Latest Posts
What Is a Milling Cutter?
- July 20, 2019
A milling cutter is an essential component of a milling machine. As the name suggests, it’s the cutting tool that’s responsible for scraping material out of a workpiece. All milling machines have a cutter. During a typical milling operation, the cutter moves perpendicular to its axis, allowing it to remove material from the workpiece on
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The 4 Steps of High-Pressure Die Casting
- July 19, 2019
Also known as traditional die casting, high-pressure die casting is a metal casting process that involves injecting molten metal — steel, zinc, copper, aluminum, lead, magnesium, etc. — into a three-dimensional mold. The base metal is heated until it achieves a liquid, molten state. It’s then forced into the mold’s cavity, allowing it to take
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5 Fast Facts About Hex Keys
- July 18, 2019
Not all fasteners require the use of a traditional Phillips head screwdriver. Some require other tools to tighten or loosen the fastener. Hex screws, for example, are characterized by a unique hexagonal shape that requires the use of a hex key. Using a hex key, you can easily tighten or loosen a hex screw. Today,
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An Overview of Cryogenic Hardening for Metal
- July 16, 2019
Metals like steel, iron, copper and aluminum are often heat treated to improve their physical properties. When metal is exposed to heat, it undergoes a chemical reaction in which its atoms expand. Normally, heat treatment is performed in conjunction with cooling. After the metal has been heated, it’s rapidly cooled to achieve more desirable properties
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What Is Water Jet Cutting?
- July 12, 2019
There are other ways to cut metal besides using a shear blade. Water jets cutting, for example, refers to the use of a specialized tool that blasts metal — or other hard materials — with a stream of high-pressurized water. Whether it’s aluminum, copper or steel, most metals can be cut using this method. Origins
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6 Common Sheet Metal Forming Process
- July 11, 2019
Consisting of thin and flat pieces of metal — typically steel or aluminum — sheet metal plays an important role in the construction and manufacturing industries. In the construction industry, it’s used as panels for buildings and houses. In the manufacturing industry, sheet metal is used for automobile components, heavy machinery, floors and more. When
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