Equipment signature clothing is world known for its timeless and innocative
collection of luxe fabrics and silks with unexpected details and feminine riffs
on men's shirting. Shop today and experience men's wear turn into women's wear
with elegance and class. In this article, I want to talk about one of my
favorite clothing brand – Equipment. Equipment clothing transforms a men's
classic into an item of women's clothing with glam appeal. Equipment tops are
characterized by its refined tailoring and timeless appeal.
It quickly became a
recognized name amongst the fashion elite back in 1975 and is making its
comeback under new management. Many designers and fashionistas say that
Equipment tops are definitely the must see item in your wardrobe because styling
it has endless possibilities For that being said, here are some of my favorite
fashionable ways you can wear your equipment tops. - Top any outfit with a
preppy button-down shirt and you'll ooze scholastic chic. Pair it with tailored
pants for a sophisticated look or a skirt to keep it girly. - Wear it with a
pencil skirt and tucked it in. This will bring you the professional chic look. -
Slip on a thin windbreaker to beat the early-morning drizzles and add a chic
twist to your outfit. Not only does it add an extra layer of warmth, but it also
doubles the coolness of any dress. - Be ahead of the trend by reaching for camel
colored-colored jeans instead of your trusty blue skinnies. Classic khaki looks
chic with neutrals, but looks every bit as awesome with layers of bright colors.
- There's no doubt about it: maxi skirts are here to stay. Rock a floor-grazing
number and pair your button down shirts with a maxi dress for a very boho look
bus bar punching shearing
machine. - For a fun take on the classic blazer, choose a piece in a bold
color. Toss a statement jacket over your go-to jeans, favorite shorts, or floral
sundresses instantly spunky outfit. - Put a pep in your step by slipping into a
pair of menswear-inspired oxford shoes. They add a twist to a feminine dress, or
wear them with tailored trousers for a borrowed-from-the-boys style copper busbar shearing punching
machine. - Inject a taste of menswear into your wardrobe by topping an
outfit off with a simple double-breasted jacket, whether it's a take on the
blazer or trench.
- Tie the tails of your favorite button-down for a quick way
to show off a circle skirt. It's a great way to give an oversized shirt a
stylish shape. - Buckle on a stylish waist-cinching statement belt this fall.
Those thick fabulous belts work the best. It'll work equally well over a shirt
dress worn alone as it will over a long button down shirt and jeans! - Pleated
skirts aren't just for elementary schoolgirls anymore; the style has matured to
the fashion big-leagues. Play up the retro feel with ladylike accessories. Pair
your button down shirts with these skirts. - Keep cozy in a light sweater—try a
crochet knit for a look that's both bold and breezy. - Top a girly or casual
outfit with a denim workshirt for a cool way to dress it down. Try a faded tint
for a vintage vibe. These are just some of the ways you can rock your Equipment
tops. There are absolutely more – that is why I love the brand. Experiment.
You'll be surprised how great you look! Shop for today. Now that it is back on
the market, are set to be a style staple for Spring 2012 and US women's shirt
specialists and fashionistas say that Equipment is tipped to be the choice brand
again for years.
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Friday, December 25, 2015
Your Favorite Fashion Pieces at the Equipment Shop
Equipment signature clothing is world known for its timeless and innocative
collection of luxe fabrics and silks with unexpected details and feminine riffs
on men's shirting. Shop today and experience men's wear turn into women's wear
with elegance and class. A simple and crisp blouse is a wardrobe staple.
This is one of my favorite pieces of clothing, and I’m pretty sure a lot of fashionistas out there agree with me. So when Equipment announced they were making a comeback back in 2011, I was ecstatic! Now, Equipment has become my favorite brand, frequently checking out their online for the latest offerings. The Equipment clothing was launched way back in the 70s when Christian Restoin first introduced the now classic two pocket French label silk shirt which instantly became a hit. However, after two decades of success hydraulic busbar punching machine, Restoin decided to close shop and give the brand a rest. Fortunately, French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld—Restoin’s wife—and Serge Azria—CEO of Joie and Current Elliot—decided to relaunch this iconic brand with perfect timing just as blouses were currently en vogue. Their shirts’ material is made of washed silk, with front flap pockets, long sleeves, a collar, a button-down front, cuffs, pleated back and a curved hem. The new blouses they offer come in a wide selection of gorgeous hues, which are very stylish and can easily incorporated to your seasonal wardrobe collection.
This summer, the Equipment Signature Sleeveless Blouse is the perfect easy breezy top for the season. It comes in so many vibrant colors that you can pretty much wear anytime anywhere. In the fall, you can add the Equipment Signature Blouse to your collection. This piece of chic clothing is so versatile it can be worn in a lot of different ways. You can pair it with a high waist skirt, a pair of sexy shorts, leggings, jeggings, or tucked into your favorite pair of jeans. Add a little zing to your wardrobe collection with the Equipment Daddy Chiffon Blouse and the Equipment Brett Colorblock Shirt.
For a fabulous ensemble, you can throw a loose-fitting Equipment shirt over a pair of skinny jeans or denim cutoffs. It’s a refreshing look that moves away from all the form-fitting tank tops that is quite common in the summer. Equipment gives the French menswear style a California twist. Equipment offers the very comfortable and stylish tops and blouses in a variety of colors busbar bending, fabrics, prints, and cuts. You can pair them with shorts, skirts, trousers, denims for either a formal or casual look. Visit their online and browse through their collection to get yourself one of their fabulous clothing items now.
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This is one of my favorite pieces of clothing, and I’m pretty sure a lot of fashionistas out there agree with me. So when Equipment announced they were making a comeback back in 2011, I was ecstatic! Now, Equipment has become my favorite brand, frequently checking out their online for the latest offerings. The Equipment clothing was launched way back in the 70s when Christian Restoin first introduced the now classic two pocket French label silk shirt which instantly became a hit. However, after two decades of success hydraulic busbar punching machine, Restoin decided to close shop and give the brand a rest. Fortunately, French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld—Restoin’s wife—and Serge Azria—CEO of Joie and Current Elliot—decided to relaunch this iconic brand with perfect timing just as blouses were currently en vogue. Their shirts’ material is made of washed silk, with front flap pockets, long sleeves, a collar, a button-down front, cuffs, pleated back and a curved hem. The new blouses they offer come in a wide selection of gorgeous hues, which are very stylish and can easily incorporated to your seasonal wardrobe collection.
This summer, the Equipment Signature Sleeveless Blouse is the perfect easy breezy top for the season. It comes in so many vibrant colors that you can pretty much wear anytime anywhere. In the fall, you can add the Equipment Signature Blouse to your collection. This piece of chic clothing is so versatile it can be worn in a lot of different ways. You can pair it with a high waist skirt, a pair of sexy shorts, leggings, jeggings, or tucked into your favorite pair of jeans. Add a little zing to your wardrobe collection with the Equipment Daddy Chiffon Blouse and the Equipment Brett Colorblock Shirt.
