March 2016
Articles in this issue
Neat ripple effect
Lindquist Machine Corp. is a custom-machinery builder that relies on its CAD/CAM system to keep its workflow flexible, break bottlenecks and reduce lead times.…
Cool and clean
Hypertherm Inc. designs and manufactures plasma, laser and waterjet cutting systems, as well as CNC motion and height controls, CAM nesting software and consum…
A control system for quickly programming industrial robots
Teach your robot well: A new control system can reduce the time to set up and program industrial robots from an hour or more to just minutes, according to the …
A special electrical cabinet that lets users connect sensors to gather machine data
Networking option: Could the introduction of a small electrical cabinet turn out to be a big step toward more widespread implementation of the Industrial Inter…
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 Ameri…
Measuring asset performance
In today's hypercompetitive, globalized economy, businesses are pressured to do more, do it faster, do it right the first time and do it all with fewer resourc…
Avoiding machine crashes, part 2
Presented this month are more programming tips to help prevent machine tool crashes.
Spindle maintenance pays
Every machine tool owner can reap benefits from a good spindle maintenance program. These include reductions in costly unplanned machine downtime, longer spind…
Testing, testing …
How often should a metalworking fluid be tested? It depends. Metalworking fluid is used in most machine shops, because it aids in evacuating chips and cooling …
Controlling the process
Careful consideration when implementing inspection processes yields efficiencies. Manufacturers continually search for ways to increase profits and reduce cost…
Chips Away
The chip collection bin at a shop's turning center is full, so a worker grudgingly begins the mundane task of moving the bin via a forklift to the chip collect…
Gaging nonconforming parts
Do you know why your last part run had a high defect rate, why parts from an outside supplier were nonconforming, and what you are going to do with those parts…
Improving employee morale
Whether your shop is busy or struggling to survive a downturn, employees are your best asset. We've had to downsize over the past few months, but a good group …
Better Threaders
When CNC wire EDMs came on the market in the mid-'70s, feeding wire from a spool through a machine's elaborate series of rollers and guides was a tedious manua…