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ken@kentusa.com

Kent CNC

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So far Kent CNC has created 41 blog entries.

Rolling Hot – A KENT CNC Mill and Lathe Customer Success Story

By |2024-10-14T17:41:52-08:00October 14th, 2024|Categories: CNC Tips, CNC Turning Centers, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

After years of equipment breakdowns, this shop owner decided he’d rather make parts than repair tired machine tools. He’s never been happier. Dean Kauffman makes rollers. He makes them by the thousands. Big rollers, small rollers, all used by steel mills to make the round, square, and rectangular bar stock that other manufacturers then turn into [...]

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CNC Tip: Quick-Change Toolholders for CNC Lathes

By |2023-09-29T16:14:17-08:00September 29th, 2023|Categories: CNC Tips, CNC Turning Centers|

In a recent article about CNC Toolholders, we compared traditional “steep taper” milling machine toolholders to their dual-contact HSK and Big Plus alternatives. This time, we'll explore the CNC turning equivalent, a.k.a. quick-change toolholders. As their name suggests, these aftermarket devices make swapping out a broken drill or worn turning tool fast and easy. The result [...]

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(NEW) KHV-500 Combination Horizontal/Vertical Machining Center

By |2023-09-14T18:11:21-08:00September 14th, 2023|Categories: CNC Horizontal Machining Centers, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

Kent CNC has introduced the New KHV-500 Combination Horizontal/Vertical Machining Center with the industry standard 0i-MD control by FANUC. By combining a horizontal machining center with a vertical machining center, this cutting-edge versatile machining center allows for faster setups and parts loading and unloading, improved accuracy, floor space maximization, and capital investment reduction. Two Spindles Are [...]

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CNC Toolholders: What’s the Best Choice for my Machining Center? And Why?

By |2023-09-05T20:44:18-08:00September 5th, 2023|Categories: CNC Tips, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

Thinking about changing out your CNC toolholders? Big decision. Most machining centers today come standard with a CAT or BT-style spindle interface, and for the lion’s share of milling operations, these do the job quite nicely. But sometimes, an alternative to traditional “steep taper” CNC toolholders is in order. Source: nextgentooling.com Choose the Right [...]

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CNC Programming: Which Approach is Best—CAM Software, Manually, or Somewhere in Between?

By |2023-07-28T14:29:28-08:00July 28th, 2023|Categories: CNC Horizontal Machining Centers, CNC Tips, CNC Turning Centers, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

The rigger just called. Your first CNC lathe or machining center will arrive this Friday. You unpacked the toolholders last week. The workholding is ready. You’ve lined up the first few jobs. The big question now? What approach will you take on CNC programming? Will you buy a CAM system and sit through a training class or two? Or will [...]

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High-Speed Machining: What’s AICC and How Does it Work?

By |2023-06-11T07:53:42-08:00June 11th, 2023|Categories: CNC Horizontal Machining Centers, CNC Tips, CNC Turning Centers, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

High-speed machining was once a niche technology, known only to aerospace shops making large airframe components. No more. High-speed machining (HSM) use is now widespread. So are its counterparts high-feed (HFM) and high-efficiency (HEM) machining. All are now common in shops of all sizes and specialties.  That said, shops wishing to pursue a more productive path [...]

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Automated Machine Tending is No Longer an Option. Time to Hire a Robot!

By |2023-05-24T12:49:18-08:00May 19th, 2023|Categories: CNC Turning Centers, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

Automated Machine Tending is No Longer an Option. Time to Hire a Robot! Given the ongoing shortage of skilled labor, shops everywhere are turning to automated machine tending. Doing so reduces operating costs. It increases overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), often significantly. Automation also opens the door to unattended second and third shifts, potentially allowing the company [...]

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Boost CNC Efficiency with Through-Spindle and High-Pressure Coolant

By |2023-04-24T18:04:21-08:00April 24th, 2023|Categories: CNC Horizontal Machining Centers, CNC Tips, CNC Turning Centers, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

Anyone who's watched an expensive carbide drill go up in smoke knows the importance of cutting fluids. And yet, the challenge is getting these fluids where they're needed most: in the work zone. That's where through-spindle coolant comes in. A common option on some brands of CNC machining center, "coolant-thru" increases tool life, productivity, and part [...]

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Toolholder Balancing: What RPM, Which Tools, Why Bother?

By |2023-03-18T18:22:37-08:00March 18th, 2023|Categories: CNC Tips, CNC Vertical Machining Centers|

Let’s pretend you just bought a KVR-series machining center from Kent USA. Furthermore, your shop cuts tons of aluminum, so you opted for the 20,000 rpm high-speed spindle option. Great idea. What’s not so great is overlooking the need for toolholder balancing at these speeds. That’s because an unbalanced toolholder will not only shorten tool life, it might just [...]

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Gang-Style Lathes: Why Going Gangster is a Good Thing

By |2023-02-13T17:48:14-08:00February 13th, 2023|Categories: CNC Turning Centers|

At first glance, gang-style lathes like this one from Kent USA appear limited in their capabilities. There’s some truth to that statement. After all, even the largest of the series—the GSL-42—boasts a maximum bar diameter of 1.6" and 6" of Z-axis travel. How many parts do you know that fall into this size range? If yours [...]

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