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The experience of a Windsor mold shop offers an object lesson in machine shop automotion. In an interconnected process, automating one aspect of the process offered benefits beyond what the [...]

Nationwide Precision Products (Rochester, New York) specializes in the precision machining of complex castings and components. When the company won a contract to machine automotive parts for a customer, NPP [...]

It would be terribly inefficient to begin machining a workpiece with the same techniques required to finish it. Because the last passes of the cutting tool determine the workpiece's final [...]

Middletown, CT-based Bourdon Forge, a job shop offering forgings and machines forged parts, was able to boost productivity and machining quality with the help of a Torq-Cut vertical machining center produced by Bridgeport, CT-based Bridgeport Machines Inc. Clark Bourdon, president of Bourdon Forge, decided to buy the vertical machining center because of its simple programming language, rigidity and the programming memory possible with its PC-based control., Bourdon Forge (Middletown, Connecticut) is a job shop that provides forgings and machines forged parts, including Drings, snaps and other safety hardware that attach to safety belts and parachutes. Bourdon [...]

Manufacturers need to consider several factors before investing in any high-productivity machining (HPM) tools. It is important that manufacturers must understand and address requirements related to HPM such as the specific high-speed process, programming and data transfer interface expertise, extra safety precautions, human, hardware or software errors and 'trial and error' periods for new workpieces as well as problems concerning machine guideways, ball screws and spindle bearings., Today's machining centers feature higher spindle speeds and feed rates, but if you want to push this capability to the limit, there are some tooling considerations that must be addressed. [...]

Coordinate measuring machines using scanning probes were found to be more effective in identifying out-of-tolerance characteristics compared to the touch trigger (TTP) method. In a study conducted by Carl Zeiss IMT Corporation, both the TTP and scanning methods were applied to a cast iron pump housing. Based on 188 of the 45 characteristics included in the research, results from the two methods differed by over 10% of the tolerance range., Evaluating the suitability of a CMM for an application traditionally revolves around determining measurement uncertainty relative to the workpiece size and required tolerances. Generally the CMM should be 10 times [...]

As parts get smaller and smaller, using EDM wire os small os 0.001 inch in diameter to cut these workpieces becomes on attractive option - actually, the only option. Human [...]

McSwain Manufacturing Corp id a Cincinnati, OH-based company that uses vertical turning machines to produce large workpieces for gas turbine engine applications. This company, which employs 135 employees, uses the latest vertical turning lathe (VTL) technologies to create the shafts and disks that are used to hold the turbine blades of large gas turbine engines. McSwain's productivity is greatly enhanced by its use of CNC-equipped VTLs equipped with tool changers., Turning is one of humankind's oldest material-working processes. Evidence of lathe working is found in Egyptian tombs and other ancient archeological sites. Interestingly, in the past few years the process [...]

This northern Ohio job shop is very good at making parts on Swiss-type machines. It's evolved the business from manual engine lathes to lights-out manufacturing. Success didn't come easily, but [...]

The CNC Swiss-type lathe is a niche machine that is best-suited to the production of complex parts produced in small quantities. Despite its seemingly prohibitive cost, the machine remains a good investment since it allows productivity gains that far surpass any that could be achieved using alternative machining processes such as a lathe and a machining center in sequence. This was proven by Slabe Machine Products, a 100-person machine shop in Willoughby, OH, which has greatly improved its productivity since acquiring a CNC Swiss-type lathe., To shops used to conventional turning, the CNC Swiss-type is a strange sort of lathe. But for the right jobs, the machine is worth both the price and the learning [...]

There are different types of drilling tools that machine shops can utilize to create holes in metals, one of the most common metalworking operation. Some machine tools drill holes while performing other operations. These include turning centers, machining centers and three-axis modular drill/tap units. Other types of automatic drilling equipment include electric rotation pneumatic thrust drills, drill/ream combinations, and drill/tap units., There are many ways to create holes in metal. Some machine tools, including machining centers and turning centers, drill holes as one of several operations performed. This article discusses different [...]

