Coated Spring Wire

InterWire Group has added Bezalplast to its line of wire and strip products. Manufactured by Bekaert, Bezalplast wire consists of an ultra-thin PET (polyethylene terephtalate) coating on top of Bezinal, a highly corrosion-resistant combination of zinc and aluminum. Available in over 20 colors, the coating is 50-100 µm thick and adheres firmly to the core wire. Bezalplast’s corrosion protection tested at >2,000 hours in salt spray tests according to DIN 50021 SS. An alternative to stainless steel, Bezalplast provides good coilability with a coiling index of >5 and includes no hazardous substances. Bekaert is based in Belgium, and its Bezinal coating is manufactured in Shelbyville, KY. InterWire Group, based in Armonk, NY, has eight ISO 9001-certified distribution centers across the U.S. For information, contact InterWire by phone at (914) 273-6633 or Web site at www.interwiregroup.com.

Shop Management Software

Exact Software has released Exact JobBoss 9 shop floor manufacturing software. This release focuses on enhancing the functionality of material control, purchasing and cash flow for the purchasing staff in the shop. JobBoss 9 features help improve material-purchasing efficiency and reduce interruptions to check on the status of material ordered. Purchasing staff can also keep up with changes to the job, assure materials are available when required by the floor, improve communication with the shop floor and meet ship dates. For information, contact Exact Software by phone at (800) 777-4334 or Web site at www.exactamerica.com/jobboss.

Spring Catalog

Diamond Wire Spring Co. has published a catalog featuring over 5,000 stock springs, including die springs, compression and extension springs with wire diameters from 0.012 in. through 0.625 in. and loads up to 2,000 lbs. The catalog includes a specification form for estimates on custom designed springs. The stock springs can be ordered online. For information, contact Diamond Wire Spring Co. by phone at (800) 424-0500 or Web site at www.diamondwire.com.

Oil-Less Shaker Conveyor

Dura-Glider Co. has introduced an oil-less shaker conveyor that eliminates the use of the components that could fail in these types of systems – seals and o-rings. The Dura-Glider utilizes air bellows technology to provide the shuttle motion instead of air cylinders. This allows for power and removes the need for any lubrication. For information, contact Press Automation Inc. by e-mail at sales@pressautomation.com.

Spring Tester

The Guilin Wintime Testing Machine Co. Ltd. has introduced the TCD-C computer-controlled spring testing machine for testing railway springs with a maximum load capacity of 1,000kN (100 tons/220KIPS) to meet the requirements of the updated national standards for suspension spring testing according to the European standard. For information, contact Guilin Wintime by phone at 0086-773-5839233 or e-mail at wintime_2@sina.com.

Wire Feed and Form Machinery

Numamerica has introduced a series of wire feed and form machinery produced by Numalliance. The FD series of CNC machinery allows manufacturers to sequentially and automatically produce 3D wire forms from straighten and cut lengths of wire up to 12mm/0.472 in. ø. The machine’s bending process is taken from the Macsoft F series of simple-tooled nose benders. This allows the operator to program positive and negative bends around a specifically radiused nosepiece, or to produce larger radii through iteration. Wire feed length and wire rotation programming allow accurate positioning of the wire for subsequent bends and easy forming of 3D wire parts. For information, contact Numamerica by phone at (563) 386-9590 or e-mail at info@numamerica.com.

Spring Testing

Instron Corp. has introduced the SF1491 coil spring load center testing system. It is designed to perform load center/force line testing on coil compression springs, especially automotive suspension springs. With a maximum capacity of 50kN (11,250 lbf), it can determine the center of load on the top and bottom of the spring, as well as side loads, and generates a complete analysis of the spring under load. It is controlled by Instron’s Partner software for managing and automating the testing process.

Instron is also offering a number of service agreements with discounts on the periodic calibration and preventative maintenance service on material testing systems. Service agreements are available on machines manufactured by Instron, as well as by most manufactures of material testing systems.

The company has also introduced the Bluehill 2 integrated modular software package for materials testing. It features VersaChannel for data acquisition from up to 16 additional input channels, a raw-data viewer, advanced programming interface, user-defined raw-data and results export, and test file export for use in databases, including Microsoft Access. Intuitive features include: color-coded tabs; screens tailored to the requirements of each test type; and parameters such as fixture setup, test terminology, unit choices and calculations, which are automatically configured. The software’s six application-testing modules are: tension; compression; flexural; peel, tear and friction; metals; and Test Profiler. It is available in 15 languages.

For information, contact Instron Corp. by phone at (800) 564-8378 or Web site at pr.instron.com.

Nanotechnology Coatings

nCoat Inc. has designed a nanotechnology-based coating to protect materials requiring a high level of heat resistance. The nCoat coating has been used on space vehicles to create thermal barriers upon re-entry. It has been tested to withstand temperatures in excess of 4,200°F for sustained durations. NCoat’s “nano-slurry” coatings provide high heat resistance, high tensile strength, flexibility, corrosion resistance, light weight, and firm binding to the substrate material. nCoat Inc. won the 2006 Stoel Utah Innovations Award in the Chemicals/Materials Science category. For information, contact nCoat by phone at (800) 668-5455 or Web site at www.ncoat.com.

