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Results: 191
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The 4/50 Rule
Removing non-value-added tasks to boost efficiency.
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Coolant Usage in Holemaking
Proper cooling techniques are important in all holemaking operations.
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The New Face of Robotic Welding
Robotic welding systems are more affordable and easier to program than ever before and are thus increasingly attractive to small and midsized shops
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Welding Robot Programmability
Robot programming evolves, becomes simpler.
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5 Commonly Overlooked Laser Maintenance Areas
Proper maintenance means peak performance.
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Maintaining Wire EDMs
How dirt, resin, and worn parts compromise cut quality and speed.
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Cutting Through the Thin—and Now Thick—of It
Ontario fabricator keeps more production in house.
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Amphibious Ski Plane
Newly designed aircraft a hit for recreational flyers.
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Advanced Abrasives
Proper dressing is essential in any grinding operation.
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Gas equipment for CO2 laser cutting: A primer
Proper gas delivery is key for laser cutting.
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Plate milling 101
Understanding the importance of tool selection, milling strategy, and setup.
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One laser head, one plasma torch, one cutting table
Integrating two thermal cutting processes onto one cutting table.
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The Role of Government
Governments encourage sector growth through innovation.
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Reducing Plasma Table Time
: Cutting more metals and increasing production with plasma.
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Versatile Gauging
Shop floor measurement with reprogrammable comparator.
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Understanding Grinding Fluid
Ensuring proper grinding fluid usage.
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Industry Update: The Solar Experience |
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High-feed Milling
Insert size and shape play an important role in high-feed milling.
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Understanding Two-spindle Turning Technology
Understanding the differences in two-spindle lathes
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Creating Concept Parts
Rapid prototyping accelerates the part-creation process
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Sharpen Your Punch Tooling Maintenance Program
Obtaining longer-lasting punch tooling through proper maintenance techniques
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Treated Punching Tools
Specialty coatings can improve performance, decrease downtime
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Seeing the (Green) Light
Increasing green-light-on time with automation
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Q&A: Weld Sensing
The Role of Weld Sensing
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Reducing Back Injuries
While it's easy to take precautionary measures to prevent back injuries, it's much harder to treat and resolve back problems. Concentra, a health and wellness company with more than 300 urgent care and occupational medicine centers, identifies...
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Workholding for Cylindrical Grinding
Eliminating the headaches of grinding workholding.
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Engineering Licensure 101
Understanding P.Eng Certification
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Increasing Machine Tool Productivity With CNC Technology
CNC Technology Directly Affects the Bottom Line
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Turning Nickelbased Alloys
Reducing BUE and Notching in Superalloys
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Robotic Waterjet Integration
Multiaxis waterjet cutting opens new market for manufacturers
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Controlling Tool Inventories
Eliminating errors caused by incorrect tool selection
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Auto Sector Update
Assembly jobs don't necessarily translate into parts jobs
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Shrinking Volumes Focus Cost-Cutting on Press Brakes
Forming is focused on precision and setup time reduction
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10 Questions for Industry Minister Christian Paradis
Industry Minister talks auto sector, aerospace, and R&D
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Economical, Efficient Cutting
Shearing Q&A
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Band Sawing With Interrupted Cuts
If not cared for, band saw blades can fail, especially in difficult cutting situations.
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Press Brake Backgauging
Backgauging makes the press brake more flexible and reduces setup time.
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Tracking Injuries
Recording and analyzing injury data can help identify problem areas.
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Machining Technology
Milling — Adjustable Gantry
MAG has added a new dimension to its universal gantry mills with an adjustable-rail W axis.
The new U6 gantry mill series can be configured with a cross rail (Y axis) up to 29.5 ft., while the...
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The Importance of Proper Programming Techniques
Choosing the correct CAM package means examining the machine tool and part being produced.
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EDM Hole Drilling
Holemaking using erosion.
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Moldmaking Q&A
Programming complete toolpaths quickly is a must for moldmakers.
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Making Perfect Holes
The importance of controlling runout.
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Choosing GMAW Gun Consumables Wisely
Choosing liners, contact tips, and nozzles.
