Agile Manufacturing Benchmarking Consortium
This Texas-based association is committed to "the analysis and improvement of business processes in the manufacturing industry and related industries." This site offers the standard membership services, but also presents a massive linkfest for machining and manufacturing professionals, inside or outside of Texas.

Business Industrial Network
The BIN is a suite of services (some commercial) and information regarding several technical, machining-related topics, including Programmable Logic Controler (PLC) and PLC Networdiagnostics, preventative maintenance, and others. Their "Articles" section contains several useful items, from more PLC data to getting started with your own Web site. The Resource section of BIN is substantial and thorough. This is one of those sites that's worth just diving into and playing "What's This Do?" until your mouse breaks.

CAD-Portal.com
CAD-Portal.com really serves up the computer-aided design content via several online methods. The core of the Web site revolves around two main sources: a comprehensive directory and an e-mail newsletter. The directory is segregated into several applicable sections, including various industry sectors served by CAD (yep, manufacturing is prominent), product reviews and forums. CAD-Portal's newsletter is delivered about every three weeks, and covers timely info about products, events and personnel. If you design and/or model parts, this site ought to be on your list.

CADchat
This relatively new entry to the manufacturing-related forum field offers several product-specific forums for computer-aided design software programs, including Solidworks, UGS, Autodesk and others. Each separate product forums contains subforums for tips & tricks, programming, 3rd party apps and other related topics.

CMM Talk
All CMMs, all the time. This site is dedicated to the Coordinate Measurement Machine via their rich collection of forums. And holy cow, do they ever cover all the measurement bases.

You'll find forums for software, sensors, fixturing, manufacturers, operating systems, calibration, code samples and more. There's even a 24/7 chat area, for those so motivated. If CMMs are your thing, go here to find others with the same motivations.

cmmworld.com
It may come as a surprise, but this site deals solely with CMM. Actually, the site is a collection of forums hosted (moderated?) by several CMM-related companies, and others categorized by topic. This is quite a service if you find yourself in a CMM quandary. Submitting your question to several companies and CMM peers at once could be an excellent time saver. You'll need to register to be able to post questions or responses, but anyone can review the exchanges in the forums.

CNC Concepts
This site is a tremendous repository of CNC information. Maintained by Mike Lynch, monthly contributor to MODERN MACHINE SHOP and general, all-around CNC guru. This site has an OUTSTANDING links page to CNC-related tools on the Web. But wait ... there's MORE! Mr. Lynch and company have also reorganized their Web site recently. Don't let the simple (re: effective) layout fool you; there's plenty of CNC stuff here. There are CNC Tips and Hints, an area for reviewing and ordering software, a CNC Jobs area (for both people and companies looking for that perfect match), and an exhaustive CNC Schools section (listing specific courses and lab equipment, no less). If you're into CNC, this will rock your world.

Update: The most rockin' Mr. Lynch has launched an Internet-based CNC training program that expands the horizons of CNC Concepts into overdrive. Current topics available include "Advanced Techniques With Basic CNC Features," "Parametric Programming For CNC," and more. Prices range from $199 to $399, with time requirements up to 12 hours.

CNC Times
CNC Times is an online metalworking community and information repository maintained in India. The site contains a wealth of technical info in the form of a library of technical articles. the site has recently undergone a facelift.

CNC Zone
The CNC Zone aspires to be a lot of things—part forum, part technical archive, part photo gallery, part industry portal. In all, the Zone aims to be an online community for machinists and metalworkers by serving all those needs. When this site launched a while back, it touted itself as “the ultimate CNC discussion forum.” That was (and is) its bread and butter; some of the forums are robust, some are a little less so, which mimics machining forums and newsgroups you’ll find serving our world around the ‘net. The substantial list of forums are categorized by topics such as Machining Processes, Metalworking Machines, and CAD/CAM software, and each contain quite detailed subcategories. You’ll find lively debate here, and you’ll also find some helpful, technically-oriented participants. CNC Zone also has launched archives for technical articles, links, photos, and a calendar—all serving the machining arts.

CNCgurus
Here's a site dedicated to all manner of Computer Numerical Control and those processes that embrace it. These folks have done so primarily throught the deployment of forums and a bookstore, but they're looking to expand their cyber-CNC-fare to include chat and other technical content.

