Articles

Articles • February 20, 2018 • Alan Richter

Machining parts more efficiently, while increasing part size

END USER: Sonaca Montreal Inc., (450) 434-6114, www.sonacamontreal.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Fives Liné Machines Inc., (450) 372-6480, www.fivesgroup.com. CHALLENGE: Machine aerospace parts more efficiently and precisely while increasing part size. SOLUTION: A 5-axis, high-rail vertical gantry mill.

Articles • February 19, 2018 • Robert Weinstein

Thermocouples embedded in coating of cutting insert measures tool/chip temperature

By using thermocouples embedded in a cutting insert's coating, a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison successfully overcame the challenge of measuring the tool/chip interface temperature.

Articles • February 16, 2018 • Michael C. Anderson

Automation helping small-to-medium suppliers compete

For decades, robots were synonymous with large-scale factories around the world. As small-to-medium suppliers are forced to become nimbler, automation is evolving to help them.

Articles • February 16, 2018 • Alan Richter

View from Earth will do just fine, thank you

While placing a telescope outside the distortion of Earth's atmosphere may seem like the best way to study the cosmos, CTE Editor Alan Richter holds a different view after the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization Corp. reached out to explain how it's working with Boeing Research & Technology on an Earth-bound telescope that will minimize distortion from the atmosphere.

Articles • February 14, 2018 • Alan Richter

Advancements in digital vision systems make measuring parts simpler, more repeatable

The biggest benefit a digital vision system provides is the machine's ability to automatically measure parts, whereas the human operator influences a manual analog measurement device, such as an optical comparator.

Articles • February 13, 2018 • Knox Machinery Inc.

Maximize preventive maintenance for machine tools

Shutting down a machine tool for just two or three shifts per year for maintenance can make a huge difference in boosting productivity and reducing machine downtime.

Articles • February 9, 2018 • Jeffrey A. Badger, Ph.D.

Wheel tests on the fly

A shop writes to the Grinding Doc: There's lots of discussion at my company about the best diamond fluting wheel for grinding tungsten carbide. Is there a quick test to determine which wheel is best?

Articles • February 8, 2018 • Kip Hanson

Inverting the spindle on a vertical turret lathe can make a great lathe even better

Vertical turning lathes have a significant drawback: the chips fall onto the workpiece where they are subject to recutting. By inverting the spindle, chip problems are virtually eliminated.

Articles • February 7, 2018 • Alan Richter

Deburring lab seeks to smooth rough edges faster

Matrix Design LLC created the Matrix Deburring Applications Laboratory to more effectively design automated deburring systems while streamlining the testing process. For example, having touch detection at the lab enables the speeds and feeds of a deburring brush to be automatically adjusted for optimal performance.

Articles • February 5, 2018 • James Harvey

A few unorthodox machining tips

Shop Operations Columnist James Harvey shares a few unorthodox machining methods that have worked for him.

Articles • January 30, 2018 • Keith Jennings

Owning company communications

Manager's Desk columnist Keith Jennings underscores the need for shop owners to remind their staff that it is the company—not its employees—that owns all business calls and electronic communications.

Articles • January 29, 2018 • Kip Hanson

Proper way to measure feature concentricity

In a recent blog post, Joshua Jablons, president of Metal Cutting Corp., Cedar Grove, N.J., discussed a topic that leaves many machinists scratching their heads: What is the proper way to measure feature concentricity on a round workpiece?