May 2009 Issue

May 2009

Too Small To Touch

Hummingbird takes on machining work that is too small for most shops to handle. In fact, Hummingbird tries not to handle it either. To accurately machine the tiniest parts, this shop relies on processes that are as hands-off as possible.

Features

Featured articles from the May 2009 issue of Modern Machine Shop

Workholding 26 Mar 2009

A Vise Designed With CNC Machines In Mind

A sliding, locking mechanism allows users to quickly push this vise’s moveable jaw close to the workpiece before tightening the wrench. This minimizes the number of wrench turns to secure the part and allows users to quickly clamp parts of various sizes.

Workforce Development 13 Apr 2009

Job Shop-Developed Dovetail Fixture Takes Wing

Two aerospace job shops in California collaborated to produce a workholding fixture that allows any shop to set up a fully fixtured pallet dedicated to a five-axis job and then store the fixtured pallets for immediate use whenever the job repeats.

CNC & Machine Controls 6 Apr 2009

Little Things Mean A Lot

The design of a machining center with the precision to mill tiny features illustrates what is (and is not) required for micromachining.

Workholding 26 Mar 2009

The High-Pressure Vise: An Alternative To Cheating

High-pressure vises are able to safely generate a significant amount of clamping force without machine operators resorting to using hammers or “cheater bars.”