The "gurus" have kept up the pace, and it's paid off quite well; their forums are gaining traction in ways that suggest a useful, effective resource indeed has arrived for machining professionals.

Coolantmaintenance.com
This site has been launched as an information repository for all things related to metalworking fluid (MWF) maintenance. It provides a platform for technical maintenance information, links to related sites and even a "Basics" section that defines the biology, chemisty and other factors that define MWF and its applications. This site already offers a unique and informative resource. Simple and well-done.

Corrosion Source
Just what is it about corrosion you want to know? Odds are, this Texas-based site will have your answer. Heck, it might even ask some questions for you. From directories of suppliers to technical information, from online utilities and tools to more relevant links than you can shake your mouse at, this site is Corrosion Central.

CyberCut
Heck, I'm not even sure where to put this link ;O)

CyberCut is based on the idea of "concepts to parts," and using the Internet to streamline the processes that surround and support that endeavor. Funded and developed by the Integrated Manufacturing Lab at the University of Berkeley and The National Science Foundation, CyberCut has to be visited to be fully appreciated. Simply put, CyberCut and its ancillary services and utilities review data, recommend processes, and develop prototypes and parts "to order."

This is a truly rockin' use of the Internet, and one that is tailor-made for our universe. If you're a machine shop professional or manufacturer, then you should take special note, and say "howdy" to the embryo that will grow into your future.

Now, even though the site is no longer "maintained," the efforts that remain ought to still inspiere any shop or manufacturer with an online strategy.

Download Community
OK, I'm not sure how or even why this site provides free downloads of software and files for several manufacturing categories ... but why bother? The fact is, they do, and they do a fine job of providing access to solutions for plant control, file translation, facilities management, maintenance, downtime measurement and prevention and much more. And did we mention that it's free?

This is worth a visit, no matter what type of manufacturing professional you happen to be -- manager, artisan, business professional, or operator.

Downtime Central
OK, let's get this out of the way early: Downtime Central, a part of the Business Industrial Network, is a business site. Now, we don't normally include a business site in this repository unless there are real good reasons. And this site is full of them.

If you're looking for help determining the actual costs of downtime due to several factors, eliminating Equipment Downtime, measuring all manner of manufacturing behaviors (overhead, scrap, tooling, personnel, etc.), or even why improving your own equipment maintenance program is important, this site offers an amazing level of quality info.

Just select "True Downtime Cost" in the left navigation bar, get a cup of coffee and relax. You'll be there for a while.

Dr. Machines
The Doctor is BAAAACK! Perhaps you remember this site dedicated to online diagnostics and control of machine tools (and other "appliances" & "tools")? It was affiliated with Hitachi Seiki for sometime, and then "went silent." Well, back it is, and the ol' Doc hasn't been stagnant. Select “Troubleshooting,” and you’ll find a database of error codes and diagnostic info for (mainly Fanuc) controls. Selecting “Ask The Expert” returns a database of errors/problems, troubleshooting techniques and solutions for a trove of machine-, control-, servo- and spindle-combinations. This site offers a level and quality of content not found on many other sites serving machining these days, and it deserves a visit.

Edinburgh Engineering Virtual Library (EEVL)
Listen, there is nothing "evil" about this site, unless you are paralyzed with fear over an abundance of engineering- and manufacturing-related data presented on one of the best Web sites you'll ever find. Based in Edinburgh (UK), EEVL is "a project to build a Gateway for the higher education and research community to facilitate access to high quality information resources in Engineering." What they've done is create a database of the world's best technical journals and Web sites. Also, articles from over 500 journals and magazines have been indexed and are presented in a bibliographic database. This could be the best manufacturing- and engineering-related site for finding stuff for the metalworking world on the WWW. Linkapolooza.

EDM Talk
EDM Talk, indeed. This site is hosted by EDM supply company Intech EDM, and it contains a wealth of EDM information and one of the Web's premier EDM forums. Even though this site is hosted by a commercial venture, its content and scope demand a mention here. Perusing through the forum's past entries alone is worht the price of admission. A churnin' urn of EDM funk, this is.

Update: Well, this just stinks. It seems that due to overwhelming abuse of some sort, EDM Talk has shut down their forum for good. Too bad, as this one really rocked and gave us a useful resource. According to sources at the parent company, the possibility exists that they may resume the EDM Talk forum in the future -- let's hope that happens.

