Tebots, Inc., for example, is an industrial design-build firm with diverse experience designing devices, products, automation, and manufacturing to find solutions to seemingly impossible challenges through creative solutions. The company specializes in industrial prototyping and production. They have extensive and diverse experience that allows them to be bold and propose uncommon results, often in the form of an invention.

The founder of the company, Robert Tegel, considers himself a “disruptive innovator” and thrives on coming up with solutions to challenges that are thought to be unachievable. The solutions he creates are specifically designed to speed-up cycle times, reduce costs, and eliminate unnecessary complexity.

Tebots prides itself on offering tailored solutions rather than cookie-cutter approaches. With a focus on innovative methods and original ideas, they are the go-to company for those seeking transformative solutions. The only thing required of the customer is “a positive perspective to give me the go ahead to do something different,” says Tegel.

Tegel’s background

The strength of Tegel’s design-build experience lies in the diverse range of his specific background, resembling a “Swiss-army knife.” With a career marked by maintaining, engineering, and inventing various types of equipment, he views it as an “agglomeration of success.”

During his early years, he initially pursued a career as an auto mechanic but ultimately transitioned into diverse roles in the field. These included installing grain elevators, operating in foundries, improving high-speed sewing equipment, designing pumps for home coffee systems, manufacturing valve seals and inkjet cartridges, applying industrial testing and automation, and contributing to auto part assembly.

The common thread throughout his career is in the wide range of equipment he has handled.

“One piece of equipment was the length of a city block running very low RPMs and moving garbage and separating all kinds of different things and material processing different temperatures and heat and then going into stuff that was running 400 cycles per minute. And then the next job I took was microprocessor-controlled high speed sewing equipment that was running 10,000 cycles per minute,” says Tegel.

Throughout his career, Tegel left a string of inventions in his wake. His first patent was issued in 1988. Within the textiles industry, he devised an innovative patented solution for efficiently and repeatedly sewing t-shirt sleeves. His more than 30 issued patents include a pallet positioning system, a variety of dunnage systems and apparatus, and a discharge control valve.

Then, in 2005, he decided to go into business himself. The company began as Tegel Design. However, one customer was so thrilled with the engineering that he asked the company to manufacture the product. Industrial design-build firm, Tebots, was born in 2007 of this request.

The company’s name, Tebots, in many ways is a precursor of the now popular term “cobots”. A cobot, or collaborative robot, is a robot intended for direct human-robot interaction within a shared space, or where humans and robots are in proximity. An early Tebots logo depicted a robot engaging in a handshake with an individual, symbolizing the harmonious relationship between humans and machines – a philosophy infused in many of Tegel’s designs.

From those beginnings, they began to accumulate internal production resources such as machine centers, test and measurement equipment, and other production capabilities.

When parts are outsourced, the company works with supply chain vendors to receive high quality finished parts. Before delivering assembled sub-assemblies or complete machines, an exhaustive quality control procedure is carried out utilizing cutting-edge test and measurement systems.

Tegel now regards Tebots as a skunkworks-style operation – an innovative endeavor led by a select group of individuals operating outside the conventional research and development channels of the organization.

In every design, Tebots consistently aims to optimize material usage and streamline assembly processes while upholding high-quality standards. Meeting strict delivery schedules is an ongoing priority, with a dedicated focus on enhancing part efficiency, expediting production, and reducing costs. As such, Tebots’ designs are rooted in principles encompassing Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA).

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) refers to the process of designing parts, components, or products with the objective of improving product quality while reducing costs through simplified, optimized, and refined product designs. Similarly, Design for Assembly (DFA) focuses on designing products that are easily assembled, aiming to minimize assembly time and associated costs by reducing the number of components involved.

To remain competitive against the Asian market, for example, Tegel has developed innovative strategies to streamline manufacturing processes and remove any unnecessary steps, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

“There was constant competition with my customer to meet delivery costs in the Asian market, so I had to come up with extremely lean, net zero bill of materials,” says Tegel.

