How to understand Large Mold Machining
Dealing with the sheer size and weight of a large mold can be a big challenge. This often leads to excessive labor, the need for special equipment, multiple setups and potential inaccuracies. […]
How to Select Five-Axis Advantage
As with any significant investment, the first step in the purchase and implementation of a five-axis machine should be a thorough evaluation of its potential impact on current needs. A manufacturer producing simple parts with lax surface finish specifications will have significantly different requirements than one working with complex geometries and high surface finish requirements. [...]
How to do Machine Evaluations
Begin machine evaluations with the thought that not all machine specifications are the same. Some manufacturers use JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard), others ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and some German VDI guidelines. […]
How to Define Precision
A clear definition is needed to uniquely identify the best in class shops in a highly competitive market. Because the market spans over a very broad range of industries, it’s rather important not to limit the definition to one in particular, but instead expand the definition to three unique precision types. […]
Balanced Toolholders helps moldmaker
Moldmakers use balanced toolholders to get the most out of their high-speed machining centers, but how do you guarantee your toolholders are properly balanced? […]
Introduction to shell lubricant
While some companies focus on individual elements of a hydraulic system when designing their lubricants, Shell Lubricants has used sophisticated fluid mechanics modeling to understand the different sources of energy loss in the system as a whole, This information has then been used to help to develop a fluid with a balance of physical and [...]
Introduction to Five-Axis Milling technology
Five-axis manufacturing techniques have long been used in the aerospace and power generation fields. This may be due to component geometry as found in gas turbine engines or automotive turbochargers, or complex and critical components such as landing gear on an aircraft. […]
Introduction to hermetic seal insert molding
Thermotech is committed to finding improved methods of meeting our customers ever changing needs and ongoing cost pressures. As part of this commitment, we have a defined process for the development of new technologies known as TIP (Thermotech Innovation Process). […]
The history of thermosets
The first commercially available synthetic material, Celluloid (cellulose nitrate), was invented in 1866 by John Wesley Hyatt as a replacement for ivory for use in billiard balls. Since that time, scientists have continued to develop new plastics to provide consistent material alternatives for durable goods. […]
Introduction to Free-blowing
This method held a pre-eminent position in glassforming ever since its introduction in the middle of the first century B.C. until the late nineteenth century and is still widely used nowadays as a glassforming technique. […]