Tool Tested as a Bomb ‘Can Opener’-December 2, 1960

An “ultrasonic can opener” for opening steel-encased unexploded bombs without generating excessive heat is being studied by engineers at its commercial apparatus and systems division plant in Norwood, the Raytheon Co. announced this week.

The engineers are experimenting with what is called a “silent sound” tool under a contract from the U.S. Navy’s Bureau of Weapons.

Ultrasonic impact grinders are now widely used in industry to cut hard and brittle materials. A tooltip, moving up and down 25,000 times a second, drives an abrasive liquid against the work to be cut. Although the tool itself never touches the work, the tiny particles in the liquid cut the work to an accuracy of two 10,000ths of an inch.

Fri, Dec 2, 1960 – The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts)

More Norwood Business History

Northrop Corp. Dedicates $5 Million Facility Addition on Morse Street in Norwood-October 8, 1976

Governor Michael Dukakis and Northrop President Dr. Thomas O. Paine dedicate a $5 million expansion at Norwood’s Morse Street plant, boosting high-tech jobs and aerospace manufacturing.
Norwood Co-Operative Bank Prepares for Striking Move to Modern New Quarters at Central and Park Streets-October 4, 1976

As assets approach $55 million, the Norwood Co-Operative Bank prepares to move into a striking, modern $1 million headquarters at Central and Park Streets featuring an indoor garden.
Factory Mutual Traffic Bottleneck on Route 1 Prompts Safety Concerns and Calls for Improvements-October 13, 1975

Route 1 traffic congestion surrounding Factory Mutual Engineering and Research Corp. prompts employee memo warnings, police scrutiny, and state corridor studies.
Barbering Ain’t What It Used To Be-September 22, 1975

Celebrating 50 years in South Norwood, barber Sal Antonico reflects on changing hairstyles, his musical passions, and a lifetime of serving loyal local customers.
Swampland Transformed Into Norwood Country Club Golf Course-August 29, 1975

Following a massive, self-directed engineering and construction effort, the new Norwood Country Club is scheduled to open for play today. Located on land adjacent to Route 1 and the Norwood Airport purchased in 1973 from the Foley family, the regulation golf course represents a triumph over difficult terrain by builder, contractor, designer, and engineer Frank…
Fate of South Norwood’s Dealers’ Cafe Rests on Upcoming Hearing-August 21, 1975

With the Dealers’ Cafe closed since winter, the state ABCC will review its license status while Norwood Selectman William F. Butters pushes to transfer the permit to Route 1.
Norwood Entrepreneurs Launch Innovative Video Home Inventory Service to Ease Insurance Claims-August 20, 1975

Utilizing cutting-edge audio-video technology, Norwood’s Michael Cardaci Jr. and Christopher McKinnon founded Panvidicon Video Assurance Co. to catalog home possessions for insurance claims.
Norwood Selectmen Fight State Over Iron Horse Outdoor Liquor License-August 21, 1974

Norwood selectmen resist a state ABCC mandate to grant an outdoor liquor license to the Iron Horse’s Mida Piazza Garden.
The Final Chapter: The Rise and Fall of the Plimpton Press in Norwood-October 8, 1973

From its foundational beginnings in 1897 until the present day, the Plimpton Press maintained a long, storied, and vital history of book manufacturing and community building in Norwood. But when the press officially closed its doors last Friday, it marked the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy preserved now only in town archives.…
Town May Take Historic Plimpton Press After Tax Foreclosure-September 25, 1973

Citing severe financial troubles, the 76-year-old Plimpton Press announces its permanent closure for October 5, leaving Norwood to pursue foreclosure over $238,000 in unpaid taxes.