High Speed Machining Precision Tooling - Indobiz.biz

Vol. 02 / 2008 

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High Speed Machining 

Precision Tooling

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Contents 




Vol. 02 / 2008 

news 


Vol. 02 / 2008 

news 

Vol. 02 / 2008 

news 



Hi 

On the Cover 


Precision Tooling 





Automation 

Re-defi ning Precision 

08 

38 Automation in a production shop 

The Art and Science of Precision 

cutting Tools 

On Course with Xtra.tec ® Drills 

12 

16 

Shop Management 

41 Evaluating Shop Management System 

Events watch 

17 

Two for every eventuality 

Restructured boring and precision boring 

tools from WALTER 

43 

Indonesia Features 

KOIKE MONOGRAPH 1650 

Technical Features 

Revolution in Sheet-metal 

Manufacturing VPSS 

Industry & Technology 

18 

20 

52 

Industri masih figuran dalam pertumbuhan ekonomi 

Industri mesin perlu restrukturisasi 

Indonesia masih sulit, namun menjanjikan bagi 

bisnis mesin-mesin bekas 

Alternatif lebih murah mendapat sambutan 

Peraturan mempengaruhi struktur perdagangan 

Statistik denagn daya bukti terbatas 

Permintaan alat berat rekondisi meningkat 

Shrink Fit : The High Accuracy 

Toolholder of Choice 

Technology for Improving 

Five-Axis Capability 

The Road to Welding Automation 

Taking Rapid Prototyping 

to The Next Level 

Quality & Inspection 

Accuracy of Feed Axes 

Part Two 

Just how good is your 

process? 

22 

26 

28 

32 

34 

37 

Columns 

59 Just for the thought 

61 Fresh from the oven 

63 News Snippets 

65 Calendar of Events 

66 Jokes 

68 Quotes on work 

Indonesia In Action 

57 

Investasi Industri Elektronik US$2,5 Miliar 

RI jadi basis produksi GM 

Pemerintah proteksi industri alsintan 

RI kejar produksi 1 juta mobil 

4 

indometalworking news Vol. 2 / 2008

Editorial 

CUT TO THE CHASE – LET’S GO PRECISION 

Today, precision, productivity and production capability 

are the driving forces in every part of the world 

manufacturing. As tolerances get tighter and cycle 

times become the difference between profi t and loss, tool 

users need ever higher skills, equipment and solutions to 

be successful. The cutting tool industry is responding with 

new tools of their own: Advanced technology, education and 

collaboration. 

Over the past decade, Asian machine shops have been 

through a competitive gauntlet involving too little business 

to go around and relentless pressure from imports. Survival 

demanded exponentially greater productivity, an improvement 

only available with advanced tooling. In these plants, fewer 

operators ran more machines, leaving no time to nurse 

inferior tools through a day’s work. To survive, Indonesia 

industry had to concentrate on decreasing and/or eliminating 

machining operations and cycle times. The fi rms that have 

made improvements are now positioned to take advantage of 

economic changes that are creating new opportunities. 

For example, offshore outsourcing, one of the manufacturing 

trends over the past decade, is losing much of its luster as 

costs and complications reduce its appeal. The demands of 

growing Asian domestic economies have not only created 

competing demands for shipping, but resulted in rising costs 

for materials and energy and rising labor costs for contract 

manufacturers. Language barriers and the diffi culties of 

implementing in-process changes have taken their toll in 

production and delivery losses. 

European manufacturers have continued to invest in 

technology and successfully adapt to competitive pressures 

from all over the world. North America has the technology 

available to compete straight up with Asian and European 

competition, but needs better access to technology and 

supporting education. There is a disparity in the knowledge 

pool because mechanical engineers and machinists have not 

always had the resources at their disposal to keep up with 

new technologies in machining and cutting tools. But this is 

changing rapidly with the advent of new technology centers 

and closer working relationships between manufacturers and 

toolmakers. 

We can, and should, be making machined products in this 

country and we should be continuously adapting in the 

technologies required to make them more effi ciently and 

of higher quality. Sometimes, new technology is expensive, 

but it allows you to do things faster and more precisely. Over 

the past fi ve years, there has been a revolution in Indonesia 

manufacturing based on the ability to make things faster and 

more cost effectively. We are poised for a similar revolution 

in machining. This is why education in the latest advances in 

tooling, materials, parts design and CNC machining is vital to 

our industry. 

Recognizing the importance of demonstrating the value 

of advanced tooling and machining methods, cutting 

tool manufacturers are reaching out to the users of their 

products, inviting them to make their requirements known 

and collaborating with them on creating solutions and 

demonstrating the value of new technologies and methods. 

By investing in technical education, and advanced tool 

development for the latest machining methods, we are 

helping Indonesia tool up for future success. 

Edwin Widjaja 

Editor in Chief 

PT IndoBiz Connection 

Gedung Hero II 8 th fl oor 

Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 64 No. 177A Jakarta Selatan - Indonesia 

Telp. : +62-21-657 00 022 

Fax : +62-21-266 45 463 

Contact : 

Melissa Ng 

Edwin Widjaja 

sales@indobiz.biz (advertisement) 

editor@indobiz.biz (articles/editorial) 

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6 


Re-defining 

Precision 

It’s important not to limit the defi nition 

of precision to one in particular, but 

instead expand the defi nition to three 

unique precision types: micro precision, 

ultra precision and nano precision. 

If you were to Google “precision 

machining,” the results would be 

staggering with more than a half million 

hits. If you were to narrow the search with 

“precision milling,” the results would be 

far less with roughly 41,000 hits. Still 

that seems to be an awful lot of hits and 

we don’t even know if the hits pertain to 

actual machine shops or not. However, 

if you were to dig further into the results 

and visit many of the actual machining 

Web sites from those results, you would 

be amazed at the number of companies 

that call themselves a precision shop 

with no clear indication of what defi nes 

them as a precision manufacturer. Some 

of these companies go beyond the word 

precision and defi ne themselves as 

military precision, medical precision 

or commonly Swiss precision. So the 

question is: What defi nes precision 

today? 

Defining Precision 

A clear defi nition is needed to uniquely 

identify the best in class shops in a 

highly competitive market. Because the 

market spans over a very broad range 

of industries, it’s rather important not to 

limit the defi nition to one in particular, 

but instead expand the defi nition to 

three unique precision types. 

These types can be identifi ed as micro 

precision, ultra precision and nano 

precision. 

By these three types, precision can be 

identifi ed in regards to the technology 

that a shop might have and what you can 

expect in quality and accuracy instead 

of using a generic term as precision. 

Further, each precision type also can 

be used to defi ne the technology and 

expectations within a machine tool 

and can be further used to defi ne the 

maximum part quality that can be 

expected of the machine without over 

complicating things. 

Precision can now be narrowed to micro 

precision as precision defi ned by ±5 

microns or less on the workpiece; ultra 

precision as precision defi ned by ±2.5 

microns or less on the workpiece; and, 

nano precision as precision defi ned by 1 

micron or less on the workpiece. 

Understanding Microns 

As you can see we’re no longer talking 

in terms of English units, but instead 

talking in terms of Metric units. This 

method is not only clearer but simpler 

to work with than thousands, tenths 

or millionths. Working with microns 

also is a universally understood unit of 

measurement and is clearly known and 

widely accepted around the world. 

It allows us to defi ne closer tolerances 

much easier. For example, rather than 

saying 40 millionths or .00004” it is 

much easier to say 1 micron or 1 um. 

Chart 1 will provide you with a clear 

illustration of equivalent units. 

In re-defi ning precision, it’s important 

to understand the micron unit. There 

are several reasons why. First, it gives 

a better picture of the three types of 

precision. 

Secondly, it brings the manufacturing 

world in line with the advance technology 

that is available on the market today— 

from the machine tool to inspection 

equipment. Additionally, it articulates 

the trends in product designs toward 

closer tolerances and miniaturization. 

8 


Chart 1 Unit Equivalent 

Metric to Imperial Equivalent 

10 microns 

5 microns 

1 micron 

1 micron 

Average Hair diameter 

Red Blood Cells 

Chart courtesy of Kern Precision, Inc 

Moving Beyond the Pack 

= .0004 inches, UPM 

= .0002 inches, MPM 

= .00004 inches, NPM 

= 1000 nanometers 

= 60 microns 

= 20 microns 

Embracing technology is necessary for 

survival in U.S. manufacturing today. 

Current machine tool technology has 

lowered the bar toward ultra and nano 

precision. Once only visible in the lab, 

ultra and nano precision technology 

has now moved from the lab and R&D 

centers to the commercial sector. 

Although much of the core technology 

in today’s ultra precision machining 

(UPM) is not new, it’s the combination of 

the improved elements and the careful 

systematic unity that has pushed the 

technology into a new direction of ultra 

precision. Further, the tools used to 

bring everything together have also 

improved greatly. 

To illustrate this, consider the secondary 

equipment used to build a Ferrari, a 

Lamborghini or perhaps a Lotus. These 

unique manufacturers use state-of-theart 

equipment to build their cars ensuring 

performance and quality. Likewise, 

machine tool builders who claim micro, 

ultra and nano precision tolerances use 

a similar approach by using state-of-theart 

technology to build state-of-the-art 

machine tools. 

Additionally however, machine tool 

builders offering these tolerances 

need to be extremely concerned with 

their surrounding environment, which 

includes cleanliness, organization, 

air quality and temperature control. 

Bringing micro, ultra and nano precision 

into the shop and being successful with 

it also requires the same approach and 

the same high quality environment. 

Traditionally reserved for grinding, 

nano precision is no longer just limited 

to grinding and has now entered the 

commercial sector for milling. A nano 

precision milling machine offers a 

host of new opportunities—ranging 

from hard milling for the mold and die 

industry to jig grinding holes for mold 

bases. By nature, a nano precisioncapable 

machine along with superior 

build characteristics is going to produce 

extraordinary surface fi nishes. 

Therefore the possibilities to hold ±1 

micron on drilling and milling features 

on your parts and holding surface 

fi nishes of values of Ra 0.05um are now 

achievable. In the past these kinds of 

tolerances and surface fi nishes were 

only possible in a lab environment on 

Figure 1 

specially designed machines with a 

very small work envelope. In fact today, 

workable envelopes as large as 20” x 

20” x 15” are possible in a commercial 

environment. 

Although there’s really no practical 

application, Figure 1 shows a hole that 

was drilled in a 60-micron diameter 

human hair using ultra and nano 

precision machining. What should be 

a clear observation, the hole has a 

very clean and well-defi ned entrance 

indicating the preciseness and 

Figure 2 

smoothness of the drilling motion. The 

drill diameter was 30 micron or a little 

over .001” diameter and its size is not 

visible to the naked eye. 

Figure 2 shows an aluminum optical 

tool that was diamond milled to a mirror 

fi nish using the same milling machine 

technology, but equipped with an 

ultra precision dividing head. Further, 

small to medium size molds as well as 

micromolds can also experience similar 

results by using ultra and nano precision 

machining: UPM and NPM. 

Manufacturers that use such advanced 

equipment are capable of meeting 

the higher demands of new product 

designs, tighter tolerance requires and 

lower labor cost through a decrease 

in part handling by increasing surface 

fi nish quality. By investing in the 

latest technology, manufacturers can 

truly identify themselves as a best in 

class micro, ultra or nano precision 

manufacturer, and therefore move 

beyond the pack. 

Behind the Technology 

Nano technology within a milling machine 

can bring a lot of skepticism. Holding 

±1 micron or ±1000 nanometers while 

obtaining surface fi nishes of Ra 0.05um, 

should certainly be questioned. Anyone 

with any experience in holding tight 

tolerances should have some doubts 

about these capabilities, but rest 

indometalworking news Vol. 2 / 2008 9

assured the technology is available and 

results are astounding. 

Similar to high-speed machining, nano 

precision machining or NPM requires 

a complete circle of technologies that 

complement each other. NPM shouldn’t 

be considered machining at slow feeds 

and speeds in order achieve closer 

tolerances but rather the opposite. 

Using HSM practices is actually one 

of the center points of NPM where 

as HSM doesn’t guarantee precision. 

The primary focus in achieving nano 

precision tolerances on your parts is 

centered on the machine tool itself. 

On the other, your CAD/CAM system 

must be able to handle the increased 

tolerance output requirements and this 

would include surface tolerances. 

Figure 3 

One of the key ingredients of the 

machine tool for NPM is the drive system: 

hydrostatic drives and guideways. 

This drive and guideways technology 

uses a very small yet very controlled fi lm 

of oil between the surfaces of the two 

guideways and between the ball screw 

(see Figure 3) and nut thus producing no 

metal-to-metal contact in the motion. 

This ultimately removes almost all 

kinetic and static friction from the drive 

system producing the most precise 

motion possible. 

Another important aspect is the ability 

to control heat within the entire machine 

Figure 4 

tool. A polymer-base machine tool is 

the start of precision, but to achieve 

even better results every aspect of the 

machine tool needs to be completely 

temperature controlled. This would 

include the table area, spindle, coolant, 

electrical cabinet and the fl uids for the 

hydrostatic drive and guideways system 

(see Figure 4). 

Glass scales are also part of a precision 

machine tool, but it’s important to 

realize that the fi nest in precision glass 

scale must be used—such as .1 micron 

or 100 nano precision intervals. Some 

other important factors to consider are 

Figure 5 

the precision quality and location of the 

tool laser measurement system, the 

spindle’s ability to exchange the cutting 

tools in the same exact consistent 

location and an ultra precision HSK 

spindle with near zero runout. This in 

combination with the other systems 

within the machine tool will no doubt 

provide you with the ability to achieve 

nano precision (see Figure 5). 

Quality Assurance Infrastructure 

NPM doesn’t stop at the machine tool. 

Having the technology and the quality 

assurance infrastructure to check 

such precise parts is quite important. 

Coordinate measurement systems and 

3-D vision inspection systems have 

been able to stay ahead of the advances 

in precision machine tool technology. 

Some of today’s fi nest CMMs have the 

ability of measuring uncertainties of 

250 nano meters at a resolution of 7.5 

nano meters. 

Additional, 2-D vision systems now have 

the ability to measure depths. Equipped 

with a combination-touch probe, laser 

and white light sensors, vision systems 

have taken vision inspection into a 3-D 

world. White light sensor technology for 

probing has reached into the submicron 

level by splitting pixels into thirds. 

To ensure your nano parts are indeed 

nano precise, understanding your 

quality assurance infrastructure is just 

as important as your nano precision 

machining infrastructure. If the two 

technologies work together, re-defi ning 

your precision will move you toward the 

ability to reclaim your position as a real 

precision manufacturer producing near 

perfect parts. 

10 


The Art And Science Of 

Precision Cutting Tools 

Machine tools become 

faster and more stable 

while cutting tools get 

tougher, longer lasting 

and geometrically more 

complex. I visited the 

web of few premier 

cutting tool manufacturer 

to look at the state 

of the art of making 

carbide cutting tools 

that complement today’s 

machine tool technology 

Interested in the precision cutting 

tools story, I tracked down every 

cutting tools manufacturer to see 

the story behind the making of precision 

cutting tools and the impact of usage 

today. 

I hooked up for a quick breeze surfi ng 

through the net, and ending up at a 

few characteristics that made a new 

precision cutting tools story of today 

generation. It was a perfect afternoon 

for me to write this article with the start 

of one company in Germany. 

Keeping Ahead Of The Curve 

Horn of Germany started business in 

1969 specializing in grooving tools 

for piston production. Being close to 

the automotive industry in Stuttgart 

makes the Tübingen location ideal for 

serving this market segment. According 

to website, the company quickly 

established a good reputation for 

technology and consistency and began 

to grow its product offering. 

Horn has managed to stay under the 

radar screen of many larger competitors 

by positioning themselves more as a 

custom tool manufacturer rather than 

an off-the-shelf commodity vendor. Their 

average batch run is about 70 pieces 

and at those volumes, they need to be 

smart about manufacturing our cutters 

as well as designing specifi c customer 

solutions. 

To this end, the company uses a 

two-prong strategy for its product 

development. In addition to developing 

new grades, coatings and geometries 

for its carbide inserts and solid carbide 

tools, the company works hard at its 

manufacturing capability as well. 

How To Cook An Insert 

The indexable insert is a remarkable 

piece of technology. Out of an 

apparently simple composite primarily 

made from two components—a binder 

and “powder”—comes a variety of 

grades, shapes, sizes and performance 

characteristics that help metalworking 

manufacturers get the most from their 

processes. 

Often compared to baking a cake, the 

12 


ecipe for manufacturing indexable 

carbide inserts that deliver the desired 

performance characteristics is a function 

of the ratios among base components. In 

its simplest form, to increase an insert’s 

toughness (its resistance to fracture), the 

binder content-to-powder ratio is raised. 

To create a harder cutting material, the 

ratio is lowered, with more powder and 

less binder, which vmakes the cutter 

grades of carbide substrates refl ect 

a sliding scale between the extremes 

of toughness and hardness, which are 

matched to a given application. 

Mixing the binder and powder is a 

critical step in the manufacture of 

indexable insert tools. Like a “heat” 

in steel production, each batch of the 

recipe for a given base grade is carefully 

controlled for consistency. 

After mixing, the “batter” is pressed 

into a shape. The pressing process 

uses insert molds to impart the insert 

shape and some of the geometry, such 

as chipbreakers, onto the now “green” 

insert. 

In addition to the conventional pressing 

technology used by most insert 

producers, there is a successfully 

developed method of injection molding 

inserts as well. This gives the user the 

ability to mold complex inserts much 

closer to a fi nal shape and complete 

forms that would be almost impossible 

by conventional technology. In turn, it 

reduces the amount of grinding required 

to achieve a fi nished geometry and 

speeds the throughput. 

The details of this process are 

proprietary, but consist basically of 

adding a compound to the binder/ 

powder mix so it can fl ow under pressure 

through gates into a closed mold cavity. 

This fl owable material is also extruded 

into tooling blanks that become the basis 

for some of the company’s solid carbide 

products. In the next manufacturing 

step, which is sintering, this additional 

compound vaporizes leaving no trace in 

the fi nal insert grade. 

Sintering is the last processing step 

before a green insert blank becomes 

the rugged carbide substrate that shops 

are familiar with. Using the cake-baking 

analogy, this step represents the oven. 

Under a vacuum at high temperature, the 

green insert is heated until the binder 

plasticizes, enabling it to fl ow around 

the grains of powder fi lling the voids. 

Upon cooling, the binder and grains are 

chemically and physically linked into a 

uniform matrix. 

On The Shop Floor 

Out of the oven, the inserts are ready 

to be machined to their fi nal shapes, 

geometry and precision. The shop fl oor 

refl ects this rationalization concept. 

The grinding department is arranged 

in rows of autonomous cells. Four of 

these cells are operated by one person. 

Each cell is built around a DMG milling 

machine converted to grind inserts. In 

the machine spindle, an arbor is used 

to hold various superabrasive wheels 

and brushes allowing all of the grinding 

operations to be performed in sequence 

without changing wheels. 

An automated load/unload system shall 

be designed and feeds the machine 

tools. As a fi nished insert is removed 

from the work zone, it passes through a 

laser gaging system that checks critical 

dimensions. This cellular concept is 

duplicated at every manufacturing 

company nowadays. 

While the cells are not dedicated to a 

specifi c cutting tool product, they are 

tooled to accommodate like families 

of inserts. It should have several types 

of cells to accommodate various insert 

parameters. The production schedule is 

made up to run similar jobs sequentially, 

which simplifi es change-over from one 

insert to another. Generally, only the 

material handling devices and gaging 

units need to be physically adjusted. 

To do own insert coating it shall use a 

PVD (physical vapor deposit) system. 

Inserts to be coated are fi rst cleaned in 

an automated (no-touch) batch washing 

system. The clean inserts are assembled 

into racks for placement in the coating 

chamber. Three different coatings can 

be used individually or layered. 

1. Precision 1 : To expedite the grinding process, 

an arbor with various wheels and brushes is used 

in the grinding cell. The arbor is supported by a 

dual contact V-flange connector 

2. Precision 2: In addition to sintering its own 

inserts, the company also uses a PVD process to 

coat various insert grades. The racks on the left 

are shown prior to coating, and the racks on the 

right have been processed. 

3. Precision 3: Insert grinding is arranged in 

cells. These are comprised of converted milling 

machines set up to grind inserts. Load/unload and 

inspection is automated, enabling one operator to 

oversee four cells 


Planning For The Future 

While the manufacturing system for 

insert production is proven, every 

company shall continue to develop new 

process technologies for precision parts 

making. Keeping ahead of the curve is 

an ongoing process. ew 

TIPS 

Tips For Choosing The Right Cutter 

There are many choices that one must 

consider when picking the correct 

cutter and insert for an application. 

The following article is a brief rundown 

of applications involving grooving and 

turning with a focus on OD grooving. 

Cutting grooves can be one of the most 

diffi cult jobs for a turning operation, and 

the geometries for these applications 

can be some of the most complex. In 

a typical grooving operation, forces are 

potentially facing both a radial and axial 

direction, cutting with the main cutting 

edge (sometimes fully engaged and 

sometimes partially engaged) as well as 

cutting on one or both of the side cutting 

edges. 

Depending on the operation, an operator 

may be using an insert with a sintered 

top rake geometry (usually the width 

of the groove will be the determining 

factor). For grooves that are too narrow, 

sintered top rake geometry is not 

possible. Full width generally is the 

best solution for providing chip control. 

However, how does one determine the 

correct geometry? 

Groove Width 

Is the groove that is needed equal to a 

standard grooving insert width offered 

by a grooving tool manufacturer? 

(See Fig. 1.) 

If so, generally cutting forces will be only 

on the main cutting edge. In this case, 

you will be looking for a grooving insert 

that will reduce the width of the chip 

(form the chip away from the sides of 

the groove) to achieve a better fi nish on 

the groove side walls. (See Fig. 2.) 

If not, the options are to cut on the full 

face, and then a partial face (see Fig. 3), 

or place axial forces on the insert in a 

turning fashion (see Fig. 4). Either way, 

choosing the geometry that provides 

the best fi nish and most effective 

chipbreaking becomes more diffi cult. 

When choosing the geometry of the 

tool, it is important to choose a positive 

cutting geometry and understand the 

operation being performed. 

If the groove width matches the insert 

width, the choices are much easier. You 

must now determine the aggressiveness 

of the chip formation in relation to the 

tensile strength of the material being 

cut. If you look at the two chip formers 

(see Fig. 5), you will see that the distance 

from the front edge to the back edge 

varies in length. 

The longer length will provide a 

smoother cut, but will create a larger 

watch spring chip. If the tensile strength 

is too low, this watch spring may become 

uncontrollable, and the chip may pigtail. 

The shorter length will produce a much 

tighter watch spring, but if the tensile 

strength is too high, chip forces may 

damage the main cutting edge. 

If the groove width is wider than the 

insert width, multiple plunges can be 

performed to create the wider groove or 

you may plunge and turn the groove. 

If you choose to perform multiple 

plunges, the easiest way is to take the 

fi rst plunge and then step over 50 to 75 

percent of the insert width and plunge 

again, repeating until the desired groove 

width is reached. This is the easiest to 

program. However, cuts using only 50 

to 75 percent of the groove width can 

make chip control diffi cult. If a full cut is 

performed, you are collapsing the chip 

from both sides onto itself. When taking 

a partial cut, you are collapsing the 

chip from one direction only, and this 

can result in pigtails or unmanageable 

chips. 

