Bonal Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Bonal
International, Inc. has introduced its recently trademarked product "Black
Magic." Bonal Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Bonal
International, Inc. has introduced its recently trademarked product "Black
Magic."
Black Magic uses Bonal's Meta-Lax Stress Relief, a sub-harmonic stress relief technology for metal improvement solutions. Black Magic is the ultimate distortion controller and is specifically designed to control distortion in metal parts less than 300 pounds, the company said.
Black Magic induces a mild energy into the single or batch of parts placed on its platform. This energy is based on the weight load of the components being treated. The energy level is maintained for 25 to 65 minutes depending on the type of material. The result is less distortion in the subsequent processing, Bonal said.
"Black Magic should be used immediately before each manufacturing step where distortion is anticipated," said a Bonal spokesperson. "These manufacturing steps may include machining, grinding, EDM, hardening, welding, heat-treating and sawing. This process enables companies to use less machining and manufacturing time and as a result have greater productivity and profitability."
Black Magic is a vibration platform that comes in three sizes: 12 x 18 inches with a 50-pound capacity, 15 x 30 inches with a 150-pound capacity, and 18 x 36 inches with a 300-pound capacity. Other options include power: 110 or 220 volts; mounting holes: SAE or metric; and style: standard or CE.
The equipment has self-contained electronics, vibration generator and heavy-duty rubber feet. Black Magic can be placed on a workbench or portable cart. No operator training is needed since only two dials need to be set: The weight of the load that is on the table and the material classification. Once dials have been set, the operator presses the 'run' button and Black Magic processes the part(s) until complete and shuts the equipment off. Black Magic is calibrated to Meta-Lax standards for five distinct weight loads and three material classifications.
According to Bonal research, Black Magic can help customers:
Reduce distortion up to 85 percent.
Reduce grind time up to 75 percent.
Reduce machine time up to 50 percent.
Reduce scrap up to 100 percent.
Improve productivity and profits.
"Since there is essentially no overlap with our other product lines, the potential market for Black Magic is very large," said Greg Merritt, director of marketing. "We see Black Magic as a high-growth product for Bonal, and we expect to have further success with customers who specialize in high-performance products like engine builders, gunsmiths, EDM component companies, tool rooms and machine shops."
John Crane Canada is currently using Black Magic to cut down on distortion of several parts it machines. Prior to using Black Magic, the company would let the parts sit between machining and finish machining to help relax the stress. In some cases, the company spent money to get critical parts heat-treated in a vacuum to prevent oxidizing.
"We decided to use Bonal's Black Magic as a way to reduce distortion and maintain control of the manufacturing process in house at a reasonable cost, said Allan Bothwright, operations manager of John Crane Canada. "Heat-treating in a vacuum was a costly and time-intensive process. We decided to find a tool we could use in house and fit on shop floor so we could maintain control of the manufacturing process. Since John Crane Canada landed a large contract for split seals, we could not afford to let finished parts sit due to capacity constraints and needed to have our finished parts be within ±1/1000. We would have had to run more shifts at the plant. We eliminated part finish machining on four of the seven dimensions and are working to get the others eliminated. Black Magic has helped to cut down the cycle time and overall machining hours. The best part: It has been simple to use too."
Extreme Custom Marine, located in Santa Ana, CA, started using Black Magic for stress relief of its engine and drive components for the marine industry.
"We conducted research to find out what other companies had done in the high performance engine building industry for stress relief. After our research, we decided to use Bonal's Black Magic for distortion control to give Extreme Custom Marine an edge in the marine engine industry," said Paul Huddleston, owner, Extreme Custom Marine. "The product will help us to maintain our high-quality custom engine and drive components. Black Magic also provides our company an insurance policy to be sure our products won't fail at a reasonable cost. It fit right in with what we want to accomplish."
Black Magic is also available through the GSA Advantage website (www.gsaadvantage.gov). Bonal is a GSA contract holder, allowing the ease of product acquisition for federal agencies and their qualified tier one suppliers.
For more information contact:
Bonal Technologies, Inc.
1300 North Campbell Road
Royal Oak, MI 48067
248-582-0900
800 METAL-29
Fax: 248-582-0901
E-mail: info@bonal.com