Feature Article

We called them "submarines." Tough, 17-4 PH stainless steel forgings shaped like miniature German U-boats, each requiring several ¼" (6.4mm) through-holes to be drilled at a 25° angle. Each sub was loaded into a jig that held it at the required angle, and a metal plate fitted with hardened steel bushings was then clamped to the top of the jig before the holes were produced with a drill press.

Electrical discharge machining (EDMing) goes by many names—burning, spark machining, spark eroding, vaporizing—but they all refer to variations on the same process: removing material by running an electric current between an electrode and a negatively charged workpiece material submerged in a dielectric fluid.

Often dictated by the production environment, part quantities and part function, the selection of a parts marking method presents a variety of choices—each of which comes with pros and cons.

Opinions vary on the definition of hard turning. Some industry experts say it's the single-edge cutting of hardened steels from 58 to 68 HRC, while others suggest hard turning begins at 45 HRC and includes hardened irons and superalloys. All, however, agree it presents difficulties but is quite manageable provided the right cutting tools, machine and process parameters are used.

Industry experts predict better, if not yet spectacular, times for manufacturers in the coming year.

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing defines part geometry—and you should already know that.

Manufacturer Seco Machine primarily serves the railroad industry while seeking to diversify.

As component design optimization tasks flow down the supply chain, finite element analysis programs proliferate.

The single most significant benefit offered by indexable tools is the ability to renew the cutting edge without having to remove the cutting tool from production.

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.

Specialty subscription websites bring together job shops and manufacturers looking to sub out work.

A close look at the evolving technology of tool presetting.