Articles

Lean Manufacturing 2 Jul 2009

If You Want to Improve Something, Measure It

This shop involves all of its employees in the daily exercise of analyzing just where time is being spent.

Holemaking 19 Jun 2009

Be Strategic With Your Holemaking Options

Just as there are a great many types of holes to be produced in today’s complex workpieces, there are a great many types of holemaking processes. Finding the right cutting tool for each holemaking application is a matter of asking the right questions and getting good answers from a cutting tool supplier.

Holemaking 10 Jun 2009

Coolant And Center-Drilling Considerations For Machining Small Holes

Through-spindle coolant is good if you can get it, but the spot drilling might not be necessary. Try a pilot hole instead?

Aerospace 10 Jun 2009

How Do You Stop A Thin Aluminum Workpiece From Curling?

The material condition is more likely to be the culprit than any particular choice at the machine tool.

Workholding 10 Jun 2009

Pins: The Alternative To Parallels

These vise jaws use protruding, mechanical pins to repeatedly support workpieces either horizontally or at angles. They are said to allow quicker setups than conventional parallels.

Aerospace 10 Jun 2009

What is the Best Process for Micro-Deburring?

Various techniques address the challenge of getting a clean machined feature at microscopic scales.

Turning Machines 2 Jun 2009

See The Tool's Value Instead Of Its Cost

This company is embracing high-performance tooling on its turning centers. The "sticker shock" is no reason not to do this. In one case, though, the shop found a way to limit the cost of the tool and increase productivity at the same time.

Basics 28 May 2009

Webinar Presents Oil-Skimming Basics

Abanaki Corporation offers “Oil Skimming 102,” an online video tutorial about selecting the right oil-skimming product. The tutorial presentation is adapted from the company’s “Oil Skimming Facts Tutorial Handbook.

Holemaking 21 May 2009

How Do You Machine a 30:1 Hole in Stainless Without the Drill Wandering?

An expert in micromachining says one answer is to check various aspects of the drilling process. Another answer is not to use a drill at all.

19 May 2009

Committing To Continuous Improvement

Response times are quicker, lead times are shorter and every department is running more efficiently. Most importantly, the customers have taken notice.

Cutting Tools 15 May 2009

The Knob Problem

The retention knob is an unmistakably critical component of the machining process. However, the tightening of the knob itself can lead to the toolholder not seating securely in the machine. You may be losing tool life to knob tightness without even knowing it.

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