Machining

Products • May 31, 2017

Alphacam 2017 R2 CAM Software

The latest release of Alphacam, from Vero Software, continues to intuitively automate key CAD/CAM operations, improving manufacturing productivity and efficiency. The Automation Manager includes enhancements to simplify workflow, including Multi-drill control, new Styles functionality, and further support for additional CAD file formats.

Products • May 31, 2017

Tecnicrafts Collets and Guide Bushings

Heimatec Inc. now offers products from Tecnicrafts Industries, a manufacturer of collets and guide bushings for Swiss-type CNC Lathes. Tecnicrafts is an ISO 9001:2015-certified company, with its manufacturing plant in South India with state-of-the-art machine tools and 115 technicians.

Videos • May 30, 2017

Episode 79: Stop the burn on CBN wheels

A shop sometimes experiences burn when using a CBN wheel to cylindrically plunge-grind a part. Slowing down doesn't help. Dr. Jeffrey Badger, who writes the Ask the Grinding Doc column for Cutting Tool Engineering magazine, offers a remedy.

Videos • May 30, 2017

YG-1 Spade Drill demonstration

The new Spade Drills from YG-1 are intended for a wide range of applications and raw materials such as steels, stainless steel, cast irons and so on. The indexable drill offer a wide range of diameters: from 9.5mm to 114.3mm. This video demonstration by YG-1 shows normal and slow motion cutting action of the Spade Drill HSS Insert (Ø20.0 / 8xD holder).

Products • May 30, 2017

FOURWORX High-Performance Milling System

Tool manufacturer Pokolm Frästechnik describes the latest addition to its milling cutter portfolio as the high-performance milling system for roughing and prefinishing applications in the field of high-feed machining. With FOURWORX, milling specialist POKOLM claims a multitude of interesting properties that will enable users to advance into previously unattainable realms of performance.

Articles • May 26, 2017 • William Leventon

Machine Technology: Building ‘monster’ machines

Machine tool builder Zimmermann Inc., Wixom, Mich., the U.S. arm of Neuhausen, Germany-headquartered Zimmermann GmbH, specializes in very large machine tool installations. The company offers milling machines with working ranges from 2.5m to 30m (8.2' to 98.4') along the X-axis and from 3m to 6m (9.8' to 19.7') along the Y-axis.

Articles • May 25, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: Fast process for depositing ultrahard coatings

A new CS-50 deposition system from Duralar Technologies uses a process called DualArmor that is capable of applying DLC coatings of 50µm or thicker — and apply them at rates averaging 15µm to 20µm per hour. Conventional DLC coatings, which have a practical total thickness limit of around 5µm, are deposited one or two atoms at a time. As a result, it can take more than 8 hours to deposit a 1µm-thick DLC coating.

News • May 25, 2017

Reshoring Initiative, PMA launch National Reshoring Award

The Reshoring Initiative, in conjunction with the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), invites companies that have successfully reshored parts or tooling made primarily by metal forming, fabricating or machining to apply for the first National Reshoring Award. There will be one award for buyers and one award for suppliers.

Products • May 25, 2017

Quicktech i-42 ROBO and i-60 ROBO 4-axis Mill/turn Centers

Quicktech i-42 ROBO and i-60 ROBO 4-axis mill/turn centers feature integrated 6-axis Mitsubishi robots for fast, automated loading and unloading of medium-diameter (i42: 42mm/1.68", i60: 60mm/2.36") bar stock. In addition to carrying out highly productive turning, the machines can perform complex milling with standard live tools, according to the company.

Articles • May 24, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: A grinding machine designed for sintered ceramics

Most manufacturers finish their sintered ceramic parts with grinding equipment designed for metals. Tratech Corp., however, has introduced what it says is the first commercially available CNC grinding machine designed specifically for the demanding needs of machining fully sintered ceramics.

News • May 24, 2017

NSI Laser opens applications lab

NSI Laser, Fremont, Calif., in April opened a new applications laboratory (App Lab) intended to meet the rising demand for new and advanced laser micromachining processes. The App Lab is a direct "response to the whole electronics industry moving toward high density interconnect (HDI) and finer geometry PCBs," according to a company news release.n

Products • May 24, 2017

PS65 and PS105 Vertical Machining Centers

Building on its PS-Series product line, Makino announced the next-generation PS65 and PS105 vertical machining centers. Both models feature enhanced design characteristics and next-generation technologies that expand upon the capabilities of their predecessors.