One simple method, using the multiple 

plunge process, is to take as many 

full cuts as possible, and then cut the 

remaining material on the center of the 

insert. This uses all of the advantages of 

a simple chip former. 

For a plunge and turn operation, it’s 

Figure 1 

Figure 3 Figure 4 

Figure 2 

14 


est to use a chip former that tries to 

reduce the chip from the front and also 

provides an area on the side of the 

insert to control the chip. This requires 

more complex programming because 

when approaching the bottom of the 

groove, material should not be removed 

from both the front of the insert and the 

side of the insert at the same time. This 

will usually damage the insert and the 

toolholder. 

“Impossible to break the chip” material: 

These materials are usually forgings, 

carbon and alloy steel of very low tensile 

strength carbon and alloy steels, as well 

as some tubing material. 

In these materials, very aggressive 

chipbreakers are required, and in some 

instances, a programmed peck cycle is 

necessary. Never retract more than the 

feed rate per revolution; otherwise you 

can pinch a chip between the cutting 

edge and the material. 

In addition, cutting an ID groove, face 

groove and/or form groove follows 

these same basic principles, but each 

provides its own characteristics. 

Material 

Figure 5 

What type of material is being cut? 

These tips are not always 100 percent 

accurate, but they provide a good rule 

of thumb. 

Short chipping material: This is usually 

the easiest way to control the chip, and 

the chipbreaker is the least important. 

However, a strong cutting edge will 

be required. The shortest chipping 

materials are cast irons, hardened steels 

and brass. With these operations, the 

groove width is usually not as important 

because the chips are easy to control. 

Long chipping material: This is where 

the largest amount of materials will fall. 

The long chipping group could be subgrouped 

into different categories. Long 

chipping materials include most carbon 

steels, alloy steels, stainless steels and 

exotics. 

The longer length will provide a 

smoother cut, but will create a larger 

watch spring chip. If the tensile strength 

is too low, this watch spring may become 

uncontrollable, and the chip may pigtail. 

The shorter length will produce a much 

tighter watch spring, but if the tensile 

strength is too high, chip forces may 

damage the main cutting edge. 

If the groove width is wider than the 

insert width, multiple plunges can be 

performed to create the wider groove or 

you may plunge and turn the groove. 

If you choose to perform multiple 

plunges, the easiest way is to take the 

fi rst plunge and then step over 50 to 75 

percent of the insert width and plunge 

again, repeating until the desired groove 

width is reached. 

This is the easiest to program. However, 

cuts using only 50 to 75 percent of the 

groove width can make chip control 

diffi cult. If a full cut is performed, you are 

collapsing the chip from both sides onto 

itself. When taking a partial cut, you are 

collapsing the chip from one direction 

only, and this can result in pigtails or 

unmanageable chips. 

One simple method, using the multiple 

plunge process, is to take as many 

full cuts as possible, and then cut the 

remaining material on the center of the 

insert. This uses all of the advantages of 

a simple chip former. 

For a plunge and turn operation, it’s 

best to use a chip former that tries to 

reduce the chip from the front and also 

provides an area on the side of the 

insert to control the chip. This requires 

more complex programming because 

when approaching the bottom of the 

groove, material should not be removed 

from both the front of the insert and the 

side of the insert at the same time. This 

will usually damage the insert and the 

toolholder. 

“Impossible to break the chip” 

material: These materials are usually 

forgings, carbon and alloy steel of very 

low tensile strength carbon and alloy 

steels, as well as some tubing material. 

In these materials, very aggressive 

chipbreakers are required, and in some 

instances, a programmed peck cycle is 

necessary. Never retract more than the 

feed rate per revolution; otherwise you 

can pinch a chip between the cutting 

edge and the material. 

In addition, cutting an ID groove, face 

groove and/or form groove follows 

these same basic principles, but each 

provides its own characteristics. 

When choosing the geometry of the 

tool, it is important to choose a positive 

cutting geometry and understand the 

operation being performed. 

If the groove width matches the insert 

width, the choices are much easier. You 

must now determine the aggressiveness 

of the chip formation in relation to the 

tensile strength of the material being 

cut. If you look at the two chip formers 

(see Fig. 5), you will see that the distance 

from the front edge to the back edge 

varies in length. 


Press Release 

On Course with Xtra.tec ® Drills 

WALTER launches new Xtra.tec ® insert drill 

The tried and tested Xtra.tec ® drill product line B40xx 

exchangeable tip has been extended by indexable 

insert drills. The new Xtra.tec ® insert drills are 

launched under the designation B4213 for drilling depths 

up to 3xD. Other types and lengths are being planned. While 

exchangeable tip allow highest feed rates, the indexable 

insert series is characterized by low cutting materials 

costs (four cutting edges per insert) as well as an extended 

application range such as transversal spot-drilling, cross 

drilling or drilling on convex faces. In order to ensure a 

better differentiation between the two tools, the B40xx 

drills will be launched under the name Xtra.tec ® point 

drills. 

As with all its Xtra.tec ® tools, WALTER has again made 

best use of their engineering expertise in developing this 

Xtra.tec ® drill. The inner and outer inserts have a special 

design. The inner insert provides for centering, the 

outer one, equipped with wiper geometry, for maximum 

precision and good surface qualities. The helical tool 

shank ensures excellent chip fl ow. For the various 

applications, universal Tiger.tec ® or PVD-Tiger.tec ® 

cutting materials are available, the latter especially 

for the processing of high-alloyed stainless steels. 

Currently, the new Xtra.tec ® insert drills are available in 

the diameter range 21 to 29 mm, but Walter is already 

planning to extend the range downwards step by step to 

14 mm, as well as to enlarge the indexable insert product 

line. 

About Xtra.tec ® 

WALTER’s Xtra.tec ® product line sets a benchmark 

in the carbide insert sector. Compared to standard 

tools, productivity can be increased by up to 100%, 

due to the following developments: The inserts are 

manufactured from high-performance optimized 

Tiger.tec ® cutting materials, and the favorable 

hardness/toughness parameters ensure maximum 

cutting performance. The geometries of the inserts 

are highly positive. The consequences are extremely 

soft cuts, excellent surface quality and low impact on 

machine and clamping. The hard nickel plated 

surface of the tool bodies with their optimum 

design ensure an improved chip fl ow and long insert life. 

Together, all these characteristics ensure an increase in 

productivity as well as maximum process reliability. Furthermore, 

the universal applicability for all cast iron, steel 

and stainless steel grades, as well as a high number of 

cutting edges (depending on the tool type) reduce tool 

costs. 

Fig.: Xtra.tec ® insert drill B4213 

BU: The Xtra.tec ® insert drill with special four-edged inner and 

outer inserts extends WALTERs Xtra.tec ® product line. 

16 


Two for every eventuality 

Restructured boring and precision boring 

tools from WALTER 

To simplify handing for users, WALTER has restructured 

its tooling systems for boring and precision boring and 

changed the designations it uses. Its two-fl ute boring 

tools are now called WALTER Boring MEDIUM (working range 

between 20-153mm) and WALTER BoringMAXI (working 

range between 150-640mm). There is a widely diverse 

selection of indexable inserts available for the two 

boring tools, making use of different cutting materials and 

positive geometries. These cover the entire spectrum of 

metal materials for coarse to medium machining operations. 

WALTER Boring MEDIUM comes with NTC modular and 

ScrewFit adapters in cartridge versions for CC and WC shaped 

ISO indexable inserts. Both the adapter systems are short 

and consequently stable, affording outstanding concentricity 

properties and process reliability, even under diffi cult 

application conditions such as inclined boreholes, stepped 

boreholes, spectacle-shaped bores and so on. Positive 

locking cartridge fi xtures prevent lift-off or 

displacement even in this type of situation. The large 

diameter range of the WALTER Boring MAXI is implemented 

using an exchangeable bridge module. 

The single-fl uted precision boring tools WALTER 

Precision MEDIUM und WALTER Precision MAXI have also 

been restructured. As their new designation suggests, these 

have now been adapted in line with the boring tools in terms 

of their diameter graduations and working ranges. The 

WALTER Precision MEDIUM series additionally offers 

automatic imbalance compensation, permitting cutting 

speeds of up to 2000 m/min. Both WALTER precision 

tools permit backlash-free precision nonius setting up to 

precisely 0.002 mm. For special precision machining 

operations, alongside carbide industrial inserts, CBN and 

PCD cutting materials with a positive geometry are also 

available. 

As both the WALTER Boring and WALTER Precision 

series have the same external dimensions, they offer two 

additional benefi ts which should not be underestimated: 

Firstly the programming input is reduced, and secondly no 

separate collision checks need to be performed. Accessories 

such as adapters, extensions and so on are also identical. 

Xtra.tec ® For precision processing of even smaller 

diameters, users are able to call upon the WALTER 

Precision MINI system (working range 2-45mm). These tools 

are fi tted with boring bars in a solid carbide or indexable 

insert version. Here too, manual imbalance compensation 

permits cutting speeds of up to 2000m/min. Setting 

accuracy is also around 0.002mm. 

Boring tools / precision tools 

The new boring and 

precision boring tools 

WALTER BoringMEDIUM and 

WALTER Boring MAXI / 

WALTER PrecisionMEDIUM 

and WALTER Precision MAXI 

have been formed to create 

a real tooling family: 

Dimensionally coordinated, they 

simplify handling and reduce the 

input required for programming and collision 

control. (picture: WALTER AG)

Technical Features 

Automation in the cutting process provides the cutting edge to 

Heating Ventilation Air-Conditioning ( HVAC ) industry in Indonesia. 

“ Cutting it productively ” every time is the key to automation 

success 

Every time a shopping mall , an offi ce tower or high rise building pops 

up in downtown Jakarta, have you ever wondered how the builders 

managed to put up all the sheet metal ducting for air-conditioning 

and ventilation so effi ciently? Automation in cutting and accuracy in 

fi t up of joints had made it possible. 

Some of the products that he is fabricating can 

be seen below. 

In the past skilled workers had to manually cut the sheet metal 

with heavy duty scissors and then knock them into a shape with a 

hammer before joining them up to form an air-con ducting for each 

fl oor of the building. This process was very skill dependent, labours 

intensive, time consuming and results in much waste of materials. 

Because it was manually done there were many reworks and rejects 

of workpieces which slows the building completion. 

Koike Sanso Kogyo Co. Ltd., the world’s leading manufacturer of 

cutting machineries, have provided the local contractors with a 

portable cutting solution and the cutting edge tool to compete 

effectively. The KOIKE MONOGRAPH 1650 CNC Plasma cutting 

machine for thin sheet cutting was designed to be a compact, 

unitized and portable machine so that it can be transported to the 

construction site. This means large cost savings in transportation 

for the completed ducting , since all cutting work can now be done 

in the basement car park on site. Because the machine is available 

on site, any last minute changes can be accommodated easily and 

swiftly. 

KOIKE MONOGRAPH 1650 CNC Plasma cutting machine for thin 

sheet cutting 

According to a HVAC contractor he has achieved much savings from 

the following: 

- Reduced transportation costs from the factory to the 

construction site because all cutting are done on site and on 

demand. 

- Material savings because computer controlled nesting of 

parts had resulted in less wastage, rejects and reworks. 

- Less reliance on limited skill labour as the machine 

provides the technology and automation, only a general 

worker can operate the machine and achieve accurate 

cuts everytime. 

- Last minute changes of work pieces can be easily 

accommodated and completed on the same day. 

- Project completion can be achieved at a shorter time span. 

- More projects can be under taken as a result of the 

cutting productivity. 

Computer nested parts are accurately cut. 

Cutting with rolled sheets reduces 

wastages. 

He realised that to compete with foreign contractors who have 

invested in high technologies and automatic cutting and forming 

equipment, he too must upgrade himself or be force out of 

business. 

In this era of globalisation Indonesia contractors must upgrade 

themselves and fi nd new ways of doing things in order to compete. 

Compact , Unitized and transportable Monograph 1650. 

18 


Revolution in Sheet-metal 

Manufacturing VPSS 

Amada’s guiding principle: “Amada 

grows with the voices of our customers 

and advances with our customers.” As 

such, we at Amada are well aware that 

today’s manufacturing industries are 

becoming very tough and our customers 

have to fi nd new ways to stay relevant 

as well as maintain their competitive 

edge in the 21st century. 

Conventionally, manufacturing has been 

a very long and sometimes tedious 

process. By combining software, 

tooling, and machine technology, 

Amada would like to introduce a new 

way of manufacturing to reduce cost, 

and improve productivity, effi ciency, and 

quality. To meet the needs and demands 

of the sheet-metal manufacturing 

processes, let’s take a look at Amada’s 

total solutions package: VPSS – the 

sheet-metal revolution for the 21st 

century. 

the need for “Brain Unfold” (or manual 

unfold), exchanges internal setup 

time to external usage time, and 

eradicates wastes by eliminating test 

pieces. 

In a conventional process, an 

experience staff has to decide on a 

product’s program, blank part, 

and bend process base on each 

orthographic drawing, material type, 

material thickness, product forms, 

and number of bends. This process 

requires 80% of overall time leaving 

only 20% for production. The end result 

is long delivery time and huge cost due 

to multiple test pieces and verifi cation. 

Conversely in the VPSS process, 

a 3-D model with Amada’s sheet-metal 

attributes (BMF – Bend Model File) 

is created when an unfold drawing 

is generated. Using this 3-D model, 

stored in a common data base – SDD 

(Sheet-Metal Digital on Demand). 

Because all simulation can be done in 

the computer, fabrication in the offi ce 

computer acts as the 2nd job shop. 

Once the simulation is completed, real 

manufacturing may begin by simply 

retrieving simulated data from SDD. 

Because it is no longer necessary 

to do “Brain Unfold” or test bends, 

internal setup time is reduced allowing a 

drastic improvement in actual 

production. On top of this, VPSS may 

be set up for collection and analysis of 

estimate data and actual results 

automatically. This switch from 

confi rmation via test bends of actual 

products to confi rmation via computer 

simulation before immediate production 

actual products is VPSS. 

MAIN CONTENTS THAT 

COMPRISES VPSS 

#1: AP100 

CREATE UNFOLD DRAWING WITH 3-D 

MODEL AND INPUT NECESSARY 

SHEET-METAL ATTRIBUTES 

VPSS CONCEPT 

VPSS (Virtual Prototype Simulation 

System) realizes a revolution in 

sheet-metal fabrication. It eliminates 

both blank and bend models may be 

created, verifi ed and confi rmed in the 

computer before output of fabrication 

programs. All VPSS processes are done 

automatically in the computer and 

3-D model generated by AP100 plays 

an important role in VPSS. Using face 

attachment and face extrusion from 

an orthographic drawing, a solid model 

(3-D model) with standard Amada 

attributes may be easily created. 

In a normal CAD or paper model, 

there are no sheet-metal attributes. 

However, Amada’s attributes are able 

to accurately refl ect the material 

elongation of a product to be 

fabricated. 

#2: FLAT LAYOUT VERIFICATION 

20 


ELIMIATES IMPROPER UNFOLDING 

In VPSS, a programmer verifi es 

dimensions and shapes by comparing 

the solid model with the orthographic 

drawing. As such, improper unfolding is 

eliminated without making a test piece. 

#3: TEST PIECE VERIFICATION USING 

DR. ABE BEND/CAM 

AUTOMATIC BENDING DATA CREATION 

Dr. Abe Bend/Cam generates bending 

operation program for the actual 

bending process using AI (Artifi cial 

Intelligence). This AI was developed 

in collaboration with Dr. Bourne of 

Carnegie-Mellon University – the 

university with world-wide reputation in 

Artifi cial Intelligence for Computer Chess 

Tournaments and Mars exploration 

robots. 

After Flat Layout verifi cation is 

completed, an unfold drawing is retrieved 

and used by Dr. Abe Bend/Cam for 

automatic generation of bending data 

in a batch process. The parts to be 

fabricated are checked for feasibility 

before creating the best bending 

programs – bending sequences, tool 

selection, L-values, D-values, and tool 

placements – automatically without 

making any test pieces. If the program 

generation results in “Failure” or 

“Warning,” reasons shown in Bend/ 

Cam may be studied to generate 

the program manually. This process 

greatly increases actual working 

because of a reduction in internal 

set-up (manual unfold done by an 

operator at the job shop) from 80% in 

a conventional bending process to 20% 

using VPSS. 

BEND TOOLING SET UP FOR 

MAULTIPLE PARTS 

When bending data is generated in 

a batch process, common tooling 

layout is generated for several parts. 

This not only reduces tool set up time as 

compared to the conventional way of 

arranging tooling layout for each part, 

but also realizes higher productivity. 

#4: DR.ABE BLANK (LASER/ 

PUNCHING) 

Dr. Abe Blank generates nesting sheet 

programs based on the unfolding 

drawings created by VPSS. Compared 

with creating part data and sheet data 

separately and manually, Dr. Abe Blank 

reduces the set up for generating 

blank processing data and maximizes 

material yield. 

#5: SDD (SHEET-METAL DIGITAL on 

DEMAND) 

All data – unfold drawing, solid model 

with attributes, set-up information, 

processing program information, 

etc. – created by VPSS are stored in 

SDD as digital information. During 

manufacturing, an operator may start 

the job immediately and easily by 

simply retrieving data from SDD using 

a bar-coded “Job Instruction Sheet.” 

Stored digital data in SDD results in 

common know-how or knowledge, 

once reliant on an individual, to 

be easily shared within a company. 

#6: ASSEMBLING VERIFICATION IN 

SHEETWORKS FOR UNFOLD 

Sheetworks for Unfold not only enables 

verifi cation by assembling solid/sheet 

models, but also allows conversion of 

solid models into sheet-metal models. All 

parts created in Sheetworks for Unfold 

may be assembled in a computer and 

checked for interference, hole position, 

collision, etc. Using this method, solving 

errors which conventionally could only be 

found only at assembly greatly reduces 

wastes in delivery and cost. 

#7: vFACTORY 

vFactory automatically collects 

machines’ information such as machine 

history, job history, machine operation, 

and machine status by means of 

digital data. Therefore, actual working 

conditions at a job shop may be 

monitored through a remote computer 

easily. As such, the capture of present 

machine status of machine and results 

may be analyzed with the digital data. 

It can be seen that VPSS through factory 

digitalization will increase cost savings, 

productivity, and effi ciency. We trust 

that this insight to VPSS will give 

you new ideas and technologies that will 

not only improve your manufacturing 

methods but also increase your 

competitive edge and profi tability. 

“Amada grows with the voices of our 

customers and advances with our 

customers.” 


Shrink Fit: 

The High Accuracy 

Toolholder of Choice 

Requirements in the mold industry are much more precise than general 

machining, so more attention must be paid toward the selection of the 

appropriate toolholder in regards to its features and benefits 

Within the last 10 years, the 

acceptance and integration 

of shrink fi t toolholders in the 

mold and die industry has continued in 

aiding all world-based mold shops in 

remaining globally competitive. 

Toolholding for milling machines in 

general had often been overlooked by 

most manufacturing facilities throughout 

the world especially Asia. 

However, it was the mold and die 

industry that was really the fi rst segment 

of the manufacturing market to look for 

more precise toolholder options. Due to 

numerous inherent benefi ts, shrink fi t 

toolholders have predominately become 

the high accuracy toolholder of choice 

for the mold and die market. 

The Challenge 

As the mold and die industry in Asia 

has become much more of a globally 

competitive market, the need to reduce 

expensive labor intensive practices has 

become an absolute necessity for shop 

owners. The goal for most shops is to 

reduce or completely eliminate polishing 

or spotting time on their molds. This 

can be accomplished in numerous 

ways including the use of EDM sinker 

machines, hard milling of steel or cutting 

closer to net shape from the beginning 

of the machining process. 

In order to address this challenge, the 

mold and die shops have been forced to 

look at their entire process. For example, 

choosing the correct machine tool for the 

job is no longer the only consideration. It 

is important to investigate and decide on 

the appropriate machine control, CAD/ 

CAM software package, toolholders and 

cutting tools in order to complete the job 

most effi ciently 

The Toolholder Solution 

When looking for toolholder solutions for 

any type of machining, it is always good 

to fi rst focus on three main features that 

a toolholder must bring you: 

1. Rigidity 

Rigidity comes from suffi cient 

taper contact and proper clamping 

of the toolholder in the machine tool 

spindle. 

2. Accuracy 

Accuracy comes from minimal 

run-out at the cutting edge of the 

cutting tool. 

3. Balance 

Balance comes from a balanced 

assembly of the toolholder (including 

all accessories such as pull-studs) 

and cutting tool combination. 

However, the requirements in the mold 

and die industry are much more precise 

than general machining, so more 

attention must be made toward the 

selection of the appropriate toolholder 

for the job. 

For example, a mold shop often must 

think of the following: 

• Geometry of toolholder to avoid 

collisions with the workpiece. In 

regards to the EDM process, 

electrodes must be machined 

accurately and effi ciently. Often 

times, deep ribs are required in 

22 


the part process and often 

present challenges. Also, deep 

cavities such as large door panel or 

bumper molds require deep reach 

with extreme clearances. 

• Cleanliness of the toolholder to 

avoid excessive run-out, especially 

when machining graphite. 

• Extending cutting tool life since 

high-end cutting tools are needed 

to obtain the best performance in 

the shortest time possible. These 

cutting tools often have exotic 

coatings that lend to an expensive 

price. 

• Finish. Higher speeds and feeds 

are used with lower depth-ofcuts, 

which translates into 

better surface fi nishes. This 

makes balance even 

more important to minimize 

vibration at the cutting edge of the 

cutting tool. Also, proper chip 

evacuation provides better fi nishes. 

Based on these additional requirements, 

most mold shops have found that 

due to some inherent benefi ts, shrink 

fi t toolholders give them the best 

opportunity to accomplish the job 

competitively and accurately. Also, the 

evolution of inductive shrink fi t machines 

has made the shrinking process easier, 

quicker, safer and less costly to invest in 

this technology up front. 

Shrink Fit Advantages 

There are 10 inherent benefi ts that a 

good shrink fi t chuck can offer a mold 

shop: 

1. Unsurpassed accuracy 

A properly produced shrink fi t chuck 

should be able to guarantee 0.00012” 

(3 microns) maximum run-out at 

three times the cutting tool diameter. 

This accuracy is very repeatable from 

operator to operator. 

2. Availability of slim profiles 

Shrink fi t chucks are available with 

three-degree draft angles and 

very slim profi les. They can also be 

modifi ed to be straight walled if 

needed in order to prevent toolholder 

collision with the workpiece. 

3. Gripping torque 

A shrink fi t chuck grips the cutting tool 

360 degrees around the shank. This 

leads to a very high gripping torque 

that prevents the cutting tool from 

moving during roughing or fi nishing 

operations. This greatly aids in the 

reduction of scrapped parts. 

4. Extended reach options 

Shrink fi t chucks can use shrink fi t 

extensions that provide the user with 

many options with standard products. 

When machining deep cavities, one 

can place shrink fi t extensions into 

standard shrink fi t chucks, getting 

unsurpassed toolholder lengths with 

very little run-out. 

