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Joe's struggling to package a truckload of parts before noon. Mary can't keep up on the painting line. Jimmy's in trouble with the boss because he can't make quota. These are just a few of the challenges faced by workers on the manufacturing floor, problems that, in many cases, can be solved with collaborative robots.

Tom Lipton offers more tips for part finishing in the December 2014 Cutting Tool Engineering Shop Operations column.

While many machine shops have an EDM, they still have to decide when it makes sense to outsource certain jobs.

Workholder modeling slashes setup time.

The Shop Operations column offers still more tips for effective finishing in the October 2014 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

CHALLENGE: Increase QC efficiency when inspecting composite auto parts. An automated opto-digital microscope.

Simultaneous machining on two to four spindles enhances efficiency and lowers the cost per part for high-volume production.

The choice of selective suface-hardening methods depends on workpiece size, shape material and application, but they can be grouped in two main categories: thermal and mechanical.

Stopping a machine to measure a workpiece is a waste of time. Not only is a high-priced piece of CNC equipment being taken out of production, but the measurements obtained when a machinist leans into a machine with a micrometer or bore gage can't compare in accuracy to those generated by a coordinate measuring machine or inline probe.

Shop Operations Columnist Tom Lipton shares more tips and tricks for effectively performing finishing work.