Damage control
Tool monitoring not only prevents breakage but drives down costs.
Author
Holly B. Martin
Holly B. Martin is a science writer and technical copywriter based in Winchester, Va. For more information, visit www.hollybmartin.com.
Freelance Science Writer
Turning the hard way
What is takes to turn the hardest metals.
Tool coatings covered
Many toolmakers have reasons to bring coating capabilities in-house.
Extended-reach toolholders remain a requirement
Multiple-axis machines increase workpiece accessibility but some jobs still require these specialized toolholders.
Specialized tools help deburr cross-holes
Automated deburring makes the process more efficient, giving the end product a more consistent finish from part to part.
Consider the benefits of quick-change tooling systems
Anytime you change a tool, you're not making parts. Keep downtime to a minimum by reducing changeover time to mere seconds.n
Shop tackles tall, large, unique parts
Reliable EDM will take on any job that other shops can't machine conventionally or cost-effectively.n
Gear pioneer Kate Gleason was way ahead of her time
With respect to the norms of the 19th century, Kate Gleason was way ahead of her time. In honor of Women's History Month, CTE remembers groundbreaker Catherine "Kate" Anselm Gleason (1865-1933). During the restrictive culture of her time, she helped shape the global cutting tools industry as a sales engineer for her family's gear cutting machinery business.
One mission, two bottom lines
Skills Inc. is a unique nonprofit manufacturing company that serves the aerospace industry and is dedicated to helping people with disabilities thrive in today's manufacturing environment.
Cleaning corrupt CAD models
Job shops commonly receive corrupted or "dirty" CAD files from their customers. These files must be cleaned or repaired before toolpaths for machining the workpiece can be created. Software solutions like SpaceClaim, developed by ANSYS Inc., can fix dirty models, with the end goal of creating "watertight" solids ready for machining.
Demand rises for ultrahard-material cutting machines
A recent report, "Global Ultra Hard Material Cutting Machines Market" by Transparency Market Research, forecasts a healthy compound annual growth rate of 10.8 percent for these machines for the years 2016 to 2024, with the total market reaching $1.8 billion by the end of that period. The report's authors expect rising demand to lead to more competition and lower prices.
Chicago-based innovation center to stoke manufacturing
On March 2, mHUB, a physical-product innovation center and microfactory, celebrated its official grand opening in Chicago. The center is designed to galvanize the area's manufacturing ecosystem by generating innovative ideas, attracting world-class talent and fostering collaboration.