Articles & Columns

Cutting Tool Engineering's Machinist's Corner columnist shares his experience with various continuous-improvement processes, such as 5S, kaizen events and gemba walks, and a recent rapid-improvement event. The target was the company’s daily operations management.

With an assist from sound that humans can’t hear, machining can be a cooler and faster process—and yield more accurate results to boot, according to the September 2016 Machine Technology column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Get With The Program column offers a heightened appreciation for the roles that machining parameters and heat play when cutting metal.

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing defines part geometry—and you should already know that.

Manufacturer Seco Machine primarily serves the railroad industry while seeking to diversify.

As component design optimization tasks flow down the supply chain, finite element analysis programs proliferate.

END USER: Toolcraft Inc., (360) 794-5512, www.tcprecision.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Mil-Tec Inc., (800) 564-5832, www.miltecusa.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce cycle time when machining an aluminum part. SOLUTION: A progressive form tool applied on a horizontal machining center.

END USER: Windings Inc., (800) 795-8533, www.windings.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: West Ohio Tool Co., (937) 842-6688, www.westohiotool.com. ​CHALLENGE: Extend tool life when drilling a high-silica part. SOLUTION: A solid, cross-center PCD-tipped drill.

Generate consistent and accurate pricing with cost-estimating software

END USER: Ramona Enache, +31 634-824-992, www.tothepointer.com; SOLUTION PROVIDERS: DP Technology Corp., (800) 627-8479, www.espritcam.com; Logicad Solutions srl, www.logicad.ro; CHALLENGE: Design metal parts for a wine glass that sticks into the ground. SOLUTION: CAM software that defines all the machining operations, cutting tools and machining parameters.

END USER: RJ Enterprises, (310) 327-8127, www.rjenterprise.net; SOLUTION PROVIDER: Kyocera Precision Tools Inc., (800) 823-7284, www.kyoceraprecisiontools.com; CHALLENGE: Reduce cycle time when roughing a fuel sensor made of 304 stainless. SOLUTION: Switching from a ½"-dia., 4-flute solid-carbide endmill to a 5⁄8"-dia., indexable-insert endmill.

Cutting Tool Engineering's September 2016 Look Ahead section features a robotic glove to enhance the strength and dexterity of human assemblers.

A Look Ahead piece in the September 2016 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine looks at a topography-based, design-optimization tool kit aimed at simplifying design for manufacturing.

People in the industry continue to proactively do something about overcoming the skills gap, and I’d like to highlight two such efforts.

Specialty subscription websites bring together job shops and manufacturers looking to sub out work.

A close look at the evolving technology of tool presetting.

Shop Operations column looks at the benefits of becoming familiar with CAM software.

The metalworking fluids commonly applied during machining processes generate airborne mists that must be carefully controlled.

Machine tool users wouldn’t benefit from through-spindle coolant (TSC) without rotary unions, which bring together spinning and stationary components to improve coolant delivery.

The trade show of trade shows—IMTS—is coming to Chicago’s McCormick Place.