Homeyer Tool & Die Installs New Equipment

November, 2012

Ruco Products, Blue Springs, MO, Continues To Move ForwardSuperior Tool Service, Wichita, KS, Adds 5th ANCA CNC Grinder; Celebrates 25 Years

Charloma, Cherryvale, KS, Adds Equipment, ManagementStaff,ReceivesISOCertificationPolyfab Plastics & Supply, Springfield, MO: Almost

Four Decades Of Business Relationships

PlASTiCS iSSuE: Design Plastics, Omaha, NE, Celebrates 40th Year Regal Plastic: local Service, Regional Support Mo-Kan AFS & KC NTMA Hold Joint St. Joe Tour

Prsrt StdU.S. POSTAGE

PAiDLawrence, KS

66044Permit No. 34

Photos, Top, L-R:Charloma’sAshleyHiller&TimKleiberwithLRTMfiberglassparts.ApatternbeingmachinedatPolyfabPlastics&Supply. Design Plastics’ Scott Nepper, Nancy Janne & John Nepper, Jr. with JumboBlocks. Bottom L-R: A Ruco crew member at a 300-tonmolderpacksfinishedparts.SamplesofpartsproducedatRegalPlastics.SuperiorToolServices’Steve&EllenShofler.

MACI Publishing, Inc.2432 Pepperwood RoadTopeka, KS 66614-5293

CHANGE SERviCE REquESTED

Hig

h-S

peed R

ota

ry 4

th A

xis

Sys

tem

Finally, a fourth axis fast and rugged enough…

to keep up with thelightning-fast RoboDrill!

For years, RoboDrill owners have had to watch these racehorse VMCs grind to a halt, waiting for slow fourth-axis tables to unclamp, rotate, and clamp. Now, FANUC introduces the DDR – a fourth-axis table designed specifically to complement the speed and versatility of the RoboDrill.

Capable of 150 RPM, the FANUC DDR can unclamp, rotate 180°, and reclamp in less than 0.5 seconds.

Virtually backlash-free, the DDR’s direct drive motor has no gears to wear out or sustain damage. If bumped, it can be easily tuned to original specifications.

A true milling fourth axis, the DDR has a part loading capacity of 220 lb and 221 ft-lb of torque, enough to handle even the most difficult applications.

With its unique combination of speed, strength, and reliability, the DDR is ideal for small volume job shops or OEMs making millions of parts. And, priced at thousands of dollars less than comparable fourth-axis tables, it is an exceptional value.

The world’s most popular small machining centers, RoboDrill VMCs offer milling capabilities unmatched in a 30-taper machine. Available in three sizes with “Big Plus” spindles; 14- or 21-station toolchangers, and the FANUC 31-iA5 Nano control, they provide lightning fast drilling, tapping, deburring, chamfering, as well as reverse tapping to 8,000 RPM. With feedrates to 2362 IPM, rapid traverses to 2125 IPM, accelerations (in X, Y, and Z) to 1.5 G, 1.6-second tool changes (chip-to-chip), a 10,000 RPM spindle, and up to 51.6 ft-lb of torque, the beefy new RoboDrill F makes short work of a wide range of milling, drilling, and tapping operations.

McClain Tool & Technology106 Weldon Parkway, St. Louis, MO 63043

(P) 1-800-886-5839 (F) 1-314-432-1180Serving: Kansas • Missouri • So. Illinois

www.mcclaintool.com

4 MID-AMERICA COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

index- November, 2012vol. 40 - No. 03

Rhein Mfg. Installs 5th RoboDrill ... 5ISM-Wichita Hears From Expert .... 6Homeyer Tool Adds Equipment:

Owner Elected to NTMA Executive Team .......................... 8Mo-Kan AFS & KC NTMA Tour St.

Joe Facilities ............................. 10Regal Plastic: Local Service .........11MAM Holds Fall Meeting .............. 12Belzer Rejoins NTMA Exec Team .. 13Polyfab Plastics: 4 Decades ........ 14Ruco Products Continues Forward ..16Design Plastics: 40 Years ................18Superior Tool Service Adds ANCA ..20Editorial .............................................22Bender Services Installs Hurco .......24Charloma Adds Equipment, Staff and

Receives ISO Certification ...........26Upcoming Issues .............................27St. Louis NTMA Tours J&S Tool ......28Upcoming Trade Shows ..................30

Mid-America Commerce & industry is published 11 times a year (June and July are combined) by:

MACI Publishing, Inc. 2432 SW Pepperwood Rd.

Topeka, KS 66614-5293

David Lippe, managing editor; Ray Lippe, editor. Published since 1973. Mid-America Commerce & Industry is a registered trademark of MACI Publishing, Inc.

A one year subscription is $20.00.

(P) 785-272-5280 (F) 785-272-3729(E) [email protected](W) www.maci-mag.com

Mid-America is sent to industrial pur-chasing managers, plant managers, industrial engineers, and company presidents in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas and Iowa.

NOVEMBER, 2012 5

Rhein Manufacturing installs 4th & 5th Fanuc RoboDrills

St. Louis, Missouri

Rhein Manufacturing, St. Louis, Missouri, has recently installed its fourth and fifth Fa-nuc RoboDrill 5-axis VMCs. The 23-year-old firm produces surgical instrumentation for customers worldwide.

