Connections member newsletter

www.fmanet.org july/august 2009

Increasing the Effectiveness

July
23 FabCast–The Incredible Power of
Lean: Real Improvement in Real
Life
10 a.m - 12:30 p.m. CDT
24 FabCast–Tool Steel
10 a.m - 12:30 p.m. CDT
August
11 FabCast–What Your Trainers aren’t
Teaching You about Press Brakes
10 - 11:30 a.m. CDT
13 FabCast–Stainless Steel Tube:
Cut-to-Length II
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDT
13 FabCast–The Basics of Waste,
Flow, and Variation
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDT
14 FabCast–Drawing and Stretching I
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDT
20 FabCast–Business Growth
Opportunities for Fabricators
2 - 3:30 p.m. CDT
21 FabCast–Drawing and Streching II
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDT
Details at fmanet.org/training
cost-cutting resources....................... 2
rac q & a.......................................... 4
education......................................... 6
foundation........................................8
newsmakers.....................................11
of Your Marketing
A Strategy for Reducing Waste
By Tom Watson
When times are tough, businesses have to find ways
to cut back on costs in order to improve margin and Free Marketing
profitability. The tougher things become, the deeper the Tools & Advice
cuts. One of the most damaging things a company can
do in cutting costs is to deeply cut marketing. At some FMA’s Marketing Toolkit
point, the cuts can become deep enough to not only fmanet.org/toolkit
hurt business, but actually magnify the problem,
causing business opportunities to be lost that would Marketing Maven Blog
keep the company afloat, if not help it improve during marketingmaven.globalspec.com
a difficult business climate. So, how does a company
reduce marketing cost, while not giving up marketing Marketing Power
opportunity? marketingpower.com
It would be easy to simply list out several effective
tactics you can use to market your company. But I have Online Marketing
found that this is where most companies waste most of extacttarget.com/resources
their marketing money -- because they have not done
the fundamentals required for effective and measurable
marketing communications. There are a few steps you can take to lay a good foundation that
will allow you to refine your marketing for improved results and reduced waste.
First Things First
The most effective companies determine objectives at the business and marketing levels,
making sure they are aligned. Good objectives are observable and measurable, stating how their
product or service is intended to generate revenue or contain expenses, with specifics that will
allow them to determine when the objective is met. They often set a deadline, but get better
results when they identify specifics, such as the number of products to be sold into a specific
segment at x profit. Objectives are often set for target industry segments, product and service
production goals, or profit margins, as an example. Marketing and sales objectives are
determined next, such as market segments, share of market, revenues and return on investment
(ROI), sales volumes, and so on.
The Overlooked Step
Most companies have these business and marketing objectives figured out, but many make
the mistake of jumping right into marketing communications tactics such as advertising, Web
sites, and brochures without determining a clearly defined communications strategy. Skipping
that step can waste a lot of money, and worse, cause you to miss opportunities.
If you take the time to define your communications strategy based on your business and
marketing objectives, you will be able to create and implement functional and effective
communications designed to bring in business, and cut wasteful spending. The elements of a
good communication strategy help you identify not only what you want to say to your
audience, and how to say it, but help you to choose better marketing and communications
tactics. These include situation description, communication objective, benefits, single net
impression, value proposition, call-to-action, budget, and tactics.
cont. on page 3
1
Cost-Cutting Resources for Tube Sawing
By Craig P. Ridge
Today, metal tube sawing technology is light-years ahead of where increases while costing little or nothing to implement.
it was just a few years ago. Technology is rapidly advancing because
Saw blade repair shops that utilize the latest technology in grinding
sawing machine companies and saw blade companies are working
equipment produce a far superior saw blade compared to those that
together to optimize every detail of the cutting process. A few tube
employ old techniques in grinding. High-quality, very rigid, CNC
cutting companies reap the full, quantum-leap, benefits of the
CBN-abrasive grinding machines with strong cooling systems
technology by acquiring the latest machines. However most are
guarantee a super high-quality consistent grind of the saw blade.
unaware that much of the sawing technology can be applied in their
current applications and machines resulting in phenomenal, These machines optimize the grinding process by detailing every
unprecedented savings. aspect. The programmable forward speed variables slow the grinding
process exactly at the point where the grind finish of the saw blade is
Special purpose CNC tube sawing machines combined with the
extremely important for blade life longevity. By reducing thermal stress
latest generation of saw blade and application technology provide
