MACHINE SHOP EQUIPMENT
Main Machine Shop
Notes:
a)Amount and arrangement of table space and floor space is about right and is indispensible
b)Need all three lathes [Q: if we get rid of our three lathes and buy two modern lathes, could those duplicate the functionality of our three? A: No. the three we have give us length, diameter, and precision]
c)Wish list: digital readouts for our current machines
d)New machines won’t save space
e)Current machines already share workspace
f)Utilities: standard (overhead bus bars, compressed air, …)
1)Granite surface
a)Very accurate planed surface for laying out things to be assembled
b)Can use as sanding blocks
c)One is indispensible, maybe two with heavier use of the shop. But can always be stacked up if not being used.
d)We have two 2’x 3 blocks
2)Gould & Eberhardt shaper 16” x 16”
a)Archaic, not used
3)American optical bench comparator 17” display
a)Magnifier with scaled display
b)Can be used to measure threads or cutting tools
c)Indispensible, used weekly
d)Could use a confocal microscope instead, but much more expensive!
4)Hannifin Chicago 5-ton hydraulic punch press
a)Bob Cann has never used this, and never will. We can get rid of it.
b)This is a production machine, but we never need production quantities.
c)Can be used to make sintered samples
d)We have comparable machines that are easier to use.
5)Doall band saw 26” throat blade welder
a)Heavily used---daily
b)Used for cutting all types of metal
c)indispensible
6)Cincinnati mill horizontal 10” x 40” geared index head
a)Formerly in student shop.
b)Hasn’t been used in a long time
c)Has a nice attachment for cutting long helix (for making drill bits or drive mechanisms)
d)Would be indispensible if we had to make replacement gears (say, for the observatory), etc.
e)Probably not indispensible
7)Johansson radial drill, 30” ram
a)Good for large pieces of work requiring large holes
b)Slocum, Dan Krause, Physical Plant use it often (in part so that Bob doesn’t have to let non-experts use the precision mill, which could do the job also)
c)Indispensible, used monthly (not as much for physics, but others use it)
8)Avey tapper 16”
a)Bob Cann hasn’t used this, Dan Krause has
b)Don use this to make optical tables with tapped clampdown holes.
c)Primarily a production machine
d)Could do without it
9)Rivett lathe 8” x 40”
a)Bob Cann hasn’t used this.
b)Nice, accurate lathe—watchmaker’s lathe for fine, accurate work
c)Purchased in 1920s at the insistence of a faculty member the college was trying to lure
d)Could do without it
10)Star drill grinder 6”, on pedestal
a)Bob Cann hasn’t used this.
b)Has attachment so that it can be used to sharpen drill bills, which makes it unique
c)We need several pedestal grinders, and we have several (2 in main shop, 1 in student shop, 1 in welding shop)
d)We have occasional use for this.
11)Powermatic 6” x 48” belt sander
a)one belt sander in wood shop for wood; this one for metal
b)used weekly; indispensible
12)Delta 14” drill press 4-speed
a)For drilling all kinds of holes.
b)Used daily; indispensible
13)Atlas arbor press 4.5” x 1 ton
a)Small, for fine work
b)indispensible
14)Electro-mechano 8” high speed drill press
a)Makes small diameter holes.
b)Not used often, but very compact (tabletop)
15)Rockwell hardness tester
a)Never used
b)Very compact (tabletop)
16)Thor 2” ø x 4” roller
a)small
b)Jonathan uses this; indispensible
17)Jewelers lathe, mfg. unknown
a)Small
b)Not used; could get rid of it
18)Fanco arbor press, 11” x 4 ton
a)Indispensible; used weekly
19)Atlas shaper 7” x 7”
a)Small
b)Can do without it
20)Pexto rollers 2” ø x 36”
a)Forms curves
b)not used often, but no substitute
c)physical plant is main user
21)Hein-Werner hyd. press 12 ton
a)Piercing punch. Can punch square holes in sheet metal. Useful
b)Not used often, but no substitute
c)small
22)Trumpf sheet nibbler 60” throat
a)Long, thin machine
b)Cut/nibble thick sheets of Al or steel. Can also be used for forming sheet metal.
c)Bob Cann doesn’t use often, but Dan Krause does. Useful!
