April 1999 Issue

April 1999

One Insert For More Operations

Conventional wisdom about standard milling operations has always been that compared to square shoulder cutters, lead angle cutters are easier on the spindle, can be run at higher table feed rates, and cut freer. Finishes are typically better and, with the addition of a wiper flat insert, finishes could be further improved. Due to the chip thinning attributes of this type of cutter, actual table feeds can be more rapid, albeit at the sacrifice of some depth of cut compared to a zero lead cutter.

Features

Featured articles from the April 1999 issue of Modern Machine Shop

CNC & Machine Controls 15 Apr 1999

Slashing Part-To-Part Programming Time On The Shop Floor

How do you improve productivity with the excessive amount of time and effort it takes to program parts before they can be run on the shop floor? As parts have become more complex over the years and demands for accuracy have become more stringent, the challenge has become even greater. Shop owners are faced with the dilemma of being even more productive, while still spending hours programming machinery before cutting their first parts. Now there is an option for shop owners that enables them to go from part to part on the shop floor without involving off-line programmers.

Toolholders 15 Apr 1999

Widening Range Of Grooving Tools

Traditionally, a grooving tool grooves, a facing tool faces and, of course, special tools do special cuts. Improved insert manufacturing technology and toolholder design is changing this tradition, allowing specialized tooling to be used more generically in a wider variety of metalcutting applications.

Workforce Development 15 Apr 1999

User Interface Helps Solve EDM Skills Crunch

Many shops would like to do more electrical discharge machining (EDMing) but don't have the skilled EDM operators to run the machines. Mitsubishi EDM (MC Machinery Systems, Inc. , Wood Dale, Illinois) recently introduced several new models, and the ones equipped with a new generation of control unit will appeal to shops in this situation.

Cutting Tools 15 Apr 1999

Successful Application Of Ceramic Inserts

Applying ceramic inserts is not a simple substitution of one cutting tool material for another. There are significant process considerations that shops should examine carefully in order to realize performance and tool life expectations from ceramic inserts. Here's a look at some of the ways they are used.

1 Apr 1999