Shaping machines Machine Cutting Tools
You might have often seen retaining walls on sloppy sites while traveling or hiking. Cemented Carbide Inserts Apart from that, many people consider the construction of a retaining wall for aesthetic purposes as well. To have a clean usable space or decorative space, a retaining wall is most popular these days. However, apart from having a retaining wall maintaining it is even more significant to ensure it remains intact, safe, and trouble-free. The major cause for constructing a waterproof retaining wall is that it regulates soil erosion to stop landslips and prevents dirt from leaking to lower levels
Smaller retaining walls may be built and maintained on your own, but for more complicated ones, a professional is required to assure a job is well done. Since a damp retaining wall can be a big no no, you might want to know more about maintaining your retaining walls, especially from water. It is important that you BTA deep hole drilling inserts take into consideration the crucial factors while focusing on maintenance
Best way to waterproof a retaining wall
1. Organizing
When constructing and waterproofing a retaining wall, the organization of each element is important. A retaining wall may be dangerous if improperly constructed. Depending on the scope of the project, you might need to apply for council approval and get builders' warranty insurance. Besides, you need to check for underground electricity and plumbing wires where you intend to dig your foundation to avoid disturbing them. Consult a building engineer if you intend to have huge trees supported by the retaining wall
2. Purchasing the proper waterproofing materials
Waterproofing is necessary to prevent hydrostatic pressure buildup and ensure that a robust retaining wall will last for many years. Porous, concrete blocks and bricks enable rainwater from the earth to seep into the wall. To prevent hydrostatic pressure, you must get high-quality waterproofing materials, not damp-proof ones. Although they may appear to be interchangeable, damp-proof goods may not hold up as well over time and eventually allow leakage
3. Picking the right liquid rubber membrane
Environmentally friendly waterproofing membranes called liquid rubber membranes are used to waterproof retaining walls. They come in the form of paints, are easy to apply to a wall, and are very flexible in letting soil move inside the wall without splitting and allowing water through. Due to the liquid rubber membrane's elasticity, it can stretch when the wall moves structurally. The product you select therefore has to be able to handle standing water. Verify if it complies with this criteria with your supplier
4. Applying the liquid rubber paint
Any retaining wall may be painted using Liquid Rubber Paint. This process of painting just takes a few hours. To apply the paint, you'll need a trowel or a brush. Complete the first coat, allow it to dry, and then apply the second coat. Make sure that during backfilling, gravel and other pointed objects do not harm the membrane. For this, you can apply a sheet of permanent protection.
A skilled group of people specializing in constructing and waterproofing retaining walls is available at Austrina Steels. Reach out to us, and we'll assist you with waterproofing or building your retaining wall just like you have wished for.
Even with various tiers or levels, concrete sleepers serve as a retaining wall to prevent soil erosion and give a simple yet effective technique to enhance depth. Concrete sleepers come in a wide variety of forms and shapes, making them incredibly versatile and useful landscape additions that require very little upkeep. If you're looking for a long-term replacement for wooden sleepers, concrete sleepers can be the ideal choice of replacement. Concrete sleepers are a practical, affordable, and simple install option.
For exploring more about the concrete sleepers their uses, types, cost details and why choosing them is the best pick for you over any other material please check out the blog below
How Concrete Sleepers are used
Well, a retaining wall made of concrete sleepers offers a dependable and durable technique to divide your space into different levels. They are generally used for the supports and brackets as they guarantee a sturdy, robust finish, with a correct installation that can last for decades. Similarly, sleepers are also a great decorative option to add depth and layers to outdoor spaces while also serving as a strong reinforcement to avoid subsidence. Likewise, concrete sleepers can be used as a foundation to build the numerous levels you want to add interest to flowerbeds and outdoor areas.
Types of Concrete Sleepers used in Sydney
To meet the consumer's specific demands for concrete sleepers, there is a wide variety of patterns and forms of concrete sleepers available. A concrete sleeper retaining wall generally includes matching concrete sleeper stairs, making it simple and quick to add a new layer to your landscape without having to go out and buy additional equipment or accessories.
Additionally, you may get all caps, cladding, edges, and other accessories to give your concrete sleeper its final appearance. Concrete is one of the most adaptable materials available if you're looking for a sleeper that fits flawlessly into your current necessity. It's simple to combine and match the best solution for a particular space layout due to its alternatives for edging, caps, and cladding that go with a variety of styles and patterns.