at the cutting edge and producing a mirror, burr-free grind surface,
the best of all worlds—high precision and cut quality at extremely
chips pass the cutting edge without producing blade life shortening
high output. Dynamic ball-screw feed systems produce continuous
friction. Features such as direct drive motors to eliminate belt
variations in the feed rate (based on the specific parts of the tube) to
vibration, coolant temperature evaluation to match blade temperature
achieve constant volume removal. The resulting slow-fast-slow effect
and coolant temperature to reduce blade expansion (and contraction)
greatly decreases the amount of time in which a tube can be cut. This
during the sharpening process, further the quality of the grinding to
technology can be combined with integrated systems that can chamfer,
produce a concentric, high-pitch (distance from cutting edge to
thread, de-burr, measure, wash and dry, and package the tube. Up to
cutting edge) precision saw blade that is vastly improved over
8,000 uniform, error- and scrap-free pieces per hour can be obtained.
aluminum-oxide, dry, grinding wheel machines.
Further automation allows for short- and medium-run capabilities
by implementing blade choice, and sawing condition based upon the The early ’90s produced a revolution in metal cutting and in
material being cut. This includes blade material, coating, diameter, particular metal tube sawing with the introduction of titanium-nitride
thickness, number of teeth, tooth profile, chamfer, cutting speed, and (TiN) coating. This coating on high-speed steel (HSS) cold saw blades
feed rate. With automatic blade changing capabilities, these machines increased surface hardness, reduced friction, lowered heat conductivity,
offer great flexibility to tube manufacturers. increased oxidation temperature, and reduced formation of build-up
on the cutting edge. The resulting possible increases in speeds and
The small number of tube manufacturers that purchase the latest
feeds to increase production rates, while also increasing blade life to
sawing equipment quickly realize the benefits. The price of the
new levels, drastically reduced the cost per cut. With this evidence,
machine is recouped in a short time frame due to the savings in
other coatings were engineered to further the advancements. Today,
overhead. Jobs that once took two machines two days to produce are
titanium-carbon-nitride (TiCN), and titanium-aluminum-nitride
now done on one machine in one day—freeing up time and machines
(TiAlN) are industry standard coatings. When applied in micro-layers,
for more jobs or elimination. Additionally, secondary operations can
the coatings increase surface hardness up to 3,200 viker hardness
be integrated into the machines to further reduce costs, making
(HV), and decrease the friction coefficient as
manufacturers more competitive.
low as 1.5. These high-performance coatings
Tube manufacturers that are unhappy with their cutoff operation can drastically reduce sawing cost by
may not be aware of advantages offered by the latest machines, saw increasing blade life 8-10 times more than
blades, and sawing technology. More importantly, they might be standard (vapor-treated) black-oxide cold saw
unaware that some of the technology is transferable to their current blades. Questions regarding the cost
applications and sawing machines, which means they are missing out effectiveness of these coating are easily answered
on huge cost savings. by calculating the initial cost as a percentage of
the lifetime cost of the blade given the
The application technology that is programmed into the latest
re-sharpening cost.
machines is easily calculated. The blade rotation speed, the feed rate at
which the saw blade is introduced into the material, and the number Additional advancements in saw blade
of teeth on the saw blade are the three most important variables to technology to cut tubes have led to the
determine when sawing any material or product. These variables are introduction of increasingly thinner kerf saw
much more important and elusive when sawing tubes due to the fact blades, micro geometries on the cutting edges
that the shape of a tube equates to three different sawing applications: and fully coated teeth. Thin-kerf technology
the top flat area, the sides which are thin, and the bottom of the tube has proven itself to be a phenomenal
which is flat and equates to the longest cut length. advancement to reduce cutting times, increase
blade life, and (in some cases) decrease scrap
A detailed understanding of these sawing variables within a tube has
rates. Instead of being taper ground from
led to increased attention to the three variables. The blade rotation
the outside rim toward the center hole of the
speed is determined by material hardness. The number of teeth on the
blade, the blade is ground flat and the taper is
saw blade is determined by calculating the longest cut length of the
on the outer rim. This allows for a much
tube based on outside diameter and wall thickness. The feed rate is a
thinner saw blade that can be engineered
product of the number of teeth in the cut during a specific amount
specific to an application. The hub can be
of time and the amount of work each tooth is capable of doing.
“adjusted” in or out, thicker or thinner,
Adjusting these variables to their specific targets can result in a
specific to the job at hand. This allows the kerf
surprising increase in production. An added benefit is that blade life
to be as thin as possible resulting in higher
2

