Alan Richter

Efficiently remove scale from the bearing surface of a high-volume, 9310 alloy steel part. A custom diamond honing tool.

Confirm toolpath programming is free of errors. NC program simulation and verification software.

Tracking down the right tool turns a nightmare job into a dream at AB CNC Services & Consulting. Just ask company president Andy Baczynski.

A collection of machine tool products compiled by the editors of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

All metals are not created equal. Therefore, neither are the machine tools for cutting them. Parts for extreme aerospace applications, such as in engines, landing gear and flap tracks, must be made of a heat- and corrosion-resistant metal, which typically has a high Young's modulus of elasticity and is difficult to machine. These include titanium, stainless steel and high-nickel alloys.r The "hard metal" machines that process the parts must be stiff, typically requiring a large mass, and have a large servomotor to create lots of thrust. They also need a high-torque spindle to effectively move the cutter through the material and a high thrust load on the axes of the ballscrews, which often have a low 8mm pitch, to offer an effective mechanical advantage, according to Scott Walker, president of machine tool builder Mitsui Seiki USA Inc., Franklin Lakes, N.J. He explained that the machines are built that way because aerospace customers typically run them slower than 600 rpm, require around 2,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and take maximum chip loads from 0.002 to 0.006 ipt. "So you build this big, rugged machine," Walker said.

Thermal compensation of a coordinate measuring machine's principle structural components and the part being measured helps ensure measuring accuracy over an extended temperature range when the CMM is installed outside of a temperature-controlled area. Such a temperature-compensation system is comprised of temperature sensors and cabling running through the machine to its controller. The more sensors there are the more accurate the system, but these cables can cause mechanical issues and will eventually fray or break because of the constant CMM motion.

A pump on a waterjet machine generates the high-pressure water needed for cutting by taking low-pressure water into a cylinder, compressing the water with a plunger and then pushing the high-pressure water out of the cylinder. During a pressure cycle of intake, compression and expulsion, high-pressure components and polymer seals see the water pressure jump from two-digit inlet pressures to outlet pressures in the tens of thousands of psi.

Overcoming a bottleneck caused when programming different machine tools with various CAD/CAM systems. A single CAD/CAM system that can program multiple machine brands.

Produce parts faster without investing in additional fixturing. Efficiently reprogram the parts with the company's CAM software after moving part production to a multitask lathe.

Achieve tight-tolerance requirements when producing microtools. Grinding machines designed to produce microtools.

A collection of workholding products compiled by the editors of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

A machine vision system for inspecting cutting tool wear.