In one example, his customer was purchasing a machined structure to hold the machine up like a stand. They were buying them from China for $420, shipping them to the United States all welded together. Tebots produced the same part using patent pending tubular connections that provide a similar strength and rigidity to a welded connection for a third of the cost. The Omni Stand can be used to support just about anything that can be attached to it and disassembled easily if needed. The patented methodology, now called the OmniStand, is now being offered by Grundlage Solutions (https://grundlage.solutions/).

An Eye on Future Paradigm Shifts

According to Tegel, the primary objective in design-build is to devise a solution that is efficient, cost-effective, and feasible to meet the immediate requirement. However, he also consistently keeps an eye on future potential iterations or models.

“When designing, it is crucial to consider the potential development of the product over time, with an eye on how we can move to a new paradigm or segue into new way of doing things,” says Tegel.

So, when the pandemic occurred, Tegel identified an opportunity that he felt would hold significant value in the future beyond the crisis. Despite lacking dedicated customer funding for the project, he decided to invest his own efforts and expertise.

The result was a unique and patented UV disinfection system called the POZ. The device utilizes short-wavelength ultraviolet C (UV-C) light to inactivate pathogens including viruses (such as SARS-CoV-2), bacteria, mold spores, and yeast.

Never one to shy away from collaboration when required, Tegel reached out to Turan Erdogan, a former research professor at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics.

“Collaboration is key when it comes to areas where you may not have expertise,” says Tegel.

Although there are already many UV light devices on the market, Tegel and his team had to overcome several inherent limitations in design. Many require direct contact and manipulation to operate the appliance, and there can be questions about the intensity and contact time of the applied UV light. If the item is treated in a static manner, for example placed in an enclosure without being rotated or moved, it is like tanning on the beach on only one side. The UV-C light may not reach all the relevant surfaces.

“Simply adding a UV lamp to a product and expecting it to destroy pathogens does not mean it will be effective,” says Tegel. “UV light sources can vary in intensity and output, and there can be line-of-sight issues as well. You have to make sure the UV light is directed at the items from many angles with uniform intensity, and all this requires a high level of engineering.”

The patent-pending UV disinfection appliance resembles a small, portable charcoal grill. Tablet sized, or smaller items are placed on a rotating platform and then move in a 360-degree arc through the chamber where they are bombarded from all angles by UV-C light for approximately 10 seconds.

“Because the item is moving through the chamber, we can direct the UV-C in a way that ensures it will hit the targeted surface. By controlling the internal environment and the time within the chamber very precisely, we can kill more than 99.9% of the pathogens on the surfaces of the item,” says Tegel.

Tegel envisions the self-service disinfection stations being installed in front of entries/exits or bathrooms at public venues, retail stores, healthcare facilities, academic institutions, airport terminals, and nursing homes – to name a few. The units could be used to disinfect personal items such as cellphones, tablets, face masks, ID badges, baseball caps, sunglasses, keys, wallets, jewelry, credit cards, bills, and coins.

The company hopes to engage in discussions with several entities to license the technology. The initial design and several full prototypes have already been created.

Although at the time the primary driver to develop this technology was COVID-19, Tegel says the intention was to create a device that addresses both existing and future health challenges as well.

“This isn’t just a COVID-related product,” says Tegel. “It is a product and an approach that could have a lasting impact on hygiene now and in the future using a technology [UV-C] that has been around long before the pandemic.”

To remain competitive in their respective industries, many companies consider industrial design-build to be essential. Collaborating with an experienced and versatile industrial design-build firm can decrease cycle times, lower costs, and simplify operations by finding innovative solutions.

For those seeking creative and efficient problem-solving, partnering with a firm that can provide paradigm-shifting solutions can be an ideal choice.

The illustration of the grinding process or work cycles is made possible by saving up to 6 different speeds. The speeds are individually programmable and electronically controlled, ensuring a perfect grinding pattern. The ROTOmax 2.2 is characterized by its simple intuitive handling.

