mscdirect.com

2 months ago | mscdirect.com | Kip Hanson

Of all the products that additive manufacturing is used to create, medical implants may be the ones for which it’s most uniquely qualified. That’s because the system, more commonly known as 3D printing, specializes in forming complex shapes like those found in hip bones and ear canals—shapes that are difficult and sometimes impossible to generate on CNC machine tools. But wait: Mill-turn lathes and 5-axis machining centers routinely cut these shapes and more, right?

Aug 7, 2023 | mscdirect.com | Kip Hanson

For machine shops, sheet metal fabricators, 3D printing services and other manufacturers, consistent adherence to dimensional specifications is where the rubber meets the road. And while high-quality metrology tools are essential to achieving that, they don’t guarantee that the measurements they provide are accurate. Like CNC machine tools, even the most advanced coordinate measuring machine (CMM) or vision system is susceptible to performance degradation over time.

Jul 6, 2023 | mscdirect.com | James Langford |Marty Walsh

It’s getting hot, hot, hot. Literally as well as figuratively. Not only are meteorologists predicting that 2023 will be one of the warmest years on record, regulators pressed by advocates and lawmakers are developing new heat-safety standards after a spike in related injuries and deaths and urging businesses to boost prevention efforts.

Jul 5, 2023 | mscdirect.com | James Langford

Jun 27, 2023 | mscdirect.com | Kip Hanson

When machine shops and manufacturing facilities don’t pay attention to metalworking fluids, the consequences range from poor tool life to reduced metal removal and higher operating costs, Castrol application engineer Brent Morgan says. In extreme cases, adds John Treese, director of global training for Master Fluid Solutions, machine damage can occur. “Metalworking fluids are often the last thing shops think about,” Morgan explains.