February 2018
Articles in this issue
View from Earth will do just fine, thank you
While placing a telescope outside the distortion of Earth's atmosphere may seem like the best way to study the cosmos, CTE Editor Alan Richter holds a differen…
Collision detection minimizes damage to machine tool, workpiece
Last year, Sandvik Coromant Co. introduced its CoroPlus Collision Detector, which is designed to effectively use data to minimize damage to both a machine tool…
Thermocouples embedded in coating of cutting insert measures tool/chip temperature
By using thermocouples embedded in a cutting insert's coating, a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison successfully overcame the challenge…
Machining parts more efficiently, while increasing part size
END USER: Sonaca Montreal Inc., (450) 434-6114, www.sonacamontreal.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Fives Liné Machines Inc., (450) 372-6480, www.fivesgroup.com. CHALLE…
Effectively cleaning parts improves bottom line
Many nonmanufacturing people would be surprised by the amount of resources expended on parts cleaning, but it is a critical aspect of part quality. Failure to …
Automation helping small-to-medium suppliers compete
For decades, robots were synonymous with large-scale factories around the world. As small-to-medium suppliers are forced to become nimbler, automation is evolv…
Advancements in digital vision systems make measuring parts simpler, more repeatable
The biggest benefit a digital vision system provides is the machine's ability to automatically measure parts, whereas the human operator influences a manual an…
Inverting the spindle on a vertical turret lathe can make a great lathe even better
Vertical turning lathes have a significant drawback: the chips fall onto the workpiece where they are subject to recutting. By inverting the spindle, chip prob…
Maximize preventive maintenance for machine tools
Shutting down a machine tool for just two or three shifts per year for maintenance can make a huge difference in boosting productivity and reducing machine dow…
Proper way to measure feature concentricity
In a recent blog post, Joshua Jablons, president of Metal Cutting Corp., Cedar Grove, N.J., discussed a topic that leaves many machinists scratching their head…
Deburring lab seeks to smooth rough edges faster
Matrix Design LLC created the Matrix Deburring Applications Laboratory to more effectively design automated deburring systems while streamlining the testing pr…
A few unorthodox machining tips
Shop Operations Columnist James Harvey shares a few unorthodox machining methods that have worked for him.
Wheel tests on the fly
A shop writes to the Grinding Doc: There's lots of discussion at my company about the best diamond fluting wheel for grinding tungsten carbide. Is there a quic…
Owning company communications
Manager's Desk columnist Keith Jennings underscores the need for shop owners to remind their staff that it is the company—not its employees—that owns all busin…