Since the ROTOmax 2.2 can be used almost anywhere, it is put to work in foundries, tool production, the pharmaceutical industry, food tech processing plants, aviation technology, boiler making and in mechanical workshops.

The Suhner ROTOmax 2.2 offers applications in cutting machining, grinding, rust removal, brushing or polishing.

About Suhner

Suhner USA is a global manufacturer and distributor of its own Swiss-engineered, German-made tooling as well as a full array of abrasives from all the industry’s leading manufacturers. Our team of seasoned experts works closely with you to create a custom solution that brings the right tooling and abrasives together to meet your every need – whether quality metal fabrication, surface finishing, deburring, grinding and more.

News:

Thermo Fisher has announced the release of its new Thermo Scientific ARL iSpark Plus Optical Emission Spectrometer range, designed to streamline elemental analysis in the metal production, processing and recycling industries, as well as in contract and research labs.

Overview:

The new line of ARL iSpark Plus Optical Emission Spectrometers offers metal producers, processors and recyclers – as well as contract and research labs – the rapid and reliable spectral analysis needed to achieve key productivity, quality and environmental objectives.

The new instruments build on the legacy of Thermo Fisher’s flagship ARL iSpark range, combining state-of-the-art technologies, user-friendly features and advanced automation algorithms to enable the wide-range spectral analysis of metal samples and ultra-fast detection of non-metallic inclusions. The ARL iSpark Plus line adds a new and improved spark stand to extend maintenance intervals by 30 %, minimize signal drift for most elements and ensure virtually no memory effect from preceding samples. With seamless software and firmware interaction also cutting down on processing time by 15 %, these are Thermo Fisher’s most advanced optical emission spectrometers yet.

Ryan Lydon, Senior Director and General Manager of Metals and Minerals at Thermo Fisher, commented: “As an industry-leading instrument supplier, we are always conscious of the industrial challenges faced by our customers, which is why we are continuously improving and updating our product portfolio to provide the best tools possible. The increased analytical speed and stability of the new ARL iSpark Plus spectrometers illustrate this ethos perfectly, allowing steel plants and foundries to minimize tap to tap times, save energy, reduce carbon footprints and realize a faster return on investment.”

Key applications:

Streamlined elemental analysis for the metal production, processing and recycling industries.

Features/benefits:

• Unique high sensitivity photomultiplier tube optics
• Digital spark generation
• Single spark acquisition
• Smart argon management
• Advanced data collection technologies
• Intelligent processing algorithms
• Ultra-fast analysis of non-metallic inclusions
• 15 % faster processing times
• 30 % longer maintenance intervals
• Minimal signal drift
• Virtually no memory effect

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue over $40 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD.

• Matrix Moon first in India to install 3d Systems EXT Titan Pellet 3D printer, pioneering manufacturing transformation
• Selected 3D Systems EXT 1070 Titan Pellet systems to deliver tremendous cost & time savings for breadth of applications, including sand casting, thermoforming, end parts production

3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced Matrix Moon, an additive manufacturing-focused training center, and 3D Systems reseller located in India, purchased an EXT 1070 Titan Pellet 3D printer. Matrix Moon has chosen the configuration that includes the optional milling spindle tool head to enable hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing processes on the same machine. By being the first to introduce this unique platform to India, Matrix Moon believes it will take a leading role in transforming manufacturing workflows while dramatically increasing the speed of innovation and reducing costs. Matrix Moon will employ the EXT Titan Pellet system to more efficiently, and cost-effectively deliver a broad range of applications for its customers including molds, tooling, and patterns for foundries and plastics manufacturers, as well as end-use parts in industries such as aerospace, automotive, HVAC, and consumer products. In addition to delivering prototypes and production parts for its customers, Matrix Moon intends to use its EXT 1070 Titan Pellet 3D printer to produce sample parts from its demo center. Prospective customers will have the opportunity to validate the printer’s capabilities before purchasing a machine for their facilities.

