Central Network Communications Inc. (CNC) today provided further details and clarifications on the agreement announced December 18, 2003 for the sale of CNC's operations to Viropro Inc. (OTCBB:VPRO).

This transaction comes at a time when CNC, with technology showcases operating at customer sites and new business imminent, is ready to transition to its growth phase in the business and financial community.

All of CNC's operations are currently held by its wholly owned subsidiary, CNC Holdings Inc. Through the transaction, Viropro will issue 20 Million common shares to Central Network Communications Inc. in exchange for its shares of CNC Holdings Inc. This means that the CNC ("CNCW") shareholders will receive 20 Million free-trading shares of Viropro Inc. at the time of closing, issued pro rata to all shareholders of CNCW as a stock dividend. It is anticipated that Viropro will then have a total of approximately 24M shares outstanding once the acquisition process is completed.

The closing of the transaction will take place once due diligence is completed, a long-form purchase agreement is negotiated and the S-4 registration process and filing procedures are completed with the United States Exchange and Securities Commission (the "SEC"). Normally this process takes at least 3-4 months to complete from the date of the initial filing which is expected to occur in February.

Up until closure, both companies will continue to operate and trade their own stock as independent entities. Concurrent with the closing of the acquisition of the CNC operation, Viropro will name a Board of Directors which will appoint the Officers of the Company, including a President & CEO. The Company will be fully reporting with the SEC and, as such, will operate in full compliance with SEC rules and guidelines.

It should be noted that Albert Delmar, currently CEO and Director of CNC, has expressed that he does not plan to assume any role or position within Viropro once the acquisition is complete. He will, however, remain as a Director and Officer of CNC to see through the acquisition.

For personal reasons, Mr. Delmar has not been involved in day-to-day activities of CNC for the last six months although he is consulted by the company as required. Prior to that time the Board had designated Robert Egery and his management team to assume day-to-day responsibilities.

For the following reasons, the acquisition of CNC operations by Viropro, and being listed as a fully-reporting OTC Bulletin Board company, is widely seen as a very positive development for CNC shareholders:

-- Greater market and financial visibility

-- Broader access to capital markets and future financing (CNC is

already seeing increased interest from institutional

investors)

-- Improved liquidity and value for shareholders

-- Increased disclosure and visibility through Full Reporting

status

-- Tight control and accountability through the Board of

Directors

-- Potentially higher share price and thus higher company

valuation.

Robert Egery, President and COO of CNC, stated, "We would like to thank our shareholders for their support during this process. We are extremely pleased to be heading towards the OTC Bulletin Board and will continue to forge ahead with our strategic objectives which include building our sales base and seeking acquisitions and strategic alliances. Through all this, we remain focused on implementing strategies to meet our financial objectives and create maximum value for our shareholders."

About Central Network Communications (CNC) Inc.

Central Network Communications Inc. develops and markets proven, innovative management solutions for the Healthcare sector. Headquartered in Montreal, Central Network Communications is a public company listed on the OTC Other market under the ticker symbol CNCW. For more information, visit www.cncinc.ca.

CNC's Safe Harbour Statement

Except for any historic information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which are subject to section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to safe harbor created by these sections. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, goals, assumptions of future events or performances are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward looking statements". Forward looking statements in this release may be identified through the use of such words as "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "believes", or statements indicating certain actions "may", "could", or "might" occur. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, which involve numerous risks and uncertainties, including the Company's ability to market its products and services in a competitive environment as well as other factors.

Poor earnings performance, inconsistent execution and pressures from the parent company finally boiled over last month at Child World.

CNC Holdings said it retained three agents to help it find a buyer for part or all of its 82 percent equity in the 175-unit toy chain.

The recent announcement followed a March 29 statement by CNC Holdings that the company was considering disposing of all or part of its interest in Child World. At that time, CNC Holdings said it had been approached by and had discussions with "potential acquirers of Child World."

Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp., S.G. Warburg & Co., and The Argosy Group have been retained by CNC Holdings "to explore its financial and strategic alternatives including the possible sale of the company," according to a May 21 statement by Child World. CNC Holdings further stated that it is "considering the disposition of all or part of CNC Holding's interest in Child World or a merger or other transaction involving Child World."

CNC Holdings gave no specific reasons for unloading its interest in Child World but the toy chain's worsening financial position is probably a a strong factor.

For the fiscal year ended Feb. 3, Child World reported a net income of $5.8 million, or 51 cents per share, on sales of nearly $830.3 million. A year ago, Child World earned almost $12.6 million on sales of $807 million.

Comparable store sales declined 8.6 percent for the year.

In the crucial fourth quarter of last year, sales totaled $404.6 million, down nearly 1 percent from $408.4 million in the final quarter of 1988. Income in the quarter fell 13.2 percent to $20.2 million. Comparable store sales during the final quarter of 1989 dipped 4.0 percent.

According to Tracy Burmeister, treasurer of Child World and an officer with CNC Holdings, Cleveland, CNC has no specific timetable set for the disposition of Child World. He declined to provide specific reasons for trying to sell the toy chain and would not comment on interested buyers.

In the meantime, Child World will continue operating with its existing management team, Burmeister said.

The three agents retained by CNC Holdings are currently reviewing alternatives for Child World, said Burmeister. The next step will be to issue a confidential offering memorandum indicating potential interest in the troubled toy chain, he said. CNC Holdings holds 82 percent of Child World stock.

