Magazine Articles

		Manufacturing Engineering Advanced CAM Puts It All Together October 2011 Over the last 5 years, GCM has enjoyed substantial growth supplying a demanding high-tech customer base with high-quality custom-manufactured components and assemblies. Their strategy for building business is to expand the range of services offered to customers. Advanced CAM capabilities was are credited with assuring efficient manufacturing for complete assemblies at GCM, making fast fast-turn delivery possible.

Cutting Tool Engineering Self-aware Roughing Toolpaths October 2011 Most demos you get are created in ideal conditions where straight sides and no turns result in constant tool load. In a shop's real and imperfect world, cutters are constantly changing directions and entering curves and corners where tool load can spike in the blink of an eye.		Cutting Tool Engineering Cleared for Takeoff September 2011 Superior Drilling Products in Vernal, UT, repairs drill bits for the oil and gas industry. Founded in 1993, SDP pioneers new repair techniques that support the global bit rental market. SDP needed to program a multitask machine, but didn't have any prior experience. Find out how Mastercam software, along with Mastercam University, helped them satisfy their customers and obtain contracts for future work.

Manufacturing Engineering Port Machining No Problem August 2011 In racing, you can't have too much horsepower, and one of the ways to increase it is to "let the engine breathe" by enlarging the intake and exhaust ports of the engine. Read on to see how Karlo Apro, product manager – multiaxis, explains how the porting process has changed.		EDM Today Software Piracy August 2011 Piracy is an issue many companies deal with daily. Some people are honestly unaware that there is a distinct difference between owning something and purchasing a license or seat for software. Read on to see why society as a whole benefits when everyone plays by the rules.

Modern Machine Shop Flexible CAD/CAM Supports Flexible Machining August 2011 Bob Bourbon, lead programmer at Planet Tool and Engineering, recalls that the company has to "send some people home" when business slowed about 20 years ago. That was the first and only layoff at the company. Even through tough times, they have managed to stay busy and retain its valuable talent. The shop's secret is understanding their customers' needs and maintaining the flexibility to respond in a timely manner. One tool that facilitates that flexibility is the Mastercam system.		CNC West Mastercam Helps Launch Successful Bike Parts Business July 2011 Ted and Sebastian Glod are the father and son co-owners of Special Machining Technology, a motorcycle bike parts manufacturing company. They have developed a thriving business making and selling custom parts and parts of their own design. Five years earlier, this business wasn't going anywhere. Ultimately, the integration of Mastercam marked the positive turning point in their company.

Modern Machine Shop Minimizing Turnaround Time for Big Parts July 2011 The key to success (and the primary challenge) for any job shop is minimizing turnaround time for non-repeating work. This Indiana shop shares some of its strategies for reducing lead times for the various large-scale jobs it encounters. The In-House Advantage July 2011 A shop that introduced its own product realizes the advantage of designing and machining a part under the same roof.		Cutting Tool Engineering Limited Engagement July 2011 In milling, metal-removal rate is calculated by multiplying the radial WOC times the axial DOC times the feed rate (ipm). Advances in machine tool technology, tooling, and software enable manipulation of those parameters to maximize productivity.

Manufacturing Engineering CAM Technology Repros Prop April 2011 In his quest to build a reproduction of one of the first planes that flew around the world, Bob Dempster, a relentless aeronautical researcher, was unable to find any plans or drawings of the original prop. See how Mastercam fits into the story!		SW Manufacturing News Mastercam Helps Marion Manufacturing to Use Economic Downturn as Opportunity March 2011 In April 2008, the state of Indiana held a ceremony in honor of Marion Manufacturing and its investment of more than $2 million to build and equip a 24,000 square-foot expansion. The company moved into its expanded facility in November 2008. Then the bottom fell out.

Foundry Management & Technology Everything is Spinning Into Control March 2011 Anderson Global produces complex tooling for high-volume metalcasting. Its products are used by foundries and diecasters that supply castings for automotive, trucking, racing, military, agricultural, marine, appliance, hardware/plumbing, and other market segments, and Anderson's expertise covers precision sand casting, permanent molds, automatic molding patterns, green sand casting, diecasting, and forging dies.		Manufacturing Engineering Manufacturing's Demise is Greatly Exaggerated February 2011 As an educational applications engineer, I see many things other people don't. So when I am at a social gathering and overhear some of my peers talking about manufacturing being dead, I roll my eyes, take a deep breath, and restrain myself from launching into a rant. If they only knew what I know, they might think differently.

