Basics
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.
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Why Lifting Magnets Are Attractive
Compared to slings and chains, they save time and protect the part. Here are some of the basics of magnetic lifters.
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When 30K Is Not "High Speed"
With small tools, the speed that can be achieved with an add-on air-powered spindle may be needed just to use the tools effectively.
Read MoreHow Much Documentation Should You Provide?
Companies vary on how much documentation they provide for people setting up and running CNC machines. There may be reasons you document jobs in a certain manner, but there are three major factors that contribute to how much you should document: the percentage of repeated jobs, the number of people involved with a given job and the complexity of the job versus the skill level of the people involved.
Read MoreUnderstanding Plate Gages
You’ve seen the bench-mounted ID/OD comparative gage with the tilting stage plate to set and locate the part being gaged. This basic design, which has been around for more than 50 years, is convenient for fast, comparative gaging of flat and relatively thin-walled parts, such as ball and roller bearing rings, where diameter measurements must be made in a plane parallel to at least one of the faces, and sometimes at a particular depth on the ID or OD.
Read MoreKeep Your Wealth In The Family
It’s sad, but true: Most successful business owners spend a lifetime accumulating wealth, but when they die (or when their surviving spouses die), they lose at least half of their wealth—by law—to the IRS. Do you always have to be a heartbeat away from enriching the IRS? Not if you know what to do and how to do it.
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A Cool Deburring Technique
Ice blasting is a process that uses ice crystals as impact media to remove contaminants. It is popular in Europe for industrial cleaning work because it uses no detergents, solvents or abrasives.
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When Little Things Mean A Lot
Measurement technology plays a role on machining centers used at high speeds.
Read MoreTips For Executing Your Improvement Plans
You have gone through the effort of identifying opportunities for improving your plant’s operation. You have given thought to how long it will take and who is in the best position to make things happen.
Read MoreThe Right Water Chemistry: Understanding The Aqueous Influence Upon Metalworking
The performance of coolants and other water-soluble metalworking fluids depends on the quality of the water in the solution. Many variables must be controlled to ensure that this water meets the grade.
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