March 2000 Issue
March 2000
Features
Featured articles from the latest issue of Modern Machine Shop
Programming To The Machine's Reference Position
Almost all current model CNC machine tools have a special reference position. For machines having Fanuc or Fanuc-compatible controls, this special position is called the zero return position.
Read MoreFind The Right Speed For Chatter-Free Milling
It used to be that a little chatter was easy to forgive. Not anymore. In shops aiming to minimize hand finishing, machined surfaces have to be smooth. And in high speed machining applications, chatter itself can set the speed limit.
Read MoreDon't Touch That Tool
Tool measurement is critical to the metalcutting process. Exact knowledge of a cutter’s length, diameter, even profile, and the ability to measure and monitor these dimensions over time, can reduce variability and help optimize the process. Here’s a look at how non-contact tool measurement and breakage detection benefit your metalcutting process.
Read MoreShop Floor Metrology On The Move
Portable arm coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) offer advantages beyond portability.
Read MoreAn Approach To Boosting Shop Production Capacity
The increased availability of modular manufacturing cells has added another means of increasing a shop’s capacity. This article looks at a practical approach to evaluating when and how much automation is appropriate for a shop.
Read MoreTroubleshooting Your Way Oil System
An expensive lesson that many shops learn too late is that the automatic oil system on their CNC machine tool may not be completely automatic. Since the automatic oil system is designed to give a warning when the oil tank is empty, many machinists simply assume all is well if the alarm doesn't go off.
Read MoreFive-Axis Machining With A Contouring Head
This accessory brought low-cost five-axis machining to two shops. One had never used five-axis machining before. The other was an experienced five-axis contractor.
Read MoreThe Other Angle On Five-Axis Machining
Machine complex prismatic parts efficiently on low-cost machining centers. This shop embraces five-axis machining—the kind that features a five-figure price tag.
Read MoreScamming The Scammers
According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), there are over 24 million small businesses in the Unuted States, and the number is growing by almost a million a year. At the same time, the number of Internet scams is increasing markedly.
Read MoreQuicker Tool Change For Mills
This article examines a retrofitted mechanical drawbar system with a preset die spring that enables an operator to manually do what a machining center does automatically--change tools quickly.
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