Manufacturing Engineering CAD/CAM Software Streamlines Tasks, Improves Machining Productivity February 2011 Check out the interview with Gary Hargreaves, VP Business Development for Mastercam, and learn how CAD/CAM streamlines tasks and improves machining productivity.		Manufacturing Engineering Software Piracy January 2011 As the developers of Mastercam, piracy, the unauthorized copying or distributing of copyrighted software, is an issue we contend with daily. Some people are honestly unaware that there is a distinct difference between owning something and purchasing a license or seat.

The Fabricator Fabricator goes 3D – Laser Cutting Tech Cell January 2011 Outside the Pentagon are 184 stainless steel castings cantilevering over small reflective pools. Each represents one victim of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the iconic building. It's a unique memorial, not easily forgotten. In each pool is a stainless steel enclosure housing an induction lamp that illuminates the water from below. These happened to be fabricated by Maloya Inc., a job shop in Commack, N.Y…with the assistance of Mastercam software.		Stone World Computer-Aided Manufacturing is Key for Ontario Stone-Cutter January 2011 Owen Sound Ledgerock has taken its business to a new level with advanced CNC machining. See how making an investment in CNC mills and CAM software helped them protect jobs and produce better work.

Medical Engineering Zooming in on Micro Tooling 2010 Roshan Bhakta and his counterparts have been working for more than a year to develop a process that results in on-spec micro-molded prototype parts the first time through. If a part were to fail inspection, Bhakta would drop what he was doing and begin refining the CAM toolpaths used in making the errant mold, so that a new one could be manufactured the same day.		SE Manufacturing Engineering Thorn Industries Parlays Experience into Efficient Medical Parts Manufacturing Business December 2010 Thorn Industries is a lean, 10-person medical manufacturing shop with its own plant. The company boasts a range of capabilities that shops many times their size would find hard to equal. Their not-so-secret secret of success has been to specialize in one thing and do it really well!

Modern Machine Shop A Refined Approach to Roughing December 2010 When programming roughing routines for a contoured pocket, the usual concept is to employ a big cutter, use its diameter to sweep out material at a Z-level depth that enables quick removal, then drop to the next Z level. But, Mastercam has added a new feature in X5 that follows a different approach to roughing.		Modern Machine Shop CAM Features Facilitate Five-Axis "Hog-Outs" December 2010 It won't be long before lead programmer Randy Barbe gets the latest release of his CAM software. His dealer will call him before it comes out and give him a heads up on some of the features that will be most useful for his shop, MAC Machin

Manufacturing Engineering Speeding CAD/CAM Programming November 2010 Streamlining toolpath programming with CAD/CAM and NC simulation software packages can greatly boost productivity for most manufacturing operations. To alleviate significant programming bottlenecks, machine shops are finding innovative ways to speed the process of NC programming for machine tools.		CNC West Myths About 5-Axis Workholding October/November 2010 5-Axis machining is rapidly becoming the norm instead of an exception. Find out what you need to know about multiaxis machines, work holding, and more.

Modern Machine Shop Notes on Posts November 2010 Every CAM user should know certain basic facts about postprocessors. For one, postprocessors are a key part of the NC programming process. For another, not all postprocessors are alike in functionality or flexibility.		Moldmaking Technology Three Reasons to Maintain Your CAD/CAM October 2010 It’s easy to understand why machine tools and other “hardware” need to be maintained. One might not take the same logical leap when considering software because it runs pretty well. It doesn’t seem to need fixing. However, software, like any tool in the shop, needs maintenance, and here is why.

Modern Machine Shop Software/Tooling Partnership Promises Easier HSM Septmeber 2010 Iscar industry projects specialist Tom Raun says he has often helped shops adopt high speed machining techniques by standing over the programmer’s shoulder during his visit to the shop. A new partnership between Iscar and Mastercam promises much easier HSM.		Manufacturing Engineering Controls, Software Spur Machine-Tool Productivity August 2010 With cost control a top priority during the recession, manufacturers seeking a quick productive boost can turn to the latest developments in CNC controls and CAD/CAM software for innovative ways to cut parts faster and more efficiently.

