Basics

High-Speed Machining 2 Mar 2006

Practical Tips For High Speed Machining Of Dies And Molds

In die/mold work, the programmer can make the HSM process dramatically more effective. Here are some tips.

Aerospace 2 Feb 2006

Why Boeing Is Big On Right-Size Machine Tools

Simple, dedicated machines save on capital expense, while they also make it possible to realize one-piece flow. These machines are often developed internally. 'Chaku-chaku' is the new ideal.

Basics 13 Jan 2006

CAD/CAM Considerations For Micromilling

Milling with tools that are smaller than 100 microns in diameter presents equipment design and toolpath-generation challenges. This NC software maker offers strategies for creating safe, optimized tool paths for micromilling.

Basics 1 Jan 2006

The Best Way To Attract And Keep Great People

Most of my consulting time is spent putting together wealth transfer plans for successful business owners. Invariably, about half of my clients bring up two critical and related operational problems: how to keep their company’s top executives and how to attract quality people.

Workforce Development 15 Dec 2005

How To Succeed At Failure

Your cutting tool’s failure mode may be telling you what to change about the process. Not every failure mode is the same, and one mode is preferable to all the others.

Basics 1 Dec 2005

How To Transfer Your Business Without Losing A Dime

Joe, the 61-year-old owner of Success Company (a C corporation), recently asked me to evaluate two plans designed to transfer his business to his family. Mary, Joe’s wife, is 53 years old, and they have a 31-year old son, Sam.

Cutting Tools 4 Oct 2005

How To Machine Pure Abrasion

Powder metal parts have become the darling of the auto industry, but they can be a demon for the shops that must machine the finishing touches. This shop has found that the keys to success machining such abrasive materials are proper cutting tool selection and continuous tool wear monitoring.

Basics 2 Oct 2005

Get The Most Out Of Your Measuring System

With the implementation of touchscreen operation, canned measurement routines and automatic ranging, form measuring machines have become nearly foolproof and have successfully migrated from the lab to the shop floor. Still, the form machine is only as good as its setup, and without due attention to the basics, there are many pitfalls that can make even the most basic measurement useless.

Basics 9 Sep 2005

Ten Questions About Chatter

If you want to use a high speed milling spindle to machine aggressively, then information about chatter should be more than just background noise. Here are some basics.

Basics 9 Sep 2005

Understanding Jerk Control

What does "jerk" refer to, and where does it fit into machine performance?

New Micro Drills for Titanium at IMTS 2024