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Through Thick and Thin
Combating stream lag and taper in waterjet cutting.
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Restaurant Makeover
B.C. fabricator uses waterjet for architectural and structural components.
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Sawing: Selecting a Material Handling System
Choosing a material handling system for your saw.
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Maintaining Your Cold Saw
Proper cold saw maintenance techniques.
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Manufacturing Defense
Introducing "digital thread" manufacturing to aerospace production.
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Multitasking, Business-style
Ensuring accounts payable success.
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Manually Measuring Geometries
DROs for measuring 2-D and 3-D parts.
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Hard Turning
Tooling options for hard-part machining.
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25 Years of Technology
Top 10 technologies of the past 25 years.
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The Decision to Automate
Choosing the correct type of automation is critical.
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Give It Some Gas
Cutting with oxygen, nitrogen, and shop air.
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The Expanded Reach of Automation
Automation can help companies be more productive while remaining flexible.
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Decreasing Drilling Time
Increasing the tool penetration rate can have a dramatic impact on drilling time.
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Turnaround
Having large equipment gives the shops a competitive advantage.
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Grinding Trends
New control technology enables closed-loop grinding.
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Toolpath Generation
Milling paths can affect tooling costs, power consumption, waste.
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Better Bending
Examining best practices in press brake bending
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Shop Measurement
New measuring technologies for the shop.
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Robotic Welding Renaissance
Welding automation can be used even in high-mix, low volumes
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Press Brakes Go Green—and Save Green
Hybrid and electric press brakes are here to stay.
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Using High-pressure Coolant
Proper application of high-pressure coolant has a positive effect on chip breaking and heat.
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Canadian Aerospace Outlook
Production and profits are expected to rise in Canada's aerospace sector.
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Coatings Explained
Coated tooling can help shops save money in day-to-day operations.
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Punching Innovations
Sheet metal fabricators need to look for cost savings in every aspect of business including scrap reduction and energy savings.
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Understanding Wireless Handwheels
With wireless technology there is no risk of getting a handwheels cable tangled in the machine or workpiece.
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Robotic Sheet Metal Bending
While every robot installation is different, it is no longer limited to applications in large lot sizes.
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A Look at Bombardier Aerospace
Using grid tombstones and plates, along with modular components, allow fast, accurate alignment on the precision grid system.
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Selecting a Band Saw Blade
The three main choices for blade type in metal cutting applications are carbon steel, bimetal, and, more recently, carbide-tipped.
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Hands-off Production: Understanding Rotary Transfer
Canadian Industrial Machinery recently asked Hydromat General Manager Kevin Meehan about the benefits of producing parts in a rotary transfer, turnkey environment.
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8 Technologies for Improving Boring Mill Productivity
Boring, milling, drilling, threading, and even prismatic-part creation are all possible if the boring mill is equipped with the proper accessories.
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The Era of Automation
The 1990s was the decade of high-speed machining, the 2000s were about multitasking...this decade will be about automation.
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Machining Efficiently
Parallel processing and background processing can reduce programming time, especially for large, complex parts.
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Cermet Tooling Explained
Cermet tooling, as the name implies, is a cross between ceramic and metal tools.
Made of ceramic particles bonded together with a nickel binder, these tools are capable of running at higher speed than carbide tools, and are much...
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Solar Power Generation
Solar power expert Joshua Pearce, Queen's University, explains the future of solar in Canada.
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Finish Turning
A part’s configuration, coolant flow, cutting tool material, and cutting tool shape all play a role in surface finish.
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The Future of Shearing
A shear still can cut simple square or rectangular parts faster than a laser or plasma cutter.
CIM: How has shearing technology changed recently?
McLean: If any area has changed in shearing, it is in the area of controls.
Most...
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Punching Titanium
Processing titanium is still in the early stages of development, and fabricators are always finding new applications for this product.
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Moldmaking Today
"Suggestions to be flexible, and to possess the most advanced equipment, do not fall on deaf ears... In many cases, they simply lack the necessary funds to move in this direction."
—Angelo Carnevale
Vice President
Canadian...
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Reinvigorating your ironworker
Metal fabricators need to meet the challenges that new customers present, but they may not be in the position to invest in new equipment. With a small investment in accessories, however, that ironworker in the corner of the shop may be the answer...
