The Walter Turn toolholder features rake-face cooling to help break and control chips, and double flank-face cooling directly at the cutting edge to extend tool life.

Are AMRs the next big trend in job shop automation? System 3R’s IMTS booth will emphasize both its specialty EDM tooling and its automation products, including an autonomous moving robot.

SSP’s commitment to adopting the latest machining technology benefits not only the business, but its employees as well.

FABTECH 2024 will be held October 15-17, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, at the Orange County Convention Center. FABTECH provides a convenient ‘one-stop shop’ venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, discover innovative solutions, and find the tools to improve productivity and increase profits. There is no better opportunity to network, share knowledge and explore the latest technology, all here in one place. Future U.S. Show Dates and Locations 2025 – September 8-11 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL 2026 – October 21-23 at Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV 2027 – September 13-16 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL

Women in Manufacturing is excited to announce that the 2024 SUMMIT will be a hybrid event — both an in-person and virtual experience. Both program offerings will enable you to grow through education and connections that are insightful, meaningful and actionable. Join Women in Manufacturing Oct. 6-9, 2024, in Boston or digitally for an event filled with plant tours at leading manufacturing facilities, professional development sessions, roundtable discussions on important topics, and inspiring keynotes.  All while engaging and interacting with peers through social and networking events! __PRESENT __PRESENT

Working closely with customers and making careful investments has enabled this Wisconsin machine shop to tackle difficult jobs with tight deadlines as a core part of its business.

Incremental mode can be more advantageous when programming sculptured surfaces or for certain hole-machining canned cycle applications.

Mitsui Seiki USA Inc. appoints Joseph Farkas as its director of sales West and Terry Ritterbush as its director of sales East.

Fryer Machine Systems Inc. presents its TC Series of CNC machining centers for high-performance cutting, accuracy, reliability and ease of use.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite materials deliver the important performance advantages of high strength-to-weight ratio, durability, and extreme corrosion resistance in lightweight structures, valued especially for demanding aerospace and oil and gas industry applications. Difficulty of machining can vary significantly depending on the combinations of matrix material and fiber reinforcements selected. Due to the wide array of applications, no two CFRP materials are exactly alike. Each composite can take on different characteristics by changing the matrix formulation, fiber type, content, orientation, build-up, and the method of forming, according to Precorp Inc. (Spanish Fork, UT), a company since 2013 in the Sandvik Coromant organization.

The MB45 series is designed to deliver the low cutting force benefits of positive inserts and the fracture resistance of negative inserts.

After experiencing process stalls in the finishing stage of production, Bryan Machine Service designed an air-powered twin spindle and indexable rotating base to effectively double its production of small parts.

When it comes to utilizing the spindle’s power, there is a lot of headroom at the upper limits, provided it’s in short bursts. Be mindful of your time at these loads so you don’t stall out.

Not only do customers need replacement and spare cutting rolls, but briquette shapes change frequently and some jobs call for the addition of lettering or logos to the briquetting pockets. Some Komarek customers process steel, which requires a high roll hardness. Some operate on corrosives such as salt or cyanide, which can eat away at the roll material. As a result, the processed material itself, as well as the desired final shape of the briquettes, determines the specifications and size of each roll.

Formnext Chicago is an industrial additive manufacturing expo taking place April 8-10, 2025 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Formnext Chicago is the second in a series of Formnext events in the U.S. being produced by Mesago Messe Frankfurt, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, and Gardner Business Media (our publisher).

Due to the wide array of applications, no two CFRP materials are exactly alike. Each composite can take on different characteristics by changing the matrix formulation, fiber type, content, orientation, build-up, and the method of forming, according to Precorp.

Take a look inside James Engineering, a high-end CNC Deburring OEM that became a job shop when they decided to produce their own parts in-house.

Weldon Solutions is demonstrating three grinders at IMTS 2024. Though they differ in size and use case, all feature the company’s hallmark customizations.

New U.S.-based event announced in 2021 finally debuts next year: focuses on complete additive manufacturing value chain. More at formnextchicago.com.

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

“We have found that in drilling applications in ceramic matrix composites, we do not encounter too many issues when entering the material; the problems occur when we exit the material. On the exit surface, we find that the breakout can be quite poor, due to the high axial pressures that are being applied to the workpiece upon the tools exit. The back side of the material in an unsupported environment tends to blow out, which may lead to quality issues. In an unsupported application, we believe there is not an effective way to machine ceramic matrix composites, due to the materials inherent brittleness,” said Win. “But what we have found is that when we apply positive tool geometry with the PCD-veined diamond tooling, you can actually reduce the amount of stress forces that being applied because now you have freer cutting edge and are able to produce the features that are needed with lower thrust force.”

