Machining

Discover the precision and versatility of honing—a machining process ideal for finishing cylinders, correcting bore geometry, and enhancing gear performance. Learn how honing works, its benefits, and key applications in modern manufacturing.

According to those interviewed for this article, most shops wait far longer than they should to clean sumps because the job is such a hassle. Waiting too long, however, creates a host of problems.

The major wire EDM builders are still in competition, of course, but on other playing fields. The latest developments in wire electrical discharge machining focus on throughput, ease of use and automation.

When was the last time someone sat your team down and talked about safety? Where I work, we sit down once or twice a year for safety sessions, according to Michael Deren, who writes the Machinist's Corner column for Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

James Harvey, Cutting Tool Engineering's Shop Operations columnist, offers some miscellaneous tips and and unusual methods of machining that worked for him—and may help other metalworkers.

Having worked in manufacturing since 1992, I've learned many things about machine shop marketing and branding from fellow shop owners. Some spend, literally, no money on marketing while others spend a lot. I've also learned what works and what doesn't.

OSHA officials have extended an olive branch to small businesses with its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), a partnership with those businesses that take safety seriously and respect the health and well-being of their employees. The program is administered through OSHA Consultation.

Jennifer Creamer, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), conducts research into fixing flaws introduced when machining large components. Beyond her research, Creamer herself is worthy of attention in this era of concern about manufacturing jobs going unfilled because of a lack of interested or qualified candidates.

In an interview conducted by CTE Editor Alan Richter, Kennametal Inc. President and CEO Ronald De Feo discusses the past year, the business outlook for Kennametal, Pittsburgh, the cutting tool industry and the company's modernization efforts.

At the National Tooling and Machining Association Plant Managers Roundtable, held Feb. 8 in Phoenix, Jeff Estes, director of Partners in THINC at Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., discussed the advantages and challenges of shop-floor automation.

One of the activities I enjoy most in connection with my job is visiting production facilities, because I get a chance to see how parts and products are made and have face-to-face interactions with talented metalworking professionals—not to mention that it gets me out of the office now and then.

A South Carolina shop purchased extra pallets to cut down on changeover time and ensure that it keeps the spindle turning as much as possible.