Retaining walls can feel less like a necessary safety component and more like a natural part of the landscape by using a variety of neutral colors that can enhance the aesthetics of outdoor areas with flowerbeds and other amenities
The Cemented Carbide Blog: tungsten insert sharpener
How To Choose The Right Gear Lubricant？
Industrial fans create a vacuum that causes air to flow through the system. This vacuum is called static pressure and is usually measured in inches of water column. Designers use a variety of mathematical models to estimate the static pressure required to achieve the required airflow. The required static pressure is influenced by the following system parameters:
- number and radius of elbows (bends) of the air duct;
- total length of system air ductwork;
- the diameter of the duct used and the air flow rate;APMT Insert
- the selected dust container;
- fine cleaning agents (inlet filter or inlet/outlet silencer).
Many of these parameters do not change over the entire life of the system. The exceptions are dust collector filters. As dust accumulates on the filters the pressure drop or resistance to air flow increases. The system will need to increase the static pressure to compensate for the effects of dust build-up on the filter surfaces.
Fans are typically selected to provide sufficient airflow throughout the life of the filters including additional static pressure to maintain airflow when the filters are approaching the end of their life. Filters at the end of their service life have a higher pressure drop than new filters. In order to extend the life of the filters in the dust bin a filter cleaning system is used during operation. Re-accumulation of dust on the filters followed by a self-cleaning cycle of the dust collector creates small fluctuations in the required static pressure in the system.
The most common fan control is the damper which puts additional load on the fan to maintain the required airflow. To maintain the required air flow rate in the duct the damper can be manually or electrically controlled. This method has a low accuracy which is not sufficient to constantly maintain the calculated air flow through the system. Manually operating the damper would require constant supervision by a qualified person. It would be expensive and difficult.
A more convenient way to control the fan and maintain a constant air flow in the system is to use a variable frequency drive. It changes the speed of the blower motor depending on the frequency signal. Three phase electrical networks in North America typically operate at 60 Hz. The use of a variable frequency drive allows the operator to select the frequency by slowing down or speeding up the fan. In an ideal system the maximum fan speed would only be achieved with adequate static pressure due to clogged filters. The rest of the time the fan would run at a reduced speed sufficient to generate the required static pressure. This method of management saves money. Compared to systems without flow control where the fan is constantly running at increased speed the VFD approach uses an intelligent system that maintains the required airflow while conserving energy.
There are mathematical models that validate the effectiveness of such a system using several assumptions and system parameters. Typically the installation of a variable frequency drive and airflow control system can pay off in less than two years and maintain the required airflow rate in the dust extraction system. This can reduce wear and tear on the system. When justifying the installation of a variable frequency drive and an airflow control system the following savings should be considered:
- labor costs;
- disposal costs;
- inventory creation costs;
- stable operation of the system and maintaining the required air flow in the system.
Having decided to use a variable frequency drive it is necessary to choose a method of continuous supply of a control signal. The purpose of the control system is to maintain the required airflow regardless of static pressure fluctuations in the system. An air flow meter installed in the duct system will allow the controller to adjust the fan speed accordingly. Flow measuring devices work best in clean air and are usually installed after filters. This could be the duct at the fan outlet. The duct length must be long enough to reliably measure the total airflow through the system.
In addition to measuring the air flow it can also be measured the static pressure at the point where the duct connects to the dust collector. The static pressure required to maintain the design airflow depends on a number of parameters that will not change until the system is changed. The simplest way to control a VFD in a dust extraction system is a static pressure controller. When the resistance of the filters to the flow increases the air flow generated by the fan decreases. This decrease in airflow causes the static pressure in the duct in front of the dust collector to decrease. So the controller will signal the VFD to increase power to maintain the static pressure. Conversely, after cleaning the filters with pulses of compressed air the flow resistance in the system drops. And the power of the VFD is reduced to keep the static pressure constant. BTA deep hole drilling inserts The result of this control is the maintenance of the design airflow and the attendant benefits and cost savings.
More manufacturers are realizing the importance of airflow control and the associated energy saving opportunities.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Milling Inserts
Basics of Designing Portable Cabins
Tamper proof courier bags were innovated at a time when the courier WCMT Insert industry was rapidly increasing and also facing a lot of issues regarding tampering and theft of the goods during transportation. Many times, the goods were meddled with or tampered with on the way to the customer. Sometimes, the clients used to receive damaged products or half of their costly products. These issues led to the development of tamper proof courier bag which discouraged the courier personnel from opening the products during transit. The customers are also rest assured that they receive their products intact.
