Saving Time and Money on the Shop Floor with AM
By: Timothy W. Simpson
The ways additive manufacturing is presented sometimes miss the most practical and valuable ways it can be used.
#additiveinsights
10 Ways Additive Manufacturing and Machining Go Together and Affect One Another
By: Peter Zelinski
Forget “additive versus subtractive.” Machining and metal additive manufacturing are interconnected, and enhance the possibilities for one another. Here is a look at just some of the ways additive and machining interrelate right now.
Cutting Tool Inventory: A Big Concern for Small Shops
By: Peter Zelinski
A job shop might have an amount of money tied up in tooling equal to a significant share of its investment in CNC machines. Here is how one shop owner thinks about tool management.
#zaxis
When Handing Down the Family Machine Shop is as Complex as a Swiss-Turned Part
By: Brent Donaldson
The transition into Swiss-type machining at Deking Screw Products required more than just a shift in production operations. It required a new mindset and a new way of running the family-owned business. Hardest of all, it required that one generation let go, and allow a new one to step in.
#successionplanning #workforcedevelopment
10 Things to Know About Creep-Feed Grinding
By: Peter Zelinski
Because of the high material removal rate creep-feed grinding can deliver in challenging materials, grinding might not be just the last step in the process—it might be the process.
#Basics
Fearless Five-Axis Programming Fosters Shop Growth
By: Brent Donaldson
Reinvestment in automation has spurred KCS Advanced Machining Service’s growth from prototyping to low-and mid-volume parts. The key to its success? A young staff of talented programmers.
Grooving Attachment Streamlines Operation by 75%
By: Evan Doran
A grooving attachment enabled Keselowski Advanced Manufacturing to reduce cycle times by over 45 minutes on a high-value, high-nickel part feature.
Mixed Bag Ahead for US Metalworking Economy
By: Jan Schafer
While what has been an extraordinarily robust manufacturing economy has softened in recent months, and the near-term outlook appears to be more of the same, the overall scenario remains strong. Even a possible recession next year does not appear to be an obstacle to continued growth over the next few years.
#economics
Choosing Optimal Superabrasive Grains and Coatings
By: Alfredo Barragan, Senior Corporate Application Engineer, Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives
Superabrasive grain shape and coating composition play a large role in the suitability of grinding wheels for different applications.
Improve CNC Productivity by Addressing Three Production Issues
By: Mike Lynch
To boost a CNC machine’s productivity, prioritize improvements to machine setup time and production runtime.
#cnctechtalk
An Additive Manufacturing Machine Shop
By: Julia Hider
Finish machining additively manufactured implants requires different pacing and workflow than cutting parts from stock — different enough for an experienced manufacturer to warrant a dedicated machine shop.
Partial Automation Inspires Full Cobot Overhaul
By: Evan Doran
Targeting two-to-four hours of nightly automation enables high-mix manufacturer Wagner Machine to radically boost its productivity past a single shift.
Reading What the Dial Indicator Is Saying
By: George Schuetz
Dial indicators provide good value for their resolution. With a glance, one can quickly determine if the part is larger or smaller than the master setting and by a degree of how much.
#qualitygagingtips
Solving Process Issues With a Detail-Oriented Approach
By: John Miller
It is essential for a machinist and a shop to have the discipline to pause a process and reassess when encountering issues, even when schedules are tight.
7 CNC Parameters You Should Know
By: Mike Lynch
Parameters tell the CNC every little detail about the specific machine tool being used, and how all CNC features and functions are to be utilized.
#cnctechtalk #Basics
IMTS Takeaways From the Modern Machine Shop Editorial Team
By: MMS Editorial Staff
The first in-person IMTS in four years left the MMS editorial staff with a lot to digest. Here are a few of our takeaways from the show floor.
#successionplanning #workforcedevelopment
10 Lean Manufacturing Ideas for Machine Shops
By: Dr. Shahrukh A. Irani, Lean & Flexible LLC
In addition to the right mix of traditional strategies, a lean manufacturing toolkit can make high-mix, low-volume machining faster, more predictable and less expensive.
#leanmanufacturing #casestudy
