Articles & Columns

The Look Ahead section in the May 2015 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine also presents a sensory toolholder for wireless, in-process measurement of cutting forces.

While writing his Manager's Desk column for the May 2015 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine, Keith Jennings attended a 3-day symposium hosted by a key customer -- a large, growing energy company.

Train your workers to sharpen their skills and keep them on the job, suggests this month's Shop Technology column in Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

A PCD milling cutter that combines a patented chipbreaker and direct cooling through the cutting face.

A new process for strengthening metals while making them more resistant to corrosion.

Dr. Jeffrey Badger, who authors the Ask the Grinding Doc column, answers questions about barreling and scrubber nozzles.

Software developers raise the bar with improved toolpaths, integration and simulation.

Enhance precision and shorten changeover time when machining retention knobs. Quick-change collet chucks.

When shops purchase new machinery, a common error some make is accepting the standard live tooling package from the builder without considering other options. This is not a criticism of those packages, but end users should do as much evaluation of their processes when determining the proper tooling package as they do when evaluating machine tools. This examination can range from the simple, such as external vs. internal coolant, to the sublime, such as adjustable vs. extended tooling configurations, to the truly exotic.

Methods for minimizing chatter.

Increase part quality and productivity when deep-cavity micromachining while achieving tight tolerances. A heat-activated, wax-based compound for holding parts.

How flame hardening works

Keeping employees' personal matters separate from professional ones.

Boring heads that improve productivity.

When grinding complex cutting tool profiles, attention should be paid to the software, the wheel and the tool blank for best results.

Quick-change tooling can boost profits.

Vertical machining centers play a central role in the growth of S&S Machine Shop.

There comes a time when some chipmaking shops add wire EDMing to their repertoire. This is often done to reduce costs, because bringing what were once subcontracted, secondary EDMing operations in-house often makes good financial and logistical sense.

Most manufacturers have made great strides in optimizing operations. Many have even standardized multiple facilities with the same on-premise software to create consistency across the enterprise. However, no matter how many procedures are put in place, each plant has its own idiosyncrasies, making it nearly impossible for systems to communicate with each other.

In a typical machine-tool-axis positioning system, the workpiece is mounted on a table that slides along flat, straight guide ways. The table may be supported on the guide ways by rolling elements or by a thin film of oil or grease. A screw controls the table position along the guide way. The rotation of the screw in the nonrotating nut that is fixed to the table drives the table left or right. The rotation of the motor translates into linear table position through the pitch of the screw.