Tamper proof courier bags are manufactured using good quality and bio-degradable plastic. These bag do not pose any harm to the environment. They are made from 50 microns and above plastic polymers which ensure that they get decomposed easily. They are also tear resistant and quite sturdy which makes APKT Insert them very safe and efficient for carrying heavy products. Let us see the various benefits of tamper proof courier bags:
? Tear resistant: These bags are made from good quality 50 microns plastic bags which makes them quite sturdy and tough with high tensile strength. These bags do not tear easily even on carrying heavy goods.
? Bio-degradable: As these bags are made from 50 microns and above, they are easily decomposed and do not pose any threat to the environment.
? Moisture resistant: These bags do not soak in moisture and make the products safe in transit during rains. ? Heat resistant: The good quality plastic bags do not let the extreme weather conditions to spoil the contents packed inside.
- Tamper Proof: These have to torn open to see the contents inside and hence one cannot open to meddle with or steal the products packed inside. This makes them very safe.
There are various Tamper Proof Bag Suppliers in India but Modwrap in Delhi is one of the leading firms selling tamper proof courier bags, zip lock bags, EVA sheets, rubber sheets, PVC pouches and other such packaging items. Their rates are the best in the industry and at any time, Modwrap holds a large inventory of any kind of packaging product. They also have a very user friendly online website with all their products carefully listed and explained. They even customize the bags as per your requirements for bulk orders. If you are searching for good quality tamper proof bags suppliers then visit modwrap.com to avail some great discounts and offers.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Carbide Inserts and Tooling
Custom Retail Boxes An Ideal Packaging Solution For Variety Of Products
Today, reverse osmosis systems are widely available for households. These systems require a large investment and a lot of plumbing work initially, however, it will be all Cemented Carbide Inserts worthwhile at the end. The system is efficient as it removes all sorts of particles from water and can purify the water for your various household needs.
History
The process was initially created and tested in 1748. As the technology advanced over the period of 200 years, we now have more than 15,000 osmosis plants all over the world. The industry has grown to include filtering rain, waste and sea water and has also made its way towards food industry.
The filtering procedure allows only water molecules to pass through the holes. Due to its work process, constant maintenance of the system must be done over time. It is essential to clean the membrane to ensure that the system functions properly.
Working & Usage
As these reverse osmosis systems are usually surface milling cutters used to filter seawater, it is highly effective for separating salts and other similar particles. The efficiency of the system depends upon the solute concentration, water flux rate and the pressure on the outside of the tube. If either of these fail, the system will start malfunctioning and not deliver the right results.
The process is also widely being used in the manufacturing of maple syrup. As the process helps in separating water from sap, it offers a pure syrup, which is not diluted. Some car wash owners also utilize this so that the dryers don't have to work as hard to get the water off.
The list of contaminating particles that the system can includes fluoride, radioactive materials, bacterial parasites, microorganisms and various atom-sized materials. It helps in removing any heavy metal particles in drinking water, which can pose a problem to your internal organs.
Reverse osmosis systems make use of pressure to push water through small pores, to create "distilled water." While doing so, chemicals, germs, and minerals are filtered through different membrane layers as well as carbon filters.
A reverse osmosis system will deal with numerous different water quality problems. The system helps with impurities, cloudy water, bad tastes or odors, in addition to minimize the costs connected with acquiring bottled water.
The system creates energy, alleviates waste-water and recycles fluids. This system is utilized in residential and also commercial filtration. The procedure desalinates water and transforms salt water right into drinking water. For instance, the pressure pushes water molecules through the membrane, however the salt fragments are too large to fit through the filtration, and this leads to drinkable water on the other side.
However, along with contaminating particles, the reverse osmosis systems also remove some of the essential nutrients and minerals, which are necessary in your family's overall diet. You may have to add such minerals in your diet, if you are using a filtration system.
Overall, reverse osmosis system is one of the most effective filtering system out there. No matter whether you are getting it for your household or another industrial work, you will experience a powerful filtering process. When looking out for such systems, make sure that you get it from one of the best reverse osmosis plant manufacturers in India .
The Cemented Carbide Blog: tungsten guide insert glock
A Manual on How to Pick The Right Subfloor For Flooring Tiling
Choosing the right cutting blade is very important as choosing the right saw in the aspect of efficiency, cost effectiveness and profitable output. Using inappropriate blade or saw will lower the cutting speed, can shorten blade life raising the cutting costs at the same time. Diamond blades come in a variety of sizes and performance levels so choosing the right blade for a project and apply it correctly can save time, money and increases profit. Owners should include several factors when purchasing the right blade, characteristics of the concrete being cut, saw speed and performance to improve productivity and economy, as well as minimize the chances of troubleshooting blade issues.
