Peter Zelinski Editorial Director

2 May 2004

Sources Of Resistance

There is a time to plan and a time to do. For shops that are contemplating the kind of fundamental process and procedural changes that touch on many employees’ jobs, this much is safe to say.

21 Apr 2004

The Toolroom Lathe As An Alternative To CAM

The basic CNC lathe is not just for those who are new to NC. The ability to quickly program a job at the control can provide a quick alternative to programming off line.

2 Apr 2004

We may at last be entering a different period. The previous period was one of shrinking payrolls, as manufacturers made cut after cut to their staffs in an attempt to strike a truce with declining revenues.

Automation 2 Apr 2004

The Process Before The Program

CAM automation can change the very focus of the programmer’s attention. Reduced programming time is only one of the benefits.

High-Speed Machining 19 Mar 2004

When Little Things Mean A Lot

Measurement technology plays a role on machining centers used at high speeds.

1 Mar 2004

More Than Just The Machining

Boeing representatives describe what they are looking for when they evaluate a machining supplier.

1 Mar 2004

The Meaning Of Price

A story I heard recently may be apocryphal, but it illustrates an important point. A company that made bearings offered two different classes of product—a cheaper bearing with a certain limited performance rating, as well as a more expensive bearing that could be run harder or longer.

5 Feb 2004

Cleanliness Is An Asset

The company described in this month’s cover story has a second-floor meeting room with a window overlooking the shop floor. One characteristic of the shop is immediately clear from this perspective: The shop is clean.

Turning Machines 20 Jan 2004

The Knowledge System

This company sees knowledge to be a vital production resource. Capturing and sharing information are now routine functions on the shop floor. Here are lessons the company learned.

4 Jan 2004

Machining And Manufacturing

Is there an exodus of manufacturing? I can tell you what I’ve seen and heard. A number of shop owners have witnessed the international competition for machining work first-hand.

15 Dec 2003

Five Sides And One Zero: Shopfloor Programming For Five-Side Parts

A five-side machining program can be thought of as five different three-axis programs stitched together. Does that mean the task of programming a five-side job has to be five times as difficult, or five times as time-consuming?

12 Dec 2003

How to Choose the Right Tool for Milling Titanium

Milling titanium is different from other metals because of the risk of heat build-up. Thanks to the metal’s low thermal conductivity, overly aggressive milling may even pose a risk of combustion. With titanium, in other words, there may be more than one reason why the cutting speed can’t be increased. And yet the speed of production still can be increased.

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