feed rates achieved due to much lower machine and part vibration.
When cutting large quantities of short lengths, the decreases in blade
thickness can result in huge raw material savings. Many times, this
material savings can pay for the cost of the saw blades. The extremely
high performance level achieved with micro-geometry cutting edges
and fully coated teeth has lead to output increases up to 100 percent
and tool life increases up to 300 percent compared with currently
available high-end coated saw blade technology.
Historically, HSS saw blades were the only option available to
(circular) cold saw metal applications. As tube manufacturers answer
the call for cheaper, more exotic, harder and more difficult to cut
materials, blade manufacturing technology must also step up to help
manufactures remain competitive. Slow rotating, HSS saw blades are
being replaced with fast turning carbide-tipped saw blades.
Carbide-tipped saw blades are being used effectively to cut the
advanced materials, and to cut all materials faster due to the increase in
blade rotation speed that the blades will allow. Until now, the use
of carbide-tipped blades has been in very narrow and specific
applications, and is only currently being introduced into the tube
cutting industry with success by providing excellent cut finish
quality at unparalleled cut times, with blade life increases up to 150
times more than HSS saw blades. No doubt, carbide-tipped saw blades
in tube cutting applications are here to stay and are increasing being
engineered to apply to broader applications.
Performance, quality, and cost effectiveness of tubes and the systems
used to manufacture them is more crucial today than ever before.
Sawing machine companies and saw blade companies share emerging
knowledge in order to establish a cost-effective industry
to cut the tubes of tomorrow.
Craig P. Ridge is president of Kinkelder Cutting
Solutions Inc., part of AdvantagePlus member
Kinkelder USA Group. He can be reached at
cpridge@mindspring.com. n
Want FMA to profile your company?
If your company is doing extraordinary things like Rockford
Toolcraft, FMA wants to know. Contact Kimberly Pollard at
kimp@fmanet.org or 815.227.8284 for more information.
Situation Description: Articulate the problem you are dealing with
that marketing communications can help address. Describe why you
need to communicate, and within what type of environment. Include
the economic conditions, competitive situation, product and sales
status, current audience response, for example.
Audience: Clearly determine to whom you should be communicat-
ing. Start with determining job function, industry segment, plant size,
and geography. You can use SIC or NAICS codes to identify industry
segments. NAICS codes can be found at many sites, such as NAICS
Association: http://www.naics.com/search.htm. Next, identify useful
demographics such as age, gender, education, and also your audience’s
psychographics. These are attributes such as personality, values,
attitudes, interests, interests, activities, and opinions. These matter
because your audience is people doing their jobs, with cares, worries,
goals and objectives, just like you. Expressing these things that you
know about them in your strategy not only gives you a clearer idea of
who you are communicating with, but how you communicate.
Features & Benefits: The easiest part is to identify your product’s
or service’s features. However, the most important task is to clearly
identify the single greatest benefit that a user of your product will
derive from it, and indicate the top three benefits that provide sup-
porting proof of the primary benefit. This is a difficult step, but it will
give your communications clarity and brevity. It will also lead you to
a Single Net Impressions (SNI). This may seem like too much detail,
but look at it this way: people have little time to take in your message,
and of what they do take in, they retain a small percent of it. You
want to make sure that whatever you communicate, they are left with
a specific, positive, impression. Express the impression you want to
leave them with in a one-sentence statement.
Value Proposition: Some companies, particularly technology
companies, like to use a value proposition instead of a SNI. It gives
more dimension to the statement, summarizing the entire
communication strategy. It looks like this - you fill in the blanks
with your company’s specifics:
To (audience): _________________________________________
The: (product or service): _ _______________________________
From (company): _ _____________________________________
Is the one (product or service category):______________________
Which (primary feature): _________________________________
As opposed to (key competition): _ _________________________
It (primary benefit or SNI): _______________________________
Call to Action: Now that you’ve told your audience all about
your product or service, take the time to clearly tell them what you
want them to do next. This is a critical step, because it gives you
the chance to learn who they are, get them engaged, and take a step
toward a purchase. This action can be to click a link to get a white
paper, register for a seminar, request a brochure, or request a quote,
for a few examples.
With all these things established, the last step is to determine your
tactics, and set your budget for each. You will find that with the
strategy you have defined using the above steps, it will be easier to
determine a budget, select your tactics—such as seminars, Web sites,
trade shows, define mailing lists—and decide which Web sites or
magazines to send public relations material to or advertise in.
Tom Watson is owner of Thomas Watson Consulting
in Camarillo, Calif. Tom has extensive experience in
business-to-business marketing in technology, electron-
ics, and machine manufacturing industries. He can be
reached tom@thomaswatsonconsulting.com. n
The purpose of this article is to provide information, rather than advice or
opinion. It is accurate to the best of the author’s knowledge as of the date of the
publication. Accordingly, this article should not be viewed as a substitute for the
guidance and recommendations of a retained professional.
3
Q: Several years ago, I saw an article in one of your publications about hiring a
consultant when purchasing a waterjet cutting machine. The article had some
questions that a company should ask before hiring a consultant. I’ve looked on
thefabricator.com article archive, but I can’t find the article. Can you help me find it?


