Feature Article

Sinking some teeth into a vital machining process that sometimes gets taken for granted.

Machining firms in North America have a couple of new toolholder options designed to help users automate and improve edge-finishing operations.

Machining aerospace-grade aluminum alloys is manageable when using the proper tools and techniques.

A new story is unfolding in the sky. High-altitude platforms are emerging in the thin air between drones and satellites, creating a new class of aircraft.

Deep milling, whether it is in pockets or slots, can be a task that quickly ages even some of the most skilled machinists.

Commodity machine tools not up to the market’s need for process capability.

Reaming is a sizing and finishing operation performed on a pre-existing hole using a rotating cutting tool called a reamer that is fed into the hole to slightly enlarge and improve its geometric accuracy and surface finish. The goal is to produce holes with extreme precision in size, roundness, straightness and surface finish.

A run-of-the-mill toolholder won’t cut it when aggressively machining with a large diameter tool.

Shops new to automation can start with turning. Simple tools like bar feeders, tool monitoring, redundancy, and probing create stable, unattended processes.

Modern grooving and cut-off systems offer versatile geometries, stronger carbide and ceramic options, smarter cooling and custom tooling for complex parts.

Broaching evolves with rotary, single-point and CNC-driven tools, plus cleaner electromechanical machines—delivering faster cycles, higher accuracy and lower costs.

Manufacturers must close widening skills gaps through automation, structured training and global knowledge-sharing to build a stronger 2026 workforce.