Machining.Blog® is a weekly blog focused on manufacturing career development. It features blog articles on the fundamentals of manufacturing for aspiring machinists. Our goal is to create an interest in manufacturing in the USA. Our writer Matthew Schowalter has worked in manufacturing for 24 years, and he covers the topics that matter to someone starting their career in manufacturing.
“The soft skills the machinist uses are the unseen tools in their box and can directly impact the success or failure of a dreamed after machining career.”
All in CNC Machining
CNC is an acronym for Computer Numerical Controlled. CNC is a type of machining practice. Besides CNC the other type of machining is manual machining. In CNC machining the workpiece is held in the machine and the CNC Programmer writes code so that the CNC machine can machine the workpiece. The CNC Machinist sets up and operates the CNC machine and oversees the machining process.
My first project in technical collage for tool and die making was to make 1-2-3 blocks. I milled the blocks oversize to leave stock for precision grinding. After drilling and tapping the holes in the blocks, we case hardened them. The last process was to precision grind them to size. The grinding process involved both grinding to blocks to size and to a squareness tolerance.
When you ask what machining means to me, I could go on for hours with stories about how I made complex parts on machines that are even more complicated than the parts themselves. Machining is by far more interesting than what most people know. From the challenges of implementing new complex equipment in the shop, to CNC programming, or even making complex parts in one setup. It is a career choice that most do not know how advanced it can be, especially the machining of today. Now, we can make parts in one setup that were once made in many setups on multiple pieces of equipment over a long-time frame. My career is a success story in manufacturing technology as I have embraced the technology of today and here is how I made it happen with six simple steps in career success.
A cobot can add a lot of value to the manufacturing process in a machine shop. It can increase the productivity of the CNC machine, while also contributing to process accuracy and consistency. Cobots can be easy to program and are safe to use.
Cardinal Manufacturing is a student-run business in the Eleva-Strum High School. In a student-run business the students are responsible for all aspects of the business. It is a custom job shop that makes machined parts for community members and people throughout the country. Check out this video on the program.
Gage blocks (also known as gauge blocks) are inspection tools that are used in the machining industry. They typically come in an 81-piece set and the sizes in the set are as follows:
While spending much of my career working in the medical machining industry, it was an education into complex part machining. What is being done today in the machining industry is exceptional. Now a highly engineered part can be made compete in one setup in a machine that can turn, mill, drill, hob, broach, thread whirl, and gun drill parts. I have implemented lathes from 5-axis models up to 11-axis models. Here is a breakdown of what it might take to implement advanced lathes.
Production machining means making a lot of the same parts with great accuracy. Factories use machines like CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines, Swiss machines, and multi-axis turning machines to do this.
Machining could be a stressful job, but it is as stressful as you make it out to be. For example, there are many things to consider when machining parts, like quality issues, time deadlines, and machining conditions. These items may be stressful when you look at everything at once, but if you form a plan with many individual goals to meet it will add up to the end goal of making a quality part and on time.
A machine tool is a mechanical device that is used to machine metal components. The machine tool is essential in manufacturing processes and is used to cut, drill, and grind parts. A machine tool could be a lathe, mill, or a grinding machine. Machine tools are essential to making precision parts for production machining operations.
Precision machining is the process of removing material from the workpiece and holding a tight tolerance and finish on the part. The process of removing material from the workpiece is usually done with computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines.
The CNC Machining industry has many specialized terms for tooling, machines, and other technology. Here is our list of things to know about machining with CNC equipment.
Blueprint Reading - The term blueprint reading means that someone interprets ideas that are on a drawing or print.
CAD/CAM Software – CAD is the acronym for Computer Aided Design. CAM is the acronym for Computer Aided Manufacturing. They are computer software that are used in the manufacturing industry.
Caliper – A measuring tool that is used to measure internal and/ or external dimensions on machined parts.
Starting a machine shop can be an overwhelming task. There are many factors to consider while keeping it running efficiently. Besides the operational tasks, we have broken it down on what it might take to have a steady stream of work in your machine shop.
I recently had an opportunity to visit the technical education department at the Eleva-Strum high school. While I was in the shop, there was an eighth-grade class working on manual milling projects, sheet metal projects, welding projects, and brazing projects. These projects that they were making teach the students the fundamental principles of manufacturing. With this class, the students spend six days in each subject area, then they switch to another project. They learn the basics like how to read a tape measure, and how to use a dial caliper.
This book is an insight into how to start a student-run business in your school district. It offers a look inside Cardinal Manufacturing in the Eleva-Strum School District. It defines what a student-run business is and lists the benefits of a program like this. Check it out!