23)Powermatic grinder 10”, pedestal
a)Very useful
24)Cincinnati vertical mill 10” x 40”, power feed
a)Very nice to have two mills, especially if amount of fabrication work increases
b)indispensible
25)Blackhawk hydraulic press 5-ton floor model
a)Not used often, but no substitute (impractical to “send jobs out”)
b)Sheet metal brake in student shop, when abused by physical plant folks, is fixed using this.
c)Used to recover indium
26)Gorton pantograph 8” x 18”
a)Can make signs on doors. Nice engraver
b)Could sell it; better to have a CNC milling machine instead.
27)Leblond Lathe 16” x 80”
a)Long bed. Used for long pieces
b)Used regularly--daily
28)Cincinnati horizontal mill 10” x 40”, power feed
a)Good for removing lots of material.
b)Bob Cann doesn’t use, but Dan Krause and Bill Slocum do. Used for Larry’s coils.
c)Very useful for specialty jobs
29)Carolina 6000 lb. hoist
a)Use often
30)National 3” bar & rod shear
a)Small, useful
31)Monarch lathe 14.5” x 54”
a)Most used of the three lathes
b)Short
c)Used daily
32)Cincinnati lathe 22” x 87”
a)Used for large diameter pieces
b)Used the least often of the three lathes—several times per year (some of Mark Marshall’s work done here)
33)Bridgeport mill 9” x 42”, J-head, digital readout
a)Indispensible; used daily
Student and Faculty Shop
Notes:
1)Too small for existing department needs, much less needs of a fully-staffed department
2)Adequate for most of the year, but inadequate during summer session, intersession
3)Bursting at the seams with equipment, and there’s only one tool that’s not used [Delta surface grinder]
4)Staging area/counter space is too small
5)Lab bench space is too small—need a bench per student (about triple what we’ve got). This is the highest priority should additional space become available
6)Adding size to student/faculty shop would be consonant with the educational mission of the college
7)Why a separate student/faculty shop, distinct from main shop?
a)Safety issues are one reason we’ve got a separate student shop: machines in main shop are more powerful and more dangerous. Students are trained on machines in student/faculty shop and are safe using them, but would not be safe using more powerful machines on which they have less experience.
b)Amateurs also get in the way of the pros in the main shop, clutter the shop, beat up or misuse precision equipment
c) student/faculty shop is standard in university physics departments, where lots of work is done. In liberal arts colleges where there’s a single shop, suspect it’s often hobbyist-level work that’s done. Fewer safety issues, less use of the facility overall.
8)Shop course: 4 students per class, one class in am and one class in pm. Taught for three weeks over interterm and three weeks over summer. Bob can’t offer one-on-one attention to more than four students at once.
1)South bend lathe 9” x 3’ bench top
a)There’s a row of 4 lathes, all heavily used by faculty, staff, and students. They are archaic and well-used, but in good working condition. They could be update, but we don’t need more (even with an expanded shop course).
b)indispensible
2)South bend lathe 9” x 4’ bench top
3)South bend lathe 10” x 4’ toolroom type
4)South Bend lathe 14.5” x 6’ heavy duty
5)Delta 17” drill press 5-speed, rack & pinion table
a)The three drill presses are in a row, providing options for high, medium, and low speed
b)Good to have three presses.
c)Compact, heavily used
6)Delta 14” drill press 12-speed
7)Delta 14” drill press 4-speed
8)Pexto 60” brake light duty sheet metal
a)For long bends
b)Used by larry and physical plant
c)Very useful
9)Doall 16” bandsaw with blade welder
a)Used (and abused) daily by students and Bob Cann
b)Indispensible
10)Pantograph engraver mfg. unknown
a)Never used
b)Takes no space (tabletop)
11)Sigourney drill 6” high speed
a)Tabletop
b)Used regularly, for small holes in e.g. circuit boards
c)indispensible
12)Pexto foot shear 36” x 16 gage
a)Used daily
b)indispensible
13)Electric spot welder mfg. unknown
a)Archaic but useful
b)Needs to be upgraded ($1500 for new one?)
c)indispensible
14)Soldering station 30” x 60” fire proof top, air-acetylene torch under
a)Used often
b)Needs better ventilation in new facility (fume hood)
c)indispensible
15)Goodell-Pratt sheet metal punch, 4” throat
a)Needs upgrade; maybe turret punch?
b)Used often
c)indispensible
16)Pexto box brake 36” x 16 gage
a)Archaic design
b)Used often. We do lots of sheet metal work (bending chassis boxes, etc.). physical plant uses it too.
c)Indispensible.
