200 years on and aluminum is going strong 

Aluminum has come a long way since it was first produced in 1824. A mainstay in consumer goods, machinery and equipment sectors, as well as electrical engineering and other industries, aluminum is pervasive.

Today, construction and transportation sectors account for a hefty 52% of global aluminum consumption, with automotive and aerospace applications driving the metal’s growth as never before. In North America, demand for aluminum appears to be insatiable. By 2016, the latest year for which statistics are available, demand for aluminum had hit a seventh straight year of growth, according to the US Aluminum Association. Within that seven-year period, aluminum demand grew by an impressive 41%.

Read the complete White Paper >

October 6, 2015 - Walter Surface Technologies, Windsor, Conn., announced today that is has published an industry white paper entitled “Documented Cost Savings for Abrasives.” 

Demonstrating and documenting cost savings has become essential for today’s industrial suppliers and distributors as part of proving their solution offering to customers. “Documented cost savings (DCS) programs are part of a larger movement towards providing value-added solutions to customers.” explains Dan Pirro, VP of marketing at Walter Surface Technologies 

 “More than three decades ago, Walter recognized the need to document cost savings” says Pirro. Walter’s earliest Productivity Analysis program was originally designed as a simple method to demonstrate right on the shop floor why a grinding wheel priced at $3 was actually more efficient than a competitive model priced at $2 per wheel. “As the DCS movement evolved, Walter developed a three-step program to provide important and relevant information to the end user and centered on the end user’s plant and shop.”

The 3 step program includes:

Step 1 – Bucket Program: A simple process where used and discarded abrasives are collected and analysed. 

Step 2 – Safety Seminars: Seminars to encourage a safer work environment.

Step 3 – Productivity Program: A personalized performance analysis of the user’s work environment.

Author of the white paper, product manager Tom Morris spent several months conducting comparative tests, including those done in a laboratory setting, as well as in-field tests performed on the customer’s own equipment.  

The Documented Cost Savings for Abrasives white paper formally reports on four companies– large, medium, and small – and a range of industry types. The final investigation on just how much money can be saved by switching out an abrasive is surprising. 

The document is available immediately, download the full white paper.    

EQ Coatings: Codes, Standards and Corrosion Protection
Webinar Originally Presented on Oct. 15 and 17, 2013 by: Bill Capizzano, President Chemcoaters, LLC & Eco-Green Coatings, LLC Input from Patrick Ford, P.E. Matsen Ford Design, Technical Director, SFIA Presentation converted to paper by Bill Capizzano on June 13, 2014

A Metal Buyers Guide to Industry Terminology

December 2014 - Although purchasing metal would appear to be a simple, straightforward task, the alphabet soup of specs, approvals and overall jargon can make it a bit overwhelming. This guide has been prepared to give you the ‘Cliff Notes’ on buying metal.

Roller Pinion System: An alternative to traditional linear drive systems

November 6, 2014 - Competitive market pressures are pushing machine builders to design machines that are faster, more precise, and require less maintenance so they are more productive for their end users. In pursuit of these goals, more servo controlled linear drive systems are being employed.

Linear drives are based several common technologies like ball screws, rack and pinion, belt drives, and linear motors. Each of these technologies have their strengths and weaknesses making none of them ideal for all applications due to short comings like backlash, low rigidity, cumulative error, thermal creep, limited length, low speeds, low force capability, vibration, noise, particle emissions, high maintenance, low life, and high cost.

To address these linear drive systems limitations Nexen introduced the Roller Pinion System, a new, patented linear drive concept that combines the best attributes of the existing technologies while eliminating most of their shortcomings.

March 2014 - Articulating arms combine the efficiency, reliability and accuracy of a traditional CMM with the portability and simplicity of hand tools. With the addition of a laser line scanner, parts that were once considered sophisticated or complex can now be easily inspected with an arm. Reduced scrap, faster inspections, less defects and an improvement in product quality are just some of the many benefits a company will experience when they implement an articulating arm for their inspection and manufacturing needs. These benefits ultimately result in a significant return on investment for a company. Click the image below for the complete white paper.