The new RoboDrills fea-ture 24,000-rpm spindles, 21 tools, full 5-axis tilting rotary tables and full in-machine part loading automation

“The Fanuc RoboDrills (purchased from McClain Tool & Technology) are great pieces of equipment,” stated Rhein Mfg.’s Darin Brewer. “We had been pleased with the quality and service with all of our RoboDrills, and it was a logical choice when we needed more equipment. McClain’s crew handled all the installa-tion and continues to provide responsive tech support and service.”

Rhein Manufacturing’s 32 employees operate out of a 13,000-sq-ft facility. The com-pany is targeting ISO-certifica-tion in Q2 of 2013. Operations performed in-house include CNC milling, CNC turning, waterjet cutting, EDM, laser welding / marking, induction brazing, of titanium and stain-less steel instrumentation.

The company is a subsid-iary of Rhein Medical. Rhein Manufacturing manufactures, and distributes unique, innova-tive and specialized hand-held and robotic surgical instru-ments.

Rhein Manufacturing can be contacted at: (314) 997-1775; 2269 Grissom Drive, St Louis, Missouri 63146.

Above: A new Fanuc RoboDrill vMC at Rhein Manufacturing in St. louis. Below: A row of four Fanuc RoboDrills at Rhein Manufacturing in St. louis.


75,000 Square Foot Facility

Make it in the USA!Precision machined metal and plastic parts

Custom tool building

Plastic injection molded parts

Wire EDM services

Personal service. Hassle-free estimates.Call Ryan Burkland or John Kunkle

402-434-9100 • [email protected]

www.garnerindustries.comLincoln, Nebraska USA

Custom Manufacturing SolutionsSince 1953

The Wichita Chapter of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) held a meeting at the Cessna Conference Center in Wichita on October 18th.

The featured speaker was Dr. Russell Morey, Professor Emeritus of Supply Chain Management at Western Illinois University. He has spent over 45 years in supply management/ purchasing as a business and academic professional. He has conducted numerous negotiations, certification, and buyers training programs for more than 40 Fortune 500 Corporations across the globe.

Dr. Morey has often questioned those analysts and authorities that speak of “when we return to normal”. Dr. Morey’s philosophy is that we never return to the way it used to be after major changes in our domestic and global economy. His presentation identified a few of the past issues that have elevated purchasing/supply management to the current level and provided a foundation for viewing issues and making responsible decisions for the present and future. ISM-Wichita, which is an affiliate of ISM,can be contacted at www.ismwichita.org.

iSM-Wichita Hears From Global Expert

Above: Dr. Russell Morey at the iSM meeting.

manufacturing, inc.

C&R Manufacturing, Inc.6790 Martindale • Shawnee, KS 66218

(P) 913.441.4120 • (F) 913.441.0330 (TF) 888.441.4500 • www.c-rmfg.com

Since 1979

CNC Turning

Precision Milling

Flexible Manufacturing Cell

Welding & Robotic Welding

Robotic Inspection

Hydraulic Components

Custom J-I-T Assembly

Our new Mori Seiki NH5000 10-pallet HMC with 240 tools.

A Modern Machine Shop magazine “Top 10 Shop”


Homeyer Tool and Die, Marthasville, Missouri, has recently installed a new Okuma MB5000H HMC and an AgieCharmille AC Progress VP3 EDM. Herb Homeyer, founder and owner has also been elected to serve on the NTMA’s (National Tooling & Machining Association)National Executive Committee, and is slated to serve as Chairman in 2015.

The firm offers concept to assembly work in precision machining, tool & die, specialty machines, EDM and engineering in its two facilities (the other in Union, Missouri).

Homeyer Tool & Die, which is ISO-certified, works with all metals. It has CNC mills/machining centers, lathes/turning centers and EDMs that can handle material up to 600mm on pallets, 35” x 39” travels for horizontal machining, 40” x 80” for vertical machining and 20” for turning.

The new Okuma MB5000 horizontal machining center features a 15K, 40-taper spindle; a 48-tool changer and a pallet capacity of 500mm x 500mm. The new wire EDM can handle parts up to 41.3” x 25.6” x 16.5” that weigh up to 1700 pounds.

These additions bring the total count of Okuma equipment at Homeyer Tool & Die to 31 (purchased through Hartwig, Inc.).

“Obviously we have been pleased with the Okuma equipment and Hartwig’s service/application staff.” stated Homeyer.

The company also has a brake press and a waterjet cutting system.

Industries served by the company include: automotive; electronics; utilities; aerospace; truck trailer; defense; food service and medical equipment.

As he contemplated the 20+ year history of the firm, Herb Homeyer noted his “exceptional associates” as well as keeping up with technology and keeping

a diversified customer base have played key roles in the company’s longevity.

Homeyer Tool & Die can be contacted at: (636) 433-2244; Fax (636) 433-5257; PO Box 247, Marthasville, Missouri 63357; [email protected]; www.homeyertool.com.

Homeyer Tool & Die installs New Equipment; Herb Homeyer Elected To NTMA National Executive Team

Marthasville, Missouri

Above (l-r): Homeyer Tool & Die’s luke Kluba, Herb Homeyer, Joe lowry and Gretchen Ruether with an Okuma MB5000H horizontal machining center.

