Machining Center Selection: Three Things to Know Let's face it: if you're shopping for a CNC machining center, there are a number of good choices out there. And just like picking out your next car or a vacation home, there’s a lot to consider before buying one. Kent CNC recognizes this. We encourage our customers to [...]
Keep Cool: 5 Things You Should Know About High-Pressure Coolant Systems If you’ve purchased a new end mill or slotting cutter lately, chances are good that it’s riddled with coolant holes. There’s an excellent reason for this. Unless you’re machining gray cast iron, high-carbon or hardened steels, or using ceramic cutting tools—cutting dry, in other words—you’ll [...]
Five Tips for Keeping Cutting Fluids in Tip-Top Shape Nobody likes a stinky machine tool. When cutting fluids are poorly maintained, anaerobic bacteria blossoms, feeding on the way lube and other unavoidable contaminants that collect within any machine sump. This is why Kent CNC’s KVR-series vertical machining centers are equipped with automatic coolant tank skimmers and [...]
3 Chip Management Tips for CNC Machine Operators There’s one basic rule of shop floor economics that everyone should know: if the machines aren’t making chips, the business is losing money. But the shape of those chips and their removal from the work area is every bit as important as producing them in the first place. [...]
Which Way? Linear or Box Way Vertical Machining Centers? Ask any machinist which is better, box ways or linear guideway machining centers, and you might receive a heated response, similar to asking them which sports team is best, or how they voted in the last election. Most have their favorite, and how it became that way [...]
I'll Take the Combo – Dual Spindle Machining Center Life is full of choices. From deciding what color to paint your bathroom, which combo meal to order at your favorite fast food restaurant, or whether to name your kid Bob or Jim, each of us is faced each day with decisions big and small. Machine shop [...]
Back when a 6,000 rpm CNC vertical machining center was considered ridiculously fast, there was little worry about heat buildup in the spindle. Thermal growth of the Z-axis was quite manageable, and the spindle bearings could be expected to last years before servicing became necessary. That all began to change as spindle speeds hit 8,000 rpm, [...]
Vertical Machining Centers – The Real Estate Argument I’ve always been a fan of those little “phone booth” style vertical machining centers. They’re fast, the toolholders are small and light, and for the most part they boast enough axis travel to machine a wide variety of workpieces. Granted, they can’t take a massive cut, but they [...]
10 Reasons to Buy Kent CNC Compact Vertical Machining Centers Kent CNC KVR Compact Vertical Machining Centers combine proven machine design with advanced technology in control and manufacturing. They are our most popular VMCs and provide you with the best value for your money. Long-lasting and durable, these machines deliver a precision-grade finish at high speeds. [...]
Shopping for a Vertical Machining Center – What to Look for Before making any major purchase, such as a Vertical Machining Center (VMC), it would be wise to take stock of your application requirements. These machines, across the board, can vary in price and functionality. With the recession behind us, many businesses are still taking their [...]