Child World is the second-largest toy retailer in the United States behind Toys "R" Us. However, the chain is a distant second.

Compared with Child World's earnings decline, Toys "R" Us posted a healthy earnings gain. TRU's earnings rose 19.7 percent to $321 million on sales of $4.78 billion last year, also a gain of 19.7 percent.

According to retail analysts who follow the toy industry, Child World is suffering from a lack of consistency in a number of areas including technology. But the critical reason for the chain's problems, said Jack Siebald, vice president of Salomon Brothers, is that Child World "has not been executing according to a central mission."

TRU's mission, said Siebald is straightforward: to deliver the broadest range of toys to the public at the lowest possible price. Siebald said Child World's attention has not been concentrated on that alone.

Siebald said he recently concluded a market share study of the top three toy retailers and found that TRU had a 19.8 percent market share on toys, up from 5.9 percent in 1980.

Child World holds 4.3 percent of all U.S. toy sales, up from 2.8 percent in 1984. However, market share growth has been flat since 1987. At that time, Child World's market share for toys was 4.2 percent, said Siebald.

Despite its troubles, Child World is trying to move forward.

Last Christmas, it opened a new prototype in Framingham, Mass., and announced plans to remodel at least nine more stores this year based on this new prototype plus approximately four others based on the chain's smaller, 20,000-square-foot version, said Burmeister.

In addition to the remodeling plans, Child World plans to open about 10 new stores this year; install scanning in all stores; test shelf-pricing; and expand juvenile apparel among many other changes, including improved marketing and merchandising programs.

My second time attending Spain's biennial BIEMH machine tool show reinforced the notion that this E.U. country is drawing greater attention from the global metalworking marketplace. The 2006 show was the second edition held at the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC), which co-organizes the event along with AFM, Spain's association of machine tool manufacturers. The rain that fell in Spain during the 24th edition of this event didn't seem to dampen the spirit or interest of international attendees. While overall attendance and exhibitor numbers were down slightly compared to 2004 (although still much higher than previous shows that were not held at BEC), the numbers of international visitors and represented countries were both higher. This seems to indicate that there is a growing interest in Spanish machine tool technology abroad.

According to Gardner Publications' 2005 World Machine Tool Output and Consumption study, Spain ranks ninth in the world in machine tool production and tenth in machine tool consumption. AFM representatives note that the automotive and die/mold industries remain big targets for its member companies, but many would like a greater share of the burgeoning aerospace market. Some companies do have a healthy aerospace presence, such as Danobat (one of seven companies within the Danobat Group) with its line of turbine blade grinders.

The U.S. market is one that AMT, Spain's association for machine tool accessories, components and cutting tools, would like to see its member companies penetrate. Most of the AMT companies are small to mid-sized manufacturers that export approximately 40 percent of their sales. Carlos Pulana, president of AMT and director of the Izar cutting tool company, believes that the key to success in the U.S. market hinges on identifying niche applications that the Spanish manufacturers can fill. In order to gain exposure in the United States, ten AMT member companies plan to attend IMTS 2006 in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Pulana notes that their largest U.S. distributor is American Quality Tools, located in Riverside, California.

On With The Show

Machine tool design trends of note at this year's BIEMH show included multitasking capabilities, automatic part load and unload, an emphasis on quick tool changes and increased use of linear motor drives. There's always a significant presence of large-capacity machines at BIEMH. Juaristi, which specializes in big boring and milling machines, displayed its multi-axis TX horizontal boring machine that has been used to produce sizeable turbine blades for hydroelectric applications. The pallets on this machine measure 1,600 by 2,500 mm and can accept workpieces as heavy as 10,000 kg. Soraluce, a Danobat Group company, had the largest machine at the show, its FX horizontal, which offers 4,800 mm of vertical spindle travel. Both companies offer various machining head configurations for their machines.

A number of enclosed machine tools were also on hand. Kondia displayed its HC-400 dual-pallet HMC with optional vertical storage unit that can hold up to 400 kg per pallet. Zayer featured its Memphis 5000 high speed gantry-type milling machine designed for die/mold work. This machine uses rack and pinion drives, rather than ballscrews, for longitudinal and cross-movements.

ONA, the world's oldest EDM equipment manufacturer, continues to focus on large-capacity EDM applications. Its AE1000 RAM unit accepts a maximum workpiece size of 1,950 by 1,600 by 600 mm and weight of 10,000 kg.

Trimek offered demonstrations of its touch-probe and scanning CMM capabilities. The company emphasized the importance of marrying inspection with production. Rather than simply inspecting workpieces for quality control, the company believes shops should focus on process inspection by noting how measurement data is trending. Trimek is represented in the United States by GBI Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Attendees at the most recent SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in the United States may have noticed polishing equipment from Autopulit. The company, which manufacturers customizable CNC grinding and polishing machines, recognizes tremendous opportunities in the automotive aftermarket, especially in the United States.

Visitors to this year's show also noticed a couple of company mergers and acquisitions. Nicolas Correa and Anayak have recently combined under the Nicolas Correa Group. Those machines will continue to be sold under their individual brands. In addition, the Danobat Group has recently added Overbeck ID grinding machines to its stable of companies.

A Taste Of Spanish R&D.

The IDEKO R&D center is a joint research facility shared by the companies within the Danobat Group. A side trip to its expanding campus shed light on areas of research that the Spanish machine tool builders are focusing on for their new equipment designs. Here are a few of the projects currently underway or near completion at IDEKO.

