December 2013
Articles in this issue
Vacuum grips where some vises fail
Suppose your boss enjoys cooking shows. One day he hands you his design sketch for the latest and greatest pie tin. "Here, make me a prototype," he says. "I'm …
Shop tools that are ‘oldies but goodies’
Christopher Tate, Cutting Tool Engineering's Shop Technology columnist, said he is surprised by the number of engineers and machinists who are not familiar wit…
When to choose a CNC lathe for a job
Like many in the industry, when I started in the machining world it was on a manual lathe. I have a special place in my heart for lathes. That includes CNC lat…
Automated gaging helps win the race
Increase throughput and reduce scrap when machining thrust bearing races for down-hole mud motors. An automated gaging system integrated into a turning cell.
Measuring the ‘real’ edge contour
Achieve a higher accuracy and resolution when measuring cutting tools and components. An optical 3-D measurement system.
Shop has need for speed
Achieve a 24-hour-maximum turnaround time on aluminum prototypes for tablet computers. Endmills designed for maximum metal-removal rate when cutting aluminum.
Our German intern experience
Like many in the machining world, I've dealt with more than enough serious issues in 2013, so it's cool to have been part of a fun experience.
The basics of on-machine probing
Many machine tools are equipped with touch-trigger probes to measure parts while they are still on the machine. The probe is often stored in the tool magazine …
Grip and go
Vise jaws that grip as little as 2mm of workpiece material without special tooling or machining a gripping feature.
Cold cuts
A new cryogenic cooling milling tool.
Cracking the code: Determining when complex turning and multitasking are the right solutions
While the basic CNC lathe is still a standby in many machine shops, new technology has vastly expanded turning capabilities. For example, live tooling and mult…
Keeping it real: New and traditional parts marking technologies help prevent counterfeiting
To the public at large, the word "counterfeit" mostly brings to mind so-called "funny money" or, more recently, low-priced CDs and DVDs that violate copyright …
Single-layered approach: The fundamentals of using coated abrasives in metalworking
Whether the surface-treatment task involves deburring, blending, grinding, polishing, finishing, dimensioning, patterning or shaping a metal workpiece, there's…
Repair or replace?
A guide to when shops should say farewell to used cutting tools.
A tale of two shops
Separate yet combined is an apt description of Stock Drive Products/Sterling Instrument. Located on New York's Long Island, in New Hyde Park, both sides of the…
Cooling gizmo has issues
At a trade show, a company displayed a grinding wheel with slots, where coolant is poured into the center of the wheel and then ejected into the grinding zone.…