A: Yes. First of all, the article may not be on thefabricator.

com. Most of the articles published after 2001 are on the Web
site, but earlier ones are not. Fortunately, we have a way to search
all FMA Communications publications, and the Research Center
keeps all the issues.
An index called “FMA’s Index of Metal Fabricating
Industry Magazines” is on our FMA Web site, and is available for
all members to use. All you have to do is log onto the site with
your member number and password. Then on the URL line,
type www.fmanet.org/research/search-articles.cfm. The following
screen appears:


Fig. 3

The result appears in Fig. 3. A single article matches the search


Fig. 1
You can search by any or all of the listed fields, but the more fields
you fill in, the narrower your search. Sometimes narrowing the
search is desirable. Other times, a narrow search is too restrictive.
You may need to revise your search strategy and try again.
To find the requested article, search on the subjects/keywords
field as shown below, and then click on the Submit Query button 
at the bottom of the screen.
terms. If more than one article had matched, the results would have
appeared in chronological order by year, the oldest article first.
If the article had appeared on thefabricator.com, the link would
be provided. You would click “Read full article”. This article,
however, is from a 1998 The Fabricator. Contact the Research
Center at 815-227-8274 or e-mail ResearchAssistance@fmanet.
org to obtain a free copy of the article.
Notice that other trade publications are also included in this
index. A list of the magazines, and the dates indexed are
available at www.fmanet.org/research/magazine-resource-list.cfm.
If you are interested in articles from other publishers, the Research
Center will help you find copies. However, copyright restrictions 
prevent copying and sending articles from other publishers.
If you have any questions about searching this database, or
obtaining articles, contact the Research Assistance Center for help.

As a member, you have access to the largest and most extensive library devoted to the metal
forming and fabricating industry—a benefit reserved exclusively for members. FMA’s
Research Assistance Center is the most efficient source for the information you need to
optimize your operation. Advantage and AdvantagePlus Members enjoy unlimited FREE
research, while Basic Members receive 12 hours of FREE research assistance per year. Get
your research questions answered when you call the Research Assistance Center at
 1-815-399-8700 or e-mail researchassistance@fmanet.org.
Fig. 2
4
Don’t Miss the
Registration Deadline
From: Dr. Chris Kuehl, FMA’s economist and author of “Fabrinomics”
To: Any fabricator looking to diversify business and find industries with
growth potential

What: Business Growth Opportunities for Fabricators

(a 90-minute webinar)

When: !UGUSTs 0 p.m. CDT

Where: Your office or meeting room.

(no plane ticket, no hotel costs, no time away from the office!)

Cost: FMA/TPA Member $ 99 FREE

Non-member $129

Why: To help members weather tough times, FMA is offering free

attendance to this business growth training.

Why Not: Find out how to access industries – alternative energy, transportation
(non-automotive), and medical – that can contribute to the growth of your
company’s bottom line. Learn techniques from Dr. Kuehl that can lead your
company to successfully diversify its products and customer base.

How: Visit fmanet.org/growth to register.

Deadline: 2EGISTERBYPMCT) August 19 and get a free white paper by

Dr. Kuehl on NAFTA and the recession.

Paid attendees are entitled to a money-back guarantee if they aren’t satisfied with this program.

