CTE
Resources
Curated machining knowledge, tools, and pathways — organized by purpose.
MFGAxis — Buyer’s Guide
Company listings, capabilities, certifications, and specialties — organized for buyers and engineers.
Machining References
Curated technical references for machinists and engineers.
Machining Calculators
Feeds, speeds, formulas, and shop calculators.
Wire
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Hypertherm
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Roll
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James
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Molybdenum
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Ai
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Vericut
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Siemens
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Fanuc
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Turnkey
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Super
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Robotmaster
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Pronest
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Online
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Tap
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Optical
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Machinist
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Broaching
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Fatigue
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Photo
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Makino
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Erp
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Countersink
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Centerless
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Dual
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Okuma
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Acme
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Tapping
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Raw
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Moving
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Formula
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Thermal
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Cmm
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Case Hardening
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Insert Geometry
Insert identification, lead angle, indexable insert geometry, and selection references.
Boring
Boring heads, U-axis systems, contour boring, and setup references.
Cutting Forces
Cutting-force formulas, machining power, chip load, and speed/feed references.
Workholding
Workholding strategy, zero-point clamping, fixturing, and setup efficiency.
Threading
Threading calculators, tapping guidance, thread milling, and related tooling.
Authors
Browse CTE contributors and subject-matter experts.
Glossary
Definitions of machining and manufacturing terms.
Machining Fundamentals & Tooling References
Core explainers and shop-floor references for speeds, feeds, forces, insert identification, heat treatment, and cutter geometry.
Process Spotlights & Manufacturing Systems
Inspection, automation, digitalization, and application-specific reads that complement the core machining references above.
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Latest articles, videos, products, and news from across CTE that fit the same machining-learning path.
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Choosing a parts-marking method depends on the application
Until a couple of years ago, the Food and Drug Administration required a unique identifier on each distinct assembly of a medical device in human- and machine-readable forms. That rule has changed. Now, every individual component in an assembly must be marked as well.
Look Ahead: Trochoidal endmill (over)laps competition
Trochoidal milling is a relatively new cutting strategy that involves the overlapping of circular toolpaths with linear movement. It is well-suited for difficult-to-machine materials and thin-walled components.
Look Ahead: Titanic robot, tiny tolerances
An item in the Look Ahead department of the August 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine features large-volume, high-accuracy robots.
Low-wattage lasers: faster, gentler, eco-friendly
Low-wattage lasers are faster, gentler and more eco-friendly than traditional parts-cleaning methods. So why aren't they more prevalent?
Factors affecting proper coolant application when grinding
Grinding is a thermally dominated process, meaning a high percentage of process heat initially enters the part before coolant quenches it. Unless the coolant is applied at the correct flow rate and pressure, and the proper input conditions are selected, this process can lead to undesirable rehardening burn, thermal softening and tensile residual stresses.
Lessons learned from threading nuts, bolts for gas turbines
Spindle bolts are made from difficult-to-machine, high-strength superalloys. They have very tight dimensional tolerances, which makes thread cutting a challenge. As a result of facing several thread-cutting problems during process development, we have learned important lessons at Mitsubishi.
Process creates steel that’s a-peeling
If you've ever watched a bar of red-hot metal emerge from the furnace at a rolling mill, you might wonder how that scaly chunk of material became the smooth, shiny and accurate length of steel you just loaded into a lathe's bar feeder. Machinists know it as cold-finished bar stock.
CAD/CAM software for ultraprecision machining
The primary application for ultraprecision machining is optical-grade surfaces for injection molds, which are used to make contact lenses, LEDs for TVs and head-up displays in military aircraft and luxury cars.
Explosive deburring ideal for complex parts
Machining manifolds generates numerous burrs, and removing them is no simple task. Basin Precision Machining attempted a variety of deburring methods, including waterjet, kinetic energy and the thermal energy method (TEM).
Ask the Grinding Doc: Loading the wheel
In the August 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering, Ask the Grinding Doc Columnist Jeffrey Badger, Ph.D., fields questions about spotting wheel loading, white sticking for hardened steel loading, and what causes barber pole marks during cylindrical-traverse grinding.
Shop Operations: Consider a 4-jaw independent lathe chuck
In the August 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering, Shop Operations Columnist Tom Lipton challenges readers to take a good look at the venerable 4-jaw independent lathe chuck. "Many machinists may have never used one. Hopefully, my call to arms will change that, and a whole new world of workholding will open up to them."
Machine Technology: Hybrid upsides and design considerations
A milestone in the 3D printing revolution is the appearance of CNC metalcutting machine tools incorporating additive-manufacturing capabilities. Manufacturers of the hybrid additive/subtractive systems tout their advantages over conventional machine tools, but the hybrids raise important issues that their builders and users must address.
