Articles & Columns

Cutting Tool Engineering Editorial Director Alan Rooks ponders one of the metalworking industry's biggest challenges of late—filling numerous job vacancies.

The NC post-processor is an often overlooked piece of the chain between the CAM system and the machine's CNC, according to the Get With The Program column in the May 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Learn details about the many new products that manufacturers are offering to the metalworking industry in Cutting Tool Engineering's May 2012 Product Showcase.

END USER: Rohde & Schwarz, (888) 837-8772, www.rohde-schwarz.us. CHALLENGE: Simplify and speed up measurement of micro parts and features. SOLUTION: Optical 3-D measurement system that employs focus-variation technology. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Alicona Imaging GmbH, (630) 372-9900, www.alicona.com

When loading a toolholder into a machine tool spindle with an automatic toolchanger, misalignment of the ATC gripper to the spindle can damage the spindle taper. In addition, a misaligned, clamped toolholder increases cutting tool runout.

Machine Technology columnist Dr. Scott Smith discusses the constraints related to the selection of machining parameters in the May 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Check out the Shop Operations column in the May 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering to learn how a WWII-era Russian spy continues to serve as a cautionary tale about the perils of daydreaming.

The tangential cutting force and the cutting speed allow you to calculate the required machining power for an operation.

Can vertical machining centers go toe-to-toe with horizontals on performance?

Amada Machine Tools demonstrated its new S-10 modular multitask machine during a recent press briefing at its Technical Center in Schaumburg, Ill.

Look Ahead column for April 2012 looks at binderless nano-polycrystalline diamond cutting tools

END USER: Richardson Manufacturing Co., (217) 546-2249, www.rmc-bigcnc.com. CHALLENGE: Achieve a tight tolerance without increasing cycle time. SOLUTION: A combination drill that eliminated an unreliable boring operation. SOLUTION PROVIDER: Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., (800) 321-5537, www.alliedmachine.com

When choosing among coated-abrasive flap discs to remove metal and finish parts, grit size is just the beginning.

The Look Ahead column for April 2012 sheds light on technology that reduces noncut time by optimizing B-axis rotation.

Workholding involves much more than slapping a part in a vise or chuck and pushing the cycle-start button, according to the Workholding column in the April 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

Estimating burn depth is tricky. It depends on the thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of the workpiece material, the maximum surface temperature reached and, most importantly, the time the wheel is in the grinding zone.

For the first time as a combined company, DMG/Mori Seiki hosted the open house held annually at the Deckel Maho Pfronten (Germany) GmbH plant. The event took place Feb. 7 to 11 and reportedly drew more than 5,000 industry professionals from around the world.

The Machine Technology column from the April 2012 edition of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine examines how machine tool vibration often causes problems when machining. Chatter, a self-excited vibration, can lead to poor surface finish and cutting tool chipping or breakage.

It's getting to be a broken record. February was another up month for U.S. manufacturing as output increased 0.4 percent. Output rose 0.7 percent in January after jumping 1.5 percent in December—the biggest gain in 5 years. Also, U.S. manufacturers added 31,000 jobs in February, on top of adding 227,000 jobs in 2011. Of course, the big question is how long can this last?

As we climb out of the winter grind, we've all had our share of weighty issues to manage.