5. Balance repeatability 

and balanceable options 

Shrink fi t chucks offer the best 

balance repeatability of any 

toolholding system on the market 

since there are no moving parts. In 

many cases, if a shop purchases a 

properly balanced shrink fi t chuck 

with correct accessories (such as 

pull-studs) and uses good cutting 

tools without inherent unbalance 

(such as fl ats) then they can often 

have good balance characteristics 

for running at high speeds without 

doing an additional fi ne-tune 

balancing. Of course, if there is a 

need for additional balancing of the 

toolholder on a balancing machine 

after the assembly of the toolholder 

setup (toolholder plus cutting tool, 

plus pull-stud or coolant tube) then 

many shrink fi t chucks on the market 

come with simple to use balanceable 

options already built into the chucks. 

6. Reduction of toolchanging time/ 

less toolholder accessory 

inventory 

Nothing beats the tool change time 

of shrink fi t chucks if the process 

is joined with a capable inductive 

shrink fi t machine. Tool changes can 

be done in fi ve to 10 seconds, and 

most importantly, consistently. This 

allows the toolholder assembly to be 

in the machine making chips more 

of the time, than out of the machine 

waiting to be changed. Also, a shop 

needs very little additional toolholder 

accessory inventory (i.e., collets, 

nuts, seal disks, etc.). This simplifi es 

the process. 

7. Cleanliness of setup 

A shrink fi t chuck typically is a sealed 

system by design. Therefore, the 

introduction of contaminants in the 

bore are minimized (such as graphite 

dust or chips). If contaminants are 

introduced to the bore of a toolholder, 

oftentimes run-out accuracy is 

compromised. 

8. Coolant options 

Shrink fi t chucks often have clever 

methods to deliver coolant or air/ 


that sometimes are only available 

from one manufacturer. 

Selection of the Proper Shrink Fit Chuck 

While there are many suppliers of shrink 

fi t chucks available, there are good 

and bad shrink fi t chucks available. It 

is important to do research related to 

the selection of a toolholder for your 

particular application. 

oil mist down to the cutting edge of 

the cutting tool. This helps with the 

proper removal of chips and can 

also aid in providing better fi nishes. 

In addition, if a mold shop does high 

precision drilling, a shrink chuck 

makes an excellent holder for coolant 

through drills since no accessories 

or special collets are needed—the 

sealed design of the toolholder simply 

allows the coolant to fl ow through the 

cutting tool. 

9. Consistency of setup 

Shrink fi t holders provide the best 

repeatability from toolholder setup 

to toolholder setup. This is especially 

benefi cial for those shops running 

lights out. For example, all toolholder 

setup operators set the toolholders 

the same with shrink fi t holders. 

There are no variables—such as 

over-tightening or under-tightening a 

collet nut or not cleaning out a chuck 

suffi ciently. Also, as mentioned the 

balance characteristics are the 

most repeatable. This combination 

of consistency allows a shop to truly 

monitor their tool life and understand 

how many parts they can machine 

with each toolholder setup—again, 

this is truly an important part of 

getting to the point of lights out 

machining. 

10. Availability of shrink chucks 

Most of the major toolholder builders 

in the world now offer shrink fi t chucks 

as a standard. Therefore, mold shops 

are not roped into proprietary high 

precision collets or press fi t systems 

Typically, the initial purchase of your 

toolholders will last the life of your 

machine tool. Studies have found that 

the overall expense of toolholders 

equals less than 0.5 percent of the 

overall machining process during the 

life of the machine tool. 

The relationship between the bore of 

the holder and the taper lead to the 

accuracy of the chuck. It is important 

to choose a company that truly makes 

their own product and specializes only 

in the production of toolholders. This 

guarantees you the most consistent 

and accurate toolholder available for 

your job. 

The material of the shrink fi t chucks is 

also a key element in making the correct 

selection. If a substandard material is 

used, one might shorten the life of the 

shrink fi t chuck based on limited heating 

cycles. A shrink fi t toolholder made of the 

correct material should remain effective 

indefi nitely. 

Also, it is important that the chucks 

subscribe to the DIN standards on the 

nose dimensions so that all cooling 

options from the shrink fi t machine side 

can be utilized. 

In general, it is recommended to 

purchase chucks with many “options” 

built-in (such as balanced so that there 

is under 1 gmm of unbalance in the 

chuck, balanceable design, bore for the 

data chip, form “DIN B” coolant delivery 

option, etc.) so that you are not limited 

in the future as your operation evolves. 

Finally, the company making the chucks 

should be an industry leader, constantly 

putting further efforts into research 

and development into new toolholding 

concepts that can further strengthen 

the role of shrink fi t toolholders in the 

mold market. 

For example, the recent development 

of a shrink fi t chuck1 that provides an 

anti-vibration feature in a shrink chuck. 

This feature helps dampen the vibration 

during roughing operations that had at 

one time occurred with standard shrink 

fi t chucks due to the extreme rigidity of 

the setup. 

Summary 

It is often stated by shop owners and 

plant managers that shrink fi t tooling 

has been the best investment they 

have made in the past fi ve years. 

Acceptance of the use of shrinking 

technology in the mold and die market 

has played a vital role in strengthening 

Asian manufacturing capabilities and 

preparing it for continued growth. 

24 


Technology for Improving 

Five-Axis Capability 

With fi ve-axis in place, it’s time 

to look at the advantages of 

investing in new software 

technology to improve processes, new 

approaches to part setup and the factors 

to consider before your purchase. 

If you have already embraced fi ve-axis 

machining, the following article will 

provide information about new software 

technology developed to improve 

processes and illustrate examples of 

new approaches to part setup that might 

make your shop more productive. If you 

haven’t taken the fi ve-axis leap, this 

article will illuminate the advantages of 

investing in such technology and things 

to consider before your purchase. 

Measure Twice. Cut Once 

Even though it is considered the 

carpenter’s mantra, the gist of the 

saying, “Measure twice. Cut once,” is 

applicable—spend more time thinking, 

preparing and planning instead of 

rushing to make chips. 

it. The key to peak effi ciency is fi nding 

the sweet spot—at what number of parts 

is the investment in a palette changing 

system worthwhile. 

Also, evaluating whether it’s more 

effective to machine a part from a 

billet versus castings can increase 

productivity—one customer found 

machining from a billet not only saved 

time and money, but gave them more 

control over deliverables. By machining 

the part from a billet, the customer 

eliminated delays due to leadtimes for 

the castings and saved time/money on 

storing the castings. 

Obviously, upgrading your equipment 

can provide greater effi ciency. The trick 

is to fi gure out how quickly you will see 

the return on your investment. One 

customer analyzed his primary part 

numbers and discovered that upgrading 

to a machine with faster feedrates and 

more torque would cut cycle time in half 

on his biggest job—from three hours to 

one hour and 30 minutes. 

Technology Solution: Software 

Designed to Solve Problems 

Beyond the machine specifi cations, 

technology benefi ts reside in the 

control’s software—features that were 

designed to solve problems and help 

you be more effi cient. 

Multiple Part-Zero Setups 

For instance, even an uncomplicated 

part that is fi ve-sided requires multiple 

part-zero setups. A software feature 

called transform part zero (see Figure 1) 

reduces setup time and eliminates the 

hassle of setting up part zero fi ve times. 

The technology does the work so you 

can start making chips. You just need to 

locate one part zero and the remaining 

part zero locations can be defi ned as 

incremental measurements from the 

original location. Additionally, you can 

still program the geometry on each of 

the sides if you’re programming in an XY 

plane. 

Sometimes the most inexpensive way 

to fi nd productivity is to take the time to 

evaluate each job. Chart 1 shows that 

24 percent of a job’s capacity is spent 

on fi xturing. To increase effi ciency, 

some shops try to minimize time spent 

on fi xturing by using a row of vises and 

then fl ipping each part into the next vise. 

Other shops opt for the more effi cient 

index table, but the operator is still 

required to handle the part to refi xture 

Change of 

Fixture 24% 

Other 3% 

Change Work 

Piece 16% Tool Change 7% 

Machining 50% 

Chart 1 – capacity chart 

26 


Figure 1. The transform part 

zero software feature was 

designed to minimize steps. 

Figure 2. Workpiece surface contact point + tool vector 

EXAMPLE: G01 X10.Y10.Z10. I0.5J0.5K0.707106 

would be equivalent to: G01 X10.Y10.Z10.B45.C45 

Benefits of Tool 

Vector Input feature: 

• Program is machine 

independent 

• Control software computes 

machine angles and 

positions 

• Simplifi es post-processor 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Create a Rotary Position 

data block 

Set the Transform Part 

Zero fi eld to YES 

Insert a Transform Plane 

Reference Point data 

block 

Specify the distance to 

shift the part zero relative 

to the original setup 

Redundancy in Posting a Five-Axis 

Program 

Each time you refi xture, you have to waste 

valuable time re-entering the distance 

from part zero to the center lines of 

rotation and then repost the program. If 

your control has a software feature such 

as tool center point management, you 

only have to post the program once and 

machine the part—no matter where it is 

in relation to the center lines of rotation 

on the machine. 

Tool center point management solves 

the problem for CAM software. The CAM 

programmer generates the toolpath 

based on the part model’s zero location. 

Therefore, you can post the program 

independent of where the stock is 

fi xtured on the table—a substantial time 

saver for a fi ve-axis part. 

Complex and Diffi cult Post Processors 

CAM systems generally use tool vectors 

to generate the toolpath. To make 

programs independent of the machine’s 

rotary confi guration and to simplify the 

post processor, there is a tool vector 

input control software feature for fi veaxis 

machining centers (see Figure 2). 

This feature lets you specify the tool tip 

location relative to the workpiece and 

the tool axis vector instead of using 

address letters to specify the B and C 

axes angles. Executing the program is 

much faster because the post doesn’t 

need the machine confi guration and the 

centerline of the rotary axes. 

Marks on the Part 

Simultaneous fi ve-axis toolpaths can 

result in odd looping rotary moves 

that leave marks on the part when the 

program is interpolated by the machine’s 

control. One solution is a feature called 

toolpath linearization, which is specifi c to 

fi ve-axis, G-code programs. It eliminates 

the many line segments in the form of 

XYZBC moves that a CAM system uses 

to create a smooth part. 

With toolpath linearization, the tool tip 

and tool vector can be interpolated 

between tool positions with respect to 

the workpiece even with the tool and 

Fig 3ab – with toolpath linearization, the tool tip and tool 

vector can be interpolated between tool positions with 

respect to the workpiece even with the tool and part 

rotating inside the machine 

part rotating inside the machine (see 

Figures 3ab). 

Reposting to Adjust for Tool Wear on 

3-D Surfaces 

For 3-D surfaces, you cut off of the tool 

centerline to get a better surface fi nish. 

Because you have to adjust the tool 

diameter for wear, you are sometimes 

forced to repost the program. A software 

feature called 3-D tool compensation 

eliminates the need to repost the part 

program because the control’s software 

compensates for the tool geometry (see 

Figure 4 for visual explanation). 

Summary 

In this competitive environment with 

skilled labor shortages and demanding 

schedules for complex parts, investing 

in machine tools with the latest 

technology is the most effi cient way to 

see measurable productivity gains. 

Figure 4. Workpiece surface contact point + contact point 

surface normal + tool vector 

EXAMPLE: M128 3D Tool Geometry Compensation 

G41.2D_ R_G00 X0.Y0.Z0. U0.V0.W1. I0.J0.K1. 

G01 X10.Y10.Z10. U0.V0.W1. I0.5J0.5K0.707106 F1000 

XYZ = Surface contact point 

UVW = Surface normal at contact point 

IJK = Tool vector 

3-D tool geometry compensation. 


The Road to 

Welding Automation 

Why and 

When to 

Take the 

Journey 

More companies than ever 

before are automating 

portions, if not the entirety, 

of their welding operations for many 

reasons: to address the welder shortage; 

improve quality; decrease waste and 

rework; and/or to increase productivity. 

However, not all companies that attempt 

the automation journey are successful. 

In fact, those that begin without a wellthought-out 

roadmap risk valuable time 

and investments and are likely to miss 

the full benefi ts of welding automation. 

On the other hand, fabricators that 

begin with a careful examination of their 

welding needs and current processes 

- including an accurate assessment 

of workfl ow and an evaluation of the 

potential return on investment (ROI) - 

and develop a detailed plan, with clearly 

established goals, are likely to achieve 

welding automation success. 

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT? 

On average, labor accounts for 

approximately 70 percent of any welded 

part’s cost. An automated system can 

potentially reduce that cost because a 

robot can typically do the work of two to 

four people, operating without attention 

defi cits or bad days. You cannot, however, 

simply purchase an automated system 

and let it go. A skilled welding operator 

is needed to program the equipment, 

which may involve additional training to 

upgrade his/her skill sets and may also 

require alleviating this welding operator 

of some existing tasks. 

The proper automated system can 

signifi cantly improve fi rst-pass weld 

quality, reduce the need for scrapping 

28 


automating a broken process. This, in 

turn, can lead to increased rework and 

scrap. 

If you currently rely on your welding 

operators to compensate for fi t-up 

issues, you will need to look upstream 

in the manufacturing process to ensure 

consistency. What processes will need 

to change to make sure uniform parts 

are sent downstream by these welding 

operators? Or, if vendors supply the 

components, can they guarantee that 

consistency? 

or reworking parts, and minimize or 

eliminate spatter, which in turn reduces 

the need to apply anti-spatter or perform 

post-weld clean up - both labor-intensive 

processes. This means personnel that 

currently apply anti-spatter may be 

freed up for other, more productive uses 

elsewhere. 

An automated system can reduce 

over-welding, a common and costly 

occurrence associated with the semiautomatic 

process. For example, 

welding operators who weld a bead that 

is 1/8 in too large on every pass can 

potentially double the cost of welding 

(both for labor and for fi ller metals), and 

over-welding may adversely affect the 

integrity of the part. Automation can 

prevent this problem. 

REPEAT THAT? 

One of the initial things to ask when 

considering welding automation is: 

“Do we have a blueprint, preferably an 

electronic blueprint, of our parts?” If 

not, you probably won’t meet the basic 

criterion necessary to ensure the part is 

repeatable - and repeatability is the key 

to automation. 

An automated system, whether robotic 

or fi xed, must weld in the same place 

every time. If a part’s design is unable 

to hold its tolerances - if there are gap 

and/or fi t-up issues - you will simply be 

ROBOTICS OR FIXED AUTOMATION? 

No single automation solution is best 

for every company. The best solution 

depends on many factors, including the 

expected lifetime of the job, the cost 

of tooling involved and the fl exibility 

offered 

Fixed automation is the most effi cient 

and cost-effective way to weld certain 

components, such as those requiring 

simple repetitive straight welds or round 

welds, where the part is rotated on a 

lathe. If you want to redeploy the asset 

when the current job ends, however, 

a robotic welding system offers more 

fl exibility. A robot can also hold programs 

Finally, robots are fast. They don’t have 

to weld all day to be profi table; they must 

only weld more quickly than a manual 

welding operator - and they do. This fact 

alone increases productivity. Creating 

the same number of parts in a shorter 

time also decreases labor costs and 

raises profi tability. While these benefi ts 

may immediately beg the question “How 

can our company automate?” a few 

questions must be answered fi rst. 


for multiple jobs; so, depending on 

volume, it may be able to handle the 

tasks of several fi xed-automation 

systems. 

A certain volume of parts will justify 

the investment of automation for each 

company, and an accurate assessment 

of goals and workfl ow help determine 

what that volume is. If you make only 

small runs of parts, automation becomes 

more challenging. If, however, you can 

identify two or three components that 

can be automated, a robot that can be 

programmed to recognize those parts 

can offer greater fl exibility and may 

benefi t even small fabricators who may 

not have signifi cant volume of a single 

part. 

Although a robot is more expensive 

than a fi xed-automation system, you 

should be sure to consider the cost of 

the necessary tooling before deciding 

between the two. Fixed automation 

systems can become quite expensive 

if extensive changes are required to 

retool a part to ensure it can be welded 

consistently. 

READY TO AUTOMATE? 

A streamlined workfl ow is one of 

automation’s benefi ts. But a smooth 

workfl ow requires you to look beyond 

the weld cell to ensure your facility 

can accommodate a smooth fl ow of 

materials. For example, investing in 

an automated system to increase 

productivity that is placed in a corner 

where each part must be handled twice 

makes little sense. 

You should have a dependable supply of 

parts to avoid moving a bottleneck from 

one area to another. Also remember 

to consider the expected cycle time of 

the robot. Can your personnel supply 

enough parts to keep up with the 

demand of the automated system’s 

cycle time? If not, the supply of parts, 

including where they are stored and 

how they are moved, must be adjusted 

for the automation to be successful. 

Otherwise, a robot will sit idle waiting for 

components to come down the line - a 

costly and counterproductive state for 

any automated welding system. 

You must have the right power and gas 

systems in place, or factor in the cost 

of implementing these systems. To 

move to an automated system, a facility 

needs a 480-volt, three-phase power 

supply, as well as bulk delivery of gas 

and wire. A gas manifold system may 

add to the initial cost of automation, but 

will minimize downtime for changing gas 

cylinders in the long run. 

Determining who will oversee the 

automated system and providing training 

is essential. Most robot OEMs offer a 

weeklong training course explaining 

how to operate the equipment. This 

course, followed by a week of advanced 

programming, is recommended. 

Because there is more to welding 

automation than simply purchasing 

a robot, partnering with a competent 

integrator or automation specialist can 

help ensure success. Your automation 

specialist should: 

• Help determine if parts are suitable 

for automation, and, if not, what 

is required to make them suitable. 

• Analyze the workfl ow and facility to 

identify potential roadblocks. 

• Analyze the true costs involved, 

including facility updates and 

tooling. 

• Determine the potential payback 

of the automation investment. 

• Help identify goals and develop 

a precise plan and time table to 

achieve those goals. 

• Explain automation options and 

help select those that best fi t your 

needs. 

• Help select a welding power 

source that has the fl exibility to 

maximize travel speed, minimize 

spatter, eliminate over-welding, 

provide great arc starting 

characteristics and increase 

fi rst-pass weld quality. 

Remember, no single path to successful 

welding automation exists, but a wellthought-out 

plan that includes accurate 

evaluations is a good start to the 

journey. 

30 


Taking Rapid Prototyping 

To The Next Level 

The rapid prototyoing 

indusrty has been 

around a couple of 

decades. Historically 

applied for one-offs, 

it is seeing increased 

use as a method 

of direct digital 

manufacturing (DDM). 

Although the rapid prototyping 

(RP) industry has been around 

for a couple of decades now, 

a more recent RP development has 

been the application of direct digital 

manufacturing (DDM). Because of the 

increasing sophistication of the parts 

being developed, there is the possibility 

that DDM could alter manufacturing 

trends, and as a result, lessen the 

incentive to outsource. 

An Industry In Its Infancy 

The need to present or develop tangible, 

accurate models of ideas, new products, 

buildings 

and so on has always been around. By 

the mid 1980s, prototyping processes 

were becoming more accessible as 

academics and industry workers 

experimented with building models layerby-layer 

using rudimentary materials. 

And so the RP industry was born with 

prototypes being developed in hours 

rather than days or weeks. The potential 

for a shorter product development cycle 

and lower bottom line costs was already 

becoming apparent. 

As with most industries in their infancy, 

there were teething problems. The fi rst 

prototypes produced were expensive, 

the materials were not the best for the 

job and build speeds were slow. The 

original machines were also prohibitively 

expensive and cumbersome to use. 

Fortunately, the industry also had its 

champions. Manufacturing fi rms and 

designers in particular could see the 

vast potential. They could envisage how 

Perhaps this represents the machine tool of the future. Not 

only is it especially useful for direct digital manufacturing 

(DDM), but it uses 32 DDM production parts on each 

machine as well 

RP would help them avoid mistakes, 

prove theories were correct and get 

concepts to market quickly. 

A Growth Spurt 

By the early 1990s, RP users were 

becoming more specifi c about their 

needs, and the initial novelty created a 

demand for quality as a key deliverable. 

In only a few years, the accuracy, speed 

and precision of both machines and 

materials improved. Suppliers surpassed 

expectations and the service bureaus 

sector expanded, buying machines in 

order to offer their clients consistent 

accuracy and additional services, as 

well as considerably increasing their 

own output capacity. 

Near the millennium, the fi rst true RP 

machines came into being as they were 

developed for specifi c applications. 

Instead of simply refi ning earlier 

machines, developers focused on 

the relevant applications and specifi c 

needs of individual vertical markets, 

such as the automotive and aerospace 

industries. These two industries had the 

budgets to surge forward, as well as the 

foresight to become early adopters and 

drivers of this new wave of technology. 

They could see the payback. 

Today the RP industry is global. Both 

Europe and Japan have long-standing 

mainstream and niche players, and 

Germany and Japan have benefi ted from 

major domestic programs. They have 

created a strategic RP infrastructure 

and culture that plays a key role in 

their economies. They, along with other 

32 


• Part design can be based on 

function rather than manufacturing 

constraints. 

• Design changes can be implemented 

immediately at minimal cost. 

• Custom products can be produced to 

match customer requirements. 

DDM starts in design, with something like this CAD image 

of a jigsaw 

European countries, remain important 

clusters of RP innovation. 

What Is DDM? 

Direct digital manufacturing (DDM) is the 

process of using an additive fabrication 

system to create parts for end use. In 

fact, there is a growth in the number of 

manufacturers that are using additive 

fabrication systems to build a range 

of parts, such as components for new 

products, jigs, fi xtures, hand tools and 

gages. Design and engineering fi rms are 

fi nding further uses for fused deposition 

modeling (FDM) machines aside from 

the traditional rapid prototyping (RP) 

functionality. 

A variety of production materials can be 

used in the FDM process, including ABS, 

polycarbonates, polyphenylsulfones and 

blends. These materials allow users to 

manufacture parts that are tough enough 

for functional testing, installation, and 

most importantly, end use. Because 

thermoplastics are environmentally 

stable, their accuracy does not change 

with ambient conditions or time. 

Here are advantages for using DDM for 

manufacturing: 

• Complex parts can be produced 

without the need for highly skilled 

labor. 

• Parts can be produced as needed, 

eliminating the need for stock. 

Broadening The Scope 

The technologies that have dominated 

the industry since its inception continue 

to remain at the fore. These include 

stereolithography and the new Objet 

technology, which is a serious contender 

to the stereolithography’s historical 

crown. Fused Deposition Modeling 

(FDM) has also played a signifi cant role 

in the development of the industry and 

will continue to do so. Because of its 

varied material properties, FDM also 

plays a large role in the emerging DDM 

and rapid tooling markets, alongside 

technologies such as selective laser 

sintering. 

In terms of future use and adoption, 

price pressures persist across the 

industry as a whole. Profi tability lays 

in innovation and fi nding new ways to 

develop existing technologies. 

In the future, there probably will be more 

options in the palette and selection 

of materials. We are already using 

engineering plastics and materials in 

DDM works by compiling a 3D model from CAD data using 

an additive process. The machine lays layer after layer of 

material until the model is complete 

Shown is a production run of about 50 DDM parts (fl ag 

hold-downs), made for installation in its high-speed 

document scanning machines. 

machines and can use them in extremely 

high temperatures. For example, 

we develop DDM applications for 

automotive under-hood components—a 

concept practically unthinkable 20 

years ago. 

