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Machining technology affects many aspects of a manufacturing business--the type of work it does, its throughput, the quality of its work and more. But one underappreciated impact of machining technology [...]

'Bin picking is basically the Holy Grail of robotic automation,' says Scott Harms, president of MetalQuest Unlimited Inc. For a human, bin-picking is often non-ergonomic, especially when parts are heavy, [...]

Robotics is becoming more flexible--literally and figuratively. Robots that incorporate new materials into their designs enable new applications for automation, such as handling delicate parts or those varied in size [...]

All machine tools can benefit from ballbar testing to assess calibration. Machines can become misaligned for a variety of reasons, including environmental factors and wear and tear. Shops are often [...]

For shops looking to increase unattended machining, Swiss-type lathes are among the best options. With the help of a bar feeder and parts catcher, these machines can run unattended for [...]

Collets play a crucial role in the machining process, so proper tool assembly and maintenance is important. Here are five potential pitfalls to avoid when using ER collets. Collets, like [...]

Since its debut in late 2022, ChatGPT has been used in many situations, from writing stories to writing code, including G code. But is it useful to shops? We asked [...]

* Beyond specializing in certain processes, machine shops also typically specialize in certain volumes. Even if the machining processes are the same, running both small- and large-volume jobs can become [...]

Metal 3D printing and machining are complementary processes. But understanding exactly how the two processes interact is specialized knowledge that varies from part to part. Vertically integrating 3D printing and [...]

Manda Machine is a Dallas, Texas-based machine shop that was founded in 1950 and is currently led by third-generation owners Andy and Todd Ellard. (Their oldest brother, Richard, retired a [...]

'We take on a lot of that work that other companies shy away from because it's complex,' says Kenny Urban, machine shop supervisor at Meyer Tool and Manufacturing. 'Our motto [...]

This edition of Modern Machine Shop is dedicated to the technologies and trends that will be on display at North America's largest manufacturing event, IMTS--The International Manufacturing Technology Show. Our [...]

The benefits of automation are potentially huge, but the investment required for a robot arm or pallet changer can be intimidating or even prohibitive. 'Our customers wanted to get more [...]

Metal 3D printing and machining are complementary processes. But understanding exactly how the two processes interact is specialized knowledge that varies from part to part. Vertically integrating 3D printing and [...]

Shops can gather all the machine data they want, but they won't start to see any benefits until they figure out how to use that data. For All Metals Fabricating [...]

My high school's auto tech teachers were teaching me how to drive, and I realized, I like the vibe of this place. Maybe I should learn how to take care [...]

The benefits of automation are potentially huge, but the investment required for a robot arm or pallet changer can be intimidating or even prohibitive. 'Our customers wanted to get more [...]

On their own, automatic pallet changers can increase a shop's throughput. But these systems still require an operator to load and unload the pallets. On the flip side, collaborative robots, [...]

'I never expected to come and run the family business,' Angie Holt says. 'That was never in the plans.' In 2018, Holt became president of Rathburn Tool & Manufacturing, a [...]

Done improperly, automation can introduce more problems than it solves. Robot arms, pallet systems and other forms of automation are designed to replicate processes established by humans, so before introducing [...]

Making micro plastic parts is a complex process that requires highly specialized equipment and knowledge. One of the biggest challenges for these parts is prototyping. Traditionally, the only available methods [...]

Nick Pinkston is a serial entrepreneur in the manufacturing technology space whose startups include CloudFab, Plethora and Volition, an online marketplace that's designed to make finding and buying off-the-shelf components [...]

There are as many ways to run a machine shop as there are machine shops. Jeremy Taylor understands this well--not only has he worked in several machine shops, but he [...]

As a medical device manufacturer, the RMS additive division's goal is to provide all of the services needed to additively manufacture implants from 'powder to package.' A big part of [...]

In order to effectively machine metal, cutting tools are made of hard materials like PCD (polycrystalline diamond). However, hard materials are hard to machine; it can be challenging to transform [...]