Above: A part for a micro medical device produced at Homeyer Tool & Die on the new AgieCharmilles AC Progress vP3 EDM.

“MACHINES ARE MADE UP OF PARTS, WHICH IS WHY OUR LOCAL PARTS INVENTORY IS MADE UP OF

MILLIONS OF THEM.”

MIKE HOWINGTON PARTS COORDINATOR

JACKIE GARDNER PARTS MANAGER

OVER $3.5 MILLION IN STOCKED PARTS,

AND EIGHT PARTS COORDINATORS ON

HAND.

Hartwig has always stayed on the cutting edge of

our customers’ needs. Whether it’s wear parts for a

preventative maintenance package, or hard to get items

due to unexpected crashes, we’re ready to respond to

all of your manufacturing needs.

With more than $3.5 million in locally-stocked spare

parts, and overnight access to more than $60 million

in parts inventories globally, our eight trained and

dedicated parts team members are just a phone call

away.

To learn more about how Hartwig’s team of 161

employees have been exceeding customer

expectations for over 52 years, please give us a call.

For more information, visit hartwiginc.com.

HARTWIG ST. LOUIS HARTWIG KANSAS CITY HARTWIG WICHITA10617 Trenton Avenue 6110 Deramus Avenue 4959 S. Lulu CourtSt. Louis, MO 63132 Kansas City, MO 64120 Wichita, KS 67216314-426-5300 816-231-1850 316-522-5500

midamerica_commerce_nov_2012.indd 1 11/2/12 9:53 AM


LASERS • PLASMA • PRESS BRAKES • SHEARS • FOLDERS • PLATE ROLLS • PRESSES

CNC FABRICATION & METALFORMING MACHINERY

St. Louis Kansas City Wichita Al Colby Don Patterson Mitch Brown 314.422.2178 913.558.2121 316.640.5893

www.blackrockmachinery.com

The Mo-Kan Chapter of the American Foundry Society (AFS) and the KC chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA) held a joint meeting touring two facilities in St. Joseph, Missouri. Over 80 people participated in the event.

The tours were held at Bradken Engineered Products and Van-Am Tool & Engineering.

Bradken, a global leader in heavy engineering and manufacturing, manufactures fully machined cast iron and steel products ranging in size from 200 to 55,000 lbs. The St. Joe machining operation, which is ISO certified, takes large castings

Mo-Kan AFS and KC NTMA Hold Joint Meeting Touring Bradken Engineered Products and van-Am Tool & Engineering in St. Joseph

from the company’s Atchison, Kansas, foundry and completes the precision machining/grinding needed. It has an impressive array of large-scale CNC machining equipment.

Van-Am is a full service source for tool and die, metal stamping, machining, metal fabrication, laser cutting, and manufacturing.

Van-Am operates in an 82,000-sq.-ft. facility and serves customers nationwide in a wide range of industries, including: agriculture, automotive, construction, electrical, petroleum, government, HVAC, pharmaceutical and transportation.

A barbeque dinner was held after the tours.

The Mo-Kan AFS chapter can be contacted at www.afs-mokan.org.

The KC NTMA Chapter can be contacted at www.kcntma.org.

Above: Joint meeting participants getting ready to tour Bradken’s facility.

Above: Joint meeting participants getting ready to start the tour of van-Am Tool & Engineering.

NOVEMBER, 2012 11

Your #1 source for Engineered and Industrial Plastics!

regalPLASTIC

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Omaha– 402-344-4446Des Moines– 515-223-8080Waterloo– 319-232-8757La Crosse– 608-784-2334

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Kansas City– 816-471-6390Joplin– 417-782-1420Spring�eld– 417-831-3110St. Louis– 314-427-7722

www.regalplastic.com

Regal Plastic Supply Company has been a pioneer in the plastic distribution industry since 1954. During its 58 years distributing plastics, it has grown to become a dominant plastic supplier in the region. The firm has grown from one small shop in Kansas City to a 12-location distributor spread across the Midwest.

Regal Plastic has sheet, rod and tube distribution centers located to best service local customers.

These centers include: Kansas City, MO; St. Louis, MO; Springfield, MO; Joplin, MO; Wichita, KS; Tulsa, OK; Oklahoma City, OK; Des Moines, IA; Waterloo, IA; Omaha, NE; Nashville, TN; & La Crosse, WI.

“We want our customers to be able to pick up the phone and talk to someone who is in the same area code as them. We don’t want our customers having to call a

Regal Plastic: local Service, Regional Supportcall center somewhere remote to their business that can’t offer real time support and service when it is needed,” stated Greg Slavik, president of Regal Plastic.

Regal Plastic continually invests in equipment for its branches. The company has computerized panel saws in most of its locations that are capable of cutting material up to 144” x 150”, and up to 4” thick. It also has multiple CNC routers with bed sizes up to 60” x 144”.

Specialized equipment that Regal Plastic has added over the past years includes: a laser cutter with an 18” x 32” bed that is capable of cutting up to 3/8” thick material in one clean pass, a computerized band saw that is capable of cutting up to 12” diameter solid rod and a profile shaper that can be used to make small run custom profiles including channels, angles and tracks.

