Chris Koepfer Editor Emeritus

1 Aug 2004

Two Things This Month

First off, as you peruse this big issue of Modern Machine Shop, you’ll notice that several of our regular columnists are missing. This month, because of our special coverage of IMTS, these columns—Blackman On Taxes, CAD/CAM Outlook, CNC Tech Talk, Competing Ideas, and Quality Gaging Tips—appear online at

1 Jul 2004

Sometimes The Stars Align

This month, Mazak Corporation celebrates a milestone anniversary of 30 years of operation at its Florence, Kentucky, campus. The company set up shop there in 1974.

Basics 15 Jun 2004

Five-Axis Machining When You Want It

This California job shop has managed to demystify the application of five-axis machining. Using a portable trunion attachment on a vertical machining center, five-axis capability can be on the machine or off the machine as the production mix dictates.

29 May 2004

Custom Fixtures Off The Shelf

Using a new software system, custom 3D fixtures can be generated automatically. The software creates 2D fixture components that can be laser cut and assembled for a fraction of the cost and in significantly less time than other methods.

1 May 2004

Where Is Metrification . . . Er, Metrication?

It’s obvious that the transition to the metric system in the United States is not zooming along. There is even disagreement about what to call the process—metrification or metrication.

Micromachining 7 Apr 2004

New Lasers Are Mainstreaming Micro-Machining

Technical demands from the electronic, medical, aerospace and other industries are pushing the boundaries of micro-machining to smaller and more precise tolerances. The application of laser technology is pacing the demands from industry for smaller geometries and increasingly tighter specifications.

2 Apr 2004

Casting Your Internet Wider

I would love to think that you are reading this copy of Modern Machine Shop because of the editors’ scintillating prose. However, the truth is that our little trade magazine is a tool that helps you do your job better and make your company more successful.

Grinding 27 Mar 2004

Taking No Chances With Quality

A shop's good reputation is hard to build and easy to loose. Consistent quality is key to keeping customers. In its 30-plus year history, this Chicago specialty grinding job shop has never taken quality for granted.

Holemaking 20 Mar 2004

Consider Passive Damping To Bore Deep Holes

The old bromide, 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,' comes into play for preventing chatter when boring deep holes.

2 Mar 2004

More Than A Tour

There is little, if any, debate that there is a disconnect between the image of manufacturing held by many outside the field and the reality that those of us in the field experience every day. That disconnect is especially acute in academia.

5 Feb 2004

An Icon Is Gone

I think it’s safe to say that every professional plying a trade stands on the shoulders of those who came before. How a given profession is defined and the characteristics that make it worthy are inherited from earlier practitioners.

Holemaking 5 Feb 2004

U Axis Expands Internal Multitasking Machining

The promise of multitasking or complete machining continues to be realized in shops applying the technology. Driven by a need to manufacture workpieces complete in a single handling, machine tools that efficiently blend the operational capabilities of turning, milling and drilling in a single platform continue to evolve.