The most successful metal fabricators are members of FMA

because of the resources available to members that help them
thrive, even in challenging times. Visit fmanet.org/fabrinomics
for a free trial of FMA’s economic e-newsletter. www.fmanet.org
World-Class Roll Forming Workshop
Conference Wrap-up
Roll Forming Corp. tour leaders join World Class Workshop attendees and speakers
after the tour of its Jeffersonville, Ind., Plant.
The 2009 World-Class Roll Forming Workshop raced into
Louisville, Ky., April 21-22. With a slight change from the usual four
session format to a single session format, the program featured 11
presentations. The workshop met the needs of all attendees—novice
or expert.
Three new sessions featured using high strength steels, an outline
of open and closed loop, flying and stopping lines, and continuous
improvement. The continuous improvement session was wildly
popular as Ray Leathers, president and CEO of Roll Forming Corp.,
Planned by FMA’s Safety Council in partnership with Premier
Sponsor, CNA Insurance, this innovative conference gave professionals
with safety responsibilities much-needed solutions. Owners,
supervisors, safety committee members, human resources managers,
and others participated in the first FMA Safety Conference May 5-6,
2009, in Deerfield, Ill.
Participants enjoyed dynamic sessions on safety topics unique to the
metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry.
Former Global Health and Safety Regulatory Liaison of GM, Mike
Taubitz, provided insight on the Safety Benefits of Becoming a Lean
6
delivered proven techniques to get companies to optimize their operations.
Another popular session, “Material Handling for High Production
Roll Forming” featured solutions to help to reduce material
bottlenecks and make handling processes more efficient. This highly
rated session, along with the continuous improvement sessions, will be
available as FabCasts later this year, so watch the educational training
calendar at fmanet.org for more information.
World-Class is known for featuring great plant tours and this year
did not disappoint. Roll Forming Corp. opened the doors to both
its Shelbyville, Ky., and Jeffersonville, Ind., plants allowing attendees
to see some of the largest roll forming lines in the industry, as well as
showcasing its continuous improvement commitment.
Attendees were also given the opportunity to have mini
consultations with the speakers and expert members of FMA’s Roll
Forming Technology Council during an extended “Ask the Speaker”
session. Attendees brought parts and drawings and were able to
consult with experts to get needed solutions. This session alone was
of great value to attendees, not to mention the peer connections they
made during the networking reception featured during the workshop.
If you missed World-Class Roll Forming Workshop this year, make
plans to attend the program in 2010. Details will be available soon at
fmanet.org/training.
Safety Conference attendees Doug Raff, Ron Butchko, and Jim Blount learn
about how UL conducts safety investigations.
Organization. Attendees also got an OSHA Update from Region V
Deputy Administrator, Sandy Taylor.
Attendees especially enjoyed case study presentations made by
their peers. Hearing from companies that make a safety a priority,
genuinely care for their people, and save money by doing so was
incredibly motivating. Other highlights of the program included a
tour of the Underwriters Laboratory and the FMA/CNA Awards
Presentation Reception. Don’t miss out April 13-14, 2010 in Chicago!
Below: Representatives from AddisonMcKee Inc., Main Steel Polishing Co. Inc.,
Nisshin Automotive Tubing LLC, AK Tube LLC, Big Enterprises LLC, Plymouth Tube Co., and
Kastalon Inc. were present to accept 2009 Safety Awards.
 Coil Processing Workshop
Conference Wrap-up
More than 50 attendees converged in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the Coil
Processing Workshop and Exhibition on May 12-13, 2009, to learn
about the latest coil processing applications. In these challenging
economic times, the emphasis of the conference was placed on how to
get more out of existing equipment.
The Coil Processing Workshop and Exhibition provided a
complete overview of coil processing techniques. Attendees learned
Over 150 attendees from job shops, OEMs, automotive
everything from identifying and resolving shape defects in coils and
manufacturers, suppliers, and laser processing engineers all celebrated
obtaining the best slitting results to evaluating and reporting strip
the 17th annual ALAW Laser Applications Workshop, on May 12-14,
flatness and maintaining a safe work environment. With presentations
2009, in Plymouth, Mich.
covering leveling, straightening, slitting, or cut-to-length, there was
This unique two-day workshop hosted jointly by FMA and the
something for everyone.
Laser Institute of America featured real world, cost effective laser
In addition to 10 presentations, the workshop was enhanced with a
applications in automotive and general manufacturing. ALAW 2009
tour of Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc., an evening networking reception,
emphasized the solutions to today’s manufacturing challenges and
and exhibition. During the Nucor plant tour, attendees were able
provided practical guidance for new design problems. The two
to see the plant’s Steckel mill technology which produces high
keynote topics were benchmarking of automotive production in
quality plate.
North America presented by the Center for Automotive Research;
Attendee discussions about the latest in equipment and operations
and energy efficient green car body production presented by
carried over to the evening networking reception. The exhibits
Fraunhofer IWU.
provided attendees with innovative solutions and products to solve
For the second year in a row, ALAW was separated into two
their workplace challenges. Attendees received cost-saving ideas that
simultaneous tracks, one for fabricators, and the other for laser
they could implement immediately.
applications in the automotive industry. The Laser Automotive Track
If you weren’t able to attend, mark your calendar now for the next
focused on reducing energy costs, reducing the weight of automobiles,
Coil Processing Workshop and Exhibition to be held Sept. 22-23,
laser welding and brazing, and reducing chiller energy use.
2009 at Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Mexico.
Presentations featured remote welding in automotive applications,
Speaking, sponsorship, and exhibition opportunities are available.
laser cutting of airbag materials, the hot forming process, new
Please contact Julie Maddock at juliem@fmanet.org or 815-227-8214
developments in fuel cells and batteries, laser blanking, and other
for more information.
laser applications.
The Fabricators Track was expanded to two full program days with
a “Making Green and Going Green” theme. Session topics included:
combination punch lasers, flat sheet plus 5-axis lasers, prototyping
case studies, new fiber laser applications, laser tube cutting, and metal
volatility and pricing. The Fabricators Track included customer case
studies, a panel discussion on software and automation, and
interactive roundtable discussions.
The workshop also included two impressive open houses which
featured the latest in laser technology applications: the Fraunhofer
USA lab tour and demonstration facility and a tour of the TRUMPF
Inc. Laser Technology Center.
Many thanks to the ALAW 2009 Sponsors: Fraunhofer USA Center
for Coating and Laser Applications, IPG Photonics, Laserline, and
TRUMPF Inc.
For this year’s presentations and more information regarding next
year’s ALAW event, go to www.alawlaser.org or contact Jen Christian
at jen@alawlaser.org.