Refined machines at EROWA are handling heavier loads, while its precision workholding enhances stability and rigidity.

Modern Machine Shop is the leading publication and media brand in North America devoted to CNC machining. MMS combines unprecedented editorial access to manufacturing facilities with decades of experience to provide long-form content that is both insightful and impactful. About Us

Ever wonder what sets Top Shops apart from the competition? Dive into their award-winning practices and explore behind-the-scenes strategies for operational excellence.

To speed up its briquette roll production process, Komarek purchased a Mazak Integrex i-630 turn-mill machine to pair with Ceratizit tooling and machine alloy, stainless and tool steels. Photo Credit: All photos courtesy of Komarek

Structured light scanning is used to create a digital twin of a manufactured part, but we must understand the measurement reproducibility to best use the data.

Rob Guiao, Chris Hall and Bassanio Peters will demonstrate relatable situations to equip you with data to improve predictability, future-proof operations and maximize ROI. Agenda:  Explore the importance of data in decision-making, especially for facility upgrades or new projects Learn how comprehensive solutions for manufacturing and construction projects can improve predictability and ROI See real demonstrations of machine integrations, facility layouts and automations to ensure proper throughput and integration

Take a look inside James Engineering, a high-end CNC Deburring OEM that became a job shop when they decided to produce their own parts in-house.

New tech center is serving as a cutting-edge showroom and a technological hub for advanced machining applications.

Iscar Metals Inc. (Arlington, TX) has developed a new range of tools, both indexable and solid-carbide, for machining composite materials. Because intensive abrasion of a cutting tool can lead to dramatic deterioration of cutting tool geometry and, as a result, to performance problems, Iscar R&D has focused on wear that can cause delamination during drilling and milling operations. In order to significantly improve the cutting tools’ performance during drilling, Iscar has developed a solution based on interchangeable heads of its SUMOCHAM product line. The new ICF drilling head geometry, which has been especially designed for drilling composite materials, provides low axial forces for smooth penetration during the cutting process without splintering phenomenon. The new heads are based on a new carbide submicron substrate and diamond coating for prolonged and predictable tool life.

Effective team collaboration is a critical component of success in today’s manufacturing world. With cloud-based technologies that make it easy for team members to brainstorm and problem solve remotely from various locations, design-to-manufacturing processes can become faster and more efficient. This webinar will demonstrate how fully integrated CAM software can be utilized with 3DExperience SolidWorks in a seamless work environment to accelerate product development. Agenda: See how HCL CAMWorks can be used as an add-in for all SolidWorks applications working with the cloud-based 3DExperience platform Learn how fully integrated CAD/CAM saves significant amounts of time during the design to manufacturing process Gain a new understanding of how software can connect users worldwide to accelerate product development Watch a demonstration of team collaboration using platform tools in the CAD/CAM software environment

The L.S. Starrett Co. has been manufacturing precision measurement tools in Athol, Massachusetts, since 1880. Attention to U.S. manufacturing often focuses on reshoring manufacturing from other countries, but Starrett never left. The facility in Athol employs hundreds and produces thousands of tools that remain vital for measurement in machining and other fields.

Iscar also offers a range of solid-carbide drills, starting from 0.118″ (3 mm). The tool geometry of the CFD family has been designed with a stepped point and with two working sections, considerably improving surface finish and allowing a smooth cut on very difficult-to-machine composites, like RTM or thermoplastic materials.

With a wide variety of briquette designs, sizes and materials, machining these rolls is a demanding task for machine tools and, in particular, tooling. To overhaul a lengthy, hands-on process, Komarek paired a Mazak turn-mill machine with Ceratizit ISO-P-grade tooling to reduce production cycles and eliminate an arduous hand-grinding process.

ANCA CNC Machines is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a global producer of CNC tool and cutter grinders.

Each tool setting technique has merit, and it depends on where you are as a shop and the type of work you do, as cost and efficiency all come into play.

Job shops are implementing automation and digitalization into workflows to eliminate set up time and increase repeatability in production.

