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How a CAD/CAM Consultant Can Help As the weekend was approaching, CAM programming consultant Jayson Mr. Kramer took a call from the frustrated owner of a small manufacturing company located some distance from his office.	What Dynamic Milling Can Do for You Reduce tool wear and increase material removal at the same time.	Molding a New Generation of Engineers The hallowed halls of academia are filled with theoretical formulas, hypotheses, and philosophical debates about the possibility of this thing and that.
How to Reap the Most Benefit from Advanced Cutting Tools What do typewriters, telephone booths and toolpaths for conventional CNC roughing have in common? A: They are all obsolete.	Aerospace Manufacturing Process Makeovers Ron Branch, VP of 5th Axis Consulting, received an inquiry from a machine tool manufacturer in for a turnkey project in Malaysia. They wanted to develop a process that would allow the customer to consolidate 6 machining operations that they were using to make a highly complex part.	The CAD/CAM User Experience AD/CAM software developers are no longer competing only with each other. They are also competing with their customer’s expectations of what a satisfying user experience (UX) should be.
At Morris High School Woodworking Leads Industrial Tech Ed The next time you admire someone’s fashionable wood- framed sunglasses, you may be looking at a pair of stylish peeper enhancers created by teacher Mark Smith’s Industrial Technology class at Morris Community High School in Morris, Illinois.	Redefining CAM Technology for Moldmakers Toolpaths that dynamically adjust tool motion allow faster, safer machining without the need for high-speed equipment.	Programming Complex Quality Parts in Less Time Engineered Fabrication Inc., a machining and fabrication shop, can produce projects from start to finish in-house, including custom-built machines per customers’ specs
Constant Chip Load Machining Most people’s eyes glaze over at the mere mention of radial chip thinning (RCT), but it is important.	New CNC Equipment, CAM Software Bring Shop to a Fast Start The startup Dynamic Balance Machine invested in advanced CNC machines and Mastercam software from CNC Software Inc. to more quickly rough out material and reduce cycle times.	Blitzing Blisks Job shop owners should avoid getting boxed in with basic CAM software that seems adequate for their current needs but does not allow them to exploit more advanced capabilities as they grow.
30 Under 30: Ryan Jacquemin Ryan Jacquemin, winner of Mastercam’s 9th IOF Competition, was chosen as one of Manufacturing Engineering’s 30 Under 30 winners.	Let's Celebrate the Olympians of the Trades! The WorldSkills Competition was established in 1950. It’s the world’s largest professional education event.	Scalable CAM Technology Tips Job shop owners should avoid getting boxed in with basic CAM software that seems adequate for their current needs but does not allow them to exploit more advanced capabilities as they grow.
CAD/CAM "Rocks" at Macomb Community College When Gary Walters, Professor of Applied Technology at Macomb Community College, rocks out on his beautiful electric guitar, he has the satisfaction of knowing it is one of many created by his talented students.	CAM-Centric Machine Shop Pushes Productivity to the Max Paddy Gavin has been the owner and operator of GQ Machine since he started the company in 1990. Over those years he has experienced growth spurts, but nothing like what he has seen during the past five years.	CAM It Up Without continual product improvement, most businesses eventually fail. This is true for florists and fabricators, machine shops and mortgage bankers—and it’s especially true for software developers that serve the manufacturing industry.
MAN Diesel & Turbo MAN Diesel & Turbo South Africa has been gearing up to seamlessly transform the local operation into a Center of Excellence for turbine blade manufacture, while at the same time going beyond its usual markets and vigorously entering the power generation arena.	Cutting Tool Engineering When a toolpath is precisely dialed in for high-efficiency roughing (HER), the cutting tool sings a sweet song of potent productivity rather than moaning like it’s struggling for its life.	Today's Medical Developments A plastics parts manufacturer explores the depths of plastics machining using Mastercam software, 5-axis milling, and lathes with live tooling.
Grey MFG Technologies To reduce operations and eliminate machinist intervention, a new aerospace manufacturing venture relies on its CAD/CAM software.	Bay Path High School To hear him tell it, George Beauchemin has one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet. The machine tool technology instructor at Bay Path Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, MA, has been teaching metalworking skills for 27 years, the last eight at Bay Path.	Weiber Machine By optimizing and standardizing its CAM programming and investing in employees rather than new equipment, Wieber Machine has grown into a successful company, despite small start-up funds.
Shamrock Percision Inc. Shamrock Precision Inc. (Farmers Branch, TX) makes a specialty of manufacturing small precision parts—typically 2–9" (51–229-mm) long for downhole oil well applications.	Corona High School For more than 20 years, Eric Lee has been teaching Design Manufacturing Technology to his students at Corona High School. 37 seats of Mastercam in the CAD/CAM lab allow students to program the toolpaths for all the CNC machines.	Dynamic Plastics Software that adapts to the demands of varying cutting conditions helps this moldmaker adapt to the demands of a varying workload.
Diamonds in the Roughing In just six months, Accede Mold & Tool has improved roughing cycle times by as much as 50 percent while also reducing tool costs. All it took was a capability already present in the company’s CAM software.	Aerospace Automation Stretches Beyond Drilling and Filling Senior Model Marker Matthew Hansell is a machinist by trade. He is also a valued member of several development teams designing the next generation of tools and implants used in musculoskeletal surgeries.
