Christopher Tate

Articles • March 1, 2016 • Christopher Tate

Controlling the process

Careful consideration when implementing inspection processes yields efficiencies. Manufacturers continually search for ways to increase profits and reduce costs. Trying to find cost savings where chips are made makes sense and is usually where the most-significant improvements are found. However, efficiency gains can also be made in nonvalue-adding areas, like inspection.

Articles • February 1, 2016 • Christopher Tate

Reaming can be most cost-effective way to produce accurate holes

Technological advances in cutting tools, machine tools and toolholders have allowed machinists and manufacturing engineers to increase holemaking efficiency by eliminating the number of tools required to produce accurate holes. High-performance drills are the best example of these technological advances. In the past, it was common for a machinist to spot-drill, drill and then ream to achieve accurate hole geometry. Now, the same hole can be made in a single operation using a high-performance drill.

Articles • January 1, 2016 • Christopher Tate

Rise of multitasking

The drive to reduce setup times and operator intervention has led to the proliferation of multitask machines. Multitask machines range in price and complexity from lathes capable of driving rotating tools to large machining centers that can effectively perform the turning and milling operations needed to complete complex parts in one setup.

Articles • December 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Mastering basic turning skills

The importance of mastering fundamental turning skills. Turning and other lathe operations are the most common machining applications. A master tool and die maker once told me a lathe is the only piece of shop equipment that can remanufacture itself. Whether or not the statement is factual is not important. Having the lathe described in that manner indicates how important and universal turning is to manufacturing.

Articles • October 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Lean drives modularity

Cutting Tool Engineering's Shop Technology column in October addresses how lean manufacturing principles have changed the way engineers program machine tools and select tooling.

Articles • September 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Long and short of broaching

Many options are available for removing stock and shaping workpieces. Broaching is one of the most productive, underutilized -- and least understood.

Articles • August 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

CAM software considerations

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas (MHPSA) is setting up a new facility in Texas to support the service operation of our business. The new shop is fully operational, but decisions are still being made on items such as tooling and CAM systems.

Articles • July 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Don’t wait until it’s broke

After spending many years in manufacturing facilities, I have discovered that the number of ways to perform a task is as varied as the people working there. Facility and machine tool maintenance is no different. Each organization has a unique approach.

Articles • June 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Inspect only when needed

When not required by the customer, inspection is a likely target for shops seeking to eliminate inefficiencies within the manufacturing process, suggests the Shop Technology column in the June 2015 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Articles • May 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Train to retain

Train your workers to sharpen their skills and keep them on the job, suggests this month's Shop Technology column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Tooling that quickly boosts profits

Quick-change tooling can boost profits.

Articles • March 1, 2015 • Christopher Tate

Selecting and using the best gages

Tiny medical parts, mass-produced automotive components and multiple-ton power generation parts share a common activity: inspection. Generally, inspection is seen as a nonvalue-added activity and most companies encourage the reduction of inspection time. However, because verifying that parts are made correctly is critical to maintaining profitability, inspection will never go away.