High performance twist drills have become popular among machine shops carrying out hole making operations in the metalworking industry. High performance drills are typically made from a number of base materials. These include solid carbide, cobalt, carbide tipped with coolant holes, and cobalt with coolant holes. One of the significant benefits of high performance drills is the machining parameters they realize while producing holes., The trend today is clearly toward high performance twist drills made of tungsten carbide or other premium materials, combined with innovative geometries, tighter tolerances, and advanced coatings. The pressure to [...]

Campbell River, British Columbia-based York Machine Shop Ltd utilized Sandvik Saws and Tools' carbide-tipped 3868 TripleSet Xtra blade to improve its curing of aluminum-bronze tubes. The blade, which resisted abrasion, was designed to penetrate hard metals. Technical specialists from Sandvik Saws adjusted new machine settings for the blade to improve the cutting productivity of York Machine's new equipment., York Machine Shop Ltd. (Campbell River, British Columbia) cuts aluminum-bronze tube for a specialized paper industry application. Since 1983, the company has served a diverse collection of customers in the [...]

Improvements in insert manufacturing technology and toolholder design have allowed machine shop operators to utilize specialized tools in a range of metalcutting applications. Such developments have promoted the use of a single cutter for multiple operations and grooving tools for side turning. In addition, it has allowed machine shops to minimize the number of tools they need to stock and maintain to carry out metal-cutting operations., Traditionally, a groowing tool grooves, a facing tool faces, and, of course, special tools do special cuts. Improved insert manufacturing technology and toolholder design is changing this tradition, allowing specialized [...]

Steve Brown has embarked on the modernization and equipment refurbishment of Advanced Machine and Stretchforming International Inc (AMSI) with the help of Graham Aerospace Inc. Graham, which is noted for rebuilding skin mills using Vickers A2100 machine controller, was charged with the tasked of refitting AMSI's six Cincinnati Skin Mills with the state-of-the-art controllers. Graham installed Renishaw probes in the skin mills while AMSI implemented a CAD/CAM system to support its new machine and control technology., 'If you continue to operate a bankrupt company in the same manner, you will continue to be bankrupt.' This was the primary thought of Steve Brown before he acquired a [...]

Aikoku Alpha Engineering Corp has employed five-axis machining technology since 1975. Since then, it has increased its five-axis equipment to a total of 17 which led its workers to acquire skills in NC programming and five-axis machining technique. To cope with the demands for higher efficiency and rising production costs, the firm had to resort to high speed machining. In 1998, Aikoku Alpha installed a Toshiba MPF-5A, its first high speed five axis machine., This Japanese five-axis aerospace shop believes that high speed machining is their future. Here's why, and some of what they've learned so far. Aerospace shops tend to look fairly similar [...]

Wonder Machine Services Inc stays one step ahead of customer's future requirements with the use of a new coordinate measuring machine (CMM). The purchase of the equipment was brought about by a demand for 100% inspection of a ring-shaped part approximately 24 in in diameter. The requirement also necessitated the purchase of a new CMM software to replace the old manually operated model. The new Dimensional Measurement Interface Standard offered flexibility and Windows features and functionality., This shop installed a bigger CMM to meets its current needs, but the software that came with it has the shop ready for what lies ahead. Like all job shops, [...]

Wye/Delta on a spindle motor for machining centers can support reliable torque and increases in horsepower in machine shop operations. The Wye/Delta configuration is correlated with the way motor windings are linked together. The windings of a motor can be rearranged to support either Wye or Delta set-ups. In addition, the use of switching and transmission can promote a higher level of performance that translates in increases in the constant power range., Two configurations of windings on a spindle motor can provide consistent torque and higher horsepower across a machine tool's speed range, but other features for improved performance are also important. [...]