* Underfloor turning--The Danobat Dano-rail (depicted on the following page) is an underfloor lathe which turns (machines) train wheels to allow them to be resurfaced without removal from a train's bogie. The bogie can be rolled on tracks to position wheels over the lathe's cutting tool. A moveable bed system adapts for a variety of track widths.

In 2000, National Oilwell, now known as National Oilwell Varco, established itself as a major manufacturer of industrial electric motors and generators when it purchased the Baylor Co. of Sugar Land, Texas. Ironically, prior to 1982 the Oilwell Division of U.S. Steel Corp., one of several large manufacturers of oil well drilling rigs, manufactured Baylor eddy current auxiliary brakes for draw works on its rigs. But after merging with National Supply during an oil market bust, it spun off the Baylor product line to an investor group.

Today, National Oilwell Varco manufactures a complete line of Baylor ac generators from 50 to 15,000 kW for voltages from 208 to 13,800 V and for speeds from 600 to 1800 rpm. The company said that over 10,000 Baylor generators have been applied worldwide, dating back to 1979. However, the product line's heritage dates all the way back to the first Delco ac generator that entered service in 1939, many of which remain in service yet today.

"We remain a strong player in the ac generator market, and about 40% of our business is still involved in manufacturing and rebuilding eddy current auxiliary brakes for drilling rigs. But our biggest emphasis today is on our Baylor and Louis Allis brands of electric motors from 400 to 15,000 hp," explained Thomas G. Purtill, vice president--sales for National Oilwell Varco's Power Solutions Group.

"Custom-designed and engineered motors for unique applications are our specialty," said Roger Case, motor sales manager. National Oilwell Varco motors are applied in various markets that include water pumping--both clean and waste water, utilities, refineries, pulp and paper, mining, metal working, chemical processing, military, marine and both centrifugal and reciprocating compressor drives.

"We are seeing a swing of our motor business to more compressor drive applications, as customers are finding that our synchronous motors are an especially good fit for reciprocating compressors," explained Case.

National Oilwell Varco's large synchronous motor product line ranges from 1000 to 15,000 hp and speeds from 200 through 1800 rpm. Its induction motor line covers the range from 400 to 15,000 hp. Both the synchronous and induction products are available from 460 to 13,800 V with indoor or outdoor enclosures and horizontal or vertical mountings. They are compatible with variable frequency drives (VFD) and soft starters.

"We've been at the Sugar Land facility for 30 years and we're one of the few totally US. A-manufactured motors," added Case. The 76,201 sq.ft. Sugar Land works is indeed a completely integrated motor and generator manufacturing facility. In addition to engineering, assembly and testing of the machines, all major motor and generator components except bearings are manufactured there.

"We emphasize total cost of ownership and being an active part of the customer's team. We strive to meet or exceed our customer's expectations all the time," said Greg P. Cervenka, chief engineer. The company uses computer-aided drafting, along with structural, modal and finite element analysis for design and manufacturing. "These advanced design techniques contribute to such benefits as size and weight reduction and air-flow improvements that keep motor operating temperatures low and efficiencies high," he added. CNC machine tools are used to maintain the tight tolerances needed for precision fits, runouts and air gaps.

Standard features of National Oilwell Varco motors include integral, nonprotruding mounting pads to accommodate doweling and jacking in each pad; computer-designed fabricated steel housings to resist vibration; coatings for corrosion resistance; rigidly braced end coils to resist vibration yet accommodate thermal expansion under full load; and split bearing brackets. Also included are a uniquely designed mica/glass insulation system that is vacuum impregnated with 100% solids resin and finished with a resin finish treatment; oil level sight glasses for all sleeve bearings; spacious, diagonally split conduit boxes for ease of wiring; and corrosion protection that is appropriate for the application atmosphere.

Available enclosure types include drip proof (DP), weather protected II (WPII), totally enclosed air-to-air cooled (TEAAC), totally enclosed air-to-water cooled (TEWAC), totally enclosed fan cooled (TEFC), and other options to meet special requirements. Specially designed motor case openings minimize the entry of foreign matter, while facilitating cooling air flow to internal electrical parts to improve motor life and performance.

Popular accessories include stator resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), proximity probes for shaft vibration measurement, surge capacitors, bearing RTDs, noise reduction packages, lightning arrestors, sealed insulation and differential current transformers.

The form-wound stator laminations are made of thin sheets of low-loss, high-grade silicon steel. High-strength steel vent spacers, integral to the stator cores, create core vents through which cooling air removes generated heat. The laminations and vent spacers are stacked, compressed under high pressure and then secured in a manner that reduces electrically generated noise and vibration.

Founded in 1959, Advance Mold and Manufacturing, Inc. (AM&M) is located in a temperature-controlled production facility in Manchester, Connecticut. The 30,000-square-foot building also houses Vision Technical Molding (VTM), a custom molding operation specializing in complex, tight-tolerance medical products. VTM also QC-samples AM&M's molds. Although the two sides are separate businesses, they are also partners, connected within the same building. AM&M occupies 18,000 square feet of the building and employs 65 people working two shifts, 6 days per week.

AM&M builds approximately 200 molds per year, machining as much as 300 tons of material--ranging from stainless steel to graphite electrodes--for small, accurate mold components. About 20 percent of the company's work travels next door to partner VTM. AM&M handles an array of work, with an emphasis on complex precision components for markets with counter-cyclic demand patterns such as automotive, medical and consumer/electronics.

