Machine tools + subtractive manufacturing

Renishaw received the Industry Partner Award at Davis Technical College Foundation’s Annual Life Changer Luncheon on Oct 3, 2024. Each year, the ceremony honors the foundation partners for their significant contributions to Davis Tech and their unwavering commitment to education. The Davis Tech CNC Machining program enhances the lives of students as they prepare for…

AZCO Corp announces the availability of its Sheeter FGW 1650, a versatile and customizable cutting assembly that includes heavy-duty unwinds, slitter station, and edge guides to unwind, slit, and cut various materials precisely. Units can cut flexible materials, including films, foils, nonwovens, and paper. They feature a rugged, clear anodized frame with stainless-steel covers and…

Able Electropolishing, the world’s largest electropolishing specialist, has acquired new in-house laboratory equipment that significantly enhances its analytic and testing capabilities. This equipment further improves the precision and effectiveness of electropolishing in improving the finish, fit, and function of critical metal parts made from a wide variety of metal alloys, including stainless steel, aluminum, and…

SMW Autoblok announced a new workpiece positioning system, the WPS XL, featuring manual zero-point clamping for large workpieces. The WPS XL is suitable for five-axis machining and milling, measuring, and grinding operations. The company claims that users can reduce setup time by 90% or more with single quick actuation for rapid module operations in only…

In coordination with digital manufacturing leader Protolabs, engineers at NASA recently showcased the power of their AI-driven design tool at the PowerSource Global Summit, an annual conference bringing together technology leaders across disciplines. On the first day of the conference, NASA engineers challenged attendees to provide inputs for generative design to create a prototype apparatus…

SMW Autoblok introduced the new Plus5 V5 Zero Point Vise system that locks and unlocks pins with 180o rotation. Omnidirectional clamping ensures uniformity while performing precision and all-directional clamping. This zero-point vise interfaces with all industry-standard products using 52-mm or 96-mm pin spacing. The V5 Vise system provides self-centering operation for five-axis machines. The device…

SMW Autoblok has introduced the KIT-RR Chuck System, available in sizes from Ø 210 to Ø 400 and suitable for manual or robotic use. The system incorporates the RR Adapter and the RR soft top jaws, which through the company’s two-point contact design, can be switched from O.D. clamping to I.D. clamping in seconds. The…

Tormach, a U.S.-based manufacturer of CNC machines and industrial robotics, introduces its latest innovation: the Tormach 1500MX CNC Mill. Representing the apex of Tormach’s engineering prowess, the 1500MX marks a significant leap forward in power, precision, and affordability within their CNC machining portfolio. Tormach’s new 1500MX is a 3-axis, servo-driven mill on linear rails with…

If you golf, or even attempt mini-golf, you know it all comes down to putting. Whether you are trying to lower your handicap, make the tour, or simply putt your way through the laughing clown obstacle while on a family vacation, the entire game comes down to putting. Bruce Rearick from Burnt Edges Consulting in…

Well-known for flexible and powerful CNC solutions, Beckhoff now provides a comprehensive package of different cycles for triple-axis milling and drilling. TwinCAT 3 CNC Milling Base helps engineers speed up programming, increasing speed to market and customization. With numerous new function blocks, the software update encapsulates the required processes in parameterizable and reusable modules. The…

Digital manufacturing leader Protolabs has again expanded its CNC machining capabilities to allow for accelerated anodizing and chromate plating on aluminum components. From time of quote to manufacturing to shipping, customers can now get custom machined parts with plating in as fast as four days. “While traditional finishing processes like anodizing have been around for…

Metal-cutting company Sandvik Coromant is expanding its milling offering with the new CoroMill MF80 for automotive milling applications in ISO K and ISO P materials in close to 90° operations with fixture constraints. Based on a technology platform like the existing CoroMill 345, this new milling concept offers a 40% lighter cutter body with shim…