Machine operators can utilize clamping devices to minimize production time in their machining operations. The use of clamping devices in setup procedures increases in machine time and profits. Compared with traditional fasteners, these devices can be utilized much faster and offer ergonomic advantages and enhanced safety benefits. However, machine operators should consider a number of factors before utilizing clamping devices in their operations. These include operating reliability, stress forces and installation., For part fixturing, it's key to setup reduction. Efficient setup procedures reduce production time in machining operations. Productivity experts estimate that faster part setups can reduce production cycle times by [...]

Automotive parts and aerospace components manufacturer Instrument and Development Corp installed Lexair's Multifeed magazine short bar loaders to prevent bar vibration problems. These loaders have smaller footprints than regular feeders and can accomodate various bar diameters and lengths. Remote hand-held pendant controls reduce setup time to two or three minutes. The leaders also have no rpm limits., Pushing the limits of conventional machining technology is the norm at Instrument Development Corporation (Mukwonago, Wisconsin). IDC is a 50-person job shop that specializes in the production of close tolerance [...]

Bloomington, MN-based Dalsin Industries utilizes the Cincinnati CL707 laser cutting system to support its growth through the minimization of order turnaround times and elimination of shearing processes. The cutting system features a 2,000-watt CO2 laser and speed rates of up to 8,500 inches per minute. It is capable of cutting aluminum carbon and stainless steel in both painted and non-painted applications., Advanced technology can often differentiate one metal fabricator from another in today's competitive landscape. There were many times during the past 53 years that Dalsin Industries of Bloomington, Minnesota, just [...]

Innovations in machining shops include the incorporation of milling, drilling and tapping capabilities in machining centers. While basic turn/mill machines are ideal for simple drilling and tapping operations, the addition of servo-controlled actuation of the rotary C-axis makes the machine capable of spiral-milling cuts and other complex interpolated geometries processes. Addition of secondary or subspindle also improves the productivity of turn/mill machines., Most shops are looking to reduce throughput time. One sensible method is to eliminate multiple part handlings and work-in-process time. Advances in machine tool capability and programmability enable more job [...]

D.S.M. Manufacturing of Denver, Colo., is a precision sheetmetal job shop that does design, prototyping, and production of panels, brackets, chassis, and enclosures for over 200 electronics-industry customers. About 60% [...]

Machine job shop JLM Precision has improved its capacity by adding a Mazak horizontal machining center (HMC) with advanced multipallet system. The firm already has three Mazak vertical machining centers, two turning centers and one turn/mill center. The new FH580 HMC was to provide the advanced technology needed for part production. It has an eight-station pallet system, one load/unload system, a 12-tool changer, a special high volume chip control system and a state-of-the-art touch screen controller., It wasn't the easiest investment for Gaetan Jacques and his partner, Jean McCarthy. Even though they've been in business for 20 years and use some of the latest CNC equipment [...]

Homeyer Tool and Die Pres Herb Homeyer solved his company's backlog problem by installing a programming work cell in his machine shop. The Marthasville, MO-based firm bought a Torq-Cut vertical machining center and FeatureMILL CNC from Bridgeport Machines. The result is a 50% increase in capacity, the eradication of backlogs and enhanced delivery times. Backlogs at the horizontal machining center were eliminated by the use of an off-line computer to program the CNC using the FeatureMILL software., Backlogs began to play havoc with delivery times at Homeyer Tool & Die in Marthasville, Missouri. Herb Homeyer, company president, found the solution in the installation of a programming work [...]

Selection of a vertical machining center (VMC) requires careful examination of various factors. An important guideline is to make sure that the machine shop's needs should match the capabilities of the VMC. Hence, it is important to analyze the main factors of materials to be machined, production volumes, controls, quality, machining operations and service/maintenance. These factors are then compared with the VMC's features and options. Other factors to consider are ergonomics and dealer service response time., The 'perfect' machine is one that best matches your needs. Knowing what you need is the key. Can you remember when machine tools were bought by pound of weight? The [...]