1. Which materials are you cutting? The best choice when cutting concrete are the diamond blades. Majority of concrete cutting equipment are designed to cut a wide range of materials under different circumstances. To achieve maximum performance, the blade should be matched to the material it will cut to reach the depth of the cut you need. Correctly, you must be familiar what makes up the concrete or asphalt you are about to cut. Knowing the type of aggregate is your best bet to spot a blade designed to cut it. If possible, observe the slab and look if it has steel bars in it (reinforced concrete), this test helps identify the hardness of the material which can help you narrow your blade selection to only the blades that will cut that specific type of surface.
What type of equipment are you using? The equipment you are already using will impact blade choice dramatically. Inform your supplier what you are currently using so they can present the equipment that is most suitable for your needs. According to the manufacture methods, you can choose between wet cutting tools that can significantly reduce the dust or when there isn't a water source near the working area, you have to employee dry cutting blades.
How deep are you cutting? This criterion will help you select the right blade diameter that will make the cut straight. If you are not quite sure what you can do there is Milling inserts a maximum cutting depths specified on blade packaging. Actual cutting depth should be first ensured. Cutting depth will also be reduced if saw components (motor housing and blade guard) extend below the blade collars.
Cutting dry or wet? As concrete is usually very tough or abrasive, diamond concrete saw blades are applied with adequate water supply. Blades initially designed to cut dry can also cut equally well -wet, but wet cutting blades absolutely must be used with water. Constant water flow during wet-cutting is critical. If you cut longer without water supply the diamond segment may break, causing damage and environmental hazard.
Do you want more life or speed? On this basis, this is more important: the initial price will affect the lifespan of your blade. Sometimes it may be wiser to invest in a low-priced rod peeling inserts blade for a smaller job or occasional use. For larger projects or more regular use, an expensive blade will actually be more cost effective to use because it will deliver the lowest cost per cut. You can tell all these information to your supplier and select the right blade that will save you time, money and headaches.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: cast iron Inserts
The Best Way to Microcontroller Reverse Engineering
The flyovers, subways and much more public construction take place around the country. Thus, it is always important to have the raw materials of good quality. The iron rod that is used for the construction process plays a vital role. The low quality ones are not going to hold the construction for a longer period of time. Thus, the top 10 TMT manufacturers in India plays a vital role from within. The best quality TMT bars are now available to have flawless construction. The construction companies using these types of TMT bars will be able to provide better results. Also, there won't be any type of flaws in the construction process. One must keep an eye on the Top TMT bar Companies In India.
List of Top 10 TMT brands list:
Feature of the TMT bars:
The TMT bars so made by the well-known manufactures come with a variety of features. It has the exterior cores with great strength. Also, the design of the TMT bars come with the ribbed pattern. As a result, the strength of the bar will be concentrated within the wider portion of the rod. The manufacturer has the inner soft cores for binding and getting more strength over the TMT bars. The top 10 TMT manufacturers in India provide the TMT bars for the earthquake-prone area of the nation. Also, there are some areas within the nation that are prone to the cyclone.
The low strength and deep hole drilling inserts weak raw materials will not stand there for a longer period of time. Rather, the chances are quite high for them to collapse. Top TMT bar Companies In India bring the building materials that is specially made for the cyclonic region. Even if the natural calamities hit the coastal area, there will not be any damage to the construction. The corrosion-resistant feature of the TMT bars makes it quite superior.
Benefits of TMT bar companies:
These days' people have a great willingness to buy the property or construct a new house in an improvised way. The construction companies take advantage. Also, competition among these companies is quite high. All of them wish to attract customers or buyers. Now, the raw material supplying companies benefits the buyers by providing the best quality building materials to them. The good construction companies look for the top 10 TMT manufacturers in India. The TMT bars which the building construction companies are using must have the proper strength to hold the entire structure. The technology is boosted in such a way that even the natural calamities cannot break or damage the property.
Cost efficiency is one of the important benefits that the TMT bar companies can help you with. Top TMT bar Companies In India provides the TMT bars with high quality. As a result, it will keep your property intact for a longer period of time. Thus, the cost of maintenance that is usually incurred every year will not take place. As a result, one can easily have success in getting a well constructed and strengthened construction structure.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: milling Insert
Purpose of Diamond Cutting Tools And Paste
Abrasive materials contain hard crystals that are either naturally-occurring or manufactured. This makes them perfect for all sorts of workings, including metal, stone, wood, plastic, rubber, and glass. There are various abrasive materials to choose from on the market, all of which are all designed for specific applications. Some abrasive materials like zirconia, garnet, glass, and even walnut shells are often used for specialized sanding projects. However, the top 4 most common abrasives include diamond, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and cubic boron nitride. Continue reading to learn more about these common abrasive materials, and the applications they are designed to perform.
