad.

My daughter, Emma, and her husband, are deployed in Europe with the U.S. Army where they command helicopter units.

I’ll bet your family has some stories like this too. I hope you share them this weekend. They are important ways to share your family’s values.

I got a pass.  I got a university deferrment. then I got a high draft number. No crazy asian war for me.

So, when they bring up the flag at the community band concert  this weekend, I’ll be the first to jump up (or try to be) to salute, not the flag that goes by, but the sacrifices and love gifts of all who have worn the uniform of  a U.S. Armed Service, who stepped forward and chose   “Duty, Honor, Country” instead of “What’s in it for me?”

I'll be on my feet.

Who made personal sacrifices, not to attack the enemy in front of them, but rather to assure the safety and well being of the families and friends behind them. And our way of life.

I thank those folks, for assuring that I have choices.

And on the 4th, this year, I’m going to  exercise my ability to choose.

I will choose to stand up for old Glory.

I will choose to thank the veterans I meet for their service.

And I will choose to respectfully listen to what it is that they have to say.

And I’m going to choose to grill a steak.

Happy Independence Day.

I choose to do this for  the sake of those brave souls in uniform who are out there eating something less than steak as they patrol and otherwise do their duty.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Regulatory: EPA Making Rules In A Vacuum

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Automotive NewsWire: June 29, 2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave final approval yesterday on labeling that will allow the sale of E15 gasoline/ethanol blends for newer vehicles.  The EPA’s decision is said to be the final hurdle for the sale of E15 blends.

In passing the regulations, the EPA ignored the warnings of experts, including the auto industry, which has warned that many owners of older cars – more than three years old – could easily damage their engines by using the spiked ethanol blend. 

 DANGER WILL ROBINSON

If your car is over 4 years old...

 

 Read the 179 page pdf  HERE

The EPA also ignored the most environmentally conscious drivers on the planet, those in Europe where the option to use E10 blends has fallen flat.  In Germany, all petrol companies began offering E10 blends as an option at service stations at the beginning of this year.  Six months later, sales of E10 continue to meet strong resistance from German car owners, who have avoided using the blend because of fears that it could damage their cars’ engines. 

Commenting on the regulation, Gloria Berguist, a spokesperson for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry trade group, stated,”We see the final rule fails to require that service station pumps contain a warning label directing consumers to check their owner’s manual to determine the appropriate fuel for specific vehicles.  This is a significant and unfortunate omission.”

But perhaps Sheila Karpf, legislative and policy analyst at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research group, said it best.  “A label can only do so much to protect consumers from the hazards of misfueling with E15 and won’t prevent a wave of voided vehicle warranties when vehicles are misfueled.  It’s unfortunate that the Obama administration, in a rush to placate the corn ethanol lobby, is going to hurt consumers and ultimately taxpayers, who will be forced to address the damage done by our misguided ethanol policy.” 

(SOP: Or, as I learned in my business ethics class: “What’s the object of the act?”)

Indeed, next time you fill up, check the number of labels that are already on a gasoline pump.  When was the last time you read what they all say?

Growth Energy, a trade group that represents ethanol producers, predicted E15 will be at your local service station by the end of the year. 

Story Courtesy of Automotive Newswire

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Are You Making Carburetor Parts?

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Back in the day, we had one coil to bar machine working a couple of weeks each month making carburetor shaft stock to sell to screw machine shops like yours… and so did most of our competitors.

Carburetors were the way we metered gas/air mixture back in the...Oh never mind.

And another running a few days a month making the hex steel for the fuel line nut that attached the fuel line to the carburetor.
With the advent of the computer chip, it seems like a lot of screw machine products disappeared, like parts for mechanical calculators, adding machines and cash registers.
With the upgrading of automotive technology, it seems that a lot of those fuel system parts also went “Bye-Bye”- throttle and butterfly shafts, linkage parts, and fuel nuts come to my mind. Goodbye carburetors, hello fuel injection. Hello anti-lock brakes. Hello airbag parts…
The claims of these changes killing the machined parts industry have been proven to be wrong. We’re making higher precision, higher complexity components to make up for those lost parts.
But when my son and I visited a local street rod show over the weekend, I saw a lot of nice looking carburetion systems under a lot of very nice hoods.
I remembered knowing what the tricks were to make the steel remain straight even after the  flats for the choke plate were milled in to it. (Hint it had nothing to do with the straightener.)
Then I asked myself, “Who is making today’s street rod, aftermarket and high performance carburetor parts?”
I sure saw a lot at the street rod show. And I know a lot of very talented machinists out there…
Is going “Back to the future” a viable way of mining your capabilities inlight of  today’s very fragmented markets and lower volumes?
I’m thinking it is a profitable idea to consider.

Paradox: Inflation Means Shrinking Food Packages

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“This fear of inflation, I think, is way overstated,” Mr. Bernanke said. “We’ve looked at it very, very carefully. We’ve analyzed it every which way.”

