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NC Lessons Learned Apply to Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing

NC Lessons Learned Apply to Additive Manufacturing

Just as numerical control of the 1960s had much room for growth, so do the additive manufacturing machines of today.

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One Small Step for Metals, One Giant Leap for AM
Additive Manufacturing

One Small Step for Metals, One Giant Leap for AM

Eliminating support structures for metal parts expands pathways to profitable AM.

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Modern Bench Amplifiers Offer More Evaluation Capabilities
Inspection and Measurement

Modern Bench Amplifiers Offer More Evaluation Capabilities

Today’s electronic gaging amplifiers can do more than take comparative measurements. New features have become common, opening possibilities for machinists and manufacturers.

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Monitoring Machine Tools? Don’t Discount DNC
Basics

Monitoring Machine Tools? Don’t Discount DNC

Networks that feed part programs to shopfloor CNCs can double as a foundation for pulling data from them.

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5 Ways to Simplify Tasks for CNC Newcomers
CNC Tech Talks

5 Ways to Simplify Tasks for CNC Newcomers

Manufacturers can easily train new CNC users by simplifying tasks. Learn how to simplify CNC tasks for new hires in this CNC Tech Talk.

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How to Make a Surface Plate Into a Gage
Basics

How to Make a Surface Plate Into a Gage

Surface plates provide a stable reference surface on a large scale, enabling multiple gage setups, but they can also be turned into a gage themselves.

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Robots Get a Ride with CNC Machine-tending AGVs
Data-Driven Manufacturing

Robots Get a Ride with CNC Machine-tending AGVs

Mobile machine tenders prove that “automation-ready” is a state of mind.

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The Challenge with AM Process Substitution
Additive Manufacturing

The Challenge with AM Process Substitution

Making a one to one replacement of a part with AM is rarely cost-effective. Approaches like MFAM can improve the cost curve for AM, as Tim Simpson illustrates.

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Guarding Against Cyberattack Is a Drain on Machining Capacity
Data-Driven Manufacturing

Guarding Against Cyberattack Is a Drain on Machining Capacity

The Colonial Pipeline shutdown was a warning about the dangers of malicious use of data networks. However, as the full value of Industry 4.0 becomes apparent, isolating CNC machine tools from networks will be seen as an increasingly costly way to protect manufacturing from threats.

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Balancing MfAM and DfAM for Metal Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing

Balancing MfAM and DfAM for Metal Additive Manufacturing

For viable metal AM, users must balance design for additive manufacturing (DfAM), modifying for additive manufacturing (MfAM) and cost per kilogram.

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Preparing SQC For Machinists and Future Requirements
Inspection and Measurement

Preparing SQC For Machinists and Future Requirements

The current complexity of machines means machinists are already busy — assigning them new, expanded SQL duties (such as gage identification) will require gages and processes to prioritize accessibility.

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Is Wireless Data Collection a Cultural Choice?
Measurement

Is Wireless Data Collection a Cultural Choice?

Untethered digital inspection tools are easier to justify for those who are willing to hold themselves accountable and improve for improvement’s sake.

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