Morton Machining and Manufacturing of Morton, IL, has discovered a way to automatically adjust the feed rate to ensure that the feed is slow enough when cutting forces are high and fast enough during lighter loads to maximize efficiency. The equipment that allows adaptive control of feed rates is a computer numerical control add-on developed by Israeli firm OMAT Control Technologies. With the system, costs from damaged tools are minimized while ensuring that optimum feed rate is used for lighter loads., Truly 'adoptive' motion control is now a retrofit option for a wide range of CNCs. This job shop uses the technology to reduce tooling costs and cycle times. Choosing the [...]

EROWA Technology Inc uses building-block approach palletizing for standardized, modular and accurate machining operations at minimized load and unload and component change times. EROWA's workholding standards use common components to achieve standardization, modular features for multiple applications and a repeatability specification of 80 millionths of an inch for high accuracy. Palletizing offers considerable advantages for machining operations that require high accuracy from location to location., Reduced in-cut time from faster machine tools puts increasing pressure on setup reduction to achieve throughput goals in the shop. Workholding accounts for two of the biggest setup problems. Specifically, [...]

Minnesota Rubber achieved highly flexible and accurate production of mold inserts at a small capital investment with a standard high-density vise workholding system. The workholder clusters multiple clamping stations on a single iron base and the milling program can be run completely on a single part. The method minimized tool changes and enabled continuous production reducing time-consuming hole-making operations., Many shops that do high production machining are well acquainted with the notion of high-density workholding. Most frequently done with tombstone fixtures on horizontal machining centers, the idea is to [...]

Ontario-based machine shop Technicut Inc owners Dino Civiero and Joe McCarthy attribute their success to their offering of electrical discharge machining (EDM). The shop uses a wire EDM machine which provides more accurate cuts, performs taper cuts of up to 30 degrees and creates high quality surface finishes. The ROBOFORM 4LC ram EDM is also used which can accommodate workpieces weighing up to 3,260 pounds., Three years ago when Dino Civiero and Joe McCarthy opened Technicut, Inc., their Windsor, Ontario, job shop, their goal was to produce highly accurate, top quality parts - period. They [...]

Machined parts manufacturer Pointe Precision at Stevens Point, WI, relies on continuous technological improvements to maintain its explosive growth. To maintain this technological cutting edge, it has established close ties with its tool suppliers such as Machinery and Supplies. It is currently using the Metal Removal 120-27 series high cobalt micrograin solid carbide end mill. This replaced Metal Removal's 157 series carbide end mill which resulted in a 59% reduction in milling costs., Known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreation, Stevens Point, Wisconsin is home to Pointe Precision, a high-tech machined parts producer. Manufacturing close tolerance, complex parts for the aerospace, paper, [...]

Watson McDaniel Co. in Norristown, PA, is a manufacturer of steam traps, pressure regulators and other steam specialty products. Because of competitive pressure, it had to undergo several transformations especially in its manufacturing processes. Processes have to be optimized and the company had to acquire a horizontal machining center. Simple tooling changes such as the replacement of cermet cutters with fine pitch cutters for its shear angle milling cutter tripled its feed rate., In nearly every phase of life tradition does battle with 'what have you done for me lately?' Watson McDaniel Company of Norristown, Pennsylvania, began 120 years ago as one of [...]

Carbide inserts have several components such as substrate, coating and geometry which contribute to their efficiency. There is no single insert which can be used efficiently for all applications at present. Hence, machine shops optimize efficiency by trying to employ the best combination of the components for a particular application. Also, the toolholder and the cutting fluid must be properly chosen for maximum performance., A carbide insert is an engineered system consisting of substrate, coating, geometry and other components designed to work together. Insert manufacturers are getting very adept at optimizing this system and [...]

Standard specialty chucks, which are used in lathe workholding, can also be used in various applications in the machine shops. Finger chuck is utilized in high speed wheel turning applications. On the other hand, a radial movement of a chuck can be done by actuating the chuck jaw towards the center of the chuck. These radially actuated chucks include standard stroke, long stroke, standard precision and ultra-precision and can be used in various applications. Other specialty chucks and their uses are presented.

