Machining

Gundrilling: going deep

The author discusses the disadvantages of using a finishing endmill for roughing applications. He also presents a quick, systematic, step-by-step series of calculations that allows machinists to optimize metalcutting when applying coarse-pitch, cobalt-HSS roughing endmills.

A look at the different types of inserts used for single-point threading and how to figure feed rates for cutting threads on a CNC lathe. Also offers programming tips and recommendations for reducing tool wear.

A conversation with Lee Iacocca, chief spokesman and a member of the board of directors of The Online Asset Exchange (onlineassetexchange.com), a service for buyers and sellers of machine tools. Iacocca also is involved with a company that produces electric bicycles.

Establishing a good relationship with your cutting tool salesperson can benefit your operation. A good salesperson can help solve problems you don't have time to tackle and offer recommendations for machining difficult parts. The author also addresses what to do when a relationship sours.

High-silicon aluminum--aluminum that consists of at least 11.8 percent silicon--has qualities such as lightness and strength that appeal to automakers. The abrasives nature of the material, however, makes it difficult to machine. The author offers suggestions for milling, tapping, drilling, turning and grinding high-silicon aluminum.

A rotary table allows a 3-axis vertical machining center to machine in the n4th and 5th axes. The author explains the different types of rotary tables nthat are available and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Round-up of five recently introduced indexable tools: stub drill, universal nmilling cutter, center-cutting endmill, dovetail cutter and insert clamp.n

Tool chatter is one of the biggest obstacles to effective machining that job nshops face. The author discusses the sources of chatter and offers nsuggestions for minimizing it.

People in the aerospace industry expect a lot from reamers. The author, an nengineer who works for a manufacturer of aerospace components, discusses nstrategies for job shops interested in developing a precision reaming nprogram.

Switching from a brazed-tip trepanning tool to an indexable-insert tool nreduced downtime for a manufacturer of cast iron cylinder heads by 45 nminutes. And, incredibly, the price-per-piece dropped so much that the ncompany could save $690,000 annually.

As the government publishes ever-stricter regulations for metalworking fluids, more shops try dry machining. The author examines the cost benefits of machining dry and looks at the various types of tool materials designed to enhance dry-machining applications.