October 2012
Articles in this issue
Metalworking product review for October 2012
A metalworking products review, as published in the October 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.
Smartly automating a VMC
END USER: K-Fab Inc., (408) 727-5311, www.k-fabinc.com. CHALLENGE: Increase spindle utilization for a vertical machining center while reducing labor requiremen…
Tempering heat-treatment costs
END USER: LMC Industries Inc., (636) 282-8080, www.lmcindustries.com. CHALLENGE: Heat treat tooling components in-house to reduce costs and turnaround times. S…
Overcome a weighty issue
END USER: Whirlpool Corp., (269) 923-5000, www.whirlpool.com. CHALLENGE: Eliminate damage to toolchanger arms on vertical machining centers when replacing a st…
A sound system
A second item in the Look Ahead section of the October 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine covers an automatic, scalable component-testing system t…
Get groning
This Look Ahead item features a CNC gear honing machine that uses a honing wheel with external teeth and reduces the number of process stages.
Help wanted: humans need not apply
There's no doubt that the U.S. manufacturing boom has created jobs. The question is, are they for humans or robots?
Seeing the light
Auto parts manufacturer Mann+Hummel reaps the benefits of optical scanning.
Making it manufacturable
New tools help parts makers design for manufacturability, which reduces machining costs and improves part quality.
Suggestions for improving manual mills
Shop Operations columnist Tom Lipton offers some suggestions for improving the design of manual milling machines in the October 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engi…
Combining post-processors, verification
The October 2012 Get With The Program column focuses on improving 5-axis machining by combining post-processors and verification software.
Reasons for stable milling zones
In his October 2012 Machine Technology column, Dr. Scott Smith, professor at the William States Lee College of Engineering at the University of North Carolina …
Limiting tool vendors boosts efficiency
The debut Shop Technology column focuses on limiting toolcrib items and vendors to boost productivity.
Don’t let perfect trump better
How many times does a project break down just from trying achieve perfection? Machinist's Corner columnist Michael Deren urges readers not to let perfect trump…
Managing workers’ face time
Manager's Desk columnist Keith Jennings discusses the balance between face time with employees and time management.
Tips for getting the most out of a wire EDM
Wire EDMing requires a range of equipment and complex operations, which can lead to a variety of problems. But the capability and flexibility of the electrical…
Effectively reaming nickel-base alloys
Effectively reaming nickel-base alloys requires a slow and steady approach.