3D Systems’ EXT Titan Pellet systems are renowned for their ability to help manufacturers deliver products more efficiently at significantly lower costs as compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This is made possible by employing proprietary pellet extrusion technology which is up to 10x faster than filament printing with 10x lower material costs. These large-format 3D printers feature active chamber heating which allows for the use of glass- and carbon-filled high-temperature engineering materials such as ABS, PC, Nylons, PEI, and PEKK. With large print volumes, EXT Titan Pellet systems enable full-scale prototyping and end-use production in many applications where the use of additive technology was not previously possible. Additionally, 3D Systems’ extrusion printers enable 3D printing of large format tooling, molds, and patterns for a variety of foundry applications including sand casting. Matrix Moon believes the addition of its EXT 1070 Titan Pellet system will be transformative for India’s casting industry, which is recognized as the second largest in the world behind China.

Abhinav Garje, CEO, Matrix Moon Private Limited, said, “Today I am extremely delighted and filled with immense pride to announce that Matrix Moon is the only company in India to offer 3D Systems’ EXT Titan Pellet 3D printer. This cutting-edge global-grade technology is set to change the face of manufacturing in India. Imagine printing parts as tall as six feet and machining it in the same printer for your end-use production applications. This will now be possible with our latest and unique offering. With our continued focus on Skill India and Make-in-India missions, I believe that the EXT Titan Pellet 3D printer has the potential to transform assembly lines and how products are manufactured in India. Along with 3D Systems, we not only endeavor to augment the adoption of additive manufacturing in production but also to make India a global manufacturing hub with such pioneering technology. EXT Titan Pellet is a critical step in that direction.”

“I couldn’t be more excited that our partner, Matrix Moon, is the first to bring this industry-leading technology to India,” said Deelip Menezes, managing director, 3D Systems India. “Matrix Moon has demonstrated its understanding of the Indian manufacturing sector and is committed to advancing additive manufacturing in the most populous country on Earth. By choosing 3D Systems’ EXT Titan Pellet 3D printer, Matrix Moon is offering an unparalleled platform that can include pellet extrusion, filament extrusion, and a subtractive milling tool head on the same machine. Combining these additive and subtractive technologies along with pellet materials will allow Matrix Moon to address a greater breadth of applications for its customers and grow the number of EXT Titan Pellet systems in use in India to transform manufacturing.”

About 3D Systems

More than 35 years ago, 3D Systems brought the innovation of 3D printing to the manufacturing industry. Today, as the leading additive manufacturing solutions partner, we bring innovation, performance, and reliability to every interaction – empowering our customers to create products and business models never before possible. Thanks to our unique offering of hardware, software, materials, and services, each application-specific solution is powered by the expertise of our application engineers who collaborate with customers to transform how they deliver their products and services. 3D Systems’ solutions address a variety of advanced applications in healthcare and industrial markets such as medical and dental, aerospace & defense, automotive, and durable goods.

Theatergoers might remember that it was this same chemical that provided a key plot point in the Julia Roberts movie “Erin Brockovich.” In the film, the title character fights for citizens of a California town to receive legal monetary damages from a company exposing nearby residents to ailments caused by hexavalent chromium.

The illnesses in “Erin Brockovich” are caused by contaminated groundwater, but humans are often just as vulnerable to Cr(VI) exposure from unsafe conditions in the workplace. Keep reading to learn how industrial robots can help remove human workers from hazardous environments, but first, let’s take a deeper look at Cr(VI).

Hexavalent chromium at work

Human exposure to hexavalent chromium is widespread in various industrial processes, including:

• Electroplating: Cr(VI) is produced during the electroplating process when a current is passed through a solution containing chromium ions. The process produces a hard, durable and corrosion-resistant coating on metal objects.
• Welding and cutting: Cr(VI) is generated during welding and cutting processes involving stainless steel and other alloys containing chromium.
• Painting and coating: Cr(VI) is used in pigments and dyes for paints and coatings. During the painting process, hexavalent chromium can be released into the air as a fine mist.
• Woodworking: Cr(VI) is used as a wood preservative and as a wood stain. During the wood treatment process, hexavalent chromium can be released into the air and water.
• Chemical manufacturing: Cr(VI) is used as a catalyst in various chemical reactions. During these reactions, hexavalent chromium can be released into the air and water.

