Articles

Articles • February 1, 2013 • Tom Lipton

Still more tips for a manual mill

Continuing and concluding the theme of my previous two columns, this month's installment provides additional tips for enhancing the operation of a manual milling machine.

Articles • February 1, 2013 • Christopher Tate

Cutting costs with tool reconditioning

High-performance cutting tools can provide increased efficiency and productivity, but they can also be a drain on tooling budgets. Cost-justifying these tools often requires regrinding and reconditioning them when they are worn or damaged. A successful reconditioning program reduces tooling costs by extending life as long as possible.

Articles • February 1, 2013 • Kip Hanson

Finding a 5-axis solution

Tim St. Martin knew there had to be a better way of fixturing parts on his company's 5-axis machine tools. "We'd visited some of our suppliers and saw how they were holding parts on their 5-axis machines," said the senior manager of manufacturing engineering for Carlsbad, Calif.-based orthopedic implant manufacturer Alphatec Spine Inc. "They were mounting the blanks into a 'picture frame' and then screwing that frame to a tombstone-mounted fixture. This basically limited access to one side of the workpiece per operation. Many in our company thought we should hold them the same way."

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Alan Richter

Stop the sticking

New developments in superabrasive grinding wheels help eliminate the need for dressing them.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Susan Woods

Band aid

Tips and techniques for improving bandsaw blade life and performance.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Ed Huntress

Chip challenge

Getting a handle on chip handling for small to medium-sized shops.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Alan Richter

The Road Ahead

AMT's latest Global Forecasting & Manufacturing Conference found reasons for both caution and optimism.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Kip Hanson

Sort, Select, Start Up

Choosing a multitask machine from a bewildering array of options can be challenging, but the right one can be a shop game changer.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Derek Weston

Optimizing nesting software’s benefits

This month's Get With The Program column in Cutting Tool Engineering looks at the benefits of nesting software for shops that make parts from flat raw materials.

Articles • January 1, 2013

A tale of two companies

In early December, two companies announced plans to make substantial investments in U.S. manufacturing. One was Apple Inc. and the other was Detroit Diesel Co. Guess which one got more coverage in the media. I'll help you. Even though Detroit Diesel's investment was more than Apple's and despite President Obama showing up at Detroit Diesel's announcement ceremony, my casual Web review showed Apple beat Detroit Diesel in news references by about 7 to 1.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Alan Richter

Pressing requirements

Laser-assisted sheet metal machining.

Articles • January 1, 2013 • Alan Richter

Thick as a brick

The 'thickest' PVD coating for cutting tools.