PM Blog
'Shaving Time'
Shaving a part is primarily done to ensure that proper tolerances on a part are maintained due to reasons such as head locking issues and cutting dynamics. Shops now expect tooling to produce error-proof machining, maintain step and lateral relativity, reduce grind stock and eliminate secondary operations.
Read MoreMaking Transfer Machines More Flexible
Are your lot sizes too big for machining centers but too small for dedicated transfer machines? Here's a solution.
Read MoreSolving Subspindle Part-Ejection Problems
When parts fail to eject properly from the subspindle of a four-axis lathe or Swiss screw machine, the result can be hours of downtime and a big bill to repair the damage. If you are plagued by this problem, you will be interested in the Subspindle Part Ejection Device (SPED) made by Zenna Industries.
Read MoreDelivering What The Customer Wants
How Prince Industries Mixes Manufacturing With Off-Shore Sourcing
Read MoreSupplier Consolidation Can Create Major Problems
Consolidation among steel bar suppliers is creating a variety of issues for precision parts manufacturers.
Read MoreThe Montagues' Kindred Spirit
Almost since doctors first told them their son Jerod had severe cerebral palsy, Jim and Lois Montague have been preparing for the day when they would no longer be capable of taking care of him. What the Montagues didn’t plan for was being at the forefront of building a $2 million, 11,000-square-foot group home to house 30-year-old Jerod and seven other severely handicapped young adults.
Read MoreQuick-Change Tooling For Swiss-Style Machines
The productivity of new Swiss-style machines has increased in recent years as faster spindles, more rigid bases and improved controls have made it possible to dramatically increase metal removal rate. But while cycle times have been substantially reduced, the time required to change cutting tools has stayed largely the same.
Read MoreA Look at Today's Cast Iron
This article explores a variety of factors affecting machinability of grey and ductile irons. Choosing the right combination of metal and cutting tools can have a dramatic impact on the cost of a part.
Read MoreCan You Afford To Ignore Tool Monitoring?
In production, eliminating variability is the key to making good parts consistently. Cutting tool condition is a critical variable in the process. With a return on investment, in many cases, of less than a month, in-process tool monitoring is a cost-effective way to help plan and verify a shop's cutting tool strategy.
Read MoreConverting An OD Pickoff To An ID Pickoff
It's easy to make equipment purchasing decisions when the customer commits to a fixed number of parts, but it's something else entirely when there is no such commitment and the job could go away at any time.
Read MoreSelecting The Right Shaft Coupling
When designing machinery, how do you begin to select the right coupling for a drivetrain application? How do you find one that will not only compensate for misalignments in the joined shafts but will also provide the flexibility, torque capacity, corrosion-resistance and other performance capabilities that the application requires? Here’s a case in point that provides some of the answers.
Read MoreAutomated Parts Washer Keeps Up With 140 Screw Machines
This company had trouble meeting stringent cleanliness specs at such a high volume with aqueous cleaning.
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