As documented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in all of these industries, vulnerability to respiratory problems caused by inhalation of Cr(VI) is significant, due to potential damage to the lungs and airways. But harmful exposure can also occur due to ingestion or contact with the skin.

The health risks

There have been many studies on the potential health risks associated with working around hexavalent chromium. As previously mentioned, one of the most serious is the potential for respiratory and lung cancer linked to inhalation of the chemical.

But there are also a variety of other serious health effects that have been connected to Cr(VI) exposure:

• Respiratory problems: Inhalation of Cr(VI) can cause irritation of the nose, throat and lungs, leading to respiratory problems such as asthma and bronchitis.
• Skin irritation and dermatitis: Cr(VI) exposure can cause skin irritation, redness and dermatitis.
• Eye irritation: Exposure to Cr(VI) can cause eye irritation, conjunctivitis and damage to the cornea.
• Kidney damage: Long-term exposure to Cr(VI) has been associated with kidney damage and increased risk of kidney cancer.
• Gastrointestinal problems: Ingestion of Cr(VI) can cause gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
• Reproductive problems: Exposure to Cr(VI) can affect fertility and may increase the risk of birth defects in children.

The severity of these health effects can vary depending on the duration and intensity of the exposure, as well as other individual factors such as age, health status and genetic susceptibility.

The EPA’s study

Among the findings of the EPA’s study are that humans risk exposure to hexavalent chromium in many different industries and in several different ways. The study states that:

Occupational exposures to Cr(VI) occur primarily via inhalation or dermal contact and typically exceed those of non-occupational exposures. Workers can potentially inhale Cr(VI) during its processing or manufacture and when working with mixtures containing the chemical or chemical precursors. Dermal exposures may potentially result from the splashing or spilling of chromium-containing materials that contact the skin or from contact with construction materials containing Portland cement (due to a Cr(VI) impurity). Portal-of-entry sites may be exposed via hand-to-mouth contact and hand-to-nose contact and the extent of these transfers depends on the industry, exposure matrix, and workplace hygiene practices. Industries that may have workers who are in contact with Cr(VI)-containing materials include stainless-steel welding, painting, electroplating, steel mill, iron and steel foundries, wood preserving, and occupations that produce paints, coatings, inks, plastic colorants, chromium catalyst, and other chemicals (such as chromium dioxide and chromium sulfate) Other industries with limited potential exposures to Cr(VI) compounds include textile dyeing, glass production, printing, leather tanning, brick production, woodworking, solid waste incineration, oil and gas well drilling, construction and Portland cement production.

A further finding of the study relates to the EPA’s concern about community exposure to Cr(VI) in even trace amounts, including in municipal water supplies. This underscores the importance of minimizing or eliminating human exposure to larger amounts of the chemical in industrial workplaces.

How robots can help

As described above, humans face significant health risks from working with hexavalent chromium. But robots do not, and automated solutions can keep humans from needing to work directly with Cr(VI) and other hazardous chemicals. Certainly, one of the strongest arguments for robots is their ability to protect humans by safeguarding them from working in the types of dangerous occupations that often threaten worker safety.

For example, in the aerospace industry, recoating the inlets of F-22 fighter jets was once a manual process that required extensive manual labor and significant human exposure to the coating material. But now, the installation of turnkey robots can eliminate the need for humans to work in the confined spaces of aircraft inlets.

A 2022 study by the National Library of Medicine found that the use of robots for repetitive site work can reduce unsafe, monotonous tasks by 25-90%, lowering human exposure to hazardous situations by an average of 72%.