FANUC America, a factory automation solutions provider, and CNC Software, global CAM systems provider of Mastercam, has introduced a new post processor designed to optimize 5-axis capabilities in FANUC CNCs. The new post processor allows advanced machine tool operators to reduce their cycle times while boosting part accuracy, particularly for CAD/CAM generated 5-axis simultaneous contouring…

Digital manufacturing leader Protolabs announced that Tozuda is its latest Cool Idea Award winner. Attached to sports helmets, the head impact sensors made by this Philadelphia-based company of the same name change color to bright red when they experience an impact potentially strong enough to cause a concussion. Protolabs’ Cool Idea Award provides in-kind manufacturing…

In 2008, 38-year-old ‘Monster’ Mike Schultz from St. Cloud, MN suffered a knee injury during a snowmobile competition, resulting in the amputation of his left leg above the knee. The prosthesis Schultz received after his accident didn’t perform as he needed for competitive, rigorous sports. Using his knowledge and experience of fabrication and tuning suspension…

Whether you are an engineer, an entrepreneur, or just a frequent user of prototypes, laser cutting allows the design and manufacture of products with speed and precision — at a low cost. Even though laser cutting requires a piece to be cut on a flat material such as a sheet of metal, it doesn’t mean…

For a little fun and relaxation: The Hacksmith used Protolabs’ CNC machining services to recreate the blade handguard and handguard spacer from the movie Avengers: Endgame.   Protolabs www.protolabs.com

AttaBox NewSentry series thermoplastic PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) junction boxes are extremely rugged and light enclosures for harsh, aggressive environments and are well-suited for extremely wet and corrosive environments. Uses vary from high-end electronics to extreme corrosive applications both indoors and out, and their small footprint allows use in tight spaces. The easily workable PVC construction…

Scott Hazelton of IHS Markit gave an overview of the industrial markets for hydraulics at this week’s National Fluid Power Association IEOC event. The IEOC (International Economic Outlook Conference), an annual must-attend industry conference, was held this year at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort. Hazelton’s outlook wasn’t a sunny one (“not a lot of…

Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. announces the CNC Total Care Package service for its CNC systems. The service package is tailored for Mitsubishi Electric’s Mitsubishi Electric’s M8, M7, and M6 Control Series. The Total Care Package provides maintenance by combining three existing services: CloudCNC backup, machine tuning, and preventive maintenance. The resulting outcome is increased efficiency…

Boeing Profile Automotive industry manufacturers have basic requirements from their suppliers — on-time delivery, accuracy, and sufficient available stock. They want perfect parts, but they want them to be immediately available at a price they can control. Automotive industry suppliers need to have the ability to maintain production volume and quality, while maintaining a competitive…

When the Taiwanese machine tool company Chien Wei Precise Technology needed CNC grinding machines for manufacturing specialist gears used in robotics applications, they called on CNC high-end application company, NUM to assist. Based entirely on NUM’s latest-generation Flexium+ 68 CNC platform, Chien Wei’s new machines are designed to speed the production of both involute and…

Author:  Olga Zinoveva, Senior Software Engineer, Bright Machines From the physical push buttons, lights and switches of the 1980s, to the multi-touch screens of today, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) have evolved over the last few decades. However, as someone with a background in software engineering for games and consumer applications, I’ve noticed many opportunities to replicate…

The POSITIP 8016 digital readout (DRO) with touch screen is for manual machine tool applications. With its sturdy machined aluminum housing, this DRO adds reliability and ease-of-use to milling, drilling, boring and turning jobs. The PT 8016 DRO has a multitude of functions including a Taper calculator, Bolt-Hole Pattern routine and Tool Radius Compensator. This…

CNC machining is a popular way to obtain prototypes and low-volume production runs. And engineers can choose from a range of providers, from full-service providers to independent shops. But the key to selecting a vendor is still how fast can they deliver parts, and do so consistently. The preferred answer is days, not weeks. At…