At $11 million in annual sales and with an annual growth rate of more than 10 percent, the company says it is always on the move to sustain its challenging growth curve. AM&M also perceives competition from China as a significant motivator in its desire to stay abreast of new technologies.

"The cost difference between a Chinese-made mold and our product can diminish quickly when time, quality and service are factored in," observes Steven Arnold, president of AM&M. "We can excel at providing services for customers who can't tolerate delays because of quality glitches, distance and debugging, or who have urgent design-change needs."

Mr. Arnold also believes that the company can differentiate itself from others by qualifying even complicated molds in-house and by performing complete first-article inspections.

Pressure on throughput and more stringent demands for precision convinced the company to add a high speed machining (HSM) cell to its equipment list. In February 2005, AM&M installed two HSM 400s from Mikron (Lincolnshire, Illinois), mated to an automated, ten-position pallet system with the capacity to accommodate 90 electrode holders with robotic support. The three-axis, 42,000-rpm vertical machining mills each feature automated toolchangers capable of holding as many as 68 tools. Both units have probing capabilities with laser tool measuring and compensation. In addition, a robot from Erowa Technology, Inc. (Arlington Heights, Illinois) changes pallets when workpieces or setups change. It also automatically changes grippers when changing out graphite electrodes.

The Mikron mills are designed for precision and high throughput. Precision begins with rigidity, which is achieved with a monoblock machine base set in polymer concrete, says the manufacturer. It is the basis for solid damping in an accessible mill. The HSM 400 machines are equipped with high-performance motor spindles that provide varying speeds and torque.

The level of automation is conducive to high throughput. Served by a robotic pallet system, the cell enables staging and setup during operation, extending the system's production hours with much of the process conducted unattended. To maximize flexibility, the Mikron 400s each use automated toolholders capable of 3-second tool changes. According to the manufacturer, this makes it practical to economically use tools with short operating times--drilling, countersinking, threading and so on.

AM&M reports that the installation and setup of the new cell went smoothly. The company attributes the ease with which the cell was implemented to the system being specifically designed to work in tandem with the Erowa tooling robot. With the integration in place, the company was able to progress to startup 4 days after the installation.

The new mold cell replaces two bed-type mills that were struggling to keep up with production demands and quality standards. The equipment required hand-loading and additional operators. Another concern was the moving weight and mass of the machine components, which compromised accuracy. Thermal creep, as the production room and equipment gained heat, required constant checking and compensation to adhere to specifications.

"It was clear that the move to HSM would enable us to stay ahead of the technology curve," says Mr. Arnold. "Today, we are focused on dramatically reducing leadtimes and increasing throughput while maintaining accuracy."

According to Vincent Brown, CNC electrode/high speed mill department manager, the new cell has done just that. "With the HSM cell, we've seen our capacity grow by nearly 300 percent," he notes. "We are also pleased with the new programming software. The ability to change priorities, enter new jobs into the system and remotely monitor operations has yielded various improvements."

Setup time has been minimized because of a high degree of integration between the Mikron 400s and the robot. Mold parts are being produced in roughly half of the previous manufacturing time. The two mills are averaging a combined 240 production hours per week, with the brunt of this estimate characterized as "lights out." Accuracy and repeatability have been improved as well.

Available in five sizes with 55-330 tons of clamp force, all electric S2000i-B offers injection acceleration of 0-300 mm/sec in less than 36 msec. FANUC 310iS CNC control has 62.5 [micro]sec scan time, Windows CE-based operating system, 15 in. full-color touchscreen, and stores up to 300 mold files. Artificial intelligence capabilities include pressure trace, mold protection, metering control that minimizes shot-to-shot variation, and ejector force monitoring with 3-step position control.

May 2006 - The new Milacron Fanuc Roboshot S2000i-B redefines all electric injection molding with many innovative features for plastic processors. Recognized as the leading all-electric machine in its size range, the new standard S2000i-B model features injection acceleration of 0 to 300 mm/sec less than 36 msec, wider tie bar spacing and greater mold capacity. Available in five sizes from 55- to 330-ton clamp force, the Roboshot S2000i-B has a new, faster control that can reduce cycle time while improving all aspects of pressure, position, and velocity control. An optional new direct-connected injection unit can provide 500mm/sec injection speed in less than 30 msec, accelerating with a force of 2.02G, for producing ever-thinner part walls. With its numerous Artificial Intelligence (Ai) capabilities, the Roboshot is ideal for precision, thin-wall parts, as well as lights-out custom molding. "The S2000i-B will be introduced in the Americas at NPE 2006 with 110-ton models in the Milacron, Moldflow and Staubli booths, and a 55-ton model in the UNA-DYN booth" says Bob Strickley, Director of Marketing at Milacron.

The all-electric S2000i-B combines the latest Fanuc servo technology, new moving platen design and new injection pressure load cell with the new FANUC 310iS CNC control. The control is the fastest in the industry with a 62.5 [micro]sec (1/16,000) scan time. All of the artificial intelligence capabilities of the previous generation Roboshot - pressure trace, mold protection, metering control and ejection - have been improved and are now on/off selectable. "The package of new features on this machine cuts both setup and cycle times," said Kent Royer, Product Sales Manager for Roboshot. "The faster control, higher acceleration, faster injection, simultaneous sled-forward and clamp close, standard pre-injection, and simultaneous auto purge and die height setting all contribute to shorter processing times and greater production flexibility."

