Makers of workholding devices face a moving target. The machine tools they work with are changing. There’s more high-speed machining. More high-feed machining. More multi-axis machines. New uses of coolant to reduce temperatures during cutting operations.
September 2019 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $195.9 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute and The Association For Manufacturing Technology.
Machine tool orders fell slightly on a monthly basis in July but posted a solid gain compared with a year earlier.
It’s the machine tool acronym you never bother to put into words: CNC. And much of the time it’s probably OK to view your “computer numerical control” as a black box doing magic. But if you’re struggling with high-speed machining, need better surface finishes or higher accuracy, have training and retention problems, or want a better handle on your production efficiency, the answer just might be the latest iterations of those three little letters.
Those who manufacture precision workholding systems have the same goals and challenges as the machinists who use them. Both groups strive to reduce setup times and optimize cutting cycles. Secure, consistent, and accurate gripping is paramount.
A few years ago, two companies joined forces to greatly enhance productivity in heavy milling and crankshaft machining. Their combined efforts resulted in solutions to improve throughput and reduce costs by a factor of four in some cases.
The word “reconditioned” can ignite visions of worn, overworked products inferior to new ones. The reality is as long as you purchase from a reputable supplier, reconditioned cutting tools will deliver the same consistent results as they did upon initial purchase.
The best way to solve the skills gap is to ignite the already existing and yet dormant fuel of curiosity inside of young minds.
Support for multi-start threads, tapered threads and cross centerline single-point threads give more control over complex threading processes.
Heat-resistant superalloys resist heat—and easy cutting. Industry experts offer solutions.