For a fabulous ensemble, you can throw a loose-fitting Equipment shirt over a pair of skinny jeans or denim cutoffs. It’s a refreshing look that moves away from all the form-fitting tank tops that is quite common in the summer. Equipment gives the French menswear style a California twist. Equipment offers the very comfortable and stylish tops and blouses in a variety of colors busbar bending, fabrics, prints, and cuts. You can pair them with shorts, skirts, trousers, denims for either a formal or casual look. Visit their online and browse through their collection to get yourself one of their fabulous clothing items now.
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Friday, December 4, 2015
Pro Form ab Glider - Two Exercise Machine
Being able to perform two exercises on one machine is not unusual. But to have
arc crunches and circular burn in the on abs machine is. Most of these machine
permit one or the other but not both. It is this feature and its competitive
pricing that makes the 'unique' along side it opposition Pro Form ab Glider -
The Two Exercise Machine There are numerous fitness training machines on the
market. And many of them are really good. One of the more recent arrivals is the
Pro Form ab Glider. This newer machine is specifically aimed at providing
exercises for your abdominal muscles and for strengthening your core generally
with two modes of motion - arc crunches and circular burn. Some Unique Features
A unique feature of the Pro Form ab Glider is its ability to position the track
in two directions. One is the arc crunch direction where it is firmly fixed in
place in line with the handles. The other is at right angles to the handles
where it is free to move so that you can perform circular burn exercises. This
puts it in a class ahead of some of its rivals which are single motion machines.
Designed for either arc crunches or circular burn but not both. And not only
does the Pro Form ab Glider let you perform these two exercises it also lets you
perform them better. The makers claim that you burn up to twice as many calories
and get over 40 percent more muscle activation with their machine. This is
certainly something to consider when evaluating this equipment. A Clever But
Simple Concept In concept the Pro Form ab Glider is quite simple. And this is
the case with most good ideas. When you see them for the first time it seems too
easy to only have appeared now. Our most common comment is "Why wasn't it
thought of before" And what is the concept? Well the Pro Form ab Glider
essentially consists of a curved 'glider track' that is mounted on a very secure
and sturdy base. This base is essentially circular with wide spread feet for
stability. Underneath the the glider track there is another handle support bar
which rises to above the track and terminates in two separate handles. Each
handle having a rubberized grip to ensure a firm hold can be maintained by the
user busbar
processing machine. Finally there is the 'glider' itself which is mounted on
the glider track and is free to move along the track as you exercise cnc busbar machine. The
glider is essentially a a formed cushion with two depressions where you place
the lower leg (kneel) as you exercise. And then there is the feature which makes
the 'unique'. The glider track can be rotated through 90 degrees and fixed.
Fixed either parallel to the handles for arc crunches or 'floating' at right angles to the handles for circular burn. Not Every Review Was Positive BUT By and large the ab Glider has had positive reviews from users but none the less a few short comings have been noted by some. The most commented on is the fact that as delivered the ab Glider has no handle adjustment. Making it a little more difficult for taller users. In fact some purchasers believe that as advertised the machine did have an adjustable handle. Fir them it has been a disappointment and a limitation. Others felt that the depressions in the glider cushion were not deep enough would be better with an outer support. This would prevent your lower leg gradually slipping outwards as you exercise and then having to stop to re-position to make the leg more secure. And finally while not a short coming the Pro Form ab Glider is delivered as a 'flat pack' which you have to assemble yourself. For some this may be a challenge and the literature suggests that you might need two people for the task. However most seem to have managed the task themselves in about an hour. Despite the mildly negative commentary one user noted that if the small shortcomings were addressed they would be happy to give an Amazon rating of five stars. Particularly as it is relatively well priced when compared with its competitors. More Features To Note Anther feature of the is that the deliver includes an On-Board LCD 'computer' monitor to record and keep track of your exercising. And no exercising regime is complete without taking note of diet - or what you are eating. This is covered with the weight-loss eating guide and the two DVD's that also come with your delivery. The DVD guides are important because they demonstrate how to use the machine properly.
Some felt they were not getting the full benefit of the machine until the DVD showed that their posture and action was not correct bus bar bending machine. Ensure You Look Closely In summary then you have a sturdy, well made piece of exercise equipment in the Pro Form ab Glider that is very well priced, that gives up to twice the calorie burn and activates up to 40% more muscle cnc busbar bending machine. It has lateral and vertical motions to enable both arc crunches and circular burn. And you will also achieve a proper cardio workout as well As such the Proform Ab Glider deserves close scrutiny from anyone looking to purchase an abs machine - because it does much more than similar machines at a very competitive price. Article Tags: ,
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Fixed either parallel to the handles for arc crunches or 'floating' at right angles to the handles for circular burn. Not Every Review Was Positive BUT By and large the ab Glider has had positive reviews from users but none the less a few short comings have been noted by some. The most commented on is the fact that as delivered the ab Glider has no handle adjustment. Making it a little more difficult for taller users. In fact some purchasers believe that as advertised the machine did have an adjustable handle. Fir them it has been a disappointment and a limitation. Others felt that the depressions in the glider cushion were not deep enough would be better with an outer support. This would prevent your lower leg gradually slipping outwards as you exercise and then having to stop to re-position to make the leg more secure. And finally while not a short coming the Pro Form ab Glider is delivered as a 'flat pack' which you have to assemble yourself. For some this may be a challenge and the literature suggests that you might need two people for the task. However most seem to have managed the task themselves in about an hour. Despite the mildly negative commentary one user noted that if the small shortcomings were addressed they would be happy to give an Amazon rating of five stars. Particularly as it is relatively well priced when compared with its competitors. More Features To Note Anther feature of the is that the deliver includes an On-Board LCD 'computer' monitor to record and keep track of your exercising. And no exercising regime is complete without taking note of diet - or what you are eating. This is covered with the weight-loss eating guide and the two DVD's that also come with your delivery. The DVD guides are important because they demonstrate how to use the machine properly.
Some felt they were not getting the full benefit of the machine until the DVD showed that their posture and action was not correct bus bar bending machine. Ensure You Look Closely In summary then you have a sturdy, well made piece of exercise equipment in the Pro Form ab Glider that is very well priced, that gives up to twice the calorie burn and activates up to 40% more muscle cnc busbar bending machine. It has lateral and vertical motions to enable both arc crunches and circular burn. And you will also achieve a proper cardio workout as well As such the Proform Ab Glider deserves close scrutiny from anyone looking to purchase an abs machine - because it does much more than similar machines at a very competitive price. Article Tags: ,
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Choosing a Binding Machine For Your Office
If you're thinking of buying a binding machine for your home or business,
perhaps you're wondering what kind of machine would best fit your needs. Here
are a few things to consider when choosing a binding machine. If you're thinking
of buying a binding machine for your home or business, perhaps you're wondering
what kind of machine would best fit your needs copper
busbar bending machine.