But it’s important to work with a robotic integrator affiliated with the Robotic Industry Association (RIA). To minimize human exposure to danger while also gaining the benefit of robotic solutions’ potential cost-savings, it’s critical to install the right robot and with the correct implementation. Moreover, any robotic set-up should have a risk assessment performed to ensure that RIA standards are met.

Measures that a compliant robotic integrator might recommend meeting those standards include:

• Extra sensors
• Emergency stop buttons
• Scanners that detect human presence in unsafe areas
• Fencing off robot work areas
• A safer workplace

Creating a safe workplace in manufacturing industries that protects humans from the effects of hexavalent chromium, and other occupational dangers, is easier to implement with the right safety solutions in place. These include robot workers, which can never get cancer, respiratory ailments, injuries or skin irritation from contact with chemicals.

The dangers for humans from working with and around Cr(VI) are apparent, obvious and proven. Robots are among the best solutions for keeping humans who work in manufacturing industries safer and healthier.

Chris Kolb is vice president of sales at Aerobotix, an innovative leader in robotic solutions for the aerospace and defense industries. Headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama, the company specializes in the creation of cutting-edge automated robotic solutions for high-value, high-precision components, aircraft and vehicles.

It’s not only in foundries, the mining sector and the construction industry where dust and dirt can hamper even the best efforts to generate reliable, continuous compressed air. Other areas – including the food industry – find themselves facing challenging conditions. And this is where a compressor with a virtually maintenance-free hermetically sealed direct drive comes into its own: wear and tear is minimized, which increases the device’s service life. All of the models in BOGE’s S-4 series have this “IntegrateDrive” airend – including the new compressors with a performance range of 45 to 75 kW.

Compact, energy-saving and efficient

Compressor manufacturer BOGE has once again expanded the fourth generation of its S series, meaning it now covers the entire 45 to 150 kW performance range. All models are characterized by quiet, reliable operation and have excellent efficiency values. The compressors generate high free air delivery at low specific power consumption. The energy use of the new 75 kW compressor has been reduced by over 12 per cent compared with its predecessor, while the free air delivery has increased by almost 9 per cent. Generously sized components reduce internal pressure losses, and with a footprint of just 1.20 m x 2.00 m, the housing of the new models is considerably smaller than its older siblings. These new compressors even now come with the particularly high-performance, low-energy IE4 motors and permanent magnet motors fitted as standard.

Simple maintenance and low sound pressure level

The innovative vertical oil separation concept ensures very low residual oil content, minimal pressure losses and a long service life. The internal cartridge is quick and easy to remove and replace. Maintenance takes place from two sides with just a few simple movements – the intake filter is accessible and both the oil and air coolers can easily be removed and cleaned. These new models are also special thanks to their quiet running: “We’ve been able to reduce the noise in the 45 kW performance class by more than an extra 8 dB(A),” explains Frank Hilbrink. “And thanks to this reduction, we’ve also ensured greater flexibility, as the compressor can now be used in more sensitive environments”.

Thanks to the new models in the S-4 series, BOGE is now able to offer companies with reduced compressed air demands reliable, energy-efficient technology, even in situations where temperatures can exceed 40°C. For these critical installation conditions, BOGE has a high-temperature design which boasts improved cooling.

“It’s common for the cleaning room to be a bottleneck in production. We’re excited to bring products to the market that will increase efficiencies and help foundries keep up with increasing demand,” says Kyle Thompson, technical product manager, High Volume Production, Weiler Abrasives. “This comprehensive portfolio encompasses the full breadth of off-hand products used in this market — so there is a productivity-enhancing solution for every job.”

Tiger Type 11 Cups

The Tiger Type 11 cup wheels are available with industry-exclusive ceramic grain technology to deliver up to 30% faster cut-rate compared to competitive zirconia cups. The advanced micro-structure of the Tiger Ceramic grain results in extremely low specific cutting energy, providing ultra-high metal removal rates to improve productivity when grinding cast and ductile iron, cast steel and other hard-to-grind materials. Tiger cup wheels are available with multiple grain technologies: Tiger Zirc for fast and consistent metal removal; Tiger SiC for controlled cut-rate on sand castings with burnt-in sand; and Tiger AO for consistent performance on cast iron.

