What's not to like about a machining process that hits print tolerances with adjustment-free, 1.67 Cpk capability, while running 4000+ parts per day, six days a week? That kind of worry-free production of 50-micron roundness and 80-micron total tolerance made a Sunnen VSS-2 Single Stroke® honing system the process of choice for Cloyes Gear and Products in machining VVT(variable valve timing) stator bores for OEM automotive customers. The new four-spindle machine came on line at Cloyes' Subiaco, Arkansas, plant in early 2009 to replace a roller burnishing process that struggled to hit print tolerances. The new machine simplified the sizing of the segmented bore, eliminating a high scrap rate and headache for the plant.
We’re proud to share that Josh Allen, Director, Global IT has been named a Finalist for the 2025 ORBIE CIO of the Year Award!Since 1998, the St. Louis ORBIE Awards have recognized CIO leadership, and the organization is considered the premier technology executive recognition program in St. Louis. The CIO Orbie Awards recognize technology leaders who drive innovation, enable growth, and inspire their teams to achieve excellence.
The 2025 St. Louis CIO ORBIE Awards are on December 11 at The Chase Park Plaza Royal Sonesta Hotel. Finalists and winners are selected by an independent peer review process, including former ORBIE winners.
Josh Allen’s ORBIE nomination comes as no surprise to his colleagues at Sunnen. Josh’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in strengthening Sunnen’s IT organization and building a solid foundation for the future. Under Josh’s direction, Sunnen’s digital transformation is taking shape. Projects like the following are already underway:
Modernizing IT Infrastructure
Creating Cost Efficiencies and simplified software solutions for a One Sunnen Global approach
Upgrading the ERP system
Obtaining Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification
Implementing AI
with additional projects scheduled to launch soon.
We’re excited for all of the exciting technological developments here at Sunnen, and we’re thrilled to have a talent like Josh Allen on our team.
Good luck in December!
To learn more about the ORBIE awards, click here: 2025 St. Louis ORBIE Awards | St.LouisCIO
In the world of precision manufacturing, precision bore honing abrasives do more than polish a surface, they shape the way components perform across their entire lifecycle. From ensuring the seal integrity of aerospace hydraulics to fine tuning combustion chambers in remanufactured automotive engines, abrasive technology quietly plays a critical role in producing parts that are safer, more efficient, and longer lasting. Despite their widespread use, engineered abrasives are frequently misunderstood as simple one-size-fits-all tools that are easily interchangeable. This oversimplification masks the true potential of abrasive technology. To understand the full impact of precision bore honing abrasives, it helps to think of them not as consumables, but as engineered cutting tools with performance characteristics that must match, and even anticipate, the demands of new materials and applications.
Sunnen’s HES External Honing Machine stands at the forefront of industrial innovation, offering manufacturers new possibilities for handling the most demanding applications and oversized components. This advanced honing solution merges precision engineering with user-friendly operation, delivering outstanding stock removal rates, perfect surface finishes, and reliable performance for an incredibly diverse range of large parts and materials.