There are a few factors to consider when making your decision, from identifying the type of documents you'll be binding to knowing what styles of binding are available. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a binding machine. The types of projects you'll be doing. In other words, what are you going to be binding? Self-published novels? Financial reports? Your child's school projects? And how long will your documents be? The type of documents you'll be binding is the most important factor when choosing a binding machine hydraulic busbar bending machine. If you're only going to be binding personal projects, then a less expensive, low-capacity binding machine will probably suffice. If you're part of a larger business that routinely binds lots of thick documents, a bigger, pricier machine is probably what you'll need. What's your biggest priority? While you may need several different features in a binding machine, it's important to boil down your needs to the absolute essentials. For example, is price the most important factor? Size? Brand name? Punching capacity? The look of the binding? Figuring out what's vital to your binding needs will help ensure you'll choose the right machine for your home or office. What binding style should you use? There are four major binding styles and each style is good for different needs. Plastic comb binding is a popular option with many organizations. It's an easy and economical way to bind documents copper punching machine, and because the combs can be reopened, it's possible to revise documents even after they've been bound. Wire-O binding lets the pages of your booklet lay flat bending machinery, while allowing for 360-degree rotation. This is typically a permanent style of binding, although some machines allow you to reopen and revise the document. Thermal binding is ideal to use when you won't need to revise your booklet. This style of binding offers a clean, seamless look and permanently bound pages.
Unibind, Therm-a-bind and Powis Parker Fastback are all examples of thermal binding. VeloBinding locks pages into place with a spine, giving your project a sturdy, book-like finish. As with thermal binding, this style is permanent, meaning you won't be able to revise your document. Finally, what's the best machine to get? Now that you know about the different styles of binding and have determined what features you want in a machine, you can now figure out what machine to get. Be sure to do your research on this (the Internet is a great resource) so that you can get the best machine for your money. As with any other major purchase, the key to knowing what binding machine to purchase is knowing what your needs are and then choosing the correct binding style. Whether you need something easy to use (such as a comb binding machine) or are looking for the polished, professional look VeloBinding can offer, knowing what's important will help you easily and confidently purchase a binding machine that's perfect for you and your office.
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There are a few factors to consider when making your decision, from identifying the type of documents you'll be binding to knowing what styles of binding are available. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a binding machine. The types of projects you'll be doing. In other words, what are you going to be binding? Self-published novels? Financial reports? Your child's school projects? And how long will your documents be? The type of documents you'll be binding is the most important factor when choosing a binding machine hydraulic busbar bending machine. If you're only going to be binding personal projects, then a less expensive, low-capacity binding machine will probably suffice. If you're part of a larger business that routinely binds lots of thick documents, a bigger, pricier machine is probably what you'll need. What's your biggest priority? While you may need several different features in a binding machine, it's important to boil down your needs to the absolute essentials. For example, is price the most important factor? Size? Brand name? Punching capacity? The look of the binding? Figuring out what's vital to your binding needs will help ensure you'll choose the right machine for your home or office. What binding style should you use? There are four major binding styles and each style is good for different needs. Plastic comb binding is a popular option with many organizations. It's an easy and economical way to bind documents copper punching machine, and because the combs can be reopened, it's possible to revise documents even after they've been bound. Wire-O binding lets the pages of your booklet lay flat bending machinery, while allowing for 360-degree rotation. This is typically a permanent style of binding, although some machines allow you to reopen and revise the document. Thermal binding is ideal to use when you won't need to revise your booklet. This style of binding offers a clean, seamless look and permanently bound pages.
Unibind, Therm-a-bind and Powis Parker Fastback are all examples of thermal binding. VeloBinding locks pages into place with a spine, giving your project a sturdy, book-like finish. As with thermal binding, this style is permanent, meaning you won't be able to revise your document. Finally, what's the best machine to get? Now that you know about the different styles of binding and have determined what features you want in a machine, you can now figure out what machine to get. Be sure to do your research on this (the Internet is a great resource) so that you can get the best machine for your money. As with any other major purchase, the key to knowing what binding machine to purchase is knowing what your needs are and then choosing the correct binding style. Whether you need something easy to use (such as a comb binding machine) or are looking for the polished, professional look VeloBinding can offer, knowing what's important will help you easily and confidently purchase a binding machine that's perfect for you and your office.
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Don't Buy A Kangen Water Machine!
In this article we're going to go into detail about the Kangen Water Machine,
technically named the Enagic SD-501. To talk about the machine, however, we
first need to go into detail about the company itself and their marketing
tactics, which are almost universally accepted to be the big ripoff in the water
ionizer industry. Let's begin. "Kangen Water" The Enagic Corporation owns the
term "Kangen Water" but it's really just a marketing term. Kangen Water is no
different from Ionized Water, or Alkaline Water, whatever you'd like to call it.
The Kangen Water Machine is a Water Ionizer bending machine, which
converts regular water into alkaline water by removing some of the acidic
components from your regular tap water aluminium busbars.
This is all based on the pH scale, and if you want to go into more detail about alkaline water there are a host of resources on our site. But for now, let's just say that if you've spoken with a kangen water dealer and they've told you about the "miracle water" that these machines produce bending machinery, and if you had no idea that there were competitors in the industry, that's probably because you didn't know the right words to search for. By searching for kangen water, all you'll get is info from the Enagic corporation. Multi-Level Marketing Now on to the bad part about the Enagic corporation. They are a multi-level marketing (MLM) company copper pipe bender, which is very similar to a pyramid scheme. When you buy a machine from them, they see it as a business opportunity to get you involved in selling their machines yourself. If you sell one to your friend, you get a commission on it... and so does the person who sold you your machine, and so does the person who sold them their machine... on and on for EIGHT (8) tiers. That means that more than half the price of the machine (which costs a whopping $3980) is getting paid out as commission to all the people higher up the stream. Needless to say, it doesn't cost them anywhere even close to that amount of money to produce the machine, and if you're just looking to buy a water ionizer and not get involved in a business scheme, then you're better off going with another company. There are plenty of competitors, but they won't tell you that, because their whole marketing campaign is shrouded in secrecy and they use these tactics to convince you that their machine is the only one that provides results, etc.
If you've been told that, then you should know that they're all blatant deceptions. The Kangen Water Machine The machine that Enagic promotes most heavily is their SD-501 model, which was probably the best machine on the market up until a year or two ago. By best machine on the market, I mean the one that is able to convert water to a higher level of alkalinity and a higher -ORP, and if you'd like to learn more about that then you can again find specific explanations in the "Alkaline Water" section of our site. But the bottom line is that in the past year, two stronger models have been introduced by companies that are more legitimate - the Tyent 7070 and the KYK Genesis. These two machines are less than half the price of the Kangen Water Machine, and consistently beat it in trial comparisons. So, the bottom line is, if you're thinking about purchasing a Kangen Water Machine (Enagic SD-501), you shouldn't, unless you want to get involved in a massive business scheme. Buy one of the two better machines out there.