17)Bridgeport mill 9” x 42”, J-head
a)Both this and the other Bridgeport mill (20) are indispensible.
b)One is for large heavy work, the other for fine work.
c)We could really use a third mill
d)Would cost $1500 per machine to add optical stops (bob cann doesn’t recommend)
18)Delta surface grinder 6” x 10” magnetic chuck
a)Nice machine, but students wouldn’t use. No one uses this but bob cann and dan Krause
b)Makes abrasive dust
19)Powermatic 6” grinder on pedestal
a)indispensible
20)Bridgeport mill 9” x 32”, round ram
21) Steel foundry table
a)used somewhat, good to have for pounding on things
Wood Shop
Notes:
- Bob Cann uses the wood shop several times per day (sometimes small stuff: e.g. making support blocks for student lathes). Bob Bartos uses the shop weekly, Dan Krause and Larry Hunter are also frequent users.
- For Bob Cann, especially, it would be LOTS of wasted time to go to another building when he wants to use the wood shop.
- Current usage would permit the wood shop to be somewhat smaller, although planning for a new shop should anticipate greater use from a larger group of experimental physicists. Any consolidation with biology and chemistry shops might also increase use.
- Wood is frequently the material of choice in experimental physics apparatus: cheap, non-magnetic, easy to use
- A new wood shop would need code-approved dust collection equipments, as the geology and physical plant wood shops have.
What else do we need in a future facility?
i)Painting area
(1)We paint frequently. We’d like a space in which we can do this safely and easily.
(2)Needs
(a)Sinks
(b)Paint storage areas
(c)Ventilation / filtration sysmte
(d)Code-approved spray booth would be very useful
1)Delta unisaw 10” tilt blade
a)Used often
2)Wallace jointer 8”
a)Makes a clean edge. Bob Cann doesn’t use this much and considers it expendable. Larry uses it occasionally.
3)Craftsman planer 12”, power feed
a)Bob Cann doesn’t use this much and considers it expendable—could be replaced by a portable power tool. Larry uses it occasionally.
4)Delta 14” drill press 4 speed
a)Indispensible and convenient. Need the space for working with big boards (don’t want to do this in machine shop).
5)Keystone whetstone grinder 13”
a)Bob Cann hasn’t used this.
1)Delta scroll saw 24” throat
b)Bob Cann has used this half a dozen times. Used for fine curves. Archaic, should be replaced.
6)Delta wood lathe 10” x 4’
a)Not used for a generation. Can use a metal lathe instead.
7)Baldor 8” buffer/polisher on pedestal
a)New, gets used often. Used for polishing metals.
8)Delta portable dust collector
9)Powermatic bandsaw 20” throat
a)Indispensible. Bigger is better for this machine.
10)Powermatic 6” x 48” belt sander
a)Indispensible. Used often.
11) Tables and work areas
a) used frequently and heavily
b)indispensible as staging areas
12) Wood storage space
a)takes up very little floor space
b)VERY handy to have spare wood readily available for quick jobs
Welding and Grinding Shop
Notes: a new welding/grinding shop needs better ventilation than the current shop
What else do we need in a future facility?
A bead blast cabinet would be very, very useful. It’s used for cleaning scale from copper and brass and for preparing surfaces for welding and painting. It would take up about 3’x 6’.
