The Punching Report by Multicyl

Repairing a Multicyl cylinder

2012-01-13T05:35:00.000-08:00

Even thought our cylinders are very reliable, occasionally they do require a new seal kit to be installed.

This can be done in one of two ways:

1) You can send back the cylinder to Multicyl for a complete refurbishing, or

2) You can purchase a seal kit and do the repair yourself.

The thought of disassembling a cylinder can seem daunting to some people, however, we have made some handy PDF files with pictures detailing how to change the seals in your Multicyl

MC series, XL series, and DX series manuals can all be found here: Multicyl Resource Page

And as usual, if you have any questions, feel free to contact one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff members

1981 TO 2011 … THAT’S 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS.

2011-11-23T05:56:00.001-08:00

Anothermagnificent milestone has been passed, 30 years, that’s a long time for a company to survive in these turbulent times .

Weare excited to celebrate this anniversary and take a little time to reflect our success as we look forward to the future with great anticipation.

Timeschange, downsizing and corporate relocation are old news. Challenges change as industries shift continents but the rewards of our efforts are just as satisfying.

Welook back with pride on our accomplishments and thank our loyal staff and excellent suppliers for their service through the years. Our success is summarized by Multicyl's business axiom which is a simple one.

“Be scrupulously fair and consistent with everybody. And when you promise to do something....do it.”

This axiom has stood the company in good stead for its first 30 years. We are confident it will take us through the next 30 years with matching success.

Just by coincidence as this article was being written this MC series cyl was returned for repair. Built in 1988 a seal kit was all that was needed to rebuild this cyl back into full production.

Just like a Rolls Royce Multicyls never break down “they may be temporarily out of commission!”

Identifying a Multicyl Cylinder

2011-11-23T05:43:00.001-08:00

One of the most common questions we get when we talk to acustomer is “How do I know what cylinder I have?”

There are two sets of numbers stamped on a multicyl's mainbody. One set of numbers is the modelnumber, the other is the serial number

First let’s take a look at the model number.

You can see three sets of numbers stamped into the metal beneath the oil reservoir. This particulat cylinder is a 20 16 7.

What does this mean?

The first number is tonnage X2

so 20/2= 10Tons@120 PSI

the second number is the total stroke in 1/8th of an inch

16/8 = 2" Total stroke

the third numer is power stroke in 1/32nds of an inch

7/32" total power stroke.

The serial number to the cylinder can be found stamped in the same area on the back of the cylinder

Multicyl Trademarks - Helping the User

2011-11-16T11:46:00.000-08:00

The implementation of recently trade marked Press-In-A-Box™ Multicyl packages and our Systematic™Multicyl selection toolhas implications for promotional and practical use both for our new customersand existing users of Multicyl products.

Press-In-A-Box™ offers the user a complete work station which converts

“From Box to Press, In 5 Minutes orLess!”

For the experienced user who islooking for a quick and easy method of Multicyl press selection to the noviceuser who needs to rely on the practical experience of other professionals, Press-In-A-Box™ is designed to simplify the purchasing process with a pre-packagedproduct which is simple to ship and easy to install. With step by step assistance from our websitethe user will be punching holes faster with Multicyl than any competitors’ press.

To facilitate theselection process our Systematic™ Press Selection Method has been designed to cut throughthe calculation process involved in selecting our products. There are many important considerations whicha Multicyl user must consider when designing his package including airpressure, tool selection, type of material and thickness. Also important is cage selection with issuessuch as tool height and compatibility, throat depth and material access. Choiceof actuation component packages are matched to the cylinder and cage selectionto conform

with local and OSHA approved safety standards.

Asimple box entry system is all that’s required to enter the relevantinformation to obtain the tonnage requirement for the job. Once entered the choice of Multicylcomponents automatically appear for the user to select from. Our goal with these tools is to help Multicylusers quickly and independently work through the initial and ongoing process ofbuying and using Multicyl products. Butdon’t forget – our team is always ready to help, so call or email any time.

Solar Green with Multicyl

2011-09-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

Solar energy remains a growing market in North America andaround the world. You can see in theaccompanying “Solarbuzz” study that worldwide market share for photovoltaicsolar panels has increase by an average of 30% per year over the last 20 yearsand that in 2008-10 has shown a noticeable upswing.

http://www.solarbuzz.com/facts-and-figures/markets-growth/market-growth

This growth is due to many factors including government incentives,improvements in the photovoltaic technology, and manufacturing improvementswhich have made it possible for going green with solar to be more competitive.

Multicyl has been involved in a number of projects withmanufacturers of solar panels, with 2 of the biggest being Hydro Aluminum inFlorida in 2009 and recently in 2011 with SunEarth in California.