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This is all based on the pH scale, and if you want to go into more detail about alkaline water there are a host of resources on our site. But for now, let's just say that if you've spoken with a kangen water dealer and they've told you about the "miracle water" that these machines produce bending machinery, and if you had no idea that there were competitors in the industry, that's probably because you didn't know the right words to search for. By searching for kangen water, all you'll get is info from the Enagic corporation. Multi-Level Marketing Now on to the bad part about the Enagic corporation. They are a multi-level marketing (MLM) company copper pipe bender, which is very similar to a pyramid scheme. When you buy a machine from them, they see it as a business opportunity to get you involved in selling their machines yourself. If you sell one to your friend, you get a commission on it... and so does the person who sold you your machine, and so does the person who sold them their machine... on and on for EIGHT (8) tiers. That means that more than half the price of the machine (which costs a whopping $3980) is getting paid out as commission to all the people higher up the stream. Needless to say, it doesn't cost them anywhere even close to that amount of money to produce the machine, and if you're just looking to buy a water ionizer and not get involved in a business scheme, then you're better off going with another company. There are plenty of competitors, but they won't tell you that, because their whole marketing campaign is shrouded in secrecy and they use these tactics to convince you that their machine is the only one that provides results, etc.
If you've been told that, then you should know that they're all blatant deceptions. The Kangen Water Machine The machine that Enagic promotes most heavily is their SD-501 model, which was probably the best machine on the market up until a year or two ago. By best machine on the market, I mean the one that is able to convert water to a higher level of alkalinity and a higher -ORP, and if you'd like to learn more about that then you can again find specific explanations in the "Alkaline Water" section of our site. But the bottom line is that in the past year, two stronger models have been introduced by companies that are more legitimate - the Tyent 7070 and the KYK Genesis. These two machines are less than half the price of the Kangen Water Machine, and consistently beat it in trial comparisons. So, the bottom line is, if you're thinking about purchasing a Kangen Water Machine (Enagic SD-501), you shouldn't, unless you want to get involved in a massive business scheme. Buy one of the two better machines out there.
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Francis Francis X6 Trio Espresso Maker Review - Visual Appearance Plus Much More
Although I would count myself as keen on the Francis Francis X6 Trio, I'd also
need to admit that it's not perfect in each and every aspect. Its cons have to
be considered in alongside its pros if you are considering buying one. Within
this review I'll review the important thing things you ought to determine if
they are considering purchasing the Francis Francis X6 on their own. First of
all you must know the Francis Francis X6 Trio espresso maker isn't for that
casual coffee drinker.
If you are pleased with an easy cup of joe from the $20 coffee machine busbar bending cutting punching machine, this particular machine most likely is not for you personally. You are most likely likely to pay up to $400 for this busbar punching machine, even though that's worthwhile to some bonafide coffee connoisseur, the sporadic coffee drinker will most likely shy away from the cost machine bending. If you are still reading through, let us cover off the good things. The device looks fantastic. And honestly, its looks are among the primary reasons which i got it. In case your house or apartment has a little if the art deco feel into it, this little baby will merge superbly. It doesn't only look wonderful but it may also create an incredible cup of espresso, too. The device does use coffee pods, that amounted to a little greater than loose espresso, however it really makes the development of the right cup a little simpler and fewer untidy.
Ultimately, you are developing a perfect cup of espresso for approximately $1 a go, that we think is okay when comparing it what you would be having to pay in a coffee shop. Controlling the wand while you are making your espresso will require getting accustomed to because the positioning from it around the machine is not the very best hydraulic busbar punching machine, but after some practice you need to have the ability to obtain the process perfected. The device may also leak just a little, although by "leaks" I am talking about a couple of drops of condensation that drip lower around or with the extraction element. If you are not careful this condensation can drip in to the espresso itself and finish up affecting the shot - not ideal when you are pursuing coffee nirvana. But overall I must state that anybody who desires a higher-quality espresso maker for under a $1,000 can't fail using the Francis Francis X6 Trio espresso maker. For which it provides as well as for the standard from the espresso it produces, it's really a reasonable priced machine.
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If you are pleased with an easy cup of joe from the $20 coffee machine busbar bending cutting punching machine, this particular machine most likely is not for you personally. You are most likely likely to pay up to $400 for this busbar punching machine, even though that's worthwhile to some bonafide coffee connoisseur, the sporadic coffee drinker will most likely shy away from the cost machine bending. If you are still reading through, let us cover off the good things. The device looks fantastic. And honestly, its looks are among the primary reasons which i got it. In case your house or apartment has a little if the art deco feel into it, this little baby will merge superbly. It doesn't only look wonderful but it may also create an incredible cup of espresso, too. The device does use coffee pods, that amounted to a little greater than loose espresso, however it really makes the development of the right cup a little simpler and fewer untidy.
Ultimately, you are developing a perfect cup of espresso for approximately $1 a go, that we think is okay when comparing it what you would be having to pay in a coffee shop. Controlling the wand while you are making your espresso will require getting accustomed to because the positioning from it around the machine is not the very best hydraulic busbar punching machine, but after some practice you need to have the ability to obtain the process perfected. The device may also leak just a little, although by "leaks" I am talking about a couple of drops of condensation that drip lower around or with the extraction element. If you are not careful this condensation can drip in to the espresso itself and finish up affecting the shot - not ideal when you are pursuing coffee nirvana. But overall I must state that anybody who desires a higher-quality espresso maker for under a $1,000 can't fail using the Francis Francis X6 Trio espresso maker. For which it provides as well as for the standard from the espresso it produces, it's really a reasonable priced machine.
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Sunday, November 29, 2015
Repairing Your Own Machine Components
Many industrial concerns have workshops of their own. For the
repair of worn shafts, the lathe machine is excellent. Keyway
slots can be machined by using a milling machine, while a
shaping machine can do machining of large flat areas. A
drilling machine does drilling of holes.
A skilled Maintenance Engineer should know how to use all these
machines in order to make his own repairs in a safe manner. Very
often he has to supervise machinists. The information below
should be useful for that purpose.
Lathe Machine
The lathe machine uses a single-point-cutting tool for a variety
of turning, facing, and drilling jobs. Excess metal is removed
by rotating the work piece over the fixed cutting tool to form
straight or tapered cylindrical shapes, grooves, shoulders and
screw threads. It can also be used for facing flat surfaces on
the ends of cylindrical parts.