Regal Graphics, a sister

company, is a thin gauge film convertor that sells Lexan polycarbonate film and other point of purchase plastics into the screen and digital printing market.

“So whether you are in Mason City, IA or Muskogee, OK, Regal Plastic has a team of local sales associates that can answer your call in seconds or be at your door in hours,” commented Slavik. “With this team of experienced plastic professionals and the system-wide equipment to handle even the most difficult parts, Regal Plastic is here to serve and ensure that its customers’ needs are met and exceeded. Our customer service representatives care about your business and the material that you require.”

For more information visit Regal’s redesigned webpage www.regalplastic.com or call the branch nearest you.


Laird Plastics - Kansas City3901 NE 33rd Terrace, Suite C, Kansas City, MO 64158

(P) 816-452-7771 • (TF) 877-757-1707 • (F) 816-452-7772 http://kansascity.lairdplastics.com

The Leading Distributor Of Plastic Sheet, Plate, Rod, Tubing And Semi-Finished Shapes.

Nylons • Acetals • Delrin • Teflon • Polycarbonates • PPS PEEK • HDPE • LDPE • Polypropylene & much more!

Laird Plastics - St. Louis3128 Riverport Tech Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63043

(P) 314-785-0091 • (TF) 888-287-0500 • (F) 314-785-0097 http://stlouis.lairdplastics.com

The Missouri Association of Manufacturers (MAM) held a Fall Member Meeting at the Ramada Oasis Convention Center in Springfield, Missouri on October 17th.

MAM Holds Fall Meeting: Covers lean & quality

Highlights of the event, included: A pre-summit seminar on Improving Your Bottom Line; exhibits by members and sponsors; presentations related to lean manufacturing and quality improvement and a tour of NorthStar Battery. Speakers included: Christopher Mowrey, principal, Mowery Consulting, Lessons in Lean Enterprise Transformation; Steve Wise, InfinityQS; Michael Rossi, NorthStar Battery on 7 Habits of a Quality Obsessed Manufacturer, and Renee Greenshields, Missouri Enterprise, The Transformation Planner.

MAM can be contacted at: (417) 863-7262; www.MissouriManufacturers.org; [email protected].

Above:PartofthecrowdattendingMAM’sFallMeetinginSpringfieldMO.

Above: MAM’s Rita Needham.

NOVEMBER, 2012 13

Plate Laser Cutting Aluminum Plate Sawing

Plasma Cutting

Tube Laser Cutting

Flame Cutting Thermal Processing Plate Grinding ShearingSaw Cutting

Production/Precision SawingWaterjet Cutting Aluminum Mold Plate Sawing

Alro SteelMetals • Industrial Supplies • Plastics

Plastics• Acetal • Acrylic • Delrin®

• Extren® • Fiberglass Grating

• Nylatron® • Nylon• Nyloil

• Phenolics • Polycarbonate • Polypropylene

• PVC • PTFE • Tivar®

Metals • Hot Rolled • Cold Finished • Aluminum

• Stainless • Brass • Copper

• Bronze • Cast Iron• Tool Steel

• Chrome Rod• Steel Grating • Expanded Metal

• Alloys • Mold Steel • High Speed

• Threaded Rod • Drill Rod • Ground Flat Stock

• UHMW-PE • Urethane• VHMW Sheet

8000 Hall St. Bldg #4 • St. Louis, MO 63147-2422 Pho: (314) 726-3080 • Fax: (314) 726-5017

Toll Free:(800) 325-0978

8600 S. 89th W. Avenue • Tulsa, OK 74131-3649 Pho: (918) 227-1456 • Fax: (918) 227-1455

Toll Free:(800) 722-4973

Processing Services

10921 E. 26th St, Wichita, KS 67226 1-888-941-4542 phone / 316-941-4549 fax

“our service will determine our future together”

HELP! my Machine is Down!

Mechanical/electric Repair Spindle rebuilds & Taper Regrinding

The National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA) has announced that John Belzer, President, TCI Precision Metals, Gardena, California, has agreed to fill a vacancy on the NTMA’s executive team effective immediately through March 2013. Belzer was chairman emeritus in 2002, served six years as trustee for Los Angeles NTMA training centers and has led the national budget and finance team for the last nine years.

“John Belzer has been a member and ardent supporter of NTMA for over 35 years and he believes in the critical role that our manufacturing businesses play in the US economy,” said NTMA Chair Roger Atkins. “We value John’s wisdom and experience; he is a very perceptive leader and we expect him to contribute to the executive team in a meaningful way.”

Founded in 1956, TCI Precision Metals is a precision manufacturer producing precision machine-ready blanks from aluminum, stainless steel and other alloys. It provides contract manufacturing services such as sawing, grinding, milling and finishing. TCI is also a warehouse plate and sheet distributor for Alcoa, Kaiser and Hulamin Aluminum. TCI stocks more than 500,000 lbs. of material for quick turnaround.

For more information, visit: http://tciprecision.com

TCi Precision Metals’ Belzer Rejoins NTMA Executive Team


Polyfab Plastics & Supply, Inc. is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company and is proud to be celebrating almost four decades of business relationships.

Founded in the early 1970’s, Polyfab started with two employees and a 1,200-square-foot building.