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Overnight Success
Company can run more than 200 different parts, with cycle times as short as 8 minutes, during an unmanned night shift.
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Laser Scanning
Noncontact scanning can eliminate the bottlenecks that is are usually associated with the measurement process.
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Drilling Nonflat Surfaces
When drilling nonflat surfaces, proper drilling techniques, chip evacuation, and coolant usage all affect the success or failure of the job.
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Automotive Work
The unique challenges of machining compacted graphite iron (CGI) include machining at half the normal cutting speed and feed rate.
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Laser Cutting in 3-D
Laser trimming of parts, as well as the laser cutting of stamped and hydroformed sheet metal parts, are poularizing because of the speed and repeatability of the systems.
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Turning Q&A
Eccentric turning occurs when the workpiece and spindle axis do not share the same center axis. This process poses a set of unique challenges, so Canadian Industrial Machinery asked Marc Jagoda, Mazak’s assistant national applications manager,...
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High-pressure Manufacturing
A four-roll Davi plate rolling machine capable of rolling a 2-in. sheet to diameters up to 60 in. is one of the shop’s workhorses, as is a multiaxis plasma cutter is used to process large-diameter tubes.
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In-process Cutting Tool Control
As the tool and mold industry automates the machining process to optimize machine effectiveness, in-process tool control is becoming more important.
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Grinding: A Dynamic Machining Process
Machine uptime and utilization in a grinding process influences final cost-per-part.
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Education Anywhere, Anytime
Online Webinars can ease travel costs while educating staff.
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Optimizing the Robotic Welding Process
Robotic welding systems have become increasingly popular in industries that require speed and repeatability to maintain a high volume of productivity.
In addition to delivering fast, accurate air movements that help reduce cycle...
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Manufacturing Meets Social Media
An inside look at how one Canadian manufacturer is harnessing the power of social media.
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CAD/CAM Software
New software packages can increase productivity.
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A Look at Milling
New milling tools and techniques can aid a shop's bottom line.
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Combination Work
Reducing the number of secondary operations is one key to successful manufacturing. Another is completing a part with minimal or even no handling, which dramatically reduces the cost to produce the part.
In combination-style...
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Optima Manufacturing
Calgary-based manufacturer uses novel toolpath software to serve the needs of its oilpatch customers.
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Precision Hydrojet
Three-head waterjet reduces setup costs as well as cost-per-part.
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Branson Machine & Tool
CIM explains how one Ontario job shop is using on-machine probing technology to reduce setup times and rework.
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Canadian Automotive Content
Automotive industry analyst Dennis DesRosiers talks about the role Canada plays in the North American auto sector.
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Community Machining
Ontario job shop expands into new industries.
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Dumur Industries
Unique seven-axis plasma cutter lets this custom manufacturer bevel-cut thick plate.
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The Advancement of CNC
As five-axis machining becomes more popular, the demand for advanced control functions related to five-axis movement has increased.
New CNCs must not only keep up with advances in machine tool technology, but also the needs of...
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Industry Update: The Health of Canadian Medical Manufacturing
Parts are made for the medical industry are generally small and therefore require small tooling, such as Iscar's Minicut (shown here).
As the Canadian population ages, the demand for joint replacements, dental implants, prosthetics, and...
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International Report: Finding the sweet spot in laser cutting automation
Walking a block north of the Leie River flanked by the medieval Broel towers—two of the few original structures left standing in Kortrijk after World War II—I noticed the trees. The Belgians pruned them several years ago, leaving...
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Tube Design Evolution
An evolution in the design and fabrication of products and assemblies is under way as the use of tube stock in manufacturing becomes more commonplace.
Progressive-thinking companies are incorporating laser tube cutting and...
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Multitasking Programming Tips
More time must be spent at the beginning of the process when programming multitasking machines in order to eliminate programming errors and underutilization.
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Note to the Government: Manufacturing Matters
Poll: The country’s manufacturers believe they can compete on quality and value, but not on price.
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An Overview of Precision-ground Tooling
An examination of the role precision-ground press brake tooling can play in a fabricator’s bending operation.
