Feature Article

When an endmill efficiently makes chips, everybody is happy: the end user, the parts buyer, and the cutting tool manufacturer and distributor. Achieving that by having the tool follow the correct toolpaths and run at productivity-boosting parameters, however, requires an endmill with optimized geometry, substrate and coating.

Efficient removal of heat from the tool/workpiece interface is the main route to high-productivity machining. Several conventional methods are available to accomplish that -- dry machining, minimum-quantity lubrication, flood coolant and high-pressure coolant -- but cryogenic machining can be added to the list.

Table-type horizontal boring mills add versatility to machine shops.

A journey of waste reduction and continuous improvement for machine shops.

A technique I call roll grinding is used to finish corners to match bend radii. Long weld seams that need to be rounded can be handled using a rolling technique with the disc grinder. It takes a little practice, but once you've mastered it, the results look just like a formed corner.

Deep holes can be difficult to define, but knowing the right tool for the job makes them easier to drill.

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.

Imagine building a ship in a bottle, but instead of using a preexisting bottle, you build the ship along with the bottle while machining the ship's and bottle's surfaces as you go.

Cutting Tool Engineering Contributing Editor Kip Hanson offers insight into choosing the best method for marking parts.

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

The pros and cons of turning with the "perfect" insert.

The cover story for the December 2014 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering examines the unique requirements of machine tools used for cutting composite materials.