WWW.HAASCNC.COM

VOLUME2

NUMBER4

WINTER’98

Triton Engineeringmakes waves withHaas CNC technology

Soaring into thefuture with Mikana

From dry lakes to the winner's circle with Edelbrock

COVERSTORYTriton Engineeringmakes waves withHaas CNC technology

FEATURESSoaring into thefuture with Mikana

From dry lakes to the winner's circle with Edelbrock

WWW.HAASCNC.COM 1

EDITORIALEDITORIAL

Formulating a BudgetBy Denis Dupuis, General Manager, Haas Automation, Inc.

THE MASTHEAD:CNC Machining is published by Haas Automation, Inc., 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard,CA 93030 • 805-278-1800, Fax 805-278-6364. Postmaster: Return invalid address-es to Haas Automation, 2800 Sturgis Road, Oxnard, CA 93030-8933 postage guaran-teed. CNC Machining is distributed free of charge by Haas Automation, Inc., and itsauthorized distributors. CNC Machining accepts no advertising or reimbursement for thismagazine. All contents of CNC Machining are Copyright © 1998 and may not bereproduced without written permission from Haas Automation, Inc. CNC Machining isdistributed through a worldwide network of Haas Automation Distributors, and by indi-vidual subscription request. Contact Haas Automation headquarters via mail or fax to beadded to subscription list. Published quarterly. © Haas Automation, Inc. & CNCMachining Magazine names. Designed and Printed in the U.S.A. www.HaasCNC.com

VOLUME2 WINTER1998

NUMBER4

In this issue of

EditorialTalkFormulating a Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

True Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

IndustryNewsJeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports Snag Another Championship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Haas-Sponsored Race Team Sprints to 8th Place .2

Haas Goes to Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Trade Show Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

98% Up-time Rolls On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Brushless Rotary Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Haas Vector Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

ShopTalkMachining Methods – part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Zen and the Art of Positioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Turning Stainless Steel – part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

CoverStory

16

12

6

FeatureStory

FeatureStoryPrecision Production KeepsEdelbrock in the Winner's Circle

Mikana Soars into the FutureBeyond the Speed of Sound

Making Waves ....................................................16Racer to Riches ..................................................21Rip Snortin’ Scooters ..........................................22

It’sthat time again, time toformulate a budget fornext year. It seems thatno matter where you

work, these dreaded words raise theirhead every November and December.

During preliminary meetings withdepartment managers, I found myselfexplaining that the budget for 1998 isjust a more clearly defined plan tohelp us achieve the goals we set forthe company years ago. It spells outthe “whats” and the “hows” necessaryto reach our target. Without the bud-get, we would just continue doingwhat we’re doing today, and maybeat the end of the year we would bebetter off than last year. Or maybenot. I knew that if we actually decided“what” we wanted to achieve nextyear, the “hows” would jump out at us.Or at the very least, going though theprocess would make the questionsabout the “hows” clear, so we couldprepare to meet our ’98 goals.

After that first budget meeting, Ibegan wondering why we work sohard at planning in business, when itappears we don’t plan much at all inour personal lives. Everything stillworks out okay – doesn’t it? The moreI thought about this, the more I real-ized that we actually plan more thanwe ever realize on a personal level.We plan our day by setting the alarmthe night before. And we plan ourweeks, our months and our livesthrough memberships, vacations andthe people we spend time with. Heck,most of us plan our children’s lives.After all, starting that college fund isplanning for their future.

A budget is really just a busi-ness’s New Year’s resolution. So,since we all have so much experienceat planning our own lives, why do weso dread the budget process?

I think there are a couple of reasons. First, we all fear that we willcome up with a great plan and some-one will inevitably shoot it down.

We’ve become accustomed to a“head-office” telling us, “No, we can’tspend that much money,” or “Wecan’t hire that many people,” and soon. We seem to know instinctively

that all the work and creativity we putinto the budget plan will probably geta glance, at best, and then bereworked to fit someone else’s vision.

Second, I think the corporatemanagement style we all grew upwith taught us that “if we budget for it,we had better do it.” If we budget Xdollars in sales, we will have toexplain any variance. If we budget Xdollars in expenses, we had betterspend it, or do an awfully good jobof explaining the discrepancy, inorder to get the budget we want thefollowing year. We have been taughtthat an annual budget is somethingthat companies, departments, evencareers, live and die by.

In reality, our budget defines ourannual goal in monthly segments. It isjust a plan. Staying the course, evenwhen there’s a brick wall in our way,doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Abudget should give us a guideline tofollow, a way to keep our sense of

direction and focus. It should not beso rigid and cast in stone as to pre-clude taking advantage ofopportunities that arise during the year– opportunities that none of us could

foresee. A good budget should beflexible enough to allow for adjust-ments throughout the year – forwhatever reason.

So, if you are dreading the taskof finalizing your budget for next year,relax – it’s just a plan. If you’ve neverdone a budget, or usually don’t, thenyou should. Even if it’s only a fewlines jotted down on a piece ofpaper, that’s okay.

Make a short outline showingwhat you want your business toachieve next year, how much you arewilling to invest to make that happenand maybe how big (volume ornumber of employees) you want the

business to grow. Even those few lineswill set in your mind what your goalsare and give you a direction. Thennext year at this time, compare whatyou wrote with what actually happened. If nothing else, it will be a good start on the followingyear’s budget.

On the CoverBelgarda Yamaha rider Vittoriano Guareschiwon the final race of the Supersport WorldSeries, and finished second in the champi-onship, aboard a yamaha YZF 600Thundercat sporting sidecovers and shifterparts manufactured on a Haas VF-3 by TritonEngineering of Boulder, Colorado.

Photo courtesy Yamaha Motorsport

Celebrating their second successfulEMO together in Hannover, Germany, HaasAutomation, Inc., and Mikron MachiningTechnology reaffirmed their strong marketingpartnership for Continental Europe.

Haas CNC products are marketed inEurope under the Mikron name as their VCE,HCE and TCE lines of machine tools.However, EMO Hannover ’97 is the firsttime Haas products have been displayedbearing both the Haas and Mikron logos.Gene Haas, President of Haas Automation,explains: “EMO is the largest machine toolshow in the world, drawing people fromaround the globe. We wanted to fully support Mikron in all markets where ourproducts are sold under the Mikron name.

But, we also wanted to support our distributorsthroughout the world who sell our productsunder the Haas name.”

Mr. Haas went on to say, “We arevery pleased with the efforts Mikron givesour products. Sales have doubled annually,and our partnership continues to growstronger every year. We consider the showa complete success for us.”

This year’s booth attendance was upnearly 200% over EMO ’93, and manynew and existing customers chose topurchase machines at the show. In additionto displaying a selection of standardmachines, Haas also debuted their new VR-11 five-axis profiling VMC at the show.Aimed primarily at the aerospace industry,

this versatile machine provides travels of120" x 40" x 30" (xyz) and ± 32 degreesof rotation on the A and B axes.

In other European news, Haas hasappointed Wilfried Creten as their EuropeanSales Manager to provide expanded serviceto this rapidly market. Working out ofBelgium, Mr. Creten will act as liaisonbetween Haas, their European partners andtheir customers.

“Our goal is to expand our worldwidemarket for Haas machine tools and providethe same kind of service in Europe that hasmade Haas the best-selling machine tool inAmerica,” said Al Nodarse, Director of Salesfor Haas Automation. “Mr. Creten’s reputationand extensive experience in the market willhelp us achieve these objectives.”

Mr. Creten’s extensive experience marketing American machinery in Europe,including Eastern Europe and Russia, willstrengthen the effectiveness of Haas andtheir partners in Europe. Mr. Creten has acollege degree in mechanical engineeringand is fluent in Dutch, German, French and English.

3WWW.HAASCNC.COM2 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

Jeff Gordon looked like he was out for aSunday drive as he crossed the finish line

to win his second Winston Cup Serieschampionship in three years at the newlyrenovated Atlanta Motor Speedway.Needing only to finish 18th or better toclinch the title, Gordon opted for patienceand a leisurely race, rather than putting thechampionship on the line. After all wassaid and done, Gordon crossed the line in17th position, three laps down from racewinner Bobby Labonte and 14 pointsahead of Dale Jarrett, his nearest competitor for the title.

“When I crossed the finish line, it wasthe biggest sigh of relief,” Gordon told

reporters after the race. “I don’t think wereally wanted to cut it that close.” But sometimes that’s what it takes to win achampionship. Despite losing the race inAtlanta, Jeff Gordon’s dedication and consistency, along with 10 victories and22 top-5 finishes, allowed him to takehome the championship. Fellow HendrickMotorsports drivers Terry Labonte (who wonthe championship in 1996) and RickeyCraven finished the season in 6th and 19th position respectively.

But winning is nothing new to HendrickMotorsports. This year’s win marks the thirdconsecutive Winston Cup Series champi-onship for Hendrick, with Gordon winningin ’95 and ’97 and Terry Labonte taking thetitle in 1996. It’s this winning combinationof top drivers and cutting-edge equipmentthat keeps HendrickMotorsports comingout on top.

One of thecompanies helpingHendrick stay ontop is HaasAutomation, whichprovides high-qual-ity CNC machinetools for theirmachine shop.Currently, Hendrickuses five Haas

machines to manufacture a multitude ofengine and chassis components for theirrace cars, including cylinder heads, pistons,wrist pins, pulleys, engine mounts, brakecylinders, steering components and suspen-sion parts. “They’ve really helped ourprogram get ahead,” said Ray Evernham,Jeff Gordon’s crew chief. “We make a lot ofthe parts we use with their equipment.”Quality parts and quality drivers are what ittakes to win races. Such a winning combination is hard to beat.

The 1998 NASCAR Winston CupSeries kicks off February 15 at the Daytona500. All eyes will be focused on HendrickMotorsports to see if they can repeat their1997 performance with another 1-2-3 finish. Stay tuned! It’s guaranteed to be an exciting year.

NEWSINDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS

Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports Snag Another Championship

The dust has settled and the 1997 SprintCar Racing Association season has come

to an end. For John Scott Motorsports it hasbeen an exciting year. After months of tearingup the dirt throughout the West, drivers JohnScott (#83) and Joe Custer (#30) are

breathing a collective sigh of relief as theylook back on a successful season.

