Feature Article

In addition to handling prototype and production machining, R.E.F. Precision Products LLC, Deer Park, N.Y., provides engineering and productivity consulting services.

Talking Shop August 2009 column

Who should perform spindle maintenance in machine shops?

Combination tooling, custom fixtures and creative solutions help Apex Precision thrive.

When finishing parts, shops may want to hit them with their best shot. Shot peening can produce longer part life.

Understanding tool geometry and selecting the right tap for different workpiece materials can help take the anxiety out of tapping operations.

U.S. companies that adopt electromagnetic workholders heartily endorse the technology.

Eagle Machine Inc., in Abbotsford, B.C., frequently takes on challenging jobs, such as modifying a diving bell for deep-sea submarine rescues or designing and machining a set of solid aluminum wheels for an 800-mph land speed car based on an F-104 jet aircraft.

Machine tool users can access the information contained in a stability lobe diagram to greatly increase productivity.

The timing of the IMTS trade show in Chicago last September couldn't have been better for Jason Bromiley. As vice president and co-owner of John R. Bromiley Machine Co. Inc., a job shop in Chalfont, Pa., Bromiley has the lead role in company plans to expand into aerospace manufacturing.

Applying "off-the-shelf," standard milling tools to get the job done provides several benefits: the tools are readily available and usually from numerous suppliers, their prices are competitive and the results are predictable. Nonetheless, even with a multitude of standard tools available for nearly every milling application, parts manufacturers often require specials engineered for a specific application.

Because of the array of precision functions grinding machines perform, it's vital to properly maintain them to keep them operating at their peak in terms of accuracy and reliability. You can start by devising a maintenance program and sticking with it. This article provides tips on how to set up key parts of that program.