Chatter. Poor tool life. Dimensions that don't repeat. These and other common machining problems can ruin an otherwise good day. A high-quality machine tool solves these shop floor woes, and does so for many years to come. Uptime goes way up. So does part accuracy and profit margins. Best of all? You'll have happier customers and [...]
Gun drilling. If you didn't know any better, you'd think it's meant only for firearm manufacturing. And while that's where the process started—crafting rifle barrels with long, straight bores—don't let the name fool you. Today, gun drilling is the go-to method for parts that require extremely deep yet accurate holes, whether for a medical implant, a [...]
Tired of waiting on external suppliers for outsourced parts? Or how about the "Oops, my bad" apologies you get when one of them ships a batch of nonconforming product?" You're not alone. Entrepreneurs, product developers, prototype shops dealing with increased demand—all of them wonder, "What can we do to improve our supply chain?" The answer? Wean [...]
The oil and gas industry demands components that are big, heavy, and incredibly durable—and that’s where a high-performance CNC machine makes all the difference. From valve bodies to pump pistons and flanges, rugged parts require equally rugged equipment. Built for Large-Diameter, Heavy-Duty Turning Oilfield components often exceed standard machining limits. That’s why Kent CNC’s horizontal turning [...]
Tariffs. Political divisions. A chronic skilled labor shortage. With all that's going on today, no one can predict what’s next for manufacturing. Even so, there are several ongoing machining trends helping to shape the future for CNC machine shops, whatever they make. And going forward, the most successful ones will be those that followed the Boy [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
