John Miller President
John Miller is the columnist behind the Modern Machine Shop Miller’s Edge column. He brings broad experience, and a pragmatic approach to metalcutting problems through his company Way Of The Mill. Way Of The Mill supports shops of all sizes through online content, and in-shop training and consulting.
Tips for Monitoring Spindle Loads and Cutting Stability
When it comes to utilizing the spindle’s power, there is a lot of headroom at the upper limits, provided it’s in short bursts. Be mindful of your time at these loads so you don’t stall out.
Read More
5 Tool Setting Techniques
Each tool setting technique has merit, and it depends on where you are as a shop and the type of work you do, as cost and efficiency all come into play.
Read More
3 Considerations for Revising Design for Manufacturing Efforts
When revising part designs, investigate the 3D CAD, the 2D drawing and the part’s functional requirements to determine which details should be tightened up.
Read More
When to Refurbish and When to Buy New
The choice between buying a new machine or refurbishing the current one will become clear after a thorough assessment of the machine.
Read More
4 Ways to Establish Machine Accuracy
Understanding all the things that contribute to a machine’s full potential accuracy will inform what to prioritize when fine-tuning the machine.
Read More
How to Successfully Adopt Five-Axis Machining
While there are many changes to adopt when moving to five-axis, they all compliment the overall goal of better parts through less operations.
Read More
How to Choose the Right Automation Solution for Your Shop
Consider what types of implementation your shop prefers when deciding between workpiece-handling and pallet-handling automation solutions.
Read More
Tips for Mastering Stainless Steel Machining
When getting a grip on stainless steel, make sure you are very specific in how you talk about it and understand the pertinent information you need.
Read More
How Important is Spindle Power?
Consider these spindle attributes to make a choice that is balanced, usable and compliments your processes as best as possible.
Read More
Making the Most of Mixed Toolholder Assemblies
While nearly all ER systems will have cross compatibility, they’ll have small differences across manufacturers that make their implementation at the shop level not as standard.
Read More
Considerations for Adding CMM Capabilities to Your Shop
CMMs may provide simple efficiency gains, but if you look deeper, the machine unlocks more complex work for your shop.
Read More
Parts and Programs: Setup for Success
Tips for program and work setups that can simplify adjustments and troubleshooting.
Read More