Going into the final race, John Scott wassolidly positioned to roll into 6th place for theseason. Unfortunately, a piece of debris fromsomeone else’s crash resulted in a slashedtire, forcing him to miss the restart and not finish the race. The team closed out the sea-son with a very respectable 8th place finishout of 74 race teams. On a brighter note,fans voted John Scott the 1997 “MostPopular Driver” in the SCRA.

“It’s been our best season as a team,”said John Scott, “and I’ll never forget it. A lothappens during a season of 39 races, and

not all of it is good. But I wouldn’t trade thisyear for anything. We’ve had wins, flips, rollsand everything else you can imagine, but theHaas Automation sprinters just kept going.”

Haas Automation is the featured sponsorfor the pair of sprint cars campaigned byJohn Scott Motorsports. Based out of PerrisAuto Speedway in Southern California, JohnScott Motorsports is one of the premier teamsin the SCRA, and one of the only teams campaigning two cars in ’97.

The 1998 season, which begins inJanuary, promises to be even more excitingas John Scott Motorsports ups the ante withthe addition of a third car to the team.

Haas-Sponsored Race Team Sprints to 8th Place

Haas Goes to Europe

News section continued on page 32

1998 Haas Trade Show Calender

Name of Show/Location Dates

HOUSTEX in Houston, TX Feb. 10-12

WITS in Wichita, KS Feb. 24-26

IMTEX in New Delhi, India Feb. 24-Mar. 3

APEX in Charlotte, NC Mar. 10-12

Arizona Manufacturing Expo in Phoenix, AZ Mar. 10-12

WESTEC in Los Angeles, CA Mar. 23-26

EMAQH in Argentina April 18-25

Greater Cleveland Machine in Cleveland, OH April 21-23

SIMTOS ’98 in Seoul, Korea April 22-27

MACH ’98 in Birmingham, UK April 27-May 1

Eastec ‘98 W. Springfield, MA May 19-21

As North America’s largest annualmetalworking and manufacturing exhibi-tion, WESTEC has traditionally been ashowcase for Haas Automation to revealits latest wares. This year is no exception.

Although rumors have Haas workingon a myriad of new products, officials areas yet unwilling to reveal the exact detailsof what’s in store for attendees at the Haasbooth. You can be sure, however, that therewill be some impressive new machines.

WESTEC ’98 will feature more than600 exhibitors and is expected to drawmore than 30,000 attendees fromSouthern California and the WesternUnited States. As the first major machinetool exposition of the year, WESTEC is theperfect opportunity to take an early look atthe latest innovations in equipment andtechnology, and get a jump-start on making those purchasing decisions early in the year.

Los

Angeles

1998Booth #3229

WESTEC ’98

Wilfried Creten

The smartest jog handle you’ve ever seen

The jog handle on the Haas control can be

used to edit programs, override spindle speeds

and feedrates, single-block-scroll through

programs, and so much more that you’ll wonder

how you ever got along without it.

Using the same closed-loop

technology as our brushless servo

motors, this Haas-designed vector

drive optimizes the slip angle

between the rotor and stator of

the spindle motor to double low-

speed torque and acceleration,

resulting in the fastest and most

powerful spindle output ever.

Electronic thermal compensationWhen ballscrews rotate they generate heat. Heat causes the

ballscrews to expand. With high duty cycles, like those used in

mold making, the resulting ballscrew growth can lead to cut-

ting errors. Our new ETC algorithm accurately models this

heating and cooling effect and electronically

compensates for screw position, providing near glass

scale accuracy.

Haas Automation, Inc.2800 Sturgis RoadOxnard, CA 93030800-331-6746www.HaasCNC.com

Get up to speed fasterThe dual, 32-bit architecture of the Haas control

allows for a new type of axis acceleration. S-curve

acceleration and deceleration rates

have been doubled over the

older system, allowing axis

drives to get up to

speed faster with less

shock to the system.

Molds are cut faster and

more accurately than

ever before.

Improved gearboxThe Haas-designed and manufactured

gearbox now employs wider, redesigned gears

with 50% higher load capacity to handle

vector-drive performance of

250 ft-lb of torque at 300 rpm.

This new design is also more

crash resistant should an

accident occur.

20.00

10.00

5.00

3.00

0.00

1000 300 500 800 1200 1600 2000 3000 6000 75000

50

150

200

250

100

300 25.00

RPM

Results may vary depending upon operating conditions

HAAS VECTOR DRIVE 20 HP / 7500 RPMVF 1-10 / HS-1RP

230 VAC 3Ø / 60 AMP SERVICE

PE

AK

TO

RQ

UE

(FT-

LB)

PE

AK

HO

RS

EP

OW

ER

20 hp vector spindle drive

* Torque available on-demand.

Ongoing engineering and design

advancements with no price increases!

How can we do it?

At Haas, we have two simple

guidelines for engineering:

(1) Make the machines better, and

(2) Get better at making machines.

Our engineers understand the economic

rewards these two principles provide

for our customers.

Considerable effort and resources

are invested to continuously upgrade

our machines, while improving the

overall manufacturing process.

Simply put: we make the

investment, you get the benefits.

Improved chip removalBy raising the height of our chip auger chute

to 24 inches, chip swarf is dispensed at a higher

level, leaving the

coolant behind and

dispensing a much

dryer chip.

HaasValue

Change Everything

But Our Prices.

Ongoingdesign

Advancements...

* Actual published torque charts available on request.

Ede brock

6 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

judged. Every time a driver starts his orher engine, Edelbrock’s reputation isput to the test. And time after time, theirintake manifolds, cylinder heads,camshafts, water pumps and other performance products meet the challenge and come out on top.

With so much riding on the line,the 500-plus-employee companyleaves nothing to chance. “Controllingthe process from start to finish is thebest way to guarantee our products dowhat we say,” says Scott Herrmann,Automation Systems Specialist atEdelbrock. “And having the most up-to-date tools to design and manufacturethese products assures they are the bestthey can be.”

Herrmann arrived at Edelbrock fifteen years ago to manage the qual-ity aspects of manufacturing, frominitial product development throughshipping the parts out the door. Hisengineering degree in aerospace andbackground in computers and automa-tion made him the ideal candidate toguide Edelbrock into the high-tech era of machining.

”When I first started workinghere,“ said Herrmann, ”there were only65 employees and no CNCmachines. I began at the bottom doingthe programming, then trained otherpeople to program and do setup.Now, we’ve got a PC-based networklinked to 25 precision machines, andwe have a half dozen setup guys andmanufacturing engineers.“

Today, the 135,000-square-footTorrance facility houses a gamut ofCNC machines, including a five-axisHaas VF-6 vertical machining centerused exclusively for porting cylinderheads. A Haas VF-2 and two VF-3 vertical machining centers equippedwith 4th-axis rotary tables are used forcompleting practically every productEdelbrock makes, from cylinder headsand intake manifolds to water pumpsand carburetors.

According to Herrmann, they usethe VF-2 and two VF-3’s for all the

Ede brock

Story by Clint Crowell

Precision Production Keeps Edelbrock in the Winner’s Circle

Working out of his small garagein Los Angeles, he designed an intakemanifold called “the Slingshot” for hisflathead Ford. After strapping the man-ifold and a pair of Stromberg 97’s tohis engine, he headed to Muroc DryLake (where Edwards Air Force baseis today) for testing and racing . The “Slingshot” propelled the littledeuce roadster across the desert at 121 mph, and into the winner’s circle, signalling the beginning of theEdelbrock dynasty.

Today, Edelbrock Corporation

remains in the winner’s circle as thepremier manufacturer of high-perfor-mance aftermarket automobilecomponents. The Torrance, California-based company produces more thantwo thousand different products, alldesigned to give their customersproven performance and maximumhorsepower.

Top NASCAR teams, includingHendrick Motorsports, rely onEdelbrock components in their racecars. On the street, they set the standard by which all other parts are

WW hen Vic Edelbrockbought his first projectcar in 1938, he had no

idea he was about to revolutionize theworld of hot rods. He just wanted tomake his ’32 Ford roadster the fastestcar around.

secondary operations they can’t doon their two Mori Seiki horizontals,either because they don’t haveenough tools, or because the cut islocated on the bottom of the part andwould require refixturing. “The Haasmachines fit our production flownicely and finish the parts to a highquality,” said Herrmann.

Manufacturing is about gettingproduct out the door, and Edelbrockhas it down to a science. They produce about 5000 intake manifoldsa week (10 to 20 different models),200 sets of cylinder heads (variousmodels), and 200 water pumps,again, three to four different models.For Herrmann, this translates into dealing with 20 to 25 setups a week.

“We’ve selected the right combi-nation of machines, so now it’s a

question of reducing setup time. Andthe Haas units have helped us do justthat. Each time I bring a Haasmachine on-line, I notice an immediateincrease in productivity. I attribute thisto their ease in setting up, andbecause they are easy to teachpeople how to operate.

“A feature we find especiallyhelpful,” continues Herrmann, “is thejog handle scrolling. It allows our

A selection of high-performance Chevrolet water pumps thatEdelbrock machines on Haas VMC’s.

Edelbrock components have been a perennial favorite withhot-rodders and racers for 59 years.

Roy Salas sets up a cylinder head finish operation on a Haas VF-3.

Vic Edelbrock Sr. and crew with his 1932 Ford Roadster at Muroc Dry Lake. photo courtesy Edelbrock

photos courtesy Edelbrock

photo by Scott Rathburn

9WWW.HAASCNC.COM

Part one of the series talkedabout constructing solid andsurface models in the computer.

Part two tells the ways you can machine the models using mid-range PC-based CAM systems.

You can cut imported CAD models two ways: Generate the toolpath from the surfaces and tool geometry, applying edge protectionto the surfaces, or generate the tool path directly from the solid, usingBoolean operators and accounting for the sweep volume of the tool.

The second requires lots of calculations based on the intersectionof the solids because it has to be continuously calculated as the toolmoves along. Because the math is complex, risk of error is high andthe probability of gouging is much increased. It’s common to generate10,000 to 100,000 individual tool path moves, and an error in asingle move stops solids machining altogether. Any compromise givesa bad finish.

No software or hardware wizardry can speed up NC program-ming if the CAM system uses an inefficient technique to generate toolpaths. The most robust method tessellates the part into polyhedronsconsisting of numerous triangles (facets or planes), where user-definedaccuracy determines the number of facets. Finished part accuracy istypically between 0.0005 and 0.0001 inch, so the math solution tothe intersection of tool shape and facets is quicker and more reliablethan the formulas to generate tool paths directly from solids.

