September 2008 ISSUE

COVER STORY

Baldrige...And The Sharing Of Best Practices

Many of today’s quality or business standards provide a framework that allows you the flexibility to define what is most effective for your organization. The ISO-based standards provide core system requirements that are now considered fundamental to having the ability to capture new business. The Malcolm Baldrige Quality Program is based on criteria (the standard) that focus on a much broader series of requirements not mandated by other standards and guidelines.

FEATURES

Baldrige...And The Sharing Of Best Practices

Turning Machines

Endworking Enhances Shaft Manufacturing Process

Because endworking is often considered only as a preliminary step for shaft work typical of the automotive industry, potential productivity gains are being passed by. Newer technology has enabled these machines to handle far more applications.

Tooling

From Virtual To Reality

This article tells how a shop used infomation available on the Web to solve a tough production problem on its shop floor.

Labor Day Or Talent Day?

One thing about holidays is that once they become official, they hang around. Who has not enjoyed many a picnic—fried chicken, barbeque and potato salad—on the summer holidays of Memorial Day, July Fourth and Labor Day? These are great American traditions. However, I would like to see one particular American holiday go away or
at least get a name change. That holiday is Labor Day.

Member Profile: Cox Manufacturing

Cox Manufacturing Company specializes in custom, screw machine products, as well as CNC turning and machining services. The company uses a variety of turning solutions ranging from CNC Swiss lathes to multi-spindle screw machines.

Machines

Software And CNC Package Improves Production By 15 Percent

With a unique part program software suite onboard a powerful CNC, one shop has found it’s producing more and better parts much faster on a recently acquired turning center.

Workholding

Specialty Company Knows Its Collets

For almost 3 years Mr. Bouchard struggled with a machine application designed to produce life-critical airbag parts for Arrow Machine’s primary client in the automotive industry. With the help of RH Collets, a manufacturer of specialty workholding and related components for Hydromats and other machinery, Mr. Bouchard is solving the problem—not with one new part but with a series of solutions.

Machines