Polyfab currently employs thirty workers in a total of 60, 000 square feet, located in Springfield, Missouri. The firm utilizes the space for its supply side which distributes a full line of plastic sheet, rod, and tube in thermoplastic materials as well as thermoset materials. The manufacturing side provides quick turnaround on molded and fabricated products.

As a custom manufacturer, the firm offers a wide range of plastic fabrication procedures including 3-D CAD/CAM design and programming for in-house CNC equipment for prototype development, tool building, parts production and final assembly work.

Specific processes used by the firm include; CNC routing, vacuum forming, pressure forming, ultrasonic welding, hand and computerized butt welding, extrusion welding, bending, machining, CNC punching of holes and numerous hand fabrication techniques.

Equipment used for cutting sheets to size includes two CNC panel saws with a cutting range of 3-1/2” thickness x 10’ and 14’ lengths.

The CNC routing department consists currently of nine CNC

Polyfab Plastics & Supply: Almost Four Decades of Business Relationships

Springfield, Missouri

Above: A CNC router (one of 9) at Polyfab Plastics & Supply.

Above: A pattern begins to take shape at Polyfab Plastics & Supply.

NOVEMBER, 2012 15

routers including six 3-axis routers (one 5’x5’, one 5’x 20’, and one 5’x8’”) and three five-axis routers (one with a 5’ x 10’ table, another with twin 5’ x 5’ tables and one with twin 5’x10’ tables that can be electronically coupled together yielding a 10’x10’ machining area with a 36” “Z” stroke).

Polyfab also offers extensive fabrications including CNC plastic welding up to 10’ in length and thickness of up to 1-1/2”. Two butt welders are extensively used to weld together product that can be cylindrical in shapes or flat in lengths up to 53’ long for transporting by truck or field inistallation of any length.

Polyfab Plastics also has a Graphic department that does graphic design, screen printing, pad printing, painting and complete assemblies. To contact Polyfab Plastics & Supply: (417) 862-6512; Fax (417) 862-9080; 820 N Cedarbrook, Springfield, Missouri 65802 www.polyfabplastics.com.

Above: The same pattern completed.


RUCO PRODUCTS, INC.2620 SW US Highway 40Blue Springs, Missouri 64015(816) 229-3452 phone(816) 229-9900 fax

Experienced crew to handle your equipment for high-tech production, assembly, kitting, packaging & inventory project.

3,000 sq.ft finished room2,000 sq.ft. warehouse space

Your Machines - Our Facility - Our Personnel

Ruco Products, Inc., Blue Springs, Missouri, a custom plastic injection molding company, continues to move forward while enduring the challenges presented by the current economic climate. It does so by continuous improvement and focusing on providing real value for service provided to their customers.

The 45-year-old company operates in a 27,000-sq.-ft. facility that includes 14 injection molding machines ranging in size from 28 to 300 tons. Shot sizes range from 2.5 to 26 ounces. The company uses a wide range of materials from acetals and polycarbonates to nylons and polypropylenes, commodity grade as well as engineering grade and custom compounds.

Ruco takes pride in the quality of the final product but and also in the maintenance of customer owned molds and tools. The firm provides regularly scheduled cleaning

Ruco Products Continues to Move Forward Providing quality injection Molding

and Custom Manufacturing

Blue Springs, Missouri

Above (l-r): Shown with Ruco Products’ original safe Mark Tangblade, Melissa Burns, Edward Robinson, Brenda Rupert, Mark Bossert & Derek Kirkpatrick.

Above:ARucocrewmemberrunninga300-tonmolderpacksfinishedparts.

NOVEMBER, 2012 17

RUCO PRODUCTS, INC.2620 SW US Highway 40Blue Springs, Missouri 64015(816) 229-3452 phone(816) 229-9900 fax

Insert Molding SpecialistsIn-house Tooling14 Molding Machines (28-300 tons)2.5 - 26 oz. shotWide Variety of MaterialsAssembly, Kitting & Packaging

and routine maintenance as needed in its in-house shop as well as major modifications or repair in their qualified preferred tooling shops. “Our customers can rest assured that their equipment is being maintained in tip-top shape and great care is taken to insure its longevity,” commented Rupert.

Ruco has an experienced and dedicated staff and crew and because of this they can react quickly to meet the changing needs of customers making Ruco one the of best in regards to response to customers’ requests.

Ruco has 5000 sq. ft. of available manufacturing/warehouse space for special or secondary operations. “We welcome enquiries on the space for anyone needing additional

operations for their product. We focus on building long term relationships with our customers,” commented Brenda Rupert, President and daughter of the company’s founder, R.D. “Corky” Rupert. “In fact we still serve the first customer my grandfather’s company supplied back in the 1930’s.”

Ruco experienced a great loss this year and with sorrow they acknowledge the passing of company founder, R.D. “Corky” Rupert, last May. “He was a bright shining spirit who profoundly affected anyone who knew him…he is much missed,” noted Rupert.

Prior to Ruco Products, Inc., Rupert Manufacturing was established in 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri and in 1957 relocated to Blue Springs, Missouri. The company was sold in 1964. The safe in the picture was the original company safe and was manufactured in the 1920’s. It was recently recovered from the building where it had been in a closet for over 50 years.

