Understanding common metal shop hazards

In a metal shop, you’ll encounter numerous hazards, so it’s crucial to understand what they’re to maintain a safe working environment. High noise levels from machinery can lead to hearing loss over time. You’ll need to recognize this risk and take steps to reduce noise exposure.

Machinery itself poses significant risks as well. Machines can pinch, cut, or crush if not handled with the utmost care. Always be aware of moving parts, and never reach into a machine while it’s in operation.

Chemicals are another common hazard. Lubricants, coolants, and other substances used in a metal shop can be harmful or even deadly if ingested or inhaled. Be sure to use such substances properly and to store them safely.

Fire is another potential hazard. Sparks from grinding or welding can ignite flammable materials, and the high heat generated by some processes can cause burns.

Finally, the metal itself can be a hazard. Sharp edges can cut, and heavy pieces can crush. Always handle metal with care.

Understanding these hazards is the first step in maintaining a safe metal shop. Once you’re familiar with the dangers, you can take steps to mitigate them.

Proper use of personal protective equipment

Having understood the risks, it’s time to gear up properly with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to safeguard yourself in the metal shop. Remember, PPE is your last line of defense against injuries, so you’ve got to use it right.

Start with safety glasses. You read that right. Even if you’re doing something as simple as drilling, flying metal chips can cause serious eye injury. So, don’t just wear them, ensure they fit snugly too. If you’re welding, a face shield or welding helmet is mandatory to protect against intense light and flying sparks.

Next, protect your hands and skin. Welding gloves aren’t just for comfort; they guard against burns, cuts, and electric shock. Likewise, a welding jacket or an apron protects your body from similar hazards. Make sure your clothes are flame-resistant and fit well, baggy outfits can catch fire!

Safe handling of metalworking machinery

Now that you’re decked out in the right gear, let’s delve into the safe handling of metalworking machinery. Remember, even with the best protective equipment, you’re not invincible. It’s vital to approach each machine with caution and respect for its potential dangers.

First off, don’t rush. Work at a pace where you’re in control. Haste can lead to slip-ups, and in a metal shop, that could be catastrophic.

Secondly, always check machinery before use. Is it in good condition? Are there any loose parts or signs of wear? If you’re unsure, don’t proceed. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Next, keep your workspace clean and organized. Clutter can cause accidents, especially around heavy machinery.

Lastly, never leave machinery running unattended. Even if you’re stepping away for just a minute, turn it off. It’s an easy step that can prevent serious accidents.

Minimizing chemical exposure risks

While operating machinery safely is a top priority, you shouldn’t overlook the importance of minimizing chemical exposure risks in your metal machine shop. Frequent exposure to hazardous chemicals can lead to severe health problems over time, including respiratory issues, skin irritations, and even certain types of cancer.

You can start by identifying the chemicals used in your shop. Make sure you know what’s in every bottle and container. Understand their potential risks and know how to handle them properly. You can’t protect yourself if you don’t know what you’re dealing with.

Next, ensure adequate ventilation. Fumes from chemicals can be harmful when inhaled. Proper ventilation helps disperse these fumes, reducing your risk of exposure.

Invest in personal protective equipment (PPE). Gloves, goggles, and respirators can provide a barrier between you and harmful chemicals.

Lastly, train yourself and your staff. Everyone should know how to handle chemicals safely, what to do in case of spills, and how to dispose of chemicals correctly. Remember, knowledge is power.

Implementing effective safety protocols

Regularly reviewing and updating safety protocols is crucial in maintaining a secure metal machine shop. You can’t afford to become complacent or overlook potential hazards that could result in serious injuries or worse.

Start by conducting regular safety audits. This isn’t just a box-ticking exercise; it’s about identifying risks and finding ways to mitigate them. Look at your equipment – is it in good condition? Are safety guards in place and functioning correctly? Don’t forget about personal protective equipment. It’s essential to ensure your staff has access to and is using the right gear.

Training is another key aspect of safety protocols. You can’t assume your workers know how to handle equipment safely or respond to emergencies. Regular, in-depth safety training should be a cornerstone of your shop’s safety culture. Make sure it covers everything from correct machine operation to first-aid procedures.

Lastly, keep lines of communication open. Encourage workers to report safety concerns without fear of reprisal. Remember, an effective safety protocol isn’t static; it evolves with your shop’s needs.

So, you’ve got the scoop on metal shop safety. Remember, understanding hazards, using protective gear, handling machinery correctly, and minimizing chemical exposure can significantly reduce risks. Implementing effective safety protocols is also crucial. Regular safety audits, training, and communication are your best friends. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll not only create a safer workspace, but also protect your team from accidents and health risks.

Stay safe, and keep the sparks flying!

Also sometimes called CNC machine shops they may produce metal parts for a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, medical, and military. These parts may include gears, shafts, bolts, and other components used in producing a wide range of products. The machining shop may also be responsible for repairing and maintaining the machine tools used to produce these parts.

The machining process generally involves using various cutting tools to shape and finish metal parts. The job often requires a high level of precision and attention to detail. Machining shops are a vital part of the manufacturing industry and play a crucial role in producing a wide range of products.

What Types of Projects Does A Machine Shop Work On?

Machining shops typically work for various customers, including manufacturers, engineers, and designers. They may also work for government agencies and research institutions.

Manufacturers often hire machining shops to produce parts and components for their products. These parts may be made to the manufacturer’s specifications or designed by the machining shop. Engineers and designers may also hire machining shops to produce prototypes or one-off parts for testing or special projects.

In addition to working for specific customers, machining shop services may also include producing parts for sale to a wider market. These parts may be standard components used in various applications, or they may be customized to meet the specific needs of a particular customer.

What Metals Are Normally Machined?

Most metals can be machined, including brass, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. Stainless steel is used mainly for precision machining since it offers a couple of advantages in terms of resistance to corrosion and strength. Also, the use of computer numerical control (CNC) machines helps produce high-precision parts.

Aluminum is lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to work with. Another commonly machined material is brass, which is a relatively low-cost material.

Titanium is also commonly machined into various parts, mainly because it is corrosion-resistant but more expensive than other materials. However, titanium is harder to work with.

Copper is a highly versatile and strong material. It is also an excellent electrical conductor.

In addition to these materials, there are many other materials that can be machined, including glass, rubber, and wood. The choice of material depends on the finished product’s intended use and the material’s properties.

How Does Machining Work?

Machining is a manufacturing process in which a workpiece is shaped by removing material using various machining tools and techniques. There are many different machining processes, each suitable for different materials and applications. Some common machining processes include:

Turning

As the term suggests, the process involves rotating the workpiece against a sharp cutting tool. Generally, a lathe or a lathe machine, as it is called, is used in turning.

Milling machine

Milling employs a cutting tool that rotates against a stationary workpiece. The item is brought close to the cutting edges. It is considered a highly versatile tool and a technique employed by many machining shops.

Drilling

Machinists will use drilling to drill a new hole or refine the existing hole. Usually, drill presses will be used for the job. But at other times drilling tools will be attached to a lathe or a mill to create multiple holes.

Boring

It is a highly popular machining technique and a reliable way to finish large existing holes. The technique results in an accurately polished hole that can be replicated across different workpieces.

Reaming

It is a process of using a rotary cutting tool to smooth out the existing hole. The process removes material to even out the walls of an existing hole.

Other tools used are a grinding machine, a manual milling machine, etc.

Machining Techniques

Generally, machining techniques can be broken down into two main types, i.e., subtractive and addictive. As the term suggests, a machinist may use these techniques to either add or take away from the part in question to get the desired results.

Subtractive Machining

Subtractive machining is a manufacturing process in which material is removed from a workpiece to create the desired shape or finish. This is achieved by using various tools and techniques, such as cutting, grinding, and milling, to remove material from the surface of the workpiece.

Subtractive machining is often used to create precise and complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to achieve using additive manufacturing techniques.

Additive Machining

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a process of creating a physical object by building it up layer by layer from a digital file. This process contrasts traditional manufacturing techniques, which involve removing material from a solid block or sheet of material to create the desired shape. That’s why not all machine shops or machining centers, may use this technique.

In additive manufacturing, a digital model of the object is created using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The model is then used to control the additive manufacturing machine, which creates the object by depositing layers of material, such as plastic, metal, or ceramic, in a predetermined pattern.

Additive manufacturing has many potential advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques, including producing complex shapes and geometries, low material waste, and creating customized products on demand. However, it is only suitable for some applications and may not be as cost-effective as traditional manufacturing techniques for certain types of products.

Cast Technologies is proud to be one of the top machining shops in the United States. In addition to machining and CNC machining, Cast Technologies offers casting and finishing services. Contact them today for a project estimate.

CNC Machining

CNC is an acronym that stands for computer numerical control. CNC machining enables the fabrication of metal using written code controls during the manufacturing process. The code used determines the movement of the cutting head and every other machine part from the beginning of the manufacturing process to the end. Unlike additive processes, CNC machining shop services uses subtractive fabrication method to achieve the goal. Subtractive means that material is removed during the production process.

The first CNC machines were built from in the mid-20th century. They were based on existing machines with modifications. In the 50s, there was progress towards reducing the time spent on card production during milling. With an improvement in the milling machines, the time-saving capabilities resulted in more R and D work, after which programming languages specifically for CNC were developed.

How the CNC Machining Process Works

CNC machining equipment is currently fully automated so that all that is needed is digital files with written instructions. These instructions guide users about how the machining tools and cutting trajectories.

Machines Found in a Machine Shop

Machining operations require different tools that produce a certain part. Machinists use machinery that can automatically switch tooling according to the digital instructions that interface with that particular machine, which makes machine shops manufacturing powerhouses.

