Feature Article

When SRL Nano Corp. developed carbide-grade tools that use a patented binder material with a melting threshold similar to that of carbide—about 2,870º C, naturally the Rosemead, Calif., company dubbed the new material Hyper-Carbide. And once you view the video below that captures a series of cutting tool tests, it's easy to see why.

Productive machining is all about keeping spindles turning and making chips. Time spent touching off tools, adjusting tool length and offsets in the spindle and doing test cuts is time—and money—wasted. That's the value proposition presented by manufacturers of tool presetters, and it's one that, surprisingly, is a bit of a hard sell in some shops.

It's never been easier to recycle cutting tools, which produces both cost savings and environmental benefits.

A look at portable measurement technologies and their applications.

Better technology boosts use of EDMs for production applications.

Nanotechnology opens up new coating possibilities and performance.

New materials and improved part manufacturing help maintain and upgrade aging military aircraft.

Designing machine tools for cutting titanium—especially 5553.

What is the real cost of a cutting tool when it is applied? Carefully controlled tests provide the answer.

Advancements in marking technology can lead to lower integration costs and more benefits for the end user.

Five shops use different lights-out machining strategies, but all are focused on creating stable processes.

Part Time column for the September 2010 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.