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Basics
Get with the Program(ming): 10 Articles to Help You Transform Your Data
Collecting data but not sure how to use it? You’re not alone. See how smart shops are turning raw machine data into real results—better decisions, smoother operations, and measurable ROI.
Cara Ready
Digital Editor, Modern Machine Shop & Production Machining
How To Break Free From CMM Dependency
Moving from CMM to in-process verification requires investment in equipment, processes and people to maintain quality standards.
Read More4 Manufacturing Trends That Cannot Be Ignored
The next five years will present their own unique set of challenges, and shops can alleviate them by embracing these technologies and trends.
Read MoreBlueprints to Chips: CAD/CAM Tips and Tricks
This collection of articles delves into the latest CAD/CAM innovations, from AI-driven automation and optimized tool paths to the impact of digital twins and system requirements.
Read MoreCNC Milling Tips & Tricks: 7 Articles For You to Mill Through
Dive into popular milling articles from Modern Machine Shop, Moldmaking Technology, and Production Machining to discover tips, tricks, and innovations that will make your chips fly—and your competition sweat.
Read MoreHow Proper Scheduling Leads to a Successful Machine Shop
Proper scheduling of jobs is paramount when it comes to running an efficient machine shop.
Read MoreHow to Mitigate Risk in Your Manufacturing Process or Design
Use a Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) form as a proactive way to evaluate a manufacturing process or design.
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Chatter and Feed Rate Scheduling
Optimizing feed rate can boost cycle times, but not if chatter gets in the way. This article explores how feed rate scheduling software interacts with tool vibration, and why ignoring chatter could undermine your gains. Learn how to balance productivity and stability with the right programming approach.
Tony Schmitz
Professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
How to Determine the Currently Active Work Offset Number
Determining the currently active work offset number is practical when the program zero point is changing between workpieces in a production run.
Read More2 Secondary Coordinate Systems You Should Know
Coordinate systems tell a CNC machine where to position the cutting tool during the program’s execution for any purpose that requires the cutting tool to move.
Read MoreHow to Meet Aerospace’s Material Challenges and More at IMTS
Succeeding in aerospace manufacturing requires high-performing processes paired with high-performance machine tools. IMTS can help you find both.
Read More10 Tips to Make the Most of IMTS
IMTS only happens every two years. Here’s how to make the most of your time at the 2024 show.
Read MoreTips for Monitoring Spindle Loads and Cutting Stability
When it comes to utilizing the spindle’s power, there is a lot of headroom at the upper limits, provided it’s in short bursts. Be mindful of your time at these loads so you don’t stall out.
Read More4 Commonly Misapplied CNC Features
Misapplication of these important CNC features will result in wasted time, wasted or duplicated effort and/or wasted material.
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Machine Shop MBA
Making Chips and Modern Machine Shop are teaming up for a new podcast series called Machine Shop MBA—designed to help manufacturers measure their success against the industry’s best. Through the lens of the Top Shops benchmarking program, the series explores the KPIs that set high-performing shops apart, from machine utilization and first-pass yield to employee engagement and revenue per employee.
Have you Shown Your Value to Customers?
Showing your shop’s value is about more than simply offering the best price.
Read More3D Printing for Job Shops: Part of Elevate Job Shops Series at IMTS
A half-day workshop at the International Manufacturing Technology Show helps job shops explore the many potential ways 3D printing technologies support and enhance machining.
Read More4 Rules for Running a Successful Machine Shop
Take time to optimize your shop’s structure to effectively meet demand while causing the least amount of stress in the shop.
Read More3 Considerations for Revising Design for Manufacturing Efforts
When revising part designs, investigate the 3D CAD, the 2D drawing and the part’s functional requirements to determine which details should be tightened up.
Read MoreObscure CNC Features That Can Help (or Hurt) You
You cannot begin to take advantage of an available feature if you do not know it exists. Conversely, you will not know how to avoid CNC features that may be detrimental to your process.
Read More4 Tips for Staying Profitable in the Face of Change
After more than 40 years in business, this shop has learned how to adapt to stay profitable.
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“Turning” the Tables: 10 Must-Read Articles to Sharpen Your Lathe Game
From complex Swiss-type lathes to turning basics, we’ve rounded up 10 turning articles for both beginners and advanced machinists.
Cara Ready
Digital Editor, Modern Machine Shop & Production Machining
6 Variations That Kill Productivity
The act of qualifying CNC programs is largely related to eliminating variations, which can be a daunting task when you consider how many things can change from one time a job is run to the next.
Read MoreHow to Evaluate Measurement Uncertainty
Manufacturing and measurement are closely coupled. An important consideration for the use of measurement results is the associated measurement uncertainty. This article describes common metrology terms and provides an example uncertainty analysis.
Read More6 Machine Shop Essentials to Stay Competitive
If you want to streamline production and be competitive in the industry, you will need far more than a standard three-axis CNC mill or two-axis CNC lathe and a few measuring tools.
Read MoreHow to Choose the Correct Fixed-Body Plug Gaging Solution
The two types of fixed-body plug gages are both accurate, fast and easy to use. Consider these factors when selecting one for your gaging application.
Read MoreTips for Designing CNC Programs That Help Operators
The way a G-code program is formatted directly affects the productivity of the CNC people who use them. Design CNC programs that make CNC setup people and operators’ jobs easier.
Read MoreRethink Quality Control to Increase Productivity, Decrease Scrap
Verifying parts is essential to documenting quality, and there are a few best practices that can make the quality control process more efficient.
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