The mechanical side of the S2000i-B includes a new moving platen design that produces a more equal pressure distribution across the mold face. Tie bar spacing on the 55-ton machine is now 360mm x 320mm (14" x 12.5"). The new Roboshot offers greater processing flexibility with a unique low-tonnage adjustment - down to one ton - via the auto die-height feature. An improved automatic lubrication system for the clamp and injection ends reduces grease usage, while ensuring machine precision with optimum preventive maintenance.

The Fanuc 310is CNC control features a new Windows CE-based operating system and 15" full-color touchscreen that is 50% larger than the previous generation. The control can now store 300 mold files, including a comments field. Three user-selectable screen views include standard, large-print, and a four-screen split. A new virtual keyboard on the display provides "click" feedback to the user. Network factory automation interfacing with Mold 24i software provides tracking of all functions needed for FDA requirements. Other upgrades include the ability to easily create custom sequences using a new custom output signal function with over 310 available signals. The patented on-screen set-up of the 32 custom signals provides the combination of either output or input signals and does not require ladder logic training. Additional enhancements include an increase in the "last change" and alarm logs to 3000, valve gate, vacuum, ejector interlocks and standard dual-core sequencing software.

The control's Flash Memory Card slot allows continuous download of process data in CSV format for analysis using spreadsheet applications or database applications. The memory card can also be used to download screen shots or upload/download mold files and set-up sheets in text or picture files. " The combination of new control with a new high-precision, high-resolution load cell improves velocity-pressure switching, pressure metering and acceleration control," Royer added.

High-performance injection unit

The S2000i-B injection unit has been engineered for greater rigidity and the new low-friction guide-bar-less design used on 55- and 110-ton models is optimized for the higher acceleration loads and faster cycles required for thin-wall molding. A synchronized barrel/nozzle heat-up function offers fast heat-up time, while minimizing black speck problems caused by overheating. Milacron can also provide its WEARSTAR or KLEARSTAR injection packages and other application specific screws and barrels to further enhance performance.

V & G Dynamic Machine & Tool, Inc. of Marble Falls, Texas, uses high-end VMCs and CNC mills and employs skilled machinists and CNC operators to support the development of new instrumentation and technology for the semiconductor industry.

When Volker Steffen founded V & G Dynamics in 1988, the company was doing mainly repair work using two manual mills. Mr. Steffen knew that if he had CNC there was the promise of longer runs and production of complex parts--giving access to new markets and increasing sales and profitability. But these benefits come with a cost in terms of capital, training and learning. Mr. Steffen was looking for a way to implement GNC gradually--a transition that took the characteristics of his shop and people into consideration.

He discovered an opportunity at an open house held by his local dealer. "I was at an open house at a machine dealer one weekend, and I saw a manual mill with some sort of external motors mounted on the table," Mr. Steffen says. "The dealer showed me how the mill was doing CNC work by having the power feeds move the table, under the control of a PC. Best of all, I didn't have to start using a computer right away. I could just use the power feeds in the 'Teach Mode.' You move the table to a desired position, press 'set' on the pendant, move to the next position, press 'set' again, and so on. At the end of the sequence you press 'run,' and the machine plays back exactly the moves you told it to execute. It's that simple."

On seeing this, Mr. Steffen first began considering doing more than just manual mill work. V & G had grown to include a lot of small-volume (1 - 500 piece) production work, but Mr. Steffen was not at the point where he needed to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a single CNC. So in 1993, he decided to first retrofit one of his manual mills with the "intelligent power feeds"--a basic two-axis Servo II automated control system with the "Teach" pendant, made by Servo Products Company of Pasadena, California--which he mounted himself on a Summit manual mill with a Sargon digital readout. The cost of the retrofit was well within his reach, and the promise of increased production made the whole deal attractive. Within days, production was at levels he had never seen before, and both he and his machinists were using the "Teach Mode" feature without problems.

Such use of a basic retrofit package makes sense for shops where owners and operators don't have prior experience with CNCs. In the case of V & G, its manual mills had essentially become three different machines with one simple retrofit: one that still does manual work, one that uses the Teach Pendant and one that can perform CNC work (when connected to a dedicated PC). The DRO interface adds accuracy to the Acme lead screw by using the scale for positioning accuracy instead of the encoder on the motor, In addition, the DRO enhances the machinist's productivity.

With the Servo II control system used for the retrofit, one-of-a-kind or production run parts can be machined, and the table can be moved either using the pendant or handwheels. The "taught" programs are limited to straight line and angle cuts. The system cannot be taught to machine a circle. Subroutines can be called up, and program steps can be changed, added or inserted. It's easy to delete entire programs from pendant memory, or delete a subroutine call--which is useful when "programming" on the fly. An operator also can set, clear or drag axes travel limits (for example, reset limit beyond current position) and can playback a program held in the pendant's memory.

The Servo II control system can be made more productive by hooking up a PC, which simply can be used to transfer programs between the PC and the pendant; with Servo CNC software and a dedicated PC, the machine has full CNC capabilities. This comprises the second step in the gradual conversion to CNC machining. Programs "written" on the pendant can be transferred to the PC for storage and for re-use at a later time. The transferred pendant programs arc converted to common CNC codes. Conversely, programs can be written and edited on the PC and transferred later to the pendant, though only a limited set of CNC codes are available. This means two things: Operators can generate CNC code without knowing programming, and they can execute previously written CNC code without using the control (it's done via the pendant). Production goes up, and accuracy and repeatability improve. The absence of a steep learning curve makes training the operators brief and inexpensive.