It’s easier to plan, organize and reorder cutting routines if yourCAM system includes a module that lets you graphically cut and

paste into an efficient operations manager. This sort offeature lets you view and reorder NC parameters associ-ated with tool paths, and provides a history ofmachining strategies for family of parts programming.Tool, material and stepover settings used for one NCoperation can be applied to different geometry for newtool path generation.

Cutting Features

Good math is only half of what a CAM system isabout. The other half is good machining practice.Following are some features and methods for machining.

Gouge-Free Tool Support: Today’s CAM systemsshould offer support for squarenosed, bullnosed andballnosed end mills, with full gouge avoidance on each.Because each tool has advantages in machining variousshapes, the better CAM systems don’t limit the operator’schoice of tools. Rough cutting with bullnosed tools is fasterand, depending on the job, can also be effective for finish cutting.

Surface Edge Protection: Individual shapes thatmake up a free-form surface or solid model may have gaps, and howthey’re handled differs among CAM systems. Some will simply add astraight line between the surfaces on either end of the gap, but this risksgouging. The more reliable method is to “edge protect” each of theindividual surfaces. With this method the tool path is guaranteed not togouge the interior or edges of the surface.

Tool Path Bounding: You want to be able to arbitrarily limit theextent of the tool path so that only a portion of the model is cut. Forquick tool path generation, the bounding needs to be done at toolpath creation time rather than waiting until after the full tool path isgenerated. This is especially significant if a portion of the model is allyou want to cut anyway.

Fixed-Distance Step-Overs and Scallop Height Control: CAMsoftware should allow the user to specify a fixed distance betweeneach cut, and specify the maximum scallop height and maximum surface tolerance. Then the software will calculate the proper step-over to develop the shortest possible NC code and fastest machining cycles.

Feed-Between Moves: Tool path generation usually follows rowsas it cuts the parts. When the tool comes to the end of a row, theCAM system decides how to position the tool at the start of the nextrow. Some use a simple “up and over” algorithm, but, watch out, thiscan gouge if the software doesn’t check first. To avoid gouging, bet-ter systems will offer the option of following the part shape in thetransition to the start of the next row.

Gouge Checking Of Lead-In and Lead-Out Moves: The lead-inmove positions the machine tool to the start of the first cutting row. Themachinist needs a variety of options to engage and to leave the partgently, such as spiral, arc, and ramp motions, to guarantee theywon’t gouge.

8 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

setup guys to zip down the programon the control screen to makechanges. It is a lot quicker than usingarrow keys. We wish other CNCmachines had that feature.”

Herrmann purchased Edelbrock’sfirst Haas machine, the VF-2, in 1994to replace an existing machine thatwas getting old and worn out. For theapplication, he looked at Mori Seiki’ssmall line, Cincinnati Milacron’s smallline, Fadal Engineering and Haas. “Ichose the Haas,” said Herrmann,“because it fit our application and tightspace requirements. For the money, itwas the best and most reliable.

“We run 24 hours a day, 5 daysa week, so reliability is a big issuewith us, along with service and support. If a machine goes down, weneed responsive service to preventlapses in production. I know Haas willbe there to respond if I call.”

Last year when Herrmann needed

a 5-axis vertical machining center toperform one of Edelbrock’s most criticalmachining functions – porting alu-minum cylinder heads – he returned toHaas and purchased a VF-6 equippedwith high-speed machining andinverse-time options for 5-axis operation,and extended memory to handle theirhuge files.

“When a customer buys a product from Edelbrock, they are look-ing for bolt-on performance,” saidHerrmann. “It is important that thecylinder heads in production generatethe same amount of power as the prototype. This requires precisionaccuracy and repeatability.”

The more consistent the cylindersare the better. On a V-8 engine thereare two cylinder heads, which meanseight cylinders. When the cast-alu-minum heads arrive from the Edelbrockfoundry in San Jacinto, California,the cylinders can vary up to 30 thou-sandths of an inch. According toHerrmann, this would work fine for theaverage engine, but for true perfor-mance, each cylinder needs to haveexactly the same parameters.

Herrmann said, “Craftsmen can grind cylinders by hand, whichmakes them close to perfect, butwhen you port them with a CNCmachine, every cylinder isperfect and exactly the same.Each cylinder is going to flowthe same and the distribution isgoing to be equal to all cylin-ders. That type of precisionand consistency is critical toour customers.”

And it's critical to the continued success of Edelbrock.Like Haas, they are an Americancompany that is thriving becausethey engineer good products,manufacture good products andsupport their products. “Ourcompany is based on guaranteedperformance,” said Herrmann. “Wesell nothing less and expect nothingless from the companies we work with.That’s the secret.”

By Larry Diehl

Part Two: Machining Methods

A flow cut traverses multiple surfaces within a set boundry.

This off-road pre-runner features a complete Edelbrock engine packageas well as shock absorbers. Edelbrock recently purchased anotherHaas machine for their shock absorber facility.

Scott Herrmann, right, looks on as Roy Salas checks the accuracy ofvalve-guide holes in a small-block Chevy cylinder head. Many of thefinish operations are performed on Haas VMC’s.

Nearly every product Edelbrock makes – cylinder heads, manifolds,throttle bodies, etc. – is completed on a Haas VMC.

Edelbrock uses Haas VMC’s and 4th-axis rotary tables for machin-ing cylinder heads.

PC Mode ing PC Mode ing

photo by Scott Rathburn

photo by David Crowell

Edelbrock Corporation 310-781-2222

10 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

Cutting Methods

Cutting techniques for both solid or surface models arez-level roughing, z-level finishing, planar, single surface flow,multi-surface flow cutting (includes radial cutting), and projectcutting. The machinist should have the option to specify vari-ous cutting methods for any portion of the model.

Z-level roughing is the most efficient way to remove themajority of excess material when cutting a part. It slices amodel with constant z-level planes to generate paths whichcan then be spiral or zigzag cut. If there are overhangingareas on the part, you want the CAM system to avoid goug-ing with the shank of the tool as well as the tip.

Z-level finishing is the best way to finish areas of a partthat are almost vertical. It is important that the operator canapply a boundary curve to limit the area of path generation.

Planar cutting is the oldest and most well-known methodof cutting complex models. It allows the operator to generateparallel planar tool paths over any number of underlyingsurfaces. Current systems vary widely in the speed andquality of the tool paths generated. Even systems that claimto generate gouge-free tool paths may gouge on complexshapes. If you are choosing a new CAM system, be sure totest it on the most complex part you’re likely to cut.

Single surface flow cutting leaves the best surface whena part’s geometry is defined by only a few surfaces. It cutsonly a single surface at a time, but the CAM system must becapable of gouge checking that surface against any numberof surrounding surfaces.

Multi-surface flow cutting is a powerful feature. Formachining a boomerang shaped part, or any part with abend or a lot of bends, it is important that the CAM systemis able to generate tool paths that flow along or across aspecified flow surface while remaining essentially perpendicular to it. On a round, oval or odd-shaped part,

mold or die, this feature lets you cut perpendicular to theshape around the part’s periphery regardless of its shape.The machinist can control tool-path direction to produce thefinest detail.

Project cutting is useful when machining an irregularlyshaped part with a particular 2D tool path, as for engrav-ing. Your CAM system should be able to create this toolpath, project it onto the complex model and cut – all withfull gouge avoidance.

About the author: Larry Diehl initially developedSURFCAM in the 1980s. He continues to program dailyas Surfware’s chief software developer, and overseesSURFCAM product development. 818-991-1960

Constant Z-level finishing is the best way to cut near-vertical slopes.

A spiral toolpath is projected, with gauge avoidance, onto multiple surfaces.

You’re unique. That’s why we ask YOU to design your financing plan for the Haas equipment you need. Here are some structures our

customers have helped us design.

Tell us how to design a financing package to fit YOUR needs.

• Conventional financing for up to 72 months

• Leases for up to 72 months, with 2 advancepayments and a $1 buyout

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• Leases with 1 or 2 regularly skipped monthlypayments each year

• Leases for up to 72 months with really low pay-ments for the first 6-12 months.

• A 6-month rental program for those short-termcontracts you used to have to pass on.

CNC ASSOCIATES, INC.2800 Sturgis RoadOxnard, California 93030Tel. 805-278-0303 • Fax 805-485-0803

Multi-surface flow cutting can be used to optimally machine a part, following various bends.

P C M o d e l i n g

Mikana in aerospace

When the Blue Angels streakthrough the sky demonstrat-ing the aviation excellence

of the U.S. Navy, they are piloting themost versatile aircraft in the nation’s frontline of defense – the F/A-18 Hornet.It was called upon during OperationDesert Storm to fight opposing aircraftand destroy ground targets on the samecombat mission.

Mikana Uses Haas CNC Technology and Soars Into The Future Beyond the Speed of Sound.

Story by Clint Crowell

Mikana President Michael Allawos displays a ramp mid-former they machined on a Haas VMC for Northrop Grumman.

photos by Gerard Burkhart

photo by James BeanMcDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.

of 15-pound parts. Keeping up withthe production schedule means takingbig cuts. “We really push our equip-ment, but never sacrifice accuracy,”Borowski said. “The rigidity of theHaas machines gives us theaccuracy we need to main-tain tolerances and meetquality control inspections.”

Mikana keeps a busy production schedule, com-pleting 15 to 20 setups aweek with runs of 1 to 30parts each, so saving timein setup is crucial for stay-ing on track. It begins withprogramming, where it isfascinating to note thatTom Anderson, one of theirprogrammers, wrote postsfor one of the first Haasunits ever made, serialnumber 6006. The pro-grammers use the latestCAD/CAM software togenerate posts and incor-porate a digital camera tocreate packages for thesetup guys.

“Haas cut our setuptime by over 30%,” saidBorowski, “which is impor-tant to us, because somesetups are 9 hours with 1 hour runs,while others are 3 days with 2 hourruns. Guys can do dry runs to checkfor tool paths and see the part beingmachined on the control panel screenwithout actually running the part. Thecontrol panel is very user friendly andour guys can get a lot of informationright from the screen without havingto go anywhere. They can makechanges, proof the part, archive theprogram and run the job.”

Borowski continued, “We canrun the same program over and overand not worry about whether it’sgoing to be close. The repeatabilityis always top notch and the Haasmachines always do what you tellthem to do.