Each of the Tiger Foundry cup wheels includes a unique anchored nut to secure the cup in place, increasing safety and preventing product breakage. Testing shows that this feature provides up to three times higher torque holding strength and withstands double-speed burst test ratings. The nut is zinc-plated to prevent oxidation, eliminate contamination and allow for easy spin-on and spin-off changeover. A precision-balanced cup design ensures smooth, vibration-free operation and reduces operator fatigue.

Tiger Type 27 Grinding Wheels

Weiler Abrasives is offering its Tiger Type 27 depressed center grinding wheels in three performance tiers specifically designed for foundry applications, including Tiger Ceramic for superior cut and long life. The ability to remove 40% more material over the wheel’s life compared to competitive zirconia products increases productivity and reduces abrasive usage. Tiger Zirc and Tiger AO grinding wheels are also available, providing cost-competitive material removal rates and extended product life.

Each of the wheels include advanced anti-chipping technology that eliminates uneven edge breakage and chipping. This innovation improves operator safety by reducing flying debris during grinding and it also eliminates the need to dress the wheel to regain a workable edge, providing longer wheel life and increased product consistency. The grinding wheels have a triple fiberglass reinforcement for added strength. A 5/8 inch 11 nutted metal hub option allows for quick spin-on and spin-off changeover and prevents cross-threading or sticking to spindle due to heat buildup. In addition to 1/4-inch grinding wheels, 1/8-inch combination wheels are also available to provide flexibility and efficiency when switching between cutting and grinding applications.

Additional abrasive solutions

As part of the Tiger abrasives portfolio, Weiler Abrasives has added cones and plugs for ID cleaning, edge beveling, cleaning castings in hard-to-reach areas and more. The products feature a hexagon nut with channels that secures the cones and plugs to the grinding tool to increase safety and prevent product breakage.

Tiger Type 1 reinforced portable snagging wheels in ceramic, zirconia and alumina oxide are also available for pneumatic straight grinders, high-frequency electric straight grinders and die grinders. The wheel shape features a narrow contact area that makes it well-suited for targeted heavy stock removal applications.

Electric Straight Grinders, and Die Grinder

Weiler Abrasives rounds out its offering with the Tiger Zirc mounted points in a variety of shapes and sizes for precise cleaning and grinding of parts with hard-to-reach areas and complex geometries.

About Weiler Abrasives Group

As an industry leader and global manufacturer of surface conditioning solutions, Weiler Abrasives Group is dedicated to forging collaborative relationships with our customers in diverse markets — Metal Fabrication; Industrial Production; and Maintenance, Repair & Operations — to tackle their toughest cleaning, grinding, cutting, deburring and finishing challenges.

Helping manufacturers with their success—critical metal component machining needs that include drilling, milling, honing, chamfering, reaming, cutting, and tapping into steel, aluminum, alloys, fiberglass, foam, and other materials.

In brief, what is your history with the company?

I bring almost 23 years of industrial automation experience to the table. I have been with SUHNER for nearly five years as their Western Midwest Regional Manager for the Machining Division based out of the Chicagoland area. I have developed relationships with companies ranging from Fortune 50 companies all the way down to local contract manufacturers in main industrial verticals (i.e., Large and Small Commercial Trailers, Automotive, Aerospace, and Foundries to name a few).

How has your company changed through the years?

SUHNER has become much more focused on the needs of their customers globally as well as regionally. Our goal is to support our customers manufacturing needs quickly and easily with our ‘care’ programs (stocking MRO supplies on-site and providing support).

What are the interesting applications of your products?

Over the last few years, SUHNER has helped the Trailer Industry with its manufacturing needs.

What critical issues are often overlooked by your clients that they have or might encounter?