V&G began by doing most of its CNC work using the conversational mode programming on the control. By going through a step-by-step process, the operator answers simple questions about the current job, and the control automatically develops a program, which is then seamlessly translated into G-code that can be used on any Servo CNC machine. Even if the operator makes a mistake in the programming, he or she can easily edit the specific line that needs correction.

The most important capability for a turning shop is the ability to turn a profit. Bryon Bettinardi, owner of Bryco Machine in Tinley Park, Illinois, was watching this capability decline.

During the 1990s, the shop had a specialty. Small-diameter parts requiring precision turning, milling and drilling could be produced at high efficiency on the shop's bar-fed CNC Swiss-type lathes. For much of this time, says Mr. Bettinardi, there were fewer than 100 such machines in the Chicagoland area.

That is not the case anymore. He believes that the number today is about 700. As the capacity has multiplied, the profit margins for this work have gone down. The shop had to change. The problem was, the change had to be big.

It was clear what capabilities to add. Trying to run small-batch prototype jobs on the Swiss-type machines was an ongoing frustration, because the machines are at their best when running large quantities. Then there were the jobs the shop couldn't take on at all--that is, parts larger than 1.25 inch in diameter, the capacity of the largest Swiss-type in the shop. To provide a larger range of services to existing customers, Bryco needed to add both prototype machining and production machining of larger-diameter parts to its arsenal of capabilities.

However, adding too little prototyping capacity would leave the shop continuing to struggle to do some of its short runs on Swiss-types. Adding too little large-diameter capacity would be even less acceptable, because Bryco could only hope to get its customers' large-diameter business if it had the capacity to fully satisfy those needs. So Bryco went full bore (so to speak) into increasing its turning capacity.

A shop that formerly had 13 CNC turning machines added seven more in a single year. The shop also added 12,000 square feet. The total investment was $2.5 million, or about two-thirds of the shop's annual sales. All at once, Bryco became a different and significantly more complex shop. In fact, just the complexity brought its own perils.

Mr. Bettinardi could no longer gage the performance of all of his machines at a glance. Nor could he quote jobs based on his specific understanding of a particular type of turning. He needed better information to manage a bigger shop with broader capabilities. To obtain this information, he made several seemingly small changes that he now considers to have been pivotal: hiring a director of operations and technology, placing PCs on the shop floor, and expanding the shop's use of shop management software beyond payables and receivables to include shopfloor data collection.

Monitoring and responding to the shopfloor data has proven essential for quoting jobs on the new machines and keeping them producing efficiently, Mr. Bettinardi says.

However, given what he also discovered about costs and quoted prices for the Swiss-type work, it turned out that he could have benefited from having access to this more precise information all along.

Production Turning

For its new capacity in large-diameter production turning, Bryco's objective was to realize something like the production efficiency of its bar-fed Swiss-types. The shop purchased five bar-fed turning centers from Eurotech (Brooksville, Florida), all served by 6-foot bar feeders from Iemca (Bucci Industries, Charlotte, North Carolina).

The Eurotech machines have dual spindles for simultaneous machining of multiple pieces, along with dual turrets possessing live-tool capability. Bryco's different models offer 1.77- or 2.625-inch bar capacity and 8- or 10-inch chuck capacity. Two of the machines have Y-axis capability, which Bryco uses for parts requiring engraving.

One design feature of these machines that interested Mr. Bettinardi was the fact that the main spindle and subspindle are not concentric. For the part to be handed off from one spindle to the next, the subspindle travels up to meet the main spindle, then returns with the part to its lower position. The result of this design, he says, is that the turrets have more clearance to accommodate long tools.

Prototype Turning

For the prototype work, the important point for Bryco was that a prototype job's preparation time can easily exceed its machining time (certainly not the case for the shop's production jobs). For a prototype machine, cutting fast was desirable, but being able to program fast was even more valuable.

Bryco chose two TM6 CNC lathes from Hurco (Indianapolis, Indiana). One machine uses an Iemca bar feeder and the other is limited to chucking, so even prototype jobs can be sorted according to the machine that is appropriate to the nature of the part. Both machines use Hurco's own control, which can be programmed either conversationally or through CAM software.

The former option appealed to Bryco. Its Swiss-type work has long been programmed on the shop floor. Shop superintendent Ricky Hamilton has done much of this programming for Bryco, composing programs line by line near the Swiss-type machines. For production part numbers that will run for hours or days and will be ordered again, the shop can easily afford the time required to program this way. However, this is not the case for prototyping jobs, where any small run may be finished quickly, and the shop may never see that part again. Spending minimal time on programming is critical.

Custom-designed Industrial Work Centers come with dual lock system that creates 2 sets of independently lockable drawers or doors in single cabinet housing. Users can choose from 3 housing heights, 2 housing widths, and 15 drawer heights. Centers are available with 1-5 full-width drawers on top, along with nearly any combination of drawers and cabinet doors below. Housings may be ordered with pallet bases, wheels, or stainless steel leveling feet.

Each custom-designed cabinet can independently secure the tools of two workers.

