Extrude Hone Corporation to Unveil Next-Generation Process Controls for Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM) at IMTS 2006 |
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Extrude Hone Corp.
1 Industry Blvd., P.O. Box 1000
Irwin, PA, 15642
USA
Press release date: June 2, 2006
Irwin, Pa. (June 2, 2006)-EXTRUDE HONE® Corporation announced today plans to unveil its next-generation process controls for Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM)- AutoFlow(TM) AFM-at the International Manufacturing Technology (IMTS) Show 2006 in Chicago, from Sept. 6 - 13. Extrude Hone representatives will be available at booth #7100 to discuss this latest AFM advancement, as well as the company's traditional AFM processing.
Building on its original, revolutionary AFM process, which the company pioneered more than four decades ago, Extrude Hone now takes it to the next level of process capability with AutoFlow AFM. With its highly sophisticated controls system, the AutoFlow AFM process represents a significant step forward in AFM processing. The new AutoFlow AFM process reduces operating costs, offers efficiencies that improve process predictability, increases output quality, and enables a wider application of the process.
While the new AutoFlow AFM is a significant advancement, it is not considered a replacement for the traditional, pressure-driven AFM process. In fact, both processes have proven applications within the market, which are largely determined by client needs or workpiece requirements.
Extrude Hone's traditional AFM process is recognized as one of the most cost-effective processes available for deburring and surface finishing workpieces. In fact, the AFM process uniformly smoothes and blends in features to a quality level and speed unachievable by hand or machine finishing. At the heart of the AFM process is Extrude Hone's unique, abrasive laden polymer media, which produces the repeatable finishing results that are critical to a workpiece's performance, strength, and reliability.
Since traditional AFM processing is designed to maintain constant pressure to the media, it occasionally results in some fluctuations in the temperature, flow rate and viscosity of the media. These fluctuations may impact the AFM system's ability to predict processing times or processing results.
According to Extrude Hone, the new AutoFlow AFM process moves beyond the pressure- driven environment to a systems managed environment that provides more control over the media and extends media life. Extrude Hone's next-generation AutoFlow AFM process maintains a constant and consistent media flow rate designed to achieve superior,repeatable results on workpieces that require tighter tolerances or are more sensitive to the production process.
Through the inclusion of position sensors, hydraulic valves and a highly sophisticated controls program, the AutoFlow AFM environment inherently minimizes the stress applied to the media. In addition, to maximize the effectiveness of the media in the AutoFlow AFM environment, Extrude Hone chemists, material engineers, and formulation technicians have specifically engineered a premier formula for this new process. As a result, the media fluctuations in temperature, flow and viscosity are reduced, the media life is extended and a more stable, constant and predictable processing rate is produced, increasing processing efficiencies and outcomes exponentially.
According to Bill Walch, Manager of AFM Process Development, the AutoFlow AFM marks an important milestone in the evolution of abrasive flow machining. "Extrude Hone invented the abrasive flow machining (AFM) process. After a proven 40-year history in AFM, it was a natural and logical step in its evolution to advance these capabilities by developing next-generation process controls," explains Walch. "With the introduction of the AutoFlow AFM, Extrude Hone has once again delivered innovations that are revolutionizing this area of precision finishing. For workpieces with tighter tolerances and higher sensitivity to processing due to design complexity, the AutoFlow AFM offers customers the ideal low cost finishing solution."
IMTS attendees are encouraged to stop by booth #7100 to learn more about Extrude Hone's AutoFlow controlled AFM, as well as Extrude Hone's traditional AFM and other surface finishing and deburring technologies.
About EXTRUDE HONE® Corporation Extrude Hone Corporation, located in Irwin, Pennsylvania, defined a new level of quality and control for manufacturers worldwide in 1966 when the company invented and patented the Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM) process-a new and revolutionary method to deburr, polish, and radius difficult-to-reach surfaces. Today, Extrude Hone is a leading developer and supplier of advanced manufacturing processes, machine tools, and contract machining services for deburring, polishing, surface finishing, and edge conditioning. Extrude Hone is also a major provider of engineered finishing solutions to the automotive, aerospace, fluid power, mold and die, food processing, semiconductor, and medical industries worldwide. The company provides these technologies to industry in the form of capital equipment and finishing services through their direct sales force and global network of Contract Finishing Centers. Extrude Hone Corporation is a subsidiary of Kennametal Inc. Visit us at www.extrudehone.com.
About IMTS Sponsored by the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) is the largest marketplace for buyers of machine tools and related manufacturing technology in the Americas. The eight-day show, held in even-numbered years at Chicago's McCormick Place, draws nearly 100,000 attendees with more than 1,200 exhibitors from the U.S. and some 80 nations abroad. For more information about the upcoming IMTS show this fall, September 6 - 13, 2006, visit www.IMTSNET.org.
Extrude Hone Corporation Headquarters 1 Industry Boulevard P O Box 1000 Irwin, PA 15642-1000 USA Telephone: 724-863-5900 Fax: 724-863-8759 www.extrudehone.com
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