Articles & Columns

The April 2017 Machine Technology column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine covers tabletop equipment for sharpening cutting tools.

Commit to a German-style, dual-training apprenticeship program so your shop can produce its own skilled workers, suggests the director of the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest Inc.

On March 2, mHUB, a physical-product innovation center and microfactory, celebrated its official grand opening in Chicago. The center is designed to galvanize the area’s manufacturing ecosystem by generating innovative ideas, attracting world-class talent and fostering collaboration.

U.S. toolmakers should “claim the origin of [their] products,” he said during a speech at an industry event hosted by the grinding-machine and EDM builder Vollmer. Viaud-Murat pointed out, though, that manufacturers should not claim a product is U.S.-made if it isn’t. Doing so could result in legal action against the offending company, initiated by the Federal Trade Commission.

Omron Adept Technologies Inc.’s LD-series mobile robot can gather information about its surroundings and automatically generate a map with just one run through any given environment.

One roadblock for parts makers to begin implementing Industrial Internet of Things technology is psychological: Implementation sounds like a big, time-consuming undertaking. It can be, of course. But a good way to start might be to take about 20 minutes and fire up Smart Attend, an all-in-one manufacturing-facility communication system from Smart Attend Inc.

END USER: Greenlee Textron Inc., (815) 784-5127, www.greenlee.com. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Keyence Corp. of America, (888) 539-3623, www.keyence.com. CHALLENGE: Relieve capacity constraints on conventional coordinate measuring machines. SOLUTION: A portable 3D measurement system.

Discover the precision and versatility of honing—a machining process ideal for finishing cylinders, correcting bore geometry, and enhancing gear performance. Learn how honing works, its benefits, and key applications in modern manufacturing.

There’s plenty of good application advice available from cutting tool specialists and equipment providers. This article offers six best-practice tips you might not have heard of yet, ones that will help you improve throughput and reduce costs.  

The advantages of combining additive manufacturing with finish-machining processes in a single setup are plentiful, from shorter cycle times to the ability to create complex, unlikely geometries. Because of the specific needs of their industry, moldmakers might feel left out. However, a few machine builders are filling this niche-within-a-niche. 

The major wire EDM builders are still in competition, of course, but on other playing fields. The latest developments in wire electrical discharge machining focus on throughput, ease of use and automation.

According to those interviewed for this article, most shops wait far longer than they should to clean sumps because the job is such a hassle. Waiting too long, however, creates a host of problems. 

When was the last time someone sat your team down and talked about safety? Where I work, we sit down once or twice a year for safety sessions, according to Michael Deren, who writes the Machinist's Corner column for Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

James Harvey, Cutting Tool Engineering's Shop Operations columnist, offers some miscellaneous tips and and unusual methods of machining that worked for him—and may help other metalworkers.

When purchasing consumer products, most of us quickly decide to pass on extended warranties. But extended machine tool warranties may merit more careful consideration, according to the Machine Technology column in the March 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

CNC machine tools only generate revenue when they are producing good parts. The more good parts they make, the quicker the return on investment for machine tools. To maximize output, the total per-part machining time, including preparation, must be minimized.

Having worked in manufacturing since 1992, I’ve learned many things about machine shop marketing and branding from fellow shop owners. Some spend, literally, no money on marketing while others spend a lot. I’ve also learned what works and what doesn’t.

OSHA officials have extended an olive branch to small businesses with its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), a partnership with those businesses that take safety seriously and respect the health and well-being of their employees. The program is administered through OSHA Consultation.

One of the activities I enjoy most in connection with my job is visiting production facilities, because I get a chance to see how parts and products are made and have face-to-face interactions with talented metalworking professionals—not to mention that it gets me out of the office now and then.

At the National Tooling and Machining Association Plant Managers Roundtable, held Feb. 8 in Phoenix, Jeff Estes, director of Partners in THINC at Okuma America Corp., Charlotte, N.C., discussed the advantages and challenges of shop-floor automation.