The work piece is clamped onto a horizontal rotating shaft by a
3-jaw or 4-jaw chuck. The latter chuck can be used to cut
off-centered cylinders. The rotating horizontal spindle to which
the chuck is attached is usually driven at speeds that can be
varied.
The cutting tool is fixed onto a tool rest and manipulated by
hand. It can also be power driven on straight paths parallel or
perpendicular to the work axis. This is useful for screw cutting.
Internal turning known as boring results in the enlargement of
an already existing hole. The holes are more accurate in
roundness, concentricity, and parallelism than drilled holes. A
hole is bored with a single-point-cutting tool that feeds along
the inside of the work piece.
Shaping Machine
The shaping machine is used to machine flat surfaces, grooves,
shoulders, T-slots, and angular surfaces with single-point tools.
The cutting tool on the shaper oscillates, cutting on the forward
stroke, with the work piece feeding automatically toward the tool
during each return stroke.
Drilling Machine
The drilling machine is used to cut holes in metal with a twist
drill. By changing the cutting tool, they can be used to do
reaming, boring, counter boring, countersinking, and threading.
Milling Machine
The milling machine uses a rotating cutting tool to cut flat
surfaces, grooves, and shoulders, inclined surfaces, dovetails,
and T-slots. Cutters of many shapes are changed to cut different
grooves.
Cutting Tools
Metal-cutting tools are classified as single point or multiple
point. The lathe and shaping machine use single point cutting tool
while the milling and drilling machines use multiple-point-cutting
tools.
Metal is cut either by moving the work piece like in the lathe or
by moving the tool like in the shaping machine, drilling or
milling machine. Clearance angles must be provided to prevent the
tool surface below the cutting edge from rubbing against the work
piece. Rake angles are often provided on cutting tools to cause a
wedging action in the formation of chips and to reduce friction and
heat.
Tool Materials
In order to remove chips from a work piece, a cutting tool must be
harder than the work piece and must maintain a cutting edge at the
temperature produced by the friction of the cutting action.
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel tools even though comparatively inexpensive tend to
lose cutting ability at temperatures around 400 degree F (205
degree C).
High-Speed Steel
High-speed steel, containing 18 percent tungsten, 4 percent chromium,
1 percent vanadium, and only 0.5 to 0.8 percent carbon, permits the
operation of tools twice or three times the speeds allowable with
carbon steel
Cast Alloys
Cast-alloy cutting-tool materials containing cobalt, chromium, and
tungsten are effective in cutting cast iron and retaining their
cutting ability even when red hot.
Cemented Tungsten Carbide
The hardness of Tungsten Carbide approaches that of a diamond.
Tungsten carbide tools can be operated at cutting speeds many times
higher than those used with high-speed steel.
Oxides
Ceramic, or oxide, tool tips consist primarily of fine aluminum oxide
grains, which are bonded together. These are very hard.
Cutting fluids
An overheated tool can become blunt and soft very fast. Therefore
very often, cooling fluids cools the cutting points of the tool. This
serves to lubricate and cool.
Water is an excellent cooling medium, but it corrodes ferrous
materials. Sulfurized mineral oil is one of the most popular coolants
as it can both cool as well as lubricate. The sulfur prevents chips
from the work from melting on to the tip of the tool.
"As Easy As Blockbuster Guarantee"
Find the Best Tools for Garden, Garage, Industry and Home.
Widest Range of Quality Tools.
repair of worn shafts, the lathe machine is excellent. Keyway
slots can be machined by using a milling machine, while a
shaping machine can do machining of large flat areas. A
drilling machine does drilling of holes.
A skilled Maintenance Engineer should know how to use all these
machines in order to make his own repairs in a safe manner. Very
often he has to supervise machinists. The information below
should be useful for that purpose.
Lathe Machine
The lathe machine uses a single-point-cutting tool for a variety
of turning, facing, and drilling jobs. Excess metal is removed
by rotating the work piece over the fixed cutting tool to form
straight or tapered cylindrical shapes, grooves, shoulders and
screw threads. It can also be used for facing flat surfaces on
the ends of cylindrical parts.
The work piece is clamped onto a horizontal rotating shaft by a
3-jaw or 4-jaw chuck. The latter chuck can be used to cut
off-centered cylinders. The rotating horizontal spindle to which
the chuck is attached is usually driven at speeds that can be
varied.
The cutting tool is fixed onto a tool rest and manipulated by
hand. It can also be power driven on straight paths parallel or
perpendicular to the work axis. This is useful for screw cutting.
Internal turning known as boring results in the enlargement of
an already existing hole. The holes are more accurate in
roundness, concentricity, and parallelism than drilled holes. A
hole is bored with a single-point-cutting tool that feeds along
the inside of the work piece.
Shaping Machine
The shaping machine is used to machine flat surfaces, grooves,
shoulders, T-slots, and angular surfaces with single-point tools.
The cutting tool on the shaper oscillates, cutting on the forward
stroke, with the work piece feeding automatically toward the tool
during each return stroke.
Drilling Machine
The drilling machine is used to cut holes in metal with a twist
drill. By changing the cutting tool, they can be used to do
reaming, boring, counter boring, countersinking, and threading.
Milling Machine
The milling machine uses a rotating cutting tool to cut flat
surfaces, grooves, and shoulders, inclined surfaces, dovetails,
and T-slots. Cutters of many shapes are changed to cut different
grooves.
Cutting Tools
Metal-cutting tools are classified as single point or multiple
point. The lathe and shaping machine use single point cutting tool
while the milling and drilling machines use multiple-point-cutting
tools.
Metal is cut either by moving the work piece like in the lathe or
by moving the tool like in the shaping machine, drilling or
milling machine. Clearance angles must be provided to prevent the
tool surface below the cutting edge from rubbing against the work
piece. Rake angles are often provided on cutting tools to cause a
wedging action in the formation of chips and to reduce friction and
heat.
Tool Materials
In order to remove chips from a work piece, a cutting tool must be
harder than the work piece and must maintain a cutting edge at the
temperature produced by the friction of the cutting action.
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel tools even though comparatively inexpensive tend to
lose cutting ability at temperatures around 400 degree F (205
degree C).
High-Speed Steel
High-speed steel, containing 18 percent tungsten, 4 percent chromium,
1 percent vanadium, and only 0.5 to 0.8 percent carbon, permits the
operation of tools twice or three times the speeds allowable with
carbon steel
Cast Alloys
Cast-alloy cutting-tool materials containing cobalt, chromium, and
tungsten are effective in cutting cast iron and retaining their
cutting ability even when red hot.
Cemented Tungsten Carbide
The hardness of Tungsten Carbide approaches that of a diamond.
Tungsten carbide tools can be operated at cutting speeds many times
higher than those used with high-speed steel.
Oxides
Ceramic, or oxide, tool tips consist primarily of fine aluminum oxide
grains, which are bonded together. These are very hard.
