An array of milling tools is available, including endmills, facemills and plain mills. Typical milling applications include facing, filleting or edge cutting, profiling, slotting, pocketing and blind slotting.
In recent years, monolithic machined aluminum components have been replacing sheet metal assemblies throughout the aerospace industry. The monolithic structures are lighter, less expensive and stronger than their conventional sheet metal counterparts. Machining the components requires fewer special tools, fewer hand operations and less assembly time.
What does CAM software have to do with mowing your lawn? More than you might think. Consider this imaginary story in which a machine shop owner tackles that bane of suburban life.
You can find out that times are tough by reading the newspaper but it really hits home when your company downsizes you. That was recently the case for me and about 30 others at the company I worked for.
In addition to handling prototype and production machining, R.E.F. Precision Products LLC, Deer Park, N.Y., provides engineering and productivity consulting services.
Dear Doc: I grind small parts with intricate geometries. I’d like to get a handle on what kind of Ra values I’m generating and if the grinding process changes I’m making are improving or worsening the surface finish. I was told to purchase a profilometer. Is this the best route to go?
The creation of a part program for a CNC machine tool usually starts with a part drawing or model that contains the part material, geometry and tolerances.
As an owner or manager of a machining business, you have your hands full dealing with matters from the front office to the shop and everything in-between. Even so, nonproduction issues seem to be an increasing burden.