Tech Mold Inc utilizes CNC grinders in the process of manufacturing multicavity plastic molds because CNC grinding machines offer accuracy in its applications. Although a CNC grinder, which is first rate and medium in size, costs $35,000, Tech Mold prefers to use them because of its effectiveness and consistency in the grinding application compared to manual grinding. The consistency in the grinding process is very important for the company since it is demanded by its customers.

Single point OD grinding machine, which has two axes of movement used in metalcutting processes, utilizes a wheel with a desired geometric profile dressed into the wheel where the profile is imparted to the workpiece through the machine's slide. Single point grinding accomplishes varied operations such as profiling, plunging and threading through proper control of the grinder's x and y axes. Proper application of single point grinding would be beneficial for machine shops.

Master Machine Ltd of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, has installed a metal shade-type way cover powered by an air motor to keep chips away from table and column ways. Master Machine, a manufacturer of compression injection and prototype molds, collaborated with Lomar Machine and A&A Manufacturing to solve the problem. The single reinforced Steelflex metal shade spans both the column and table ways., A metal shade-type way cover powered by an air motor has solved the problem of keeping table and column ways free from chips on several large machining centers at Master [...]

Hydraulic and shrink-fit toolholders allow precise tool centering that does not require manual intervention. Hydraulic toolholder features smooth machining performance with lesser vibration at significantly faster speeds by centering the tool through fluid pressure. Shrink-fit, on the other hand, centers the tool by using a thermal expansion mechanism making it ideal for rotary tool operations such as boring, drilling, reaming and even milling with relatively deep cuts., Toolholders deliver tight concentricity - no tramming required. When the tool is off-center in a machining center spindle, the flutes don't share the work. With each revolution, the cutting edge [...]

Machine shops are using electrical discharge machining (EDM) in making holes with internal threads. EDM tapping is a spark erosion process that has several advantages over traditional hole making techniques. The Meyer Tool machine shop uses the technique which is able to cut through hard materials and achieve tight tolerances, meet high productivity, flexibility and cost requirements and is able to make holes in one operation. Custom E.D.M. produces the most popular EDM equipment., In many difficult hole making applications, the best way (and often the only way) to form internal threads is with electrical discharge machining. There was a time when, for most [...]

There are several considerations in the selection of feed units for machine shops. Improper selection of feed units can lead to poor product applications, slow production rate and inefficient machine operators. The three general requirements that must be identified before purchasing feed units are production requirements, cost considerations and product life cycle. Feed units are either mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or leadscrew devices., Feed units come in all different shapes and sizes, and with features for a variety of uses. Choosing the right one can substantially affect your bottom line A feed unit [...]

There is a trend towards the increasing use of superabrasive grinding wheel technology in the metalworking industry. This trend is being spurred by the development of new machine tools that can take advantage of the cutting capability of such technology by delivering a level of stiffness that is not provided by old grinders. The use of superabrasive cutting technology can improve a machine shop's response time in meeting customer demands., Using the cutting capabilities of a superabrasive grinding wheel requires a systematic processing approach. It takes more to get good process results than just slapping a superabrasive grinding wheel on [...]

Interpolated milling cutters such as face mills are now being used by machine shops in performing helical milling of holes through metals. This technique is able to produce holes that are close in terms of roundness, size and finish to the quality of holes produced by traditional boring bars. The use of face mills for drilling and boring through metals can enhance the efficiency and profitability of machining operations while providing them the opportunity to consolidate their operations., Making holes in metal is probably the most common operation in any machine shop. Specialized drilling and boring tools do a fine job making accurate holes. Increasingly though, shops are [...]

