Articles

Articles • March 29, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

The Knee Mill: Still Standing

The design of the knee mill goes back to 1936, when Rudolph Bannow's company produced a knee-and-column vertical mill with a rotating turret and sliding-ram head. The mill became known by the company's name—Bridgeport—which, like Kleenex, became the generic signifier for mills of similar design.

Articles • March 28, 2017 • Alan Richter

MTU America: Machining parts for large diesel engines

Shop Profile: MTU America machines parts for large diesel engines while helping fill the skills gap.

Articles • March 27, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Swiss Smarts

The April 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine includes an occasional column on Swiss-Style Machining that addresses training options for new and experienced machinists.

Articles • March 24, 2017 • William Leventon

Tabletop tool sharpeners

The April 2017 Machine Technology column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine covers tabletop equipment for sharpening cutting tools.

Articles • March 23, 2017 • Alan Richter

Workforce: Finders Keepers

Commit to a German-style, dual-training apprenticeship program so your shop can produce its own skilled workers, suggests the director of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest Inc.

Articles • March 22, 2017 • Holly B. Martin

Chicago-based innovation center to stoke manufacturing

On March 2, mHUB, a physical-product innovation center and microfactory, celebrated its official grand opening in Chicago. The center is designed to galvanize the area's manufacturing ecosystem by generating innovative ideas, attracting world-class talent and fostering collaboration.

Articles • March 21, 2017 • Don Nelson

Cutting tool executive cautions manufacturers about ‘Made in USA’ label

U.S. toolmakers should "claim the origin of [their] products," he said during a speech at an industry event hosted by the grinding-machine and EDM builder Vollmer. Viaud-Murat pointed out, though, that manufacturers should not claim a product is U.S.-made if it isn't. Doing so could result in legal action against the offending company, initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.

Articles • March 17, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: AI robot finds its way

Omron Adept Technologies Inc.'s LD-series mobile robot can gather information about its surroundings and automatically generate a map with just one run through any given environment.

Articles • March 16, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: Remotely interesting monitoring

One roadblock for parts makers to begin implementing Industrial Internet of Things technology is psychological: Implementation sounds like a big, time-consuming undertaking. It can be, of course. But a good way to start might be to take about 20 minutes and fire up Smart Attend, an all-in-one manufacturing-facility communication system from Smart Attend Inc.

Articles • March 15, 2017 • Alan Richter

Productive Times: Capacity relief

END USER: Greenlee Textron Inc., (815) 784-5127, www.greenlee.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Keyence Corp. of America, (888) 539-3623, www.keyence.com. CHALLENGE: Relieve capacity constraints on conventional coordinate measuring machines. SOLUTION: A portable 3D measurement system.

Articles • March 14, 2017 • Christopher Tate

Honing: What It Is, How It Works, and Key Applications in Precision Machining

Discover the precision and versatility of honing—a machining process ideal for finishing cylinders, correcting bore geometry, and enhancing gear performance. Learn how honing works, its benefits, and key applications in modern manufacturing.

Articles • March 13, 2017 • John Winter

6 tips for improving turning operations

There's plenty of good application advice available from cutting tool specialists and equipment providers. This article offers six best-practice tips you might not have heard of yet, ones that will help you improve throughput and reduce costs.