Articles

Articles • August 1, 2016 • Bill Bither

Monitoring machines in real time

If you're considering implementing a real-time machine monitoring system and looking for solid reasons to make the investment, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Real-time machine monitoring and overall equipment effectiveness software can help address many issues, whether they're obvious or not. There are a number of warning signs indicating that it might be time to investigate acquiring OEE software.

Articles • August 1, 2016 • Keith Jennings

An unexpected role

This summer has been hectic, both professionally and personally. The business side has been a roller coaster, requiring intense management. Personally, I had the pleasure of seeing my third of four kids graduate from high school and begin developing an interest in our family business.

Articles • August 1, 2016 • Michael C. Anderson

Making light work

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences is helping industry develop lightweight automotive parts from nontraditional materials.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Michael C. Anderson

Cutting remarks

Michael Finklea believes that there isn't much reported on sawing in the manufacturing trade press because "it's kind of the redheaded stepchild in the industry—an unappreciated part of the manufacturing process. In most shops, the least-skilled person is running the saw."

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

Clamp Down

The technology to form, press and grind indexable carbide inserts has evolved to such a high degree that the methods to effectively clamp inserts in a cutter body have struggled to keep up, but strides are being made. Some insert shapes have advanced to the point where they have a true, 100-percent, 3D geometry with almost no flat surfaces. This requires a tool-body pocket that is dynamically shaped to accommodate the optimal geometry. For example, an insert with a wavelike feature across its back requires it be seated in a pocket with a matching shape to ensure accurate fixation with high stability.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Multibenefit Machines

CNC lathes have evolved greatly over the past few decades. What were once simple 2-axis turning machines have become a bewildering array of extremely capable metalcutting equipment, most of which offer two spindles, multiple turrets, robust milling capabilities and can complete many parts in a single setup. In other words, they have become multitask machines.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Christopher Tate

High-Pressure Work

Components used in the manufacture of combustion hardware for a Mitsubishi gas turbine begin life as sheet or plate stock. Because our components come from large sheets, we start every manufacturing process by cutting the desired shape or profile.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Evan Jones Thorne

A Simple Diagnosis

It's not the most glamorous piece of equipment by any means, but the ball bar is a diagnostic tool used, in some form, to benchmark the performance of virtually every machine tool sold, according to Harold Schoch, vice president of technology and sales for Konecranes, Erlanger, Ky.

Articles • July 1, 2016

Q&A: Deep-Hole Drilling

Deep-hole drilling is virtually an art unto itself, with a host of complexities and considerations inherent to the process. Greg Forman, technical director of toolmaker Precision Cutting Tools Inc. (PCT), Santa Fe Springs, Calif., answered questions to provide some insight into drilling holes greater than 5 diameters deep.

Articles • July 1, 2016

Coming Revolution

Contrary to the history lessons from middle school about "the" Industrial Revolution, it is a widely held belief that the modern world has experienced three industrial revolutions. In the first, industry harnessed the power of steam and water. Mass production, reliable electrical power and division of labor drove the second revolution. Electronics and the computer defined the third.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Keith Jennings

A Very Formal Visit

When a good customer requests a meeting at his place, I go. That happened recently, when our shop's account manager accompanied me on a 20-minute trek to a customer's new corporate headquarters for a meeting to review our contract and extend it a few years. The customer happens to be a large corporation, and our shop has a contract to exclusively manufacture certain products.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • William Leventon

Technology Targets Crashes

As CNC machining gets more complicated, the chance of programmer and operator errors increases. These errors can cause collisions involving machine components and workpieces during the cutting process, resulting in downtime and part, tool and machine damage. Costly crashes aren't inevitable, however, thanks to technologies aimed at preventing collisions and minimizing their impact.