Machining

News • April 14, 2015

SMTCL-Americas partners with West Coast Customs

Machine tool builder SMTCL-Americas, City Of Industry, Calif., has partnered with West Coast Customs by supplying a CNC machine tool to the Burbank, Calif., custom auto body shop. The VMC2100B vertical machining center will allow West Coast Customs to create customized wheels and body parts in-house. This partnership will also allow SMTCL customers to purchase the West Coast Custom Edition VMC2100B.

Videos • April 11, 2015

What’s the story with Cubitron II grit?

In the 59th episode of our Grinding Doc Video Series, Dr. Jeffrey Badger examines the new Cubitron II grit. The research cited in this episode is described in detail in the April 2014 edition of the Welding Journal. About the Grinding Doc Video Series: Thanks to his work as an independent grinding consultant and the author of the "Ask the Grinding Doc" column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine, Dr. Jeffrey Badger routinely receives questions about grinding from shops all over the world. Through the magazine column and this video series, he provides shops with the insight and guidance they seek.

Videos • April 9, 2015

An asymmetric line boring bar

Automaker BMW challenged the Kennametal Inc. to develop a tool that accentuates the advantages of reaming and line boring while virtually eliminating the disadvantages. Kennametal accepted the task and developed its asymmetric line boring bar, which has two guide pads positioned so they only contact the last journal. This enables the boring bar to be quickly fed in and out of the multijournal bore without touching the workpiece. This geometry allows the bar to be fed through the raw, or unfinished, bores on an eccentric path.

News • April 9, 2015

SMTCL holds April open house

SMTCL- Americas, City of Industry, Calif., kicked off the beginning of spring with a sales training course and open house. Instructed by Chief Operations Officer Jerry McCarty, 18 individuals became certified on SMTCL machines. This creates a larger distributor network in California and other regions to better service potential customers, according to the company.

News • April 6, 2015

Methods sponsors capstone project

Methods Machine Tools Inc., a Sudbury, Mass.-based supplier of machine tools, automation and accessories, sponsored a senior year "capstone" project for several fifth-year electromechanical engineering students from Boston's Wentworth Institute of Technology. The project involved researching and designing a new type of infeed system for potential use in future Methods automated cell projects. The students presented different designs to Methods and a winner was chosen at Wentworth Dec. 15. The students are currently working on building the capstone project this semester and plan to have the prototype completed by April.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Alan Richter

Chuck aids retention knob work

Enhance precision and shorten changeover time when machining retention knobs. Quick-change collet chucks.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Wade Anderson

Cut the chatter

Methods for minimizing chatter.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Alan Richter

Vertically aligned

Vertical machining centers play a central role in the growth of S&S Machine Shop.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Evan Jones Thorne

Professional profiles

When grinding complex cutting tool profiles, attention should be paid to the software, the wheel and the tool blank for best results.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Kip Hanson

Productivity-boosting boring heads

Boring heads that improve productivity.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Jeffrey A. Badger, Ph.D.

Battling part barreling

Dr. Jeffrey Badger, who authors the Ask the Grinding Doc column, answers questions about barreling and scrubber nozzles.

Articles • April 1, 2015 • Tom Lipton

How flame straightening works

How flame hardening works