“There are a lot of other thingswe like about the Haas units, forinstance the way they come under-neath the machine with the coolantinstead of from behind. But the bottom

line is we had a need for machinesand Haas filled it admirably. And indoing so, helped us increase ourdelivery schedules, our relationshipswith our customers, and our ability towork in different situations.”

In accordance with their missionstatement, Mikana set out to create agreater presence with their customersand influence the shape and directionof industry. They have made greatstrides in achieving their goals andhave assembled the ideal combina-tion of equipment, management andcraftsmen to continue on their path ofgrowth and financial stability.

Mikana, 909-592-2117.

15WWW.HAASCNC.COM14 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

The twin-engine fighter/attack aircraft, also used by the U.S. MarineCorps and eight allied nations,showcases the capabilities of modernmanufacturing while setting newrecords in reliability, maintainabilityand mission performance. At the rootsof its success are the combined effortsof not only large contractors likeMcDonnell Douglas, Boeing, NorthropGrumman Corporation, GeneralElectric Co. and Hughes Aircraft Co.,

but also essential job shops likeMikana Manufacturing Company, Inc.,located in San Dimas, California.

It is fitting that Mikana machinesparts for the F/A-18, because thecompany and aircraft share many ofthe same traits. Both are on the cut-ting edge of technology andsuccessfully pushing the limits to reachhigher levels of achievement. “We

are asked to do theimpossible,” saidMichael Allawos,president of Mikana,“which translates intoproviding precisionparts on quick turn-arounds. The way weachieve this, is bybeing aggressive withour machines.”

Mikana’s philosophy has beenworking for them since opening theirdoors in 1985. They specialize in theaerospace and medical industries,using the latest manufacturing andbusiness systems to remain competitivein the high-tech arena. As testament totheir success in managing technology,during the recent glut in the aerospacesector, Mikana not only survived, butpositioned themselves for growth.

“We have proven our abilities toour clients,” said Allawos,“and are being rewardedfor our efforts with abacklog of projectsextending into the nextcentury. As a result weare expanding – buyingnew equipment – but notwithout control.Maintaining control of ourgrowth enables us to con-tinue doing the jobs weare best suited for, insteadof having to do work thatdoesn’t fit our expertise.”

With Mikana’sgrowth came the pur-chase of their first Haasunit, a VF-4 vertical

machining center (50" x 20" x 25"travels) equipped with a chip conveyorand programmable-coolant nozzle.“We’ve found that if you buy the bestand most technically advanced equip-ment for your company,” Allawossaid, “the people will rise to theoccasion and perform miracles. Thatis why we thoroughly investigated ourmachining options before selecting

Haas Automation for our shop.”Richard Borowski, Mikana’s

general manager, added, “We wentto Westec and looked at the differentmanufacturers, then toured severalfacilities to see the machines in action.The more we saw of Haas, the morewe were impressed.”

Allawos, a strong advocate ofteamwork, has empowered Borowskito run the shop. “We were certain ourvolume could support several newmachines,” Borowski continued, “but we remained cautious with ourpurchasing until we could put the VF-4to the test. The machine started paying for itself the minute we flippedthe switch on, and within a month ithad proven itself to us.”

Allawos added, “We realized a60% savings with the first machine, sowe bought more.”

They had their second VF-4 VMCdelivered within 6 months, and withina year and a half had two moreHaas units running in the shop, bothVF-2 VMC’s (30"x16"x20" travels).“There are three things a machineneeds if it is going to make youmoney,” Borowski said, “versatility,repeatability and accuracy – crucialfactors for maintaining good productiv-ity. Our Haas machines come throughin all categories.”

Productivity has skyrocketed.“We realized a 50% increase in productivity when we switched tothe Haas VF-4 to manufacture thetitanium Fitting Cover for the F/A-18,” said Borowski. “And atthe same time,” he continued,“we were able to increase the lifeof the carbide inserts on the cuttingtools 12-fold.”

He attributes these accomplish-ments to the rigidity of the machines(provided by the heavy cast-ironbase), the ability to run at higher rpmfor longer periods of time, and theability to maintain constant speedduring bigger and deeper cuts.

These same characteristics are

“The rigidity of the

Haas machines gives

us the accuracy we

need to maintain

tolerances and meet

quality control

inspections.”

vital in machining the Lateral CamMikana produces for McDonnellDouglas’ MD-80 and MD-90 commer-cial aircraft. These parts are whatBorowski calls “a titanium nightmare.”Starting with a 16-pound block of titanium measuring 3⁄4" x 14" x 16",they use three setups to machine itdown to a 3-pound finished part. “It’sa multi-angle type of cut, and we haveto hold critical dimensions to 0.0005", ”Borowski said. “It’s a nightmarebecause of all the cutting and hog out.The titanium is tough and dense, and itrequires more power to maintain thefeed rate and keep up the rpm. TheHaas machines have allowed us tomore than doubled our output.”

Mikana hasrealized similarresults in aluminum.A rib-assembly partthey manufacturefor McDonnellDouglas starts as a3600-pound plateof aluminum mea-suring 4' x 12' x 3".The plate is cutinto 300-poundblocks measuring24" x 30" x 3",which are thenmachined on theVF-2s into a pair

McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.

Danny Hennig, left, and Michael Allawos check a 4th-axis set up for an aluminum rib assembly Mikana manufactures for McDonnell Douglas.

Danny Hennig, left, checks a part while Programmer Tom Anderson, center, andGeneral Manager Richard Borowski work at the Haas control.

Michael Allawos displays a rib assembly Mikana makesfor McDonnell Douglas while operator Danny Hennigprepares to run another part on the Haas VF-2.

Story and photos by Scott Rathburn

Ron Gitlin has applied this theory most ofhis life: first to his race bikes, and later to personal watercraft, motocrossers, road-racers and Go-Peds. Fortunately,thousands of other speed-addledindividuals share this penchant forhopping up whatever motorizedmachine they have at the time.Otherwise, Gitlin would still behating life, chasing contracts inthe endless dance of feast orfamine that is the traditionaljob shop business.

photo by Heather Selwitz

For more about Ron Gitlin see Racer to Riches on page 21.

Rick Quelch, above, is one of many top competitors who rely on Triton for high-performance watercraft parts. Rick Quelch, above, is one of many top competitors who rely on Triton for high-performance watercraft parts.

Making Wavesf it has an engine, you can

trick it out and make it faster.IIMaking Waves

19WWW.HAASCNC.COM

depending on the model, and Tritonuses multiple fixtures to hold up to fourheads at a time on the table. TheYamaha 1100 triple is a good example of a typical cylinder headoperation on the VF-3.

The head startsas a 2" x 6" x 16"block of 6061-T6 alu-minum. The block is drilledfor mounting holes, and thesparkplug holes are drilled andtapped. The periphery is then roughedto within 0.025" using a Helimill® (ahigh-speed, inserted endmill from Iscar)at 10,000 rpm and 130 inches perminute. Two clean-up passes take thepart to its finished size, then the bottomof the head is machined and the combustion chambers cut. The head isthen refixtured to finish the top.

Total time for all operations isabout 1 hour, 15 minutes.

“I would say we probably took 10to 12 minutes off the Yamaha triplewith the Haas,” Weaver said. That’s abig savings on a run of 50 heads, andTriton has achieved similar results ontheir other products.

“We build these things called skibridges,” Gitlin said, “a repetitive part.The fastest we were able to build thatpart on our other machines was a littleover nine minutes. With the Haas, wegot it down to a little over five minutes.” That’s a reduction in cycle

time of nearly 45 percent.Gitlin went on to say, “We were

able to take a lot of our existing programs and speed up the processestremendously. Via the 10,000-rpmspindle and the torque of the servomotors, we were able to run muchheavier chip loads; and the size of themachine (48" x 20" table) enables usto run more vices and more parts atone time for faster turn-around times. If somebody wants billet side covers fora [Yamaha] YZF 600, we can run 100of them on the Haas and be out ofthere and onto another job faster thanwe can on any of our other machines.”

And, “The Haas produces a muchnicer looking product,” Weaveradded. “A lot of our products are aes-thetic. It’s not so much a matter of

18 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

Today, Gitlin is presi-dent of Triton Engineering& Manufacturing ofBoulder, Colorado, amachine shop founded byhis father in 1946. Hetook over the reins in1989 when his fatherdecided to retire... but herefused to dance the sameold dance.

He wanted a steadydance partner for Triton –one that wouldn’t run offwith another shop at thedrop of a low bid. To temper the upsand downs of the business and addsome stability, Gitlin decided to manufacture his own products.

Triton now specializes in manufac-turing high-performance parts forpersonal watercraft, motorcycles, Go-Peds and the occasional motorcyclerace team. They are the largest manu-facturer of billet cylinder heads in thepersonal watercraft arena, producing a full line of performance productsfor just about every craft on the market.

So, how do youmake the transitionfrom traditional jobshop to full-blownmanufacturing?Well, it doesn’thappen overnight.First, you have tohave products to manufacture. Then, you have tohave the market to sell them.

Gitlin had the products: He hadprototyped his first designs in the late80’s via UPS, penning thedesigns while working at aFlorida motorcycle shopand sending them to hisfather for machining.Upon taking the helm at Triton, he was able toimplement these designsand jump-start production.

And he had the market: Extensive experi-ence in the motorcycle andwatercraft industries gaveGitlin an immediate in-road – he knew what tomake, who to sell it to, and

the weaknesses of the competition. Hefound distributors in short order.

Almost immediately Triton beganproduction of Gitlin’s original designs.Soon, increasing demand and rapidexpansion of the product line necessi-tated the purchase of additionalequipment.

Though theyalready had several

older turning centers andmachining centers, Triton

needed another machining centerto boost production, especially of their

larger cylinder heads. They wanted amachine that was larger and faster andwould allow them to set up multiple fixtures quickly and easily. After

thorough research, theyselected a VF-3 verticalmachining center (40" x20" x 25" travels) fromHaas Automation, Inc.

According to DavidWeaver, Triton’s headmachinist and second incommand, many thingscontributed to their decisionto buy the VF-3, includingthe big table, large Z travel, value, price and speed.But, “It was the control thatreally sold us,” he said.