Cutting fluids
An overheated tool can become blunt and soft very fast. Therefore
very often, cooling fluids cools the cutting points of the tool. This
serves to lubricate and cool.
Water is an excellent cooling medium, but it corrodes ferrous
materials. Sulfurized mineral oil is one of the most popular coolants
as it can both cool as well as lubricate. The sulfur prevents chips
from the work from melting on to the tip of the tool.
"As Easy As Blockbuster Guarantee"
Find the Best Tools for Garden, Garage, Industry and Home.
Widest Range of Quality Tools.
Definition and Good reputation for Slot Machine Game
We are able to define a slot machine game like a gambling machine that's utilized in nearly every casino all across the globe. This slot machine game basically includes 3 or even more than 3 reels that may be spun when the button is pressed. In the last occasions, the slot machine game grew to become popular through the title of 1-arm bandit due to the existence of a lever on one for reds or arm from the slot machine game.
The sooner slot machine game didn't have the existence of a control button that was changed with a lever. Nowadays, rather than liver a digital button has been employed which causes it to be much simpler for that player to experience the slot machine game. Still you will find couple of slots that have both a lever and button set up in them.
The key property of the slot machine game is the existence of a money detector whose primary job would be to identify if the cash or even the gold coin placed through the player in to the machine is real or otherwise. The slot machine game includes a giant screen which is often used to show the mixture a thief will get on pressing the button. When the combination is true compared to person wins and when not than he manages to lose. Because the technologies are enhancing daily, there has been numerous versions that are being incorporated in several slots. A pc can also be set up in a slot machine game. Almost 75% from the casino?s earnings is acquired from slots.
The very first ever gambling machine was introduced by a couple referred to as Pitt and Sittman who have been initially from Brooklyn in New You are able to, Usa. This machine was an ancestor from the present day slot machine game. The device initially comprised of 5 drums that have been designed to hold 50 playing card faces. It had been typically a texas holdem based machine. The recognition of the machine elevated in a extremely fast rate and nearly every bar owner within the town had this machine set up in his bar.
The device operated each time a player would place a gold coin within the gold coin slot and only drawn a lever or pressed a control button. After carrying this out, the five drums which this machine contained would start spinning together with them it had been holding and therefore would ultimately show us the mixture which we'd get. Earlier there is an indirect prize for any mentioned combination for example two nobleman would create a free glass of scotch or all cards of same color would create a free pack of cigars etc.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
A Remarkable Parallel Course
When manufacturers need CNC machine operators, they want employees who are well trained and can be productive quickly. They often find these qualities in recent graduates from CNC machining programs that offer “real-world” instruction that strives to emulate workplace conditions. These programs produce graduates who are better prepared for a job, and require less time to get “up-to-speed.” Few college CNC labs, however, can faithfully parallel the job conditions found in a real manufacturing environment.
To more closely match the working atmosphere of a commercial job shop, the Precision Metals program at Northern Maine Community College (NMCC, Presque Isle, ME) takes CNC training a step further. Rather than using the typical student machining projects common to most technical schools, the NMCC program instructs students using real jobs making real parts for real customers. The jobs are non-revenue-generating, and the school takes scrupulous care to avoid competition with commercial shops.
“The goal is to develop the student’s skill-set to closely parallel what industry is looking for,” explains Dean Duplessis, NMCC’s Precision Metals instructor. “Many career technical education programs seem to miss the point with ‘canned’ machining projects. I’m not trying to take away from the value they bring, but in this instance, it is not just about making chips, or the project; it’s about the whole experience. We emulate the full, real-world production environment.”
That training begins with first-rate instruction. Duplessis has an impressive background, with 10 years as an instructor at NMCC, extensive experience as a manufacturing engineer and designer, and a stint on the Northern Maine Development Commission. NMCC is also a Haas Technical Education Center (HTEC), so the Precision Metals students get up-to-date CNC training on high-tech Haas CNC machine tools, as well as support with educational materials from the HTEC worldwide network.
At the heart of NMCC’s program are two Haas CNC Mini Mill vertical machining centers, a Haas SL-10 CNC turning center, and a Haas ST-20SS CNC turning center. “The Haas machines are great,” Duplessis reports. “They are very reliable and accurate, and the control is terrific. All the functions are there, and it is well thought-out and logical, so it is simple and easy to use. The Haas machines are great for instruction and production.
“The first-year students learn the fundamentals on manual machines in labs,” Duplessis continues. “They transition to the Haas CNC machines in the second year. Everything students do in the second year is what we call ‘live.’ They work on real products, holding to real schedules, and facing the real challenges of manufacturing. Of course, students do the actual machining, but they also participate in discussions about economy of resources, materials, and making or reusing fixtures – everything facing a real shop.
“Students plan jobs using best practices learned from previous jobs,” Duplessis adds. “They learn the importance of documentation and procedures. But even more than that, students are involved when we look at a job, take on the job, purchase the raw materials, buy the tooling, program the machines, run the part, perform the final first-article inspection, and ship the item.
“There are many instructional opportunities in this environment,” he explains. “For example, we have discussions about better workholding: Do we use this old tooling again, or make better tooling for this repeat job? Maybe we should think about dedicated tooling: eliminate an edge-break procedure and build everything into a form tool. We learn from previous classes, and improve processes from one year to the next, so documentation is critical for optimization. These are issues that confront job shops every day. Our program offers students, within reason, the experience of the entire manufacturing process.”
But what do manufacturers think about the program? “Local manufacturers and other shops in Maine give us strong support, because of our whole-process, non-revenue-generating, non-competitive approach,” says Duplessis. “We take jobs like making unique tooling that a company would normally do in-house, very small runs of a commercial product, or a component that would usually be purchased from overseas.
“We are not a business threat, so we have a number of manufacturers who donate to the program,” Duplessis adds. “In most instances, their contribution to this work is raw materials, shipping, dedicated tooling, coating, or outside services. They are supportive of what we are doing, because our goal is to provide an education: a skill-set parallel to industry needs. NMCC is providing the type of operators that manufacturers will eventually use in their own shops. They have input into our program, and to a large degree, the practical skills required by these stakeholders drive the curriculum.”
“I have been very impressed by the experience I’ve had with the Northern Main Community College’s live project program,” reports Dieselgeek, Inc.’s Jim Royston. “As a small business owner, I need my machined parts to be exactly right, with on-time delivery, and that is what I have received. I get a ‘warm fuzzy’ that I’m helping the next generation of machinists.”
John Harper of Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, LLC, agrees. “It is always refreshing to know that we have been able to kill two birds with one stone,” he says. “Coby Smith from HFO Trident informed us about the program at NMCC, and we have been able to get quality parts, fast service, and also peace of mind, knowing that we are helping students get real-world experience. We have been very satisfied with the attention to detail that Dean and his program have paid to the small runs of parts we have asked for.”