Join Mahr for an informative webinar to discover the latest advancements in precision measurement, designed to elevate your quality assurance processes and unlock peak productivity. It'll explore cutting-edge technologies — such as modern height gages and contour measuring systems — along with their applications, benefits and technical capabilities. Discover the power of height gages: Learn how intuitive and sophisticated height gages can revolutionize your measurement processes, enabling quick and accurate results in inspection and production areas. Explore the practical functions and ease of use that make height gages an ideal solution for manufacturers seeking high-performance and reliable measuring technology. Examine sample applications and industries where height gages excel, such as qualifying first parts, inspecting incoming parts and measuring series of parts in industries like aerospace, automotive and medical. Unlock efficient contour measurement: An introduction to the latest contour measuring technologies that enable fast, simple and comprehensive contour measurement in the production environment. Discover how these innovative solutions ensure reliable measurements, saving time and increasing efficiency while measuring a wide range of workpieces. Learn how to streamline your contour measuring process with speed and simplicity, achieving fast and precise measurements with incredible versatility. Register now and discover how to unlock peak productivity with new innovations in precision measurement. Agenda: Insights into the latest precision measurement technologies and their applications Understanding of how to improve quality assurance processes and increase productivity Knowledge of how to select the right measurement solutions for your specific needs Tips on how to optimize your measurement processes for maximum efficiency

Once Komarek added new equipment on its shop floor, the company called on Ceratizit to assist with tool-drawer setup for inventory management.

Learn more about the variety of technology and machinery Hwacheon Machinery America, Inc. is featuring at its IMTS 2024 booth.

Walter USA has acquired PDQ Workholding, intending to strengthen its offering of workholding products and develop future cutting tool sales.

Briquettes are dense blocks created by compressing certain materials. For instance, charcoal and water softener salt are prepared as briquettes using charcoal dust and sodium chloride, respectively. These blocks can be compressed in cantilevered removable cutting rolls like those machined by K.R. Komarek, a Wood Dale, Illinois, company whose founder, Gustav Komarek, patented briquetting processes in the early 1900s to make coal less dusty and easier to transport.

Industry is examining different methods of machining sandwiched composites, including waterjet and other abrasive cutting methods. All the alternatives have advantages and disadvantages. The bottom line is that flawless machining of sandwiched composites, especially those intended for aerospace applications, is crucial. Any imperfection on the skin of the wing can be a crack initiation site, and vibration and other forces in the aircraft will cause a crack to grow. In the interest of reliability and safety, manufacturers will continue to employ the cutting tools and techniques that have been developed and proven over time when machining sandwiched composite materials, concludes Seco’s Graham.

New tech center is serving as a cutting-edge showroom and a technological hub for advanced machining applications.

Though most frequently used for diameter measurements, an air plug and platen can be readily configured to measure perpendicularity.

Employees who formerly would have been tackling manual tasks on the briquetting roll production line can now work in Komarek's reconditioning and repair department. These new processes also eliminated the potential for human error from hand-ground pockets, and by previewing milling paths through simulation features within Mastercam, Komarek is seeing less than a thousandth of an inch of variance in pockets. Tool life has also become much more predictable.

Heidenhain and Acu-Rite Solutions are offering several hands-on experiences at their booth this year, as well as internal components that reduce energy use.

Attend TASC, The Automated Shop Conference, in Novi, Mich on Oct. 11, 2023 for a comprehensive look into how to use automation to transform your machine shop.

Moving from cut tapping to form tapping for a notable application cut tooling costs at Siemens Energy and increased tool life a hundredfold.

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The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) will give shops of all sizes and production volumes key insights and practical guidance on how to implement automation.

SUMOCHAM for composites is suitable for use on any type of machine-tools such as CNC machines, robots, and even powered feed machines (ADU) for which special thread connectors are available. The fast head replacement and high positioning repeatability provide minimum machine downtime. Relatively small indexable drilling heads with diamond coating provide an economic advantage, compared to long full solid-carbide drills, as well as easy stock management. The SUMOCHAM range for composite materials covers today a diameter range from 0.250 to 0.500″ (6.35–12.7 mm).

Tool-holder-spindle-machine combinations each have a unique dynamic response in the same way that each person has a unique fingerprint, which can be revealed using modal testing.

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

Tool geometry can also enhance productive machining of sandwiched composites. For instance, Seco’s Jabro 860 end mills are engineered specifically to machine these types of composite materials. The tool’s double-helix tool flute configuration eliminates fiber breakout, prevents delamination, and improves part edge finishes. As the Jabro 860 rotates, the flute helix on the lower part of the tool forces material upward while the upper helix forces material down. The opposed and balanced cutting forces make for a clean-cutting action.

