General Machining & Manufacturing Processes

February U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $190.12 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute and the Association for Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration, was up 3.5 percent from January's $183.61 million and 8.7 percent when compared with the $174.98 million reported for February 2017. With a year-to-date total of $373.73 million, 2018 is up 7.4 percent when compared with 2017.

Diacid 1550 is a bio-based emulsifier with a growing reputation among metal working fluid formulators worldwide. Because of its ability to create a more stable metalworking fluid and provide corrosion inhibition, Diacid is a trusted addition to formulations used to machine super alloy metals. This means that customers can expect precision even in the high-heat and high-pressure environments of jet and rocket engine manufacturing. That's The Ingevity Effect.

The most fundamental elements of any metalcutting process, cutting tools are by their nature consumable. They wear until they are no longer effective. A traditional approach to metalcutting tool management employs wear analysis alone, focused on manipulating tool materials, geometries and application parameters to improve part output and tool life in a selected operation. To maximize the efficiency of your facility's entire manufacturing process – boosting part-processing productivity and impacting the bottom line – you must go further in the pursuit of optimization.

The United States Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) reported total billings of nearly $168 million among the 43 cutting tool companies included in USCTI's Current Business Report (CBR) for February 2018. The total represents an increase of almost 7 percent over total billings in February 2017, which topped $156 million, and a 6 percent jump compared to total billings of nearly $157 million in February 2016.

Eriez HydroFlow reports that a growing number of leading manufacturers from around the globe are now utilizing the company's Comat superfiltration systems on thousands of machine tools, superfiltering 530,000 U.S. gallons of metalworking oil every minute. This technology is opening up new opportunities for these customers by eliminating restrictions on the types of metal they can filter, decreasing costs and reducing labor requirements.

It's no secret that many manufacturers are scrambling to attract skilled workers to fill openings. A host of training programs are available to provide job seekers with the skills needed to get hired, and one in my hometown of Chicago that caught my attention is the Jane Addams Resource Center.

CNC machines rely on certain fundamentals to achieve peak performance for maximum productivity. This not only includes the machine but importantly the infrastructure of the facility, specifically ancillary services such as power, air and coolant.

Vision Research introduces the Phantom S990 machine vision camera. The S990 features the right combination of fast frame rate, high resolution and available throughput for use in demanding machine vision applications in multiple industries.

Sandvik Coromant has launched a new thread forming tap optimized for ISO P steel machining, which is designed to boost productivity, particularly in the automotive industry. The CoroTap 400 offers chip-free tapping, as well as faster machining times and stronger threads through reduced torque and an optimized geometry.

JW Winco Inc. offers GN 187.4 stainless steel serrated locking plates. By using these RoHS-compliant serrated locking plates, standard components can be interlocked and firmly set at a defined angle.

Long wait times? Extra costs? Too complicated? Bruce Kyle, president of toolmaker Knight Carbide Inc. in Chesterfield, Mich., wants to dispel myths about ordering custom carbide inserts.

There are many advantages to financing your equipment purchases instead of paying cash. Stearns Bank vice president of business development, Michelle Fuchs, has helped many businesses reap the benefits of commercial equipment financing. They've learned that financing, rather than cash, is the best approach for the long-term health of their business.