MMS Blog

CAD/CAM

Hands-On Experience Helps Autodesk Innovate

During a recent trip to San Francisco, Calif., Senior Editor Chris Felix from sister publication Production Machining got a chance to visit Autodesk’s new Pier 9 facility. There, he learned about the commercial availability of Inventor HSM, an integrated CAM solution for Inventor users.

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CAD/CAM

Keeping 3 + 2 Machining in the Clear with PowerMill’s Dynamic Machine Control Toolbar

Dynamic Machine Control helps the programmer find the most advantageous workplane orientation, cutting tool tilt angle and tool length in order to speed the process of optimizing a 3 + 2 program.

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Measurement

Raising the Bar with Ballbar Testing

Few manufacturing companies rely on ballbar testing to maintain machine tool accuracy as thoroughly as Silfex. Now, advanced training and a move to a Renishaw QC20-W wireless system have enabled the company to take the benefits of ballbar testing to a higher level.

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Beginning Guide to Metals

A machining business gave young people visiting the shop a set of blocks made from various metals to help them understand the work of manufacturing, and the knowledge of materials that manufacturers put to use.

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March MBI Shows Fastest Growth in Two Years

With a reading of 55.9, Gardner’s metalworking business index showed that conditions in the industry expanded in March for the third straight month and the fourth time in five months. This was the fastest rate of growth since March 2012.

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Clemson U. Grad Student Wins MTConnect Challenge

Valerie Pezzullo won $100,000—the top prize in a national contest designed to promote innovative uses of the MTConnect open operability standard—for her application that monitors cutting conditions to reduce or prevent chatter.

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Workholding

Video: Cap Screws Not Required

An article with video highlights the quick-change advantages of a dovetail vise jaw interface.

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Experiences with ERP

Job shops reach a point in their growth when they need to face the issue of information management. Here are links to 10 shops’ experiences with enterprise resource planning software.

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Automation

91ÊÓÆµÍøÕ¾ÎÛ’s April Digital Edition Is Now Available

91ÊÓÆµÍøÕ¾ÎÛ’s April issue features results from the 2014 World Machine Tool Output and Consumption Survey, technical articles about data-driven manufacturing and a million-dollar job, workholding articles, automation case studies, turning equipment reviews, and more.

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Searching for Skilled Workers? Here’s Part of the Solution

In recent years, manufacturers have found it increasingly difficult to find trained, skilled employees, especially in the metalworking industry.

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Workholding

Hydraulic or Pneumatic Actuation for Collet Blocks?

Collet-style workholding devices like collet blocks offer a number of benefits, but which actuating method is most appropriate for you?

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An Eye on the Inside

There are myriad applications for RFID technology. This article shows an atypical one—how it’s used to monitor the degree of contamination on a laser cutter lens so an operator doesn’t have to.

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