Basics

Basics 5 Aug 2002

Transferring Your Business When There Is No Clear Leader

Say your business is owned by multiple owners—for example, two or more brothers and/or sisters; or cousins; or aunts/uncles; or two or more unrelated (by blood or marriage) owners; or any combination of the foregoing. Assume the business has prospered, and so have the owners.

Vertical Machining Centers 15 Jun 2002

Yet Another VMC—Why Not?

With so many vertical machining centers on the market, why would a major machine tool builder introduce yet another entry into this highly competitive environment? The only logical answer can be that this builder believes no one else is producing a machine that compellingly fills an existing need.

Basics 15 Jun 2002

Non-Traditional Methods For Making Small Holes

Consider these alternatives when conventional drilling can't do the job.

Die/Mold 15 May 2002

When Faster Is Better

A German mold maker expands operations from Europe to America on the wings of high speed machining.

Aerospace 15 Apr 2002

Empowering The Programmer

A project aimed at making military aircraft parts faster shows just how much productivity gain can come from automating the programmer's repetitive tasks.

Turn/Mill 15 Apr 2002

When Does Hard Turn/Grind Make Sense?

Combining different operations on a single machine tool platform is an attractive and increasingly popular idea. It is in practice, however, not always a plug and play substitution. Optimizing distinct metalcutting operations into a single cycle takes planning and a good understanding of the pluses and minuses of each.

CAD/CAM 1 Apr 2002

CAM at a Crossroads

In the world of metalworking, the CAM part of CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) generally means software for programming CNC machine tools. Currently, most of the advances and innovations in CAM software are coming from the smaller software companies devoted to this application.

Basics 1 Mar 2002

Roundness Not Required

How would you machine this part? The answer seems obvious. The square part fits nicely in a vise.

Basics 1 Mar 2002

Why And How The Rich Get Richer

Regular readers of this column know my modus operandi: Discover the tax secrets of the wealthy and then adapt those secrets to the family business owner. As a member of a network of professionals, I regularly run across exciting new tax-saving strategies and wealth building techniques.

Toolholders 15 Jan 2002

Why Use Hydraulic Toolholders

The book on hydraulic toolholders is that they are fussy to set, fragile to operate and expensive to buy. So why do many shops choose them over other holders that seem less demanding? This Chicago mold builder has good reasons for its choice.

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