Alan Richter

News • March 3, 2017 • Alan Richter

Hermle Machine takes on manufacturing skills gap

It's no secret that shop owners and managers frequently bellyache about the difficulty of attracting skilled workers and poach staff from other manufacturers by offering better pay.

Articles • February 27, 2017 • Alan Richter

Culture-changing tools

One of the activities I enjoy most in connection with my job is visiting production facilities, because I get a chance to see how parts and products are made and have face-to-face interactions with talented metalworking professionals—not to mention that it gets me out of the office now and then.

News • February 24, 2017 • Alan Richter

Manual inspection of round cutting tools provides benefits

Automated inspection equipment can offer advantages, such as enabling lights-out machining, but manual methods are typically less expensive and can provide quicker results. One example is a manually operated gage for inspecting round cutting tools.

Articles • February 23, 2017 • Alan Richter

Kennametal CEO’s take on simplifying production

In an interview conducted by CTE Editor Alan Richter, Kennametal Inc. President and CEO Ronald De Feo discusses the past year, the business outlook for Kennametal, Pittsburgh, the cutting tool industry and the company's modernization efforts.

News • February 17, 2017 • Alan Richter

Role of immigrant engineers in the U.S. manufacturing industry

In an article posted Feb. 9 at Forbes.com, Bill Conerly of Conerly Consulting LLC, Oswego, Ore., discussed how U.S. manufacturers need engineers to thrive because engineers invent products and optimize production methods.

News • February 10, 2017 • Alan Richter

Hydraulic fixturing components provide size and durability advantages

Time-tested workholding allows a parts manufacturer to target other areas for improvement, if needed. Husky Corp., for example, needed space-saving hydraulic components when refixturing a dial machine with limited space for fixtures and conducted an extensive search 30 years ago for a solution, said Darrell Vilmer, senior manufacturing engineer – machine/fixture designer for Husky.

Articles • February 7, 2017 • Alan Richter

Broaching a blind keyway with an inserted tool

Being able to broach a blind keyway while keeping the part on the same CNC machine tool used to perform the other machining operations provides a significant improvement in setup, reliability and accuracy, compared to moving the part to a dedicated broaching machine.

News • February 3, 2017 • Alan Richter

Visiting a manufacturer in the Palmetto State

One of the activities CTE Editor Alan Richter enjoys most about his job is touring production facilities. The visits give him a chance to see how parts and products are made while meeting face-to-face with talented metalworking professionals.

Articles • January 31, 2017 • Alan Richter

A mountain (bike) of chips

END USER: North Bucks Machining Ltd., +1908-611-669, www.northbucksmachining.co.uk. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Open Mind Technologies USA Inc., (888) 516-1232, www.openmind-tech.com. CHALLENGE: Efficiently rough-machine a mountain bike frame from a solid piece of aluminum stock. SOLUTION: A CAM software's high-performance roughing module.

News • January 30, 2017 • Alan Richter

Leveraging the right tools makes the difference

Running a small to medium-sized machine shop business presents many challenges. Alliance Broach & Tool, East China, Mich., has been in the business of building its operations and client base for more than 35 years; the company knows about some of these challenges. In spite of a tough economic climate, however, Alliance continues to significantly grow. After nearly 40 years, that is an impressive accomplishment.

Articles • January 26, 2017 • Alan Richter

Sounds of the season

Working in the bleak midwinter while the metalcutting sector transitions through a downturn sounds like a recipe for the blues. But it doesn't have to be. When things are a bit slow, it can be a good time to do some housekeeping and other chores around the shop that get put on the backburner during more active times. Investing in automation and other productivity-boosting equipment can also be wise during a soft stretch.

Articles • January 24, 2017 • Alan Richter

Automating thread inspection on tubular goods

According to Autonetics LLC, automated gaging units (AGUs) for threads are hot. The Cary, N.C.-based AGU manufacturer reported that it shipped 10 systems in the third quarter of last year to U.S. pipe mills that produce oil country tubular goods. No shipments occurred in the fourth quarter because the industry experienced a downturn, so capital expenditure projects got cut or delayed, noted Jeff Heath, COO of Autonetics. However, he said, the projects are starting to receive funding again. "We have about four in the build phase."