Attendees find innovative solutions and meet exhibitors during the Coil Processing
networking reception.
Attendees visiting the TRUMPF Inc. tabletop display.

7
Amada Supports NBT Summer Camps for Youths
Even in these uncertain economic times, one company in the
hard-hit manufacturing sector is stepping up to the plate to improve
the industry. Amada America, based in Buena Park, Calif., with a new
Solution Center located in Schaumburg, Ill., contributed $40,000 to
Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT), The Foundation of the
Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl., to help fund the
winners of its 2009 manufacturing camp grants.
Each year, with the support of sponsor companies, NBT awards
grants to not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions that
offer overnight or day camp experiences that introduce young people
ages 12 to 16 to careers in manufacturing and engineering. The Amada
donation supports three camps for three consecutive years.
“We are very appreciative of the generous donation from Amada
America that will help to inspire the next generation of engineers,
builders and manufacturers,” said actor, director and producer John
Ratzenberger, an NBT founder and its spokesman. “There is an
ever-increasing demand for highly skilled professionals who can design,
program, and operate technology. Creating a skilled work force in the
trades is vital to the future of America, and it all starts with getting
young people to take pride in tinkering.”
“Manufacturing camp grants help to provide positive, hands-on
experiences so young people will consider manufacturing as a career
option and ultimately increase the pool of available, highly skilled
8
workers in the country,” said Terrence Egan, NBT director.
“We thank Amada America for making this investment in the future
manufacturing work force of America.”
The camps reach youth at the critical level of secondary education,
exposing them to math, science, and engineering principles, and giving
them opportunities to see the technology being used in industry and
the high level of skills that will be required from the work force.
“We are proud to be helping to make a difference in these young
people and encouraging them to consider a career in the trades,” said
Nick Ostrowski, General Manager - Media/Tooling Sales with Amada
America. “These camps are important because they provide youth with
the exposure to vocational and technical trades that no longer exist in
all public education systems.”
NBT recently launched a text-to-give program that allows people
to donate to the organization by simply texting “123” to the number
“90999” from their cell phone. Supporters will be prompted to confirm
their gift by replying with the word YES. Then they will receive a
confirmation and the message generates a $5 donation charged directly
to the caller’s cell phone bill.
Amada America manufactures and sells sheet metal fabricating
equipment, including CNC turret punch presses, lasers, press brakes,
shears, flexible manufacturing systems, and related software.

Thirty students have been awarded scholarships totaling $49,000 from Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs, The Foundation of the Fabricators &
Manufacturers Association, Intl., for the 2009-2010 academic school year. Support NBT scholarships at www.NutsAndBoltsFoundation.org.
$5,000 NBT/SolidWorks Scholarships
Michael Adams
North Canton, Ohio
Major: Mechanical Engineering
The Ohio State University
$2,500 NBT/SolidWorks Scholarships
Anthony Cazabat
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Whitman College
Johnathon Canalizo
Ormond Beach, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
$500 “GO-Brennan”/SolidWorks Scholarships
Mark Littleford
Deltona, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
Austin Rutland
Province Oak Hill
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
Kevin Dickson, Jr.
Grayslake, Ill.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology
Avery-John Domingo
Kapolei, Hawaii
Major: Mechanical Engineering
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Don Chartrand
Daytona Beach, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
Bill McCreary
Deltona, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
Steven Saliba
Holly Hill, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
Support NBT scholarships at www.NutsAndBoltsFoundation.org.
Matthew Johnson
West Dundee, Ill.
Major: Computer Engineering
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champagne
Hank Peppe
Plattsmouth, Neb.
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
Ed Dobos
Deland, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
Manuel “Manny” Moscoso
Port Orange, Fla.
Major: Plumbing
Daytona State College
William Smith
Ormond Beach, Fla.
Major: Welding Tech
Daytona State College
2009-10 Scholarship
Recipients
$2,000 NBTSolidWorks Scholarships
$5,000 Outside Processors Council (OPC)
Scholarship
Jay Woeste Megan Feil Andrew Kudlak
St. Henry, Ohio Brooklyn Park, Minn. Fayetteville, N.C.
Major: Mechanical Engineering Major: Chemical Engineering Major: Mechanical Engineering
The Ohio State University University of Minnesota Technology
Central Carolina Community College
Ethan Scott William Terry IV Kyle Brubaker,
Edmond, Okla. Rowley, Mass. Daytona Beach, Fla
Major: Mechanical Engineering Major: Mechanical Engineering Major: Welding Tech
Oklahoma State University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Daytona State College
Nicholas Gannon John Hatch Terrell Hill
Deltona, Fla. Port Orange, Fla. Lynwood, Calif.
Major: Welding Tech Major: Welding Tech Major: Sheet Metal Fab
Daytona State College Daytona State College Long Beach City College
Garrett Moyer Ray Parkhurst Charles Rogers
South Daytona, Fla. Ormond Beach, Fla. Long Beach, Calif.
Major: Welding Tech Major: Welding Tech Major: Sheet Metal Fab
Daytona State College Daytona State College Long Beach City College
Dakota Swearingen Andrew Taulbee Mitch Thygesen
Lakewood, Calif. DeLeon Springs, Fla. Langley, B.C.
Major: Welding Tech Major: Welding Tech Major: Metal Fab
Long Beach City College Daytona State College Kwantlen Polytechnic
University
Networking @
Harley-Davidson Museum®
Milwaukee, WI • May 13, 2009