Ruco Products, Inc. can be contacted at: (816) 229-3452; Fax (816) 229-9900; 2620 SW US Highway 40, Blue Springs, Missouri 64015; [email protected]; www.rucoproductsinc.netR.D. “Corky” Rupert 1928-2012.

Above: The special 5,000-sq.-ft. wing used for high-tech production, assembly and packaging at Ruco Products..


Design Plastics Inc. (DPI), Omaha, Nebraska, is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

The ISO certified firm offers injection molding, thermoforming (vaccum & pressure) and engineer-ing.

Founded in 1972 by John Nep-per, Sr. the firm started with a 2,500-sq.-ft. facility and 3 employ-ees.

Today, DPI’s 75 employees work in an 80,000-sq.-ft. facility, on a 5-acre parcel – with no bank debt.

Thermoforming capabilities include single sheet forming; ro-tary forming (up to 5’ x 9’); inline forming and heavy gauge forming

DPI has 6 injection molders ranging in size from 150 to 750 ton that can handle shot sizes up to 54 ounces. Plans are in the works to increase the tonnage available to 1,500 tons. Most of the cells are robotic to maximize productivity.

Additional services offered at DPI include tool/mold building; prototyping; reverse engineer-ing; modeling; silk screening; hot stamping; assembly and packag-ing.

The firm works with many dif-ferent software packages (CATIA, PRO-E, MasterCam) and can convert files from numerous for-mats. 2D and 3D digitizing is also available.

Design Plastics Celebrates 40th AnniversaryOmaha, Nebraska

Above (l-r): Part of the Nepper family at Design Plastics:Scott Nepper; Nancy Janne and John Nepper, Jr. with JumboBlocks at DPI’s office.

Your custom Injection Molding and Thermoforming partner in the USA.

Contact us to manufacture your product domestically.

Design Plastics, Inc. www.DesignPlastics.com3550 Keystone Drive • Omaha, NE • 68134(P) 402-572-7177 (F) 402-572-0500

Molding, Assembly, Printing, Stamping, Die-cutting, Packaging, Warehousing, Distribution & Sales.

Injection Molding Vacuum Forming Custom Molding

DESIGN PLASTICS INCISO 9001:2008

NOVEMBER, 2012 19

Laser Cutting • Press Brakes • Metal Stamping • CNC Turret Punching • Fab Shear • Bend • Weld • Tooling • Machining • Assembly

Phone: 913-371-1040 Ext. 111 • Fax: 913-371-12643150 Chrysler Rd. • Kansas City, KS 66115 [email protected] • www.aecustommfg.com

Designed to Meet Your Needs

ISO 9001:2008

A recent product created at DPI is JumboBlocks. These are large plastics blocks for children and are available (online) at many major retailers.

DPI serves customers across the globe in such industries as: packaging; automotive; recreational vehicles; cosmetics; food; agricul-ture; retail displays; law enforce-ment; and general industry. They are also a Tier 1 Automotive supplier to Honda and Yamaha. OEM parts are exported to Japan, Europe, Canada, & Mexico.

As he contemplated DPI’s 40 years, John Nepper, Jr., Presi-dent and 30-year industry veteran, credited the companies long-term success to, “Satisfied customers re-turning time-after-time for their next requirement”

Design Plastics Inc. can be con-tacted at (402) 572-7177;

3550 Keystone Drive, Omaha Nebraska 68134; www.designplas-tics.com.


Superior Tool Service Inc., (STS), Wichita, Kansas, has installed its 5th ANCA CNC grinder and held an open house to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Founded in 1987 by Steve and Ellen Shofler, the firm specializes in industrial tool and cutter grinding, manufacturing and re-sharpening. In the last few years it has also devel-oped tools and unique applications for working with composites.

The company’s 17 employees operate in a custom-built 6,000-sq.-ft. facility with a drive-thru window.

The new ANCA Fast Grind 11-axis CNC grinder was needed to keep up with customer demand and to improve STS’’ productivity. “We continue to expand in the composite tooling industry across the world,” noted Steve Shofler.

Other equipment at the facility includes four ANCA CNC grind-ing machines with 7 and 10 axis capabilities. The shop also includes a wide variety of CNC and con-ventional grinders (24), 2 surface grinders, Starrett comparator, Laser Tool Marking System and assorted support equipment. Tolerances can be maintained and measured to 0.00005.

Superior Tool Services’ manu-facturing capabilities include Hi Speed and Carbide end mills, line reamers, broaches, chamfer tools, porting tools, lathe tools and com-bination tools that do two or more operations at once.

Carbide tools developed for composite include: a drill with quick change, threaded or straight shank and special tip; tapered drill reamer for hand reaming applications; a double margin drill for CNC drilling

applications and a spiral burr tool.They also manufacture 3 lines of

carbide end mills, Patriot, Rebel and Liberty all with variable helix and custom flute length for Aluminum to Inconel applications.

The staff has a broad knowledge of materials that their customers use, everything from acrylic to titanium & CFRP and they modify clearance angles on their tools to match the material for longer tool life. The company motto is “Our tools are so

Superior Tool Service installs 5th ANCA CNC Grinder and Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Wichita, Kansas

Above (l-r): Superior Tool Service’s Buddy Harrison & Clint Whitney with a new ANCA Fast Grind 11-axis CNC grinder.

