Industry News

Genuine Parts Company Completes Acquisition
March 03 2010 - Genuine Parts Company has announced that its Industrial Parts Group, Motion Industries, has completed the acquisition of the North American assets of BC Bearing

IMTS Names September 13, 2010, Inspiration Day
January 11 2010 - IMTS - The International Manufacturing Technology Show management will host the first-ever Industry Inspiration Day as part of the September 13 kick-off for the all-new IMTS Industry & Technology Conference. IMTS is one of the largest industrial trade shows in the world, with thousands of exhibitors and more than 91,000 visitors.

Harsco Corporation Appoints New Executive
January 07 2010 - Worldwide industrial services company Harsco Corporation announced today that Paul O'Kelly has joined the Company's global leadership team to head the European region of the Company's Harsco Infrastructure business group.

Uday Yadav Appointed EVP, Eaton Business Systems
January 06 2010 - Eaton Corp. announced that it has appointed Uday Yadav as executive vice president - Eaton Business System.

IFPS Launches Electronic Controls Specialist Certification
January 05 2010 - The International Fluid Power Society (IFPS) has launched its Electronic Controls Specialist (CFPECS) certification. Candidates may register for the CFPECS Certification test by visiting www.ifps.org; testing will begin March 2010. Certification requires successful completion of a three-hour written test. IFPS Members may download a complimentary study manual; non-members may purchase the manual.

Fritsche Students Energized About Engineering Airways
January 05 2010 - At the sixth annual sySTEMnow (Strengthening our Youth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) conference Oct. 20, 2009, Fritsche Middle School and P&H Mining were presented with the Stemmy Partnership Award for the successful implementation of the Project Lead the Way program.

Waukesha Bearings Corporation Acquires Inpro/Seal Company
January 04 2010 - Dover Corporation has announced that Waukesha Bearings, an operating company in Dover's Fluid Management Segment and global provider of custom-engineered hydrodynamic bearings and magnetic bearing systems, has acquired Inpro/Seal Company, the leading designer and manufacturer of bearing isolator technologies. Inpro/Seal is based in Rock Island, Illinois. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

IMTS Names September 13, 2010, Inspiration Day
January 04 2010 - IMTS - The International Manufacturing Technology Show management will host the first-ever Industry Inspiration Day as part of the September 13 kick-off for the all-new IMTS Industry & Technology Conference. IMTS is one of the largest industrial trade shows in the world, with thousands of exhibitors and more than 91,000 visitors.

Crane Co. to Acquire Merrimac Industries
December 29 2009 - Crane Co., a diversified manufacturer of highly engineered industrial products, and Merrimac Industries, Inc., a leader in the design and manufacture of RF Microwave components, assemblies and micro-multifunction modules, announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Merrimac by Crane.

Mastercam 2010 Innovator of the Future Competition
December 29 2009 - CNC Software Inc., manufacturer of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, announces the 2009-2010 Mastercam Innovator of the Future (IOF) national competition. This competition entices students with a real-world manufacturing challenge, celebrity judge, and a chance to win a scholarship as well as a trip to the celebrity judge's headquarters. This competition provides instructors with a powerful motivational tool to get students excited about learning The CAD/CAM and the manufacturing process.

Mastercam 2010 Innovator of the Future Competition
December 28 2009 - CNC Software Inc., manufacturer of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, announces the 2009-2010 Mastercam Innovator of the Future (IOF) national competition. This competition entices students with a real-world manufacturing challenge, celebrity judge, and a chance to win a scholarship as well as a trip to the celebrity judge's headquarters.

Motion Industries Announces Acquisition of BC Bearing
December 28 2009 - Genuine Parts Company has announced that its Industrial Parts Group, Motion Industries, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the North American assets of BC Bearing (BC Bearing, US Bearings and Norcan), headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. BC Bearing is a long established, well managed family owned bearing and power transmission distributor operating fifty-three branches throughout western Canada and the northwestern U.S. Subject to regulatory approval, the Company expects the purchase to close on or around March 1, 2010 and generate annual revenues of approximately $185 million (CDN).

Leading Indicators Rise for 8th Straight Month
December 23 2009 - A forecast of U.S. economic activity rose for the eighth straight month in November, a private research group said, signaling the economic rebound will continue next year.

Students Learn At NFPA Fluid Power Challenge
December 21 2009 - The 2009 series of National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) Fluid Power Challenges has been successfully completed. The program was expanded this year to 47 teams, nearly 200 students from 26 middle schools, who competed in four locations - Marquette University and Milwaukee School of Engineering in Milwaukee, WI; Harper College in Palatine, IL; and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN.