DDM and tooling in their limited formats 

are already here and are hot topics 

among media and industry experts. One 

of the most intriguing consequences of 

this increase is the potential to reverse 

the trend to outsource manufacturing 

to places like the Far East in order to 

avoid high labor and tooling costs. This 

trend could potentially be reversed if 

companies instead purchased the DDM 

machines of the future, which would 

give them a fi xed cost base, reduce 

labor intensity and remove high tooling 

costs and time, potentially negating the 

incentive to outsource. It would be great 

to see some manufacturing processes 

return to the developed economies. 

This brief “growth chart” of the RP 

industry is only a snapshot. The 

technology is moving so quickly that it is 

diffi cult to predict exactly where people’s 

ideas and needs will take it. It is up to 

the shops to ensure that we keep up 

with what customers require. We also 

need another shift in imagination as 

we once again encourage companies to 

raise their expectations. What is certain 

is that the results and applications will 

be astonishing and exciting, and we 

look forward to being at the forefront of 

taking the industry forward. 


Accuracy of Feed Axes 

(Part Two) 

By Dr. Jan Braasch of Heidenhain 

In the total error budget of a machine tool, the positioning error 

values of the feed axes play a critical role. The conclusion of 

this two-part series examines the influence of the temperature 

distribution along the ballscrew 

INFLUENCE OF THE TEMPERATURE 

DISTRIBUTION ALONG THE 

BALLSCREW 

Apart from the ratio of bearing stiffness, 

the position of the thermal zero point 

depends particularly on the distribution 

of temperature along the ballscrew. 

Figure 12 shows a thermographic 

snapshot of a ballscrew drive after 

several hours of reciprocating traverse 

between two points at a distance of 150 

mm. As the thermograph shows, even 

after several hours the temperature 

increase remains almost exclusively 

in the area of ball nut traverse. The 

temperature of the ballscrew and 

therefore the thermal expansion is very 

local. 

Because the bearings of the ballscrew 

can provide at best only an evenly 

distributed mechanical tension and 

ensure constant expansion along the 

ballscrew, they cannot compensate 

the expansion resulting from local 

temperature changes. 

A simple calculation shows this clearly 

(Figure 13). On a 1 m long ball screw 

with a fi xed bearing at one end, a 

local temperature increase of 10 K as 

indicated by the red curve in Figure 13 

(left) would result in a positioning error 

as indicated by the green curve in Figure 

13 (right). 

A fi xed/fi xed bearing confi guration with 

rigidity of 700 N/μm results in an error 

curve as indicated by the blue curve. As 

a result of the forces exercised by the 

bearing, the ballscrew is compressed in 

the ends where the temperature is not 

increased. 

The area of the ballscrew near its 

midpoint expands due to the temperature 

increase at almost the same rate as 

with the fi xed/fl oating confi guration. At 

22 μm, the maximum positioning error 

Figure 12. Local heating of a recirculating ballscrew in the 

traverse range of the ball nut after six hours of reversing 

traverse at 24 m/min between two points 150 mm apart 

[6]. For this thermographic snapshot, the machine table 

was moved aside at the end of the traverse program. The 

illustration shows the higher temperatures of the belt 

drive, locating bearing, and ballscrew 

from the fi xed/fi xed confi guration is 

roughly 2/3 of the error that occurs from 

the fi xed/fl oating confi guration. 

COUNTER MEASURES 

The test results discussed up to this 

point show that the thermal expansion 

of the ballscrew as a result of friction in 

the bearings and particularly in the ball 

nut results in signifi cant positioning error 

if the axis is controlled in a semiclosed 

loop. 

Besides the use of linear encoders, 

countermeasures aimed at avoiding 

this error include coolant-conducting 

hollow ballscrews and purely electronic 

compensation in the control software. 

COOLED BALLSCREWS 

The circulation of the coolant requires a 

hole in the ball screw and, for rotating 

ballscrews, rotating bushings near 

the screw bearings. Apart from the 

sealing problems, the hole reduces 

the ballscrew’s mechanical rigidity 

in its already weak axial direction. 

The greatest problem, however, is a 

suffi ciently accurately temperature 

control of the coolant. A 1 deg C change 

in temperature changes the length of a 

1 m long ballscrew by 11 μm. 

34 


Figure 13. Positioning error in a semi-closed loop as 

a result of local temperature rise in the recirculating 

ballscrew 

In light of the considerable amount of 

heat to be removed it is not an easy 

task to maintain a temperature stability 

of < 1 K. This is particularly so when the 

spindle or its bearings are cooled with 

the same system. 

In such a case, the required cooling 

capacity can easily lie in the kilowatt 

range. The temperature constancy 

of existing spindle chillers is usually 

signifi cantly worse than 1 K. It is 

therefore often not possible to use 

them to control the temperature of the 

ballscrew. 

Switching controllers are often used 

in the chillers to reduce cost. Since 

each switching operation is triggered 

by a violation of temperature limits, 

the individual switching operation can 

be considered to be an expansion of 

the cooled ballscrew and therefore an 

axis positioning error. Figure 14 shows 

the result of a positioning test on a 

vertical machining center with liquidcooled 

ballscrews in fi xed/fl oating 

bearings. 

During the test, the axis was moved 

slowly at 2.5 m/min between two points 

at a distance of 500 mm. The maximum 

traverse range was 800 mm. The 

position drift of the position farther away 

from the fi xed bearing was recorded. The 

switching of the chiller is plainly visible. 

Its hysteresis was 1 K. 

Compared with the noncooled semiclosed 

loop design, the absolute position 

drift was signifi cantly reduced. However, 

the switch operations produce relatively 

quick changes in position, which have a 

stronger effect during the machining of 

workpieces with short machining times 

than the slow position drift evident in 

the noncooled semi-closed loop design. 

SOFTWARE COMPENSATION 

Research is underway on compensation 

of thermal deformation with the aid 

of analytic models, neural networks 

and empirical equations. However, 

the main focus of these studies is 

in the deformation of the machine 

tool structure as a result of internal 

and external sources of heat. There 

is little interest in investigation into 

compensation of axis drift. 

As a whole, the possibilities of such 

software compensation are frequently 

overestimated in today’s general 

atmosphere of enthusiasm for software 

capabilities. Successful compensation 

in the laboratory is usually achieved only 

after elaborate special adjustments 

on the test machine. It is usually not 

possible to apply such methods to 

machines from series production 

Figure 14. X axis of a vertical machining center with liquidcooled 

ballscrew in fi xed/fl oating bearings. The diagram 

shows the drift of the position farthest away from the fi xed 

bearing over 500 mm (800-mm traverse range) at 2.5 m/ 

min. The axis was also equipped with a linear encoder for 

test purposes 

without time-consuming adjustment of 

the individual machines. 

The example of the feed axis shows 

the variations on input parameters 

to be considered. To compensate 

the expansion of the ball screw, its 

temperature must be known with 

respect to its position, since the 

local temperature depends on the 

traversing program. Direct temperature 

measurement of the rotating 

ballscrew, however, is very diffi cult. 

Machine tool builders therefore often 

attempt to calculate the temperature 

distribution. 

This is theoretically possible if a heat 

analysis can be prepared for individual 

sections of the ballscrew. The heat in 

such a section is generated by friction in 

the ball nut through thermal conductance 

along the ballscrew, and through heat 

exchange with the environment 

The friction of the ball nut depends 

almost proportionately on the preload of 

the ball nut and, in a complex manner, 

from the type, quantity and temperature 

of the lubricant. The preload of the 

ball nut normally changes by ±10 to 

20 percent over its traverse range in 

a manner depending on the individual 

ballscrew. In the course of the fi rst six 

months, the mean preload typically 

decreases to 50 percent of its individual 

value. 

Due to the complex interaction of static 

forces at play on the ball screw, certain 

jamming effects and an associated 

increase in friction are unavoidable. 

Even these few of a long list of examples 

show that the calculation of the actual 

frictional heat presents formidable 

problems. 

Calculating the heat dissipation is 

similarly diffi cult because it depends 

strongly on largely unknown ambient 

conditions. Even the temperature of 

the air surrounding the ballscrew is 


normally unknown, although it plays a 

decisive role in any calculation of heat 

dissipation. 

On the whole it seems certain that, 

even in the relatively simple case 

of a fi xed/fl oating bearing, software 

compensation of ballscrew expansion 

without additional temperature sensors 

has little chance of success. In the 

case of fi xed/fi xed and fi xed/preloaded 

bearing one must also take into account 

the bearing rigidity and the preloaddependent 

friction in the bearings. 

These factors make compensation even 

more diffi cult. 

COMPARISON OF POSITIONING 

ERROR WITH OTHER TYPES OF 

ERROR 

After this discussion of temperaturedependent 

positioning error of feed 

drives, it remains to classify these types 

of error with the other types of static 

and quasistatic error in the total error 

budget of the tested machining centers. 

The frame deformation resulting from 

the heat generated by the spindle was 

examined on all three machines in 

accordance with ISO/DIS 230- 3. 

After several hours of operation with a 

maximum spindle speed of 6,000 rpm, 

the fi rst machining center showed a 

linear deformation of {x: 5 μm, y: 60 μm, 

z: 15 μm}. The rotational deformation 

was at most {a: 40 μm/m, b: 70 μm/m}. 

Under the same conditions, also with 

6,000 rpm, it shows a maximum linear 

Figure 16. Pitch, roll and yaw angles of feed axes in 16 

different NC machine tools 

deformation of {x: 5 μm, y: 45 μm, z: 55 

μm}. The rotational deformation reached 

a maximum of {a: 25 μm/m, b: 10 μm/ 

m}. The third machine was equipped 

with a high-speed spindle and jacket 

cooling. At 12,000 rpm it showed linear 

deformations of {x: 5 μm, y: 5 μm, z: 40 

μm} and rotational deformations of max. 

{a: 20 μm/m, b: 30 μm/m}. 

The measured axis drift values attain 

at least the same magnitude as the 

structural deformation. Particularly on 

spindles with fi xed/fl oating bearings, 

or machines with effective cooling of 

the spindle, the positioning error of the 

feed axes driven in a semi-closed loop is 

signifi cantly greater than the measured 

structural deformation. A comparison 

with the usual geometric error leads to 

similar results. 

If one observes the pitch, roll and yaw 

error of the feed axes of 16 different NC 

machines one sees that these types of 

error usually lie in the range of 10 to 50 

μm/m (Figure 16). The positioning error 

is found by multiplying these values by 

the respective Abbe distance. The error 

does not attain the values of the feed 

axis until over 1 meter traverse. 

CONCLUSION 

The primary problem involved with 

position measurement using rotary 

encoder and ballscrew is the thermal 

expansion of the ballscrew. 

With typical time constants of one to 

two hours, thermal expansion causes 

positioning error in the magnitude 

of 0.1 mm, depending on the nature 

of the part program. This positioning 

error therefore outweighs the thermally 

induced structural deformation 

and geometric error of machining 

centers. 

After every new part program the 

ballscrew requires approx. one hour 

to attain a thermally stable condition. 

This also applies for interruptions in 

machining. A rule of thumb for thermal 

expansion is that, over the entire length 

of a cold ball screw 1 meter in length, 

the ballscrew grows by approx. 0.5 to 

1 μm after every double stroke. This 

expansion accumulates within the time 

constant. 

As requirements for machine tool 

accuracy and velocity increase, the 

role of linear encoders for position 

measurement grows increasingly 

important. This should be taken into 

consideration when deciding on the 

proper feedback system design. 

Literature 

1) Schröder, Wilhelm, “Fine Positioning with Kugelgewindetrieben,” Progress Report VDI Row 1 NR. 277, Düsseldorf; VDI Verlag 1997. 

2) VDW-Bericht 0153, “Investigation from Waelzfuehrungen to the Improvement of the Static and Dynamic Behavior of Machine Tools.” 

3) Weule, Hartmut, Rosum, Jens, “Optimization of the Friction Behavior of Ballscrew Drives Through WC/C Coated Roller Bodies,” Production Engineering, Vol. 1/1 (1993). 

4) Golz, Hans Ulrich, “Analysis, Concept and Optimization of the Operational Behavior of Kugelgewindetrieben,” University of Karlsruhe thesis, 1990. 

5) Schmitt, Thomas, “Model of the Heat Transfer Procedures in the Mechanical Structure of CNC Steered Feed Systems,” Shaker publishing house, 1996. 

6) A. Frank, F. Ruech, “Position Measurement in CNC Machines . . .,” Lamdamap Conference, Newcastle 1999. 

36 


Just how good is your 

process? 

Check your O.E.E. and find out 

There is no better statistical tool to 

use when evaluating the all-around 

effi ciency of a production process 

than Overall Equipment Effectiveness. 

O.E.E. is a simple series of formulas that 

be can used with any calculator and 

some basic data that are most likely 

currently at your disposal. There are 3 

factors within the production process 

that are evaluated using O.E.E. 

• Availability: The actual uptime of 

the process divided by the scheduled 

available runtime. Example: The 

scheduled runtime was 7.2 hours (432 

minutes). A broken parts feeder stopped 

production for 45 minutes. The uptime 

for the shift was 387 minutes. 387/432 

= 0.89583 or 89.6 percent. 

Bottom line– Availability represents 

machine breakdowns. 

• Performance efficiency (P.E.): During 

the actual uptime, how effi cient was the 

process when compared the designed 

optimum cycle time. Example: The 

optimum cycle time for the process 

is 15 seconds per part or 4 parts per 

minute. For 387 minutes of uptime, the 

process would produce 1548 parts if it 

never stopped once. During our shift, 

we produced 1357 parts. 1357/1548 = 

0.87661 or 87.7 percent. 

Bottom line- Performance effi ciency 

represents short stoppages of the 

process. 

• Rate of quality product (R.O.Q.P): 

Of the total number of parts produced 

during the uptime, what percentage was 

conforming. Example: During our 387 

minutes in which we produced 1357 

parts, 14 were defective and 12 need 

re-worked. 1331 conforming parts were 

made. 1331/1357 = 0.9808 or 98.1 

percent. 

Bottom line- Lower your in-process 

scrap and rework. 

The Overall Equipment Effectiveness is 

computed by the formula – Availability x 

P.E. x R.O.Q.P. 

0.896 x 0.877 x 0.981 equals 77.1 

percent, which is our O.E.E. for this 

process. 

A “World Class” process would produce 

a consistent 85 percent O.E.E. (or 

an average of 95 percent in each 

category). 

There are some simple items to look at 

for an O.E.E. improvement. Availability 

deals with scheduled uptime. Be 

sure routine items such as machine 

changeovers, preventive maintenance, 

and department meetings are scheduled 

through the production controller 

(however titled) at your facility. 

Improving P.E. means correcting a short 

stoppage before the cycle time is lost. 

Never lose sight of the parts counter at 

the end of the process. Some processes 

are made up of smaller stations with 

their own unique cycle times. The 

stations form a chain and the optimum 

cycle time of the process will be the 

cycle time of the slowest station. This is 

benefi cial because it can be determined 

which stations are capable of “catching 

up” after a stoppage. If more than one 

stoppage occurs at the same time, it may 

be best to correct them from the closest 

to the end of the process and then work 

backwards towards the beginning. 

This goes against conventional thinking. 

If a stoppage occurs down toward the 

end of the process and at the same time 

a machine jams up right in front of you 

(while you’re at the front of the process), 

it may be better to walk down to clear 

the other stoppage fi rst. The reason 

behind this is if the stoppage down the 

line is not fi xed fi rst, it is possible the 

last process will run out of parts. Each 

and every 15 seconds is lost forever. By 

fi xing the stoppages toward the end of 

the line fi rst, you have a better chance 

of parts “catching up” and there will be 

no cycle time lost at the last process. 

In some situations any stoppage will 

shut the entire process down. In that 

case I would suggest placing re-settable 

trip counters at various intervals. When 

a stoppage occurs, the operator can trip 

the counter. After a week of production, 

the counters will tell you where the most 

stoppages are occurring and further 

evaluation can be planned. 

R.O.Q.P. is too product-specifi c to be 

discussed in the article. If your facility 

doesn’t have an organized quality 

system, I suggest developing one. 

Remember that no system will be any 

better than the operators who use 

it. Machines make parts, but people 

make products. Keep an open mind and 

always, always, always be creative. 


Automation 

Automation In 

A Production Shop 

Production turning automation is the 

beneficiary of increasingly powerful 

design and application tools. This makes 

it much easier to create automation that 

fits the application 

The globalization of manufacturing 

is now well established. With 

the Internet and “free” worldwide 

instantaneous communication, 

we are all competing with everyone 

for every sliver of business. Survival 

for production shops means staying 

ahead of thousands of competitors, 

not just those within a day’s drive. 

Shops all around the world have access 

to off-the-shelf machining solutions. If 

you can purchase a new machine with 

all the latest features, so can your 

competitor. Simply having the latest 

and best equipment does not give 

you a guarantee of being profi table. It 

is how you incorporate the tools into 

your process that enables you to be 

special and maintain profi tability. 

Automation is one of these specialties 

that will set a shop apart from the rest. 

This means that taking advantage of 

automation’s benefi ts is essential, not 

optional. In order to survive, a shop 

must be the least expensive, with the 

quickest turnaround and absolutely 

no errors. 

Automation used to be the domain 

of the largest shops and limited to 

the highest-volume runs. Automation 

was constructed with cams, switches, 

timers and relays. Building a process 

took months of work, tweaking, 

testing and redesigning. Automation 

used to be the area of expertise of an 

apprenticed craftsman who brought 

years of practice and experimentation 

with cams, springs, gravity and humility 

to the job. Hard-wired controls and 

mechanical motions were tough to 

confi gure and modify. Once a system 

was in place, it took a major effort to 

reconfi gure or modify it. 

A number of different technologies 

have changed this. During the last 25 

years, advances in motion control, 

Automation in production shop 

programmable controllers, off-theshelf 

automation components, and 

fi nally, 3D CAD software have made 

automation accessible to all shops. 

The new challenge is to select the 

correct type of automation that fi ts 

an application. For example, if a 

secondary operation is needed on the 

end of a shaft, the automation can be 

very simple. 

Don’t Automate More Than 

Necessary 

If the setup is simple, it is possible 

to cost-justify a loader. Instead of 

a vibratory bowl, fancy electronics, 

robots or anything programmable, 

consider a simple in-feed track that 

operators can feed every so often. 

This type of “casual tending” loader 

is probably one of the most profi table 

confi gurations. If a shop keeps this 

process simple, inexpensive and 

easy to change-over, it is way ahead 

of the game. If an operation makes 

a few hundred parts per day with 

little change-over, a simple track and 

shuttle will get the job done. 

If, however, it is necessary to make 

38 


Automation 

This simple loader is designed for casually tended 

operation. The track is manually loaded, and load/unload 

time is 4.5 seconds 

5,000 parts per day, the solution is 

a little more complicated. And if, in 

addition, there is a family of parts 

where the lengths vary from 2 to 24 

inches, the complexity jumps another 

level. Now consider the automation 

if the diameters vary from 0.25 to 

1 inch, or if fl ats are milled on each 

end that need orientation to one 

another. Each variable added to the 

product makes your automation 

choices more important. There are 

trade-offs between price, speed and 

convertibility. 

As the volume grows and the need for 

speed becomes a major factor, the 

complexity of the loader grows. An 

example is a three-axis, pneumatically 

driven, pick-and-place loader, which 

is very fast. With the gripper for part 

pickup, it is easy to change-over for 

different part geometries. However, 

the cost of this system is almost 

double the simple shuttle type. 

The simpler automation devices 

are virtually part specifi c. That, 

of course, makes them limited in 

their fl exibility. Change-over of such 

“hard automation” to accommodate 

different types of parts will be diffi cult, 

if not impossible. 

The next step up the automation ladder 

is either SCARA or fi ve-axis robots. 

The advantage of these loaders is 

their speed and fl exibility. They can 

pick up parts from pallets, re-orient 

them for workholding, remove fi nished 

parts and replace them to a pallet or 

conveyor. 

The initial investment is substantially 

higher, almost double the cost of 

the three-axis pneumatic pick-andplace 

style. However, for the most 

possibilities and quickest changeovers 

for very disparate parts, they 

have their place. The benefi ts of the 

multi-axis programmable robots, 

when integrated with stacking pallet 

systems, can be vast. 

Automation systems can be confi gured 

so machines can run untended for 

hours on end. An example of this is a 

robot integrated into a pallet system 

that will hold 20 pallets with 30 parts 

per pallet. That’s a run of 600 parts 

throughout 10 hours at 1 minute per 

part. At that point, integration of part 

inspection can easily be done. Since 

the robot has the part, why not perform 

basic inspection? There is very little 

lost time and much more confi dence 

in your fi nished product. 

Analyze Your Automation Needs 

In most cases, confi guring an 

automation solution is unique to the 

application or applications being 

looked at. Therefore, when thinking 

about automation, there will be 

different solutions for each shop. 

Here is a checklist to follow: 

Flexibility of change-over: 

• Lot sizes 

• Family variations 

Part handling concerns: 

• Blank variations 

• Workholding issues 

• Part cosmetics and fragility 

concerns 

Throughput requirements: 

• Simple manually loaded magazines 

• Conveyors 

• Pallet systems 

• Vibratory bowls 

Environment: 

• Coolant 

• Abrasive chips 

Shop capability and skill level: 

• Electrical and electronic skills 

• PLC and motion control axes 

• Tool and die custom machining 

After fi guring out which automation 

direction to go in, its cost is not always 

simple to calculate. The following chart 

illustrates how the cost of automation 

goes up with its complexity. The 

chart below is based on typical costs 

associated with automating a small 

CNC lathe. Mills, grinders, drills and 

any other shop process may be 

automated; however, their costs will 

be different. 

The actual cost of the system will be 

affected by its speed (time per part), 

cost per change-over, frequency of 

change-overs and maintenance and 

support. 

A Sea Change In 

Automation Tools 

The biggest change in automation 

implementation has been the evolution 

of 3D modeling software. A common 

misconception by shops of all sizes 

is that designing in 3D takes a major 

investment in capital and time. It used 

to be that delving into the world of 

CAD took a fair amount of training and 

an extended period of practice before 

applying the investment. 

Even then, the diffi culty of use 

and limited tools hampered its 

implementation by operators on the 

front line. During the evolution phase 

of an automated system, the ability 

of the designer to experiment, try 

out and research solutions requires 

This CAD drawing shows a pallet station fed by a SCARA 

robot. The pick and place until loads/unloads the 

machine, gages fi nished parts and palletizes them 


Automation 

an easy way to digitally build test 

models. With older technology, a CAD 

translator, also known as an engineer, 

was needed to turn the shop ideas 

into working models. 

This conversion of 3D ideas from the 

shop fl oor to 2D drawings in engineering 

took time, and time is expensive. Also, 

the need of an interpreter between 

the shop and a fi nished system can 

muddy the creative process. While 

engineers are absolutely required to 

mature ideas and build systems, they 

are not always welcome during the 

creation stages. Having to take ideas 

from the shop and process those 

through someone else’s workstation 

can put a chill on the founding of a 

new method. 

Current 3D software has come a 

long way and can have an impact 

on a manufacturing business. The 

packages available today are easy to 

use. Today’s 3D software can be put 

into action by anyone wanting to use 

it and willing to invest in a few weeks 

of training. After implementation, it is 

possible to drag and drop off-the-shelf 

3D models of standard components 

This chart plots the relative costs of simple to complex 

automation for turning applications 

created by vendors. The Web makes 

fi nding and accessing these models a 

fast process. 

