Five-axis machining, once a novel and somewhat forbidding technology, has become routine in many shops. Meanwhile, some organizations are still hesitant to use it, largely due to programming concerns.

How people feel about heat-resistant superalloys depends on what they do with them. Those who use parts made of HRSAs are high on the materials because they retain their strength and hardness at high temperatures and also provide excellent corrosion resistance.

Originally marketed for their proficiency in heavy metal removal applications while delivering longer tool life and multi-point efficiency, turning inserts have grown more sophisticated in response to advances in materials, machines, methods, and even social factors.

For as long as people have been machining parts, they’ve been devising ever-more ingenious ways to grip them.

All shops want to be more productive and reduce downtime. For some, this means an investment in a high-end CNC machine tool. Others give quick-change toolholders a try, or pursue an IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) machining strategy.