Composite materials for aerospace applications may include polymer matrix composites for structural components for frames and ceramic matrix composites for engine applications. “Ceramic matrix composites developed by GE, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls Royce for the newest aircraft engines pose special machining challenges,” said Linn Win, industry specialist composites, Sandvik Coromant (Fair Lawn, NJ). “The ceramic matrix composite material is extremely abrasive and very brittle. Adding to the difficulty in machining is the required lightweighting. When you factor in the practical machining for light-weighting applications, it’s very difficult to get the cost savings benefits from the light-weighting components because of the more expensive tooling that is required for complex components like blades and blisks,” said Win.

At the seminar, representatives from multiple companies discussed strategies for making orthopedic devices accurately and efficiently.

“Now, we can predict tool life on each material," says Dan Diemer, CNC machinist at Komarek. "Our process improvements include huge gains in repeatability and reliability.”

Are AMRs the next big trend in job shop automation? System 3R’s IMTS booth will emphasize both its specialty EDM tooling and its automation products, including an autonomous moving robot.

Part of Major Tool’s 52,000 square-foot building expansion includes the installation of this new Waldrich Coburg Taurus 30 vertical machining center.

Sandwiched composite parts typically are flat or mildly curved panels that range in thickness from 0.250 to 0.500″ (6.35–12.7 mm). The panels are fabricated to near-net-shape and finish-machined to trim outer edges, mill out widows and other various shaped openings and holes. For finish machining, shops must use high-speed end mills specifically designed for such sandwiched composites.

Chiron Group combines the best of both worlds at IMTS 2024, featuring live demonstrations of their Micro5 and Mill 2000 machines, alongside a cutting-edge virtual showroom. This innovative approach allows visitors to explore Chiron’s full product lineup without the logistical challenges of transporting large equipment.

When Puneet and Neelam Neotia moved from India to the United States several years ago, they brought with them a family background in manufacturing and CNC machining. Now the couple is working to get their startup machine shop off the ground, sourcing new customers and getting the word out about their shop in Clarksville, Indiana. The couple — proud to publicize their "Made in the USA" parts — is leveraging family connections and manufacturing capabilities back in India, but not in the way that some people assume.

Automation is no longer a luxury in manufacturing today – it’s a necessity. The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) will connect job shops with experts who offer advice and considerations for this process.

User-friendly inspection software for CNC machining centers is shown monitoring measurements between and after machining while performing SPC based on recorded measurement values.

Ceratizit USA announces it has appointed Carlos Garza as its business development leader for the oil and gas industry sector.

Did you know that the show was postponed for WWII? Or that McCormick Place was expanded in the ’70s just to accommodate IMTS? A fascinating look at the show’s history from 1927 to today.

Consistency is key for beryllium manufacturing, so the data visibility granted by Harmoni has swiftly become a vital, profitable tool in the shop’s arsenal.

Komarek now relies on some of Ceratizit’s ISO-P grades. These include HSK100 CNMG holders and CTCP135-P carbide turning tools for rough turning with interrupted cuts. For finish turning, HSK100 DNMG holders with CTCP115-P ISO-P15 wear-resistant grades provide optimal resistance to high temperatures for ideal tool life during steel machining at high speeds. Additionally, to handle milling chores, Komarek chose Ceratizit’s K2002 ball-nose indexable cutters in diameters ranging from 8 mm to 32 mm mounted in HSK100 hydraulic chucks.

The Diatool Top Speed Disc features a solid reamer body with multiple connections to produce tolerance stack up.

When revising part designs, investigate the 3D CAD, the 2D drawing and the part’s functional requirements to determine which details should be tightened up.

Heidenhain and Acu-Rite Solutions are offering several hands-on experiences at their booth this year, as well as internal components that reduce energy use.

Entrepreneur Scott Colosimo found early success in China producing parts for his Cleveland-based motorcycle company in the mid-2000s. This is the story of how IP theft issues overwhelmed the business, prompting Colosimo and his team to start over from scratch — and move production back to the United States.

The latest episode “Made in the USA” podcast explores a company that uses collaborative robots, one of the key tools helping US machine shops and other manufacturers compete with lower cost countries by automating production.

Machining the open construction and lightweight materials characteristic of sandwiched composites involves very low cutting forces, so high-torque machine tool spindles are often unnecessary. However, most sandwiched composite parts are big, such as expansive aerospace wing skins, and the machines that cut them are very large in size as well as powerful.

