FEATURES

Anatomy Of Free Machining Steel

Here’s a look at how steelmakers continue to come up with ways of changing the basic recipe to deliver performance characteristics you need.

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Dials Are No Longer A Traditional Concept

The addition of automatic tool changers (ATCs) brought more flexibility to the dial-transfer machine.

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Do We Really Believe In Competition?

In precision parts manufacturing there are winners and losers. Companies that create a competitive edge by investing in the business through productivity enhancing technologies and process improvements will outscore those who do not.

 

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Automation & Robots

Entry Level Automation: Is It Right For You?

Most, if not all, shops have at one time or another thought of full automation on current products they run or are currently quoting. A lot of companies are already engaged in some form of automation. We at Fuji hope to take the mystique out of this process and encourage potential shop owners of all sizes to qualify their need(s) for automation. This is a step-by-step process for evaluating your company to see if automation is right for you.

 

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Finding Faster Deburring

While attending a trade show in the fall of 2000, a research and development employee at Upchurch Scientific (Oak Harbor, Washington) saw a magnetic deburring and polishing machine. It was well known throughout Upchurch that manual deburring was very labor intensive, so he took note of it.

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Grinding

Grinding: Send It Out Or Keep It In-House?

CNC tool grinding can improve the output quality of any screw machine operation. But there are a number of factors to consider when deciding whether to send tools out or grind them in-house.

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Leave A True Legacy Through Succession Planning

You have been successful. Careful succession planning should precede the transfer or sale of a family business. Whether you strategize carefully or not at all, the tax effects of your decisions will determine how much or how little your heirs will ultimately receive.

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Turning Machines

Load More Tools On Your CNC Lathe's Turret

Most shops accept the tooling limitations of their CNC lathes as a fact of life-something that cannot be changed and something to get around. However, one shop took a fresh look at the problem and came up with a way to increase the number of rotary tools that a turret can accommodate.

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Maximum Linkage

Using the Internet and Web to find information, research a topic or support your business can be rewarding, as more and more shop professionals are finding.

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PM News: Antidumping Decision

The International Trade Commission has decided to impose an antidumping order against stainless bar products from France.

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President's Message

Please join me in welcoming Tim Andrassy to PMPA as our new executive vice president. Tim brings more than 25 years of association experience to PMPA, and he is only the fourth executive vice president in our 69-year history.

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Measurement

Shop Floor Alloy Analyzer: Material ID On The Fly

Part designers love to look through various material specification tables and charts to find an alloy that is 'just right' for a given application. While that works fine for designers, the myriad of alloy options available can wreak havoc in the shop charged with making the parts.

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The Case For Resharpenable, Insert-Type Form Tools

Users explain the advantages of these tools over solid and throwaway-insert-type form tools.

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