Mark Albert Editor Emeritus

Workholding 15 May 2000

Interlocking Serrated Surfaces Enhance Modular Fixturing

This pedestal-type workholding fixture matches its grooves and ridges naturally and automatically aligns the surfaces of the workpiece, making subsequent reclampings highly repeatable.

1 May 2000

If All The Money Disappeared

A few weeks ago, my seventh-grade daughter began working on her first history research paper for school. Leslie Ann’s assigned topic was the Great Depression.

CAD/CAM 15 Apr 2000

Automating EDM Electrode Design For Mold Making

Many EDM electrode design steps are being automated, making electrode production faster and easier. Developments promise to streamline situations where EDMing is unavoidable, as well as make EDM attractive as the most efficient machining process in many cases where complex mold shapes are involved.

3 Apr 2000

A Radically Different Production Plant

From the outside, it looks somewhat like a resort hotel. From the inside, it isn’t set up like any job shop you’ve probably ever seen.

1 Apr 2000

Productivity Is Up—And It Counts

Last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that productivity figures for the last quarter of 1999 had been revised sharply upward, adding more than two percentage points to the 4. 3 points reported earlier.

15 Mar 2000

Shop Floor Metrology On The Move

Portable arm coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) offer advantages beyond portability.

1 Mar 2000

No False Hopes

One of the most dangerous but prevalent of false hopes in our age is that we can have "heaven on earth. " It is the belief that human nature is perfectible.

Shop Management Software 15 Jan 2000

A Shop Preset For Productivity

The tool presetters at this shop are interfaced to its computerized tool inventory system as well as linked to the machine tools for direct downloading of offset data. Digital image processing at the presetters is the key.

5 Jan 2000

A Story To Tell

As I look back, one set of experiences stands out: all the visits I’ve made to shops and plants around the country “to get a story. ” That’s been the best part of my job.

3 Jan 2000

More For You

It's January 2000, and the word millennium does not appear anywhere (in) this issue. Instead of fanfare and hype, we've opted for business as usual.

Grinding 15 Dec 1999

The New Face Of Creep Feed Grinding

Creep feed grinding allows a hardened workpiece to be machined from the solid in a single pass, replacing milling, broaching or other types of grinding. Compact, more affordable creep feed grinding machines now make this process attractive in a wider range of applications.

1 Dec 1999

Telling The Future

I predict that, in the 21st Century, there will come a time when: Most of us will work at home but go to offices or factories "to get away from it all. " Poverty will decline almost everywhere, but "want" will only get much worse.