Part of Major Tool’s 52,000 square-foot building expansion includes the installation of this new Waldrich Coburg Taurus 30 vertical machining center.

Another milling family, EPX, is intended mostly for machining carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). This family of compression end mills features opposite cutting edge directions—a combination of right and left helix along one flute. This progressive cutting edge geometry reduces delamination and improves tool performance when milling CFRP and the technology is especially recommended for increased feed rates.

In addition to a versatile machine, Komarek needed durable tooling that could machine its complex roll pockets. Operations Manager David Rammacher came to Komarek from a position at Ceratizit, so he was already familiar with the company’s indexable carbide tooling. He believed that using a version of this tooling with round inserts could improve milling performance on the roll pockets.

Further complicating machining are that stacks of materials of differing strengths and physical properties can be combined in layers for highly specialized and targeted uses. According to Kennametal’s Composite Machining Guide fiber reinforcement materials include carbon fiber/graphite fiber, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, polymer fibers, and tungsten fibers. Polymer matrix materials include epoxy, phenolic, polymide, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK).

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

Polycrystalline diamond-veined tooling is a technology that has proven to be very effective for machining composites. “PCD is great for its wear resistance properties in composite machining applications, which may lead to longer tool life, but in order to gain the full potential of PCD, the tool will need to have positive cutting geometries,” said Win. “Conventional brazed tooling, which involves brazing a PCD wafer into a pocket, at best allows for minute positive formations, not the optimum for machining composites. PCD-veined tooling produced by Precorp, a subsidiary of Sandvik Coromant, enables PCD cutting tools to be manufactured with the high rake angles and helix angles required to effectively machine composites.

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This labor-intensive process made unattended operations impossible, which in turn meant that a single roll took three workdays to produce on a one-shift, eight-hour schedule. Even then, the manual operations made high-quality surface finishes and other specs more difficult to attain with high repeatability.

Chiron Group combines the best of both worlds at IMTS 2024, featuring live demonstrations of their Micro5 and Mill 2000 machines, alongside a cutting-edge virtual showroom. This innovative approach allows visitors to explore Chiron’s full product lineup without the logistical challenges of transporting large equipment.

In addition to this new tooling arsenal, Komarek brought in Mastercam and began utilizing 3D tool paths after previously relying on 2D tool paths. Rammacher says the ability to utilize more complex tool paths in conjunction with new tooling helped achieve an improved surface finish, so much so that Komarek eliminated the need for hand grinding, the most labor-intensive process in the production cycle. At the same time, the palletization abilities of their new machining center enabled them to run lights out, which lengthened their production days without increasing demands on staffing. What once required three eight-hour workdays became a one-day job.

In the latest episode of our View From My Shop series, MMS Editor-in-Chief Brent Donaldson visited the JN Shapiro Watches headquarters and production facility where Founder Joshua Shapiro—a history teacher turned watchmaker—realized his dream of "making a watch from scratch and everything in it."

Though most frequently used for diameter measurements, an air plug and platen can be readily configured to measure perpendicularity.

Standards for surface finishes and profiles are not static; they change as technology changes or new processes come along that need to be considered.

Thoughtful considerations will set you on a shortened path to the most optimized solution once cutter meets metal.

Thousands of people visit our Supplier Guide every day to source equipment and materials. Get in front of them with a free company profile.

Thoughtful considerations will set you on a shortened path to the most optimized solution once cutter meets metal.

For instance, a 0.500″ (12.7-mm) diameter Seco Jabro 860 solid-carbide end mill at a 10% radial engagement would run at a speed of 400 sfm (121 m/min) with a feed rate of 0.005 ipt (0.13 mm/t). Such parameters would apply to a sandwiched composite material with an internal Ti-Al honeycomb structure.

Manufacturers continue to feel the pressure to reduce costs, increase efficiencies and meet their sustainability strategies. As the industry evolves to keep pace with these priorities, there are opportunities within metalworking processes to use less resources with advanced lubricants and technical expertise. Agenda:  An overview of metalworking lubrication Evolutions in metalworking lubrication Experience on the shop floor Key takeaways

So far, Made in the USA has looked into system-wide effects of broken supply chains, automation, skilled workforce issues and our perception of manufacturing jobs — examining each topic through a prism of individual experiences. For this final episode for Season 1, let’s look at one more system-wide question and bring it back to personal perspectives: Is there today a new dawn, a new moment for American manufacturing?