“The difference here is that instead of making a canned product, like a dead-blow hammer or a set of vise jaws,” Duplessis points out, “students make something that someone is actually going to use. We put this live work – these real jobs – in the hands of the students, and they experience all the problem-solving that goes into making a product for market. At the end of the day, they may login to a customer website and say: ‘Wow! I made that part,’ or, ‘I made the fixture that secured those parts.’ That gives a sense of pride, of craftsmanship, and that’s part of the trade.”
Water Powered by cnc machines
Water Powered by cnc machines
Kendal is in the Lake District, Cumbria, in the north west of England. By rights, it should be called the Wet District, but as anyone who has ever been to the exposed reaches of our fair but damp island will understand, honesty isn’t necessarily good for tourism. So, the area has always been known and described by dogged and enterprising locals for the weather’s pretty and marketable side effects, rather than for its towering hills or craggy mountain tops, like its less wet, less famous neighbour, the Peak District.
Long before its natural history drew the huddled holidaying masses, the town’s people got along nicely producing pipe tobacco, snuff, and Mint Cake, an invention from the 1860s that’s still made and sold today. Kendal Mint Cake isn’t cake at all, but dense, glucose-based confectionary that could just about keep you alive if you’re an injured shepherd or a wretched hill-walker traipsing ever decreasing circles in thickening cloud – at least, long enough to enjoy one last smoke of your local tobacco.
North West England in the mid-19th century may not have been the tourist destination it is today, but it became a place of great industrial activity. The coal-powered revolution had begun 100 years previously, 150 miles or so to the south; but in the valleys of what used to be the old Westmorland and Kendal baronies, those who owned the means of production covetously eyed the cascading water as an alternative and cheaper source of potential power to run their machinery and turn their mill wheels.
The firm of Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon Ltd was founded in 1853 to design and manufacture the turbines and infrastructure to capture the energy sliding off the hillsides. The company is still there today, in Kendal town, doing what it always did, and it still occupies the building it moved into 120 years ago, where part of the Lancashire Canal once passed through, bringing packet boats of freight and passengers from the neighbouring county. The tunnels that carried the boats along the canal and under the Gilkes factory were blocked a long time ago, but the brickwork arches remain where the old building abuts the new, and a sepia-toned photograph hanging beside the current production line shows workers shifting supplies into and out of boat hulls.
There are few other reminders that this privately owned company has been here since the 15th year of Queen Victoria’s reign. One half of the factory floor is packed with the latest Haas CNC machine tools, arranged in cells and making pumps for diesel engines; the other is open space where components of hydro-power turbines are assembled before being shipped somewhere in the world, to add to the impressive tally of more than 6500 “installations” in 80 countries.
The Haas CNC machine tools are used to manufacture a range of sophisticated pumps for cooling diesel engines and plants. Gilkes supplies many of the world’s major diesel engine manufacturers, and also produces pumping solutions for lubricating oil, gas, and steam turbines. In fact, says Operations Director Andy Poole, Gilkes produces pumps for virtually any application, and has been trading on a reputation established during the Second World War.
“We developed a pump that went on trawlers,” he says. “When the war finished, the fishermen remembered the name. Then, when they built their own boats, they told the engine suppliers what pumps they wanted, and the demand has just grown from there.”
Many similar pumps are manufactured using rubber impellers (the part that goes inside the pump and does all the work), and rubber wears out. “We’ve always offered metal impellers,” says Andy Poole, “which means our pumps last longer and perform better for longer. This year, we’ll make about 19,000 units, all here, in this facility, on Haas machine tools.” By contrast, turbine parts are not manufactured in Kendal. “We do all the design work,” says Mr. Poole, “but the components are made by sub-contractors and only assembled here. We also have a pump plant in Houston, which was established around 35 years ago to refurbish units for our U.S. customers.
“Both Caterpillar and Cummins run refurbishing programmes, where they take engines back from customers and overhaul them. They usually send the pump back to us for rebuilding. So, we’re working on pumps now for generator-sets and industrial and marine applications that we may get back for reconditioning in around 7 or 8 years’ time. Many of the bronze pumps you see around the factory are for marine applications.”
In Goods Inward (the receiving department, to non-Brits), pallets are stacked high with cast pump bodies in different finishes and colours. The castings are all sourced in the UK, which means any quality issues can be resolved quickly and easily. Assuming the casting is good, it becomes a finished pump in around a week, and is then most likely shipped to one of Gilkes’ customers’ plants in the UK or overseas.
“We don’t run a Kanban system,” says Andy Poole. “We make for stock or to order. We have a warehouse in the United States, because our largest customer, Caterpillar, rarely gives us more than one or two days notice.”
The decision to invest in Haas CNC machine tools had a lot to do with the company’s U.S. operations.
“We researched the market,” says Mr. Poole, “but one of our main considerations when we shortlisted the choices was that we wanted to have the same machines at our U.S. plant in Houston as we use here, in the UK. We wanted a machine tool that was going to be supported both sides of the Atlantic, and that used the same control. Haas has a huge user base in America, plus they have a wide range of different machines for different applications. It also means our engineers in the UK can easily share their experience and best practices with their U.S. counterparts.”
Gilkes’ Haas machine tools are organised in product cells – or on a “group technology” basis, as the company refers to the layout. The eventual aim is to have 6 cells, with Haas machines replacing all of the company’s older machine tools.
One of the lines runs two Haas SL-30 turning centres and an EC-400 horizontal, making small bearing houses and bodies. Another, non-Haas, line runs shafts; Haas machines will eventually replace all of these, older machine tools. “Some of these machines are actually older than me,” says Mr. Poole.
A third line runs SL-40 turning centres and VF-3 vertical mills making larger housings and bodies. The fourth line is actually a dedicated, high-volume cell that, during my visit, was being installed and tested: It’s a Haas DS-30SSY high-speed, dual-spindle turning centre with Y-axis and live tooling. There’s a Haas bar feed, an ABB robot for unloading parts, and a Renishaw Equator bench-top gauge for in-process testing. When the cell is fully commissioned, it will work two shifts a day making one collar and one spacer for every pump, plus spares, which will add up to around 50,000 parts a year. The whole investment totals more than ￡400,000!
“We also have two more Haas lathes coming on later this week,” says Mr. Poole, “which will make up the fifth cell, to machine impellers.”
Standing alongside one another are two Haas TL-2 Toolroom Lathes, making bronze parts for marine pumps, and alone in
the middle of the workshop is a TM-1P Toolroom Mill, dedicated to making impellers.
Gilkes is a very busy British manufacturer developing and making perdurable industrial products for global customers and applications. The company is still managed by members of the founding family, but unlike some firms that find it difficult to let go of the past, this one is planning and investing for future glories, and has recently received a government grant for a purpose-built factory on the outskirts of town, where it will have room for its biggest-ever expansion.
