Of all the tasks polishers face in the moldmaking trade, texture and its related problems are probably among the most challenging. Getting hand texturing to match up perfectly with acid bath texturing is a skill entirely unto itself, but with a few tricks of the trade, almost any polisher will be able to stand up [...]
Many industries place strict requirements on the acceptable level of surface defects and imperfections that may appear on a plastic molded part. Such conditions often apply to critical components for the medical and pharmaceutical industries as well as for the manufacturers of lenses and other optical devices. However, for aesthetic reasons, many other consumer goods [...]
One of the most difficult jobs for any polisher is getting a high diamond finish on aluminum. Achieving a good shine in soft gummy material that constantly clogs stones and easily takes deep scratches from sandpaper is enough to challenge anyone. Brushing and buffing can easily lead to grooves and lines in the finished surface [...]
Annealing is the process of heating the steel to a particular temperature in the austenite region and cooling down the steel very slowly. There are many derivatives of the annealing process, but generally the process is a slow cool process. […]
Stress relieving is an intermediate heat treatment procedure to reduce induced residual stresses as a result of machining, fabrication and welding. The application of heat to the steel during its machining or fabrication will assist in removing residual stresses that will, unless addressed during the manufacturing by stress relieving, manifest themselves at the final heat [...]
In order to move from defect prevention, you must be able to document your process capability and the accuracy of your machine tools. To do this, inspect them to a nationally recognized and accepted standard, such as ISO 230 or ASME B5.54. Both call for a ballbar and laser interferometer to be used with a [...]
Laser toolsetters provide a fast, auto-mated means to verify tool dimensions, especially critical in checking for wear during the long machining runs in moldmaking. […]
There are numerous software solu-tions available for real-time, CAD-based measuring metrology. Each one has strengths and shortfalls that distinguish them from the others. Key aspects to consider when looking for the best solution are: […]
CMM is constructed very differently than a machine tool, so maintenance requirements are also very different. Below, are some maintenance tips to help you obtain maximum life and performance from your CMM: […]
Today’s standard machine tools can deliver accuracy and repeatability approaching levels formerly available only on CMMs. This enables the machine tool itself to be used for probing checks of workpieces during critical stages of the machining process. […]