1)Covell 6” cutter grinder X-Y table, index head
a)Sharpens punches, dies, and end mills.
b)Used frequently by Bob Cann
c)Indispensible
2)Pistorius 14” glass saw water cooled, sliding table
a)Gets lots of use—no substitute for cutting quartz or titanium, fabricating glass cells
b)Indispensible
3)Norton 7” surface grinder 6” x 18” magnetic chuck power feed, water cooled
a)Sharpen lathe cutters and thread cutters
b)Can grind flat surfaces in hard materials
c)Not used often (Bob Cann has only used it once in the last 6 mo), but indispensible [there’s a lesser one in the student shop]
4)Lincoln ‘idealarc’ AC/DC/TIG welder water cooled, argon or helium inert gas
a)Used for inert gas welding (of stainless, aluminum, titanium). Used in fabrication of vacuum system parts
b)Need a newer one
c)Used often, indispensible
5)Campbell-Hausfeld air compressor 6.5 SCFM @ 90 psi (for plasma cutter) / plasma cutter
a)The compressor is the compressed air source for the plasma cutter
b)Cutter used for cutting sheet steel
c)Used often, especially by physical plant
d)Indispensible
6)Blount 8” grinder on pedestal wire wheel
a)Good for cleaning scale, rust, paint
b)Good second grinder
c)Takes up little space
7)Oxy-acetylene heat/weld/cut torch outfit
a)For heating metal red-hot for bending, etc.
b)Indispensible
8)Soldering station 30” x 84”, fire proof top, air-acetylene torch under
a)Duplicates the station in the student shop, although it’s good to have the second one
b)Useful for things like casting replacement lead hammers
c)This one is probably not indispensible, but we need at least one such station
9)Carboloy 6” cutter grinder X-Y table, index head diamond wheel
a)Bob Cann has not used this yet (has a diamond wheel, and Bob hasn’t needed to sharpen carbide)
Rack Storage area
Notes:
- A storage area of this sort is indispensible.
- The amount of space we currently have is about right. Note that in addition to the storage space in the shop, there is additional rack storage space across the hall (near the hazardous waste containment area)
- Store steel, stainless, Al, brass, Cu, sheet metal, Ti
- We estimate 90% of the jobs that get done in the shops are done with stock from the shelves (as opposed to having it delivered). Without such storage we’d waste a tremendous amount of time.
- Physical plant and chemistry also draw from this supply
- Needs double door access
- Needs to be near loading dock
1)Johnson bandsaw horizontal cut-off 10” x 10” capacity
a)For cutting off long stock
b)Used often (weekly, at least)
2)Goodell-Pratt 4” bar shear
3)Dexion Angle shear (2)
4)Pexto foot shear 52” x 16 gage capacity
a)For shearing light gauge Al, brass, Cu, G10
b)Physical plant uses this frequently
c)Takes up lots of floor space. Need 8’ clearance on either end.
d)Used often, indispensible
5)Small parts storage area
a)Indispensible
b)Unrealistic to imagine we can have all of these parts delivered—can’t wait a day for a bolt, or order 50 when we need only one.
6)Locked storage area
a)For cutting tools
b)Would cost est. $100K to replace the high-value items stored here
General notes:
- Q: Can’t we do with less shop and send jobs out? The money we save on space would pay for lots of jobs to be done elsewhere.
- A: Hidden costs to this approach: big drain on faculty time, student time to do detailed drawing, plans, CAD; to manage outside vendors (get requests for quotes, take bids, etc.). If the job of managing this work and doing the drawing falls to bob cann, he may be too tied up to do the actual machining; may need to hire additional people
- Take time to send stuff out & get it back, and the life cycle of a summer student is only 6-10 weeks. Can’t be waiting weeks to get stuff needed to make progress in lab
- Faculty appreciate the iterative nature of work with machine shop: talk to bob about idea, he looks at our lab and apparatus, helps plan it, builds it, we try it in lab, it doesn’t work quite right, bob makes changes… this isn’t possible if we “ship things out”---the time for iterations becomes too long, and we lose the value our local expert provides in improving our experimental design and fabrication process
- Is shop right size?
- Will there be more people? If bio, chem shops will be added to our space, maybe not. Certainly not enough office space.
- Otherwise, it’s a pretty good space. Bob wants additional space for student/faculty shop very much, so any space that could be found in main shop he’d prefer to go to student/faculty shop/
Current Machine Shop Space 3/18/09