One of the primary issues overlooked often is what type of tooling our client would need to be using and how to incorporate it within the spindle application. We can’t stress enough the need to get a tooling expert involved early in the project to recommend proper tooling for the application.

What are the key advantages you provide to small-to-medium manufacturers?

One of the key advantages we offer is our local representation. SUHNER offers engineering, technical support, and a complete service center here in the U.S.

In conclusion, Mike, What are you excited to bring manufacturing professionals in 2022?

Because of the rising needs of the market and our customers, SUHNER has launched a range of Robot end-effectors for material removal and polishing.

Mike Ricketts is the Western Midwest Regional Manager for SUHNER Machining.

Dedicated to Robot Solutions

The SUHNER ROBOTools for fully automated manufacturing

For stationary machining applications, SUHNER products already represent the first choice. However, in cases where the cutting tool must be moved towards the workpiece, insufficient or not, many practical solutions are readily available. This gap is now being closed by the SUHNER robot machine tool program. One option is to bring the workpiece towards a standard stationary SUHNER machining unit. Today, SUHNER offers the possibility to adapt and guide the tool by the robot.

As a specialist in automation processes, machining units, handheld power tools and abrasives, SUHNER has expanded its wide product range with special tools that can be mounted directly to the robot arm and ready for continuous industrial use. In short, SUHNER has multiplied the capabilities of the robot to now include surface finishing. The application range is enormous.

Change of the abrasives

Abrasives typically have a short life cycle. A patented, simple quick change of abrasives system (dispose and reload) was added to the program to simplify the change of abrasives.

This quick change for abrasive system from SUHNER, for example, allows the use of different abrasives in sequence to achieve a desired surface finish. An automated abrasive change increases the flexibility and eliminates unproductive production hours.

Servo motor driven angle grinders

Today, most robot-guided grinding and polishing machine tools are operated by air. Often, considering a 24-hour operating environment, these machines reach their limits. Frequent service interruptions, plus extremely high air consumption add to energy costs that also will affect profitability. In addition, air-driven tools drop in speed when under load which can contribute to an adverse effect on the surface finish. Depending on surface quality requirements, the rotation of the grinding or polishing tool often requires clock and counter clock rotation which an air-driven tool can’t accomplish.

All of these critical requirements can be met with the newly designed servo-driven tools from SUHNER either in standard or orbital design version. Lightweight and powerful servo motors are used to obtain high speeds up to 9,500RPM made for continuous operation. All grinding tools are made with an M14 spindle to enable the use of standard, commercially available grinding discs.

EXAIR’s digital ETC (Electronic Temperature Control) provides precise temperature control for your electrical enclosure that is constantly being monitored by a quick response thermocouple. It joins EXAIR’s complete line of NEMA 12, 4 and 4X Cabinet Cooler systems which are available from 275 through 5600 Btu/Hr. They are available from stock in aluminum, 303SS and 316SS materials. EXAIR offers Hazardous Location Cabinet Coolers with UL classified listing for classified areas in need of cooling. The broad line also includes non-hazardous purge models, high temperature models, continuous operation and thermostat-controlled models.

Dual 316 Stainless Steel Cabinet Coolers are available with cooling capacities of 3,400 up to 5,600 Btu/hr. All Cabinet Cooler systems are UL listed and CE compliant. Applications include cooling control panels used in food processing, pharmaceutical, foundries, chemical processing and other corrosive locations. Prices start at $4180.00. https://exair.co/153-316ccetc

About EXAIR Corporation

Exair Corporationwas incorporated in 1983 as a manufacturer of compressed air-operated products to solve problems in industrial plants. Their product line includes Vortex Tubes and applied products utilizing Vortex Tubes, Air Amplifiers, Air Knives, air-operated vacuums, ionizing products for static elimination, and liquid atomizing nozzles for product cooling, coating, cleaning and painting.

EXAIR Corporation
11510 Goldcoast Dr.
Cincinnati, OH  45249-1621

P: (800) 903-9247
F: (513) 671-3363