EDM Technology Transfer
EDMTT is a well spring of EDM knowledge. Located in Utah, EDMTT offers books, reports and various technical data, articles, and technical papers for the Electrical Discharge Machining crowd. They also offer an exhaustive database of EDM manufacturers and machine tools, as well as an EDM services database. Note: This site can be a bit slow at times. Be patient; the data is worth the wait.

eFunda
eFunda really is sort of a strange name, we'll grant you. But consider that eFunda stands for "Engineering Fundamentals," and you start to get the picture—this site supports most engineering-related functions, including design and manufacturing. First of all (and sticking with our theme, here), their Calculator section is a glorious collection of mathematically useful utilities. You'll also find a treasure chest of technical data, of a quality you'll recognize from traditional publications (only without that pesky page-turning).

Now, you need to know up-front that eFunda charges a subscription for access to all their content. You can access most of their site for a time, but then are asked to pay. The cost is $60 per year ($36 for students), and $96 per year for the works without banners or pop-ups.

Some of the data, like their Machining Processes section, may be a bit elementary for experienced manufacturing professionals. But eFunda represents all technical classes - advanced and less so — quite well. If you're of an advanced technical station, and wanna cough up the cash, this site may become one of your favorites right away.

Eng-Tips
Eng-Tips touts itself as "technical work forums for engineering professionals." That pretty much sums it up, actually. Except to say that the depth of topics is excellent, the site performs well (not many lags, as you’ll find on other online forums) and Eng-Tips is well policed for relevance. This is a site rich with opportunity for manufacturing professionals and managers looking to expand their online options and resources.

Engineering Learning Information Portal (ELIP)
From our friends in the UK comes ELIP, a collection of links and information sources for manufacturing- and machining-minded professionals. Their collections are categorized in relevant sections like aerospace, automotive, and maintenance.

Engineers Edge
Engineers Edge (EE) follows the theme of a few research- and resource-rich sites to serve engineers looking for product, process or information solutions. Sadly, there are only a few sites that match this level of content and functionality. Happily, there are a few and this is one of them. Brilliantly laid-out and functionally proficient (fast, clean and elegant), this site contains loads of Design utilities and tables, Specifications and Charts, and many unique tools and calculators. Forums, Jobs directories and an extensive links section round out a fantastic site for manufacturers of all walks.

Gear Technology
Do you have ANY interest in gear making? That is, does the manufacturing of gears, or any related or indirect gear making information, interest you in the slightest?

Well, it doesn't matter. If you're this deep into MMS Online, you're a manufacturing professional and will find more information in Gear Technology than you can imagine. This site is well organized, updated, content-rich, and covers everything gear-oriented. They offer access to every conceivable supplier and technical topic, and more links than Mr. T's neckwear.

Gear makers heaven, this.

Glossarist
This site is a collection and index of hundreds and hundreds of online glossaries and dictionaries. Their collection is browsable by topics (you have to know there is a wonderful representation of manufacturing and machining resources, or we wouldn't even be bringing this up right now), and all collections are searchable by keyword or phrase. An excellent utility for the curious machining apprentice or student--or, for anyone in our world, for that matter.

High Speed Machining, From Purdue University
You've just gotta love them Boilermakers. Especially when they come up with such relevant HSM materials. This is purely academic stuff for the high speed machining process, focusing on controls for high speed, chatter problems/solutions, and HSM spindle dynamics. A welcome addition to the high speed voice.

High-Speed Machining: Machinist Online
This Web site/utility/repository from the University of Florida's Engineering Department is one slick, awsome work in progress. If you're looking into HSM or machining in general, you must include this site in your research. Either the Flash or HTML versions contain copious amounts of data. The FAQ is excellent; for an awsome collection of HSM information, select the Tutorials link at the bottom of either home page. This is a fine work in progress.

IndustryCommunity.com
This site has grown into an impressive suite of resources that are primarily forums serving precise and general categories, including those directly related to machining and manufacturing. The Manufacturing Community and MyForum sections alone are worth a bookmark and return visits. And these guys let you create your own forum(s) for whatever topic(s) you happen to be interested in.

IndustryCommunity.com
This site has grown into an impressive suite of resources that are primarily forums serving precise and general categories, including those directly related to machining and manufacturing. The Manufacturing Community and MyForum sections alone are worth a bookmark and return visits. And these guys let you create your own forum(s) for whatever topic(s) you happen to be interested in.

