Alan Richter

Articles • July 3, 2017 • Alan Richter

Workholding solutions for 5-axis applications

Whether an application involves simultaneous 5-axis machining or five-sided (3+2) machining, the workholders and fixturing techniques from the 3-axis world typically won't apply, according to John Zaya, workholding product manager for BIG KAISER Precision Tooling Inc., Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Articles • June 30, 2017 • Alan Richter

Lead Angle: Are we near the peak?

Peak oil demand is in the news. In a May Wall Street Journal article, for instance, authors Lynn Cook and Elena Cherney stated, "The world's largest oil companies are girding for the biggest shift in energy consumption since the Industrial Revolution: After decades of growth, global demand for oil is poised to peak and fall in the coming years."

Articles • June 19, 2017 • Alan Richter

Productive Times: From dovetails to dimples

END USER: Manes Machine & Engineering Co., (970) 224-3311, www.manesmachine.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Lang Technovation Co., (262) 446-9850, www.lang-technovation.com. CHALLENGE: Eliminate the time spent machining dovetail cutouts and holes in a workpiece so it could be held in a dovetail-type vise for machining. SOLUTION: A stamping unit that creates dimples in a workpiece for holding it in a self-centering vise, referred to as form-closure technology.

Articles • June 15, 2017 • Alan Richter

Productive Times: Kick out the jams

END USER: Amsted Rail – Brenco Inc., (804) 732-0202, www.amstedrail.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Jorgensen Conveyors Inc., (800) 325-7705, www.jorgensenconveyors.com. CHALLENGE: Eliminate bushy stringers from repeatedly jamming chip conveyors. SOLUTION: A chip conveyor with a dual-belt conveyor that reduces or eliminates jamming problems.

Articles • June 13, 2017 • Alan Richter

Routing new composite materials requires new solutions

As new composite materials are developed, parts manufacturers face new challenges when routing them. Fortunately, cutting tool manufacturers continually develop new solutions so parts manufacturers are not forced to cut tomorrow's composites with outdated routers.

News • June 9, 2017 • Alan Richter

GF Machining Solutions launches apprenticeship program

Machine tool builder GF Machining Solutions LLC announced its new "learn and earn" apprenticeship program during the first day of the machine tool builder's 2-day Solutions Days open house. The event, which took place June 6-7 at its Lincolnshire, Ill., headquarters, included technical presentations and equipment demonstrations.

Articles • June 1, 2017 • Alan Richter

Colson Group reshores manufacturing

Colson Group USA, a manufacturer of casters, wheels and other mobility products, continues to make significant investments to its production and distribution operations while reshoring some manufacturing.

Articles • May 30, 2017 • Alan Richter

Toolmaker targets titanium

Without a doubt, cutting tools for machining titanium must be well-engineered. This was reinforced for CTE Editor Alan Richter while attending Horn Technology Days 2017, held May 10 to 12 at Hartmetall-Werkzeugfabrik Paul Horn GmbH, Tübingen, Germany.

News • May 25, 2017 • Alan Richter

Machining titanium today and tomorrow

Without a doubt, cutting tools for machining titanium must be well-engineered. This was reinforced for me while attending Horn Technology Days 2017 May 10 to 12 at Hartmetall-Werkzeugfabrik Paul Horn GmbH's in Tübingen, Germany.

News • May 19, 2017 • Alan Richter

Choosing the best feed optimization strategy

By using software to automatically optimize NC program feed rates, parts manufacturers can achieve the benefits of high-efficiency machining. So says David Sutkey, sales engineers at Irvine, Calif.-headquartered CGTech, who presented a technical session about it on May 18 at BIG KAISER Precision Tooling Inc.'s Breakfast & Learn 2017. The May 16-18 event took place at the toolmaker's headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Articles • May 16, 2017 • Alan Richter

Lead Angle: Rise of the soft machine

Cutting Tool Engineering Editor Alan Richter ponders the machine shop of the future in his Lead Angle column for the May 2017 issue.

Articles • May 10, 2017 • Alan Richter

Sandvik Coromant president promotes innovation

In an interview conducted by CTE Editor Alan Richter at a global press event held at the company's headquarters in Sandviken, Sweden, Klas Forsström, president of AB Sandvik Coromant, discussed his new role, the state of the cutting tool market, the importance of attracting talent to manufacturing, tool recycling and the role of R&D.