Articles

We Belong Here: Women in Manufacturing Share Their Stories

Three women—a young welder, an experienced machinist/setup person and a shop owner—share what it is like to be a woman in a manufacturing career and illustrate that a more inclusive workforce helps our manufacturing industry thrive.

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Basics

Everyone Should Be a Waste Hunter

Documenting and recording the eight types of waste in any process is essential for any manufacturing operation. Here are a few tips on how to identify each type.   

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CNC Tech Talks

Keeping Your Company in the Loop

Demand that all employees are constantly learning and staying up to date with the latest manufacturing technology.

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Automation

The Unattended Effects of CNC Machine Shop Automation

Automated machining and data collection have helped Custom Tool to not only grow its business through more lights-out production, but also to establish a continuous-improvement mindset that has enabled it to become more efficient in numerous areas.

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Die Manufacturer Embraces IIoT to Move to Shorter-Run Production

As a punch and die supplier’s customers implemented leaner strategies, it needed to shift to shorter-run manufacturing. An ethernet communications system enabled machine CNCs to communicate with bar feeders to automatically switch part programs without operator intervention.

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Buying a Coordinate Measuring Machine: CMMs Past and Future

While there has been much speculation that CMMs are becoming obsolete, the opposite is true. 

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Stream Finishing Confines Friction to the Racetrack

To improve component finish as well as engine and gearbox performance for its customers, this racing motorcycle rebuild company based in the UK has gears and other components treated with a super-finishing process common to jewelry and aerospace applications.

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Basics

Why Is My Surface So Rough?

Be aware of the inherent manufacturing and design challenges that impact the dimensions and tolerances that you can (or cannot) achieve on an “as built” part.

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Turning Tools

Video: PVD vs. CVD—How to Choose the Right Tool Coating

Machining footage of different coatings in both roughing and finishing passes reveals how choosing the right coating can have a dramatic effect on the performance of the process.

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Grinding

How to Calculate Wheel Life in a Creep-Feed Grinding Process

For non-continuous-dress creep-feed grinding, the calculation is straightforward. For continuous dressing, the calculation has more steps, but in either case, it is possible to manage the cost of grinding by predicting the life of the wheel.

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Basics

Buying a Wire EDM, Part 4: Dielectric Fluid & Maintenance

Removing the microscopic particles made during the wire EDM cutting process becomes a key factor in maximizing cutting speed as well as attaining part accuracy and surface finish. Dielectric fluid is the mechanism for flushing these “chips” away.

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News of Note: October 2018

The NTMA appoints a new president, Röhm acquires Master WorkHolding, Renishaw opens new demo center and more industry news. 

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