Gitlin agreed. “We read aboutthe Haas machines and they soundedgood, but what really sold us was taking a test drive and finding out how

good the control is. All mymachines have Mitsubishi,

Fanuc or Yasnac controls, with theexception of theHaas. As far as I’m

concerned, the Haas isliterally the best control on

the market. It’s definitely themost sophisticated, and it’s the

easiest to program.“For instance, the way you can

go into your canned cycles, like forpecking, and change the parametersso easily. You can make the mill rapidall the way down to within whatevertolerance you’re comfortable with andpick up where it left off, rather thanreturning to the zero point and slowlyfeeding down. That’s incredible,because on our cylinder heads, half themachine time is a drilling cycle. Wewere able to take parts and literally

reduce the machine timeby 40 percent. It wasamazing.”

Triton uses the HaasVF-3 primarily for machin-ing billet cylinder headsfor personal watercraft.“We build 701, 760,1100 and 1200 (cc)Yamaha heads; 750,900, and 1100Kawasaki heads; and720 and 800 Sea Dooheads,” Gitlin said.

Typical batch sizesare 50 to 100 pieces,

David Weaver sets up to machine a water rail for a Yamaha 700 triple snowmobile.

Triton burns the perimeters of their cylinder heads at 10,000 rpm and 130 ipm on aHaas VF-3 VMC. Wayne Sturm measures the combustion chambers of a Yamaha triple

cylinder head machined on Triton’s Haas VF-3.

photo courtesy Yamaha Motorsports

Triton manufactures a variety ofparts, such as the side coversand shifter linkages at left, forthe Belgarda Yamaha SuperSport roadrace team, above.

21WWW.HAASCNC.COM

Growing up in his father’s machine shop,Ron Gitlin saw first-hand the volatility ofthe traditional job shop business. So

when he left home to pursue a career of his own,he had no intention of subjecting himself to thattype of life. Little did he know that one day hewould end up as president of his father’s company.

20 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

by Scott Rathburn

Racer to Richesfunction, but does it look cool? That’s what a lot of the Go-Ped kidsand the Jet Ski world want: to look cool.”

In addition to reducing Triton’scycle times, the Haas VF-3 has alsobeen very reliable. “It hasn’t even hic-cuped,” Gitlin said. “We literally havenot had even a minute of downtime.”

“I wish we had discovered Haasa lot sooner,” commented Weaver.“I’ve never seen a machine come intoany shop, anywhere, that didn’t havesome kind of problem right off the bat.The Haas is the only machine I’ve everseen where it was, ‘Come in, drop iton the floor, turn it on and here you go.’No problem.”

And it’s accurate. “We probablyhold plus or minus two-tenths(0.0002"), although it’s not really

required for most of what we’re doing,”Weaver said. “But occasionally I’ll getinto a bearing surface and the Haaswill hold a tenth all day. Whereas my

other machines will take an hour or twoto stabilize out, the Haas just seems tobe close right from the beginning.

And it doesn’t change.”Gitlin agreed, “The Haas does not

change at any point in time during theday; and it does not change regardlessof how much down time there isbetween cycles. For instance, if we’rerunning parts all day and the operatortakes a 20-minute break, the next part hemakes after the break will be exactly thesame size as the part before the break.That’s not true for our other machines; thepart will change a few tenths.”

This accuracy, repeatability andreliability allows Triton to maintain thesuperior quality necessary to meet thedemands of the high-performancemotorsports industry. Their ability to pro-duce quality products and quickly reactto market fluctuations has provided thestability they need to dance the dancein today’s competitive marketplace.

Ron Gitlin, front, and his father Ed Gitlin with a selection of Ron’s toys. Ron took over the reigns of his father’s machine shop in 1989.

Triton Engineering is the largest manufacturer of billet cylinderheads for personal watercraft. They manufacture a variety ofother products as well, such as velocity stacks, intake mani-folds, fuel-injection systems, couplers, knobs and gas caps.What they call spruce-it-up or speed-it-up type products.

“But occasionally I’ll get into a

bearing surface and the Haas

will hold a tenth all day.

Whereas my other machines

will take an hour or two to

stabilize out.”

23WWW.HAASCNC.COM

remained out of reach. “I realized Iwas never going to be good enoughto be anybody,” Gitlin explained.“So I headed back to Boulder.”

Though he returned without achampionship, the connections hemade and the experience he gained,both on the race circuit and in themotorcycle shop, would serve himwell down the road.

For the next several years, Gitlinworked at his father’s machine shopwhile also working as parts managerat a local motorcycle dealership. It seems machining and motorcycleswere destined to remain intimatelyentwined in his life. Despite this fullplate, he also pursued a collegedegree during this time.

Degree under his belt, Gitlin once

more left the crisp, clean RockyMountain air of Boulder in search offame and fortune. Well, at least fortune.

Alighting in Florida as generalmanager of a motorcycle dealership,his interest in motorcycles quicklyexpanded to include the growing arenaof personal watercraft – Jet Skis, SeaDoos, Wave Runners and the like.

As with his race bikes, Gitlin wasalways searching for ways to make hisnew toys faster. At that time, however,the performance aftermarket for per-sonal watercraft left a lot to be desired.“Being a customer myself of the existingcompanies, I saw the crap they wereturning out and the prices they werecharging for it,” he explained.

Realizing the potential the marketheld for quality products, Gitlin

combined his manufacturing know-how with his experience in themotorcycle and watercraft industriesand began formulating designs for hisown product lines. Working long-dis-tance with his father, he prototyped hisown performance cylinder heads andaccessories for personal watercraft.

About this time, Gitlin’s fatherdecided he wanted to retire. Therewas talk of paring down the businessand selling it as a job shop, or just liquidating the business entirely.

Gears began to turn in Gitlin’smind, forming an idea.

He said to himself, “Wait aminute! We have an existing base –Triton Engineering – that is very strong,very knowledgeable and very capable.I think we can get into this industryand be a serious player right from theget go.” So back to Colorado he wentto relieve his father and become presi-dent of Triton Engineering.

But what about the volatility ofthe traditional job shop business?

“I had no desire to come backand be solely in the job shop business,” Gitlin emphasized. “I didn’twant to sit there waiting to see if, andwhen, we were going to get a bigaerospace package; or spend a lot oftime and energy bidding huge projects only to miss the bid by $100on a $40,000 contract. But I saw atremendous opportunity to providesome stability by manufacturing after-market parts for personal watercraft.”

Putting his industry contacts andexperience to quick use, Gitlin founddistributors for his first designs andnew products. “I already knew who to market the parts to, how to marketthem and what the shortcomings ofthe competition were.”

The products were an instant success, prompting Gitlin – and Triton– to branch out into other areas ofmotorsports. His contacts from racingand the motorcycle industry gave hima fast inside track to additional cus-tomers. Many of the people he usedto race with – or against – were nowteam managers needing parts for theirrace bikes. They naturally came to

Triton Engineering & ManufacturingCompany, Inc., of Boulder, Colorado,began life in 1946 primarily as a jobshop, with their main focus being aero-space and defense contracts. For manyyears, lucrative government contracts provided a very comfortable living.But such contracts required tremendousenergy to procure and were apt to dis-appear without warning.

Triton didn’t really start dealingwith the public or other companies untilthe early 70s, when several nationalresearch & development facilitiesmoved to Colorado. Being the oldestcontinuously run machine shop in thearea, these facilities naturally gravitatedto Triton for their machine work.

But Ron Gitlin didn’t want anypart of the job shop environment.

He vowed not to follow in hisfather’s footsteps, but he still learnedall the ins and outs of the business.Naturally, he learned to be a machin-ist and how to rebuild equipment, buthe always used this knowledgetoward his own interest – building trickparts for his race bikes.

Race bikes were his passion.At the tender age of 19, Gitlin

headed to California to seek fameand fortune as a professional motorcycle racer. Plying the dirt ovalwas his life’s ambition – but workingat a motorcycle dealership paid thebills. For two years he chased hisdream. But alas, a professional racingcareer was not to be. Despite reachingAMA expert level, the number-oneplate and factory sponsorship

Back in the good old days, before the advent of skateboards and in-lineskates, a kid needed a little ingenuity when it came to developing modes oftransportation. Sure there were bicycles, but they were for big kids, and you

had to convince the elders you were deserving of such a purchase. And what ifyou were in that awkward in-between stage: too big for a tricycle, but too smallfor a bicycle? There just weren’t many options

Until the discovery of the handy-dandy, home-built scooter. You found yourselfan old orange crate and some scrap wood, appropriated an old pair of metalroller skates, borrowed your dad’s hammer and a selection of nails and assem-bled everything into the coolest vehicle in the neighborhood. Well, it seemedpretty cool at the time, and it let you rip up the sidewalks with abandon until youwere big enough to justify that Schwinn Stingray with the blue-metalflake-vinylbanana seat.

Over the years, the orange-crate scooter evolved in a couple different direc-tions. Southern California saw the birth of the sidewalk surfer, a variation of theboard and roller skate combination, but sans handlebars. This was the precursorto the modern skateboard.

Another branch of the family tree yielded the metal scooter. Basically a mass-produced version of the old crate and roller skate contraption, these featured asingle rubber tire fore and aft, a stamped-steel foot deck, chest-high handlebars (atleast they were chest high if you were eight) and multi-colored streamers danglingfrom the hand grips. For the most part, these were merely stepping stonesbetween three- and two-wheeled mobility, eventually handed down to younger sib-lings or banished to the garage to collect dust.

Until, that is, an over-zealous gearhead named of Steve Patmont strapped an

old Weed Eater engine to his scooter’s rearwheel, thus creating the Go-Ped. A far cry fromthe self-propelled contraptions of yore, the Go-Ped is not just for kids anymore.

At first considered a novelty, Go-Peds soondeveloped a cult-like following. As with anyvehicle, motorized or not, get a couple testos-terone-addled owners together, and the nextthing you know, there’s a race. And wherethere’s a race, there’s a loser. And where there’sa loser, there’s an overwhelming need to van-quish the loss by returning to beat the winner.Thus begins the endless cycle of spend money,modify, race, spend money, modify, race. Theend result? A dual-overhead-cam, fuel-injected,16-valve, twin-turbo, nitro-burning, 450-horse-power scooter that’ll do flamin’ burnouts twomiles long at 150 miles per hour.

Well, maybe that’s a little extreme. But thereality is, people actually do race the darnthings! Powered by a 22.5 cc two-strokeengine, a stock Go-Ped will reach top speeds ofabout 20 mph. In full-race trim, a Pro-ModifiedGo-Ped will crank out about 10 horsepower andhit speeds up to 35 mph. As with other

Story and photos by Scott Rathburn

Ray Kite and Gunnar Geenemeier of Toy Shop Racing in Denver, Colorado, tear it up on a pair of tricked out Go-Peds.