Allentown, PA, July 17, 2006 - Stanley Vidmar has introduced a new line of Industrial Work Centers. The new Work Centers come with a dual lock system that creates two sets of independently lockable drawers or doors in a single cabinet housing. The dual locks solve a common problem faced by companies where more than one person must share a workspace while working different shifts: how to keep each worker's tools and supplies secure.

The Work Center line offers all the design versatility that Stanley[R] Vidmar[R] cabinets are known for. Customers can choose from three housing heights, two housing widths, and fifteen drawer heights. The array of drawer choices includes the option of having from one to five full-width drawers on top, along with nearly any combination of drawers and cabinet doors below. Drawer interiors can be organized with traditional Stanley[R] Vidmar[R] partitions and dividers. And housings can be ordered with a pallet bases, wheels, or stainless steel leveling feet, making them suitable for stationary and mobile applications.

Together, these options let customers assemble a virtually unlimited array of custom configurations to accommodate nearly any work need. And they make it possible for each of the two workers sharing the Work Center to have combination of drawers and doors best suited to them.

Vidmar[R] sales engineers will design a Work Center to meet the needs of any industry or occupation, including:

-Welders

-Metal fabricators

-Industrial electricians

-Truck and automotive technicians

-Robotic test cell technicians

-CNC Machine operators

-And many more

Today's companies demand the same efficiency, productivity, and profitability from their shop floor as they do from the customer service and sales departments. By offering a quality, versatile storage system tailored to any job, the Industrial Work Center line helps them meet these demands.

Run from dedicated PC, Cell Master v5.0 real-time Cell Management System prepares, organizes, and executes work in automated CNC machine environment for toolmaking, moldmaking, and job shop machining. Windows-based program controls robot, machine tools, and scheduling, enabling jobs to be rearranged, added, or deleted without interrupting machine tools. System supports all types of machining and allows use of multi-Axis robots or lading devices in single or multiple machine cell.

HIRSCHMANN Engineering U.S.A., Inc., Buffalo Grove, Illinois, announces the availability of its real-time Cell Management System (CMS) for preparing, organizing and executing work in an automated CNC machine environment for toolmaking, moldmaking and job shop machining. The CMS Software is a Windows based PC program that controls the robot and machine tools in an automated CNC machining cell.

CMS supports all types of machining including: Milling and HSM machining, Wire EDM, Sinking EDM, and other specialty machining applications. With CMS in charge, the following tasks can be handled without stopping any of the machine tools in the cell:

* Jobs can be reorganized by changing their machining order or be put on hold.

* Pallets containing new work can be added to the cell.

* Finished work can be removed from the cell so that the tooling can be reused for new projects.

* Real-time cell status data can be obtained at any time.

In the tool room or job shop workpieces are loaded in and out of a machine in the proper sequence so that they are machined with the proper NC programs. The NC Control can perform this balancing act through the use of Macros and "M" functions coordinating the machining process. However, the NC Control was not designed to function as a shop foreman as job schedules change. A dedicated PC running HIRSCHMANN's Cell Master software controls the scheduling of jobs in the cell. This way jobs can be rearranged, added or deleted at the click of a button without interrupting the machine tools in the cell.

HIRSCHMANN's new "Cell Master Software" was developed to meet these needs. The software can be connected to any machine tool that meets minimum requirements. It allows the use of multi-Axis robots or lading devices in a single or multiple machine cell and directly integrates with the Hirschmann Presetter Program for job preparation. Individual jobs are scheduled, added or deleted with a click of a mouse, taking advantage of the automation capabilities of the machine tool control.

The software is the "Master" of both the machine tools and the robot. Jobs are prepared with the Hirschmann "Presetter" program where workpieces are mounted to the pallet and linked to the NC Programs. Data is transferred to the Cell Master database to allow the jobs to be entered into the job "Queue". When a job is placed into the queue, its machining order can be changed; it can be placed on hold if production needs to be stopped temporarily; or it can be deleted from the queue. The product uses a graphical overview of the cell to show the current status of all jobs in the cell and the current location of all the pallets in the shop.

Available in 3 models, Waterjet series include stainless steel tanks, dedicated nano control, and 15 in. waterproof screen. Featuring 2D CAD-CAM software, 2-3 axis Classica offers accuracy of [+ or -]0.004 in. Suprema 4-axis' software includes Intelligent Tapering Control that corrects tapering of cut and achieves [+ or -]0.001 in. wall straightness in 1/2 in. thick steel. Evolution 5-axis' 3D System uses rotation point device to maintain constant distance from nozzle to workpiece.

Wood Dale, IL - Mitsubishi introduces the first waterjet line designed specifically to work hand-in-hand with EDM technology. The Waterjet line brings speed and flexibility to EDM shops, while maintaining the level of reliability and accuracy required in EDM manufacturing.

Mitsubishi experts have played an active role in the Waterjet machines' design, making sure they're engineered specifically to work with EDM technology. Mitsubishi engineers are constantly delivering ways to increase efficiencies and boost productivity. The machine's speed is ideal for reducing production times attached to roughing and bulk material removal before finishing on EDM. For example, a time study showed a 28% time savings on materials roughed with Waterjet versus an EDM machine.

The Waterjet series is available in three different models to best fit every shop's needs. These include the 2-3 axis Classica, 4-axis Suprema, and 5-axis Evolution.

The machines feature stainless steel tanks for easier maintenance and cleaner cutting conditions. A solid base construction and custom-made table for accepting tooling systems allows Waterjet and EDM to easily work together.

