Productive Times

Articles • January 1, 2012

From stringy to sandy

END USER: Acumed LLC, (888) 627-9957, www.acumed.net. CHALLENGE: Accurately direct high-pressure coolant on Swiss-style machines to control chips when turning. SOLUTION: A Swiss-style insert holder with high-pressure, through-coolant capability. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Streamliner & Associates Inc., (814) 440-1548, www.streamlinertools.com

Articles • December 1, 2011

Magnetic attraction

END USER: The TMF Center, (765) 762-1000 CHALLENGE: Reduce setup and changeover times when machining large parts. SOLUTION: A modular magnetic workholding system. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Techniks Inc., (877) 354-3837, www.techniksusa.com

Articles • December 1, 2011

No more blowups

END USER: Marquardt Engineering Inc., (847) 669-0690, www.marquardt-eng.com. CHALLENGE: Eliminate chatter to prevent indexable inserts from blowing up and causing catastrophic tool body failure when drilling 4150 prehardened steel. SOLUTION: A new drill body and inserts. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Tungaloy America Inc., (888) 554-8394, www.tungaloyamerica.com

Articles • October 1, 2011

Bulldozing big workpieces

END USER: MSI Corp., (724) 567-6500, www.msicorporation.com. CHALLENGE: Effectively cut a large amount of material on older machines without damaging cutting tools. SOLUTION: A milling cutter tooled with inserts that enable a large DOC at a low horsepower. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Sandvik Coromant Co., (800) SANDVIK, www.sandvik.coromant.com/us

Articles • October 1, 2011

XXL measurement

END USER: Milwaukee Machine Works Inc., (414) 476-3285, www.milwaukeemachineworks.com. CHALLENGE: More accurately measure and document extremely large parts. SOLUTION: An ultraprecise coordinate measuring machine with a capacity for large parts. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Hexagon Metrology Inc., (401) 886-2000, www.hexagonmetrology.com

Articles • October 1, 2011

Hold your fire

END USER: Colt Defense LLC, (800) 241-2485, www.colt.com. CHALLENGE: Eliminate concerns about part accuracy and cutting tool runout when machining faster than 9,000 rpm. SOLUTION: A press-fit toolholding system. SOLUTION PROVIDER: REGO-FIX Tool Corp., (800) 999-7346, www.rego-fix.com

Articles • September 1, 2011

Savings through oscillation

END USER: Houston Precision Process LLC, (713) 856-0510. CHALLENGE: Efficiently saw aerospace-grade materials while minimizing material waste. SOLUTION: Oscillating bandsaw technology. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Simonds International Corp., (978) 424-0100, www.simondsinternational.com

Articles • September 1, 2011

Cleared for takeoff

END USER: Superior Drilling Products, (435) 789-0594, www.superiordrillingproducts.com. CHALLENGE: Without prior experience, program a multitask machine. SOLUTION: Using CAM software with online training resources and local support. SOLUTION PROVIDERS: CNC Software Inc., (800) 228-2877, www.mastercam.com; Remote Machine, (801) 942-2792, www.remotemachinecnc.com

Articles • August 1, 2011

Marking Time

END USER: Focus: HOPE's Center for Advanced Technologies, www.focushope.edu, (313) 494-5500. CHALLENGE: Accurately mark machined parts. SOLUTION: A flexible laser marking system. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Columbia Marking Tools, (586) 949-8400, www.columbiamt.com

Articles • August 1, 2011

Drilling without catastrophe

END USER: Three Sigma Manufacturing Inc., (253) 395-1125, www.threesigma.net. CHALLENGE: Improve cycle times and prevent catastrophic failure when drilling a hole in a complex aerospace part. SOLUTION: A replaceable-tip drill that reduced cycle times and provided progressive failure indicators. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., (800) 321-5537, www.alliedmachine.com

Articles • August 1, 2011

Stamping out excess costs

END USER: Aragon Surgical Inc., (650) 543-3100, www.aragonsurgical.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce costs when procuring a stainless steel part for a laparoscopic surgical device. SOLUTION: A contract manufacturer that stamps some previously machined part features and machines only the critical features. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Connecticut Spring & Stamping, (860) 677-1341, www.ctspring.com

Articles • July 1, 2011

Improved Holemaking Boosts Profits

END USER: U.S. Alloy Die Corp., (216) 749-9700, www.usalloydie.com. CHALLENGE: Improve productivity when drilling H-13 tool steel extrusion dies. SOLUTION: Carbide drills that eliminated pecking and more than doubled throughput. SOLUTION PROVIDERS: OSG Tap & Die Inc., (630) 790-1400, www.osgtool.com; Shop Supply & Tool Co. Inc., (440) 951-4700, www.shopsupply.net.