Ron Gitlin measures the combustion chamber volume of a Yamaha twin watercraft cylinder head. Heads are machined on a Haas VF-3.

Rip Snortin’ ScootersRip Snortin’ Scooters

Continued on page 24 Continued on page 25

22

25WWW.HAASCNC.COM

someone they knew for their machin-ing: Ron Gitlin and Triton Engineering.

Soon Triton was making parts for the likes of Belgarda Racing,Yamaha’s European roadrace team,and Team Kawasaki’s motocrosseffort. Contacts from Gitlin’s dirt trackdays yielded customers like Bartel’sHarley-Davidson and riders JaySpringsteen, Chris Carr, Terry Pooveyand Steve Moorehead. Seeing theseparts, other teams and racers wouldask who had made them.

The word spread. Individual customers led to entire markets. One-off parts grew into full product lines.

Triton currently is the largest manufacturer of billet cylinder headsfor the personal watercraft market,producing their own lines as well asprivate labelling for other vendors.They manufacture a variety of otherproducts as well, such as velocitystacks, intake manifolds, fuel-injectionsystems, couplers, knobs and gascaps. What they call spruce-it-up orspeed-it-up type products.

“By bringing on our own productlines, and also building my competitors’product lines – which are our design,we just private label them – we addeda tremendous amount of stability to ourbusiness,” Gitlin explained.

Now, 75 percent of Triton’s business is motorsports, with theremainder being high-tech job shopwork. “We still do a lot of work for thenational labs,” Gitlin noted. “Our truespecialty, if we said we had to haveone, is high pressure and high vacuum.We specialize in designing and build-ing vacuum chambers and systems,and pumping stations, as well ascryogenic valves and systems.”

For Triton Engineering the combi-nation of manufacturing and high-techcontract work has been a very prof-itable endeavor. But where do theygo from here?

“That’s a difficult question,” Gitlinsays. “I think a lot of it is based on mypersonality, and on what I do and

don’t want out of life. I mean, living inBoulder is bitchin’. And at 37-years-old, I’ve leveraged myself into aposition where I earn pretty goodmoney. I live in a nice house, and I have more toys than there’s time toplay with. Between my motocrossersand my dirt trackers and my shifter go-carts and my Go Peds and mywatercrafts, I have a lot of toys and a lot of fun.

“To be honest with you, on theone hand I’m pretty content where I’mat. But is the business anywhere nearas large or successful as it could be?No. If I were serious about radicallygrowing the company, I think I could

pretty easily spin it off into a coupledifferent divisions and spend moretime focusing on the ice climbing stuffwe make. But everything’s a trade-off.The more successful you are in business, the more demanding it is on your time and the more stress it is. I don’t know if I want that.”

For now, Ron Gitlin is content toenjoy the stability of Triton’s manufac-turing success. It seems he finally hashis number one plate.

racing, set up is crucial, with differenttracks requiring different set ups. Short,technical tracks loaded with tight turns,require a Ped that’s quick off the lineand has lots of low-end grunt to squirtfrom apex to apex. A course heavy onstraights, however, requires more top-end power and the speed to cover the

most ground in the least amount oftime. It’s a fine line to walk, and itsalways a compromise. Get the mixwrong and you’ll be left behind.

In the endless battle to come outon top, owners were quick to grabanything that would make their ridesfaster or better looking. A tremendousdemand soon developed for high-performance parts. And where there’sa demand, there’s an aftermarket.

Through a rather chanceencounter, Triton Engineering &Manufacturing (see main story formore about Triton) stumbled into theGo-Ped culture. David Weaver, thenumber-two man at Triton, explains:“Two kids came through the shop andasked if we could make some partsfor them. We said, ‘Sure,’ and it justwent from there. All of a sudden, fromthose two kids alone, we got probably100 sales. When we originallydesigned some of that stuff wethought, ‘Yeah, right, trick parts forGo-Peds.’ But since then, businesshas grown tremendously.”

Seeing an obvious untappedmarket for Go-Ped trickery, Tritonstepped into the void and soon foundthemselves machining a myriad ofparts. They are now the number onemanufacturer of aftermarket Go-Ped

products in the world. “We build billetwheels, billet foot decks, billet sidecovers for the engine, turbo cones,miniature forks, all kinds of weirdstuff,” said Ron Gitlin, Triton’s presi-dent. “Pretty much anything you canreplace on a Go-Ped, we make it;and we private label for several different companies.”

At the recent Go-Ped Nationalsin Omaha, Nebraska, about 100competitors gathered to battle for tophonors in Pro, Amateur, Junior andWomen’s divisions. Triton productsadorned the rides of nearly every topcompetitor, including Denver’s ToyShop Racing, which descended onthe event with a collection of ten racingPeds fully decked with Triton parts.Ray Kite, TSR’s owner, crew chief andengine builder, referred to his team as“the Indy crew of the Go-Ped world.”

From a piecemeal wooden con-traption to a full-on racing machine.Talk about evolution.

A pair of modified Go-Peds fully decked out with Triton products.

The monstrous 22.5 cc Go-Ped power plant, complete with Triton parts.

Machining of a water rail for a Yamaha triple snowmobile.Some of the Go-Ped trickery manufactured by Triton Engineering. Clockwise from upper left: Foot board, billet wheel,gas cap, rear axle support and bearing, and engine side cover.

Triton Engineering & Manufacturing Company, Inc.5420 Arapahoe Avenue Boulder, CO 80303 Phone:303-442-0885Fax: 303-442-0897

24

Scooters, cont...

WWW.HAASCNC.COM

With the development of CNC controls for automatic machine tools camelinear encoders designed for the task.Today’s high-speed, high-resolution, high-accuracy, high-duty-cycle and high-reliabilitymachines require these same features fromthe position feedback devices they use tomaintain closed-loop servo motor control.Of all linear encoder technologies, glassscales offer the greatest advantages tomachine tool manufacturers today.

Haas Automation now offers glass-scale linear encoders (linear scales) as anoption on many of their machining centers.The technology being used by Haas wasdesigned specifically for the rigors of CNCapplications and has proven itself capablethrough more than 10 years of field experi-ence. Following is a description of howthese encoders work.

The linear encoder consists of two sub-assemblies: (1) an extrusion with internally mounted glass scale and (2) anencoder head with scanning carriage.

The glass scale is fixed within an aluminum extrusion to facilitate attachmentto the machine and protect it from the elements [Figure 1]. The scale has a pattern of opaque chrome lines and trans-parent spaces of equal width. Included onthe glass is an additional track for theReference Index output signal, commonlyused for the Home position. The Homeposition is repeatable within one encodercount regardless of the machine’s directionof motion during the Homing sequence.This repeatable Reference Index locationallows machine operators to set upmachine programs and have repeatabilityof machining with fixtures even if machinepower is cycled off and on.

The scanning carriage of the encoderhead [Figure 2] “reads” the chrome gradua-tion pattern. The scanning carriage includesa reticle that has the same grating pitch asthe scale chrome graduation pattern, aswell as a corresponding Reference Indexpattern. Light from an LED is collimated tomake the light rays parallel and transmittedthrough the reticle and glass scale graduation pattern [Figure 2]. The scanning

carriage rides on the glass scale on rollerbearings, which maintains a uniform airgap between the reticle and the scale,regardless of the encoder head mounting.

The glass-scale linear encoder oper-ates on an optical ‘photo-electric’ scanningprinciple. [Figure 3] The four major compo-nents used to create a signal output are theLED, the reticle, the scale graduation pattern and the photocell elements. A chrome deposited pattern of equal linesand spaces is printed on the glass scale,with the lines perpendicular to the directionof travel. A similar pattern is found on thereticle within the scanning carriage.Essentially, light is transmitted from a lightemitting diode (LED) through a collimatinglens, through the reticle and scale glass,and is detected by photo elements. Whenthere is relative motion between the scan-ning carriage and the scale, a moiré fringepattern of light is converted into electricalmicro-current signals by the photo elements.[Figure 4] These signals are converted intosquare waves and forwarded to the CNCcontrol system. [Figure 5]

The direction of motion is apparent bythe phase relationship (offset) between thetwo square wave trains called A and B. Thenumber of square waves is directlyproportional to the distance moved. Withthe inclusion of a Reference Index (RI)signal, essentially a repeatable HOMEpoint found at one location along the entirescale travel, the control system is providedwith complete positional information. Thus,the encoder fulfills its mission as a linearfeedback device.

Glass-scale linear encoder technologydeveloped for the machine tool industry hasalso found application in linear and X-Y stages for printed circuit board (PCB)drilling, electronics assembly, optical com-parators and video inspection. Recentadvancements in linear motor technologyhave created the need for glass-scale linearencoders wherever these ‘flat’ motors areused. Glass-scale linear encoders continueto be the standard for linear position feed-back within closed-loop control systems

RSF Electrics, Inc. 916-852-6600

IN a Zen kind of way, this makescomplete sense. Because nomatter where you end up,

that’s exactly where you are at that pointin time. For a machine tool, however, thisis not a good thing. Unless, of course, youknow where you started and where youare in relation to that starting point. That’swhy God – or if you prefer, engineers –invented position feedback systems.

Story by Al Werner, RSF Electronics, Inc.

Extrusion

GlassScale

EncoderHead

SealingLips

In order to machine a part accurately, themachine tool must know the exact location ofthe cutting tool at all times, both in relation tomachine zero and to the part. The demand forimproved machine resolution, accuracy andspeed continues to push design engineers to utilize the latest technology. Thus, the use of linear encoders for machine tool position feed-back is becoming more popular due to their performance enhancing characteristics.

Prior to the development of low-cost electronics, manual machine tool operators useda flat ruler and pointer system to obtain informa-tion about the position of the cutting tool and thework piece. The ruler quite often was an etchedmetal or glass scale attached to the stationarymachine. The pointer was a simple arrow, withor without a magnifying lens to enhance visibility.A vernier scale, when used as a sophisticatedpointer, was able to ‘subdivide’ the ruler patternfor greater accuracy. In the use of manualmachine tools, the operator acted as the controlsystem. He moved the machine, received feed-back from the linear ruler, adjusted the feedbackfor known errors and tooling factors, andchecked his work with hand-held micrometersand gauges. Machining of a single complexpart was time consuming. Machining of manyparts with high repeatability was difficult at best.