The Waterjet line is powered by Mitsubishi Electric, giving it more programming capabilities than other waterjet manufacturers. The Mitsubishi 700 Series Control provides unprecedented productivity and operating comfort. Dedicated Nano control helps achieve high-precision machining. The unit is controlled on a 15-inch water-proof screen, with improved graphics and NC design to simplify operation.

The 2-3 axis Classica features 2D CAD-CAM software with nesting capabilities, and accuracy and repeatability of [+ or -] 0.004".

The 4-axis Suprema's software features (ITC) Intelligent Tapering Control, which correct tapering of the cut automatically. The CNC tilts the high-pressure water jet [+ or -]2 degrees which allows for increased cutting speeds in a contour. The ITC system can achieve [+ or -]0.001" wall straightness in half inch thick steel.

The Exclusive 5-axis Evolution 3D System uses a self-positioning rotation point device on the material to automatically maintain a constant distance from the nozzle to the workpiece. This protects the nozzle through a working range from flat work to a contoured interpolation of [+ or -]69[degrees].

The Mitsubishi Experience is providing customers with the ingenuity and innovation to stay competitive on all levels. We deliver industry-leading technology and integrated solutions to help you reach new manufacturing heights. The Mitsubishi Experience is the unparalleled support of our sales and service teams, the knowledge of our application engineers, and the expertise from specialists dedicated to maximizing your productivity.

What is your slice of the knife market? Gun dealers are naturals to sell knives as part of their full-service firearm, hunting and outdoor businesses. The knife industry has posted impressive sales for a number of years and the trend continues. For gun dealers, the message is clear: knives are moneymakers.

Knives carrying gun brand names further enhance these sales. Beretta, Browning. Colt's, Remington. Smith & Wesson and others have signature knives.

"Many of our dealers recognize the profit from selling cutlery and other accessories to their gun customers." said Rafael Del Valle, Ellett Brothers' buyer for firearms and knives. "We think knives and tools are good add-ons for guns. Most of Ellett Brothers' retail dealers handle knives that retail in the $50 to $100 range. Our dealers sell many more folders than fixed-blade knives, with the general utility folders selling well."

Ellett Brothers deals in most of the brand-name cutlery including Bench-made, Beretta, Browning. Buck, Case, Cold Steel, Columbia River Knife & Tool, Gerber, Ka-Bar, ar, Kershaw, Leatherman, Meyerco. Remington and others.

"The knife industry is looking for more and more dealer outlets," said Tom Welk of Pro Cut, a cutlery distributor and dealer located in Downey, Calif. "Especially in California, where firearms seem to come under more restrictions every year. our firearms dealers are looking for other products to sell.

"Our experience has been that similar-name knives and firearms are an important part of the business. One good place to sell knives is shooting ranges."

The Right Inventory

There are hundreds of foreign and domestic knife manufacturers producing thousands of different types of knives and. tools. In Shooting Industry's "The Universe's Greatest Buyer's Guide" (December 2001), there are more than 200 manufacturers listed under "Knives, Axes, Sharpeners" Most offer marketing advice, production information, promotional material, and marketing tools.

With such a vast available inventory, what brands and designs should a dealer sell? That depends on your customers. Are most of your customers hunters? Is bowhunting popular in your area? Do your customers shoot targets? Are they mostly handgun or long-gun buyers? Do you have customers from law enforcement, medical, ranching or the military services? Are there popular outdoor sports nearby, such as mountain climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, fishing, custom cars and other activities? Every one of them, and almost any other routine activity, calls for the use of a knife or similar tool every day.

In today's market, knife buyers know what they want. They read the magazines, look at the ads, and talk to their friends about knives. Law enforcement and military customers will immediately recognize the Beretta name. Beretta often includes its knives in its firearm advertisements -- a natural tie-in for Beretta dealers.

Dealers with backpacking, hunting or fishing customers should look at the countertop display of Boker's SnacPac Travel Set. The set is a compact set of knife, fork and spoon, all in a plastic case and including salt and peppershakers. Boker offers dealers many other merchandising aids for its many knives, of course.

Gutmann Cutlery is the worldwide licensee for Smith & Wesson tools and optics. Gutmann recently introduced a line of knives, tools, shooting glasses and optics with the Walther name. Wooden cases and wire displays are available from the company for the new Walther Allied Forces folding knives, and the new Smith & Wesson Tool Chest II.

KutMaster Cutlery has added a line of folders called Mountain Quest. These economically priced knives have the tactical folder look popular with many buyers. KutMaster also offers dealers their innovative display program for marketing tools.

Meyerco recently added its Camp USA line of knives, tools, leather jacket and vests, soft gun cases and tote bags to its catalog. The Camp USA Game Processing Set, Fish Fillet Set, and Chef's Secret Set are packaged to make attractive displays. The demo display for Meyerco's Speedster and Rascal speed-assisted folders will attract customers.

For Colt's knives and their marketing supplies, dealers must go to United Cutlery Brands. United, offers dozens of Colt's brand knives, folders and fixed blades, large and small -- knives that customers will recognize. Many feature depictions of famous Colt s firearms. Colt's handgun and rifle models all with the familiar raring Colt's horse logo.

Remington knives are well known to dealers and their customers. Over the years, there have' been numerous Remington Bullet Knives. New this year is the 2002 Apprentice Bullet Knife which will attract collectors.