At MONUMENT TOOLWORKS we employ the latest in machine tool technology. These tools program in increments of .0001" or .001 degrees. Their repeatability is measured at 50 millionths of an inch. This level of precision is required to ensure the quality of our tools. A part made today will be the same as a part made next year. All tools are tested at several stages of their assembly, and a final test is made prior to packing.

The design department uses the latest CAD, as well as CAM software to design and evaluate new tools and processes. We even use our machining center with a RENSHAW probe to digitize complex parts and shapes. This date can be imported into our CAD programs to verify the geometry of these parts.

Some of the tools used are shown below.

MAZAK Vertical Machining Center with 30 x 65 travel. This machine operates like a router, and it cuts steel almost as fast as a router. 15HP spindle, 24 tool ATC. This is an 18,000 pound workhorse.

This picture shows the holding fixtures used to drill and tap the final holes on our venturis. Each vise holds 10 parts. It takes less than ten minutes to process 40 parts.

The red dot that you see in the middle of the photo is the infrared eye that communicates with the RENSHAW probe. This probe is picked up by the spindle, and used to precisely locate parts on the machine bed, check the precision of machined components, and to digitize shapes for further CAD processing, like sink bowls.

The precision of this machine is crucial to the performance of the PARALLIGN clamp. Many operations require tolerances as close as +or- .0005". If parts are beyond that, they simply will not work.

MAZAK Vertical Machining Center

MAZAK Mill Drill Double Spindle Lathe. 12 position turret with fixed and live tooling. This machine often works into the night, lights out, making parts unattended. 25 HP main spindle, 10HP sub spindle, 5HP milling, full rotary "C" axis.

This machine is 12,000 pounds of precision. We turn steel, brass, aluminum, and plastic with this lathe. It's capable of turning steel bars as if they were made of butter, and precise enough to drill holes in our venturi that are only .015" in diameter. That's about 4 or 5 human hairs across!

In the photo above you see the jaws of the 10" chuck on the left, the 12 station turret on the top, and the 6" chuck on the sub spindle to the right. In operation we turn and mill the part on the main 10" spindle. When the front of the part is completely machined the sub spindle will open it's jaws, spin up to the same speed as the main spindle, and move to the left and pull the part from the main spindle. The sub spindle will pull the bar out just enough to make another part on the main chuck. The turret will then index to a cutoff tool, and proceed to separate the part from the bar. The sub spindle will then move to the home position, and the tools on the back of the turret will then index and finish the back of the part. When the back of the part is finished the machine will start the whole cycle over again.

And you thought programming your CNC router was fun!

MAZAK Mill Drill Double Spindle Lathe