Advancements in the field of electronicsmade possible the first affordable digital readoutsystems in the late 1950s. Linear transducersconverted machine motion to digital pulses, anda digital readout (DRO) displayed incrementalmotion to the operator. Back then, a typical two-axis DRO system for a small milling machinewas quite expensive. It cost around $3000.00– enough to buy a new automobile – for a system that developed 0.0005" resolution, hadfew features and was often unreliable. Despiteall the advantages a DRO system provided,machining still required a highly-skilled operatorwith time and patience.

Figure1

Lens

Reticle

Photo Elements

Glass Scale

LED

Figure3

270º

360º el.

t

t

t

I

typ. 11.5 µAss

I

I

I2

RI

I1

90º el. phase shift

position135º

typ. 11.5 µAss

typ. 5 µAss

Figure4

90º tf

90º

360º

B

RI

A

Figure5

Transmissive Scanning Principle

*drawing in positive counting direction

*drawing in positive counting direction

Zen and the Art of PositioningRollerBearings

ScanningCarriage

GlassScale

Magnetic Couplin

EncoderHead

Figure2

26

Wherever you go . . . there you are.

27

Encoder Head Scanning Carriage

L ast issue, we described five rules ofthumb for simplifying turning of stainless steel. We urged you toanticipate the challenges associated

with stainless and presented these first tworules of thumb: 1) Use state-of-the-art insertsand 2) Match the insert to the application. In this issue, we will cover these remainingthree rules: 3) Diagnose and remedy edgefailure, 4) Check your shims and 5) Useproven techniques for difficult cuts. This second installment completes the story and,hopefully, will help you meet the challengesof turning stainless steel.

Diagnosing Edge Failure

Tool failure mechanisms that occur inturning stainless steel are similar to those inturning any steels. The differences are in thedegree of wear (Fig. 2).

Here is a brief overview of the mostcommon wear patterns and action you can

take to correct them early (Fig. 3).Flank wear should generally be

viewed as the normal type of wear. Itoccurs at the flank, or clearance face, ofthe cutting edge along the length ofengagement. Its occurrence can be posi-tive, inasmuch as it makes the edgesharper. On the other hand, after a certainamount of wear, continued friction againstthe machined surface causes abrasion,and deteriorates edge performance.

The solution to excessive or prema-ture flank wear is usually to ease-upon cutting speed. You might also selecta more wear resistant coating, suchas Al2O3.

Chipping occurs when the edge-linebreaks, rather than wears. Advanced toolwear and intermittent cutting are frequentcauses of edge chipping. The remedies areto reduce feed rate, change the toolapproach angle to ensure stability and selecta tougher grade insert. Often, the answer is

a combination of these remedies.Notch wear is the result of an oxidation

process whereby the carbide actually breaksdown, leaving a void on the cutting edge.With stainless steel, notch wear on the lead-ing edge, due to mechanical stress, is morecommon than notch wear on the trailingedge. For notch wear, the same remedies as for flank wear are usually effective.

Built-up edge (BUE) is largely a tempera-ture and cutting speed related phenomenon.Under high temperature and pressure thechips become gummy and tend to smearand stick to the insert flank. The workpiecematerial is welded onto areas of the edgewhere the substrate is exposed. The BUE istorn off repeatedly, leading to chipping.

Allowing BUE to grow without interven-tion causes premature edge breakdown,and even catastrophic insert fracture.Fortunately, the temperature and cuttingspeed areas where BUE formation occursare relatively well defined, and can beavoided. Much of modern stainless steel turning takes place above the BUE area.Many modern insert grades are more resistant to BUE, if used correctly.

Increasing cutting speed usually reducesBUE. Additional remedies include switching

1

3

2

4

5

8

XX

X

X

X X

X X

XX X X XXX

7X XXX

6X XXX

XX XX

XX

XX

X = possible remedyXX = best alternative remedy

X

ExcessiveTool Wear

More PositiveInsert

Geometry

More ToughInsert Grade

More WearResistant

Grade

IncreaseCuttingSpeed

DecreaseCutttingSpeed

ReduceFeed Rate

SmallerEnteringAngle

StrongerGeometry

1

3

5 6

2

4

7 8

Figure3: Troubleshooting Table

Figure2: Principal Tool Wear

Continued on page 30

28 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

Flank Wear

Notch Wear

Flaking Wear

Plastic Deformation Thermal Cracking

Crater Wear

BUE Wear

Chipping Wear

The main regions of tool wear on a cutting edge are the chip face, flankof the leading and trailing clearance faces, and the nose radius. Carbidesubstrate cutting tools, such as Sandvik Coromant’s M-Line inserts, willprovide prolonged usage of cutting edges and ideal wear development.

Sandvik Coromant has developed more wear resistant inserts, tougher coatings, inserts withpositive geometry and larger nose radii to control premature tool wear. The above tableprovides manufacturer-recommended remedies for the most common types of wear.

Simplifying Turning ofStainless Steel Simplifying Turning ofStainless Steel Built to Last.

At Haas, we know dependable, high-accuracy motion must be built into the design. Reduce deflection, increase rigidity,and you increase accuracy. One example of how Haas builds the most accurate rotary tables in the industry is our new worm-gear design. Many of our competitors use a thin-wall design – placing the bearings inside the worm gear. Haas employs a solidworm-gear design, with extra-heavy-duty bearings mounted on each side of a solid worm gear. Hobbed from aluminum-bronzealloy, the Haas worm gear offers superior rigidity compared to the hat-shaped worm-gear used by our competitors.

Does Haas design and manufacture heavy-duty rotary tables built to last? We’ll let the parts speak for themselves.

Haas Automation, Inc., 2800 Sturgis Rd., Oxnard, CA 93030 • 800-331-6746 • www.HaasCNC.com

Haas Automation Inc.

Bearing Journals

by Mike Castner, Sandvik Coromant

Part2

CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998

to a tougher-grade, higher-rake insert. If toollife is too short, apply coolant in large quantities to keep the insert flooded.

Flaking involves coating damage due toinferior coating, poor adhesion of thecoated layer, as well as plastic deformation.The remedy: switch to inserts with a moretenacious coating, like an MTCVD (Sandvikgrade GC2015).

Crater wear occurs on the chip face andcauses a weakened edge. It is caused by dif-fusion and abrasion wear mechanisms. Thefirst recourse is to reduce speed to lower thecutting temperature. Secondly, reduce feed. A medium temperature CVD coated insertwith positive geometry will resist the wear.

Plastic deformation often results fromhigher cutting forces and heat encounteredwhen turning stainless steel. The same factorsalso contribute to notch wear, edge chippingand crater wear. For the tool material tostand up to this without plastic deformation,select an Al2O3 coated, wear-resistantgrade (Sandvik grade GC2015). Reducingspeed and feed will lower the cutting tem-perature and eliminate the cause.

Thermal cracking is mainly a fatiguewear phenomenon due to rapid changes incutting zone temperature and intermittent turning. To avoid it, turn up the coolant flow,and select a carbide grade insert with betterresistance to thermal shock.

Figure #4 lists recommended startingspeeds and feeds for various stainless steelturning applications. Consider these recom-mendations as conservative. Don’t be afraidto push the tooling to its limit and get its fullproductive benefit.

Check Your Shims

Proper shims – in good condition – areessential to turning stainless steel. They pro-tect both insert and toolholder from damagedue to high cutting forces.

Stainless steel turning creates high pulsating pressures on the insert seat andshim. The shim acts as a shock absorber forthe insert and workpiece. Rule of thumb:check the condition of your shims every timeyou change an insert. When in doubt,replace them. On a two-sided insert, watch

for a shim face that has an imprint of theinsert embossed onto it. Loss of the shim’sflatness will impair its ability to properly support the insert (Fig. 5).

Dealing with Difficult Cuts

For hard to machine cuts, such asapproaches to shoulders, uneven enteringangles and face turning, here are some newapplication techniques (Fig. 6) that will helpit go better.

Turning Against Shoulders

The approach to a shoulder presents asevere change of condition for a turningtool, and can be highly stressful on the cut-ting edge. Chip jamming and hammeringcan also occur. To overcome the risks of turn-ing against a shoulder, you can do severalthings. To overcome chip jamming/hammer-ing, increase the cutting speed about0.040" before the shoulder. Another is toturn the shoulder through a number of axialcuts, forming a step-like profile, then finish by

making two radial cuts. To improve chip control and reduce cutting edge stress,instead of feeding radially out just before theshoulder, redirect the tool radially in.

Mechanical notch wear

When initial cuts have an uneven,acute start, the solution may be to useceramic inserts for the starting passes. Thetool can have a 45 degree or similar enter-ing angle, which eliminates the rough edge,and provides an advantageous approachfor the main tool.

A lower feed rate to engage into thecut is another way.

Facing toward center

Face turning is common in stainlesssteel, and may involve facing to the center,or to a hole. In the first case, the cuttingspeed approaches zero at the center, effec-tively upsetting the relationship between feedand speed. Higher spindle speeds in mod-ern CNC lathes can compensate for smalldiameters – but only to a point. Close to thecenter, the tool begins to push the work-piece material instead of cutting it. Lowersurface speeds also have the added disadvantage of plastic deformation of theworkpiece, and BUE formation. The bestsolution is to let a drill cope with the mater-ial in the center, then follow with the facing.The drilling operation can also be per-formed before the facing. In the event thereis no center hole, reduce the feed rate whenthe facing diameter becomes 0.400". Forexample, a feed of 0.010"/rev can bereduced to 0.002"/rev.

To encapsulate these hints, so you cansuccessfully tackle most stainless steel turningjobs, I leave you with these closing thoughts.Stainless steel, though difficult to turn, is stilla very manageable material. Heat is themain enemy, but new inserts and properlyapplied turning techniques overcome thishurdle. It’s usually better to push the tool toits limit, rather than ease up on it. Applythese proven rules of thumb, and pile thosestainless steel parts in the bin.

Ø

.010"

.002"

.400"

1

Figure6

Figure5: Proper shim support is critical in stainlesssteel machining.

shoulder through several cuts reducing feed towards center

avoid notch wearchanging speeds before shoul-

Sandvik Coromant recommends trying M-Line positive geometry inserts, combined with creative stainless steel techniques, for severe changes inturning conditions. These techniques will eliminate chip jamming, mechanicalnotch wear, and other common turning challenges.

