Feature Article

Jim Carr and Jason Zenger breakdown the manufacturing industry with their "MakingChips" podcasts.

Whether done manually or with a powered device, scraping guide ways is critical to machine tool performance.

As children, we likely all learned the hard way that drastic temperature changes cause objects to change size—whether it was leaving a soda in the freezer too long to get it cold or breaking your turtle's terrarium by cleaning it with hot water after it had been resting on the cold ground (sorry, Mom and Dad!). However, in the realm of precision measurement, even minute differences in atmospheric conditions can have huge impacts—to the point that parts manufactured within spec can fail inspection and be needlessly reworked or even scrapped.

In the market for a rotary table? The checklist of requirements starts with speed, accuracy and rigidity. CTE spoke with multiple rotary table manufacturers to discuss market trends, product innovations and add-ons that can improve overall machine tool performance.

Running a successful machine shop takes more than having advanced machine tools, high-performance cutting tools and machinists that boost productivity. A manufacturer of precision metal parts might also need a strategic partner that has the network, expertise and — last but not least — capital to penetrate new markets, overcome capacity constraints and make investments to help the business grow.

Medieval soldiers did it to strengthen their armor, Civil War engineers did it to improve gun and cannon barrels, railroad men did it to locomotive axles before they rolled into the untamed West and Henry Ford did it to enhance parts bound for his new invention, the assembly line. More recently, aircraft manufacturers began doing it to virtually every square inch of their metal wares before sending them skyward. What shared action connects these warriors, inventors and manufacturers? The cold working of metal workpieces.

Many times in making parts for aerospace engines with high temperature alloys like IN-718, Rene-95 and Waspaloy it is necessary to remove large amounts of material. Traditionally companies use, milling, turning or broaching to remove most of the material and then finish-grind to size. The engineers at Norton/Saint-Gobain's Higgins Grinding Technology Center have determined that for these materials grinding can, in many instances, remove the material more quickly and economically than turning or milling.

Whether you are grinding HSS or Tungsten Carbide, the flute grinding process is the most difficult feature to grind in round tool manufacturing. Though there are many reasons why, the main reason is that this operation is where most material is being removed from the tool, introducing the most heat and spindle load. There are several techniques that can be used to allow the grinding wheel to perform this operation more effectively.

Fallbrook Technologies' shop continues to produce prototypes for licensees of the company's continuously variable planetary technology while performing commercial jobs.

What possesses a new job shop to buy a $1 million, twin-spindle machining center when even the smallest purchases are subject to debate? At Jersey Elite Manufacturing (JEM), Rockaway, N.J., the answer is experience and detailed analysis, because sometimes a seemingly extravagant investment is the smartest move.

Offline presetting maximizes machine availability, reduces scrap.

Machine shops can be dangerous places, but a combination of planning, housekeeping and the proper safety equipment reduces the risk of injuries, audits and lost time.