These available pre-built models are 

so exact that they emulate working 

with the actual items. They have 

the look and feel of their real-world 

counterparts. Each subassembly from 

vendors can have built-in functionality, 

so it will perform just like the realworld 

equivalent. 

As the automation design grows, it can 

also take on functionality. The ability 

to “digitally prototype” the automated 

system using simulation breathes 

life into a design. Three-dimensional 

models are constrained to their reallife 

motions. 

When a vendor’s 3 inches of stroke 

piston is dropped into the virtual 

model, it has 3 inches of stroke. 

While this sounds overly basic, the 

implications on the functionality of the 

digital model are exact. It is possible 

to build an animated working model of 

a process in a short time. 

Once built, it can be tested for form, 

fi t and function. This digital testing 

will help you fi ne-tune the process 

and hopefully eliminate or certainly 

reduce the costly “design, build, test, 

redesign” cycle. Once the design is 

done, 3D software helps generate 

shop drawings and a bill of materials 

almost automatically. The back end 

of the design for the detail generation 

can be done in a few days, compared 

to what used to take weeks, and the 

turnaround for a fi nished system is 

now weeks instead of months. 

Aside from software, component 

selection and ease of integration has 

been the biggest change. Everything 

from PLCs to smart-axis motion is 

easier to set up and change-over. 

Now motion control offers off-theshelf 

programmable linear slides. 

In the simplest form, they can be 

programmed at the unit or from a 

Detailed models of subassemblies can be found on 

numerous vendor web sites. These are dimensionally 

accurate and can be imported into a CAD system to 

check form, fi t and function 

laptop PC. Locations, speeds and 

thrusts can be changed, and a setup 

can be fi ne-tuned. 

Some examples of available 

subassemblies include the following: 

• Pneumatic slides, rotators, grippers 

and thrusters 

• Programmable single-axis motion: 

pneumatic, step per, servo 

• Internal programming or PLC 

control or a mix of both 

• Self-contained robots 

• Multi-axis rectilinear guides (for 

example, gantry types) 

• SCARA systems 

• Five- and six-axis articulating 

systems 

• Bowls, hoppers, conveyors 

• Vision systems 

Other “smart” combinations to easy 

automation might be conveyors and 

vision systems linked together. With 

such systems, orientation on the fl y, 

inspection and sorting are available. 

Timing Is Good 

As luck would have it, the development 

of powerful design and simulation 

tools coupled with the easily 

accessed engineered subassemblies 

and components coincide with an 

extreme need for automation in smallto 

medium-sized manufacturing 

facilities. The tools are available and 

getting better constantly. Imagination 

seems to be about the only limit. 

40 



Evaluating Shop 

Management Systems 

Organized shop 

processes, thorough 

knowledge of potential 

system capabilities 

and careful planning 

by the right company 

personnel are keys 

to acquiring the 

most suitable shop 

management system 

Selecting the right shop 

management system for a shop 

can be a challenging task. Most 

manufacturing companies today that 

are looking for a solution are on their 

second or third generation system. 

Some are using many different 

applications, such as Excel, Word, 

Access and other databases, along 

with an off-the-shelf accounting 

package, to assemble the pieces of a 

shop management system that works 

for them. 

The bar has been raised when it comes 

to shop management solutions. 

Companies are no longer merely 

enamored with the fact that these 

systems exist. They are looking for 

integrated solutions where they can 

use the majority of the functionality. 

People are tired of purchasing these 

expensive systems, taking the time 

to implement them and then ending 

up using only about 25 percent of the 

capabilities. 

Before choosing a system, a shop 

needs to think carefully about the 

conditions of the existing shop 

processes and what will be required 

from the system to streamline the 

business. 

Organized Processes 

If a shop’s current business processes 

are a mess, a new shop management 

system will be very diffi cult to implement 

and may only compound the existing 

problems. Functions such as estimating, 

quoting and order entry should be 

structured with consistent methodology, 

and jobs should be tracked from 

beginning to end. Often, shops use 

many different applications for these 

functions, and if the applications are not 

linked to allow communication between 

them, there is a risk of redundancy. 

Personnel should have quick access to 

a list of open jobs and active customers. 

Billing should be up to date. When 

a job ships out, the invoice should 

follow closely behind. This link from 

manufacturing to front offi ce operations 

is a key to accurate job costing. The 

same is true with purchasing. Purchase 

orders, receiving and billing must be 

accurately matched. 

It is good to examine the business 

processes and consider changing 

them before selecting a new shop 

management system. Each existing 

process should be studied to be sure 

it is truly needed and if improvements 

can be made. Opportunities for 

growth and improvement will surely be 

missed if current processes are simply 

automated without re-evaluating their 

effectiveness. 

A good place to start is by establishing 

a clear set of goals and objectives. The 

shop should know what problems it can 

resolve now and what it is looking for the 

new software to correct. Examples might 

include resolving scheduling concerns, 

establishing accurate job costing, 

improving on-time delivery, integrating 

sales and production, and developing a 

thorough accounting system. However, 

the goals need to be realistic. It takes 

time, planning and an understanding 

that a new shop management system is 

not a magic wand that is going to solve 

every problem. 

It is unlikely that any given software 

product will do 100 percent of what a 

shop is looking for, so once the desired 

features and functional requirements 

of the software are identifi ed, the shop 

should look to address at least 90 

percent of the issues. The key is fi nding 

the system that best fi ts the type of 

business while not spending too much 

time trying to fi nd the “perfect” system. 

Some systems are more suited for 

screw machine houses. Others might 

be better for a fabricating environment. 

There are many highly capable systems 

in the manufacturing world, but only a 

select few will fi t the specifi c needs of 

any given shop. 

Within 60 to 90 days of using the new 

software, the company should be able 

to do basic operations such as entering 

orders, shipping and billing. Estimating, 

scheduling and data collection might 

be further down the road. Just getting 

the system up and running allows the 

shop to see some results in terms of 

time savings and then be able to justify 

implementing the next steps. 

Shopfloor Knowledge 

The shop fl oor is the heart of the 

business, and that’s where it should 

be determined what functionality is 

needed from the shop management 

system. Better information coming off 

the shop fl oor will help everyone in the 

offi ce make better business decisions 

in a more timely fashion. Getting more 



profi table work in the shop is the name 

of the game, and the key is accurate 

job costing. A busy shop fl oor does not 

necessarily translate into higher profi t 

margins. The shop must be busy with 

the most profi table jobs possible. 

Accurate costing will get back to the 

estimators so they can clearly see what 

jobs were successful and which ones 

were poor performers. They will then 

know not to accept the same bad job 

down the road. A real-time bar coding 

system on the fl oor, for example, can 

eliminate a lot of guesswork by allowing 

estimators to obtain an accurate job 

history. It can help them identify areas 

of miscalculation and where they need 

to re-evaluate the manufacture of 

particular items from an engineering 

standpoint. 

Throughput, scheduling and reduction 

of labor for a given job are what shop 

management personnel look to address 

most. They want to try to get as many 

jobs through the shop as possible to 

reduce the number of days in-house, 

from the time an order comes in to the 

time the job ships. With the right data, 

the shop can easily analyze which jobs 

perform best under the given criteria. 

Shops are busy, but typically they spend 

the majority of their time on the jobs 

with the lowest profi t margin. This type 

of work can bog a shop down, keeping it 

from capitalizing on the profi table jobs. A 

suitable shop management system can 

provide accurate costing, even broken 

down by types of work, so a shop can 

determine what types of jobs to take in 

the future based on which ones bring in 

the most profi t. 

Evaluation Team 

Because of their direct relationship 

to the profi tability of the company, the 

shop management personnel are the 

most critical players in selecting the new 

system. They are the ones who make the 

decisions on how to effi ciently get more 

jobs through the shop. What happens 

on the shop fl oor is what determines 

profi tability, but it is not uncommon for 

the knowledge accumulated there to take 

a back seat to the business decisions 

of the fi nancial and IT personnel. The 

shop foreman, purchasing manager and 

estimators, though, must be involved in 

the decision. 

Yes, the IT department (or consultants 

performing this function) can play a big 

part in determining what hardware or 

network is needed to run the system. 

The IT department should also be 

concerned with the tools that were used 

in developing the new system. They will 

have the best knowledge about whether 

the system under consideration is up 

to date using the latest tools and if it is 

a mainstream package. They will have 

a good idea of whether the software 

will be around and manageable down 

the road and if training will be readily 

available. But IT will not be familiar with 

the direct implications of the features 

and functionality on the shop fl oor, and 

therefore, should not drive the decision 

of which solution is the best fi t. 

The moral of the story is to look at the 

big picture in what the new system can 

do for the business. It is only human 

nature for the people involved within a 

company to be concerned solely with 

how the new system will affect their own 

job. But in the long run, it is the people 

who make the biggest difference in the 

company who should determine the 

direction. 

Software Demonstration 

Before making a purchasing decision 

about the system, a shop should make 

sure that the software vendor takes the 

company’s shop-specifi c data through 

the software. While a demonstration with 

sample data can provide a good overview 

of the capabilities of the system, it does 

not show how it will actually perform on 

the job. The demonstration needs to be 

geared toward solving the shop’s specifi c 

needs, with real customer data. 

That’s not to say that the customer 

should take control of entering the data 

during the demonstration. The software 

is complex enough that, without training, 

the customer may not be able to make 

a reasonable judgement as to its 

effectiveness. But if the customer’s job 

information, purchasing information and 

scheduling requirements are plugged in 

by a trained operator and analysis from 

the software is effectively presented 

to him, he can then see whether the 

software can help. The sales person 

should ask as many questions about the 

requirements of the shop as the shop is 

asking about the software. 

An integrated system that brings all 

elements of shop management together 

is modular by nature. As such, it is 

important that the entire system was 

developed and tested in-house by the 

vendor. A shop management system with 

a core developed by the vendor, and an 

array of bolt-on modules contributed by 

external sources can lead to confusing 

and inconsistent operational methods. 

From one level of functionality to the 

next, the software should have the 

same look and feel and architecture as 

the original, core package. The modules, 

then, become an advantage to the 

buyer, providing the option to purchase 

only the necessary functionality, with 

the opportunity to add on later with little 

or no learning curve to contend with. 

Closing The Deal 

After seeing the software demonstration, 

it’s time to check the references. It is 

always nice to visit other shops on-site 

to see how they are using the system. 

But more importantly, it is imperative to 

talk to people who are in the exact same 

industry, doing the same type of work. 

It makes little sense for a buyer to visit 

a mold shop down the street if a screw 

machine shop identical to his is easily 

accessible over the phone. 

The vendor should supply a detailed 

quote of what the customer will receive 

and what options are available. Each 

module should be listed with its 

matching price, giving the customer the 

opportunity to purchase only what he or 

she needs. Other modules can be added 

down the road when the shop is ready to 

implement them. 

Implementing the right manufacturing 

software can signifi cantly improve a 

company’s use of available information, 

as well as increase productivity and 

profi ts. As long as a shop has organized 

and effi cient processes, the appropriate 

people in line for software evaluation, 

and the opportunity to use real data 

in testing to solve specifi c problems, a 

well-suited shop management system 

should be within reach. 

42 


Events Watch 

Specialized & Dedicated 

Exhibition in Jakarta 

That’s Set Apart From All 

Others in Indonesia 

This August 27-30, at Jakarta International Expo, 

MTT2008 will unveil top-notch and leading brands of 

metalworking and tooling products. From machine 

tools to cutting tools, from sheetmetal working to laser 

cutting and forming technology, from metrology to 

quality assurance devices, from steel to metal alloys to 

mould bases to moulds, from work-holdings to related 

accessories, from CAD/CAM/CAE to all relevant software, 

and the list goes on… you will see them ALL when you visit 

MTT2008 in Jakarta. 

Indonesia’s manufacturing industry boosts export 

earnings and contributes to the steady growth of economy 

in recent months. Investors’ and stakeholders’ confi dence 

are well restored. The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce 

and Industry (KADIN) will hold its 6th Reverse / Parts 

Exhibition - RPE2008 concurrently with MTT2008, driven 

by a strong intent to link local automotive, machinery, and 

electronic manufacturers with their regional and global 

counterparts. 

Sharing comparable objectives, OEM2008 (Outsource 

Engineering & Manufacturing Event) will coincide to match 

the sourcing needs of the RPE2008 procurers while 

tapping on the resources presented by the MTT2008 

suppliers. Creaming it up is the concurrently held 

MTTIndo Summit which will table out the manufacturing 

potentials and challenges of Indonesian manufacturing 

sectors while hosting a TechnoSeminar on Precision 

Tooling & Design, jointly organised by the Indonesian 

Mould & Die Association. 

MTT2008 - a MUST See to Know the BEST 

Alternative to Optimize Production & 

Maximize Profits. It’s Indonesia’s ONLY Market 

Leaders’ Choice Event for the Metalworking & 

Related Manufacturing Industries: 

So If You Are: 

In need of the right manufacturing solutions especially on 

areas of metalworking or precision engineering or tooling 

Considering offshore outsourcing to Southeast Asian 

manufacturers or vendors or simply looking for lower-cost 

manufacturing options and opportunities 

Looking at staying ahead and being in the lead of the most 

recent developments in manufacturing industry 

Exploring avenues to accelerate industry growth and 

increase manufacturing exports 

This shall be THE event you should attend ~ Don’t 

miss out on the most comprehensive exhibition on 

innovative & efficient technologies that provides 

alternatives to lower your production costs while 

increasing productivity in the long run! 

A premier event that’s customised 

to meet the varying and yet specific 

objectives of its participants – 

You Are Invited ! 

Register now so you won’t miss out to see the latest development from various industry sectors! 

Don’t wait to plan your visit! 

Email to us : info@mtt-indonesia.com 

Call us : +62-21-2664 5464 or HOTLINE :+62-21-657 00023 

Fax to us : +62-21-266 45485 

Online registration on http://www.mtt-indonesia.com now open till August 1st, 2008. 

Li Hwa (lihwa@ecm-intl.com) 

Rima W. (rima@ecm-intl.com) 


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The Best Taiwan CNC Machining Center 

PT. Jaya Metal Teknika introduce 

QUASER MV154M 

QUASER has been focusing on high 

performance machining center with 

unique spindle technology and different 

concept design with other Taiwan machine 

indometalworking news news Vol. Vol. 2 / 2008 2008 

44 

44 


Metalcutting Technologies and Machine Tools 

GF AGIECHARMILLES: CUT 20 Wirecut EDM Machine 

The CUT 20, an EDM wire-cut unit, has high cutting performances. 

It handles wire diameters from 0.15 to 0.30mm easily. The IPG-V 

generator of the CUT 20 is based on the latest technology 

developed by GF AgieCharmilles.The generator’s tried and tested 

electronics gives fast removal rates with cheap brass wire, adding 

a low hourly running cost to its features. With the integrated SF 

Module (Fine Surfaces), roughness of less and Ra 0.25 μm can be 

achieved. Along with performance the up to date electronics used 

in manufacture. The generator’s tried and tested electronics gives fast removal rates with cheap 

brass wire, adding a low hourly running cost to its features. With the integrated SF Module (Fine 

Surfaces), roughness of less and Ra 0.25 μm can be achieved. Along with performance the up 

to date electronics used in manufacture ensure that the cost of ownership is the lowest possible. 

The CUT 20 has on board technology that optimises main, first and second finishing cuts. This 

enables roughness between Ra 0.80 μm and Ra 0.60 μm to be achieved quickly. 

Makino Slim3 – Compact Vertical Machining Center 

Equip with efficient coolant and chip management and can mount larger 

components and heavier fixture, this Lean Yet High Productive Machining 

Center is a compact, rigid machine with the right ergonomics: Easier tool 

loading access, shorter and convenient component loading distance of 

400mm and table to floor distance of 810mm. 

LITZ DV800 Machining Center 

The MYNX 650 are specialized designed for heavy duty cutting, long term 

accuracy and superior surface finishes. Classic manufacturing methods and 

ultra rigid construction, which presented through rugged meehanite casting 

and integral box ways to provide unserpasses rigidity; are combined with 

advance technological features to deliver exceptional values and years of 

trouble free performance. 

The CHALLANGER VM series is dedicated for super productivity, through 

its high spindle speed up to 10,000 rpm and 32 tool magazine; super 

reliability was presented through the rigidity of the large ballscrew; design 

uniquely through their extremely large loading capacity and large spindle 

diameter. 

TAKISAWA NEX-108 Lathe Machine 

* Safety Advanced features reduce time 

dramatically 

* Best solution for small batch production 

of complex parts 

* Perfect & balanced integration for 

controller, servo motors & Mechanics 

* Direct Drive Spindle 

* Spindle Max speed = 12000 - 15000 rpm 

* Tool change time (T-T) = 1.5 s 

Our machine is recognized worldwide for superior precision machine tools. 

Accuracy, Speed and Rigidity, are always supplied uniquely through all of our 

product. We effortly invest to all of our product “worry free” with continuously 

expanding after sales service and technical assistance. Tsugami product will 

contribute to our customer’s production goals and lead a remarkable benefits 

through our advanced technology to all new industries. 

SKM EDM Machine 

PERFECT Surface 

Grinder Machine 

LAGUN Milling Machine 

Leaders in Superabrasives 

Finishing Systems 

Engis , is headquarter in the USA , was established in 

1938 with subsidiaries worldwide. We at Engis builds 

machine, configures the components and formulates its 

compounds and slurries with one goal in mind; to deliver 

a total system of Hyprez products with the capabilities 

customers need in their flat lapping and polishing 

operations. Capabilities include system compatibility, 

operational flexibility and repeatable performance. 

indometalworking news Vol. 21 / 2008 45 47

Metalcutting Technologies and Machine Tools 

iNEXIV VMA-2520 

Vertical Center Nexus Seri II didesign untuk memenuhi kebutuhan produksi. 

Machining Center ini memberikan stabilitas permesinan dan pengoperasian yang 

lebih mudah dengan menggunakan generasi sistem CNC ke 6 yaitu Mazatrol 

MATRIX Nexus. 

INTEGREX Seri IV 

Adalah mesin multifungsi canggih yang dapat menghasilkan produk 

dengan tingkat kesulitan paling tinggi dalam satu kali setting 

material. 

The iNEXIV VMA-2520 is a new multi-sensor measuring system that's 

lightweight and compact enough to be used in the factory on the bench 

top, with fast, fully automatic and high accuracy features that make it 

ideally suited for a wide variety of industrial measuring, inspection and 

quality control applications. The iNEXIV is designed to measure 3D 

workpieces, is touch probe ready, integrates the latest imaging 

processing software and incorporates a new 10x optical zoom system 

and Laser Auto Focus option. 

Nikon V-12B 

The Nikon V-12B Series profile projectors accept larger stages and assure 

higher accuracy thanks to the movable head during focusing. They are also 

completely user-friendly, complete with a built-in Digital XY Counter and 

Digital Protractor Counter. What's more, the V-12B lets you easily view erect 

images, making the profile projector a pure joy to use. 

MM-400/800 Measuring Microscopes 

VARIAXIS Seri II 

Dimensi baru untuk proses paling produktif 

VARIAXIS Seri II memiliki dimensi baru untuk melengkapi kelas 

Vertical Machining Center Dengan kemampuan machining untuk 

setiap permukaan dalam satu tahap pengaturan. Bentuk permukaan 

yang rumit dapat dikerjakan dengan gerakan 5 sumbu secara 

bersamaan. 

Nikon new MM-400/800 series of Measuring Microscopes 

incorporate key performance features expected in an 

advanced next generation measuring microscope. 

The new Measuring Microscopes can adapt to larger 

stage 300 X 200 which allows user to handle large work 

piece. Equipped with a TTL Laser AF ( universal type ) 

and a new Focusing Aid mechanism, the new MM400/800 

enables user to achieve sharper and more accurate 

focusing. This makes high precision Z-axis measurement much simpler than ever. Combination 

with the new Nikon digital camera such as DS-FIL and DS-2MV and metrology software such as 

E-MAX, the new MM enables user to achieve rapid measurement with precise auto edge 

detection. User can opt for a fully motorized model, where the motorized Z-axis movement 

mechanism simplifies accurate vertical motion through the use of a dedicated controller. 

ECLIPSE LV Metallurgical Microscope 

ECLIPSE LV Series microscopes provide superb performance when 

inspecting semiconductors, flat panel displays, packages, electronics 

substrates, materials, medical devices, and a variety of other samples. 

The modularity of the LV100D permits observations using illumination 

by either transmitted or transmitted and reflected light, plus the ability 

to design the microscope to suit individual application requirements by 

offering choices in stage sizes, epi-illumination systems, optical 

performance, binocular/trinocular/tilting trinocular eyepiece tubes, 

motorized or non-motorized nosepieces and five different types of 

diascopic illumination condensers. 

Stereo Microscope 

Nikon zoom stereomicroscopes offer users the most extended zoom range 

of any such instrument, along with modularity, comfort and ultra-highperformance 

optics. The line covers a wide range of functionality, from 

sophisticated observation (SMZ1500) to the affordable and ergonomic 

(SMZ445/460). 

46 48 


Laser Cutting, Sheetmetal & Metalforming Machines 

New servo operated 

wedge moves over the 

roll connected to the ram 

causing the tool to move 

down 

FINN-POWER E5 Turret Punch Machine 

ZAYER Machine 

FINN-POWER Shear Genius Machine 

FINN-POWER C5 Turret Punch Machine 

FINN-POWER X5 Turret Punch Machine 

indometalworking news Vol. 1 2 / 2008 47

Laser Cutting, Sheetmetal & Metalforming Machines 

YICK HOE GROUP OF COMPANIES 

SUMITOMO PRECISION MACHINE TOOLS 

Round Tube Grinding Machine 

Hydraulic IronWorkers 

CNC Upstroke 

Hydraulic Press Brake 

RETROFIT NC BACKGAUGE 

FOR ALL PRESSBRAKE 

SIMPLE INSTALLATION 

SG630-JS 

Polyurethane Die No Mar Broke Die Film 

Sumi / Kyokko / Lotus II 

Press Brake Tooling 

NCT Turret Punch & Accessories 

Industrial Shear Blades 

Fultech Industry Pte Ltd provides an expanding range of heavy duty Bandsaw Machines, 

Automatic TCT Circular Saw Machines and Block Saw Machines for precise mass production 

and supply excellent quality Bandsaw Blades. Our ever-expanding range of products include 

quality aluminium and high precision alloy products with excellent machinability, weldability, 

and high strength for versatility with a wide range of applications and end uses. 

* Aluminium alloy extrusions - 

Flat/Angle/Hex/T-Bar, Round/Square Bar, Round/Square/Rectangular Tube, U-Channel 

* Aluminium alloy sheets/plates – 5052, 5083, 6061, 2024, 7075, QC-7, Fortal 

* Aluminium precision machined cast plates – MIC-6 and Alca Plus Plate 

* Aluminium high-precision alloy plate – Kobelco Alsoran, Aljade and Alhighce Plate 

48 

indometalworking news Vol. 1 2 / 2008

Cutting Tools, Workholding Systems & Other Machineries 

SANDVIK COROMANT 

San Sandvik Coromant is the world’s 

leading mleading manufacturing of cutting tools 

for the meta for the metalworking industry that offers 

more thamore than 25,000 products and more 

than 2,0 than 2,000 new products introduced 

every every year. As customer’s solution 

provider, we meet customer demand by offering high productivity through the benefits that our tools 

bring and bring tho and thorough our widest application and selection. 