Simplifying Turning of Stainless Steel – Part 2 (continued)

ISO Material CMC Hardness Coromant grades No. Brinell

HB 1025 2015 2025 2035

Ferritic/martensitic Free matching steelNon-hardenedPH-hardenedHardened

Feed ƒn in/rev

Cutting speed vc ft/min

Austenitic Free machining steelAusteniticPH-hardenedSuper Austenitic

Austenitic-Ferritic Non-weldable ≥0.05%C(Duplex) Weldable <0.05%CFerritic/martensitic Non-hardened

Hardened

05.10 200 1246 886 640 1017 853 771 984 820 722 525 443 39405.11 200 918 705 558 787 672 607 754 640 558 410 344 29505.12 330 525 492 476 328 262 213 295 213 164 246 180 13105.13 330 689 640 640 410 328 279 344 230 164 213 148 115

05.20 180 1476 1099 836 1164 918 705 968 722 541 574 508 45905.21 180 1017 771 607 820 640 508 672 508 377 394 361 32805.22 330 607 574 558 377 295 246 328 230 180 279 197 14805.23 200 705 689 656 558 443 344 443 328 246 279 246 213

05.51 230 918 705 558 656 558 492 689 525 394 377 312 27905.52 260 623 541 492 492 426 377 426 377 344 476 312 197

15.11 200 — — — 705 574 525 672 541 492 361 295 26215.12 330 — — — 295 213 180 246 164 131 213 148 11515.13 330 — — — 361 279 246 295 197 148 180 131 9815.21 180 — — — 754 574 459 623 459 361 377 312 27915.22 330 — — — 295 213 180 279 180 148 213 148 115 15.23 200 — — — 361 377 312 377 295 230 246 197 18015.51 230 — — — 607 492 443 508 394 312 344 279 246 15.52 260 — — — 443 361 328 410 344 328 426 279 180

Austenitic AusteniticPH-hardened

Austenitic-ferritic Non-weldable ≥0.05%C(duplex) Weldable <0.05%C

.004 .008 .012 .008 .016 .024 .008 .016 .024 .008 .016 .024

M

Stai

nles

s ste

el

Cast

Bars

/for

ged

Figure4: Cutting Data Recommendations. Turning stainless steel with M-Line.

Sandvik Coromant recommends using specific speeds and feeds to cut the newer tougher cast and forged stainless steel grades. Proper machine settings and more wear resistant insertswill prolong edge life and ensure high quality workpiece finish.

Sandvik Coromant recommends replacing the shim, especially withdouble-sided inserts, when changing from one insert geometry toanother. A flat shim ensures adequate insert-face support.

31WWW.HAASCNC.COM30

32 CNC MACHINING • WINTER 1998 33WWW.HAASCNC.COM

Not many things in this world comewith a guarantee like Haas Automation’spromise of 98% Up-Time. Sure, most consumer products carry a warranty of sometype, but most only cover repairs during alimited period of initial ownership. The Haasguarantee actually pays a set amount for lostproductivity in the event of an in-warrantymachine failure. This dependability-linkedguarantee has been so successful as a mar-keting tool that Haas Automation hasannounced plans to continue the programfor the upcoming year.

Now going into its second year, theHaas guarantee promises “98 for 98,”according to Peter Zierhut, Haas MarketingManager. “The 98% Up-Time Guarantee hasbeen very successful for Haas, simply

because our customers understand immedi-ately what a promise like this means. It’sconcrete; and it really expresses something

to machinists, business owners and managers about Haas as a company and

how we stand behind our product,” said Zierhut.

The 98% Up-Time Guarantee coversmost new Haas CNC models for the firstyear of ownership. It will pay for anymachine down-time beyond a very slim 2% of overall usage.* “Haas customersknow they’re buying a very, very reliablemachine that will give them many years ofdependable service,” said Zierhut. “This isjust our way of making sure everyone under-stands how important quality and reliabilityare at Haas Automation,” he said. “And it’sa good way to let our customers know thatwe at Haas understand how important reliability is to them.”

*Contact Haas Automation or your local distributor for complete details.

Adding even more value and performance to their alreadyfeature-packed CNC machines, Haas Automation, Inc., is installinghigh-performance vector spindle drives as standard equipment on theircomplete line of VMC’s, HMC’s and CNC lathes. These extraordinarydrives allow you to push the spindle to 150 percent of the motor’srated horsepower for 15 minutes and 200 percent for 5 minutes.That’s more performance headroom than any other drive on themarket. Previously only available as an option, Haas vector drives arenow being shipped at no additional cost on every Haas machinecoming off the line (except economy VF-E and VF-EXT models).

The Haas-designed vector drive uses the same technology as theirbrushless servo motors to provide peak performance and speedcontrol under heavy cutting loads (up to the limits of the drive).

This true closed-loopsystem with encoder feedbackoptimizes the slip angle between the rotor and stator of the spindlemotor to double low-speed torque and accelerations, resulting in thefastest and most powerful spindle output ever.

The Haas vector drive provides a robust 250 ft-lb of maximumtorque from the standard 20-hp motor (VMC & HMC), with a broadertorque range for heavier cuts and increased feeds per revolution. Thedrive provides precise speed control and a constant load on the toolfor longer tool life; and faster acceleration and deceleration reducechip-to-chip times for higher productivity. Electronic spindle orientationfurther reduces cycle times and increases reliability by eliminating theshot-pin mechanism.

High-performance brushless servomotors are now available as anoption on select rotary tables fromHaas Automation, Inc. These highly-reliable servo motors provide hightorque for heavy operations andyield higher acceleration/decelera-tion rates to reduce cycle times.

With no brushes to wear andgenerate dust, maintenance isreduced and reliability is increased.And, since the heat-producing windings

are attached to the outer shell of the motor,they run cooler than brush-type motors, aremore compact and have a longer life.

This high-performance option is avail-able on Haas HA 5C single-head indexers,

as well as the full series of stan-dard HRT rotary tables

(HRT-160, 210, 310 and450). Production unitsare expected to beavailable in limitedquantities by January.

High Torque and Low Maintenance with Haas Brushless Rotary Tables

NEWS

Haas Vector Spindle Drives Revolutionalize Market

W ebster’s dictionary defines value as: 1. A fair equivalent or return for something, as goods or

services. 2. Monetary or material worth. 3. Worth as measured in usefulness or importance; merit.

The Back PageEDITORIALEDITORIAL

When it concerns machine tools, youmight define value in more simple terms, like“getting more than you paid for.” And intoday’s world, getting more than you paidfor is not an easy thing to come by. Truevalue is far more than paying as little as possible for a particular thing. It’s also different than paying absolute top-dollar forsomething that can be had for far less.

In everyday terms, an item’s real valueusually doesn’t show itself until it’s beenaround for awhile. Its true worth grows as itsusefulness, dependability and real cost aremeasured against competing items. Reliableservice, low maintenance and fair initialinvestment are the things that set a true valueapart. You could say that a true value is real-ized over time, not recognized in an instant.

In the world of CNC machine toolsand multi-axis rotary tables, HaasAutomation is known for producing productsof real value. From its small beginnings, andcontinuing today, Haas has always manufactured products that are rugged,dependable and very, very affordable. Mostpeople who know Haas products wouldagree, this unbeatable triple combination isa real value – and it is.

But perhaps of more interest is why andhow Haas Automation continues to deliverthis popular triple combination. The “why”part is fairly easy to figure out. Look no further than the unbelievable growth and success of Haas as a company. By deliver-ing machine tools that meet the criteria of atrue value, Haas Automation essentially guar-antees the success of their customers, which,in turn, guarantees their own success. Astory of success breeding even more successto be sure.

The question of “how” is a bit more

complicated. It is a core philosophy that hasbeen there from day-one, and ultimately, it’swhat makes Haas machines a real value. Ifyou visit the Haas works in Oxnard,California, you won’t find these principles ofoperation written out, framed and hangingon a wall as you walk through the frontdoor. As you walk through the facility,however, you’ll see that the principles arethere, and they are in full use everyday.

It starts with the attitude that all Haasproducts will be designed and built to thecustomer’s specifications. This does not meanthat Haas will engineer and build machinesto special order. Quite to the contrary. WhatHaas does, is design their machines as ifthey were the customer. As a company,Haas Automation has this unique ability to“be the customer” and deliver all-aroundeconomic results. That’s the value. (By theway, 40 of the 200 machines in Haas’machine shop are Haas machines.)

Haas products are engineered anddesigned for economy as well as results indaily use. Constant engineering and designimprovement follow two simple guidelines:make the machines better, and get better atmaking the machines. Considerable effortand resources are invested to continuouslyupgrade both the product and the manufac-turing process. By designing and building

both the numerical control and the softwarein-house, Haas is able to produce one of themost user-friendly CNC controls availableanywhere. For customers on the receivingend, this plays out very well.

Continuous refinement of the design justenhances the machine’s overall value.Components are simplified, redesigned, andmade more reliable and easier to manufac-ture on a daily basis. The latest manufac-turing technologies and strategies areemployed to make parts better, faster and forless money. Evolving techniques for advanc-ing the assembly and testing operations aredeployed and refined. In the end, Haas isable to produce machine tools that offer anever growing list of features and options foressentially the same price as previous gener-ations of products.

Simply put, this is how Haas is able toproduce quality CNC machines at trulyaffordable prices. The order of the day is tomake them rugged, reliable and simple,while borrowing and inventing ways tobring the processes in-house, under budgetand at a higher quality than anyone thoughtthey could be – and don’t look back.

Add to all this a long list of standard features – features that would be options fromalmost every other manufacturer – a 98% Up-Time Guarantee that pays for down time, andthe undisputed best resale value of any CNCmachine on the market, and the value ofHaas products becomes perfectly clear.

For Haas customers this is only thebeginning. Sure, the Haas philosophy produces quality machines at really greatprices. But remember, true value is realizedover time. All told, the real value of Haasproducts shines as they are put to use.

Success breeds success – to be sure.

A True Value Realized

INDUSTRY NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS

98% Up-Time Will Roll On In ’98

The Manufacturing Solutions Company.

At Haas, providing solutions is what we do best.We offer America’s most complete line of VMC’s,HMC’s, CNC Lathes and Rotary Tables. All areaffordably priced to make you more competitive,

and each one comes with the industry’s only 98% Up-Time reliability guarantee–providing real peace-of-mind. And, all Haas CNC technology is availablewith financing plans to fit your needs.

Making Technology Affordable.