December 2010 Shop Operations column in Cutting Tool Engineering offers tips for design engineers who would like to start to bridge the gap between design and manufacturing.
END USER: Central Utah Tool, (801) 374-2745, centralutahtool.com. CHALLENGE: Minimize time for programming complicated machining on a multitask machine. SOLUTION: CAM software for multitasking.
END USER: General Broach Co., (517) 458-7555, www.generalbroach.com. CHALLENGE: Increase capacity and maintain quality while grinding broaches for aerospace applications. SOLUTION: CNC surface and creep-feed grinder with auxiliary grinding head and large work volume.
With the right tools, threadmilling large bore diameters doesn't have to be daunting. Read the article and check out a brief video of several threadmilling demonstrations offered by Allied Machine & Engineering Corp.
Tapping isn't easy and one of the toughest challenges is preventing oversized threads. New tools can help. Read these tips from YG-1 Tool Co. and take a look at a 2-minute video of the company's slideshow presentation on multifunctional taps.
Manufacturers continue to make process improvements in everything from surface finish to grinding wheel life, but one of the simplest improvements is leveling an out-of-tolerance machine.