Like corrugated cardboard, a sandwiched composite is comprised of a lightweight core structure, usually resembling the hexagonal cells of a honeycomb, backed by rigid facing sheets. Depending on strength requirements, the honeycomb cells may be formed from high-tech paper, cardboard, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic or aluminum. The face sheets can be paper, plastic, aluminum or titanium and are bonded to the open ends of the honeycomb cells. A balance of bending, compression and shear forces among the elements of sandwiched composites, results in materials that are lightweight, rigid and remarkably strong.

As part of continuing efforts to offer lighter, stronger, more cost-efficient products, manufacturers develop and apply high-performance workpiece materials. Sandwiched composites are good examples of that trend, according to Don Graham, manager of education and technical services at Seco Tools LLC (Troy, MI). Here is Graham’s assessment of the current state of composites machining:

JD Machine, 2024’s Top Shops Honoree in Human Resources, embodies its “Education for Life” core value with a robust apprenticeship program and significant continuous improvement efforts.

“It wouldn’t have been three going from start to heat treat in a given week,” Rammacher says. “It would’ve been maybe two. It could even be less depending on the rolls.”

Growing the company would require a smoother, more repeatable production cycle. Komarek decided to replicate its existing process as a milling operation with two setups. To achieve a surface finish of 16 Ra for all pockets, the company invested in a Mazak Integrex i-630 turn-mill machine with a two-pallet changer and modular automated pallet-stocking system. The machine incorporates an 800-mm pallet size, plus a tilting spindle and rotary table for simultaneous five-axis operations and multiple-surface machining of large, complex parts up to 28" in diameter and 27" high. With some rolls containing up to 50 pockets, a machine that could handle complex maneuvers while holding large parts was ideal for Komarek’s workload.

Until recently, Komarek’s manufacturing process relied heavily on drilling and high-speed milling to rough each roll, turning the rolls in two operations on one machine, then moving the workpieces to a horizontal mill. The shop would then hand-grind its roll pockets and rely on lengthy hand-polishing operations to achieve the necessary surface finish.

Thoughtful considerations will set you on a shortened path to the most optimized solution once cutter meets metal.

This article was first published in the September 2016 edition of Manufacturing Engineering magazine.

With new machining and tooling support, Komarek has cut its production steps, boosted its accuracy and repeatability, and increased overall efficiency throughout the shop. "What we've been doing is working. We're just trying to reduce costs and bring value to the customer," says Rammacher. After seeing the results of their new approach, Komarek ordered a second Integrex i-630 machining center to continue to optimize its production process.

AccuRounds has created synergy between culture and technology, driving a commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Lee Wimmer invited us to tour his second-generation family-owned machine shop in Perkasie, PA. This video explores the production processes behind precision-machined parts for both Wimmer Custom Cycle and LS Wimmer Machine Co., and shows how ingenuity and determination are still at the heart of American manufacturing. Today, both companies are now managed by Wimmer’s three sons.

Ever wonder what sets Top Shops apart from the competition? Dive into their award-winning practices and explore behind-the-scenes strategies for operational excellence.

Sharp end mill cutting edges and high cutting speeds are key factors in cleanly machining sandwiched composite materials. The situation is much like slicing bread—cut too slowly, and the bread compresses instead of shearing cleanly. While on the other hand, fast-moving, sharp cutting edges generate clean cuts. When machining sandwiched composites, slow cutting speeds can distort the face sheet and the honeycomb structure itself.

Misapplication of these important CNC features will result in wasted time, wasted or duplicated effort and/or wasted material.

FANUC’s IMTS 2024 booth includes real-time demonstrations that show the abilities of its equipment, including robots, controllers and machine tools.

Horn USA’s new booth concept is designed to enable attendees to (literally) get a better feel for its various tooling offerings.

Machining characteristics of CFRP/CFRP and CFRP/metal materials are impacted by the abrasiveness of fibers, by fiber size, fiber diameter, fiber length, volume of fibers (percentage), and fiber layout, unidirectional or fabric weave. For example, abrasiveness of fiber increases with strength and diameter. Short fibers tend to delaminate, as do unidirectional layered composites. To counter the tendency to delaminate, Kennametal has developed compression-style routers that generate cutting forces at top and bottom of the materials’ surfaces, as well as other tools including burr-style routers, down cut-style routers, and ball end routers.

From quadruped robot dogs, to an in-booth putting green where you can test out a new golf putter, to a 3D-printed car and more, attendees enjoyed cutting-edge technology and innovations all week long. Take a look to see what (or who!) you might have missed this week!

