Articles

Articles • July 1, 2009 • Alan Richter

Mills Made-to-Order

Applying "off-the-shelf," standard milling tools to get the job done provides several benefits: the tools are readily available and usually from numerous suppliers, their prices are competitive and the results are predictable. Nonetheless, even with a multitude of standard tools available for nearly every milling application, parts manufacturers often require specials engineered for a specific application.

Articles • July 1, 2009 • Daniel McCann

Spot On

The timing of the IMTS trade show in Chicago last September couldn't have been better for Jason Bromiley. As vice president and co-owner of John R. Bromiley Machine Co. Inc., a job shop in Chalfont, Pa., Bromiley has the lead role in company plans to expand into aerospace manufacturing. Early last fall, the firm already was working on attaining the requisite certification (AS 9100B and ISO 9001:2008). And, as IMTS rolled around, Bromiley was in the market for equipment that would both streamline his shop's current w

Articles • July 1, 2009 • Keith Jennings

Simplifying Communications

Our shop uses several tools to help us communicate easier and more effectively. These methods are well-tested, readily available, cost-effective and, in my experience, underutilized by machine shops.n

Articles • July 1, 2009 • Michael Deren

Tool Testing Done Right

Cutting tool tests performed by vendors are an excellent resource, and I've used them many times.

Articles • July 1, 2009 • Dr. Scott Smith

Some measurement required

Machine tool users can access the information contained in a stability lobe diagram to greatly increase productivity.

Articles • July 1, 2009 • Frank Marlow, P.E.

Parts of the milling machine

Unlike lathes, which have been around for thousands of years, milling machines are less than 200 years old. Because they require much more power than hand-driven lathes, the introduction of milling machines had to wait for the invention of industrial water and steam power.

Articles • July 1, 2009

Cranking out power

Eagle Machine Inc., in Abbotsford, B.C., frequently takes on challenging jobs, such as modifying a diving bell for deep-sea submarine rescues or designing and machining a set of solid aluminum wheels for an 800-mph land speed car based on an F-104 jet aircraft. Owner Steve Green said, "People come to us with the craziest things because other people tell them, 'the only place you can go is Eagle Machine.' "

Articles • July 1, 2009

Know-as-you-go software

In today's market, a machine shop often has millions of dollars invested in machines. Typically, a hefty amount is also committed to payroll. For a shop to be profitable, these two assets must work together efficiently. But what is the best way to manage and balance machine and manpower efficiency?n

Articles • June 1, 2009 • Edmund Isakov, Ph.D.

Tackling Titanium

Maximizing productivity and calculating required machining power when facemilling titanium alloys.

Articles • June 1, 2009

MultiMax

Getting the most from multitask machines requires knowing whether the parts a shop produces are appropriate for the technology, selecting and training the right employees and applying the correct tools.

Articles • June 1, 2009 • Bill Kennedy

Taking it to Titanium

Reaming titanium is a challenging task, but new tools can give shops an edge as they battle this difficult-to-machine material.

Articles • June 1, 2009 • Richard Thalmann

Chip off the Hard Block

A new laser machining center laser ablates 3-D profiles in superhard cutting tools.