TITEX PROTOTYP 

A worldwide active machining specialist that offer 

double competence to their customer through their 

drilling specialization and innovation in threading and 

milling. We optimized your machining process from the 

beginning to the end to identify the possibilities and 

savings potentials. 

TITEX PROTOTYP is the perfect solution to your drilling, threading and milling process. 

Premium Tool Steel lfor Longer Life 

HP Dura-Blade is engineered with a replaceable, 

fully-guided blade insert made from Wilson’s new 

Ultima Premium Tool Steel, increasing sharpening 

intervals by up to 100% over conventional steels. Ultima 

dramatically reduces breaking, chipping, cracking, tool 

fatigue and other downtime problems and excels under 

heavy use. 

indometalworking news Vol. 1 2 / 2008 47 

49


48 50 



indometalworking news Vol. 2 1 / 2008 51 

47

IndonesiaFeatures 

Industri masih berperan sebatas 

figuran dalam pertumbuhan ekonomi 

Untuk bidang ekonomi makro pemerintah Indonesia 

memperoleh angka rapor yang baik. Namun gambaran 

ini menjadi pudar karena penampilan dunia usaha 

yang sedang berjalan saat ini. Memang sejak krisis melanda 

Asia, dunia usaha sudah bangun dari tidur panjangnya, namun 

berjalan timpang masih jauh dari harapan. Harga minyak 

mentah sebagai faktor pengganggu eksternal dapat diterima 

oleh para kritikus, namun perubahan struktur internal harus 

tetap dilaksanakan, untuk dapat ikut dalam persaingan 

internasional. 

Dengan tenang pemerintah Indonesia mengadakan 

retrospeksi terhadap pertumbuhan ekonomi di tahun 2007 

yang lalu. Pada akhirnya tercapai juga satu peningkatan nyata 

dari produk nasional bruto (GNP) sebesar 6,32%. Departemen 

Perindustrian melaporkan hasil perkembangan industri yang 

meleset dari perkiraan sebelumnya. Pertumbuhan industri 

berada pada angka 5,15% - masih kurang dari keberhasilan 

tahun lalu sebesar 5,27% dan jelas sekali masih jauh dari 

target yang telah ditetapkan pemerintah yaitu sebesar 

6,31%. 

Secara resmi kenaikkan bahan mentah khususnya harga 

minyak mentah dianggap sebagai penyebab kegagalan. 

Khususnya industri tekstil, kuli, termasuk sepatu dan industri 

kayu termasuk sektor yang sangat mengkhawatirkan. 

Pertumbuhan dialami sektor bahan pangan dan minuman 

termasuk tembakau dan juga industri mesin logam, meski 

tidak sebesar tahun sebelumnya. 

Menurut Departemen Perindustrian pertumbuhan yang 

memuaskan terjadi pada sektor industri kimia seperti pupuk 

dan bahan-bahan sintetik, semen, alat-alat transportasi serta 

mesin dan komponen. 

Angka pertumbuhan yang dicanangkan untuk tahun 2008 

adalah 7,43%. Sektor transportasi dan industri mesin 

diprediksikan akan menjadi kontributor terbesar terhadap 

pertumbuhan yakni dengan pertumbuhan paling sedikit 

10%. Berdasarkan perkembangan situasi yang kurang 

menguntungkan, Departemen Perindustrian telah melakukan 

koreksi pertumbuhan ke bawah tanpa memberikan angka 

patokan sehingga dapat berpengaruh negatif terhadap 

pertumbuhan ekonomi umumnya. 

Dalam kaitan ini harga minyak yang terus bergejolak dan 

berkurangnya permintaan dari Amerika disebut-sebut sebagai 

penyebabnya, termasuk adanya kelebihan produksi Cina di 

berbagai bidang. Sebab yang terakhir dapat mengakibatkan 

nusantara kita akan kebanjiran impor legal maupun ilegal 

dari negeri tirai bambu tersebut. 

Persoalan utama lainnya dari dunia usaha yang sedang 

berjalan adalah infrastruktur yang tidak memadai. Terutama 

di sektor transportasi seperti penyediaan energi merupakan 

faktor penghambat yang berdampak terhadap efi siensi. 

Sehingga mau tak mau muncul kembali kekhawatiran akan 

deindustrialisasi. Tetapi para ekonom mempertentangkan 

eksistensi fenomena ini yang bisa membawa stagnasi atau 

malah kemerosotan bagi dunia usaha. Mereka menggaris 

bawahi opini mereka dengan menunjukkan kontribusi yang 

stabil dalam PDB selama tahun lalu yang melampaui 27%. 

Tanpa memperhatikan migas sektor ini mencapai lebih 

dari 22%, kurang setengah persen lagi sebelum mencapai 

tingkatan seperti saat sebelum krisis moneter sekitar akhir 

tahun 90an. Hanya pada beberapa sektor tercatat ada 

penurunan dan penyebabnya bisa disebut berdasarkan 

penyebabnya. 

Industri kayu pada umumnya merugi karena penebangan 

ilegal. Sementara sektor tekstil harus berjuang melawan 

impor ilegal dari Cina. Dengan demikian yang menjadi korban 

dari persaingan internasional adalah perusahaan-perusahaan 

kecil. Secara umum investasi yang sedang masuk pun lambat 

laun mengkikis karena kekhawatiran ini. 

Para pakar ekonomi berpendapat bahwa di masa mendatang 

harus dikurangi ketergantungan terhadap bahan mentah, 

terutama terhadap bahan-bahan pengolahan industri 

dan komponen. Selanjutnya sektor hilir dan hulu harus 

bekerjasama lebih kuat dan lebih efi sien: Adapun perubahan 

struktur bakal terjadi. Dengan diversifi kasi ketergantungan 

dari masing-masing bidang harus dikurangi. Kesempatan 

untuk mengintensifkan kegiatan ekonomi di luar daerah yang 

padat masih terbuka. Untuk itu perusahaan-perusahaan kecil 

dan menengah harus diberdayakan sekuat mungkin. Impor 

masih perlu, karena kalau diberhentikan industri nasional 

akan kehilangan daya saing internasional. 

52 



Industri Mesin 

Perlu Restrukturisasi 

Industri permesinan di dalam negeri perlu direstrukturisasi 

mengingat kondisi alat produksinya sudah tua karena industri 

tersebut mulai masuk dan berkembang pada 1980-an. 

“Industri mesin harus mulai peremajaan mesin-mesin yang 

ada. Jangan sudah ambruk seperti TPT (tekstil dan produk 

tekstil) baru ribut meremajakan mesin,” kata Ketua Gabungan 

Asosiasi Perusahaan Pengerjaan Logam dan Mesin Indonesia 

(GAMMA), A Safi un, di Jakarta, Kamis. 

Ia menjelaskan industri mesin di Indonesia mulai masuk dan 

berkembang pada1980-an untuk mendukung program tinggal 

landas yang dicanangkan Pemerintah Orde Baru. 

Dengan demikian, kata dia, peralatan produksi industri 

permesinan di Indonesia sudah banyak yang tua karena 

usianya sudah mencapai 32 tahun, sehingga perlu 

direstrukturisasi. 

Restrukturisasi itu, kata dia, dinilai penting untuk 

meningkatkan daya saing produk permesinan nasional, baik 

untuk pasar domestik maupun ekspor. 

“Umur mesin-mesin itu sejak 1980-an sudah 32 tahun. 

Mesin-mesin itu membutuhkan tenaga besar dibandingkan 

mesin baru yang produktifi tasnya tinggi dan tingkat cacatnya 

sangat rendah,” katanya. 

Apalagi kini pemerintah menetapkan proyek yang 

menggunakan Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Negara 

(APBN) harus menggunakan komponen dalam negeri pada 

tingkat tertentu yang dihitung berdasarkan Tingkat Kandungan 

Dalam Negeri (TKDN). 

Tanpa bantuan restrukturisasi alat produksi, ia pesimis 

industri permesinan di dalam negeri mampu mendulang 

peluang dari kebijakan TKDN tersebut. 

“Sekarang pemerintah mengajurkan investasi, tapi pemerintah 

belum melakukan perubahan signifi kan untuk menciptakan 

iklim sektor riil yang sehat,” katanya. 

Ia mencontohkan, misalnya suku bunga pinjaman masih 

tinggi berkisar antara 11-12 persen, meskipun SBI sudah 

8,25 persen. Sedangkan negara pesaing seperti Malaysia 

dan Singapura, bunga pinjamannya hanya delapan persen. 

“Kita kalah dari sisi perbankan. Di sisi lain juga demikian 

seperti infrastruktur dengan pelabuhan yang selalu macet, 

(biaya) energi yang naik terus, dan listrik yang `byar pet` 

(sering padam). Kalau hal itu tidak diperbaiki, kecenderungan 

penurunan suku bunga bank, tidak berpengaruh,” katanya. 

Oleh karena itu, Safi un menilai sebelum pemerintah 

menerapkan kebijakan yang mencoba mendukung sektor 

industri dalam negeri, iklim dan peremajaan industri yang 

dinilai penting dan menjadi basis perkuatan struktur industri 

nasional juga harus dibantu pemerintah terlebih dahulu. 

Sementara itu data Departemen Perindustrian (Depperin) 

pada 2006 nilai impor mesin di Indonesia mencapai 7,091 

miliar dolar AS, sedangkan kemampuan ekspor mesin pada 

tahun yang sama hanya 2,485 miliar dolar AS. 

Setiap tahun rata-rata pertumbuhan impor mesin sebagai 

barang modal di Indonesia meningkat di atas 10 persen, 

karena banyak mesin yang belum bisa diproduksi di dalam 

negeri. Pada 2002 impor mesin baru mencapai 4,241 miliar 

AS naik menjadi 7,091 miliar dolar AS pada 2006. 

Sedangkan kemampuan ekspor permesinan nasional, 

kendati tumbuh lebih tinggi sebesar 18,19 persen per tahun 

dalam lima tahun ini, jumlahnya masih lebih kecil dari sekitar 

1,216 miliar pada 2002 menjadi 2,485 miliar dolar AS pada 

2006.(*) 



Meski Indonesia 

masih dalam situasi 

sulit, namun tetap 

menjanjikan bagi bisnis 

mesin-mesin bekas 

Para pedagang mesin-mesin bekas yang 

sudah mengamati perdagangan di Indonesia, 

di masa mendatang akan bermain dengan 

aturan baru. Pada pergantian tahun 2007/2008 

pemerintah memperketat ketentuan masuk untuk 

beragam barang-barang bekas. Namun segmensegmen 

seperti mesin perkakas dan mesin tekstil 

masih menawarkan peluang bisnis yang menjanjikan 

bagi suplier asing, dimana pasar potensial ini masih 

kurang dimanfaatkan oleh perusahaan-perusahaan 

asing hingga saat ini. 

Ada dua alasan mengapa para kalangan pengambil 

kebijakan ekonomi Indonesia menaggapi secara 

skeptis impor mesin-mesin bekas. Yang pertama 

harus dihindari adalah negara kepulauan ini jangan 

sampai digunakan sebagai tempat pembuangan 

barang rongsokan oleh negara-negara industri. Alasan 

lainnya adalah karena impor seperti itu menghambat 

industri lokal untuk berkembang di bidang pembuatan 

mesin. Hal tersebut menyebabkan bahwa selama ini 

arus impor barang-barang padat modal bekas pada 

dasarnya ditolerir untuk bidang industri di tanah air 

yang tidak memiliki produksi sendiri. 

Alternatif lebih murah 

mendapat sambutan 

Kebutuhan akan permesinan di sektor 

manufakturing masih sangat besar, sehingga 

antara lain mesin-mesin second hand 

tetap menjadi pilihan pertama bagi kebanyakan 

perusahaan industri. Di banyak sektor keberadaan 

mesin-mesinnya sudah sangat tua sementara 

persaingan internasional semakin menuntut tindakan 

modernisasi. Namun hal itu seringkali tidak dapat 

terpenuhi dengan sumberdaya lokal. Sebagai jalan 

keluar yang murah tetap saja impor mesin-mesin 

bekas yang secara teknis dapat menandingi tawaran 

murah dari China. 

Pada akhir tahun 2007 departemen perdagangan 

mengeluarkan peraturan impor mesin-mesin bekas. 

Peraturan pemerintah no 49/2007 tersebut efektif 

berlaku mulai 1 Februari 2008 dan sekaligus 

menggantikan peraturan no 39/2005 yang sudah 

berlaku sejak dua tahun lalu. Jumlah dan jenis mesin 

yang boleh diimpor khususnya komponen- komponen 

dipangkas oleh pihak yang berwenang. Jenis posisi 

tarif cukai yang relevan juga dibatasi dari sekitar 

1000 menjadi 300 lebih. Jumlah yang dihilangkan 

kebanyakan dari jenis mesin-mesin kecil serta 

berbagai komponen. Namun yang menonjol adalah 

di bidang teknologi informasi serta telekomunikasi, 

dimana diberlakukan pembatasan yang lebih ketat. 

Meskipun demikian perwakilan dari departemen 

perdagangan menekankan bahwa dengan pesyaratan 

tertentu mesin-mesin bekas yang ada dalam daftar 

negatif masih tetap boleh didatangkan. Untuk itu 

perlu dilampirkan izin dari departemen perindustrian. 

Macam barang bekas yang tidak boleh diimpor sejak 

2008 antara lain mesin turbin uap, mesin turbin 

air, mesin-mesin motor lainnya, alat pembakar, 

mesin pemanas, pemadam api, pistol semprot, 

mesin pemuat barang, mesin pemerah susu, mesin 

penyamak, pengelupas seta pengolah kulit, bagian 

dan suku cadang mesin perkakas, alat-alat kantor, 

mesin komputer, alat-alat telekomunikasi berkabel, 

mesin perekam, alat pemancar dan penerima 

gelombang dan kamera, mikroskop, kompas. 

Sebagai respon terhadap banyaknya permasalahan 

yang terjadi di sektor transportasi pada tahun 2007 

lalu, maka pengadaan gerbong-gerbong kereta bekas 

dan suku cadangnya, parasut dan bermacam kapal 

tidak lagi secara otomoatis dapat ditolerir. 

Namum demikian spektrum impor mesin-mesin bekas 

yang diperbolehkan masih tetap terbuka luas. Ragam 

mesin yang termasuk dalam daftar positif antara lain 

54 



generator, motor, motor elektronik, agregat penghasil 

listrik, pompa, teknik pendingin, teknik pengangkutan, 

mesin-mesin berat, mesin-mesin pertanian dan 

perhutanan, mesin-mesin kertas, mesin-mesin cetak, 

mesin-mesin pembuat logam, mesin-mesin tekstil, 

hampir semua mesin perkakas dan sebagian mesin 

untuk bahan sintetis seperti oven elektro. 

Statistik dengan 

daya bukti terbatas 

Perusahaan pemerintah PT. Surveyor Indonesia 

melakukan pengawasan, pengujian dan 

mengeluarkan dokumen-dokumen penting 

(certifi cate of inspection). Menurut statistik pada 

tahun 2007 terdapat impor mesin-mesin bekas sekitar 

132.000 unit. Angka ini merupakan peningkatan 

signifi kan di banding tahun sebelumnya yang tercatat 

hanya 74.000 unit. Untuk tahun 2007 menurut 

statistik impor ada 624 jenis barang padat modal 

atau dua kali lebih banyak dibanding tahun 2006. 

Ditanya mengenai nilai impor, para pakar menjawab 

dengan keraguan. ”Keterangan seperti itu kurang 

berguna, ” demikian jawaban dari PT. Surveyor, 

karena surat-surat impor tersebut tidak selalu diisi 

secara lengkap. Setiap tahun diperkirakan nilai impor 

berkisar antara 25 hingga 250 juta dollar Amerika. 

Menurut statistik sebagian besar barang-barang 

impor dilakukan melalui jalan pintas Singapura. 

Meskipun ada permintaan namun bisnis mesin 

”second hand” di tahun-tahun lalu tidak terlalu 

bergairah. Hal ini semata-mata tidak hanya 

disebabkan oleh berkurangnya minat berinvestasi 

di sektor ini. Di satu sisi impor murah mesin-mesin 

baru menghambat bisnis tersebut. Di sisi lain kabar 

penutupan perusahaan membuat orang mencari 

penawaran akan mesin-mesin bekas dari daerah 

setempat. 

Peraturan 

mempengaruhi struktur 

perdagangan 

Disamping itu pembatasan-pembatasan secara 

hukum semakin jelas. Sebagai contoh pada saat 

impor alamat perusahaan dari pemilik baru mesin 

harus sudah diisi di dokumen. Pemilik yang baru 

harus menyimpan mesin tersebut minimal satu tahun. 

Dengan demikian perdagangan biasa dalam skala 

besar hampir tidak mungkin. Selain itu mesin-mesin 

bekas sebagian tidak termasuk dalam programprogram 

pemberdayaan pemerintah. Hal ini tentu 

dapat memberi dampak pembatasan di sektor tekstil 

atau sektor mesin logam, misalnya. Secara umum 

biaya pemeliharaan dan servis untuk mesin-mesin 

bekas di negara ini sangatlah tinggi, demikian nada 

skeptis yang sering diungkapkan para suplier mesinmesin. 

Importir mesin-mesin bekas harus memiliki surat 

lengkap seperti ijin usaha industi dari Departemen 

Perindustrian dan Perdagangan atau ijin usaha 

lainnya. Yang disebut terakhir diperoleh perusahaanperusahaan 

yang bergerak di bidang usaha pariwisata, 

pertanian, perikanan atau bidang bangunan. Seperti 

halnya dengan importir, secara resmi perusahaan 

pemeliharaan dan pemugaran juga boleh melangkah 

asalkan memiliki ijin usaha industri. Impor disini 

diperbolehkan dengan alasan penggunaan pihak 

yang berwenang memasukkan mesin bekas bagi 

keperluan sendiri atau pemasukkan barang dalam 

proses produksi. Namun baik dari jenis maupun impor 

harus tetap berada dalam kerangka bidang usaha 

yang sesuai. 

Perusahaan yang akan mengimpor terlebih dahulu 

harus mengantongi persetujuan dari Direktorat Impor 

Deperindag. Instansi ini akan selanjutnya memberikan 

persetujuan atau penolakan dalam jangka waktu 

sepuluh hari kerja, demikian janji pihak penanggung 

jawab. Jika sudah mendapat lampu hijau maka 

sebagai tambahan surat wajib inspeksi ”Certifi cate 

of Inspection” harus dilampirkan, dimana dijelaskan 

bahwa kondisi mesin atau barang bekas tersebut 

masih layak untuk digunakan. 



Permintaan Alat Berat Rekondisi 

Meningkat 

Pelaksanaan proyek pembangunan infrastruktur yang 

dicanangkan pemerintah pada tahun ini, termasuk 

terus meningkatnya kinerja sektor perkebunan dan 

pertambangan, membutuhkan banyak alat berat. 

Namun demikian, industri alat berat nasional hanya mampu 

memenuhi 40 persen kebutuhan yang mencapai 20.000-an 

unit. Di lain pihak, kebutuhan alat berat bekas yang sudah 

direkondisi terus meningkat, khususnya untuk proyek-proyek 

di bawah Rp 10 miliar. 

Wakil Ketua Harian Asosiasi Perusahaan Rekondisi Alat 

Berat dan Truk Indonesia (Aparati) M Noor Alam mengatakan, 

selama ini, kontraktor yang menangani proyek di bawah 

Rp 10 miliar banyak membutuhkan alat berat rekondisi. Selain 

kondisi yang masih baik (80 persen), harganya juga jauh lebih 

murah dibanding alat berat baru. Dalam hal ini, alat berat 

rekondisi masuk dalam skala ekonomi untuk proyek di bawah 

Rp 10 miliar tersebut di mana harga alat berat rekondisi ratarata 

mencapai Rp 400-Rp 500 juta, sedangkan alat berat 

baru bisa mencapai Rp 2 miliar. 

“Tahun ini pemerintah mendorong percepatan pembangunan 

infrastruktur di daerah-daerah. Salah satunya rencana 

pembangunan jalan tol 1.000 kilometer. Pelaksanaan program 

ini jangan sampai terhambat gara-gara tidak ada pasokan 

alat berat. Selama ini, industri alat berat di dalam negeri 

tidak bisa memasok alat berat dengan cepat dan tidak bisa 

menjual produk untuk proyek skala Rp 10-Rp 15 miliar,” kata 

M Noor di sela kegiatan lelang alat berat rekondisi (Jakarta 

International Machine Center/Jimac) yang diselenggarakan PT 

International Auction Machine (IAM) di Jakarta, Sabtu (29/3). 

Selain dari kalangan kontraktor nasional dan pemerintah 

daerah, pembeli dalam lelang ini juga datang dari negaranegara 

di ASEAN dan Timur Tengah. Menurut dia, penjualan 

alat berat rekondisi pada tahun 2007 lalu mencapai 

12.000 unit. Diperkirakan permintaan alat berat rekondisi 

tersebut akan meningkat menjadi 15.000 unit seiring 

dilaksanakannya berbagai proyek infrastruktur di daerahdaerah 

serta terus meningkatkan kinerja sektor perkebunan 

dan pertambangan. 

Apalagi alat berat rekondisi yang kondisinya rata-rata mencapai 

80 persen ini perawatannya juga relatif mudah. Berdasarkan 

survei dari PT Succofi ndo, Departemen Pekerjaan Umum 

(DPU) beserta Dinas PU di daerah-daerah serta kalangan 

kontraktor, alat berat rekondisi masih dibutuhkan. Survei 

juga mengungkapkan bahwa alat berat rekondisi juga tidak 

mengganggu pangsa pasar industri alat berat dalam negeri. 

Selama ini, alat baru produksi dalam negeri banyak digunakan 

untuk proyek infrastruktur, pertambangan, dan perkebunan 

skala besar serta untuk jangka panjang. Namun dengan 

kapasitas produksi yang ada, industri dalam negeri selama ini 

tidak bisa memenuhi permintaan alat berat dan tidak jarang 

terpaksa mengimpor produk baru secara utuh (CBU). 

“Pangsa pasar alat berat yang baru dan rekondisi berbeda. 

Masing-masing saling mendukung. Kontraktor yang 

mengerjakan proyek skala besar dan jangka panjang, tentunya 

akan membeli alat berat baru. Namun untuk kontraktor skala 

menengah dan kecil atau pemerintah daerah, mereka butuh 

alat berat rekondisi. Selain kondisinya masih baik dan lebih 

murah, perawatannya juga mudah serta sesuai skala ekonomi 

proyek yang dikerjakan,” tutur M Noor. 

Sementara itu, pengamat otomotif Suhari Sargo mengatakan, 

lelang alat berat rekondisi yang dilakukan PT IAM (Jimac) 

berkontribusi besar dalam percepatan pembangunan 

proyek infrastruktur serta perkebunan dan pertambangan. 

Tidak hanya perusahaan jas akonstruksi, perkebunan, 

dan pertambangan, alat berat rekondisi juga dibutuhkan 

pemerintah daerah yang mengerjakan proyek-proyek 

pembangunan lainnya. 

“Sekarang ini, permintaan alat berat terus meningkat. Namun 

di lain pihak, pasokan alat berat terbatas. Sekarang untuk 

menyewa pun kontraktor susah. Ini terkait kondisi industri alat 

berat di dalam negeri yang hanya bisa memasok untuk proyekproyek 

skala besar. Maka dari itu, alat berat rekondisi sangat 

membantu, khususnya untuk kontraktor skala menengah dan 

pemda,” ujarnya. 

