Machining

My first experience with welding was when my dad taught me to stick weld in the basement of our home. When I was about 9 years old, he came home with a new welding hood. I remember asking him who the hood was for and being mortified when he said it was for me.

Increase productivity when parting off a component. A new parting and grooving tool that practically tripled machining parameters.

Boost productivity when machining keyways into a Nitralloy steel cutting tool head. Switch the work to a vertical machining center and obtain a custom 90° angle head.

Overcome a CAM system's limitations when transitioning to machining more complex parts. New CAM software.

The rotating elements in machine tools often generate unacceptable forces due to unbalance, and manufacturers usually take corrective action to reduce the forces.

Following the theme of the past two Shop Operations columns, here are some additional tips and tricks for operating a CNC lathe.

Reduce equipment uptime and improve productivity when friction welding cutting tool shanks to heads. Replacing an old friction welding machine with a refurbished one.

Reduce setup and changeover time on lathes with live tooling. A modular quick-change collet system.

Up productivity without increasing payroll. Adding robotic production.

It's 6 a.m. and the wind chill is -45° F. As I watch you get ready for work, your gait is a little slower these days, and I have to talk a little louder because your hearing is not as good after being around loud machinery for more than 30 years. After you go, I settle down with my tea and peruse your latest CTE column. I always try to read them, because you discuss your career, the places you've gone and the marvels you've seen. I come across the line, “I can't wait to get to work each day.”