" Liar-Liar Money on Fire"

Link to quote.
That’s just a load of B.S.,  Ben. 
Correction, “It stinketh and causeth the flowers to grow, Mr. Chairman.”
Here’s what we’re dealing with in the food aisle, Mr. Bernanke.
15% reduction in product, same great price?

Click here for a slide show of other products with Shrinking packages as food prices rise.
Burning our buying power Photo.
Heinz photo and facts .
Inflation: In our shops  we see it in raw materials. Copper up 159% since December 2008.
Copper up just 159% over Dec 2008

Look at these facts very, very carefully, Ben- baby.
Paying more while getting less than we used to- that’s what we call INFLATION.
We wonder just what it is that you think inflation is?

Regulatory Reform- EPA Article Exemption "Clarification" Withdrawn

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 On June 17th, at the request of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Management & Budget removed from its list of Submissions Under Review (http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoDetails?rrid=119517 ) the EPA proposed final “Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Articles Exemption Clarification Rule.”
The proposed rule would have eliminated the articles exemption under TRI and required manufacturers to report releases from finished goods in storage.
Finished goods in storage!
 Here’s the rest of the story:
Last July PMPA attended a meeting in Washington D.C. with OMB and EPA over a proposed EPA “Clarification” regarding the article exemption in TRI.
We were joined at that meeting by a number of other involved parties with similar concerns. The meeting was hosted by Jeff Miller of the Treated Wood Council.
We opposed the change and challenged the EPA’s estimate of Paperwork Burden, demonstrated impact on smaller businesses, and made other technical points.

Paperwork burden and manhours to prepare were just the tip of the iceberg.

You can see our Business Intelligence on this issue here .
The EPA’s proposed  change in the “clarification” could have made finished precision machined products with rust preventives subject to TRI release reporting.
At EPA’s request, this submission was removed from review.
We are pleased that our attention to this regulatory issue  with other affected industries has resulted in its withdrawal at the current time. Our position was that the EPA cannot change the TRI rule without formal rulemaking.    Members of Congress have echoed that same concern.   
EPA may ultimately decide to initiate that rulemaking process.  
We do not know exactly why EPA withdrew the proposed rule, nor do we know EPA’s next steps.  
There is nothing transparent about regulation of  small business in Washington D.C.
But for now, as a result of our “effective associating”  and engagement with the federal agencies involved, this ill-considered change to TRI has been withdrawn.
 We will continue to monitor this issue and keep you informed of any developments.
Paperwork Photo :

Thanks Dad

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I didn’t say “Happy Fathers Day” even once today.
What I said was “Thanks Dad for:___”

Thanks Dad!

Thanks for being first in your graduating class of 1942 to enlist.
Thanks for making the Greatest Generation Great.
Thanks for marrying a great lady and being the mainstay of the family.
Thanks for all those things that you built and (let me help)- desks, bookshelves, driveway, brickfireplace, addition on the house, CB radios, 12 volt power supply.
Thanks for teaching me how to use a volt ohm-meter, pull wire, and read a schematic.
Thanks for those samples of steel  you brought home from the mill so I could work on my electroplating science fair project.
Thanks for showing me how to solder.
Thanks for teaching me how to shoot safely, and catch a fish.
Thanks for teaching me how to make Chili “Guy Style” when mom was in the hospital.
Thanks for showing me how to use filler and sequentially finer sandpaper to get my balsa wood fins like glass on my model rockets.
Thanks for showing me how to change the oil in my car.
Thanks for showing me that being a dad means going to work, putting away a little savings and coming home at night and paying attention to the kids.
Thanks for taking me out to  the fancy restaurant for dinner on those rare occassions when my report card had a few “A’s”
Thanks for showing me that patience for one’s children is truly the greatest gift, that even the most uncoordinated kid can get it apart and put it together, and that its more important to have the fun making the stuff  together than it is to just go buy it from the store.
Thanks Dad.

U.S. Industrial Production to Grow 6% in 2011- Industry Week

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MAPI forecasts that manufacturing production will increase 6% in 2011 and advance by 4% in 2012.
Industry Week  cites Manufacturers Alliance / MAPI report  and chief economist in their June 16th on line article.
“Manufacturing, though, is currently well positioned for growth. There is pent-up demand for consumer durables, firms are profitable and need to spend more for both traditional and high-tech business equipment, and strong growth in emerging economies is driving U.S. exports,” Meckstroth, added.
The group’s report found that manufacturing industrial production, measured on a quarter-to-quarter basis, grew at a 7% annual rate in the first quarter of 2011, after expanding at a 3.4% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Manufacturing continues to lead the recovery. Hopefully this won’t be derailed by the continued hostile tone of regulators in Washington, upcoming Dodd Frank requirements, etc. etc..

Regulations Photo credit