The post Feimafe 2013 appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Notice in the picture (top right) how the weld torch must pass though the top of the bonnet to the lower bore.

With the Climax BW3000 AutoBoreWelder, this weld can be made with minimal effort, no operator discomfort, and no need for special rotating turntable jigs.

Valve manufacturers can also use this to overlay corrosion and wear-resistant alloys, giving their valves the edge over competitors, and making them more valuable to the end user.

Whether making new, or repairing old valves, Climax Portable Machining and Welding Systems can put metal precisely where you need it. This means less after-weld machining in the machine shop, safer operators, and less wasted alloy.

Talk to us before your next valve repair project – whether welding or machining, we can help!

The post Leaky Bonnet? We have a fix for that! appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Lean helps companies get closer to perfection by focusing on four key aspects: Quality, Cost, Lead Time, & Respect for People. Although each of these is important, Respect for People is by far the one that will make the biggest impact.  Respect goes beyond paying a fair wage and ensuring employees have a safe work environment.  It is also about knowing a person’s current role and capability, truly taking the time to listen, and providing them with a challenge that will help them grow, both personally and professionally.

When in the pursuit of excellence, challenges come up daily. Challenges addressed using Lean principles shift mindsets toward bringing new ideas to the problem-solving table by offering the challenges to someone who may not have faced them before. This provides learning opportunities, a chance to try something new, and encourages improvement. By listening throughout the process and providing resources and support, we can demonstrate respect for people.

Every challenge should be faced with a vision or direction in mind and a support system for getting help.  Leadership’s role is to be clear when defining the vision, and be there to provide resources as needed to be successful.  When this happens, people are engaged and involved, driving positive change in the organization.

Take a moment to reflect on the vision and direction of your organization. Are people engaged and challenged to meet the business needs? Are people being developed into better problem solvers and thinkers? Does each person have the proper support system to be successful?

Bryant H. McGill said, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”  We couldn’t agree more.

The post Lean- The Power of People appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Will France Give Up Its Role as a Nuclear Powerhouse? (MIT Technology Review)
A look at how France, who gets most of its electricity from nuclear power, is debating whether or not to wean itself from that dependency.

President Obama Gets It: Fracking is Awesome (Forbes)
Interesting thoughts on President Obama’s comments on oil and natural gas during the State of the Union address this week.

Wind Taking Flight in Oregon (Energy.gov)
Nice little write up on Oregon’s Caithness Shepherds Flat wind farm — and how it’s creating jobs and revenue for our region.

Hungry for Energy, Brazil Builds Monster Dams in the Amazon (NPR)
Controversy in Brazil as dozens of hydroelectric dams start being installed in the Amazon.

ASCE Statement on the President’s State of the Union Address (ASCE)
ASCE’s enthusiastic response to President Obama’s comments the other night — specifically regarding new infrastructure programs.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Feb 15) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Predictions for the Building Industry, 2030 (Engineering News-Record)
Some fascinating thoughts on where the building industry is headed — and how digital technology is playing a role.

Could a Manufacturing Boom in the U.S. Create a Million Jobs? (WNYC)
Great discussion around the increase in insourcing and job creation here in the United States.

The Top 10 Wind Energy States in 2012 (AOL Energy)
A quick look at the top contributing states in the U.S. wind power industry’s record-breaking past year.

Is 3D Printing Overrated? Not at All, Says GE’s Jeffrey Immelt (The Atlantic)
Thoughts on the impact of 3-D printing from the chief executive of GE.

3-D Printing the First Lunar Space Station with Space Soil (Fast Company)
While we’re on the topic — here’s a new test being done to see if the first lunar habitats could be printed using the rocky sand that covers the moon.

Into the Big Apple’s Core (The Independent)
A sneak peek at the massive Grand Central-style subway station being built in New York.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Feb 8) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Global Offshore Wind Energy Capacity Expected to Skyrocket by 2020 (North American Wind Power)
A look at the coming surge in offshore wind energy installations, especially in the U.K. where the increase might be as much as 800%.

