Articles & Columns

Experts offer advice for implementing an SPC program in shops. They emphasize that developing an SPC program isn't as difficult as many people think, and that a program can be implemented with few hassles.

Computer simulations of the cutting process can help tool designers predict the effects of tool-geometry changes. This article describes how one manufacturer is using the most recent advances in computer modeling to reduce the need for producing and testing prototype inserts. An accompanying article describes a commercially available simulation program.

Routing coolant out through the tip of the tool can provide greater control of temperatures and chips. This article describes the benefits of through-coolant tools and describes the methods of retrofitting machines to accept through-coolant tools.

The PVD and CVD processes produce coatings with specific strengths and weaknesses. This article compares the processes and attempts to correct some common misconceptions about CVD coatings. The findings of a survey on tool coaters' use of coating materials and methods are also reported.

This article details the jobs and applications where indexable drills can and can't offer increased performance and economy. He also explains how to diagnose and correct common indexable-insert drill problems.

Researchers from Lehigh University report the results of drilling tests conducted using sintered steel samples. The samples were prepared using different machinability-improving additives. The results showed that sintered steel with low-alloy steel and resulferized sintered steel are nearly as machinable as wrought steel.

Researchers report on their study of coating performance. Their tests of TiN, TiCN and TiAlN coatings involved turning Inconel 718, medium-carbon steel and ductile cast iron. The wear rates and failure mechanisms of the coated tools are compared.

The author explains how high-pressure, high-volume coolant can provide better control of chips and temperature during drilling operations. He also describes the tools, equipment and shop procedures that can ensure top performance from a high-pressure coolant system.

Next-generation CMM software offers users a simple interface, the ability to program the machine directly from CAD data files and the opportunity to write programs off-line. This article describes the latest advancements in CMM software and shows how older machines can be retrofitted to take advantage of the software's features.

Using his students as researchers, an industrial-arts teacher sets up an experiment to test claims being made for tool resharpening using cubic boron nitride wheels. The experiment taught the students how to keep a log of tool conditions, use and sharpenings as they gathered data for their study.

An exclusive survey finds shops struggling to locate and hire skilled labor. This report of the survey's findings also reveals the most popular techniques to ease staffing woes.

A new cryogenic tool treatment subjects tools to minus-320-degree temperatures by immersing them in a bath of liquid nitrogen. This article details the procedure and offers test results from the laboratory and the field that show how the treatment can extend tool life.

This article reviews the fixturing innovations users are beginning to see on the market. Some of the discussion focuses on the design criteria that has emerged out of an ongoing NIST-funded study.

Taper pipe threading is unlike any other threading operation, and it may be one of the most difficult operations a machinist can be asked to perform. This article reviews the various types of taper threads and the tools and techniques needed to produce them.

Superabrasive bore finishing can achieve results in one pass that rival the finishes produced in several passes by other bore sizing operations. This article recounts how a number of shops have used superabrasive tools to finish bores with a higher degree of quality and a lower overall cost per piece.

A manual milling machine can be retrofitted with a CNC system for about one-fourth the cost of a brand new CNC machine. This article discusses the pros and cons of retrofitting and provides guidance to determine when retrofitting is the most appropriate solution.

This article charts the gradual move by CNC manufacturers from proprietary hardware-based machine controllers to open, software-based systems. The article also reviews recently developed controllers that represent steps in the direction of totally open controls.

Researchers using computer simulation and refined probing techniques attempted to mill a pocket as accurately as possible. This report tells how the researchers used their high-tech tools and how close to perfection they came.

Some North American end users have been disappointed in the performance of their HSK toolholders. This article discusses why and looks at ways the toolholder design developed in Europe for high-speed milling may need to be adapted for machining practices in the United States.

Machining ceramics is considered a difficult and costly operation. With the growing use of ceramics, shops are anxious to find cost-effective ways to work with the materials. This article discusses attempts by researchers to achieve maximum metal-removal rates without damaging the workpiece.