Common Applications
Abrasives are used for several purposes. Indexable Inserts The standard applications include cleaning, removing excess material, shaping, sharpening, sizing, separating, finishing, and/or preparing surfaces. Depending on the type of surface you are working with, the abrasive you use will vary. They also come in various grit sizes which are vital to the type of work you are attempting to accomplish. Grit sizes are expressed as numbers, and range from 40 to over 240. The lower the grit number, the courser the material. A 40 grit abrasive would be the coarsest on the market, whereas a 200 grit abrasive would be among the finest.
Here is a scale of grit sizes:
40 to 60=Very Course
80 to 100=Medium Course
120 to 150=Medium
180 to 220=Fine
240+=Very Fine
Common Types of Grit:
Aluminum Oxide - This bar peeling inserts grit is manufactured to provide grinding, shaping, sanding, and polishing applications for hard metal like steel and iron. It is good for heavy jobs like rust removal and metal shaping.
Silicon Carbide - This grit is suitable for wet and dry sanding of a wide range of metals, including nonmetallic, non-ferrous, and cast iron metal. This is why it is also known as wet and dry. It can also be used for hardwood and plywood, as well as, soft metals like aluminum and brass.
Diamond - This grit is well-suited for grinding cemented carbides, glass, ceramics, and hardened tool steel.
Cubic Boron Nitride - This grit is best for grinding hardened steels and wear-resistant super alloys.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: tungsten carbide Inserts
How to judge the high hardness and good wear resistance of cemented carbide strips!
Tungsten Carbide is an alloy composed of tungsten, carbon atoms, and other metallic elements. It is extremely hard and durable, which makes it a popular material choice for many applications, such as jewelry, drill bits, cutting tools, and more. However, while there are many advantages to using tungsten carbide, some drawbacks should be considered before deciding to use this material. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of tungsten carbide.
One of the major benefits of using tungsten carbide is its incredible durability. The material has an incredibly high melting point (around 5400 degrees Celsius) which means it is extremely resistant to heat and wears and tear. This makes it ideal for applications that require intense heat or wear resistance, such as industrial machinery or jewelry. Additionally, its hardness makes it able to withstand high levels of pressure without damage – making it great for cutting tools like saw blades or drill bits.
Tungsten carbide also has good electrical conductivity, which makes it especially useful in electronic applications where electricity needs to be conducted through the material without any interference. Finally, because of its hardness and durability, tungsten carbide is often used in medical implants such as hip replacements or knee replacements due to its ability to resist corrosion and wear over time.
Tungsten carbide is a tough metal that is often used in high-wear applications. The hardness of tungsten carbide makes it ideal for use in cutting and machining tools and wear-resistant coatings.
Tungsten carbide has a melting point of approximately 5,700 degrees Celsius, which is significantly higher than the melting point of most other metals. This high melting point makes tungsten carbide ideal for use in high-temperature applications.
Tungsten carbide is highly resistant to chemical attack and does not corrode in most environments. This chemical inertness makes tungsten carbide an ideal material for use in chemical processing equipment and areas where corrosion resistance is required.
The coefficient of thermal expansion is a measure of how a material expands when heated. Tungsten carbide has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, meaning that it expands very little when heated. This property makes tungsten carbide ideal for precision instruments and applications where dimensional stability is required.
Despite being a refractory metal, tungsten carbide is electrically conductive due to the presence of carbon in its crystal structure. This electrical conductivity makes tungsten carbide ideal for electrical applications such as electrodes and contacts.
The most significant disadvantage of tungsten carbide is its cost – due to its properties, producing items with this material can be much more expensive than other materials such as steel or aluminum. Additionally, because tungsten carbide is so hard, it can be difficult to machine and shape into complex shapes – meaning that larger pieces may need to be cut down into smaller pieces before they can be machined into their desired shape – driving up costs even further. Finally, since this material is not naturally Surface Milling Inserts occurring on earth (it must be produced synthetically), environmental concerns are associated with mining the raw materials needed for production.
While this may seem like a good thing, it can be quite a disadvantage. The hardness of the metal makes it difficult to work with and shape. This can make it difficult to create products from tungsten carbide that are precise and have intricate designs.
