Articles & Columns

Tapping medical parts requires unique considerations not required in general-purpose machining.

Document jobs to reduce setup time when they repeat.

CTE Editorial Director Alan Rooks laments the long and winding road to economic recovery in this Lead Angle editorial in the September 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Cutting Tool Engineering Editor Alan Richter mentions a new augmented reality system that offers on-site technicians assistance from a distance in his Look Ahead column for the August 2011 issue.

Horizontal boring mills are behemoth in size and flexibility.

Controlling foam when applying high-pressure coolant requires trade-offs to achieve effective metalcutting.

Many manufacturers apply finishes such as black oxide, metal plating, adhesives and sealants to their parts. One key question is whether to apply those finishes in-house or outsource the operation. For many shops, the decision is based on part volume, cost of capital and practical considerations.

END USER: Three Sigma Manufacturing Inc., (253) 395-1125, www.threesigma.net. CHALLENGE: Improve cycle times and prevent catastrophic failure when drilling a hole in a complex aerospace part. SOLUTION: A replaceable-tip drill that reduced cycle times and provided progressive failure indicators. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., (800) 321-5537, www.alliedmachine.com

Cutting Tool Engineering Editor Alan Richter includes a grinding machine that enables a PCD- or PCBN-tipped cutting tool to be processed in one setup for his August 2011 Look Ahead column.

Grooving hardened steel parts with PCBN cutting tools.

Manager's Desk Columnist Keith Jennings urges shops to consider having a business continuity plan in the August 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Shop Operations Columnist Tom Lipton addresses tool selection and managing your personal toolcrib in the August 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

END USER: Focus: HOPE's Center for Advanced Technologies, www.focushope.edu, (313) 494-5500. CHALLENGE: Accurately mark machined parts. SOLUTION: A flexible laser marking system. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Columbia Marking Tools, (586) 949-8400, www.columbiamt.com

The Machine Technology column in the August 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering takes a close look at measuring the cutting force.

END USER: Aragon Surgical Inc., (650) 543-3100, www.aragonsurgical.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce costs when procuring a stainless steel part for a laparoscopic surgical device. SOLUTION: A contract manufacturer that stamps some previously machined part features and machines only the critical features. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Connecticut Spring & Stamping, (860) 677-1341, www.ctspring.com

Machine tool builders discuss the development and evolution of drill and tap machines.

Cutoff wheel manufacturer inquires about a testing program to evaluate his product in the August 2011 Ask the Grinding Doc column in Cutting Tool Engineering.

In his August 2011 Lead Angle editorial, Cutting Tool Engineering Editorial Director Alan Rooks addresses whether the plan for the latest U.S. manufacturing initiative unveiled by President Obama will provide a boost to the industry.

Monocrystalline diamond inserts for imparting high-polish finishes.

Very deep, complex holes are becoming increasingly challenging to machine as hole tolerances become tighter and surface finish requirements get finer.