While hydraulic toolholders are said to have limited applications, their high gripping force and simple operation help them secure a place in machine shops.
A shop seeks insight from our Ask the Grinding Doc columnist, Dr. Jeffrey Badger, regarding the premature fatigue failure of pistons that seem fine when they go out the door. Could grinding be the culprit for these pistons cracking after just 5 weeks?
Anyone who works in or around a machine shop knows that high-performance cutting tools are expensive. If the process of acquiring and using these tools is not managed properly, tool expenses can quickly and negatively impact the bottom line, whether you are operating a mom-and-pop shop or a major OEM.
A typical CNC lathe program is quite short compared to some of the mammoth CAM-generated programs for milling machines. Here are some tips and tricks to programming a CNC lathe.
Manager's Desk Columnist Keith Jennings reflects on the ups and downs of the previous 12 months, with a nod to the "classroom of reality," which he says continues to educate him and his team. As a result, his shop created a list of goals for 2014.
Having been in manufacturing as long as I have, writes Machinist's Corner Columnist Michael Deren, "you might think I've grown tired of the daily grind. On the contrary, I usually can't wait to get to work each day."
The vertical linear axes on machine tools are fundamentally different than those that operate parallel to the ground. This is because the actuators on the vertical axes have to overcome the effects of gravity.