Another downside to the hardness of tungsten carbide is that it is also a brittle metal. This means it can break or shatter easily if it is dropped or hit too hard. This can make it difficult to use tungsten carbide in applications that may be subject to impact or wear and tear.
Tungsten carbide is more expensive than other metals, such as steel. This is because VNMG Insert it is difficult to mine and process. The high cost of tungsten carbide can make it prohibitive for some companies to use it in their products.
Tungsten carbide has a melting point of around 2700 degrees Celsius, which is lower than other metals such as steel (melting point of about 1400-1600 degrees Celsius). This means that tungsten carbide products may not be suitable for applications where they will be exposed to high temperatures, such as in welding or soldering.
Tungsten carbide is considered a toxic metal, as exposure to it can cause health problems such as skin irritation, respiratory problems, and gastrointestinal issues.
Tungsten Carbide has many advantages when compared with other materials – from its extreme durability to its excellent electrical conductivity. However, these advantages come at a cost financially and environmentally cost because the raw materials must be mined to produce this alloy synthetically. Before deciding whether or not tungsten carbide is suitable for your needs, you should consider both the advantages and disadvantages carefully before investing in this material choice.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: http://beaded.insanejournal.com/
Cutting Tools Expedite Product Processing
When stepping into Horn USA’s 2,500-square-foot booth, visitors find many interactive displays related to the company’s tools, especially the 10 new products it’s unveiling at this year’s show. Booth W-1722 is a newly revamped space that not only boasts a 15-ft. by 30-ft. video wall where large TVs play videos of tools in motion, but also includes hands-on demos of Horn tools where visitors can see and touch the tools themselves. The booth also offers a touchscreen display that educates Machining Inserts visitors about the company’s tooling options.
Although the interactive nature of the booth attracts traffic, there’s plenty of space for visitors and Horn associates to conduct business. “We are providing the freedom of space for browsing, meetings and discussion as well as a place for purchasing,” says Duane Drape, national sales manager, Horn USA.
Among the ten products being introduced in the U.S. for the first time are the 109 type Supermini series grooving and boring tools and the S100 cutting insert with internal cooling.
The 109 type Supermini series has a grooving and boring range of >6-mm diameter and is used in conjunction with the two existing series types 110 and 105. Type 109 provides cutter inserts that offer alternatives for working with reliable processes in the upper working range of type 105 and in the lower working range of type 110.
The S100 cutting insert family now offers a cutting insert with a 4-mm cutting width and an RCGT Insert internal coolant supply. The coolant jet acts directly on the cutting zone. A funnel-shaped nozzle within the insert concentrates the coolant flow, assisting in the break-up of chips and reducing the danger of a chip jam. Formation of a built-up edge and the danger of cratering at the cutting edge are prevented, as well.
The Cemented Carbide Blog: Carbide Inserts
New Tool Grades for High Speed and Interrupted Cutting
Boom and bust. Boom and bust. If you have been involved in metalworking and the machine tool industry long enough to have endured and persevered through several of these boom-bust cycles, then you probably have this sense that the difference between the boom and the bust has increased over a time. In other words, the peaks have seemed higher and the dips deeper with each passing cycle.
Well, this is not all in your head or your gut. This impression is real.
I have spent the last 10 years attempting to forecast the metalworking industry, particularly machine tool consumption. It didn’t take me long to understand that metalworking and machine tools are the classic example of a cyclical, boom-bust industry. Although I was armed with that knowledge and had the data to back it up, I was nonetheless surprised when I took a fresh look at the long-term global machine tool consumption data from Gardner Business Intelligence’s latest World Machine Tool Survey.
Chart 1 in the slideshow at the top of this article shows world machine tool consumption with a theoretical maximum consumption trend. Notice the gray line. It represents global consumption in U.S. dollars, adjusted for inflation. This line indicates that the increase in global consumption over time is caused by more countries becoming industrialized and not the weakening of the U.S. dollar through inflation.
From 1960 to 1970, global machine tool consumption increased in an almost perfectly straight line. To almost anyone in the metalworking industry today, an entire decade of straight-line growth is almost beyond imagination. However, the boom-bust cycle that seems normal today did not begin until 1971.
Generally, a complete cycle in machine tool consumption has taken 10 years from peak to peak. In recent years, when interest rates were lowered to nearly zero (and in some cases below zero), the cycle periods became less regular.
