Machining

The acquisition of Helical Solutions LLC by Harvey Tool Co., Rowley, Mass., officially took place August 2015. The opportunity to combine the product performance and technical expertise of both organizations was the driving force behind the initial acquisition, according to Harvey Tool CEO Pete Jenkins.

Planning is critical when operating CNC machines. When I began machining, CNCs were just coming into mainstream use. The first shops I worked in had only conventional (manual) machines. It wasn't until the mid-1980s that I started to notice the incredible versatility of CNC machines.

The importance of mastering fundamental turning skills. Turning and other lathe operations are the most common machining applications. A master tool and die maker once told me a lathe is the only piece of shop equipment that can remanufacture itself. Whether or not the statement is factual is not important.

Jeffrey Badger, Ph.D., fields a question from a shop getting "terrible burn on the shoulder" when cylindrical grinding steel parts with a straight plunge.

Addressing weighty issues is an important part of the Manager's Desk column, and there will be no shortage of them to debate and discuss in 2016.

To improve performance, reduce cycle times and enhance machine operation, Makino Inc. has released Hyper technologies for its full line of wire, sinker and holemaking EDMs.n

Jim Carr and Jason Zenger breakdown the manufacturing industry with their "MakingChips" podcasts.

Whether done manually or with a powered device, scraping guide ways is critical to machine tool performance.

Seco developed its new thread chaser insert holder to bring high levels of precision and rigidity to threading operations that involve tough materials including the hard, gummy or high-­chrome content ones used in the oil and gas industry.

Conventional "bump" knurling methods are undesirable for smaller diameter parts because the forces deflect the workpiece, according to Genevieve Swiss Industries Inc., Westfield, Mass. To control this problem, the company recommends using a straddle knurl holder to provide support to the workpiece while the knurling operation is performed.

Morse Cutting Tools has a companion for its popular SHEARTAP, the new SHEARDRILL. The SHEARTAP is a go-to tool in the Morse Tap Offering and like its companion, the SHEARDRILL, is designed to run in a wide variety of materials providing a performance production solution.

Haas Automation Inc. will host its semi-annual 4-day HaasTec open house at its Oxnard, Calif., headquarters March 17-20. The event will include machine demos, factory tours and a catered lunch, according to the company. The previous HaasTec in 2013 drew nearly 3,000 attendees from 44 countries, and the company expects this year's event to be even bigger.