Page 8 - MetalForming January 2014

News Fronts
Agreements
Victor Technologies Acquires Manufacturer of Gas-Control Apparatus
UK-based gas-control equipment manufacturer Gas-Arc Group Ltd. has been acquired by Victor Technolo- gies, St. Louis, MO. Gas-Arc products are used in the spe- cialty-gas industries as well as in welding and cutting applications.
Architectural-Product Manufacturer Adds Stretch-Forming Capabilities
Linetec, Wausau, WI, a full-service manufacturer of architectural products with three finishing plants and more than 500,000 sq. ft. of finishing capacity, now offers stretchforming as a service, to provide finished, curved material. The service comes via a partnership with South- ern Stretch Forming, Denton, TX, which will provide com- plete stretchforming services from Linetec’s campus, including annealing and tem- pering of aluminum work.
Oil-Free Lubes Ford-Approved
The Irmco 323 series of medium-viscosity dilutable lubricants has been approved by Ford for automotive stamp- ing. Irmco, Evanston, IL, man- ufactures oil-free metalforming and tube-bending lubricants.
Weiss-Aug Acquires Tool Builder
Contract metalformer Weiss-Aug, East Hanover, NJ, has acquired JK Tool & Die, Apollo, PA. Weiss-Aug pro- vides insert-molded parts, precision metal stampings
and assemblies to customers in the medical, automotive and other industries. JK Tool & Die, which will operate as a subsidiary of Weiss-Aug, provides engineering, machining, grinding, stamp- ing and EDM services.
Genesis Partners with Brazilian Material- Handling Equipment Maker
Genesis Systems Group, Davenport, IA, a robotic- workcell integrator, has forged distribution and sales-representation arrangements with Translift Systems, a manufacturer of conveyors, material-handling and automation equipment. Translift, headquartered near Sao Paulo, Brazil, will represent Genesis’ solu- tions for automated weld- ing, cutting and adhesive application to customers throughout South America.
Chicagoland Safety Companies Unite
Saf-T-Gard International, Northbrook, IL, has acquired Dunn Safety Products, Chica- go, IL. Saf-T-Guard manufac- tures personal protective equipment, and apparatus supporting environmental and facility safety.
Australian Rollforming Line to Support Solar Project
Custom rollformer OMCO, Wickliffe, OH, will design, manufacture and provide technical support for a roll- forming line headed to Aus- tralia’s IXL Solar. The line, including pre-punch dies, a stamping press and cutoff station, will manufacture parts for the framing system of a 155-MW solar project.
Awards
Fanuc Honored for Innovation
For the third consecutive year, Forbes has placed Fanuc Corp., Rochester Hills, MI, on its list of The World’s Most Innovative Companies. Fanuc, a manufacturer of robots, CNC and motion-con- trol systems, placed 26th globally and sixth among Asian companies. The list is based on a study completed by professors and advisors and includes analysis of each company’s commitment to R & D.
Internet
Learn About Coil-Fed Laser Cutting
New on the website of LaserCoil Technologies, Napoleon, OH: photos and descriptions of the firm’s recently introduced coil-fed laser-blanking lines. Those currently blanking with tradi- tional technologies will appreciate learning of the higher yield rates, improved flexibility and quick changeover achievable with coil-fed laser blanking; www.lasercoil.com.
Machine Leveling/ Vibration Control Website Features Online Design Tools
AirLoc, Franklin, MA, a manufacturer of engineered leveling and vibration-control systems for presses and other equipment, has redesigned its website to offer enhanced access to product technical data. Included are dropdown menus linking to technical data such as load range,
deflections and operating temperatures; and selection sheets to help users identify the appropriate products
for their applications; www.airloc.com.
Business Notes
Stewart EFI Finds
a New Way to Showcase its Metalforming Capabilities
Connecticut is home to 5000 manufacturers who employ nearly 170,000 peo- ple and generate more than 12.7 percent of the state’s GDP. So says the Connecticut Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Connstep), which has developed the Made in CT Program. The newest member of the pro- gram, designed to showcase the diversity of products and services of the Connecticut manufacturing industry: Stewart EFI, LLC, a metal- forming company based in Thomaston, CT. Stewart EFI, which also operates a plant in El Paso, TX, manufactures metal parts using the deep- draw, progressive-die and slideforming processes.
Facilities
Certified PM Program for Coil-Processing Equipment
Coe Press Equipment, Sterling Heights, MI, has launched a certified inspec- tion and preventive-mainte- nance service, built around a 210-point inspection checklist that covers mechanical, electrical and controls components. Users receive a field-inspection report describing any
6 MetalForming/January 2014
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