Understanding all the things that contribute to a machine’s full potential accuracy will inform what to prioritize when fine-tuning the machine.

Looking to automate your shop floor? The Automated Shop Conference (TASC) will connect shops with experts who can advise them through this transition.

For milling applications, the versatile Multi-Master tool system, with interchangeable heads, features a carbide head with brazed PCD tips. Due to this innovative design, a machined composite workpiece experiences less loading and swarf evacuation issues and surface finish is improved. The main applications for these tools are orbital milling, edging, and ramping down.

AccuRounds has created synergy between culture and technology, driving a commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.

Zoller’s open house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, provided attendees with a glimpse of the connectivity and efficiency the company’s products offer to users.

To cut out laborious manual processes like hand-grinding, this briquette manufacturer revamped its machining and cutting tool arsenal for faster production.

Iscar’s EPN-F family of solid-carbide end mills feature cutting edges that are divided into sections. This design results in better distribution of load on the end mill and machined workpiece, and thus provides increased tool life and improved surface finish, especially when machining carbon fiber and honeycomb composites.

Job shops are implementing automation and digitalization into workflows to eliminate set up time and increase repeatability in production.

A carbide blank is slotted and filled with diamond powder. The carbide blank is inserted into one of Precorp’s high-pressure, high-temperature presses and subjected to 270°F (132.2°C) and 876,000 psi (60,398 bar). In this process the diamond powder is compressed and the diamond crystals are bonded to each other and to the carbide blank. The PCD nib is then brazed to a solid-carbide shank. The braze is located sufficiently far away from the tip of the tool to avoid any potential thermal damage. This allows the use of a high-temperature high-strength braze joint between the nib and the carbide shank. The drill geometry is ground to produce the finished PCD tool. This patented process allows for many tool geometries that are impractical and/or impossible using conventional PCD insert processes.

The choice between buying a new machine or refurbishing the current one will become clear after a thorough assessment of the machine.

Lee Wimmer invited us to tour his second-generation family-owned machine shop in Perkasie, PA. This video explores the production processes behind precision-machined parts for both Wimmer Custom Cycle and LS Wimmer Machine Co., and shows how ingenuity and determination are still at the heart of American manufacturing. Today, both companies are now managed by Wimmer’s three sons.

In this episode of Made in the USA, several executives and senior staff at Hardinge give their first-person account of how they formulated the plan to shift the manufacturing of its milling and turning product lines from its Taiwan plant to its plant in Elmira, New York, the major challenges they encountered and the rewards that made it worth the effort.

When it comes to utilizing the spindle’s power, there is a lot of headroom at the upper limits, provided it’s in short bursts. Be mindful of your time at these loads so you don’t stall out.

“PCD diamond-veined tools can be applied to almost every type of machining operation,” said Win. “With structural products for the frame, I think it’s a little easier. What I found in drilling carbon fiber and titanium stacks is that once you clear the carbon material and encounter the titanium material interface, the titanium chips will sometimes score the composite material, again potentially causing a quality issue. To alleviate the problem, we’ve adopted a micro-peck technique in the drilling cycle that allows the formation of smaller titanium chips to clear. In regards to the amplitude of the micro-peck, we are talking on the scale of millimeters. The peck distance is going to be around 0.1–0.2 mm at a frequency of 1.5 to 2.5 micro-pecks in a 360° rotation. What the micro-peck technique does is break up the titanium chips during a drilling cycle and allows for proper evacuation of the smaller more manageable chips. The result is that we’re cutting both materials—the composite and the titanium—with one diamond-veined tool.” Sandvik Coromant is developing a new 88 series geometry PCD-veined tool for CNC applications and a new 86 series for power-feed tools.

Working closely with customers and making careful investments has enabled this Wisconsin machine shop to tackle difficult jobs with tight deadlines as a core part of its business.

At any given time, Komarek has 40 orders in its shop for two-roll sets, of which it typically produces up to three each week, more than it was machining under the old processes.

