Kip Hanson

Articles • July 7, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Considerations when having taps resharpened

Resharpening dull taps by hand is probably not a good idea when you could be making parts. Plus, a thorough reconditioning requires a grinder designed for grinding the actual tap form. So resharpening dull taps is one job best left to the experts.

Articles • July 5, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Tips for shops set on moving machine tools DIY

Machine tools are heavy. Moving them yourself can be dangerous, causing damage to people and machinery alike. But with the right tools, knowledge of how to use them and some common sense, DIY machine moving is possible—though not always recommended.

Articles • June 9, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Dry, tight fluid connectors require the right tool

SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) and ISO (International Standards Organization) have developed a series of standards developed to make even the highest-pressure, most-demanding fluid connection leak-free. These include SAE J1926, SAE J514, MS 33649/SAE AS5202, ISO 6149 and other technical documents that describe threaded connections.

Articles • June 6, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Workholding: Building chucks to hold wheels

One requirement of precision wheel manufacturing is secure, accurate workholding. But Jay Duerr, president of LMC Workholding Inc., Logansport, Ind., said it goes much further than that. "The biggest requirement in this industry is good customer support."

Articles • May 31, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Advancements in edge finders

Some might argue that edge finders, center finders and wigglers, which have been used for decades to touch off workpieces during machine setup, are a bit too analog for today's digital world.

Articles • May 17, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Machining 3D-printed metal

Are you being asked to quote secondary machining operations on a handful of 3D-printed metal parts? If so, how do you cut these parts?

Articles • May 15, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Shop Profile: From pewter to ultraprecision CNC machine tools

Craftsman Jasper Röders set up shop during the early 1800s to make pewter tableware for his neighbors in Soltau, Germany. Six generations later, his descendants still produce pewter but have expanded into blow molds and CNC machine tools.

Articles • May 9, 2017 • Kip Hanson

The essentials of manufacturing microtools

Manufacturing microscale endmills and drills requires ultraprecise machinery and specialty grinding wheels—never mind extreme skill, the right carbide grade and abundant patience. Thankfully, a number of toolmakers have become proficient at this microscopic task, leaving shops to worry about just one thing: making parts.

Articles • May 8, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Keep machine tools, shop floor data safe from hackers

Proactive security measures become even more important as manufacturing software moves into the cloud, machine tool intelligence and automation continue to grow, and the Industrial Internet of Things makes big data an increasingly big deal.

Articles • March 31, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Rapid prototyping on a CNC machine tool

Machine tool builders, tool suppliers and software developers now deliver technology that makes it possible for CNC operators to set up jobs in minutes rather than hours, and deliver parts in days instead of weeks.

Articles • March 27, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Swiss Smarts

The April 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine includes an occasional column on Swiss-Style Machining that addresses training options for new and experienced machinists.

Articles • March 8, 2017 • Kip Hanson

Proper fluid management, filtration keep sumps cleaner

According to those interviewed for this article, most shops wait far longer than they should to clean sumps because the job is such a hassle. Waiting too long, however, creates a host of problems.