In fact, the height of peak consumption in those cycles increased over time, even though the periodicity (peak-to-peak time) did not. The dotted blue line in this chart represents a theoretical maximum consumption of machine tools. It is based on the straight-line growth of recorded machine tool consumption from 1960 to 1970. In other words, we can suppose that the straight-line growth during this period was the natural or “organic” pattern for machine tool consumption and that the forces behind it were normal and steady (at least in theory). Given this assumption, machine tool consumption can be theorized to “max out” at points on this line in the period after 1970 as a logical supposition. This theoretical maximum gives us a useful reference for examining the actual consumption results.
In fact, the peaks of machine tool consumption generally fall on that line. We had no such peak in the late 1990s (thank you, dot-com bubble), and we dramatically overshot the theoretical maximum machine tool consumption in 2008 and 2011-2012 (more on that later).
This theoretical maximum can be compared to the bottom of each machine tool cycle. For example, in 1971, the theoretical maximum machine tool consumption was slightly more than $30.3 billion, but actual machine tool consumption was only $26.7 billion. So, at the trough of the cycle, consumption fell short of the theoretical maximum by $3.6 billion, or 12 percent. History shows that, cycle after cycle, this shortfall has widened.
Table 1 in the slideshow at the top of this article shows that the cycles were indeed getting worse, both in terms of the absolute distance from theoretical maximum and the percentage below the theoretical maximum. Note that, even though the size of the shortfall gap grew in 2002, the shortfall represented a slightly smaller percentage of the theoretical maximum than in 1994. Then, in 2009, the shortfall decreased significantly, and with it, the percentage of the theoretical maximum naturally decreased as well.
The fact that the last two dips in machine tool consumption have not been as severe and the fact that machine tool consumption dramatically overshot the theoretical maximum in 2008 and 2011-2012 are related. Both developments were caused by China’s influence on the global market.
The gray line in Chart 2 shows world machine tool consumption, while the blue line shows world machine tool consumption with figures from China dropped from the calculation. Notice that, until the mid 2000s, there was not a significant difference between the two lines. That’s because China only accounted for no more than 15 percent of global consumption before that period. By 2011, China’s machine tool consumption accounted for 40 percent of the global total.
Therefore, it seems clear that the influence of China’s suddenly huge appetite for machine tools is the reason the troughs have been less severe and the peaks have been higher than expected. Chart 3 shows world machine tool consumption and the theoretical maximum machine tool consumption without including numbers from China. Through 1990, the peaks continued to hit the line while China still represented a small percent of global consumption. Then, in 2008, instead of dramatically overshooting the theoretical maximum, as might be expected, peak consumption fell well short of this line. Missing this level had never happened before. Likewise in 2009, the trough is much deeper both in an absolute sense and in comparison to the theoretical maximum. Instead of the expected $19.9 billion shortfall, the shortfall in global machine tool consumption widened to $41.1 billion, a figure much larger than in 1994 and 2002. And, without the numbers from China, the percent shortfall increased to 51 percent from 25 percent.
All of the factors that help explain why China’s surge in machine tool consumption had this effect may be impossible to identify. However, I believe that two known factors provide a reasonable explanation.
First, extremely low interest rates enabled global manufacturing companies to build new factories anywhere in the world in order to exploit low labor costs. Near-zero interest rates meant that financing new capital equipment was virtually free. So why not put that new capital equipment where labor costs were relatively low compared to Western manufacturing countries? As a result, low global interest rates magnified China’s machine tool consumption over that from any other country.
Second, more than any other country in the world, China represents a distinctly two-sided, yet lop-sided, machine tool market. High-end manufacturing with high-end machine tools is one side. Much of this capability is concentrated in the electronics and automotive sectors. In contrast, the other side of the market consists of low-end, even manual, machine tools. This side of the market is much larger than the high-end side, and it is this lopsided low end of the market that made it appear that the troughs in global machine tool consumption were less severe. It also is this low end of the market that made it appear that global machine tool consumption was overshooting its theoretical maximum.
This is not the end of the story. Simply taking China’s machine tool consumption from the calculations does not lead to an entirely accurate analysis. The high-end manufacturing taking place in China represents a growing percentage of the Chinese metalworking and machine tool industry. One way to capture the size of this high-end industry is to focus on Chinese imports of machine tools. It stands to reason that these imports are more sophisticated machines being installed by global manufacturers and high-end Chinese job shops.
Chart 4 has insights to offer here. The gray line shows global machine tool consumption with only Chinese machine tool imports included in the data. It is significant that this method of analysis shows that global machine tool consumption falls almost exactly as expected on the line of the theoretical maximum. Therefore, true global machine tool consumption falls somewhere between tube process inserts the gray and blue lines of chart 2.