Fluid Power Pump, Motor Mfg Industry in the U.S.
December 21 2009 -

Medical, Aerospace, Energy: Revitalizing Manufacturing
December 17 2009 - Ahead of a meeting Thursday at the White House, Ron Bloom, President Barack Obama's senior adviser for manufacturing policy, said that the U.S. needs, "legal, tax and regulatory regimes that promote American manufacturing and do not place an undue burden on those who wish to manufacture products in America. "It is vital to have a concerted effort across the administration to support an innovative, vibrant manufacturing sector that creates and sustains good paying jobs."

Optimum Sealing Compounds for Biofuels
December 17 2009 - Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has announced their findings in extensive testing of biofuel materials. Biofuels present some significant challenges when specifying seals, as their chemical make-up can affect the sealing integrity of elastomers. Standard laboratory tests indicate that typical Fluorocarbon (FKM) and Fluorosilicone (FVMQ) compounds are compatible with biofuels. However, when sealing materials are tested in conditions reproducing those seen in service, it becomes evident that specialized formulations are required to ensure integrity and long service life.

Technical Standards Now Available From NFPA
December 17 2009 - A number of new technical documents have recently been published and are now available from NFPA.

Diagramming Fluid Power Systems Updates
December 16 2009 - Every fluid power system has (or should have) a circuit diagram to represent its contents and function. Circuit diagrams are a key part of the language system designers, machine builders, operators and maintenance people use to communicate about hydraulic and pneumatic systems. But where do the rules for creating and interpreting these diagrams come from and how do they get updated when necessary?

Call for Papers Issued for National Conference
December 16 2009 - Engineers, researchers and educators from around the world are invited to submit papers for the 52nd National Conference on Fluid Power (NCFP).

The New Machinery Directive - How to Play Safe
December 16 2009 - Festo has introduced a one-day orientation course for machine builders struggling to interpret the latest requirements of the new Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.

Chicago Pneumatic's Euro vision
December 16 2009 - Chicago Pneumatic is to make its ranges of portable compressors and generators available Europe-wide. Part of this process will see the Irmair brand disappear into the Chicago Pneumatic name.

Manufacturing Technology Consumption Down
December 15 2009 - October U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $152.68 million, according to AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was down 2.8% from September and down 49.0% from the total of $299.28 million reported for October 2008.

SMC Pneumatic Cylinder Performs Well
December 15 2009 - SMC Pneumatic engineers teamed with Ohio Transmission & Pump (OTP) to double the operating life of a pneumatic cylinder operating in a corrosive atmospher near an acid bath.

Parker's Easy To Install Duplex Filter
December 15 2009 - Parker Hannifin, the global leader in motion and control technologies, has launched a new duplex filter for the effective filtration of fuel, lubrication, and hydraulic fluid systems in marine applications. The DF40 filter features a robust, simple to install, and environmentally friendly design, helping vessel owners take a responsible approach to minimising maintenance requirements and costs.

Pressure Sensor/Transducer with Deutsch, M12x1
December 15 2009 - American Sensor Technologies, Inc. (AST) has released its AST4000 pressure sensor, transducer and transmitter series to the OEM market with four-pin DT04 Deutsch and M12x1 Eurofast electrical connection options. Popular in on-road, off-road, hydraulic and agricultural applications; the DT04 Deutsch connector is a rugged connector that is similar to the Packard Metripack 150 series. The M12x1 Eurofast connection has seen growth in factory automation and OEM applications. This connection is compact and threaded to ensure a proper connection between the sensor and cable assembly under shock and vibration.

Hydraulic Cylinders for Japan Flood-Control Project
December 15 2009 - Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today announced it has secured a major hydraulic cylinder contract for one of Japan's largest flood-control projects on the Shinano River that flows from Nagano to Niigata in Northern Japan.

Hydraulic Hybrid Technology Improves Efficiency
December 15 2009 - Parker Hannifin Corporation has announced a commercial commitment for its new hydraulic hybrid technology system, which dramatically increases fuel efficiency for Class 8 refuse trucks even as it improves drivability and performance.

British F.P.A. to Hold Hydraulic Hose Safety Training
December 14 2009 - THE BRITISH Fluid Power Association (BFPA) has announced the launch of a new one day foundation course in Working Safely with Hydraulic Hose and Connectors.

New IUPUI Engineering Lab to be Dedicated
December 14 2009 - School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI has established the Carrier Fluid and Thermal Science Laboratory as a result of support provided by Carrier Corp. The laboratory will serve undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in mechanical engineering and mechanical engineering technology.