Lead Angle

Articles • October 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

In Screen We Trust

IMTS 2016 featured more tools and systems for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) than ever, observed Cutting Tool Engineering Editor Alan Richter in his October 2016 Lead Angle column.

Articles • September 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

Overcoming the skills gap

People in the industry continue to proactively do something about overcoming the skills gap, and I'd like to highlight two such efforts.

Articles • August 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

We are going to the show

This issue of CTE includes our IMTS 2016 Show Preview, featuring show highlights, information about the various pavilions, a guide to Chicago attractions and an extensive array of announcements about what exhibitors plan to showcase. The latter includes machine tools, software, workholders, automation equipment and cutting tools.

Articles • July 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

A Dual Personality

Numerous factors determine whether a manufacturer is profitable or not. Lately, one of those factors for a U.S. manufacturer is whether it is is focused on the domestic market or pursuing a global approach.

Articles • June 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

Remembering a teacher

I was saddened to hear about the passing of David A. Dornfeld, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, who died of a heart attack on March 27 at age 66. Although I never met him, I considered him to have a brilliant mind and be a great editorial source—someone who returned my phone calls and had something intelligent to say.

Articles • May 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

Lead Angle: Invaluable resources

Early in my stint here, I called Alan Baker, founder of toolmaker A.B. Tools Inc., in connection with an article I was writing about thread milling small-diameter holes. I started the interview with a general question about available thread mills sizes for these applications and was encouraged to first gather that information from Machinery's Handbook and then call him back. I thanked him before ending the call and turning to the appropriate section of "The Bible of the Mechanical Industries," published by Industrial Press Inc.

Articles • April 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

And the beat goes on

One of the most enduring issues in the metalworking world is finding and retaining skilled workers, and the 10th annual Metalworking Trends Survey from LoSasso Integrated Marketing, Chicago, showed that this challenge continues.

Articles • March 1, 2016 • Alan Richter

Nothin’s going to touch you …

... in these golden years," crooned the late David Bowie in one of his smash hits. The term "golden years" is also used in Albert B. Albrecht's book "The American Machine Tool Industry: Its History, Growth, Restructuring & Recovery," which he revised in 2015 for the third edition. AMT—The Association For Manufacturing Technology sponsored the book. Albrecht defines the golden years of the machine tool industry as being from 1948 to 1998. "It was during this period that the United States machine tool industry led the world in both machine tool production and consumption," Albrecht wrote.

Articles • February 1, 2016 • Dennis Spaeth

Ring in New Year with new site

We at Cutting Tool Engineering celebrated the New Year by unveiling a major overhaul to the design and functionality of our website, ctemag.com. Sporting a bright new design with larger text and images, ctemag.com is not only easier on the eyes, it's also easier on the fingers thanks to new navigation and search functionality. In short, finding the information visitors want will take fewer clicks than ever.

Articles • January 1, 2016 • Don Nelson

A long view on innovation

The view from Jungfraujoch inspires awe. So does the railway that transports visitors to the site—a ridge located 11,332' above sea level in the Swiss Alps. I was exposed to another example of commitment while in Switzerland, during a visit to the Mikron Group. Company vice president Markus Schnyder recounted his attempts in the early 1990s to develop a drill for a customer that used Mikron rotary transfer machines to drill holes in stainless steel watch bracelets.

Articles • October 1, 2015 • Alan Richter

Future of manufacturing

CTE Editor Alan Richter visited the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute at Chicago's Goose Island in September for a peek into the future of manufacturing at an event coordinated by Blaser Swisslube Inc.

Articles • September 1, 2015 • Alan Richter

Books are fun-damental

Time for a literature review.