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Rapid growth can strain a young machine shop as severely as slow sales. Taking on more work than the shop can produce reliably can erode quality, extend deliveries and drive customers away. TurboTech leaders have focused on automation while maintaining a high-mix, low-volume environment.

Cox Machine Inc. in Wichita, Kansas, produces precision parts and assemblies for aerospace and other industries. Engineering Manager Brennan Miller said about 90% of its work is aerospace-related and much of the material is aluminum. “We probably have eight work centers out of 80 dedicated to hard metals.” Tungaloy’s DoFeedTri high-feed cutters helped Cox Machine raise cutting parameters and reduce cycle time.

As an international manufacturer of high-precision tooling, HORN USA in Franklin, Tennessee, understands the need for proper training to ensure that distributors and customers achieve the maximum benefit from its products. That commitment is demonstrated by the HORN Academy Demo Center, which opened in January 2025 at the company’s headquarters.

The infeed strategy controls chip flow, cutting load, tool wear and cycle time. Cutting a thread on a lathe is never a single-pass operation. The thread profile is too deep to remove at once, so the cut is divided into multiple passes. One question programmers can overlook is how the insert should approach the workpiece on each pass.

A practical guide to deciding when quick-change fixtures earn their place on the shop floor. Read the trade journals, visit the trade shows and talk to the local sales rep, and they will all say the same thing: You can’t continue in the machining business without their super-advanced workholding technology.

A shop-floor primer on abrasive-waterjet capabilities, maintenance and common trouble spots. Abrasive-waterjet machining uses a high-velocity stream of water and garnet abrasive to erode a programmed path through sheet or plate. The process works with many metals, plastics, glass and other materials, although material compatibility and machine limits must be checked before cutting.

Artificial intelligence provides a platform for real-world automation applications. Artificial intelligence continues to make inroads into automation applications at parts manufacturers, enabling faster deployment, easier job changeovers, greater autonomy, and real-time control and visibility. A collage shows the Acteris chat interface, digital twin and physical robot.

Face milling can make for better connections. When machining mating parts that need to fit together tightly, relying on a machined surface from another process or operation can lead to miserable results. This is why we include face milling in our list of operations when making a set of legacy connectors for our Civil Engineering students.

The machine is the asset. The return it produces is the investment. When a machining company considers purchasing a new CNC machine or other major piece of equipment, the conversation often begins with three questions: How much does it cost? What will the monthly payment be? And can we afford it?

Dear Doc: We do cylindrical-OD grinding and struggle with roundness. Any quick advice? Moving away from an integer rpm ratio eliminated the Flowery Waviness. Image: J. BadgerI. Inasaki, B. Karpuschewski and H.-S. Lee, “Grinding Chatter—Origin and Suppression,” CIRP Annals – Manufacturing Technology 50(2), 515–534 (2001). doi:10.1016/S0007-8506(07)62992-8.M.

Automation, Safety and Leadership Muratec Combines Laser Cutting and Machining Muratec turning equipment. Credit: Muratec USA. Muratec USA has announced the LS3015MC, a manufacturing platform that combines 8-kW fiber laser cutting and secondary machining operations in one machine. The company says the combination reduces setups, material handling and lead times.

Bonded wheels cover cutting and grinding. Klingspor Abrasives offers cut-off wheels and grinding discs for fabrication, maintenance and industrial applications. The A 960 TZ SPECIAL aluminum-oxide wheel is intended for stainless and carbon-steel sheet cutting. The A 624 R SUPRA grinding disc covers mild, structural, tool and sheet steels.