Intelligent Manufacturing Systems
The IMS is an industry-led, international research and development (R&D) program established to develop manufacturing and processing technologies. The network consists of IMS sites around the world. And that's why you should check out this site ... or, rather, these sites.

Selecting the IMS Sites link will put you in touch with the sites for each of the IMS members, and therein lies the goods. For example, the US site offers a Research Section that contains technically relevant info for machining professionals. However, the IMS centers can also offer a resource for manufacturers to consult or partner with.

International Titanium Association
This site looks simple enough, but it's "all titanium, all the time" in this deceptive site. Aside from the standard online association fare (i.e., seminars, calendars, membership info, etc.) you'll find loads of useful information, as well as paths to other titanium sources--if you'll bother to dig a bit. For instance, select "Ti Information" and you'll get loads of applications, technical data, manufacturing techniques, and more. Select the "Titanium Links" section, and then the "Student's Center," and you'll find a fine turorial on Titanium. The "Technical Support" Section includes a Technical Forum, and a Titanium Buyers Guide. All in all, this is as formidable a resource for titanium as you're likely to find anywhere online.

Job Shop Network
The JSN is an excellent resource for job shops. Not only are there resources available for the management and upkeep of the shop (like Job Shop Technology magazine online), but this is one of the best online directories of shops on the internet. If your shop has a Web site, you might do well to consider listing your URL and shop's capabilities here. The site requires registration to access or use at most levels. NOTE: The JSN has a new look and organization. Cookies (and a privacy pledge) are now employed. Their services have expanded to serve the matching of buyers and suppliers of manufactured product.

Besides being listed, shops might also find suppliers of products or services here for subcontract or finishing services.

Job Shop Technology
JST magazine is dedicated to the success of the US discrete product manufacturing community (ahem ... that includes YOU, by the way). As part of the Job Shop Network, this site supports that overall strategy with technical articles and their "Post an RFQ" utility that puts buyers of manufacturing services and parts in touch with suppliers of same (uh, that would be you, as well). This is one of the industry's most dependable sources of info for commerce, and well worth you getting familiar with.

Lathes
OK, you'll see the title of this—lathes—and think we're overstating or oversimplifying the relevance of this UK-based site. You should hold that judgement until you see it. You'll find LOADS of historical and technical details about nearly every kind of lathe ever made. Also, you can purchase the entire archive on CD for a reasonable fee. To top it off, these folks also offer manuals for many, many older lathes. If turning is your thing, at any technical level, you'll want to see this.

Learning Technical Drawings
OK, so you’re not likely to be an artist. Realistically, there are plenty of software programs out there that help us to create engineering or mechanical drawings, so why worry about doing it by hand or manually? Well, this site can be used to help teach “newbies” how to READ drawings, too. And that’s pretty valuable, when you stop to think about it. This site contains several pages that contextualize technical drawings in many ways (convenient, since your business likely receives drawings in—ahem—various stages of sophistication. Not a bad resource, if used creatively.

Linsay's Technical Books
To call these guys "publishers" or this site "an online book shop" doesn't even begin to do them justice. Lindsay Publications and its various online incarnations offer a wonderful selection of metalworking, technical, engineering and … uh … quirky books that should scratch the itch of just about any machining professional with a thirst for knowledge and a sense of humor. We defy you to visit this site and not come away genuinely liking these folks.

Machine Tool Help
This very ambitious site launched in early 2005 is dedicated to the selection, application, management and operation of machine tools. Here you'll find sections on nearly every aspect of the machine tool -- purchasing, automation, installation, applications, troubleshooting, maintenance and repair. Machinetoolhelp.com also aspires to create an impressive collection of links to machining-related sites and forums.

Machine Tool Help
This very ambitious site launched in early 2005 is dedicated to the selection, application, management and operation of machine tools. Here you'll find sections on nearly every aspect of the machine tool -- purchasing, automation, installation, applications, troubleshooting, maintenance and repair. Machinetoolhelp.com also aspires to create an impressive collection of links to machining-related sites and forums.

