MMS Blog
Are Two Ballscrews Better Than One?
A dual ballscrew arrangement on the Z axis leaves the middle of the base open for chip evacuation, solving the problem on table feed Z-axis, horizontal machining centers.
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For Unattended Machining, Attend To Pre-Process
Efficient use of labor is a primary goal of unattended machining. To successfully reduce process intervention, all of the manufacturing disciplines must participate. Accomplishing this requires detailed pre-process planning, which is the key to optimizing machine, material and manpower resources.
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CNC Hole Making Without A Programmer
With NC programs created automatically, this shop goes straight from the designer to the machine tool.
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In Latest Version Of
Look-ahead is a common CNC capability today. The term describes the control's ability to read ahead some number of blocks in the program, to anticipate sudden changes in speed or direction and react accordingly. Different CNCs look ahead different numbers of blocks. But are more blocks better?
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Is Magnetic Workholding For You?
Holding metal parts with magnets is migrating from surface grinding to broader application in general metalworking processes, especially milling. Advances in magnetic technology are causing many shops to re-evaluate how they hang on to workpieces. Here’s a look at how magnets may be a viable workholding solution for your shop.
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Turning Wheel Hubs? Think About More Than Just Turning
Automotive suppliers are today being asked to supply wheel, brake and suspension components to ever-tighter tolerances. To accomplish this, single suppliers are taking responsibility for delivering more than turned blanks. They take more control of the process by performing turning, gauging, testing and assembly—on demand. Here’s one shop’s approach.
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Interlocking Serrated Surfaces Enhance Modular Fixturing
This pedestal-type workholding fixture matches its grooves and ridges naturally and automatically aligns the surfaces of the workpiece, making subsequent reclampings highly repeatable.
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Rethinking Indexers And Rotary Tables
Affordable indexers and fourth-axis rotary tables greatly enhance the capability of vertical machining centers. It’s almost as good as having a horizontal machining center.
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Cutting The Cost Of Custom Machines
There is a gap between the price of one of this builder's custom machines and the maximum price that even many large contract shops can afford to pay for capital equipment. But that gap is getting smaller.
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Machining The Majority Of Job Shop Parts
This builder has introduced a compact vertical machining center and a compact lathe, both with the same full CNC functionality as larger machines.
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Agile Or Lean?
Either way, machining centers may make sense. When CNC machines are used for high-volume work, this question comes first.
Read MoreUpdated Workholding Improves Turning Performance And Speed
Many shops maintain old workholding on their lathes, and there is a loss of opportunity to increase productivity and repeatability. Workholding tends to be an afterthought. In reality, workholding can increase performance a great deal.
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