Kip Hanson

Articles • December 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Basics of centerless grinding

For those "making chips" every day, centerless grinding may seem mysterious, but it's a fairly straightforward process. This article will discuss how it works, where and when it should be used, and offer advice on how to apply this well-established technology.

Articles • October 4, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Conversational programming for 5-axis machines

Five-axis programming is difficult, requires an expensive CAM system and an even more-expensive programmer to sit in front of a computer all day cranking out complicated G code. Right? Not necessarily.

Articles • October 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Mod Squad

If you use a pair of machinist's vises bolted to the bed of a vertical machining center and laboriously replace jaws for each new job or build fixtures from scratch and stick them on the shelf until the order repeats, listen up: Modular workholding saves time and money.

Articles • September 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Generate consistent and accurate pricing

Generate consistent and accurate pricing with cost-estimating software

Articles • September 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Combination machines unlock capabilities

Combo machines bridge an important gap between manual and CNC equipment.

Articles • August 5, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Single-point thread programming can be fun and easy

Before CNC lathes, single-point threading was a pain in the neck. Fast reflexes were needed to engage an engine lathe's lead-screw dial at precisely the right time and disengage it before crashing into the shoulder. Around the time of the U.S. Bicentennial celebration, tape-operated lathes made all of this headache obsolete. No more fooling with clumsy gearboxes or levers. You simply programmed where you wanted the tool to go and the machine control took care of the rest.

Articles • August 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Maximum-performance milling outperforms traditional milling by a long shot

Within the last decade, multiple endmilling developments have occurred. These include bold, new cutter designs, extremely tough but wear-resistant carbide grades and toolpaths that reduce mechanical shock to machine tool and cutter alike while reducing cycle times by 50 percent or more and extending tool life.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Multibenefit Machines

CNC lathes have evolved greatly over the past few decades. What were once simple 2-axis turning machines have become a bewildering array of extremely capable metalcutting equipment, most of which offer two spindles, multiple turrets, robust milling capabilities and can complete many parts in a single setup. In other words, they have become multitask machines.

News • June 23, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Why the Web

Sound website design and integration attracts new business and simplifies operations for manufacturers, internet marketing professional Gary Sargent said.

Articles • June 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Above and beyond

Value-added services shorten lead times and increase sales opportunities for parts manufacturers. The decision to bring traditionally outsourced services in-house can be an expensive and scary proposition—one with the potential to either transform a company or send it into bankruptcy. Yet that's exactly what many manufacturing companies do, and often they are pleased with the results. That proved true for the four companies profiled in the following pages.

Articles • June 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Smarter by design

I'm not a huge fan of machinist's vises. Even with a speed handle and a couple cups of coffee in your belly, it seems like it takes forever to crank them open wide enough to change a pair of jaws. And once they're bolted in place, having to tap them in with a hammer and check them with a dial indicator only adds insult to injury. Surely there's a smarter way to hold parts in a machining center.

Articles • May 1, 2016 • Kip Hanson

Growing demand for microparts challenges suppliers, users

Ever machined parts so small that they not only fit on a penny but can sit on old Abe's nose? Cutting parts and part features in this Tom Thumb world often comes with Titanic-sized challenges, such as unexpected cutting tool breakage, deburring parts the size of typical burrs and machine tool spindles speeds that come up short. Sometimes just handling ultrasmall parts is a gargantuan task.