MachiningZone.com
The Machining Zone is sponsored, hosted, and maintained by CarpenterDirect. If you're expecting to see an overt, commercial site slanted only toward their product, think again. The Machining Zone offers up a cornucopia of metalworking and machining information and data useful beyond any specific product from any single supplier. Scrolling down the main page you'll find technical guides to, Turning, Drilling, Tapping, and Threading. There are also troves of info within their Technical Information Database. Rounding out this site are comprehensive links and calendar pages.

Machinists' Exchange
NOTE: The Machinists' Exchange is undergoing some updates and improvements. If the site appears (or doesn't) to be sluggish, be patient and check back in a few days.

This ol' stalwart of the Web has been around longer than most sites. And it shows ... in a good way. The Machinists' Exchange is a site out of California that is run for the love of machining and the people that do it. You'll find links to suppliers, a really good collection of metalworking-related forum and chat links, and a handy page of calculators and utilities.

But one really cool part of this site is the "Site Maps Page." Here, you'll find "maps" of some of the Web's best Web sites for machining and manufacturing (including MMS Online). Be sure to visit the maps for Dave's Math Tables, or you'll be sorry. This is a site built by someone that cares and has fun. Nice job.

Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL)
The MEL is a subset of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and is sort of a conduit to technology for manufacturers. Their stated purpose is to "provide the best in the world calibration services, accurate machining processes characterizations, and technical access to the rich opportunities of information technology." The MEL is organized into 6 "sectors" that include 5 divisions (Precision Engineering, Manufacturing Metrology, Intelligent Systems, Manufacturing Systems Integration, and Fabrication Technology) and the Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory. Not only is this Web site a portal into the MEL that you may use to engage them in research, it is also as rich a repository for manufacturing info as any you'll find from the U.S. Government. The access to their published reports alone (under "Publications" on the home page) is worth the visit. Nice work.

Manufacturingtalk
From the British Isles comes Manufacturingtalk, an combination online magazine, directory, and information resource hosted by the esteemed Mike Page, one of Britain's best and brightest. This site provides a wealth of technical- and product-related articles and studies relevant to many machining disciplines, and their Product Channels (scroll about halfway down their home page and you'll see them) categorize their substantial content into sectors such as Cutting Tools, Die/Mold, Measurement, and others. Even though this site primarily serves the UK, this site offers complimentary coverage to processes appropriate for all machining professionals. After all, trig is trig, right?

Marv Klotz's Utilities
This site, built by a retired aerospace physicist named Marv and subtitled "Software for People Who Build Things," will do many positive things for you (not necessarily in this order):

It will expose you to more manufacturing-related calculators, software and utilities than you can shake a mouse at. It will inspire in you an appreciation for content over graphic-drenched hype. It will educate you. It will be added to your favorites immediately upon discovery.

But, mostly, it will make you wanna hug Marv. Because this is one heckuva fine collection of useful information, and a labor of love for all of us. Thanks, Marv.

Math Resources
This page is a collection of links across the Web to mathematics, formulas, tutorials and directories that can be useful to the machining professional or student. Included in this MASSIVE assortment of sites are calculators, formulaic tables and charts, and just about every sort of math-related topic imaginable. Of course, as with any collection like this, you’ll have to sort through those less machining-related to find the really useful stuff—but there are numerous links to those you can use, and this is a fine page to bookmark.

Mathtools.net
We don't even know where to start with MathTools. But we'll try it this way: this maybe be the most incredible collection of Web-based scientific and mathematics calculators available anywhere. Period. As a matter of fact, the only real downside to this MASSIVE collection is that it is such a MASSIVE collection—these guys have everything from the most simple of calculators to the most complex utilities (i.e., algorithmic, astronomical, etc.) to the code used to create them.

Even more impressive is the layout of this site and its utilities. For the amount and quality of technical data available, it is extraordinarily simple to navigate. As usual, it is our duty to inform you that MathTools requires registration, but no cost is involved. This sucker is Yahoo for the calculator crowd.

MatWeb
It's awfully refreshing when someone delivers on a promise, don't you think? MatWeb stands for Materials Web, and they bill themselves as "The Online Materials Resource." And guess what? They really, really deliver the goods.

MatWeb is, put simply, a materials information database with data on nearly 25 THOUSAND materials including metals, plastics, ceramics, and composites. Some areas and information access require registration. We could go on about their calculators or searches by multiple criteria, but it just wouldn't do this amazing resource justice. Go there, and give it a whirl to appreciate it.

MCADCafe.com
Now, normally, we'd be kinda skeptical about something with a name like MCAD Cafe. But you'd do well to spend some quality time on this site. For example, selecting the Resources link in the top navigation bar gets you in front of a wealth of manufacturing-related technical papers on a variety of topics. But selecting sublinks off of THAT page gets you into product info about collaborative software, translators, CAM packages ... I'm tellin' ya, the fun never ends.

This site is as fun to play "Discover The Link" in as it is informative.

Metal Web News
This site is simple in its layout and purpose, and you can’t beat that combination. MWN has been around awhile, and the simple approach means that the technical and industry info they provide is easy to find and use. Technical articles for both the advanced and beginning machining professional, calendars, discussion boards and a “shop-like voice” make MWN a must-have in your link collection.

Metalworking Fluids - Safety & Health
OSHA has put together a nice collection of information about MWFs, their hazardous qualities, and how to work with them safely. And, yes, there's information about dermal exposure.

Metalworking University
Metalworking U was developed in 2000 at the tail end of the dot-com explosion (or, just before the bubble burst) by Nelson Publishing. The site seems to not have been updated for a while (the last posts seem to be from the winter of 2001), and some of the links to graphics have lapsed. So then, why are we linking to it now? Because MU and Nelson still have a fine repository of metalworking and machining information here, including fine collections around High Speed Machining, Grinding, Cutting Tools and other disciplines/processes. To access the archive, select Library/Archive and choose a “semester.” This site may be dormant as an education resource, but it may be useful to you as an info repository, nonetheless.

Mfgx
Mfgx is currently (04/07) in the beta stage and, as such, much of it is being refined at this point. The current phase offers some relatively standard online fare, including forums, job posting utilities (you can post or review as an employer or prospective employee), and a marketplace for posting equipment for sale. What distinguishes Mfgx from previously launched manufacturing sites are its community tools that allow for the creation of personal or corporate profiles (think MySpace for manufacturers) and a manufacturing Wiki, wherein technical content is submitted, edited and policed by the Mfgx community at large. (Not familiar with what a "Wiki" is? Check out Wikipedia for the perfect example of this model.) According to sources at the company, Mfgx was launched and is maintained as a free service by Mfg.com.

MotionNET.com
According to MotionNET, their "goal is to provide engineers and buyers with the most efficient, direct and practical sources available, including products, manufacturers, distributors, standards and reference information." Fair enough. But what this doesn't adequately explain is the value this site brings to machining professionals' online research experiences. This site is one of the very best online directories anywhere; lists of manufacturers, the most incredible lists of manufacturing-related Associations to be found anywhere, and an astonishing wealth of research and reference tools under their Quick References title. Regardless of your station in machining or manufacturing, as a manager or professional, you will find immense value in this site. Indeed, in this case, it ain't the mass, it's the MOTION.

MTAMRI
Now this is cool. MTAMRI (Machine Tool Agile Manufacturing Research Institute) describes itself as a Strategic Alliance of University, Industry, and Government partners who share a common vision for the needs of machine tool builders, suppliers, and users. MTAMRI's Web presence is run by and housed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, but the partners from the three sectors mentioned above are just too numerous to list here. But, hey...enough of that stuff. This site is a wonderful portal to what's going to be possible for manufacturing and metalworking in cyberspace—soon. If you only visit one feature of this site, make sure it's the EMSIM Testbed. It simulates the End-milling process for various cuts and cutters—online—and can simulate for multiple passes. Just give the "Guest" feature a try. This should, if nothing else, inspire any shop or plant or company with a Web agenda to do more.

NASA Tech Briefs
Why, as a matter of fact, they ARE rocket scientists, thank you very much.

This Web site contains loads of technical info in the form of "briefs," accessible through their Tech Brief Library. You'll find them in applicable categories such as, CAD Software, Motion Control, Materials, Manufacturing, Testing & Measurement, General Software, and more. This site also includes a forum and somethings called "Technical Support Packages," which require registration to get at.

Ndx.com
Ndx.com is an aggregate site representing many manufacturing-rich vertical markets served by Alabama's Vulcan Publishing. Ndx (iNDustry eXpert, get it?) present a wellspring of technical information for metalworking, fabrication, gear making, and other relevant subjects near and dear to a shop's heart.