Menurut Suhari Sargo, dari program pembangunan 

infrastruktur yang nilainya diperkirakan mencapai Rp 50 

triliun, sebanyak 10 persennya (Rp 5 triliun) akan digunakan 

untuk membeli alat berat. Ini belum termasuk kebutuhan alat 

berat untuk proyek sektor-sektor lainnya. 

“Alat berat rekondisi, baik yang didatangkan dari impor atau 

dari dalam negeri, masih dibutuhkan,” tuturnya. 

56 


INDONESIA IN 

ACTION 

Investasi Industri 

Elektronik US$2,5 Miliar 

JAKARTA (MI): Sedikitnya 138 perusahaan elektronik 

sudah mengarah pada produk berbasis digital. Pemerintah 

menargetkan pertumbuhan industri padat modal itu sebesar 

11,5% dengan investasi US$2,5 miliar. 

“Sudah lebih dari 60% yang mengembangkan teknologi 

digital pada produknya. Sisanya akan terus mengurangi yang 

nondigital. Tapi ini tuntutan dunia, jadi harus mengikuti,” 

terang Menteri Perindustrian (Menperin) Fahmi Idris, di Jakarta, 

kemarin. Jumlah produsen elektronik saat ini diperkirakan 

mencapai 230 perusahaan, sebagian besar didominasi 

perusahaan multinasional (multinational corporation /MNC). 

Tahun lalu, pertumbuhan industri elektronik hanya mampu 

bergerak di angka 9%. Sektor tersebut termasuk dalam 

kelompok tiga besar pencetak pertumbuhan industri di 

sektor alat angkut, mesin, dan peralatan. Selain elektronik, 

kedua sektor lainnya disumbang industri sepedamotoruan 

sejenisnya (9,6%) dan industri kendaraan bermotor roda empat 

atau lebih (9%). 

Fahmi menjelaskan, elektronika konsumsi dan komponennya 

merupakan salah satu industri yang diprioritaskan 

pengembangannya, sebagaimana tertuang dalam kebijakan 

pengembangan industri nasional (KPIN). Sektor itu ditargetkan 

tumbuh 11,5% per tahun dan diharapkan dapat menciptakan 

lapangan pekerjaan sebanyak 150.000 orang. “Guna mencapai 

target itu diperlukan adanya investasi sekitar US$2,5 miliar,” 

cetus Menperin. 

Menurut data Departemen Perindustrian (Depperin), angka 

investasi yang ditanam dalam industri elektronika mencapai 

US$481 juta dengan nilai produksi Rp 87,39 triliun. Nilai 

ekspornya mencapai US$6,95 miliar dengan penyerapan 

tenaga kerja 235 ribu orang dan tingkat utilisasi 60%. “Target 

kita ekspor tahun ini sekitar US$7,8-US$7,9 miliar,” ucap dia. 

Hapus PPnBM 

Ketua Gabungan Elektronik Indonesia (Gabel) Rachmat Gobel 

mendesak pemerintah segera merealisasikan penghapusan 

pajak penjualan barang mewah (PPnBM), guna menjaga pasar 

elektronik di dalam negeri. “Salah satu jalannya PPnBM ini pun 

tidak bisa menghapus penyelundupan, tapi akan mengurangi 

keuntungan penyelundup. Kalau berkurang, jadi males kan 

mereka menyelundupkan,” cetus CEO PT Panasonic Gobel 

Battery Indonesia (PGBI) itu. 

Dari pantauan Gabel, peredaran produk elektronik ilegal pada 

kuartal II/2008 diprediksi terus meningkat, seiring dengan 

membanjirnya produk impor murah ke Indonesia. 

Republik Indonesia 

Jadi Basis Produksi GM 

JAKARTA - Industri otomotif nasional bakal makin marak. 

Kini, Indonesia tidak hanya dipandang sebagai pasar empuk 

bagi produsen, tapi juga sudah dibidik menjadi basis produksi. 

Raksasa otomotif dunia asal AS, General Motors (GM) dipastikan 

segera menjadikan Indonesia sebagai basis produksi. 

“Perencanaannya terus kami matangkan,” ujar Managing 

Director GM AutoWorld Indonesia Mukiat Sutikno di sela 

launching All New Chevrolet Captiva Diesel di Jakarta kemarin 

(16/4). Menurut Mukiat, rencana itu sudah mendapat lampu 

hijau dari kantor pusat GM di Detroit, AS. Karena itu, sekarang 

GM Indonesia terus melakukan kajian terkait produk apa yang 

bakal diproduksi di Indonesia. 

Kajian itu, meliputi produk apa yang kira-kira paling kompetitif 

serta prospek local content-nya. Nanti, hal itu dipadukan 

dengan blue print bisnis GM di Asia Pasifi k. “Kompleksitasnya 

memang cukup tinggi,” katanya. Karena itu, kajian tersebut 

kemungkinan baru selesai akhir tahun ini. Berapa dana yang 

disiapkan GM untuk investasi perakitan mobil di Indonesia? 

“Pembicaraannya belum sampai ke situ,” ucapnya. 

Sebagai gambaran, agar perakitan mobil bisa mencapai tingkat 

keekonomian, paling tidak harus dibangun dengan kapasitas 

produksi full shift sebanyak 20.000 unit per tahun. “Kalau 

seperti itu, minimal butuh USD 45 juta,” jelasnya. Rencana 

tersebut sebelumnya sempat diutarakan President General 

Motors (GM) Asia Pacifi c David Nick Reilly. 

Saat berkunjung ke Jakarta, Reilly mengatakan, GM sudah 

menyiapkan dana investasi USD 4 miliar untuk pasar Asia 

Pasifi k dalam tiga tahun ke depan. Selain membangun basis 

manufaktur, dana tersebut digunakan untuk memperluas 

jaringan penjualan maupun promosi. 

Terkait penjualan, Mukiat mengatakan, pihaknya menargetkan 

sales Chevrolet tahun 3.000 unit. Tahun lalu, penjualan 

Chevrolet 1.396 unit, di mana 992 unit di antaranya adalah 

Captiva. Mukiat optimistis All New Chevrolet Captiva Diesel 

bakal memperkuat penetrasi GM di kelas sport utility vehicle 

(SUV). Mobil yang diimpor utuh (completely built-up/CBU) dari 

Thailand tersebut dibanderol Rp 289,5 juta on the road Jakarta. 

“Target kami, Captiva Diesel bisa terjual 600 unit hingga akhir 

tahun nanti,” ujarnya. 


INDONESIA IN ACTION 

Pemerintah proteksi 

industri alsintan 

Pemerintah akan memproteksi industri peralatan mesin 

pertanian (alsintan) dari serbuan impor asal China dengan 

mekanisme tarif dan tata niaga seiring dengan pertumbuhan 

industri yang terus melaju. 

Langkah perlindungan yang diberikan pemerintah juga 

bertujuan untuk memperkuat struktur industri permesinan 

nasional. 

Dirjen Industri Logam Mesin Tekstil dan Aneka Departemen 

Perindustrian Ansari Bukhari mengatakan Departemen 

Keuangan segera menaikkan tarif bea masuk (BM) produk 

Alsintan dari 0%-5% menjadi 7,5% untuk mengurangi volume 

impor Alsintan. 

“Kalau dengan tarif itu volume impor mesin masih tinggi, dalam 

satu tahun ke depan pemerintah segera menaikkan kembali 

tarif BM produk alsintan secara proporsional,” kata Ansari 

pada Workshop Pendalaman Kebijakan Industri, pekan lalu. 

Industri alsintan di dalam negeri, lanjutnya, memperlihatkan 

perkembangan yang cukup menggembirakan. 

Dari tujuh subsektor industri permesinan seperti konstruksi 

baja, alat konstruksi, mesin proses, alat energi, penunjang, 

dan kelistrikan, hanya subsektor Alsintan yang mencatatkan 

tren pengembangan cukup positif, seiring dengan kebutuhan 

mesin pra dan pascapanen di sektor pertanian yang terus 

meningkat. Kondisi ini dimanfaatkan industri Alsintan lokal 

untuk meningkatkan kinerja produksi, karena sejumlah 

komponen pendukung mesin-mesin pertanian telah dikuasai 

industri lokal. “Basis produksi alsintan tersebar di Yogya, 

Jateng, Lampung, Malang, hingga Kalbar, dan telah diekspor 

ke sejumlah negara berkembang,” katanya. 

Kendati demikian, pertumbuhan industri Alsintan masih lambat 

karena tertekan produk impor. Sepanjang tiga tahun terakhir, 

perkembangan nilai produksi Alsintan dari industri dalam 

negeri naik sangat tipis. 

Tidak adanya proteksi pemerintah di sektor alsintan, 

menyebabkan pemodal asing enggan berinvestasi di sektor ini 

karena tidak menguntungkan, sementara penyerapan tenaga 

kerja tidak bertambah. 

Memprihatinkan 

Ansari mengakui kondisi di industri mesin nasional secara 

umum memprihatinkan karena semua komponen bergantung 

besar terhadap impor sehingga menumpulkan daya saing. 

Tidak adanya penguasaan teknologi yang dihasilkan lembaga 

riset dan pengembangan menyebabkan penetrasi pasar dari 

produsen lokal menjadi kian terbatas sehingga dikuasai asing. 

Direktur Industri Mesin Depperin Chanty Triharso menjelaskan 

total nilai impor permesinan termasuk di dalamnya Alsintan 

pada tahun lalu membengkak jadi US$8,13 miliar atau naik 

27,43% terhadap realisasi impor tahun lalu US$6,38 miliar. 

Pada saat yang sama, nilai produksi industri mesin pada 2007 

tidak lebih dari US$5,8 miliar (Rp55 triliun). 

“Lonjakan impor mesin itu terjadi karena pada saat krisis 1998 

pemerintah membuka keran impor mesin termasuk mesin 

bekas untuk membantu pemulihan industri mesin di dalam 

negeri,” ujarnya. 

RI Kejar Produksi 1 

Juta Mobil 

JAKARTA - Penjualan mobil terus menunjukkan tren positif. 

Tak hanya di level domestik, di pasar ekspor pun sektor 

otomotif mencatat kinerja lumayan. Karena itu, Departemen 

Perindustrian berani menargetkan produksi mobil 1 juta unit 

pada 2010. 

“Depperin punya mimpi 2010 kita memproduksi satu juta 

mobil. Itu harus didukung ekspor 200 ribu-300 ribu unit dalam 

tiga tahun ke depan,” ujar Sekretaris Umum Gabungan Industri 

Kendaraan Bermotor Indonesia (Gaikindo) Freddy A. Sutrisno 

di Jakarta kemarin. Dengan ekspor sebesar itu dan didukung 

membaiknya daya serap pasar domestik, target produksi 1 juta 

unit bukan mustahil. 

Menurut dia, prinsipal otomotif sedang berusaha keras 

meningkatkan pangsa pasar ekspor. Tahun ini, ekspor ditarget 

100 ribu unit atau lebih tinggi dibanding tahun lalu yang hanya 

60 ribu unit. Freddy memperkirakan, jika penjualan domestik 

tembus 540 ribu tahun ini dan 600 ribu tahun depan, produksi 

1 juta unit bisa tercapai. 

“Itu tidak mustahil, karena kebutuhan mobil semakin tinggi. 

Ekspor juga terus meningkat,” tegasnya. Saat ini, Indonesia 

telah mampu mengekspor mobil ke 55 negara. Yakni negaranegara 

di kawasan Amerika Latin, Afrika, Eropa Timur, ASEAN, 

dan lain-lain. “Kita mencoba menjaga momentum peningkatan 

ini untuk bersaing dengan dua negara ASEAN lainnya, yaitu 

Thailand dan Malaysia,” tuturnya. 

Ketua Umum Gaikindo Bambang Trisulo menambahkan, selama 

triwulan pertama 2008 penjualan otomotif mencapai 137 ribu 

unit. Angka itu melampaui target 110 ribu unit. Meski begitu, 

target penjualan tahun ini tetap 520 ribu unit atau angka 

optimistis 540 ribu unit. Pada 2007, penjualan otomotif hanya 

430 ribu unit. “Kita coba lihat enam bulan ke depan. Kalau 

cenderung meningkat berarti ekonomi kita sudah membaik,” 

ungkapnya. 

Dia mengaku bisa memahami jika pemerintah menaikkan 

harga BBM. Namun, pihaknya tetap berharap hal tersebut tidak 

terjadi. Sebab, kenaikan harga BBM pada 2005 sangat memukul 

industri otomotif. Meski begitu, dia menilai masyarakat belum 

terpengaruh dengan membatalkan pembelian otomotif karena 

harga minyak dunia terus naik. “Entah anomali apa yang terjadi, 

tapi penjualan otomotif justru naik,” bebernya. * 

58 


Just for the thought 

Five Steps To 

A Prosperous Recession 

Recession is said to be in the air. How can producers 

of precision machined products ensure a profi table 

performance during a possible recession, when 

Tier One buyers are squeezing their suppliers for price 

concessions? 

A recession normally means fewer sales (auto sales are 

predicted to fall in 2008, down 7% from last year). But an 

alert precision products manufacturer can still manage to 

turn a profi t even on a lower volume. A shop’s profi t level, 

in booming times or bad times, is a result of management 

pushing for a high level of continuous improvement. This 

requires a steady attention to what’s going on inside the 

company in manufacturing, sales, marketing, fi nance and 

human resources. 

As Socrates said to Glaucon in Plato’s “Republic,” “The 

stars are worthy guides in perilous travel, but on shorter 

trips at home we need more earthly guides.” 

I have taken the liberty of summarizing the experience of 

my study at the IPMI University and more than 10 years as 

a company observer for many major companies to provide 

more “earthly guides.” 

These experiences have led to my identifi cation of the 

essential fi ve steps (questions), which deal with factors at 

ground level, and are most helpful not only in meeting a 

recession but in prospering in such a climate. 

Here are the questions: 

Are you instituting incentive employee programs to boost 

productivity, thereby chopping unit costs and elevating 

profi t margin on sales? 

Since hourly employees are closest to daily work, do you 

have a method to obtain workplace information from them, 

such as suggestions on how operations performance can 

be improved on the plant fl oor? This requires some special 

interviewing techniques. 

Have your supervisors been given any special training on 

how to improve production, particularly in managing not 

so initiative-workers, who may require different kinds of 

motivation than regular workers? 

Have you explored the reduction of investment in inventory 

by shifting inventory responsibilities to suppliers? 

Are you continually leaning on department managers to 

awaken them to improve profi table operations in their 

areas? 

These key questions are of special importance for 

manufacturers with plants of 50 to 1,200 employees, 

which collectively account for 40 percent of Indonesia 

manufacturing employment. 

To ask these checklist questions is only the beginning. The 

answers require an organized and persistent effort, so as 

to build your strong defense during a recession. 

Executives of companies producing precision machined 

products are sometimes bored by internal plant operations. 

Typically, they are inclined to give most of their attention to 

the world outside, where they can ferret out any increased 

sales and profi table opportunities. As a consultant, I 

typically insist on asking questions about the prosaic 

elements in plant performance. Leaders in business 

should determine company goals and priorities and give 

their achievement a sense of urgency in protecting against 

the strain of a recession. 

Many executives settle for the modest results reached 

because improvement requires considerable effort and 

sweat. 

Leadership is not to be confused with affability, nor 

perhaps popularity. As reported in the Business Weeks, 

Jack Welch, then the president of General Electric, was 

quoted in commenting on “leadership” as follows: “I guess 

one thing I’ve learned is that with leadership, if everybody 

waited until everyone agreed on everything before one did 

anything, there wouldn’t be such a thing as leadership…” 

Similarly, leaders determine goals and priorities and give 

their achievement a sense of urgency. The presidents of 

companies producing precision machined products should 

exhibit a perpetual drive to improve. Concentration on 

digging out answers to the fi ve key questions cited is a sure 

method not only to staying alive, but staying alive well 



Lima Langkah 

untuk Mengatasi Resesi 

Resesi diberitakan telah tiba dan menyelimuti kita. 

Bagaimana produsen dari produk machining dapat 

memastikan performa yang menguntungkan pada 

saat resesi terjadi, khususnya jika pembeli utama menekan 

kita pada harga? 

Resesi biasanya berarti penjualan yang lebih sedikit. Tetapi 

manufaktur yang tanggap dapat menyiasati profi t tersebut 

walaupun dengan penjualan yang menurun. Keuntungan 

dari suatu manufaktur, pada waktu yang baik maupun 

buruk, adalah hasil dari keinginan manajemen untuk terus 

menyiasati pengembangan berkelanjutan. Ini membutuhkan 

perhatian yang konsisten pada segala permasalahan 

perusahaan dalam hal manufaktur, penjualan, keuangan dan 

sumber daya manusia. 

Seperti yang Socrates katakan pada Glaucon di Republik 

Plato,” Bintang adalah tuntunan yang sangat berarti dalam 

suatu perjalanan, tetapi pada perjalanan singkat kita 

membutuhkan tuntunan alam di bumi.” 

Saya mendapatkan kebebasan untuk merangkum segala 

pengalaman saya selama masa studi maupun bekerja sebagai 

pengamat perusahaan – perusahaan untuk memberikan 

tuntunan alam di bumi ini. 

Pengalaman saya telah membawa saya untuk mengidentifi kasi 

lima pertanyaan penting yang berhubungan dengan faktor 

pada level dasar yang sangat membantu untuk mengatasi 

resesi dan juga melawan resesi. 

Inilah pertanyaan penting tersebut. 

Apakah anda mengadakan suatu program insentif bagi 

karyawan untuk menaikkan produktivitas, dimana termasuk 

mengurangi biaya per unit dan meningkatkan marginal 

keuntungan pada penjualan anda? 

Karena karyawan harian anda adalah yang paling merasakan 

aktivitas keseharian, apakah anda mempunyai metoda untuk 

mendapatkan informasi lingkungan kerja dari mereka, seperti 

usulan bagaimana performa operasional dapat ditingkatkan? 

Ini membutuhkan suatu teknik interview yang menyeluruh. 

Apakah supervisi anda telah diberikan pelatihan tentang cara 

meningkatkan produksi, khususnya mengatur pekerja yang 

kurang berinisiatif, dan membutuhkan cara motivasi berbeda 

daripada pekerja biasanya? 

Apakah anda telah menggali informasi mengenai pengurangan 

biaya inventarisasi dengan menempatkan kewajiban 

inventarisasi pada vendor anda? 

Apakah anda secara berkesinambungan menggantungkan 

pada manager di setiap departemen untuk menaikkan 

keuntungan operasional di area mereka masing – masing? 

Pertanyaan – pertanyaan ini sangat penting bagi para 

manufaktur dengan jumlah karyawan antara 50 hingga 1200 

pegawai, dimana merupakan 40 persen dari keseluruhan 

lapangan kerja di manufaktur Indonesia. 

Untuk menanyakan pertanyaan di atas adalah suatu 

permulaan. Jawaban membutuhkan suatu usaha yang lebih 

persisten dan lebih terorganisir, sehingga dapat membangun 

pertahanan anda pada saat resesi. 

Eksekutif perusahaan yang memproduksi produk machining 

biasanya tidak begitu mau mengetahui internal operasi 

pabrik. Biasanya, mereka tidak begitu mengetahui apa 

yang terjadi di luar sana, dimana mereka tidak menyadari 

kesempatan yang menguntungkan ada di luar sana. Sebagai 

konsultan, saya biasanya menanyakan pertanyaan mengenai 

elemen prosaic pada performa pabrik. Pemimpin perusahaan 

harus menetapkan tujuan perusahaan dan prioritasnya dan 

menjadikan suatu pencapaian sebagai hal yang penting 

dalam menjaga terjadinya resesi. 

Banyak eksekutif cukup puas dengan hasil yang dicapai 

karena peningkatan kerja harus membutuhkan usaha yang 

luar biasa berat. 

Kepemimpinan harus tidak disamakan dengan popularitas. 

Seperti yang dikatakan oleh Jack Welch, mantan presiden GE 

yang terkenal, bahwa kepemimpinan adalah sesuatu yang 

dipelajari dan ditetapkan, jika semua menunggu hingga semua 

menyetujui sesuatu hal sebelum hal itu diimplementasikan, 

maka itu bukanlah kepemimpinan. 

Sama halnya, pemimpin harus menetapkan tujuan 

perusahaan dan prioritasnya dan menjadikan pencapaiannya 

sebagai sesuatu yang penting. Pemimpin perusahaan 

machining harus mempunyai semangat untuk berkembang. 

Konsentrasi untuk menggali jawaban dari pertanyaan diatas 

bukanlah suatu metoda untuk dapat terus hidup, melainkan 

terus hidup secara nyaman di masa datang maupun resesi. 

60 



Is Incremental Improvement Enough? 

Is incremental improvement enough for our industry’s longterm 

survival? How many precision machining companies 

will perish in the next 5 years? 

The traditional path to continuous improvement will not be 

good enough for them. Getting away from mere traditional 

thinking is critical if the companies struggling to meet today’s 

customer demands for service, competitive pricing, just-intime 

and quality are to remain sustainable. These companies 

need more than incremental improvement. They have to 

develop bold, new visions of where they will be in the future 

and then begin to cut a path through the jungle to get there. 

Creative thinking versus traditional thinking—adding a new 

dimension to “value added.” Traditional thinking and operating 

practices are no longer good enough to make it all the way 

down the path. Doing the same thing better will not be enough 

to get through the jungle; the vines grow rapidly and block our 

way. 

Creative thinking, innovative practices and vision are the tools 

we can use to cut a path to our sustainable success—the 

beach where the fruits of our labor are abundant. How do we 

get there? 

First and foremost, we must understand our customers and 

continue to open the communication channel with them. Are 

they successful and profi table? Do their visions for the future 

parallel our vision for the future? Do we understand their 

current and future wants and needs? Can we react quickly 

enough to fulfi ll their wants and needs? 

Understanding our customers’ businesses will keep us aligned 

with their wants and needs and provide a path to the doors 

of opportunity and success. Open, honest communication is 

essential in a long-lasting relationship. Second and equally 

important, our vision for the future has to be a shared vision. 

Everyone in the organization must understand and agree 

with the vision. Even more important is the unifi ed effort of 

the organization to continually review our success and make 

adjustments to stay on the most direct path to our vision. 

Third, redefi ne “value added.” If we are profi table and 

customers agree to pay us for our products and services, 

everything we do in our organization is “value added.” 

Continuous improvement and long-term success depend on 

our abilities to fi nd and implement value added cost reductions 

everywhere possible throughout the organization. 

Doing the same thing we have always done just a little bit 

better will eventually lead to a dead end with no escape, in 

a jungle fi lled with known and not-yet-known hazards to our 

organizational survival. 

Fourth, make sure you are in the right business. Make sure you 

understand your business. There are a lot of articles written 

on strategy and management for business. What we don’t see 

a lot of is information on properly defi ning your business. 

If your business’ mission, means of production, market and 

methods are aligned, strategy will not be important. You 

will be advantaged by being properly equipped for your trip 

through the jungle. 

When was the last time your team sat down to discuss what 

your business’ purpose and defi nition really are? Do you have 

the right assets and people to match the defi nition? 

