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With the introduction of the HY-PRO® AERO-F Tap, I have attacked many different applications and have found it to be a great tap for unique materials that are not listed in the work material application guide. With its cutting geometries and TiN coating, OSG’s AERO-F Tap has won over several accounts, from fastener manufacturers to job shops.

One of these accounts is a OE manufacturer for Ford, Honda, GM and Toyota, making automotive timing gears and sprockets, as well as aftermarket gears for most automotive manufacturers. The end user has two facilities in Arkansas, one of which makes camshaft drive gears for the GM V6 and V8 engines. These engines have dual overhead camshafts that are used in most light trucks and cars. They had recently signed a new contract to produce over 3 million gears for GM, so I decided to pay them a visit.

At the facility, the Machining Engineer, Keith Hann, and I discussed the GM camshaft gear they had in production. Running on a four-head Brothers CNC machine with a rotating table loaded by a robot and set up on a conveyor system, the camshafts were being manufactured from a powdered metal at around 24 – 28 HRC, after heat treatment. The hole they were tapping was 5 mm in diameter with a tolerance of +/- 0.12 mm for the M6x1 D5 thread.

Keith informed me that they were using a competitor tap and were getting 12,000 holes per tap on average. He did not believe there could be any improvement made on the current hole-count, but I was not swayed by his disbelief. I asked him for an opportunity to put the HY-PRO® AERO-F Tap on the spindle to prove otherwise.

Knowing they were running four tapping heads, I ordered four AERO-F taps (EDP number 1111500705, M6 x 1 D5) for testing. We loaded the four taps and zeroed the counter. After verifying that the thread gage was good, the finish was correct and the machine was functioning properly, we watched the taps produce about 1,000 holes, and then left the rest to the operators.

I contacted Keith after a couple of days to check on the performance of the AERO-F taps. He informed me that the hole-count was 30,000 plus…and still going! He was truly impressed and ready to make the switch, but his amazement didn’t end there.

Upon receiving a quote from his distributor, Keith questioned the cost. He thought maybe he was not given the correct price because each AERO-F Tap was only a couple dollars more than the competitor’s tap. I assured him that it was correct. Keith acknowledged that it was well worth the cost, and could easily justify a switch to the HY-PRO® AERO-F Tap.

When all was said and done with the test, it turns out the AERO-F taps actually got close to 40,000 holes and were only pulled because one of the four taps failed. With over double the tool life, Keith’s team was able to dramatically increase production and reduce down time.

The HY-PRO® AERO-F tap has become my favorite go-to tap because it has proven to be a low cost, high hole-count performer for my end users. Once the AERO-F tap has been placed on the spindle, it proves itself as the best tap for the job time and time again.

The OSG HY-PRO^® CARB VGx End Mill is a high performance variable geometry end mill, ideal for a variety of applications, including difficult-to-machine materials.

It features unequal flute spacing to reduce chatter and a raised land configuration, which provides increased stability when taking deeper depths of cut, thus enabling consistent performance and increased tool life.

The HY-PRO^® CARB VGx End Mill excels in all milling operations including slotting, side milling and pocketing, in both roughing and finishing applications.

OSG wrapped up its 6-week boot camp yesterday, which was instituted to promote healthy living and motivate employees to get in shape. Twenty-three participants were measured at the onset and conclusion of the program and were assessed based on their improvement in the following criteria:

# push-ups in 1 minute

# sit-ups in 1 minute

# squats in 1 minute

40m dash

Plank test

Vertical jump test

Body fat %

Although some participants agree this is just a fun way to get healthy, others admit they are after a discount on their insurance.

The OSG Boot Camp is part of a broader “Wellness” program instituted by OSG to keep employees engaged in their health by incentivizing them through health insurance discounts, cash and prizes. 

Other programs, such as OSG’s Biggest Loser Competition and Walkathon, which have been ongoing for the past four years, have been extremely successful, while newer programs like OSG Boot Camp and Office Olympics are becoming annual events as well.

What is your definition of a muscle car? What is your definition of a sports car? Are all sports cars and muscle cars petroleum fired? If you ask me, I would say they are vehicles that evoke emotion, senses and youth.

My vision of a muscle car is usually a 2-door sedan, with an 8-track quadraphonic stereo sound system, tuck and roll leather interior, 4-speed transmission with Hurst™ shifter, Elbrock™ high rise manifold, 4-barrel dual pump Holley™ carburetor, racing cam, high dome piston, headman headers, cherry bomb glass pack exhaust - and the list goes on.

Let’s not forget the colors – typically orange, canary yellow, plum purple or lime green.

In my opinion, what really defines a muscle car, though, is the sound of the horsepower. You can usually hear the vehicle coming before you see visibly see it. Thinking back on my youth, I was more attracted by the sound of the engine than the colors and body style. Every muscle car must have “that sound.”

Will hybrid and electric cars eventually evolve into something similar to muscle cars? Where exactly is this market headed? Currently hybrid and electric cars are in a class of their own and it’s boring…very boring.

When I think of energy efficient cars, I think of Toyota Prius, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf or Ford Focus, just to name a few, and these cars leave much to be desired. If someone told me the current hybrid automobile is sexy, then I’m a rock star (I dream in color).

Recently, however, I discovered a possible cross breed vehicle that can sweep the sports, muscle and energy-efficient category – the Tesla Roadster, a.k.a. the electric supercar. The Tesla Roadster had created a lot of buzz in the last couple of years. It’s fast yet quiet…and runs on batteries.

The Tesla Roadster is manufactured by Tesla Motors, headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. Founded in 2003 by a group of Silicon Valley engineers, they set out to prove that electric vehicles could be awesome. According to Tesla Motors’ official website, the Tesla Roadster was first introduced in 2008.

Today, over 2,300 Roadsters drive emissions-free in more than 37 countries. It claims to reach 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds and averages 245 miles per charge. It is however, currently sold out in North America.

Tesla Motors’ Model S and Model X are their next initiatives to transition the world to electric mobility. The Model S, which arrived in 2012, is currently in production and features an aluminum-intensive design for significant weight saving. According to Tesla Motors, the Model S is offered with two battery options – 60 kWh and 85 kWh, which claim to provide ranges of 208 and 265 miles.

The Model S Performance Series is equipped with an 85 kWh battery option that is said to reach 60 mpg in 4.2 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph. The three models’ starting prices (with $7,500 federal tax credit) are $62,400, $72,400 and $87,000, respectively.

Tesla’s upcoming Model X is an electric SUV that is scheduled to enter production in 2015 and will feature similar battery options as its Model S, and an entry-level, third gen Tesla sedan is also in the works.

While there's no word on when the second generation Tesla Roadster will arrive, it will no doubt push the envelope of what electric sports cars have to offer. But will its battery-run engine return with the classic sound of our beloved muscle car to truly become the next generation sports-muscle hybrid? Only time will tell.