NASA Will Launch a 13,000-Square-Foot Solar Sail Next Year (Popular Science)
Innovative idea from NASA that will put 70 pound solar sail into the solar system in 2014.

Infographic: Mining in Ontario (Mining.com)
Really neat infographic profiling the mining growth that’s happening in Ontario.

The Big Picture on Infrastructure Investment (ASCE)
Fantastic graphic presentation discussing the future of everything from architecture and our highway system to culture and communication.

Bloomberg Businessweek’s Design Conference Slideshow (Bloomberg)
Thoughts from the ASCE on the impact of America’s economic future if we don’t invest in our infrastructure today.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Feb 1) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Sellwood Bridge Move Comes Off without a Hitch, Amazing Hundreds of Onlookers (The Oregonian)
A massive engineering project here in our home state– taking the Sellwood Bridge from it’s permanent concrete supports to temporary stell piers to make way for a new bridge to be constructed in its place.

Additionally, here is a fantastic time-lapse video of the bridge moving.

Two European Projects Launched to Improve Wind Turbines (Renewable Energy World)
Two interesting projects that aim to improve the technology behind wind power generation (one with more efficiency and cheaper ways to make blades, the other with smaller and lighter turbines).

Top Priority for Mining Companies is Safety of the Workforce (Mining.com)
Research shows that companies “have shifted their focus from finding qualified workers anywhere, at any cost to ensuring the workforce they currently have is efficient, well-informed and safe.”

Germany Grapples with Switch to Renewables (Financial Post)
A look at the challenges Germany faced this week as they met to discuss their infrastructure project — which has the potential to become a model for the rest of us.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Jan 25) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Coming Home (The Economist)
A look at the growing number of companies who are “reshoring” manufacturing back to the United States.

2012: The Year Solar Turned the Corner? (Renewable Energy World)
A great recap of some of 2012′s trends in solar power and installations.

Offshore Wind “Backbone” Project Moves Ahead (MIT Technology Review)
Details on the Atlantic Wind Connection project — which aims to lay undersea cables and transfer offshore wind to the eastern United States.

Infrastructure Facing $1.1-Trillion Funding Gap in 2020, ASCE Says (ENR)
Some interesting thoughts on the immediate future of infrastructure in the United States.

New Yorker Cartoon
And finally, a joke that hits a little too close to home.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Jan 18) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Wind Power Looking Strong in 2013 (Renewable Energy World)
Comprehensive look at the year ahead for wind — given this week’s federal production tax credits extension.

Warren Buffett to Build World’s Largest Solar Energy Project (Telegraph)
Details on the $2.5 billion that Buffett has invested to acquire what will be the largest photovoltaic development in the world.

After Missing 2012 Targest, Korean Shipbuilders Forecast a Big Year Ahead (gCaptain)
Exciting news for the Korean shipbuilding market as rising demand for offshore drilling and production units looks to boost orders.

$5 Lamp to Change the World – GravityLight (Forbes)
Incredibly innovative invention — an affordable, gravity-powered light source for the 1.5 billion people who don’t have reliable access to electricity.

Offshore Wind Outlook Infographic (Energy.gov)
Fun, visual portrayal of offshore wind power’s potential future in the United States.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Jan 4) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.

Ten Amazing Metal Stories from 2012 (Mining.com)
A collection of some of the year’s best mining news stories (some more quirky than others).

The Big Science Stories of 2012 in an Interactive Graphic (Popular Science)
Fantastic infographic exploring 25 of this year’s most important discoveries, events and achievements– from biofuel to bionics.

Best of 2012: Visionaries, Organizations, and Innovations Changing the Way We Learn (GOOD)
Great celebration of visions, schools and people who are working hard to update our educational architectures.

Ten Solar Energy Predictions for 2013 (Renewable Energy World)
Although a little gloom, there are some interesting thoughts on the future of the solar industry here.

Best of What’s New in Aerospace, 2012 (Popular Science)
An impressive gallery of the latest innovations in space and aviation.

Renewable Energy World’s Top 10 Most Watched Videos of 2012
If you have time, there are a few goodies in here– great projects and stories from the year.

The post Weekly News Roundup (Dec 28) appeared first on Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems.