Tooling Knowledge
Selection guides, machining tips, and industry insights.
Featured ArticleTool Holding ROI: When to Upgrade Holders and How to Measure the Payoff
Calculate the ROI of upgrading CNC tool holders using runout impact on tool life, surface finish rejection rates, and holder cost-per-part analysis.
Machining Work-Hardening Materials: Avoiding Glazing and Rubbing in Austenitic Stainless, Nickel Superalloys, and Hadfield Steel
How to machine work-hardening materials: why they harden under the cut, and the sharp-geometry, adequate-DOC, no-dwell, climb-milling toolkit to avoid glazing.
Reamer Stock Allowance and Feed Rate: Controlling Hole Tolerance and Surface Finish for Through-Holes and Blind Holes
Set reamer stock allowance to 0.1-0.3 mm on diameter and feed to 0.15-0.30 mm/rev to achieve H7 tolerance and Ra 0.4-0.8 µm in steel.
Quick-Change Tool Post Selection: AXA, BXA, CXA Sizing for Manual and Benchtop Lathes
Quick-change tool post selection — AXA/BXA/CXA/DXA sizing by swing, wedge vs piston vs Multifix clamping, and the core holder types that share one post.
Duplex and Super-Duplex Stainless Machining: 2205 and 2507 Speeds, Cutting Forces, and Work-Hardening Control
Duplex stainless machining for 2205 and 2507: cutting speeds vs 316, higher cutting forces, rigid setup, sharp coated carbide, and work-hardening control.
Live Center Selection by Application: Standard, Heavy-Duty, High-Speed, and Bull-Nose
Live center selection guide by application — match standard, heavy-duty, high-speed, and bull-nose types to workpiece weight, RPM ceiling, and accuracy class.
Carbide Insert Nose Radius Selection: Feed Rate Limits, Surface Roughness, and Tip Strength Trade-Off Guide
Carbide insert nose radius selection guide covering Ra formula, feed rate limits, tip strength, and ISO CNMG/TNMG radius codes for turning and facing.
Machining Nickel-Based Superalloys: Inconel 718/625, Hastelloy, and Waspaloy Cutting Strategy
Carbide and ceramic parameters for Inconel 718/625 machining: low speed plus heavy depth of cut, work-hardening control, and high-pressure coolant strategy.
Hardened Steel Machining (45–65 HRC): CBN vs Carbide, Cutting Parameters, and Tool Life Prediction
Hardened steel machining guide: CBN vs carbide selection for 45–65 HRC, speed/feed parameters, Taylor tool life prediction, and wear mode identification.
Chatter Diagnosis and Elimination: Frequency Identification, Stability Lobe Diagram, and Tooling and Fixturing Solutions
Diagnose CNC chatter by frequency type, use stability lobe diagrams to find chatter-free speeds, and eliminate vibration with tooling and fixturing fixes.