Bridging Gaps Lean manufacturing is much more than a buzzword. It is a potent concept that has aided many manufacturers, large and small.	Shop Solutions: Untended Machining Fuels Aerotech's Growth Delivering geometrically complex parts cut from unforgiving superalloys—on time and on budget—requires the coordinated efforts of an extensive team of talented individuals with exceptional systems and equipment working toward a common objective.	Leveraging CAD/CAM for High-Density Machining J&R Machine Inc. makes critical parts for industries including medical device, industrial equipment, and more. They take pride in their work-holding fixtures for internal consumption…
Think Metric Part 3 You are a manager at a modern mold manufacturing company and after watching a news special on the extent of the European tooling market, your owner has an epiphany...	CAM for Composites: Today and Tomorrow The breathtaking acceleration of composites manufacturing in aerospace and defense as well as other markets makes it a daunting task for manufacturers...	Students' Skills Mirror The Great Outdoors There have been movies, books, and word of mouth extolling generations of tales about the fantastic fishing and hunting venues that abound in the state of Montana.
Betting Big on Multitasking The cost benefits of deploying multitask machine tools are undeniable, since the machines offer the ability to perform...	Winning the Race within the Race Stewart-Haas Racing has found the right path to quickly and efficiently design and product parts in its quest for the NASCAR Cup. And they use Mastercam...	30 Under Thirty Manufacturing Engineering celebrates the inaugural 30 Under 30 honorees. These young people have taken the road less traveled-and they deserve recognition for it.
Anvil Bikeworks Makes Parts Smart with CAM Anvil Bikeworks is a manufacturer of tooling for the custom bike frame industry. CNC machining equipment is an integral part of his business. Mastercam is allowing them to simplify their manufacturing processes, document their design and material changes, and manage their profit margins so they can thrive in a very price-sensitive marketplace.	Mastercam Software is Driven with PMPA Member Needs in Mind Mastercam's primary product for Swiss-type machining is Mastercam Swiss Expert, specialized CAD/CAM software for precision programming.	A Rich Help of Lean Energy Manufacturing Advanced CAM is central to a holistic lean manufacturing concept that has transformed ADEX Machining Technologies from a commodity-oriented job shop to a powerhouse.
Native CAD Files Improve Pump Manufacturer’s Productivity Implementing an integrated CAM package (Mastercam for SOLIDWORKS) helped a pump manufacturer improve fixture design, offer single setup manufacturing processes and better communications and submissions to third-party vendors.	Every Machinist is a CAM Programmer The 20 machinists who work for Keller Technology Corp. are also qualified 2D CAM programmers. It is part of their job description. They have all taken and passed the Mastercam CAD/CAM course at nearby Erie Community College and they use these CAM skills every day on the job.	Holding 7 Arc Seconds Software Bisque Inc. is an unusual name for a manufacturing company. Its original claim to fame was SkyX Astronomy Software, developed by the company's founder, Steve Bisque,...
Picking Low-hanging CNC 'Fruit' As someone who visits job shops and manufacturers almost daily, I know why some are thriving, while others struggle. The ones that are thriving have invested in equipment, software, and more.	Aerospace Shop Gets Five-Axis CAM Boost Blue Force Technologies Inc. opened its doors in 2011 with a mission to provide specialized composites manufacturing services to customer who need access to high levels of engineering and manufacturing expertise with a fast turnaround time.	Betting big on Multitasking The cost benefits of deploying multitask machine tools are undeniable, with multitask machines offering the ability to perform many machining operations on parts with just a single setup.
Particularly Attractive Technology There has never been greater interest in 5-axis CNC machining centers. Manufacturers of all sizes, including small shops, have come to the realization that multi-axis machining opens doors to business opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.	5-Axis Spurs Work at Four Corners A few months after Four Corners purchased a router, the economy went into a tailspin and owner David Brigham saw a number of his competitors struggling. But Four Corners did not…see how Mastercam helped them through hard times.	CAM to Conversational to CAM Continuous improvement efforts can sometimes spur a shop to revisit a machining process or strategy it had previously put aside. Tracey Gear and Precision Shaft Shaft recently did this when it reconsidered the way it programs its turning centers.
Consistency is Key to Titanium An important part of this shop’s successful approach to titanium machining is a toolpath strategy that keeps the load on the cutter constant. Another important element is the way this shop captures and reapplies what it learns about how effective it can be in this metal.	Automation Advancements Streamline Mold Manufacturing Implementing new technologies across the entire shop floor improves overall accuracy, productivity and profitability.	Cut the Crashes Machine shops of all sizes are purchasing record numbers of 5-axis CNC machines, and for good reason. These machines enable...
CAM Software Improves Turnaround Times Cope Plastics isn't your typical machine shop. In fact, before it began to primarily manufacture CNC-machined plastic parts, 60 percent of the company's business came from...	No-cost CAM upgrade gives mold manufacturer major productivity boosts Two of the most labor-intensive and costly operations in a mold shop are roughing and fine finishing. Dave King, owner of Choice Tool was all ears when his local CAM reseller called to inform him that these cost factors were about to change dramatically. Mastercam contained several new features that would greatly improve his productivity.