This site includes ancillary, supportive sites that serve the whole with technical article archives, suppliers databases, and more.

PARTserver
Well, they got the "PART" part right. PARTserver is a bit of a mixed bag. Part free, part for-pay, and part "try before you buy," this site offers catalogues and examples of standard parts CAD files from a variety of sources, including many major parts supply businesses. The site is maintained jointly by entities in Germany and Cincinnati, Ohio; some areas of the site are in English, while others (like the forum, unfortunately) are exclusively in German. Pity, because the forums are extensive and run the course of CAD and CAM packages, and would be a welcome addition to the English-speaking, manufacturing and machining Web. That said, if you're looking parts, this site is worthy of your attention.

Process Register
Process Register is a database--a big, well-designed and thought-out online collection of product and service providers that serve (what these guys call) the "process industries." To machining professionals looking for help, that means that many ancillary service providers can be found here: CAD/CAM design and engineering firms, metals suppliers, inspection and testing services, and more. To shops looking for marketing help, you might consider registering your business with this directory (under "Machining/Metal Working") for exposure to prospects. While this site could use a few more participants in some sectors relevant to our world, they are getting their "e-legs" quickly and deserve a look-see.

Reliabilityweb.com
Reliability.com is a simply designed Web site dedicated to reliability and maintenance issues with manufacturing environments. Included here are collections of interest to any machining manager or leader, especially in the areas of demand and scheduled maintenance, fluid management (lubricants, metalworking fluids, etc.), and overall shop administration and management. Reliability.com presents data within a Reading Room (large collection of articles), Tutorials (online e-conferences on a variety of topics), and e-mail based Forums (a sort of ListServ, private discussion forum). A comprehensive directory, calendar and buyer’s guide round out this complete, easy-to-navigate site.

Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI)
Now this is really something. Set up in West Virginia through Marshall University, the RCBI provides manufacturers access to advanced CNC equipment, affordable training initiatives, assistance with analysis and integration of computer systems, and electronic commerce/virtual enterprise opportunities. Companies also have access to two-way, interactive, telecommunication capabilities that can be used for computer-based training, distance learning, teleconferencing and manufacturing networking. This is a metalworking love-fest, with services that can help smaller shops get access to some really cool capabilities and training. As far as their Web site, this is so-so. As for the idea, it is the bomb.

Robotics Online
This site is the online home of the Robotic Industries Association, and it presents an impressive amount of quality robotics info. You'll find an impressive collection of case studies and white papers categorized by processes, as well as technical articles, an Ask The Experts forum, and a fine selection of links. This site is an excellent automation resource.

Sandia National Laboratories
Presents a technical repository that is searchable and thorough. This is one big site. Several sections of Sandia's site serve metalworking professionals extraordinarily well. This site is worth an hour of digging to any machining pro or manager.

ShopSwarf
From the far-away shores of New Zealand comes ShopSwarf! (Is it just us, or does the name sound like the name of Japanese monster flick set in a machine shop, or what?) ShopSwarf comes to us from the eye (and server) of one Tom Martin, and his site offers a remarkably useful, simple-to-use suite of machining-centric info. Included on ShopSwarf are tabular data and specifications for a wide range of applications, from collets, milling and gears to myriad manufacturing applications like metals, temperature and wire interpretive data.

If we ever get a pet dog at MMS, we're gonna name it ShopSwarf.

SOLV-DB
Brought to you by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), a non-profit organization, this database gives you everything you'll need to deal with solvents—health and safety data, physical data, regulatory data, and environmental impact data. This is a thorough and efficient database.

Step Tools
STEP is the STandard for the Exchange of Product model data, a comprehensive ISO standard that describes how to represent and exchange digital product information. STEP aspires to replace IGES as the means by which graphical information is shared among unlike computer systems around the world. But one big difference is that STEP is designed so that virtually all essential information about a product, not just CAD files, can be passed back and forth among users. This site is the "home base" of the STEP initiative, and it contains a wealth of related information, including associated and ancillary language apps and subsets (XML, STEP-NC, etc.) as well as news, technical data and access to tranlation services.

UPDATE: The STEP-NC site continues to expand along with interest in the STEP standard itself, especially in their formidable developers' databases where you can find examples of the standard already developed for use in myriad formats. There are also "virtual tours" that will expand your understanding of what STEP can/will do.

