When to Choose Custom Tooling
While most shops try to use standard, off-the-shelf cutting tools for as many operations as possible, it is often more cost effective to invest in custom tools.
While most shops try to use standard, off-the-shelf cutting tools for as many operations as possible, it is often more cost effective to invest in custom tools. The article “When to Consider Customized Cutting Tools” looks at some of the justification criteria for making the standard versus custom tool decision.
While looking through a tooling catalog, it seems there simply can’t be room for another cutting tool configuration. There are so many. Truth be told, most so-called standard tools began as a custom grind for a specific application.
Successfully applied, the popularity of a specific tool leads to its more widespread usage and eventually the economics justify producing it as a standard tool. Shops looking at making the decision to buy standard or order custom need to evaluate several considerations. This article explains the decision process and question one needs to ask and answer.
Related Content
-
Boring Head Enables Sculpture Hardware to Be Machined on a Lathe
When small job shop Ansonia Manufacturing took on a tricky hardware component job for a “live” glass art sculpture, it realized a boring head would be needed to machine the part complete on its live-tool lathe.
-
Replaceable-Insert Spade Drill Basics, Advantages
Although solid carbide and indexable-insert drills have their place in a machine shop, replaceable-insert spade drills offer specific advantages for various holemaking operations on machining centers and lathes.
-
Data Matrix Codes Offer Cutting Tool Traceability
A company’s quest to discover errors in a manufacturing process has led to printing data matrix codes on its cutting tools that provide a wealth of information for both the user and this cutting tool manufacturer.