Cutting Tool Engineering Sandvik Coromant Sponsors Contest July 2010 Sandvik Coromant Co., Fair Lawn, N.J., recently sponsored a contest at Vincennes (Indiana) University where 21 students from the school's Advanced Manufacturing Program used Master-cam CAD/CAM software from CNC Software Inc., Tolland, Conn., to design and machine a NASCAR-style gearshift lever and knob.		SE Manufacturing News Teamwork And CAM Multitasking Drive Down CNC Machining Costs June 2010 When manufacturing people talk about multitasking, they are generally referring to highprecision, multispindle machine tools capable of simultaneous operations. Multitasking has also crept into common parlance as a term to describe the process of having many different tasks and projects going all at once.

CNC West It Takes Firm Resolution To Master The Micro April/May 2010 Figure out what you love to do and make a career of it. That way you’ll never have to work for a living. That’s advice frequently given by guidance counselors to people who are unhappy in their work. For Ron Hayes, however, founder-president of Santa Clarita, CA’s The Blower Shop, disliking what he does for a living will never be a problem.		CNC West Supercharging Blower Prototypes Arpil/May 2010 Figure out what you love to do and make a career of it. That way you’ll never have to work for a living. For Ron Hayes, founder of The Blower Shop, disliking what he does for a living will never be a problem. He works with Mastercam, and he uses SolidWorks, Mastercam, and a Haas VF5 to produce short run parts and prototypes for superchargers that he designs.

CNC West It Takes Firm Resolution To Master The Micro - (scroll to second article) April 2010 In 2008, the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) decided that it would be useful to have its own prototype-part manufacturing capabilities to reduce leadtimes and establish greater control of manufacturing processes for critical parts.		Cutting Tool Engineering Competitive Technology April 2010 Every segment of manufacturing faces unique challenges. Tool and die makers, however, seem to endure an outsized number of challenges. Moldmakers use teamwork and advanced manufacturing software to compete in a tough global market.

Canadian Industrial Machinery Five Questions With Dave Boucher, Lathe Product Manager, CNC Software March 2010 Today's multitasking equipment allows many operations to be carried out at any one time, which can potentially increase productivity, reduce WIP, and reduce the cost of the final part.		Manufacturing Engineering Making Parts for the Newest Mars Rover March 2010 Expertise in five-axis machining, jig grinding, and EDM will enable NASA's 'CurExpertise in five-axis machining, jig grinding, and EDM will enable NASA's 'Curiosity' to increase our knowledge of the red planet.

Cutting Tool Engineering Multiaxis Muscles Up February 2010 Today's multitasking equipment allows many operations to be carried out at any one time, which can potentially increase productivity, reduce WIP, and reduce the cost of the final part.		Modern Machine Shop It Takes Firm Resolution To Master The Micro February 2010 Despite its penchant for small parts, Micro Precision Parts Manufacturing (MPPM) had never seen a job like this. No bigger than a match head, the surgical aneurysm clip would require 1 million toolpath moves across an area measuring less than half an inch.

Manufacturing Engineering Job Shop of the Future, Today - (Scroll to second article) March 2010 In those shops that are thriving today, three concepts emerge as common denominators: automation, sophistication, and flexibility. Of course, that's what's going on inside. Poplar Hill Machine (Conway, MA), for example, is located off a dirt road on a hillside among giant poplar trees, and just steps away from owner Michael Kurkulonis' home.		Modern Machine Shop It Takes Firm Resolution To Master The Micro February 2010 Despite its penchant for small parts, Micro Precision Parts Manufacturing (MPPM) had never seen a job like this. No bigger than a match head, the surgical aneurysm clip would require 1 million toolpath moves across an area measuring less than half an inch.

