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A sinker EDM's mass and dampening qualities improve the accuracy of electrode positioning in the spark gap, which, in turn, improves machining speed and finish.

Implementing an integrated tooling system proved to be this mold shop's first step toward automated operation of its electrical discharge machines and graphite mills. Today, the shop's robotic cells can run around the clock in an unattended mode.

Makino demonstrates the capabilities of agile systems by dry machining a cast iron engine head typically processed on a dedicated transfer line.

The push toward high speed machining is coming from three key areas: mold and die, aerospace, and automotive. Each of these industries is motivated by different interests and goals; each is emphasizing different technologies to solve divergent problems; each faces different challenges in regard to the...

The accelerated pace of product introductions and the short life cycle of those products, no longer allows the traditional techniques of prototype moldmaking to succeed. New methods must be used for the prototype mold shop to survive in today's economy.

Nicknamed "The House of EDM," Norman Noble takes electrical discharge machining very seriously. The company slogan is 'Our name means excellence," and it shows in everything they produce.

"We’ve never seen a part come out so perfect," said Mark Moore, EDM manager at Norman Noble of Cleveland, Ohio, as he walked through a row of EDMs made by three different manufacturers. "We have 187 machine tools, 26 of them EDMs. But that first part out of the Makino floored me."

Time is a huge factor in running an in-house tooling operation for a major plastic injection operation. Tim Andreas, tooling manager at AMA Plastics in Corona, California, says that time pressures have led the company to undertake a revolutionary streamlining of design and tooling operations.

Contour Metrological & Manufacturing, Inc. (CMM) is a shop unlike most others. Specializing in very high-end optics, tools for optics and ultra-precision tooling primarily for military and aerospace customers, optimum finishes and accuracies are not only desired but required as well.

With market competition increasing, it is important to stay up to date with industry trends. Innovative Mold of Washington, Mich., stays ahead by cutting and shooting molds in their shop, allowing them to understand the entire molding process.