In this day and age of super-profit-making, self-congratulating corporations, the example this self-assured firm sets begs the question: How many will be around 160 years from now, doing more-or-less what they were doing when they were founded, but doing it better with every passing year? As long as the Lake District is wet, I predict that there will always be a Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon Ltd.
Kendal is in the Lake District, Cumbria, in the north west of England. By rights, it should be called the Wet District, but as anyone who has ever been to the exposed reaches of our fair but damp island will understand, honesty isn’t necessarily good for tourism. So, the area has always been known and described by dogged and enterprising locals for the weather’s pretty and marketable side effects, rather than for its towering hills or craggy mountain tops, like its less wet, less famous neighbour, the Peak District.
Long before its natural history drew the huddled holidaying masses, the town’s people got along nicely producing pipe tobacco, snuff, and Mint Cake, an invention from the 1860s that’s still made and sold today. Kendal Mint Cake isn’t cake at all, but dense, glucose-based confectionary that could just about keep you alive if you’re an injured shepherd or a wretched hill-walker traipsing ever decreasing circles in thickening cloud – at least, long enough to enjoy one last smoke of your local tobacco.
North West England in the mid-19th century may not have been the tourist destination it is today, but it became a place of great industrial activity. The coal-powered revolution had begun 100 years previously, 150 miles or so to the south; but in the valleys of what used to be the old Westmorland and Kendal baronies, those who owned the means of production covetously eyed the cascading water as an alternative and cheaper source of potential power to run their machinery and turn their mill wheels.
The firm of Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon Ltd was founded in 1853 to design and manufacture the turbines and infrastructure to capture the energy sliding off the hillsides. The company is still there today, in Kendal town, doing what it always did, and it still occupies the building it moved into 120 years ago, where part of the Lancashire Canal once passed through, bringing packet boats of freight and passengers from the neighbouring county. The tunnels that carried the boats along the canal and under the Gilkes factory were blocked a long time ago, but the brickwork arches remain where the old building abuts the new, and a sepia-toned photograph hanging beside the current production line shows workers shifting supplies into and out of boat hulls.
There are few other reminders that this privately owned company has been here since the 15th year of Queen Victoria’s reign. One half of the factory floor is packed with the latest Haas CNC machine tools, arranged in cells and making pumps for diesel engines; the other is open space where components of hydro-power turbines are assembled before being shipped somewhere in the world, to add to the impressive tally of more than 6500 “installations” in 80 countries.
The Haas CNC machine tools are used to manufacture a range of sophisticated pumps for cooling diesel engines and plants. Gilkes supplies many of the world’s major diesel engine manufacturers, and also produces pumping solutions for lubricating oil, gas, and steam turbines. In fact, says Operations Director Andy Poole, Gilkes produces pumps for virtually any application, and has been trading on a reputation established during the Second World War.
“We developed a pump that went on trawlers,” he says. “When the war finished, the fishermen remembered the name. Then, when they built their own boats, they told the engine suppliers what pumps they wanted, and the demand has just grown from there.”
Many similar pumps are manufactured using rubber impellers (the part that goes inside the pump and does all the work), and rubber wears out. “We’ve always offered metal impellers,” says Andy Poole, “which means our pumps last longer and perform better for longer. This year, we’ll make about 19,000 units, all here, in this facility, on Haas machine tools.” By contrast, turbine parts are not manufactured in Kendal. “We do all the design work,” says Mr. Poole, “but the components are made by sub-contractors and only assembled here. We also have a pump plant in Houston, which was established around 35 years ago to refurbish units for our U.S. customers.
“Both Caterpillar and Cummins run refurbishing programmes, where they take engines back from customers and overhaul them. They usually send the pump back to us for rebuilding. So, we’re working on pumps now for generator-sets and industrial and marine applications that we may get back for reconditioning in around 7 or 8 years’ time. Many of the bronze pumps you see around the factory are for marine applications.”
In Goods Inward (the receiving department, to non-Brits), pallets are stacked high with cast pump bodies in different finishes and colours. The castings are all sourced in the UK, which means any quality issues can be resolved quickly and easily. Assuming the casting is good, it becomes a finished pump in around a week, and is then most likely shipped to one of Gilkes’ customers’ plants in the UK or overseas.
“We don’t run a Kanban system,” says Andy Poole. “We make for stock or to order. We have a warehouse in the United States, because our largest customer, Caterpillar, rarely gives us more than one or two days notice.”
The decision to invest in Haas CNC machine tools had a lot to do with the company’s U.S. operations.
“We researched the market,” says Mr. Poole, “but one of our main considerations when we shortlisted the choices was that we wanted to have the same machines at our U.S. plant in Houston as we use here, in the UK. We wanted a machine tool that was going to be supported both sides of the Atlantic, and that used the same control. Haas has a huge user base in America, plus they have a wide range of different machines for different applications. It also means our engineers in the UK can easily share their experience and best practices with their U.S. counterparts.”
Gilkes’ Haas machine tools are organised in product cells – or on a “group technology” basis, as the company refers to the layout. The eventual aim is to have 6 cells, with Haas machines replacing all of the company’s older machine tools.
One of the lines runs two Haas SL-30 turning centres and an EC-400 horizontal, making small bearing houses and bodies. Another, non-Haas, line runs shafts; Haas machines will eventually replace all of these, older machine tools. “Some of these machines are actually older than me,” says Mr. Poole.
A third line runs SL-40 turning centres and VF-3 vertical mills making larger housings and bodies. The fourth line is actually a dedicated, high-volume cell that, during my visit, was being installed and tested: It’s a Haas DS-30SSY high-speed, dual-spindle turning centre with Y-axis and live tooling. There’s a Haas bar feed, an ABB robot for unloading parts, and a Renishaw Equator bench-top gauge for in-process testing. When the cell is fully commissioned, it will work two shifts a day making one collar and one spacer for every pump, plus spares, which will add up to around 50,000 parts a year. The whole investment totals more than ￡400,000!
“We also have two more Haas lathes coming on later this week,” says Mr. Poole, “which will make up the fifth cell, to machine impellers.”
Standing alongside one another are two Haas TL-2 Toolroom Lathes, making bronze parts for marine pumps, and alone in
the middle of the workshop is a TM-1P Toolroom Mill, dedicated to making impellers.
Gilkes is a very busy British manufacturer developing and making perdurable industrial products for global customers and applications. The company is still managed by members of the founding family, but unlike some firms that find it difficult to let go of the past, this one is planning and investing for future glories, and has recently received a government grant for a purpose-built factory on the outskirts of town, where it will have room for its biggest-ever expansion.
In this day and age of super-profit-making, self-congratulating corporations, the example this self-assured firm sets begs the question: How many will be around 160 years from now, doing more-or-less what they were doing when they were founded, but doing it better with every passing year? As long as the Lake District is wet, I predict that there will always be a Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon Ltd.
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