American Machinist In the Pursuit of 5-Axis Precision February 2010 To speak of the aerospace industry is to imply “precision”: One instantly thinks of beautifully engineered airliners, awe-inspiring jet fighters, and rockets to the moon and beyond. Aircrafts are manifestations of imaginative engineering and precise manufacturing execution. In a mere 100 years, airframes have evolved from a few tubes held together by piano wires to complex engineering marvels made of space age materials.		Manufacturing Engineering CAD/CAM Software Drives Innovation February 2010 Latest software advances include new parallel-processing techniques, improved simulation tools, and enhanced support for complex multitasking machine tools.

Modern Machine Shop CAM Software Improves Productivity, Lead Times January 2010 With an experienced machine programmer capable of writing code for its three CNC lathes and a slew of skilled operators, the Motion Transfer Devices (MTD) Group of Alinabal had no immediate interest in acquiring a CAM system.		Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing Aerospace Job Shop Draws a Virtual Line in the Sand 2009 Early in 2008, Northstar Aerospace, primarily a production aerospace shop at the time, was given an opportunity to do a huge prototyping project for one of its good aircraft customers. The project would involve making nearly 300 complex, irregularly shaped parts and delivering them in a matter of months.

Manufacturing Engineering Changing CAM Systems on the Fly - (scroll to second article) November 2009 Founded in 1988, Concept Components is a leading supplier of machined parts to the microwave, medical, commercial, electronics, and aerospace industries. They wanted to improve the shop's CAM productivity and multiaxis machining capabilities. Because this couldn't be done with its present software, the company researched the marketplace, chose a CAM package, and worked out a plan with the dealer that would make the transition as clean and painless as possible.		Aerospace Manufacturing and Design Unique staffing requirements at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory November 2009 The six machine shops at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are in the bathtub. In JPL speak, this means that the manufacturing work for its current flagship and frontier missions is almost entirely completed and staffing is at the bottom of a wide U-shaped trough. Richard Cournoyer, manager of the group, puts today's head count at 30 machinists and two apprentices (with openings for three more). The next major flagship mission will involve sending a landing vehicle to Europa, a moon that orbits Jupiter.

Manufacturing Engineering 5-Axis Trimming Boosts Eck Plastic Arts Productivity November 2009 Vacuum forming is a great process for the efficient manufacturing of simple parts without a lot of complex features that need trimming. However, when trimming needs to be performed on features located in a number of different planes, bottlenecks ensue, even if the trimming process is automated.		Manufacturing Engineering Programming in Parallel October 2009 Parallel processing in CAD/CAM and simulation has the potential to dramatically speed up compute-intensive tasks in manufacturing. With the latest CAD/CAM and simulation packages, manufacturers now perform parallel and background processing on computers equipped with newer dual-core and multicore microprocessors, resulting in substantially reduced programming times and increased shop-floor productivity.

Cutting Tool Engineering Toolpathing Your Lawn September 2009 What does CAM software have to do with mowing your lawn? More than you might think. Consider this imaginary story in which a machine shop owner tackles that bane of suburban life.		Manufacturing Engineering Take Advantage of the Down Turn September 2009 Recessions are challenging, and this one in particular has created more obstacles than I've experienced in my 30 years in the industry. In this economy, I need to feel like I'm doing something more that will help our company not only survive, but make us a better and stronger organization when we emerge from the economic cycle.

Modern Machine Shop Back to (uuugh) School September 2009 The Innovator Of The Future competition, sponsored by CNC Software, the CAD/CAM software company that produces Mastercam, is designed to entice students with a real-world manufacturing challenge—a project to be judged by a celebrity. Prizes include scholarship money and a trip.		Moldmaking Technology The Many Dimensions of Feature-Based Machining September 2009 A moldmaker typically creates simple subplates with dozens, even hundreds, of holes that must be drilled, bored and tapped. Using conventional CAM to program all of these features for manufacturing on a CNC mill could take several hours. Today, he can import a model of the subplate from his CAD program, bring it into the feature-based machining (FBM) module of his CAM program, and push a single button.