Force Sensors

PCB Piezotronics Inc. has introduced quartz force sensors for durability and life cycle testing. They are suited for multi-cycle, high-repetition automotive and component test applications. Dynamic quartz force sensors are extremely rigid, allowing high repeatability and over-range protection. These ICPB and charge output sensors measure compression, tension and impacts encountered in life cycle, durability and fatigue testing, impact, drop and crash testing, structural and modal testing, and penetration and fracture analysis. A variety of dynamic force sensor configurations and ranges are offered. ICPB and charge output versions are available as well as signal conditioning. For information, contact the Force/Torque division of PCB Piezotronics by phone at (888) 684-0004 or e-mail at force@pcb.com.

Web-Based Chemistry, Environmental Advice

Severn Trent Laboratories Inc. (STL) has launched an interactive Web-based “Ask the Expert” program. The program gives access to STL’s many technical authorities on an array of specific chemistry and environmental analytical topics. Testing questions can be submitted to STL specialty experts directly on the STL Internet site. Currently, there are 25 experts available for technical questions relative to their individual areas of expertise. For information, visit the STL Web site at www.stl-inc.com.

Select Warranty for Machinery Sales

The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co. (HSB) has introduced an extended warranty program, the Select Machinery Warranty, for used machinery dealers and new machinery manufacturers to provide to customers. It applies to machinery operated in North America after the dealer’s 30-day return privilege or a standard manufacturer’s warranty expires, providing extended coverage against mechanical or electrical breakdown. Many types of production and process machinery are covered, including CNCs, presses, injection molding, metalworking and measuring machines.

The warranty is designed for machinery valued at between $10,000 and $1 million. For more information, contact HSB by phone at (860) 722-5567 or Web site at www.hsb.com.

Interactive Web Site

TAK Enterprises Inc. has developed an interactive Web site with icon-style navigation for finding product and service information from the Machine Products and Contract Manufacturing divisions of the company. Each product in the Machine Products division section has downloadable files that include system manuals, spare parts lists, mechanical drawings, and mounting and installation information and tips. There are also short video clips of product operations. For information, contact TAK by phone at (860)-583-0517 or Web site at www.takenterprises.com.

OSHA Guide to Fall Protection

To help companies protect their workers against fall-related accidents and stay compliant with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mancomm has published The Complete OSHA Guide to Fall Protection. Based on citations issued from October 2004 through August 2005, the third most cited OSHA standard was Fall Protection, with 5,504 violations. The 140-page guide compiles and explains the various fall-protection parts of the OSHA regulations and is categorized by industry. For information, contact Mancomm by phone at (800) 626-2666 or Web site at www.mancomm.com.

Spring Statistical Process Controller

The Itaya Engineering Ltd. has introduced the SCD-7 Statistical Process Controller. It is equipped with a Static Capacity Sensor and Image Sensors to measure the free length, diameter and shape of springs.

Various cameras and lenses are available according to the measurement requirements. The specifications of measured compression springs, free length, number of good and bad springs, ratio of good springs, line graph, histogram, and statistical data can be saved in USB flash memory. The SCD-7 can be installed on various springmaking machines, and the Static Capacity Sensor, Sorting and Feedback devices are standard equipment. For information, contact Itaya by phone at 81-3-5670-6730 or e-mail at tkurusu@itaya.co.jp.

High-Temperature Labels

Seidl + Partner GmbH has introduced the Graphiplast 7377 industrial label for thermal transfer and laser printing systems. It can be used for continuous temperatures up to 360°C without losing its properties, such as tear resistance or durability. It will even withstand temperatures up to 580°C for 30 minutes. It also resists solvents, detergents, oil and acids. For information, contact Seidl + Partner by phone at +49 (0) 8233/846-0 or Web site at www.Seidl-Partner.com.

Pull Cart Spill Kit

New Pig Corp. has introduced the Pig Pull Cart Spill Kit for quick response and cleanup of non-aggressive liquids. The kit is attached to a mobile cart and contains enough absorbent Pig Mat, Socks and Pillows to absorb up to 11 gallons of liquid. Also included are PPE gloves, goggles, repair putty and disposal bags. For information, contact New Pig by phone at (800) 468-4647 or Web site at www.newpig.com.

Gage Resource Software

PQ Systems Inc. has released Gagepack EZ with enhanced e-mail capabilities and a visual catalog system for gages. It can be downloaded for a 30-day trial from www.pqsystems.com. The visual catalog is designed to replace numerical lists of gage inventories and diminish the chance of errors in gage records. Photos of gages and calibrating equipment help to identify each device and provide access to page information. Gagepack EZ manages a list of parts, and each gage can be associated with any number of such parts. For information, contact PQ Systems by phone at (800) 777-3020 or Web site.

Oscillate-Wound Steel Coils

Blue Blade Steel Co. is offering compact layered oscillated coils. The coil-winding pattern lays successive laps of steel in layers built up to create a dense and compact coil that replaces up to 25 ribbon-wound coils. Coils can be supplied in various traversed widths as a coreless bundle or with a cardboard core. A single oscillating coil can service production for an entire day, eliminating multiple start and stop setups, splicing operations and changeover scrap waste. For information, contact Blue Blade Steel Co. by phone at (908) 272-2620 or Web site at www.BlueBladeSteel.com.