FEATURES

CAD/CAM

CAM Software Turns Operators Into Engineers

Like many other United Kingdom subcontracting companies, Jetblades Engineering has had to change its operating methods to cope with the new manufacturing environment. Managing Director Mark Kirby relies more than ever on the company’s CAM software as he moves the firm from production machining to short-run manufacturing.

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Expanding On Honing Options

While available both in horizontal designs and vertical designs, three different machining methods are used for honing operations. The most common method, effective on a range of diameters and materials, uses multistroke machines to hone with one or more abrasive stones attached to a single rotating spindle.

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Machines

Integrating Machining Centers Into The Work Flow

Often, the need for post-process machining becomes a bottleneck in the production shop. The high-volume primary machines often outpace the ability of secondary equipment to keep up. Here’s how one shop revamped its work flow to achieve production balance with a minimum investment.

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Workholding

New Vises Decrease Part Setup Time

During heavy milling operations, parts tended to creep upward and out of alignment within the vise jaws at this shop in Minnesota. Small chips got imbedded between the part and vise jaws, causing all kinds of problems. The company couldn’t operate its new Bridgeport VMC 1000 XP3 to its full potential on this part project, so the company's owner looked for a better workholding solution.

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Tooling

No Touch Up Needed For ER Collet Tools

Downtime, long setup times and hiring skilled employees for night shifts are some of the problems every shop has. In its shop, American Torch Tip has completely integrated the quick-change tool system and drastically reduced those problems by developing a system that will go in any ER-style holder. Tools can now be preset off the machine, during the first shift and while the machines are running.

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PMPA Members Pitch In To Buy CNC Lathe For Vo-Tech School

When a vocational school in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, recently found itself without a CNC lathe, a number of PMPA members and non-members came to the rescue. For years, the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center (LCCTC) served as a local showroom for a machine equipment manufacturer. That arrangement ended last year when the manufacturer sold the last of the lathes and the school didn’t have money budgeted to replace the machines.

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Robotic Deburring Provides Flexible Alternative

The consistent performance and radial compliance of this device is making companies re-evaluate their manual deburring operations.

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The 5 Organizational Foundations Of Just-In-TIme

Having worked with and supplied a number of Japanese transplant manufacturing companies, I was always impressed with the depth of their systems and planning that made just-in-time work for them. Many of us in manufacturing are providing products to our customers on a just-in-time basis, but I wonder if we truly have a solid foundation under our so-called just-in-time systems?

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