Catching ’22’: Beat the challenges of titanium
Effectively machining titanium alloys requires suitable cutting tools, machine tools and monitoring systems.
Editorial
Alan Richter
Alan Richter, a 40-plus-year veteran journalist, has spent the last 26 years covering the metalworking industry for Cutting Tool Engineering and currently serves as its editor-at-large. Contact him at [email protected].
Editor-at-large
Email: [email protected]
GF Machining Solutions hosts ribbon cutting ceremony at Microlution facility
Although Microlution Inc. has been based in multiple locations since the builder of micromachining centers was founded in 2005, the company held its first grand opening event June 28 as part of GF Solutions Days USA 2019. The first location for Chicago-based Microlution, which has operated as a subsidiary of GF Machining Solutions since 2016, was in Andy Phillip's apartment in Champaign, Phillip said. He is one of the company's founders and now head of laser micromachining.
HxGN LIVE 2019 makes Sin City smarter
My latest trip took me to Las Vegas, where I attended HxGN LIVE 2019. Hosted by Sweden-headquartered Hexagon AB, the ninth biennial conference took place June 11-14 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center adjacent to The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts, and I participated in the Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence division's media program.
STS takes tool coatings in-house
Toolmaker launched its coatings division a year ago with a $2.2M investment.
Ceratizit Group promotes Team Cutting Tools at Open Days 2019
In connection with the Ceratizit Open Days 2019 press event May 13-15, I visited several of the cutting tool manufacturer's German facilities (in Stuttgart, Balzheim and Kempten), as well as Ceratizit Reutte in Breitenwang, Austria. The Luxembourg-based Ceratizit Group has combined its Ceratizit, Komet, WNT and Klenk brands under the name Team Cutting Tools.
Apprenticeships can provide effective training
Various apprenticeship programs are available to connect the gap between the skills that parts manufacturers need and the ones job seekers offer.
Machining large parts takes specialized mindset
Shops make big moves becoming specialists when manufacturing hefty parts.
In with the old
In response to my Lead Angle column in the April 2019 issue about machining large parts and my attraction to vintage machine tools, I received the following email from Chuck Oloffson, a CAD detailer and former CNC and manual machinist.
Learning the future at Automate 2019
Based on the high level of traffic and activity that I saw at Automate 2019 combined with a U.S. unemployment rate of just under 4%, my hunch is that robot manufacturers will report impressive sales figures this year. This guestimate is a result of a conversation I had with Joseph Gemma, CEO of division industries – Americas for KUKA Robotics Corp., Shelby Township, Michigan. According to Gemma, as the unemployment rate decreases, robot sales increase. He emphasized that automation is changing jobs—not taking them away.
KRC Machine Tool rebrands and rebuilds
Remanufacturing a machine tool can make it perform better than when it was initially built.
Surface roughness measurement can be challenging
L.S. Starrett's precision tool education manager offers the latest trends and developments in surface roughness measurement.
Sculptor finds the art in machining
Using handmade tools and automated machines, Baltimore-based artist Chris Bathgate crafts precise elements that assemble into complex sculptures.