Investment in machining technology has facilitated growth and diversification at Reich Tool & Design. Now, flexible automation allows the shop to get more out of its machines despite a shortage [...]

RPG Industries Inc. is a machining job shop that has a number of different types of CNC machine tools on its shop floor, from EDM and abrasive waterjet to turning [...]

Manufacturers know that the hardest materials aren't necessarily the only difficult ones to machine--softer, so-called 'gummy' materials pose their own challenges, especially when it comes to chip formation and management. [...]

Typically, the term 'machine monitoring' refers to data that comes from a machine tool, either directly from the control or from a sensor located somewhere in or on the machine. [...]

Two years ago, Mike Budde purchased Toolrite Manufacturing, a tool and detail shop in Dayton, Ohio. It was a successful company, but Budde wanted to build off of its tooling [...]

There's a growing need for larger cutting tools that's being driven by larger parts in end markets such as aerospace and automotive. This is particularly true for electric vehicles, which [...]

A machine feature that works for one shop might not work for another. CNCs can play an important role in adapting a machine to a manufacturer's needs through the development [...]

GF Machining Solutions found it had to modify nearly every aspect of a wire EDM machine to efficiently handle the challenges of removing 3D printed parts from build plates. Here [...]

As shops add new machine tools, they have to rethink how the new equipment fits in with existing part production processes. Sometimes this will require the shop to re-program the [...]

As shops look to expand capacity, they are increasingly turning to lights-out machining instead of adding machines, employees or shifts. By using overnight and weekend hours to produce parts with [...]

Automation can be an aid to maintaining tight part tolerances in production. Boring bar adjustment offers an example of this. This adjustment is often manual. However, 'the reality is that [...]

Although it has experienced a steady growth, electrochemical grinding (ECG) is mostly known as a niche process. Developed in the 1930s, it became popular in the U.S. in the 1950s [...]

When Joe Morgan took over Square Deal Machining 25 years ago, the company had seven employees that ran job shop-type work on a few CNC lathes and VMCs. Since then, [...]

When shops first implement a machine monitoring system, it's not uncommon for them to discover their machine uptime is lower than they thought. 'All machine monitoring solutions out there show [...]

When Brad Thomas posted a picture of the parts on Marvel Machining's Instagram page, he added the caption, 'Not going to miss these at all.' One look at them and [...]

NRL & Associates' business plan relies on using multi-pallet machines for unattended machining, so when two of its customers increased production of ventilators, the shop quickly brought in a new [...]

Formerly a job shop serving a diverse local customer base, IPG responded to industry changes by transitioning into becoming an aerospace supplier. Here are the steps the shop is taking [...]

COMPANY: KrisDee and Associates PROBLEM: Needed to quickly ramp up ventilator manifold production SOLUTION: Moved other jobs to flexible machining center, designed and built universal pallet system and tombstones RESULTS: [...]

The DuMont Company has been producing broaching tools since its founding in 1945. When Eric Hagopian purchased the company in 2016, 'They were, for all intents and purposes, making their [...]

As the trend toward electromobility gathers speed, electric fuses are taking on a key role, especially in the production of batteries for electric automobiles. The fuses consist of numerous small [...]

As additive manufacturing technology progresses and its use grows, it has become an accepted production process. Here are some applications for full production additive, and how the industry is achieving [...]

Shops deal with different types of material, each with their own challenges. One material that can present some difficulties is 4140 steel. This material can have a tough crust or [...]

In difficult and uncertain business conditions, it's important for manufacturers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to know where they stand and take every opportunity they have to improve. Benchmarking is [...]

New features that simplify robot use have blurred the lines between tasks that shops can automate independently from those that will require the support of an integrator. Here's what shops [...]

Founded in 1956 in the Detroit metro area, Lincoln Park Boring Co. has a rich history in the automotive industry. In recent years, the family owned and operated business has [...]