precision writing
Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a crucial metric for any manufacturer using automated machinery. And for shops with CNC lathes, machining centers and electrical-discharge machines (not to mention press brakes and other types of sheet metal fabrication equipment), one of…
Jimmy was a crusty old machinist and part-time farmer from Belle Plaine, Minn. He knew more about cutting metal than anyone I’ve ever met. He was also my friend. I was 17 years old and starting a new job as…
Gabe Lipscomb didn’t plan a career in education. He once told his high school geometry teacher that the class was stupid and that he would never use any of what he learned there. “Then I went and became a machinist,…
First, the facts: Electric vehicles require only a fraction of the roughly 1,400 machined components used in internal combustion vehicles. And the 200 components that are needed are smaller, lighter and must therefore withstand higher levels of torque. Together, those developments have led to…
The Dewey Decimal system allows librarians to find and categorize books quickly. The SWIFT and IBAN codes enable bankers to safely conduct electronic transactions with financial institutions in other countries. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is what makes the internet navigable…
New York manufacturing team develops a low-cost emergency ventilator in three weeks In times of need, manufacturing is driven by a philosophy John Lennon said best, “There are no problems, only solutions.” Today, manufacturers have pivoted to produce the critical…
Maybe your company specializes in aerospace or medical components, and you need to produce complex geometries in metals too tough to cut via conventional machining methods. Or maybe you work in or own a tool and cutter shop, and are…
For those of you who’ve poured your hearts and hundreds of hours into a batch of precision parts, stacked them lovingly on a pallet and wrapped it all in plastic, cardboard and metal banding before placing it into the back…
As strong as steel but half the weight, titanium is a favorite among aircraft builders. Part 1 of a 3-part series on the history of titanium, its many uses, and how to machine this important metal. Part 2, to run…
Understanding how cutting tools, feeds and speeds, and tool paths can tame the difficult-to-cut metal. Part 2 of a 3-part series on the history of titanium. Part 1, in the March 2016 issue of AM&D, covered the history of the…