The frames that need to be manufactured to house the glassin the panels require a number of holes to be punched in a variety of placesand sizes, and Multicyl has a several features that appeal to this type ofmanufacturing need. SunEarth requiresboth cut to length and hole punching operations for a number of differentlysized frame components. The compact sizeand adjustability of Multicyl was perfect for the job – the machine could punch 3to 16 holes and cut parts to a length of 3’ to 12’, and could be set up for anypart and combination in the range within 5 minutes. A complete part is punched 2 seconds with asingle operator. See a picture below andclick here to see a video of the machine in operation.

No Summer Doldrums Here

2011-08-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

We are now in the traditional summerslowdown, a trading period affected by shutdowns and vacations usuallyresulting in lower growth for the manufacturing industries. This year our company, Multicyl Inc. is beingcarried through this period on the crest of a wave, with production backlogs atan all-time high. Although the phone is quieter than earlier in the year we areexperiencing a period of activity which reflects the confidence of themanufacturing industries we serve.

Belonging to the Machine ToolIndustry as we do, our trade figures have long been used as a barometer for thefuture health of manufacturing. Below we have positive feedback from AMTDA, AMTand USMTO with the background story as to why we are feeling this mini-boom.

U.S. Manufacturing Technology OrdersMore Than Double Year-Over-Year

U.S. manufacturing technology ordershave dropped the past couple months from a nearly $502 million high in March,but they continue to well outpace 2010 orders. May orders totaled more than$388 million, down 2.6% from April, but up more than 121% from May 2010,according to the AmericanMachine Tool Distributors’ Assn.(AMTDA) and the Assn.for Manufacturing Technology(AMT). Year-to-date orders have reached almost $2 billion, up 108% over 2010.

The numbers are based on datareported by companies participating in the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders(USMTO, formerly USMTC) program. “The May order numbers confirm our members’reports of continued strong project levels by manufacturing companies toimprove productivity in their factories,” said Peter Borden, AMTDA president.“The 2,000 unit-per-month level signifies a very healthy demand still in placeas we head toward the close of the second quarter.”

Three of the five regions that thetwo associations track actually showed a month-over-month rise in manufacturingtechnology orders in May. The Northeast, Southern and Midwest regions allperformed well, with orders rising 8.4%, 5.1% and 10.9%, respectively. TheMidwest has been coming on particularly strong, with May orders up almost 233%over the previous year, and 2011 year-to-date totals at 168.5% more than thecomparable figure for 2010.

The Central region’s technologyorders dropped almost 22% in May to just over $95 million, but are up almost84% year-over-year. The Western region saw orders fall 12% in May, butperformance gained 94% over the previous May.

ControlDesign.com 07/12/2011

Earlier reports concluded that overall construction spending was barelyabove an 11-year low hit in February. And it is roughly half the $1.5 trillionpace considered healthy by most economists. Analysts say it could be anotherfour years before construction returns to healthier levels.
The economy grew only 1.9 percent in the January-March period, thegovernment said last week. Most economists predict growth to be similarly weakin the current April-June period.
But gas prices are falling. The average price per gallon was $3.55 onFriday. That's down from nearly $4 per gallon in early May.
Cheaper gas should allow consumers to eat out more often and spend more ondiscretionary purchases, such as furniture and appliances. Consumer spendingmakes up 70 percent of economic activity.
And the impact of a parts shortage stemming from the March 11th Japanearthquake appears to be easing. All three U.S. automakers on Friday reportedstronger sales in June after a slump in May.
The ISM report gives investors some hope that growth will be stronger in thesecond half of the year, said IHS Global Insight economist Nigel Gault.
There were slightly more new orders for goods in June, and employment pickedup. Manufacturers are adding to their stockpiles again.
Economists are also counting on a recovery in auto production to boostsecond half growth. Deutsche Bank economists estimate that improved automanufacturing could add as much as a full percentage point to third and fourthquarter growth.
Some signs from abroad are troubling, too. Chinese manufacturing slipped toits slowest pace in 28 months in June, dragged down by rising interest ratesand declining exports, according to surveys released Friday in China.
That suggests problems in the U.S. The factory sector has been the primarydriver of the recovery, growing now for 23 straight months. And strong growthoverseas has been a key part of that growth for large manufacturers ofindustrial equipment and machinery, such as Caterpillar Inc.
The ISM, a trade group of purchasing executives based in Tempe, Ariz.,compiles its manufacturing index by surveying about 300 purchasing executivesacross the country.

A host of factors have conspired to weaken theoutlook for the overall U.S. economy, yet the manufacturing sector continues toforge ahead.

The latest quarterly Manufacturers Alliance/MAPIU.S. Industrial Outlook suggests that the manufacturing sector is poised formore growth.

