Bill Kennedy, based in Latrobe, Pa., is a former contributing editor for Cutting Tool Engineering. He has an extensive background as a technical writer.
A joint Sandvik Coromant and Mazak seminar provided counterintuitive information on the metalworking market in general and machining heat-resistant superalloys in particular.
Learn when to apply motorized, hand-held drills; fine-toothed, diamond-cut routers; compression routers and veined PCD tools to machine composite materials.
A small, Philadelphia-area shop is using a 55,000-psi, 2,000-mph abrasive waterjet to help grow its primary business: making parts for Boeing aircraft.
Advanced ceramics' properties make them suitable materials for medical instruments and implants, as well as for parts in medical devices. Making ceramic parts, however, requires manufacturing techniques similar to those used to make P/M parts and may require applying diamond-impregnated tools and wheels.
When single-point boring, parts manufacturers can break and control the long chips from low-carbon steels by taking into account setup, cutting parameters, nose radii and insert shape and sharpness.
Machine shops and other companies discuss the workpiece materials, machine tools and metalcutting processes needed to make the fasteners that keep aircraft and spacecraft together.
Companies work to interest youths in manufacturing through outreach efforts and partnerships with schools to offer courses that lead to college degrees in manufacturing.