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Mark Albert ,
Editor-in-Chief
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Who’s Still Investing In Technology?
Smart shops are. It seems that a lot of metalworking companies are going ahead with plans to add more machine tools or to upgrade their software. They are doing so despite the state of the economy. Last month’s survey gave us this and many other glimpses into the purchasing plans of our readers. For example, of those respondents planning to purchase, nearly a quarter expect to do so in the near term (less than 3 months from now). More than 14 percent of respondents have already purchased this year. This is a good sign. Companies investing in new technology are likely to be well positioned to respond when business conditions improve.
Inbox Insights
Micromachining Is A Different World
Normal rules and assumptions about cutting tool behavior don’t always apply when the cutting tool is unusually small. A new video from online contributor Todd Schuett focuses on tools as small as 0.008 inch in diameter. He shows and describes how the impact of the tool’s length-to-diameter ratio becomes more pronounced when the tool is in this size range. Even slight changes in the ratio can require significant changes in cutting parameters during micromachining.
Show Alert
PMTS—Not Just For Screw Machine Shops
The Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS) is the premier showcase for products and services dedicated to the production of precision machined parts. Not only does this show cover automatic screw machines, Swiss-type lathes, turning centers and rotary transfer machines, but it also covers a variety of other machine types, processes and accessories for machining to tight tolerances. What’s more, the machines traditionally found in screw machine shops are changing. They now fit into a much broader range of applications—well beyond those involving small turned parts.
The show is presented by the Precision Machined Parts Association and is co-presented by Modern Machine Shop and Production Machining magazines.
 Our Next Issue
Production Machining
Feature articles in Modern Machine Shop’s April issue look at Swiss-type lathes and multi-spindle automatics. In each case, recent developments in these types of machines are moving them into applications that savvy shops looking for growth opportunities ought to consider. We’ll also highlight some of the products to be displayed at PMTS.
Subscribe now or renew your subscription.
Metalworking Mojo
Metalworking Is Fun, Remember?
Tom Lipton’s new book is titled “Metalworking Sink Or Swim” (Industrial Press Inc.), but I think an even better name might be “The Joy Of Machining.” It’s a collection of tips and tricks for machinists, welders and fabricators. However, something beyond the practical value of the contents caught my attention—the tone of the author’s writing. His enthusiasm for his craft and the joy he draws from it come across on almost every page. At the same time, his regard for the experienced mentors who taught him is apparent, along with the healthy respect he has for his own skills and talents. It’s a refreshing reminder of why so many of us got involved in this industry in the first place.
Case History
Five Inserts Remove 4,000 Pounds Of Die Steel
When you’re talking about tool life for inserts used on a planar mill, it’s strokes per edge. Mecon Industries (Scarborough, Ontario) relies on its veteran planar mills to machine press brake dies. On a recent job, the die steel specified by the customer was so tough that the inserts normally used on Mecon’s planning equipment lasted only three strokes before failing. The company switched to a new grade of coated insert and was able to run 16-foot planar strokes for approximately 80 minutes per edge. The grade, KCP40, is part of Kennametal’s “Beyond” line of inserts, which covers a range of milling and turning applications in steel, iron and other materials. Read the full story here.
A 20,000-lb. workpiece of die steel that couldn’t be cut with the usual insert grade became a money-making job for Mecon Industries when it switched to a new grade.
Newly Posted Products
From The Product Repository Of MMS Online
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