"The positive momentum of a 2 percent reductionin payroll taxes this year and 100 percent expensing of equipment and softwareinvestments has been more than offset by higher oil prices, and Japaneseautomakers in the U.S. faced a parts shortage as a result of the tsunami,"said Daniel J. Meckstroth, Ph.D., chief economist for the ManufacturersAlliance/MAPI and author of the analysis. "Manufacturing, though, iscurrently well positioned for growth. There is pent-up demand for consumerdurables, firms are profitable and need to spend more for both traditional andhigh-tech business equipment, and strong growth in emerging economies isdriving U.S. exports."

Manufacturing industrial production, measured on aquarter-to-quarter basis, grew at a 7 percent annual rate in the first quarterof 2011, after expanding at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of2010. MAPI forecasts that manufacturing production will increase 6 percent in2011 and advance by 4 percent in 2012.

Production in non-high-tech manufacturing expandedat a 5.7 percent annual rate during the first quarter of 2011. According to theMAPI report, non-high-tech manufacturing production (which accounts for 90percent of the total) is expected to increase 5 percent in 2011 and 4 percentin 2012. High-tech industrial production rose at a 21 percent annual rate inthe first quarter of 2011. MAPI anticipates this sector will post strong 15percent growth in 2011 and 13 percent growth in 2012.

As shown in the new report, 18 of the 27 industriesMAPI monitors had inflation-adjusted new orders or production above the levelof one year ago, two more than reported in the previous quarter, and fourindustries remained flat. Industrial machinery grew by 32 percent in the threemonths ending April 2011 compared to the same period one year earlier, whilemining and oil and gas field machinery production improved by 29 percent in thesame time frame.

The largest drop came in housing starts, whichdeclined 15 percent. Private nonresidential construction experienced an 11percent decline.

Meckstroth reports that five industries are in theaccelerating growth (recovery) phase of the business cycle; 17 industries arein the decelerating growth (expansion) phase; two industries appear to be inthe accelerating decline (either early recession or mid-recession) phase; andthree are in the decelerating decline (late recession or very mild recession)phase of the cycle.

The report also offers economic forecasts for 24 ofthe 27 industries. MAPI forecasts that 21 of the 24 industries will show gainsin 2011, led by mining and oil and gas field machinery, and industrialmachinery, each with expected 26 percent growth. One industry, electriclighting equipment, will remain flat. The recovery should continue in 2012 withgrowth likely in 23 of 24 industries, including five industries that arepredicted to grow at double-digit rates, led by housing starts at 61 percent,albeit from depressed levels, and communications equipment at 16 percent.Public works construction is the only industry anticipated to decline, by 2percent, in 2012.

Industrial Supply Magazine

Welcome!

2011-06-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Multicyl blog page where we openly discuss current issues and items related to our industry, both in North America and Globally.
Here is the place to look for trade information related to the machine tool and / or press industry. We also publish technical data for use with Multicyl products and discuss issues concerning the use of our product. We can assist manufacturing engineers with examples of how other customers' innovations and applications improved their bottom line.

Here is an article that got my attention from the Globe and Mail which addresses some of the fallout from the drop of the US dollar. Every cloud has a silver lining and in this case the surge of US Exports has had a surprising effect on the North American economy. The eventual rise in value of the Chinese Yuan should also assist with US exports.

Here are some excerpts from the article, see below for full story :

U.S. manufacturers are leaving China behind
The United States exported more goods and services in March than in any single month in its history: $172.7-billion (U.S.) worth. It was the country’s 21st consecutive month of rising exports, pushing the year-over-year increase to 20.9 per cent. In these 12 record-setting months, exports reached within one-tenth of 1 per cent of $2-trillion – more than four times the cost of the country’s imports of crude oil.

Click here for full story from Report on Business writer Neil Reynolds

Reported inflation rate for China for May was 5.5%. Couple this with their double digit annual wage increases and we may not be too far away from the level playing field that manufacturers here are looking for, especially when compared to the lower wages demanded by some of the southern states. The US housing crisis is not yet over as demand is well below the supply of existing real estate. Add to this the post crisis lower real estate values and the resultant reduced monthly mortgage payments puts the US in good shape to maintain their position of producing 22% of the world's manufactured goods. A number that would rank as number eight economy in the world.

Twenty years ago the rise of Chinese manufacturing was greatly assisted by the brand new infrastructure afforded by their demand to capture 15% of the world's manufacturing goods. To their credit they have persued and achieved their target. They have also greatly improved the quality of their exports due largely to their brand new, well organized factories stocked with efficient, modern machinery.

As the US benefits from the likes of Caterpillar and NCR making their prodigal returns to US soil for their future expansions there may be immediate shortages of machine tools due to recent US manufacturing shrinkage and the glut of auctions of redundant plants, most of which have been eagerly sucked into countries like India at bargain prices. They will however need to be replaced by more efficient versions of the older machine tools therefore giving them an edge over the competition.

The retirement of aging personnel from these industries may signal the demand for training in current hi-tech jobs for the next generation.

Jim Brennan

President
Multicyl Inc.