Large Part Machining
The Cut Scene: The Finer Details of Large-Format Machining
Small details and features can have an outsized impact on large parts, such as Barbco’s collapsible utility drill head.
Evan Doran
Associate Editor, Modern Machine Shop
Chiron's Five-Axis DZ 22 Meant For High Speeds and Precision
Chiron’s new DZ 22 precision machining center features twin spindles and a moving gantry design to rapidly and precisely machine various large, complex parts.
Read MoreSandvik CoroMill 390 LW Enhances Aerospace Machining Capacity
Sandvik Coromant’s 3D-printed CoroMill 390 cutter helped Flying S Inc. achieve six-times the productivity on MAX5 cast aluminum alloy than with previous tools.
Read MoreGreenleaf Boosts OCCO's Cutter and Insert Productivity
Greenleaf Corp.’s proprietary insert, cutter and machine adjustments helped OCCO reduce crankshaft machining costs to, in some cases, a quarter of the original cost.
Read MoreAerospace Machine Shop Opts for CAM Simulation Over Dry Runs
NCSIMUL Machine software has taken Marton Precision’s G-code program verification from a 16 hour manual process to a mere two hours.
Read MoreComposites Specialist Makes CNC Chops Count
Machining capability drives evolution from race car builder to aerospace and defense contractor.
Read MoreMeet Colossus: An Inside Look at One of the Largest Five-Axis Machining Centers in the U.S.
My behind-the-scenes tour on the shop floor of Baker Industries began and ended with its Emco Mecof PowerMill, one of the biggest five-axis machining centers in the United States. The tour also shed light on the company’s highly aggressive approach to new equipment purchases.
Read More
ESOP Solidifies Culture of Continuous Improvement
Astro Machine Works’ ESOP rewards all employees when the shop does well, inspiring many toward continuous improvement as Astro expands its capabilities.
Evan Doran
Associate Editor, Modern Machine Shop
For Large-Part Machining, Five-Axis Capabilities Prove Essential to Staying Competitive
Metalcraft of Mayville’s old milling machine for large parts failed just when the company began seeing increased pressure to take on projects requiring more flexibility and capabilities. Two five-axis HMCs from Toyoda helped the company stay in step with the trend.
Read MoreWhen Machining Long Parts, Machine Shop Climate Matters
Machining long titanium tufting needle bars required a milling machine with a super-long X-axis travel. But the real challenge was thermal compensation in the Georgia heat.
Read MoreWhat Is Single-Lobe Peeling?
A manufacturer of large turn-mill machines has developed a bar-peeling process to complete large, progressive cavity pump rotors in one setup.
Read MoreA Vertical Bridge Mill Provides Big Opportunities
Seeing your company as a boring-mill shop is a problem when only 20 percent of your jobs are actually boring-mill related. It’s also a problem to have the space and potential to produce large parts when you only win 6 to 14 percent of the large-part jobs you quote.
Read MoreLarge-Parts Manufacturer Wins Big with Vertical Bridge Mill
Napoleon Machine required new equipment to compete in large-parts machining. Toyoda’s LB63324M vertical bridge mill with right-angle head increased quoted job wins from 6 to 52 percent.
Read MoreWalk-On Pit Covers Meet OSHA Regulations
EMO 2017: Hennig will showcase its walk-on pit covers, which meet all OSHA regulations and are ideal for applications which require sturdy, load-bearing covers.
Read More
Heavy Engineering: The Complex Logistics of Moving Large Machine Tools
One of our fascinations with large-format machine tools has little to do with their capabilities, but everything to do with the logistics involved with getting them up and running. Here’s how one of the world’s oldest builders of giant machine tools tackles the challenge.
Brent Donaldson
Editor-in-Chief, Modern Machine Shop
What’s Behind Door Number Three?
While most shops are producing shorter aerospace parts on five-axis machines or larger parts on gantry-type equipment, this shop found its niche somewhere in the middle thanks to an advanced profiling machining system from Mazak.
Read MorePrecision Profiler Opens Chances for Larger Aerospace Parts
Fort Walton Machining could only process smaller aerospace parts without investing in large, expensive-to-operate equipment. Mazak's Vortex 160 horizontal profiler increased the shop's part size capabilities.
Read MoreSoraluce Tech Days Highlights Multitasking, Automation and Productivity
The machine tool builder launched new innovations at an event hosted at its Limburg, Germany, Center of Excellence earlier this month.
Read MoreLarge, Made to Order and Ready to Connect
The 30th edition of the Bi-Mu trade show in Milan, Italy, highlighted not only modular machine tools for work like machining aerospace structures, but also technology related to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and more.
Read MoreWhy Was This Machine Chosen for Composites?
General Tool adds a metalcutting machining center with the expectation that this machine is likely to perform a significant amount of machining of CFRP.
Read MoreSystematic Success
A more efficient manufacturing process has enabled this manufacturer to ramp up production of its devices for the oil and gas industry.
Read More
Yaskawa Motoman GP280L Simplifies Jobs with Heavy Components
Yaskawa Motoman has debuted the extended-reach, six-axis GP280L robot, an extension of its GP-series robot family for swift, high-power applications.
Evan Doran
Associate Editor, Modern Machine Shop
Big Multifunction Machines for Big Castings
Turn-mill technology enables this company to minimize lead times and handling for its large machined castings.
Read MoreGoing Live on a Vertical Lathe
For this company, investing in live tooling and a high-pressure coolant system on a pair of new CNC vertical lathes eliminated setups, increased throughput and led to safer material handling on the shop floor.
Read MoreBloodhound Fin Support Machined with Vortex
Machining strategy contributes to 40 percent cycle time saving on large five-axis aluminum part.
Read MoreLarge Machines and Capacity in Renovated Pfronten Facility
DMG MORI hosted its 20th open house earlier this month in Pfronten, Germany. The event featured 76 machine tool exhibits, including four world premieres, and nearly 8,800 attendees had the opportunity to tour the recently renovated and expanded facility to see its latest machine tool technologies. Here are some observations from the event:
Read MoreTMX Delivers 8,000-Pound Chuck
Custom 71-inch workholding is going to be used on a welding positioner for cladding large valves for the oil and gas industry.
Read MoreShops Serving Oilfield Customers Appreciate Retrofits
Buying new is nice, but there are reasons why retrofits make sense for shops serving the oilfield industry.
Read More