The premier distributor and fabricator of plastic sheet, rod and tube since 1946.

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NOVEMBER, 2012 21

sharp you can cut your costs with them!”Coatings for tools (for longer life and

higher productivity) are also offered. They include: TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, AlCrN, DLC and diamond.

Superior Tool Service serves custom-ers worldwide in a wide range of industries including: aircraft, marine, medical equip-ment, defense, aerospace, computers, sports equipment and high-performance automo-tive.

As the Shofler’s talked about their 25 years in business, Steve stated, “We have stressed with our staff the way we treat our customers is the way we would want to be treated. The customer is our boss.”

Ellen noted, “We treat our employees like our business family and emphasize good communication with our customers. Any crew member can call a customer di-rectly to make sure everything is clear with their order.”

The company is ISO compliant and meets NAS standards.

Superior Tool Service can be contacted at: (800) 428-TOOL (8665); (316) 945-8488; Fax (316) 945-8490; 3939 W. Harry St., Wichita KS 67213; www.superiortool-service.com.


Relief, Joy or Despair. Whatever emotions you felt after this year’s presidential election, you can rest as-sured that our economic problems are just as massive as they were the day before the election.

So, while we’re waiting for our leaders to jockey for political advan-tage at the edge of the “fiscal cliff,” we might take a look at how the U.S. is seen by both its own citizens and those around the world.

Is America Exceptional? This ques-tion was asked by Norman Podhoretz, former editor-in-chief of Commentary, who addressed Hillsdale College’s Constitutional Day Dinner in Washing-ton, D.C.

“Once upon a time, hardly anyone dissented from the idea that, for bet-ter or for worse, the United States of America was different from all other

nations,” Podhoretz began.First, unlike all other nations,

the Founders “aimed to create a society in which, for the first time in the history of the world, an individual’s fate would be determined not by who his father was, but by his own freely chosen pursuit of his own ambitions.” (Of course, slavery and womens’ rights were contradictions to this, but these were intolerable situations and they were resolved, one in a bloody war.)

Second, citizenship in most other countries was “a matter of birth, of blood, of lineage, of rootedness in the soil. Even those admitted could not become full-fledged members of society.” In the U.S., one basically had to pledge allegiance to the new Republic and to the principles for which it stood.

“Thirdly, in all other nations, the rights, if any, enjoyed by their citizens were conferred by human agencies: kings and princes and occasionally parliaments. These rights amounted to privileges that

could be revoked at will by the same human agencies. In America, by con-trast, the citizen’s rights were declared from the beginning to have come from God and to be ‘inalienable’–that is, im-mune to legitimate revocation.

“If, however, almost everyone agreed that America was different, there was disagreement over whether its exceptionalism made it a force for good or a force for evil.”

Henry Adams–the descendent of two American presidents–described the criticism of our culture as it was framed in the those early days:

“In the foreigner’s range of obser-vation, love of money was the most conspicuous and most common trait of the American character...No foreigner of that day–neither poet, painter, nor philosopher–could detect in American life anything higher than vulgarity...Englishmen especially indulged in unbounded invective against the sordid character of American society...Con-temporary critics could see neither generosity, economy, honor, nor ideas of any kind in the American breast.”

While the Democracy in America

EDITORIALRAY LIPPE, EDITOR

NOVEMBER, 2012 23

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by Alexis de Tocqueville was mainly a defense of the country’s political system, he too expressed contempt for its life-style.

“The Americans, he wrote, with ‘their exclusively commer-cial habits,’ were so fixated ‘upon purely practical objects’ that they neglected ‘the pursuit of science, literature, and the arts,’ and only their proximity to Europe allowed them ‘to neglect these pursuits without lapsing into barbarism.’

“The main reason for the enduring power of the cultural critique was its fervent embrace, beginning in the late 19th century, by the vast majority of writers, art-ists, and intellectuals who followed Tocqueville.” And so it goes today, when the assumed “materialism and crassness of American life are harped upon in movies, television, novels, volumes of social criticism, and op-ed pieces.”

Podhoretz admits that he started on the left and saw only the flaws in American. “It rarely occurred to me to ask, Compared

to what is America so bad?” After 40 years of pondering that ques-tion, he believes that the United States hasn’t done too badly, even in the arts. But, its main goals were always “social, political, and economic, and it is in them that we have indeed excelled the most.”

Podhoretz believes modern liberals are not too concerned with liberty. “What they really care about, and what they assign a higher value to, is economic equality (as reflected in the now famous phrase, ‘spread the wealth around’). “The late Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote in 1976 about this very issue in connection with the redistributionist ideology that prevailed at the United Nations.

Moynihan said, “‘And equal-ity...what is the record? The record was stated most succinctly by an Israeli socialist who told William F. Buckley, Jr. that those nations which have put liberty ahead of equality have ended up doing better than those with the reverse priority’...This is our case. We are

of the liberty party, and it might surprise us what energies might be released were we to unfurl those banners.