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Bending Efficiency Explained
Canadian Industrial Machinery asked John Kemp, bending product manager, Bystronic Inc., to explain how manufacturers can improve the efficiency of their bending operations. Here is what he had to say.
CIM: How can efficiency gains be...
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Band Saw or Circular Cold Saw?
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2009 edition of The FABRICATOR, CIM’s sister publication.
It's a common question. Band saw or circular cold saw: Which best fits my operation? Make the wrong choice in...
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Pressing Needs
Touchscreen computer control simplifies file management while at the same time providing detailed setup information for each saved program.
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Drilling Plate
Thousands of holes are drilled each day at Innovative Steam Technologies.
Drilling 2,000 or more holes in inch-thick plate may seem daunting, but at Innovative Steam Technologies (IST), Cambridge, Ont., it’s the daily routine....
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Changes Coming in New Edition of CSA Z142-10 Press Standard
Laser-actuated active optoelectronic protective devices (AOPDs), which have been used throughout Europe for many years, now have their own section in the updated code.
Later this month the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) will release...
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Measuring Aerospace Parts
A proper probing strategy is necessary when measuring prismatic parts.
Canada’s aerospace industry has a long history of success in the world marketplace.
Not only does the country have a base in aviation and spacecraft component...
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Holemaking Using High-feed Milling
Dry cutting with an air blast through the spindle allows chips to be easily evacuated when using a high-feed cutter, such as the Tungaloy TXP (shown here)
Many shops today have discovered the benefits of high-feed milling, which uses...
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Waterjet: Cut Quality and Cutting Speed Explained
Canadian Industrial Machinery asked James Daugherty, product manager, Flow International Corp., and Steve Szczesniak, national waterjet product manager, Mitsubishi, to discuss the relationship between cut quality and speed in waterjet cutting...
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The Art of Milling
New tooling when combined with proper techniques can dramatically improve milling operations.
Removing material quickly is the key to most milling operations.
And most of the material removed is done so during the roughing process,...
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5 Questions With...
Today’s multitasking equipment allows many operations to be carried out at any one time, which can potentially increase productivity, reduce WIP, and reduce the cost of the final part.
However, as the machine’s axis movements and...
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Tips for Improving Small-hole EDM Precision
Bullet-nosing, a condition describing the tapering that occurs to an electrode, is a common and widespread problem that comes with most EDM drilling operations.
To combat this effect, you should consider several factors when...
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Going Retro
Coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) measure a part’s critical features and reports on size, position, and form.
And because most CMM structures are not subject to high levels of wear, these systems can remain in service for...
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Shrink-fit Toolholding for the Medical Industry
Haimer USA's Power series, which includes shrink chucks and collet chucks, is suitable for medical equipment machining.
Tolerance requirements in the medical industry typically are much more precise than in general machining. This means...
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Small-hole EDM
The electrical discharge machine (EDM) process lends itself to small-hole creation for several reasons. By precisely controlling the spark gap, the area between the electrode and the workpiece, and by reducing the amount of energy sent...
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Preparing to Weld
The math is simple: The less time you take setting up a job, the more time can be spent welding. This equates to more inches of weld being laid per day, less wasted time and material, and a happier boss.
As welding processes continue to...
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Part Marking
For the medical, aerospace, and automotive industries, the traceability of parts is not just an option but a firm requirement.
For example, the aerospace sector uses a data matrix code to manage the life cycle of spare parts. A...
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Let There Be Light (Curtains)
Operating a press brake is not like working on other equipment.
Sheet metal operations with a unique danger to the fabricator are the norm in everyday press brake work. Bending, hemming, and even operations such as punching and...
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Industry Update: Power Generation
Solar power is one of the least understood means of generating electricity, and for good reason. Solar power collection is relatively easy, but storage is difficult. Also, at night the entire system is reduced to a collection of parts,...
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J/E Bearing and Machine
There is nothing like the atmosphere and buzz at a family-run shop when a new piece of equipment arrives.
The setting this time is J/E Bearing and Machine, Tillsonburg, Ont., a business in the heart of Ontario’s manufacturing...