American Machinist Gear-driven Machining August 2009 Growing markets such as wind energy, hydroelectric power and mining are driving the popularity of cutting low to moderate volumes of spiral bevel gears on 5-axis machining centers, as opposed to dedicated gear generating equipment. In addition to those markets, shops manufacturing gear cases and doing prototype work also are showing interest in 5-axis machines for spiral bevel gear cutting.		Micro Manufacturing Adapting CAM strategies to the ‘through-the-looking-glass’ world of micromachining Summer 2009 At first he was disoriented. After working in the world of traditional manufacturing for 20 years, all of the things Alistair Purdon thought he knew about feeds, speeds and step-overs no longer seemed to apply.

Manufacturing Engineering Focus on the Workforce Factory or School or Both? August 2009 The Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT; Florence, SC) is an educational institution—but it's also a factory.		Aerospace Manufacturing & Design Improving Aerospace Manufacturing Efficiency with CAM July 2009 Two routers and a newly added waterjet cutting machine don't sound like a big operation. However, when you consider that these systems are in use without pause 24 hours per day, typically seven days per week, to support the material requirements of 123 of its own assemblers and several outsource manufacturing vendors, it's really quite impressive.

Micro Manufacturing Software issues and considerations when designing and manufacturing microscale components Spring 2009 Opinions vary about the need for CAD and CAM software specifically designed for micromanufacturing, but those designing and making microparts and microfeatures on larger parts agree that knowing what to do with the software you have is essential.		Performance Racing Boot Up the Latest CAD/CAM Software June 2009 Computers and computer software change continuously with speed, capacity, and processing abilities expanding at near lightning speed. The challenge side is that obsolescence is an ongoing reality. The good news is that updates improve accuracy, speed, and capability, resulting in a more cost-effective process.

CNC West The Reel Deal May 2009 Classic fly-fishing reel manufacturer relies on CAM to revive a languishing business.		Modern Machine Shop Software Aids Transition To Production Mindset May 2009 Over the years, aerospace manufacturer Costa Precision has developed a reputation for taking on large, complex parts that other shops can’t handle. However, overly optimistic customer expectations and lengthy cycle times led Costa to struggle with generating revenue on the manufacturing side of its business. With a new production-oriented mindset and CAD/CAM software from Mastercam, the shop was able to maintain the high precision for which it is known while improving manufacturing efficiency and profitability.

EDM Today Recession Buster April 2009 Today’s economic climate has shops around the world working hard to make sure they get the most out of their existing equipment. Software has no exception. Just as a shop tries to make sure they get everything they can out of their machine tools, they are wise to take the time to fully explore the CAD/CAM software they currently use. Many shops will be pleasantly surprised at what they find.		Manufacturing Engineering NHRA Pit Crew Runs a CNC Shop April 2009 It has been a long time since a Ford has ranked high in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Pro Stock Car Racing standings. In its quest to do something about that, Cunningham Motor Sports turned to CAM software to squeeze more horsepower out of standard Ford engines. New CAD/CAM Software Tools Improve Productivity and Boost Programming Efficiency Software review

Cutting Tool Engineering The Impeller - Quintessential Example of 5-axis Machining March 2009 Few 5-axis machine users ever cut an impeller. Yet impellers are repeatedly used as examples by CAD/CAM software vendors and machine tool builders. There is a practical reason for this. Impellers have challenging shapes that ably demonstrate 5-axis capabilities.		Cutting Tool Engineering Turning Machines Improve Accuracy February 2009 A study conducted at Independent Quality Laboratory, Rockville, R.I., showed that via a process known as SuperTuning, the volumetric positioning accuracy of a moderately priced machine tool can be improved twofold vs. the same machine that was purchased and installed to the manufacturer’s standard specifications. Fail-Safe CAM Compilation article from many different CAM vendors.

Modern Machine Shop Software Supports Cell-Based Production Process January 2009 A study conducted at Independent Quality Laboratory, Rockville, R.I., showed that via a process known as SuperTuning, the volumetric positioning accuracy of a moderately priced machine tool can be improved twofold vs. the same machine that was purchased and installed to the manufacturer’s standard specifications.		Moldmaking Technology Toolmakers Will All Have College Degrees January 2009 When Anchor Glass Container Corporation’s Mold Division needed to upgrade its capabilities for decorating the molds it produces for glass bottle manufacturing, engineers consulted with Zane State College to find out what software product was being taught in its Computerized Machine Tool Systems courses.