How does this understanding shape our outlook for the future of world machine consumption?
Chart 4 shows that global machine tool consumption in 2016 was $30.1 billion, or 33 percent below the theoretical maximum. This shows that the global manufacturing industry has not yet recovered from the great recession of 2008 to the extent expected. I forecast that global consumption will increase in 2017, even though many major national economies are still working through significant debt issues.
“The Fourth Turning,” an excellent book on long-term cyclical forecasting by William Strauss and Neil Howe, describes a theory that I believe applies to machine tool boom-bust cycles. Based on this book’s theory, the current cycle in our industry should bottom out between TCGT Insert 2020 and 2025. Accordingly, we should see a dip in global machine tool consumption during those years.
Ultimately though, this dip may not be much deeper than current global machine tool consumption. In the last few cycles, the troughs in machine tool sales have been bottoming out at about 40 percent below the theoretical maximum. Based on a theoretical maximum consumption of $95.3 billion in 2020, the low point of global consumption would be about $57.2 billion.
Once a cycle bottoms out, machine tool consumption tends to grow for six or seven years. If we hit bottom in 2020, then we should hit the next peak between 2025 and 2030. Based on the trend that began in 1960, we can expect machine tool consumption to peak somewhere near $100 billion between 2025 and 2030.
Of course, these expectations are speculative. Many unforeseeable events may alter the situation. Nevertheless, insights into the long-term growth trend in machine tool consumption, the cyclical nature of the industry and what is happening in China can help us understand these shifts and their implications as they occur.
About the Survey
This is the 51st edition of an independent annual survey that collects statistics from machine tool consuming and producing countries and compares them in real U.S. dollars. It is conducted through the research department of Gardner Business Media Inc. (Cincinnati, Ohio) by Steve Kline, director of market intelligence. Data for this report comes from research conducted by Gardner Business Intelligence.
Traditionally, Gardner collected actual or estimated data on production, exports and imports from 26 countries. However, beginning with the 2015 survey, actual import and export data were included for every country that imported at least $100 million of machine tools in at least one year since 2001. This change added 34 more countries to the overall survey. For these additional countries, production was estimated, although in a few instances actual production data was found on government websites.
Consumption is calculated by adding imports to and subtracting exports from production figures. The data typically are reported in local currencies, then converted to U.S. dollars. After this conversion, all of the data in this latest survey also were adjusted for inflation using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index for capital equipment. This adjustment promotes a more accurate historical comparison.
Sources of Data
Special assistance came from the 15-member CECIMO consortium (Brussels, Belgium) and AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology (McLean, Virginia). Also, for countries that did not report, import and export data was gathered from the International Trade Centre (intracen.org).
Definitions
A machine tool is usually defined as a power-driven machine, not portable by hand and powered by an external source of energy. It is designed specifically for metalworking either by cutting, forming, physical-chemical processing or a combination of these techniques.
Machine tools are traditionally broken down into two categories: metalcutting and metal forming. Metalcutting machines typically cut away chips or swarf and include (but are not limited to) broaching machines, drilling machines, electrical-discharge machines, lasers, gear-cutting machines, grinders, machining centers, milling machines, transfer machines and turning machines such as lathes. Metal-forming machines typically squeeze metal into shape and include (but are not limited to) bending machines, cold-heading machines, presses, shears, coil slitters and stamping machines.
Data presented in the World Machine Tool Survey are solicited for metalcutting machines (codes 8456-8461 under the Harmonized Tariff System) and for metal-forming machines (8462-8463), and are solicited for complete machines only, not including parts or rebuilt machines.
Exchange Rates
All data reported in domestic currencies are translated into U.S. dollars using the average daily exchange rate for the year (not the end-of-year rate) as reported at Moody’s Analytics. All analysis is done in real U.S. dollars.
Shipments vs. Orders
In addition to contributing statistics to this survey, many countries also track orders for new machine tools. These are, by their nature, different sets of numbers, and they may or may not be related. This survey is based on actual shipments of new machine tools from the factories in which they are produced. In contrast, the various order compilations in individual countries around the world are based on bookings for machines that will be shipped in the future. The time lag between these two events can vary greatly. An in-stock lathe might be shipped one day after the order is placed, whereas a complex engine-machining line might take a year to be delivered after the order has been received. On average in the U.S., orders lead shipments by four to five months. That is likely a common lead time for other countries as well.
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