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Digital Readouts
Operator error is, for all practical purposes, eliminated with a digital readout (DRO), according to the experts. Calculations are performed automatically by the system, and the required positions automatically prompted on the screen....
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Moving Beyond Tribal Knowledge
Tribal knowledge is any unwritten information not commonly known by others within a company. This term is used most when referencing information others might need to know in order to produce quality products or services.
By nature,...
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Thinking About Buying a Laser?
Adding laser cutting capability can change the culture of a shop overnight and can be a monumental decision in any shop’s life. As with any major investment, whether it’s for capital equipment or something else, due diligence is...
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Before You Buy
Making an intelligent, economically sound punch press purchasing decision requires careful consideration of many factors, including material size and thickness, material handling capabilities, part complexity and volume, and turret capacity. Take...
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You Can Plasma-Cut It, But Can You Weld It?
Time spent on extensive weld prep easily can eliminate any gains made from faster plasma cutting. Put another way, it doesn’t matter how fast a plasma cuts if the resulting cut face can’t be welded efficiently.
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HMC or HBM?
This MAG 500-mm HMC, part of an MQL machining system, produces part of a family of valve bodies and transmission cases.
Traditionally, work done on a large horizontal machining center (HMC) could not be confused with work done on a...
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Honing Efficiency for New Business
In the business of honing creating rounder and straighter bores and the best surface finishes possible are the keys to survival.
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Automotive Update
In 2009, more than 30 North American automotive companies declared bankruptcy, and these losses have meant a rise in unemployment.
In the assembly sector, employment levels have fallen to their lowest point since the mid-1960s. More...
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Getting the Most From Your Punching Process
There is more to the punching process than simply the machine, the material, and the tool.
According to the experts, as products become more complex and lean practices become the norm, an examination of your part from the design...
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Automating Centerless Grinding
In machining operations, once the viability of NC was proven, the logical next step was combining multiple processes in a single machine.
With more and better capabilities and automatic tool changing, the milling machine became a...
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Selecting the Proper Metalworking Fluid
Q: Why is coolant used in metal cutting?
A: The basic functions a metalworking fluid performs are cooling the part and tooling to increase tool life; reducing friction; protecting the machine tool and part from corrosion; providing...
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Industry Update: Aerospace
(left to right) Jack Dougherty, vice president of Boeing’s H-47 programs, Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay, Minister of Industry Tony Clement, DaveGossen of I.M.P. Group; and Chief of the Air Staff Lieutenant-General Angus Watt...
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Waterjets
A 60-degree multiaxis head allows operators to create highly complex, extremely accurate parts that could never before be made on a waterjet.
Like any technology, manufacturing equipment is constantly evolving.
In the world of...
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Tooling Organization Means Punching Optimization
Turret punch press uptime will increase if you know your process capability, manufacture products within that capability, and optimize the layout of your tooling. It also will increase if you optimize programming, design, and tooling. It also is...
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Combination Machines
Because the loading, punching, and shearing of parts is automated, there is a reduction in scrap and manual labor.
Since its founding in 1987, Fantech Ltd., Bouctouche, N.B., has manufactured ventilation products to improve air quality for...
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For What It’s Worth
Private Equity Groups (PEGs) have not been hard-hit by the credit crunch or the recent stock market decline. They have capital to invest and are looking for business acquisitions or investments.
One of the major market shifts for...
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New Punching Technology
New technology in punching is coming in many forms these days as new tooling, robots, and software are created specifically for this application.
Unlike the automotive industry, sheet metal parts are not always the same. Robot...
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Milling Q&A
Q: How has milling technology changed recently?
A: The inception and dissemination of advanced CAD/CAM packages are giving engineers and designers tools to help them create incredible components. This results in parts with a level...
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Medal Stamping
As unique as the world’s top athletes and their performances, every medal won at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be a one-of-a-kind work of art.
The medals, which were revealed last month, each feature...
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IJM CNC Machining
Ivan Markovic added the machining capacity of a large-bed vertical machining
center to keep his company fl exible in its ability to produce parts.
Ivan Markovic has seen a lot in his 30 years in manufacturing.
Constantly shifting...