Machine shops should consider abrasive waterjet technology as a cutting method. Technological advances have improved the wearability and control technology of waterjet systems. Waterjet systems give manufacturers quick, flexible and effective ways of cutting. Furthermore, the systems provide a good alternative to surface penetration and they are ideal for cutting materials that are heat sensitive. Airborne contaminants and fumes are also dramatically reduced or eliminated through the use of waterjet systems.

Rochester, NY-based Precise Tool and Manufacturing Inc. has chosen Carboloy Inc.'s Octomill cutter to replace its face milling equipment. The cutter, which is available in general-purpose and lighter-duty design versions, offers slotting, profile milling and high-performance face milling. The Octomill has enabled the machine shop to enhance parts processing operations, reduce milling costs and minimize insert consumption., Precise Tool and Manufacturing, Rochester, New York, is a 20-year-old contract shop focused on short-run machining of large structural cast iron and hot-rolled steel components for special machine tools designed [...]

The appropriate indexable insert selection process can help machinists avoid insert failure. An ideal process uses insert failure analysis which involves in-house testing of inserts based on specific applications and performance criteria. The insert failure approach also considers material groupings and types of failures. Machinists are also advised to monitor inserts for surface finish deterioration, cratering and other failure modes., Indexable inserts do not last forever, but some fail prematurely. By selecting the right insert, shops can extend tool life. In an ideal world, indexable inserts wear evenly at a [...]

Santa Rosa, CA-based J and M Machine has been able to recover 18% of initial operating expenses during its first three months of operation. Company founders Shane Jacobson and Bernard Meisinger attributed J and M Machine's impressive growth to its strong customer base and appropriate equipment. An integral part of J and M Machine's operations is Solutionware's Geopath for Windows computer-aided design and manufacturing system. The system allowed engineers to accurately measure part dimensions and incorporate these measurements into tool path planning., Starting a new machine shop can take a lot of time, money and work, and even so, there is no guarantee of success. One new job shop/production shop in Santa [...]

Glastonbury, CT-based machine job shop Pinto Assoc. traditionally relied on form tools to cut contoured metal workpieces. The company, however, discovered that its form tool processes were not cost-efficient when applied to the manufacture of commercial cut-metal parts. Pinto Assoc. replaced its form tools with an indexable profiling cutter from Millstar LLC. The use of the new indexable cutter helped increase productivity and boost manufacturing flexibility., Robert Pinto had always cut that external radius with a form tool. It seemed the most efficient way. With a pass or two, the entire form was complete, and it [...]

GP Precision has grown to become of the largest suppliers of precision devices for the electronics industry. The company's strength lies in producing high-quality parts in minimal time. GP Precision Pres. Art Cubbage's attributed the company's high quality and rapid production processes to its use of computer numerical control (CNC) punch presses. GP Precision's equipment includes several Strippit 1000 XP/20 punch presses and 1000R CNC turret punch presses., GP Precision, a New Jersey-based precision sheet metal fabricator, was founded in 1966 to serve the prototype market of the electronics industry. Their original shop in Morris Plains, New Jersey, [...]

Many machine shops are realizing the importance of measuring the geometry of their products at the production level. Consequently, they are deploying a wide range of geometry measuring devices to test circular parallelism, circular flatness and concentricity. Some examples of such measuring devices include photocopier drums, precision bearings and gimbals, spool valves and machine spindle cylindricity gages., Measuring workpiece dimensions is relatively simple for machine operators but measuring workpiece geometry - which involves more complex comparisons of part shape to an ideal shape - is now also [...]

Greensboro, NC-based Machine Specialities Inc. uses Marposs Corp.'s Quick Set flexible shaft gaging systems to ensure quality in its flexible machining centers. The gaging system has enhanced the company's gaging flexibility and efficiency. Machine Specialities plans to integrate the gaging system to its newly-acquired CAD-CAM systems to allow it to measure parts during its initial production run., Where flexibility and versatility are the rule, it should apply not only to machine tools but also to shop-floor metrology equipment. For this contract shop, a modular, flexible gaging system [...]