“...I think it is fair too say that what liberals mainly see when they look at America today is injustice and oppression crying out for redress. ...conservatives see a complex of traditions and institu-tions built upon the principles that animated the American Revolution and that have made it possible...for more freedom and more prosper-ity to be enjoyed by more of its citizens than in any other society in human history,” Podhoretz con-cluded.

(Quotations reprinted by per-mission from Imprimis, a publica-tion of Hillsdale College.)

We’ll let Tocqueville (in 1848) have the last say: “Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality. But notice the difference; while democracy seeks equality in liberty, social-ism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.”


Bender Services Inc., Lincoln, Nebraska, has recently installed a new Hurco TMX8MYS CNC turning center.

The contract manufacturer offers CNC milling/turning, TIG welding, prototyping and design consultation.

The new Hurco was needed to keep up with customer demand and to expand the company’s offerings.

The TMX8MYS features live tooling, a sub spindle and y axis.

“We have used Hurco equipment before and have been pleased with their performance,” stated Parker Bender, owner and industry veteran (he started out as an industrial automation engineer). “The ease of programming, large size and versatility (with the

subspindle, live tooling and y axis) are great. We are impressed with its power and how many different part numbers we can run in one day.”

Bender Services Inc. works in a 6,000-sq.-ft. facility with 3 employees. It works mainly with aluminum, titanium, stainless alloys, and other metals. It serves such industries across the country as: firearms and automotive and has numerous local customers for a variety of metalworking needs.

Other equipment at the company includes another Hurco (a mill) and a mix of machining, grinding, contouring, sawing and welding equipment.

When asked about what has lead to Bender Services’ success Bender replied, “We are not afraid to do something out of our comfort zone.”

Bender Services can be con-tacted at: (402) 261-8551; 8200 West ‘O’ Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68528; [email protected]; www.benderservices.biz.

Bender Services, inc. installs New Hurco TMX8MYS CNC Turning Center

Lincoln, Nebraska

Above: A new Hurco TMX8MYS CNC turning center at Bender Services in lincoln, Nebraska.

Above: Examples of the precision machining work performed at Bender Services in lincoln, Nebraska.

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Charloma, rapidly becoming the most diversified custom plastics manufacturing company in the USA.

727 N. Liberty | PO Box 367 | Cherryvale, KS 67335(P) 620-336-2124 (TF) 888-696-1795 (F) 620-336-2127Sales: Dereck Renfro - [email protected] or Tim Kleiber - [email protected] www.charloma.com

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Charloma Inc., Cherryvale, Kansas, has installed more equipment, become ISO certified and has added management staff.

The 43-year-old firm is a diversified plastics manufacturer providing injection molding, blow molding, vacuum forming, pressure forming, twin sheet forming and open/close molding of fiberglass.

Additional services offered include: design & engineering; rapid prototyping; tooling; CNC trimming/machining; assembly; fulfillment and warehousing.

New equipment installed at the company includes two 28-ton injection molders and state-of-the-art LRTM closed mold fiberglass equipment. Injection molders at Charloma now range from 28 to 1,000 tons.

“The ISO certification shows our ongoing commitment to quality and efficiency,” stated Derek Renfro, engineering sales manager.

Recent management additions include: Ashley Hiller, customer service manager; Tim Kleiber, business solutions manager and Marty Palmer, plant manager.

“These new managers will help us continue our growth as we work

to become a one-stop shop for our customers’ plastics requirements,” stated Charloma’s Business Solutions Manager Tim Kleiber.

The company also has a division in Burlington, Kansas. Together, the two facilities combine for over 400,000-sq.-ft. with 150 employees.

Industries served by Charloma include: marine, RV, lawn & garden, automotive, medical, food, sanitation, packaging, agriculture

construction, military, aerospace, and recreational equipment.

The company recently started a scholarship program at nearby Pittsburg State University based on the sales of a rotational molded mascot, “Gus the Gorilla.”Charloma can be contacted at:(888) 696-1795; (620) 336-2124; Fax (620) 336-2127; 727 N Liberty, PO Box 367, Cherryvale, Kansas 67335; www.charloma.com.

Charloma inc. Adds Equipment, Management StaffandReceivesISOCertification

Cherryvale, Kansas

Above (l-r):Charloma’sAshleyHiller&TimKleiber,withLRTMfiberglassparts. New CNC lRTM equipment is in the background.

NOVEMBER, 2012 27

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St. louis NTMA Tours J&S Tool

The St. Louis Chapter of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA) toured J&S Tool Inc. on October 9th.

J&S Tool, Inc. has the capability to recondition, modify and manufacture all types of cutting tools including special tool designs.

Aided by CNC technology, J&S Tool’s experienced tooling professionals can repair, regrind, re-tip, sharpen, modify or manufacture virtually any industrial cutting tool. The firm is equipped with the latest-generation

Right: NTMA’s Bill Bachman speaks at the dinner part of the meeting.

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ANCA 3-dimensional production software, plus 7-axis tool and cutter grinders for advanced finishing. A full range of support equipment is also on site.

J&S Tool can be contacted at www.jstoolinc.com.

The meeting concluded with dinner at Grappa Grill.

The St. Louis NTMA can be contacted at: (314) 974-6418 or [email protected].

Above: J&S Tool crew leading a tour of the facility.


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Homeyer Tool & Die Installs New Equipment

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