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Grinding with CBN
Cubic boron nitride (CBN) is a man-made crystal that is second only to diamond in its hardness.
The substance also makes an effective grinding abrasive for superalloys. This is because, in addition to its hardness, CBN is an...
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EDM
Second only to labor costs and machine payback schedules, wire consumption is the most expensive facet of running a wire EDM machine.
Controlling the cost of this consumable item, while dependent on the application, is the best way...
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NuTech Engineering
Given the continuing exodus of work to countries with low labor costs, Canadian Manufacturing 101 teaches us that using automation to increase throughput will help keep the final cost of a part low. Also fewer manual handlings can help...
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Welders Wanted
The welding industry in Canada is at a crossroads.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta all are showing large shortages in the number of qualified welders. The rest of the country also is following this trend.
As technology and...
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Milling Titanium
The aerospace marketplace of today is very demanding as manufacturers continue to look for ways to produce more fuel-efficient aircraft.
Strength-to-weight ratios are more important than ever in the race to create the next big...
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In Pursuit of Press Brake Safety
The Command Stamp press control (pictured here on a press brake) is a system for press brake manufacturers to upgrade their equipment to meet safety standards before shipping. And, in cases where end users still receive noncompliant equipment,...
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Press Brake Advancements
For many companies the bending process starts with the design of a part in 2-D or 3-D. The part is then cut by a laser, punch, or other means, and finally the part is bent. What can occur, however, is that the final part is not the...
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The Future of CAD
CAD systems have become easier to use over the years as user interfaces have changed to be more consistent with software programs that people are already familiar with. The types of output CAD can produce have changed as well.
This...
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Shades of Green
Canada’s power generation sector is a complicated mix of manufacturing, politics, and economics, and there are champions and naysayers for each type of energy-creating technology.
Hydroelectric power generation is so ingrained in...
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Swiss Turning Machines
The first market for Swiss-type machines was the watch industry. Over the years, however, many other markets have found a need for work done on this type of equipment.
Today the defense, electronic, appliance, and automotive sectors...
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Swiss Turning Evolution
Modern Swiss-style machines have come a long way from their introduction in the early 1900s.
Their design evolved from the requirements of the Swiss watch and related screw machine industries. This industry required screw machines...
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Understanding Sawing
Selecting the proper band saw blade is much like any other manufacturing decision. You start with an understanding of the work that needs to be done, and then simply select the correct tool for the job.
Today however, there are many...
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Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show
As more than 500 manufacturers and distributors prepare to convene at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre Oct. 19 to 22, the message that manufacturing still matters is the prevailing theme.
The upcoming event will unveil the latest...
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Pardon the Interruption
Part design, raw material, and the machine tool being used are all variables in the tooling selection process. And, as the machining process becomes more difficult because of the part features or the material being cut, novel tooling may...
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Teach Your Children Well |
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Precision Boring
In many boring applications it is up to the operator to make fine adjustments to the boring bar in order to create the correct bore.
Now with technology advances, in-process gauging and real-time diameter feedback can automatically...
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Today’s Turnkeys
A turnkey system’s variables have traditionally been the machining equipment, tooling, fixturing, and load/unload accessories. Today, application engineering, programming, and process guarantees are of equal importance.
As lean...
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Interrupted Turning
Turning is a game of fundamentals more so than other machining operations such as milling, drilling, or grooving.
There is really nothing fancy about turning. It is about selecting the optimal insert for the application and applying...
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Custom Manufacturing
Entire wall structures are built at TRI-V Custom Manufacturing using tabular components.
While it’s often the large, multinational corporations that grab the headlines, smaller, family-run businesses are the backbone of Canadian...
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Building a Profile
Perry Tepel and his partner Rick Rempel had been working in the custom fabrication market for many years when opportunity knocked, or more accurately, phoned.
With nearly 30 years’ experience in machine fabrication, Tepel had just...
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The Fundamentals of Plasma Welding
Plasma arc welding is suitable for robotic applications.
For those who choose a vocation in plasma welding, learning and practicing the fundamentals of the trade never stop. A dangerous profession, welding requires strict adherence to...