In this webinar, industry-leading experts will demonstrate how additive manufacturing can revolutionize your operations and answer the question: Can you afford not to? From rapid prototyping to robust fixturing and specialized custom tooling, it’ll showcase the diverse applications that can drive your business forward in a time where cost and time saving can be crucial. Discover how to reduce costs, accelerate production cycles and achieve unparalleled design freedom through the strategic integration of 3D printing technology. Phillip’s panel of seasoned professionals will share real-world examples and practical insights to help you understand the potential of additive manufacturing. Learn how to overcome production challenges, improve product quality and gain a competitive advantage. It will explore the cost-benefit analysis of 3D printing — including material and labor savings — as well as the potential for increased revenue. Join this webinar to discover why additive manufacturing is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for success. Agenda:  Prototyping example: quick-change prototype Custom tooling real-world example: press brake, tube bending die CMM fixturing and workholding example: CMM fixture and soft jaw

High cutting speeds, however, generate heat, and that poses problems because many of the constituents of sandwiched composites are heat-sensitive. Accordingly, light radial engagement—on the order of 5% of cutter diameter-minimizes heat generation. For the same reason, feed rates are kept low. Despite the light engagement and low feed rates, high cutting speeds help maintain productivity.

Each tool setting technique has merit, and it depends on where you are as a shop and the type of work you do, as cost and efficiency all come into play.

Legacy Precision Molds takes us on a tour of their moldbuilding facility. They've recently implemented two automated 5-axis cells for metal and graphite machining that run lights out during nights and weekends.

Q-Mark has built its metrology business by providing what customers need, when they want it. This goes for its IMTS booth, too, with free drinks alongside custom technology.

The briquette rolls Komarek machines can have anywhere from 20 to 50 pockets depending on the material that is getting compacted and the machine the roll will be used in.

“We can save hours and even days just (eliminating) the pocket grinding,” says Rammacher. “And nowadays, finding somebody that’s willing to do that day after day, it’s increasingly tougher.”

Tool-holder-spindle-machine combinations each have a unique dynamic response in the same way that each person has a unique fingerprint, which can be revealed using modal testing.

This presentation focuses on the vital role that linear and angular encoders play in ensuring precision in machine tools. Attendees will learn about the common challenges compromising accuracy, such as thermal expansion, mechanical misalignments and vibration. Whether you're an OEM, integrator, or machine operator, this webinar will offer valuable insights into optimizing CNC performance. Agenda: Challenges to CNC machine accuracy Understanding encoder technology How encoders address accuracy challenges

Legacy Precision Molds takes us on a tour of their moldbuilding facility. They've recently implemented two automated 5-axis cells for metal and graphite machining that run lights out during nights and weekends.

Lee Wimmer invited us to tour his second-generation family-owned machine shop in Perkasie, PA. This video explores the production processes behind precision-machined parts for both Wimmer Custom Cycle and LS Wimmer Machine Co., and shows how ingenuity and determination are still at the heart of American manufacturing. Today, both companies are now managed by Wimmer’s three sons.

Aerospace manufacturers, in particular, rely heavily on sandwiched composite structures in critical components such as aircraft wing skins, fuselage sections, cabin walls and floors. However, machining a stack of materials of differing strengths and physical properties presents several layers of challenges. The main goal is to avoid bending or fraying the core structure or delaminating the face sheets. Sandwiched composite material that is cut unevenly or deformed loses its strength, much as creasing corrugated cardboard destroys its rigidity.

The components of sandwiched composites can be abrasive, so the tools used to machine them usually are manufactured from micrograin carbide to maximize edge integrity and wear resistance. To further resist abrasive wear, some cutting edges receive diamond coatings. Seco’s DURA thin diamond coating, for example, is applied via CVD and combines low surface roughness for lubricity with high adhesion characteristics that reinforce its wear resistance. The coating requires a balance in tool engineering in that it is thin enough to minimally affect sharpness but thick enough to provide resistance to abrasion.

In Komarek’s design, two rolls run in opposite directions while the material runs down the middle to be compacted. Materials for these cutting rolls – which measure from 12 inches up to 28 inches in diameter – range from stainless steels to alloy steels and tool steels with hardness from 25 to 40 RC.

In the latest episode of our View From My Shop series, MMS Editor-in-Chief Brent Donaldson visited the JN Shapiro Watches headquarters and production facility where Founder Joshua Shapiro—a history teacher turned watchmaker—realized his dream of "making a watch from scratch and everything in it."

This simple change to a Swiss-type turning machine’s toolpath can dramatically improve its ability to manage chips.

Weldon Solutions is demonstrating three grinders at IMTS 2024. Though they differ in size and use case, all feature the company’s hallmark customizations.

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Across a range of technical presentations aimed at small and mid-sized job shops, the first-ever Automated Shop Conference (TASC) offered insights into several automated technologies, implementation strategies, shopfloor training tips, and even the untapped power of automated coolant delivery.