Manufacturing Engineering: August 2019
The August 2019 edition of Manufacturing Engineering is available as a digital magazine. Links to individual articles are below.

More Profitable Toolpaths
August 7, 2019
Adaptive Milling. Dynamic Motion. hyperMILL. Profit Milling. VoluMill. Waveform machining. If you’re one of the lucky people who machines parts for a living, chances are about 50-50 that you’re using one of these or a comparable high-performance programming technology.

Breakthroughs Expand Turning Tool Performance Envelope
August 8, 2019
Advances in turning insert technology that promise faster processing, longer tool life and reduced cycle time are always promoted with great fanfare by suppliers and welcomed by manufacturers looking for a competitive edge.

Better Tool Life through Advanced Chemistry
August 9, 2019
Tool coating is ubiquitous. The variations are dizzying. And, we’re at an inflection point in the technology in the U.S. So, whether you’re a tool user or a tool manufacturer, it’s a good time to dive into this topic.

Balancing Gaging Efficiency with Flexibility
August 12, 2019
In the world of metrology, lack of variety is not an issue. “You can think of a thousand ways to measure a hole,” said George Scheutz, director of precision gages for Mahr Inc., Providence, R.I. Techniques could include an operator equipped with a simple, custom-built go/no-go gage up to a robot loading a part onto a CMM with a pre-loaded program, and everything in between.
Shop Solutions
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Rapid, Accurate Inspection Meets NASCAR Engine Maker’s Need for Speed
August 12, 2019Roush Yates Engines is obsessed with speed and understands its importance not just on the race track but also in developing and using the latest technological innovations. For example, the company installed a Nikon iNEXIV VMA-4540 vision system which is now used almost daily for a wide variety of purposes. -
Shop Prospers By Becoming a House of Horizontals
August 12, 2019In the past, Magnum Machining Inc. processed most of its parts on vertical machining centers. Unfortunately, that type of machining platform didn’t quite mesh with the shop’s part production needs. Today, Magnum has 16 models of HCN Series HMCs from Mazak Corp., representing about 68 percent of the shop’s manufacturing systems.
Up Front
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Expert Opinion
Confidence in Manufacturing Equals Expansion
August 13, 2019One of the measures of business confidence is the willingness to invest in new facilities based on anticipated future growth. By that measure, the manufacturing industry is confident.
Advanced Manufacturing Now
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Quality/Inspection/Test
Automating Measurement on the Shop Floor
August 13, 2019It’s amazing what you can learn at a trade show. Editor in Chief Alan Rooks was reminded of this at the recent EASTEC show. He reflected on his visit with Joe Stanford, vice president, engineering and applications support for Applied Measurement Solutions LLC, Bristol, Conn., the largest metrology distributor for The L.S. Starrett Co., Athol, Mass. -
Expert Opinion
Automation and AI Bring Future Closer Than Ever
August 13, 2019As a self-aware millennial, Pat Evans has long been wary of how quickly technology is taking over our lives and quickly dominating the economy. Attending HxGN Live in June, Hexagon AB’s annual digital solutions conference, some of those fears were reinforced, while others were quelled. -
Expert Opinion
Shops Continue to Rethink Brass and HSM
August 14, 2019The Copper Development Association (CDA) is eager to help shops discover and tap into the high-speed machining advantages of brass. The substantial benefits of doing so have an increasing number of shops rethinking their part materials and, when possible, converting those parts to brass. -
Quality/Inspection/Test
Metals Testing Requires Escalation-Based Strategy
August 14, 2019At Cary Rosenberg’s company, Watts Water Technologies, validating material properties to ensure they are composed of the correct elemental composition is an important part of their work.
SME Speaks
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SME Speaks
Be an Advocate for Manufacturing
August 14, 2019As a marketer for software serving the manufacturing industry, Graham Hargreaves partakes in routine communication with peers, customers, prospects and industry insiders. He hears a similar sentiment echoed by attendees at trade shows and industry events that he also hears from customers on a regular basis: The skills gap is not shrinking.
Workforce Pipeline
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Workforce Development
The Time is Now for Another ‘Great Generation’
August 15, 2019It’s been more than 75 years since the “Greatest Generation” earned their title. With World War II raging, a generation of Americans rolled up their collective sleeves to step in and step up for the preservation of their beloved country.
Viewpoints
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Controls
Securing OT in the Energy and Utilities Sector
August 15, 2019Convergence-enabled cyberattacks—where criminals exploit traditionally isolated operational technology (OT) devices through their new connections to the IT network—may be motivated by the desire to hijack and demand ransom for services, steal trade secrets through industrial or national cyberespionage, or commit cyberterrorism or engage in cyberwarfare.
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