Surface Finishing & Coating

Exair Corp.'s new PEEK Super Air Nozzles deliver strong blowing force while providing non-marring protection should the air nozzle come in contact with other surfaces.

Can robots improve your deburring operation?

Engis Corp. says its FastLap lapping and polishing system has been engineered specifically to meet the demand for super-high finish lapping and polishing processes and can achieve sub 0.1 microinch Ra finished lapped surfaces.

Applications, accuracy issues and infrastructure requirements for large-part machine tools.

Machine Technology column by Dr. Scott Smith.

Productive Times on Tulsa Machine Works Inc., 918-834-0911. Challenge: Reduce tooling costs when milling crankshafts. Solution: Tool repair and modification services. Solution Provider: Carbide Tool Services Inc., 800-243-9577, www.carbidetool.com.

Productive Times on Sun Manufacturing Co., 832-448-http://www.ctemag.com/aa_pages/2012/1201, www.sun-mfg.com. Challenge: Efficiently drill through-holes in 4130 steel parts. Solution: A modular, indexable-insert drill that eliminated pecking cycles. Solution Provider: Kennametal Inc., 800-446-7738, www.kennametal.com.

Finishing hardened workpieces on multitask machines that provide grinding and hard turning and/or hard milling capabilities can prove beneficial.

Productives Times: Proactive progress. End user: Ford Motor Co., Lima Engine Plant. Challenge: Improve productivity and maximize quality when machining aluminum heads. Solution: Replaceable-head reamers with PCD cutting edges. Solution provider: Mapal Inc.

Shop Operations column for December 2009 issue.

Ability to machine intricate geometries and hard materials drives growing use of wire EDM prototyping.

Engineered coating combinations control heat and keep chips flying in dry-drilling operations.