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Rethinking the Diesel Engine
The environmental demands on truck manufacturers are becoming steadily tougher, and this autumn European emission standards will become tougher still.
Pressure for the development of environmentally optimized technology is...
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Drilling With High Pressure
Much of the underlying science of drilling is still not understood by metal cutting professionals.
Many people with decades of experience drilling holes are even shocked when they see what a high-pressure, fully optimized drilling...
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Western Canada and the Recession
A great deal has been discussed over the past few years about the westward shift of the Canadian economy, a shift that reflects the dynamic growth that has taken place within the four western provinces while the manufacturing economy...
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Auto Parts Manufacturing Forecast
Among other major changes occurring in the automotive sector this year, Canadian auto parts-makers will cut the work force by one-third as part of a 34 percent reduction in industry costs, according to The Conference Board’s “Canadian...
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Distorting – The Facts
The fact that workholding distorts workpieces is a common challenge facing manufacturers. The forces applied while holding the part invariably alter its shape, and when it’s released from the holding device, it typically springs back to its...
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Press Brake Q&A
As fabrication technology evolves, keeping on top of the latest advancements often becomes increasingly difficult. This month Canadian Industrial Machinery asked Nigel King, product manager – metal forming for manufacturing equipment...
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‘Buy American’ Hurts Manufacturing
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), Canada’s largest trade and industry association, recently applauded Canada’s premiers for the support and concerted efforts they are demonstrating in fighting protectionism in the U.S. and...
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Value-added Manufacturing
ProTechnique EDM parts are used in the creation of devices like this COM DEV spaced-qualified output multiplexer, which is used on a communications satellite. The unit is designed to survive severe vibration during launch and operation in...
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Valley Blades
In 1962 Valley Blades Ltd. began as a small manufacturing plant in Cambridge, Ont. The small 6,000-sq.-ft. facility originally was used to manufacture carbon snow blades and grader blades for the local market.
Fast-forwarding to the...
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Product Liability Exposures
Companies have a duty to protect consumers from potential hazards, even if the end user is negligent or deliberately misuses the product. In fact, courts hold manufacturers to a higher standard because they have a more intimate knowledge...
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Increasing Die Throughput
Corner correction capability rounds tool paths to avoid sharp transitions in corners and other difficult-to-reach part features.
Still strong despite what some are calling the worst automotive downturn in history, Exco Engineering of...
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Turning Around Money-losing Jobs
Mecon can create press brake dies to a customer's specifications.
Difficult jobs can be a reminder why it’s good to keep up with the latest cutting tool advances. For Mecon Industries of Scarborough, Ont., new tooling was the...
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Automating the Sheet Metal Process
The new BendMaster robotic bending system from TRUMPF allows Amazing Custom Fabricators to make complex, repeatable bends without operator intervention.
With an eye on continual improvement and a desire to reduce non-value-added time,...
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Rolling on at Specialty Steel Fabricator
With its plant facility move in summer 2008 from Markham to Aurora, Ont., Modern Railings and Metalcraft Ltd. purchased a roll conveyor system for the new location.
The Canadian-owned metal fabricator employs approximately 40...
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Metal Stamping Pressure Testing
Figure 1 Pressurex® is placed in the progressive die between the material strip and the lower gutting section to determine punch and stripper pressures.
Measuring tactile pressure magnitude and distribution may sound...
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Multitasking
Combining processes in a single machine can lead to better-quality parts and a reduction in the cost of producing those parts from start to finish.
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CAD/CAM Insight
FeatureCAM 2009 will support slant turning on mill-turn machines.
Delcam has been increasing its business in the aerospace industry for the last 10 years or so. The company originated from research at Cambridge University in the 1960s...
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Advancing Automotive Research
These magnesium cast wheels are an example of part production from lighter-weight material in today's cars.
In April the federal government announced the establishment of an automotive research fund designed to keep the Canadian auto...
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Getting to Know the EDC
In Canada, one in three jobs relies on exports. Due to the size of Canada's population, the domestic market remains limited for small businesses, so they have to think globally to compete.
Export Development Canada (EDC) is...
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Automotive Metal Stamping
Division of Magna Automates CAD Translations with TPM
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