Machine Technology

Look in a couple of nooks in the machine tool market and you'll find what appear to be bargains for those buying big.

In 5-axis machining, accurate rotary axis centerlines are critical, so regularly measuring and verifying these values is also critical. While the best course of action is to measure the machine using a high-tech system intended for this purpose, in a pinch you can use a manual process.

When CNC milling machines were conceived some in the metalworking industry asked why a computer couldn't also manage tool changes. That question was the impetus behind the development of the automatic toolchanger.

A milestone in the 3D printing revolution is the appearance of CNC metalcutting machine tools incorporating additive-manufacturing capabilities. Manufacturers of the hybrid additive/subtractive systems tout their advantages over conventional machine tools, but the hybrids raise important issues that their builders and users must address.

Are your spindles cutting most of the time? Or are they often idle because you're getting ready to cut? If you answered yes to the latter, consider the lift that an automated pallet-handling system could provide. These systems allow pallets to be set up and moved into position while workpieces on other pallets are being machined.

Machine tool builder Zimmermann Inc., Wixom, Mich., the U.S. arm of Neuhausen, Germany-headquartered Zimmermann GmbH, specializes in very large machine tool installations. The company offers milling machines with working ranges from 2.5m to 30m (8.2' to 98.4') along the X-axis and from 3m to 6m (9.8' to 19.7') along the Y-axis.

Automation isn't just a boon to complex, multiple-machine manufacturing processes. It can also give a major boost to processes that involve only a single machine.

The April 2017 Machine Technology column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine covers tabletop equipment for sharpening cutting tools.

When purchasing consumer products, most of us quickly decide to pass on extended warranties. But extended machine tool warranties may merit more careful consideration, according to the Machine Technology column in the March 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

More lathe purchasers are choosing automated material handling options, according to the February 2017 Machine Technology column by Bill Leventon.

Machine tools are big-ticket items, so it's no surprise that they're normally acquired using some sort of financing. In addition to banks, financing can be obtained from machine tool OEMs and nonbank lenders known as finance companies.

Are you about to scrap an old machine tool and replace it with a new one? Before you do, consider what could be a much less expensive way of getting a better machine: having the old one remanufactured.