There are a lot of noises in the jungle. Are you paying attention 

to the right ones to ensure your future success? We are all 

vulnerable during those moments when we are so occupied by 

the immediate issues that we forget to check our surroundings 

and our own status. In such moments, we can fall victim to the 

perils of the jungle. 

Do you know and are you using the appropriate survival skills 

to fi nd your way? Do you have a process to make sure you 

know the status of your markets, customers and competitors? 

These are important clues to help you stay on the path. 

Do you have a process to evaluate your organization’s status? 

If the path takes a steep turn up ahead, are you fi t for the 

climb? Are you on the right path? How do you know? 

Continuous improvement through incremental improvements 

is a skill of daily living. Without it, you lose competitiveness. 

Others grow and improve while you slowly decline. But 

incremental improvement is not enough. Taking proactive 

steps to assure that you understand your customers and 

can anticipate their needs is essential to remaining their 

preferred supplier. Having—and sharing—your vision is critical 

if your organization is to execute successfully as a team when 

confronted with impossible challenges. Relentlessly reduce 

cost and improve value. Value-added cost reductions can be 

found throughout your organizations. Have a system to reduce 

cost and improve value—everywhere. 

Finally, make sure you know, understand and keep your actions 

consistent with your defi nition of your business. Trying to be 

all things to all people is a sure way to become yet another 

casualty on the path. 

Traditional thinking got us here. We thank those who helped 

us get here. We will honor their contributions by employing our 

best creative thinking to meet the challenges we face today. 

To do anything less is to ultimately fail 

indometalworking news newsVol. Vol. 1 / 22008 / 2008 61 61


Apakah perubahan bertahap cukup ? 

Apakah perubahan bertahap cukup untuk kelangsungan 

jangka panjang industri kita? Berapa banyakkah 

perusahaan machining yang akan hilang dalam 

lima tahun ke depan? Jalur tradisional dalam perubahaan 

berkelanjutan tidak akan cukup untuk kita. Perubahan drastic 

dari konsep “out of box” sangat diperlukan dan sangat kritikal 

jika perusahaan kita sedang berjuang untuk memenuhi 

permintaan pelanggan dalam hal pelayanan, harga yang 

kompetitif dan kualitas yang harus tetap dipertahankan. 

Perusahaan perusahaan ini membutuhkan lebih dari sekedar 

perubahan bertahap. Mereka harus mengembangkan visi 

baru dan berani dimana mereka akan tetap berada di depan 

dan memulai untuk menjadi terdepan. 

Pemikiran kreatif dan Pemikiran tradisional – membawa 

nilai dimensi baru yakni “nilai tambah”. Pemikiran tradisional 

dan praktek operasional sudah tidak lagi cukup baik untuk 

membawa mereka menjadi yang terdepan. Melakukan 

sesuatu yang sama dengan lebih baik tidak akan membawa 

mereka menembus hutan dan menjadi terdepan. 

Pemikiran kreatif, praktek inovasi dan visi adalah alat yang 

dapat membawa mereka untuk melaju dengan lebih cepat 

dan menjadi sukses. Pertanyaannya adalah bagaimana kita 

dapat mengarah ke sana? 

Pertama – tama, kita harus mengerti kemauan pelanggan dan 

selalu membuka jalur komunikasi dengan mereka. Apakah 

pelanggan cukup sukses dan meraih laba yang baik? Apakah 

visi mereka berjalan parallel dengan visi kita ke depan? 

Apakah mereka mengerti kemauan dan kebutuhan mereka 

di masa kini dan depan? Apakah kita dapat bereaksi cepat 

untuk memenuhi kebutuhan dan kemauan mereka? 

Mengerti akan bisnis pelanggan akan membuat kita 

mengakomodir kemampuan kita dengan kebutuhan dan 

kemauan mereka dan membuka pintu kesempatan dan 

kesuskesan kita. Terbuka dan komunikasi yang jujur sangatlah 

penting untuk menciptakan hubungan jangka panjang. 

Kedua, dan tak kalah pentingnya, visi kita di masa depan 

harus berupa visi yang dibagi. Semua pihak dalam organisasi 

harus mengerti dan memaknai visi tersebut. Bahkan tak kalah 

pentingnya, jika ada usaha bersama dalam organisasi untuk 

mereview ulang kesuksesannya dan membuat perubahan 

kecil agar tetap bersama sama berjalan dalam menuju visi 

yang diciptakan. 

Ketiga, mendefi niskan ulang pengertian “nilai tambah”. Jika 

laba perusahaan kita sudah cukup baik, dan pelanggan tetap 

setuju untuk berhubungan bisnis dengan kita baik dalam 

hal jasa maupun produk, maka apapun yang kita lakukan 

dalam organisasi berupa ”nilai tambah”. Pengembangan 

berkelanjutan dan kesuksesan jangka panjang tergantung 

pada kemampuan kita untuk mencari dan 

mengimplementasikan nilai tambah serta mereduksi biaya 

dimanapun dalam suatu organisasi. 

Keempat, pastikan anda telah berada di jalur bisnis yang 

tepat. Pastikan bahwa anda telah mengerti bisnis anda secara 

holistik. Banyak sekali artikel tertulis mengenai strategi dan 

manajemen untuk suatu bisnis. Yang tidak sering kita lihat 

adalah informasi yang memadai mengenai bisnis yang kita 

geluti. 

Jika misi usaha anda mengartikan produksi, market dan 

metode yang dipakai menjadi suatu kesatuan tak terpisahkan, 

maka strategi tidak begitu penting. Sebab, anda telah 

beruntung mengarungi peralatan yang cukup baik dalam 

menjelajahi kesuksesan anda. 

Kapankan terakhir kali, tim anda duduk dan mendiskusikan 

maksud usaha dan defi nisi bisnis anda? Apakah anda 

mempunyai aset yang cukup dan SDM untuk mencakupi 

defi nisi bisnis anda tersebut? 

Apakah anda mempunyai suatu sistim proses untuk 

mengevaluasi status organisasi anda? Apakah anda sudah 

dijalur yang benar? Bagaimana anda tahu? 

Pengembangan berkelanjutan melalui perubahan bertahap 

adalah teknik pertahanan hidup. Tanpa itu, anda akan kalah 

dalam berkompetisi. Tetapi perubahan bertahap saja tidaklah 

cukup. Mengambil langkah proaktif untuk memastikan bahwa 

anda mengerti pelanggan anda dan dapat mengantisipasi 

kemauan mereka sangatlah penting untuk menjadi supplier 

favorit atau terpilih. 

Mempunyai dan membagi visi anda sangatlah kritikal jika 

organisasi anda dapat mengeksekusi sebagai tim jika 

terkonfrontasi dengan tantangan yang mustahil sekalipun. 

Terus tanpa henti untuk mereduksi biaya dan meningkatkan 

nilai. Nilai tambah biaya yang direduksi dapat dicari pada 

semua sisi organisasi anda. Punyailah suatu sistim yang 

dapat mereduksi biaya dan meningkatakan nilai – dimana 

saja pada semua sisi organisasi. 

Akhirnya, pastikan bahwa anda mengerti dan dapat memulai 

aksi anda secara konsisten dengan defi nisi pada bisnis 

anda. Pemikiran tradisional telah membawa kita ke sini. 

Kita harus berterima kasih pada mereka yang membantu 

kita hingga kesini. Kita akan menghormati mereka dengan 

memberlakukan pemikiran kreatif untuk memastikan bahwa 

kita tetap dapat menghadapi tantangan kedepan. 

62 


News Snippets 

PT. TVS MOTOR AKAN 

MEMPRODUKSI 300 RIBU 

MOTOR 

Sofyan: Mittal mitra paling 

tepat bagi KS 

BONTANG: Rencana privatisasi PT Krakatau Steel (KS) 

hampir dipastikan menggunakan pola penjualan strategis 

(strategic sales/SS) setelah Menteri Negara BUMN Sofyan 

Djalil memberikan sinyal bahwa ArcelorMittal merupakan 

mitra paling tepat bagi KS. 

Selain memiliki kekuatan fi nansial yang besar, perusahaan 

baja terbesar di dunia itu dinilai memiliki program paling 

konkret dibandingkan dengan empat kandidat investor baja 

lain seperti Tata Steel, Blue Scope International, Essar Steel 

Holding, bahkan Pohang Steel and Co (Posco/perusahaan 

baja Korsel) yang belakangan juga berminat membeli KS 

dengan pola SS. 

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - PT TVS Motor Company 

Indonesia akan memproduksi 300 ribu sepeda motor pada 

2008. 

Sofyan menjelaskan pertumbuhan konsumsi baja pada 

beberapa tahun mendatang bahkan berpotensi mencapai 15 

juta ton, sehingga KS perlu mencari partner strategis yang 

mampu memacu produksi baja nasional menjadi 12 juta ton 

sehingga impor baja nasional dapat direduksi secara besarbesaran. 

“Kami optimistis target sebesar itu terpenuhi, dan semuanya 

terserap pasar,” kata National Sales Manager PT TVS Roly 

Mahendra di Yogyakarta, Kamis. 

Menurut dia pada pembukaan dealer TVS, target produksi itu 

setiap tahun terus ditingkatkan, dan pada 2011 ditargetkan 

mampu memproduksi satu juta unit sepeda motor. 

“Untuk merealisasikan target tersebut, pabrik yang berada di 

Karawang, Jawa Barat akan dikembangkan dan ditingkatkan 

kapasitas produksinya,” katanya. 

Sehubungan dengan hal itu, investasi yang ditanamkan juga 

akan ditambah. Modal awal sebesar Rp500 miliar akan 

ditambah menjadi Rp1 triliun. 

“Upaya itu dilakukan untuk menjadikan Indonesia sebagai 

distributor sepeda motor TVS di kawasan Asia Tenggara,” 

katanya. Sementara itu, Regional Distributor TVS Jateng dan 

DIY Andrie Mustika mengatakan untuk penjualan produk di 

kedua wilayah tersebut ditargetkan sebesar tiga persen dari 

total `market share`. 

“Market share untuk produk sepeda motor semua merk di 

wilayah Jateng dan DIY saat ini sebanyak 8.000 unit per bulan. 

Dari angka sebanyak itu kami akan `ambil` tiga persennya,” 

katanya. 

Dalam pemaparannya di kantor BUMN belum lama ini, 

katanya, Mittal menawarkan tiga rencana besar. Pertama, 

membeli saham KS sebagai pemegang minoritas. Kedua, 

melakukan kerja sama patungan (joint venture/JV) bersama 

KS membangun pabrik kedua berkapasitas 7 juta ton di 

Cilegon, Banten. Ketiga, KS dan Mittal bekerja sama dengan 

PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) untuk mencari bijih besi. 

Sofyan menilai selama ini KS salah menerapkan teknologi 

sehingga berakibat pada pemborosan keuangan dan energi. 

Dari sisi produksi, mesin-mesin BUMN baja itu tidak inline 

antara hulu dan hilir sehingga KS perlu berinvestasi secara 

menyeluruh dari hulu hingga hilir. 

indometalworking news newsVol. Vol. 1 / 22008 / 2008 63 63

News Snippets 

Sofyan menegaskan perusahaan baja global yang nantinya 

masuk KS melalui pola SS tetap akan memegang saham 

dan berperan minoritas, sehingga pemerintah tetap dapat 

mengendalikan BUMN baja itu secara penuh. Jika pemerintah 

menjual sekitar 35%-40% saham KS kepada Mittal, ujarnya, 

pemerintah hanya memberikan satu kursi direktur dan satu 

komisaris dalam manajemen KS kepada perusahaan asal 

India itu. 

Produk Jerman ramaikan 

pasar motor 

Boediono: Ekonomi Pulih 

Dua Tahun Lagi 

JAKARTA: Pasar motor nasional bakal diramaikan oleh produk 

asal Jerman, menyusul masuknya perusahaan otomotif asal 

Jerman Sachs Germany di Indonesia. 

Perusahaan yang di negara asalnya ini dikenal sebagai 

pabrikan yang memproduksi motor berkualitas dan inovatif 

tersebut menggandeng produsen motor dalam negeri yakni 

PT Minerva Motor Indonesia (PT MMI) dalam kerja sama 

strategis berupa joint manufacturing dan co-branding. 

Jakarta: Pemerintah mentargetkan pertumbuhan ekonomi 

akan pulih dalam beberapa tahun kedepan. Menteri Kordinator 

Perekonomian Boediono menyebutkan pertumbuhan ekonomi 

Indonesia bisa tumbuh 6,5 - 7 persen dalam waktu dua tahun 

kedepan. 

Di tengah turbulensi ekonomi dunia yang saat ini terjadi, 

Boediono menilai pertumbuhan ekonomi sebesar 6,2-6,3 

persen saat ini masih cukup baik. Ia optimis pertumbuhan 

ekonomi akan membaik dengan ditunjang kondisi sosial 

politik yang aman. Boediono mengakui pertumbuhan 

ekonomi saat ini tidak banyak menyerap tenaga kerja formal, 

tetapi lebih terserap di sektor informal. Hal ini, kata Boediono, 

karena kebijakan pemerintah memang lebih didorong untuk 

mendukung pertumbuhan di sektor non pemerintah. 

“Pergeseran penyerapan (tenaga kerja) itu suatu hal yang 

biasa,” katanya. Dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang lebih 

baik, menurut Boediono pergeseran akan kembali ke sektor 

formal. 

BPS kemarin melansir pertumbuhan ekonomi year to 

year pada kuartal I 2008 sebesar 6,28 persen. Jumlah 

pengangguran juga turun akan tetapi lebih banyak terserap 

di sektor informal. * 

Dengan adanya co-branding ini, maka untuk wilayah 

pemasaran di Indonesia akan dipakai nama merek Minerva 

Sachs. Pada tahap awal, Minerva & Sachs meluncurkan motor 

MadAss 125 yang diproduksi di pabrik PT MMI. 

MadAss 125 adalah salah satu produk unggulan dari Sachs. 

Tipe ini sebelumnya telah diluncurkan di pasaran Eropa, 

Australia, Amerika, dan negara-negara Asia seperti Thailand, 

Filipina, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapura, dan Hong Kong. Motor 

MadAss 125 memiliki desain yang unik dan dilengkapi dengan 

mesin yang sesuai standar Sachs Germany, sppedometer 

digital elektrik, desain tanki bahan bakar yang inovatif, 

serta dilengkapi dengan standar emisi euro III sehingga 

ramah lingkungan. Khusus untuk model ini, Minerva Sachs 

menargetkan volume penjualannya akan mencapai 10.000 

unit sepanjang tahun dengan target per bulan yang dipatok 

sebesar 1.000 unit. 

Presiden Direktur PT MMI Kristianto Goenadi optimistis 

mampu meraih target itu, sebab harga yang dipatok relatif 

murah dan sangat kompetitif. “Di negara asalnya model 

tersebut dibanderol dengan harga 20.000 euro, sementara 

di pasaran Indonesia model ini dihargai Rp13,950 juta on the 

road Jakarta,” katanya disela-sela penandatanganan kerja 

sama sekaligus peluncuran model Minerva Sachs pertama 

yaitu MadAss 125. (ln) 

64 64 

indometalworking news news Vol. Vol. 2 / 12008 

/ 2008

Calendar of Events 

2008 

9 - 12 July 2008 

MTA-Vietnam 2008 

Giang Vo Exhibition Center, Hanoi 

Organiser : Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd 

Tel : +65-6738 6776 

Fax : +65-6732 6776 

URL 

: www.mtavietnam.com 

27 - 30 August 2008 

MTT Indonesia 2008 

JIExpo PRJ Kemayoran, Jakarta 

Organiser : PT ECMI Services 

Tel : +62-21-2664 5464 

Fax : +62-21-2664 5485 

URL 

: www.mtt-indonesia.com 

3 - 6 September 2008 

MTA Vietnam 2008 

Ho Chi Minh International Exhibition and Conference Centre 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

Organiser : Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd 

Tel : +65-6738 6776 

Fax : +65-6732 6776 

URL 

: www.mtavietnam.com 

1 – 3 October 2008 

Metalex Vietnam 2008 

Ho Chi Minh International Exhibition and Conference Centre 

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 

Organiser : Reed Tradex Company 

Tel : +66-2- 686 7299 

Fax : +66-2-686 7288 

URL 

: www.metalexvietnam.com 

30 October - 4 November 2008 

JIMTOF 2008 

Tokyo Big Sight, Japan 

Organiser : JIMTOF Fair Management (JMTBA) 

Tel : +81-3-5530 1333 

Fax : +81-3-5530 1222 

URL 

: www.jimtof.org 

30 October - 2 November 2008 

EPM - Machine Tool Saigon 2008 

Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center, Ho Chi Minh 

Organiser : Hannover-Messe International GmbH 

Chan Chao International Co Ltd 

Tel : +84-8-827 9156 

Fax : +84-8-827 9157 

URL 

: www.epm-machinetool-saigon.com 

20 - 23 November 2008 

Thai Metalex 2008 

Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Bangkok 

Organiser : Reed Tradex Company 

Tel : +66-2- 686 7299 

Fax : +66-2-686 7288 

URL 

: www.metalex.co.th 

8 - 13 September 2008 

IMTS 2008 

McCormick Place, Chicago 

Organiser 

: AMT Association For Manufacturing 

Technology 

Tel : +1-800-524-0475 

Fax : +1-703-893-1151 

URL 

: www.imts.com 

3 - 6 December 2008 

Manufacturing Indonesia 2008 

JIExpo PRJ Kemayoran, Jakarta 

Organiser : PT Pamerindo Buana Abadi 

Tel : +62-21-316 2001 

Fax : +62-21-316 2016 

URL 

: www.pamerindo.com 

indometalworking news Vol. Vol. 1 2 / 2008 / 65 65

Jokes 

Jokes Jokes 

Always on Duty 

A new soldier was on sentry duty at 

the main gate. His orders were clear: 

No car was to enter unless it had a 

special sticker on the windshield. 

A big Army car came up with a 

general seated in the back. The 

sentry said, “Halt, who goes there?” 

The chauffeur, a corporal, says, 

“General Wheeler.” 

“I’m sorry, I can’t let you through. 

You’ve got to have a sticker on the 

windshield.” 

The general said, “Drive on!” 

The sentry said, “Hold it! You really 

can’t come through. I have orders to 

shoot if you try driving in without a 

sticker.” 

The general repeated, “I’m telling you, 

son, drive on!” 

The sentry walked up to the rear 

window and said, “General, I’m new 

at this. Do I shoot you or the the 

driver?” 

Car Problem 

One day, a mechanical engineer, 

electrical engineer, chemical 

engineer, and computer engineer 

were driving down the street in the 

same car when it broke down. 

The mechanical engineer said, 

“I think a rod broke.” 

The chemical engineer said, “The way 

it sputtered at the end, I think it’s not 

getting enough gas.” 

The electrical engineer said, “I think 

there was a spark and something’s 

wrong with the electrical system.” 

All three turned to the computer 

engineer and said, “What do you 

think?” 

The computer engineer said, 

“I think we should all get out and then 

get back in.” 

Engineer in a bar 

There was a mine in a small town 

that completely collapsed. One of the 

engineers who miraculously survived 

the disaster went into the local watering 

hole. The bar was empty except 

for one lonely soul at the other end of 

the bar. 

“Hey bartender” said the Engineer, 

“I’ll have a beer and pour another one 

for my friend down at the end there.” 

The bartender responded, “I’m sorry 

sir but that guy’s a commie and we 

don’t serve his kind around here.” 

“Well, you’d better because if it 

weren’t for that guy, I wouldn’t be 

here. You remember that mine that 

caved in, well I was in that mine and 

so was that guy. 

When the last of us were escaping, 

he held the roof of the mine up with 

his head! So get him a beer and if you 

don’t believe me, look at the top of 

his head and you’ll see that it’s fl at 

from holding the roof up.” 

The bartender skeptically served the 

commie his beer and then came back 

to talk to the Engineer: “I saw the fl at 

spot on his head but I also couldn’t 

help noticing the bruising under his 

chin. What is that all about?” the Engineer 

responded: “Oh...that’s where 

we put the jack.” 

66 


Helicopter Problem 

A helicopter was fl ying around above 

Seattle yesterday when an electrical 

malfunction disabled all of the 

aircraft’s electronic navigation and 

communications equipment. Due 

to the clouds and haze, the pilot 

could not determine the helicopter’s 

position and course to steer to the 

airport. The pilot saw a tall building, 

fl ew toward it, circled, drew 

a handwritten sign, and held it in the 

helicopter’s window. The pilot’s sign 

said “WHERE AM I?” in large letters. 

People in the tall building quickly 

responded to the aircraft, drew a 

large sign, and held it in a building 

window. Their sign said “YOU ARE IN A 

HELICOPTER.” 

The pilot smiled, waved, looked at his 

map, determined the course to steer 

to SEATAC airport, and landed safely. 

After they were on the ground, the 

co-pilot asked the pilot how the “YOU 

ARE IN A HELICOPTER” sign helped 

determine their position in Seatle. 

The pilot responded “I knew that 

had to be the MICROSOFT building 

because, similar to their help-lines, 

they gave me a technically correct but 

completely useless answer.” 

Man with no experience 

I hate my job 

When you have an “I hate my job” 

day, try this: On your way home from 

work, stop at the pharmacy, go to the 

thermometers section and purchase 

a rectal thermometer made by “Best 

Thermo”. Be very sure you get this 

brand. 

When you get home, lock your doors, 

draw the drapes, and disconnect the 

phone so you will not be disturbed 

during your therapy. Change to very 

comfortable clothing, such as a 

sweat suit and lie down on your bed. 

Open the package and remove the 

thermometer. Carefully place it on 

the bedside table so that it will not 

become chipped or broken. 

Take out the material that comes with 

the thermometer and read it. You will 

notice that in small print there is a 

statement: “Every rectal thermometer 

made by Best Thermo is personally 

tested.” Now close your eyes and 

repeat out loud fi ve times: “I am so 

glad I do not work for quality control 

at the Best Thermo Company.” 

Office Skills 

“So tell me, Mrs. Smith,” asked the 

interviewer, “have you any other 

skills you think might be worth 

mentioning?” 

A Manager of a retail clothing store 

is reviewing a potential employee’s 

application and notices that the man 

has never worked in retail before. 

He says to the man, “For a man with 

no experience, you are certainly 

asking for a high wage.” 

“Well Sir,” the applicant replies, “the 

work is so much harder when you 

don’t know what you’re doing!” 

Newsflash: The world will end within the hour. 

But first some words from our sponsors. 

“Actually, yes,” said the applicant 

modestly. “Last year I had two 

short stories published in national 

magazines, and I fi nished my novel.” 

“Very impressive,” he commented, 

“but I was thinking of skills you could 

apply during offi ce hours.” 

Mrs. Smith explained brightly, “Oh, 

that was during offi ce hours.” 


Quotes on work 

Oscar Wilde: 

I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works. 

Albert Einstein: 

If A equals success, then the formula is A equals X plus Y and Z, with X being work, Y play, and Z 

keeping your mouth shut. 

Donald Kendall: 

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. 

Francesca Reigler: 

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of 

work is the same. 

Henry Ford : 

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success. 

Grant Fairley: 

A positive attitude may not solve every problem but it makes solving any problem a more pleasant 

experience. 

Bertrand Russell: 

One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one’s work is terribly 

important. 

Alexander Graham Bell : 

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought 

to a focus. 

Julia Cameron: 

What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, 

money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us. 

68

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