Techdata
This very simple but effective personal site includes one of the best collections of tables and data for many machining-related topics: material and metals properties; machinability data; dimension tables; and much more. All pages and info on this site download very quickly and must be included in any respectable machining professionals bookmarks.

Nearly anything you could need, from aluminum to yellow brass.

TechSolve
A Midwest metalworking resource has adopted a new identity, and it may be worth a bookmark if you're interested in another research-friendly Web site.

TechSolve is the new name of the former Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Sciences (IAMS). They are a non-profit bunch, offering myriad services to help small and large manufacturing outfits improve their processes.

Their updated Web presence offers access to lots of relevant info, products and links, including strong machining, training and employment support. TechSolve is setup to support your business, and may offer a viable option as you look to decipher machining mysteries.

TenLinks.com
First, the name ... TenLinks started out listing the top ten links for their technical domains: Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Engineering (CAE), Civil Engineering (CE) and more. But TenLinks has grown to include areas near and dear to our hearts, including CAM, manufacturing, hardware and software, and more.

Not only have these cats grown to present more than ten links in numerous categories; they present useful product and technical data, too. If you use computers to design, model or machine your parts and product, TenLinks has to be in your Favorites. Period.

The Mid-America Manufacturing Technology Center (MAMTC)
The MAMTC is a non-profit organization that may be engaged to help your company with myriad issues, like manufacturing processes, lean, product development, information systems, and more. But the MAMTC site is also a fine information resource - check out the Lean Manufacturing section for a wealth of data. Well laid out and accessible, this is one nice manufacturing site.

The Virtual Machine Shop (VMS)
The VMS is back after a brief hiatus to redesign their site and content. Designed, created and maintained by a consortium of business and academic entities (primarily Cerritos College in California), this site is a treasure trove of machine tool data that is part library, part training manual and part community (that community part takes some time, so give ‘em a break). But after all is said and done, it’s the Library link that you’ll want to visit. It is broken up into 8 “lessons,” including Milling Machines, Lathes, Other Machines, Cutting Tools, CNC & CAM, Measurement, Engineering, and an excellent machining glossary. And man-o-man, these lessons are ample, with text, graphics, videos (LOTS of videos) and animated graphics (most are in Shockwave format). A Web site is never judged by how it starts, but by how it is grown and maintained. If this site grows anywhere near as well as it launched, we’re in for a great ride. Gentlemen, start your mouses!

Thomas Register
The old standby for locating manufacturers in the United States came online in a big way a few years back. Today, they've made available an excellent database of suppliers and manufacturers in every conceivable industry. Registration is required for access to some information, but you can find a lot once you do.

And Thomas has steadily added to and expanded their ancillary services to provide one of the (if not the) most efficient, effective online experiences for manufacturers. Surprised? Don't be. What did you expect from the folks that helped invent "supply chain" in the first place?

Titanium Design & Fabrication
They should have named this "TitaniumForTheCranium.com" instead.

This fine collection of information regarding titanium comes from the good folks at TIMET, one of the largest titanium producers in Europe. They've put up a site that is absolutely "bookmark-worthy" to anyone that machines, designs or is interested in titanium. The majority of the technical info presented here is broken down into two areas: Designing and Fabricating (including machining and other processes).

Digging deeper in the site offers access to some other interesting, titanium-rich resources, including an Applications Section with Industrial, Aerospace, Specialized and Emerging technologies represented.

Waterjet Web Reference
This site describes itself as "an educational resource on Abrasive jet and Water jet cutting and machining methods." Boy, they ain't kiddin'. "They" is a guy named Carl. Carl has assembled an absolutely rockin' site for everything to do with abrasivejet machining methods. The forums are active, the suppliers and job shop databases are thorough and well-maintained, and .....heck, just go check this place out. If you're into water- or abrasivejet machining, this is your bookmark.

WebElements™
OK, if you're like us, you have several Web sites bookmarked about a single topic. There are just too many resources out there to rely on just one. Wellsir, if you have no more than one link to an online utility for the Table of Elements, or if one of yours isn't this one, then you need to add this site RIGHT NOW.

Also offered off WebElements are links to numerous calculators and utilities useful in a technical machining environment.

Still don't get it? BOOKMARK THIS SITE — IT RAWKS!