General Shop Equipment & Supplies

I once thought nothing of boring a new set of top jaws. Just remove half a dozen cap screws, take the old jaws out, bolt on fresh jaws, attach a spider or boring ring and crank the hand wheel until the part fits. Setups were long in the 1980s and my boss considered 2 or 3 hours of downtime each day a normal cost of business.

Since the May issue, I have been writing about our combustion shop's migration from batch processing to single-piece flow, or machining one part at a time. Single-piece flow eliminates work in process. This is desirable because WIP hides part defects and increases lead times and inventory levels.

Continuing the theme of the previous three columns, here are additional tips for enhancing the operation of a CNC milling machine from Shop Operations columnist Tom Lipton.

Boost productivity when machining hubs and other parts. Replace an outdated vertical machining center with a new one.

Reduce energy costs as part of a sustainability program. Replace a waterjet cutting machine with a fiber optic laser cutting machine.

Eliminate part deviations when performing lights-out machining. CAM software with the properly adjusted post-processor for automatically measuring parts on a machine tool.

Representing your company through community involvement accomplishes two goals. Hopefully, you're doing something positive and, in return, raising the reputation of you and your company. You may also gain access to another network of valuable contacts and potential leads.

Spindle bearings support the spindle in the housing and transmit cutting forces to the machine structure. The bearings are intended to hold the spindle accurately in position.

As I'm writing this in mid-July, we're experiencing uncomfortably hot and muggy weather in the Chicago area. I worked up a sweat just walking the dogs this morning -- and they walk pretty slowly. It's hard to want to do much of anything. That description seems to fit the U.S. economy in general and manufacturing in particular.

The advantages of heat treating parts with 1µm-wavelength lasers.

Antipullout toolholders reduce scrap, increase tool life and eliminate anxiety while milling.

A company running a centralized coolant system with neat oil seeks help from the Grinding Doc. The shop's oil supplier is promising great things if the shop switches to a newer oil product. But it seems like such a grand undertaking.