Articles & Columns

Drilling, reaming and boring are the basic holemaking operations of machining. In simple terms, drilling creates a hole in a workpiece where there was no existing hole. Reaming and boring accurately enlarge holes that already exist.

Machine tool builders, tool suppliers and software developers now deliver technology that makes it possible for CNC operators to set up jobs in minutes rather than hours, and deliver parts in days instead of weeks. 

To reduce setup—as well as overhead costs—in a job-shop environment, first examine the workholding methods, according to the Shop Operations column in the April 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

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. 

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Honing, grinding and lapping are the primary finishing processes used in most shops, and honing may be the most capable and underutilized of the three 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.  

The advantages of combining additive manufacturing with finish-machining processes in a single setup are plentiful, from shorter cycle times to the ability to create complex, unlikely geometries. Because of the specific needs of their industry, moldmakers might feel left out. However, a few machine builders are filling this niche-within-a-niche. 

The major wire EDM builders are still in competition, of course, but on other playing fields. The latest developments in wire electrical discharge machining focus on throughput, ease of use and automation.

According to those interviewed for this article, most shops wait far longer than they should to clean sumps because the job is such a hassle. Waiting too long, however, creates a host of problems. 

When was the last time someone sat your team down and talked about safety? Where I work, we sit down once or twice a year for safety sessions, according to Michael Deren, who writes the Machinist's Corner column for Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

James Harvey, Cutting Tool Engineering's Shop Operations columnist, offers some miscellaneous tips and and unusual methods of machining that worked for him—and may help other metalworkers.