Susan Woods

For manufacturers looking to effectively clean their parts, industrial ultrasonic cleaning systems are a sound option.

Machined metal parts require packaging to protect them in demanding handling, shipping and storage situations, including humid and outdoor environments. Part makers need be aware of how to protect their parts so their hard work is not lost to corrosion or damage.

The process of displacing metal instead of cutting it is called many things. But whether they call it form tapping, cold form tapping, thread forming, cold roll forming, roll forming, thread rolling, roll tapping or cold roll tapping, many metalworking professionals are unfamiliar with it, according to Peter Gennuso, applications engineering supervisor for OSG Tap & Die Inc., Glendale Heights, Ill.

The spark gap is the physical distance the electric current has to jump off the wire to burn the workpiece when wire EDMing. Controlling the spark gap is critical to achieving required part dimensions and surface finishes. Variables that impact the spark gap include the workpiece material and thickness, wire diameter and type, and part tolerance and surface finish requirements.r The wire EDM process is physically unstable because of the constant advancement and retraction of the axes. "Wire EDMing does not have or function with a set feed rate like a milling operation," said Brian Pfluger, EDM product manager for Makino Inc. at the company's Auburn Hills, Mich., facility. Wire EDMing requires a combination of small mechanical and, especially, electrical changes to occur thousands of times per second to be stable and consistent, he added. Makino is headquartered in Mason, Ohio.

Tips and techniques for improving bandsaw blade life and performance.

Thread milling may seem exotic, but any shop can do it.

Reamers are an effective option for hole finishing, but choosing the right one for the job depends on hole type and diameter, among other factors.

Women face some obvious and not-so-obvious barriers when working in the world of manufacturing.

STEP-NC is almost an official ISO standard, but when will it become part of everyday use?

Equipping existing machine tools to perform near-dry machining.

2-D and 3-D laser cutting machines add value to shops.

Machine builders develop technologies that improve thread grinding.