Matt Hotch, two-time winner of Discovery Channel’s “Biker

Build-Off ” and member of the NBT board, joined the group and
signed autographs

Next Networking
Event:
Sept. 15 @
Mazak Optonics Corp.
Elgin, Ill.

10
AddisonMckee’s Quality Management System
was audited in May 2009 and was awarded an
updated ISO 9001:2008 certificate. Previously,
the company’s quality systems were maintained
and certified to the former ISO9001:2000
standard.
AICON announced a new climate control
concept for its optical measuring system,
MoveInspect.
AMS Controls presented the Pathfinder
Graphics Control System for sheet metal folders
at the annual showing at Kaufmann Ulm
Spenglereibedarf GmbH in Ulm, Germany, in
March.
ClarkWestern was recently honored by the
Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry
with the Excellence in Construction Quality
Award for Contractor’s Contract less than $1
Million.
Epicor Software Corp. announced it has been
selected as a finalist for Global ISV Industry
Partner of the Year in the 2009 Microsoft
Worldwide Partner Conference Awards program.
Exact Software announced the expansion of
Exact’s ERP portfolio in the Americas with the
release of Exact Globe 393.
Labconco is on Twitter. Follow them at http://
twitter.com/labconco.
Middle Atlantic Products introduced the new
IsoCenter™ Rackmount Isolation Transformer
system which is engineered to enhance AV
performance by eliminating many issues related
to power and grounding.
The Minster Machine Co. announces 0 per-
cent APR for all in-stock Amada equipment.
Nova Group Inc. received FMA’s Safety Award
of Honor.
OKAY Industries Inc. has received the 2008
Parkview Metal Products Excellence in Quality
Award as part of the Precision Metalforming
Association’s Awards of Excellence in Metalforming.
Olympic Steel Inc. announced the recipients
of the Sol Siegal Scholarship Program.
The 2009 new recipients are:
Renee Garcia, daughter of Ysmael Garcia
(Detroit Division) depending on size, moves them forward to the
Midhilesh Gogineni, son of Rao Gogineni
(Cleveland Division)
Stacia Moyes, daughter of Thomas Smith
(Iowa Division)
Alaine Perconti, daughter of Alan Perconti
(Cleveland Division)
Ashley Skinner, daughter of Lisa Bradley
(Southern Division)
The 2009 renewal recipients are:
Jessica Cedor, daughter of Joseph Cedor
(Connecticut Division)
Michael Culek Jr., son of Michael Culek
(Cleveland Division)
Megan Feil, daughter of Donna Feil
(Minneapolis Coil Subsidiary)
Alyse Fields, daughter of Kenneth Fields
(Minneapolis Coil Subsidiary)
Zachary Hasbrouck, son of Keith Hasbrouck
(Connecticut Division)
Caroline Sable, daughter of Robert Sable
(Minneapolis Coil Subsidiary)
Michael Sagherian, son of Malcolm Sagherian
(Connecticut Division)
Timothy Shields son of John Golly
(Chicago Division)
Jennifer Slife, daughter of Sheila Slife
(Corporate Office, Cleveland)
Peddinghaus Corp. completed a concentrated
week-long ISO audit and received a five-star
rating back from NQL Associates, the ISO
auditing firm. Peddinghaus therefore
received the highest rating of certification ISO
9001:2008 as a result of its efforts.
PEM® China has received the “Advanced
Environment Protection Enterprise” award
from the Kunshan (China) Municipal
Government. The award recognizes the efforts
and excellent results achieved in meeting and
exceeding environmental protection
requirements”and was presented during 38th
World Environment Day ceremonies on June 5.
Precision Hardware’s delayed egress for
Dura-Glide™ made BUILDINGS Magazine’s
Top 100 Products for 2009.
PRC Laser officially welcomes Durma Machine
Tools to the North American laser market.
RathGibson announced seamless, welded, and
drawn tubing through its company Greenville
Tube.
Sandvik Materials Technology has signed a
multi-year delivery contract for steam generator
tubes for the nuclear power industry.
Stahlwerk Thüringen GmbH, a company of the
Spanish Grupo Alfonso Gallardo, has placed an
order with SMS Meer for a new roughing stand
for its long product mill in Unterwellenborn.
TRUMP released its TruLaser Tube 7000 laser
cutting system which processes tubes inside a
tunnel-like safety enclosure and then,
brush table or ejects them to a parts container
behind the machine.
Ultratech Inc. announced it will co-host the
CEO Investor Summit -- a forum that will
bring investors and analysts together with
executives from six leading capital equipment
companies in an efficient, relaxed atmosphere.
The CEO Investor Summit will be held on
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at the Four Seasons
Hotel in San Francisco. Ultratech’s
Chairman and CEO Art Zafiropoulo and
Sr. VP of Finance & CFO Bruce Wright will
represent Ultratech.
$250,000 Write-Off
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009 has been signed into law, extending the
increase in the Section 179 Federal Income Tax
Deduction. The Act allows a company to deduct the
first $250,000 of equipment (Section 179 Property)
purchased in 2009 from its taxable income.
For companies purchasing (or leasing -- with a
$1 buy-out lease) up to $800,000 of equipment in
2009, this deduction is available in full. It then
phases out on a dollar-for-dollar basis between
$800,000 and $1,050,000, and is not available for
companies purchasing more than $1,050,000 of
equipment in 2009. However, companies can finance
purchases more than $800,000 with an operating
lease and may still be eligible to claim the deduction.
Plymouth Tube Co. Celebrates 85 Years
In 1924, family-owned Plymouth Tube Co. began
to produce premium tubing from a small, single
location in Michigan. Since the very beginning,
Plymouth has achieved its primary goal of meeting
or exceeding customers’ expectations by encouraging
exemplary service as well as practicing superior
manufacturing methods to encourage overall
efficiency. With leadership from President Donald C.
“Van” Van Pelt, Plymouth has withstood the test of
time and continues to thrive even in the most
challenging times.
“Not many companies survive 85 years, especially
family-owned businesses. Plymouth Tube is still
going strong in our 4th generation of family
leadership” said Steve Bohnenkamp, vice president
of sales and marketing for Plymouth.
Plymouth is committed to the long-term success
of its customers and the markets they serve.
“During tough economic times many
customers want to do business with companies they
feel confident will be around in the long run” says
Bohnenkamp, “Understandably, they don’t want to
take major risks in dealing with the wrong suppliers.”
“For 85 years, Plymouth Tube has survived many
recessions, and even the Great Depression,
maintaining the continuity, reliability and quality
you have come to expect, says Plymouth Tube
President Donald C. “Van” Van Pelt.
“Our strength lies in our long term focus and our
commitment to our customers, our employees and
our shareholders.”
Currently, Plymouth maintains 13 operations
offering precision carbon and stainless steel tub-
ing, steel and titanium cold-drawn shapes, steel and
titanium near-net extrusions, stainless steel coil
processing, and a variety of value added steel
finishing processes.
Plymouth Tube Co., including Plymouth
Engineered Shapes, serves a vast array of markets
across the globe. Markets served include aerospace,
nuclear, transportation, pharmaceutical, firearms,
performance racing as well as others. Plymouth also
supplies value-added services in carbon steel, stainless
steel, and titanium for a variety of applications,
including feedwater heater, pressure, boiler,
hydraulic, elevator, pump, valve and mechanical.
11
Connections
member newsletter
july/august 2009

Connections Staff
Editor
Kimberly Pollard
kimp@fmanet.org
Contributing Writers
Jen Christian, D’Ann Hamilton,
Audrey Long, Julie Maddock,
Dena Mattausch, Megan Paja, Jim Warren
Graphic Designer
Sarah Currie

Contact us
Customer service: 888-394-4362 or
815-399-8775
Fax: 815-381-1371
FMA e-mail: info@fmanet.org
FMA Website: www.fmanet.org
TPA e-mail: info@tpatube.org
TPA Website: www.tpatube.org
FMA Connections is
published bimonthly by:
Fabricators & Manufacturers
Association, International®
Tube & Pipe Association, International®
833 Featherstone Rd.
Rockford, IL 61107-6302 USA