The parts are designed in computer aided design software. The models are created in 3d according to the properties and dimensions of the final part.
There are different machine shop tools used for everyday operations. Machining operations are classified into 3 primary processes which are drilling, milling and turning. However, there are other operations that fall into different categories.

Drilling Machines

Drilling involves creating holes in metal using circular cylinders. Machinists drill using a twist drill. Drilling is intensive as it removes up to 75% of the material. The drill enters a workpiece and cuts a hole through it. The hole is equal to the diameter of the cutting tool. For this reason, the drill has a pointed end that easily cuts holes into the piece.

Turning Machines

Turning is also known as lathe operation. In this process, the machine removes metal from the workpiece, but outside of its diameter with the use of a cutting tool. The cutting is done on a lathe, which is a machine that allows the adjustment of the workpiece. The lathe tool remains stationary while the workpiece moves in a rotational motion. Lathes are designed to operate in a turning motion so that the metal is cut precisely. The metal is then placed on the chuck. The machine rotates the tool to cut off the unwanted parts of the piece.

Milling Machines

Milling is one of the main operations in a machining shop. However, this process is less accurate compared to turning. Milling works on an object that is not symmetric. The process utilizes a milling tools including a milling machine, cutter, the workpiece and a fixture. Usually, the workpiece is already shaped but still needs milling. The piece is then put into the fixture for milling. At the same time, the cutter is secured to the milling machine as well. The sharp teeth of the cutter rotate at a high speed. The piece is then fed into the cutter, which subtracts the unwanted metal.

Other processes that are carried out in the machine shop include:

Chip Formation

Chip formation involves using tools such as milling cutters, lathes and saws to cut through mechanical items. Chip formation enables the engineering of cutting tools and other machines.

Grinding

Grinding involves improving the finishing of a surface and the tolerance of a part by removing any remaining unwanted parts from the surface of a piece. Machinists use grinding machines to achieve this purpose. Through grinding, machine shops produce parts that are identical in finish, size and shapes.

Machining at Cast Technologies

At Cast Technologies, we focus on metal casting. We cast aluminum, brass, bronze, green sand and mold. We combine metal casting with machining, which helps us produce fine details that would not be achieved by casting alone.

We recommend that foundries that need the services we provide trust us with their needs instead of sending out the work to a separate machine shop because we have complete CNC machining capabilities. By having both a foundry and machine shop in the same location means that we can produce precise, high-quality parts that meet your specifications.
Furthermore, there is a vertical integration between our teams at the foundry and at the machinery which allows immediate correspondence that is important in an ever-changing environment. Therefore, we can meet your needs flexibly, which means that we allow for faster delivery.

Lastly, we provide cost-effective solutions for quality castings. You will not have to gamble with the possibility of us doing the job wrong and we have operational equipment and skilled machinists to deliver all your needs.

Reach Out to Us Today For Machine Shop Services

If you are looking for a trusted partner to help you with all your machine part needs, you have come to the right place. At Cast Technologies, we have the capacity to handle all your machine needs. As one of the oldest and most experienced machining and casting businesses, we are always here to sort your needs. Reach out to us today and to get started with your project.

Therefore, metal casting processes have become central to industrial operations as it is through these processes that energy-efficient customized metal products are produced at scale. Below we share some of the industrial sectors that rely most on casting in 2022.

Top Casting Industries: Automobile Industry

Cast iron parts are crucial components in automobiles. While many parts are created with cast iron, the engine block must be made of premium-grade cast iron or aluminum alloy. These parts add reliability and performance to the car, as the engine contains the primary components that make up an automobile’s bottom.

Besides aluminum and iron castings, manufacturers are using die castings made of zinc and magnesium to produce safe, clean vehicles that consume less fuel and emit less harmful gases. Therefore, the casting industry plays a significant role in the automobile industry while helping conserve energy and ensure safety.

Marine Industry

Working in the maritime industry means contending with a hazardous environment at sea and port. From extreme temperatures, heavy rains, and swells, there is a need to stay protected at all times. The casting industry produces an assortment of high-quality protected metal products for the marine industry.

Some primary metals used in the marine industry include stainless steel, aluminum, and alloys. The most common alloys used for casted marine-grade items contain copper, bronze, and aluminum. Copper alloys are common in valves, propellers, heat tubing, piping, and pumps. Copper alloys are especially applicable because they are easy to form, durable, and its high thermal conductivity. Furthermore, there is a lower likelihood of marine animals attaching to copper. Different alloys can build other parts, and the strength of these alloys can increase with the addition of zinc.

Construction

The construction industry is also highly dependent on cast iron. Cast iron is extremely sturdy, which is why it is commonly used in building and construction.

Castings are often used for foundational components such as bases and columns. They are also used in utility holes and manhole covers, gates, and cisterns. Cast iron is also used in the manufacture of pipes because it is corrosion resistant and has excellent tensile and compressive strength. In addition, it is used in buildings, bridges, and long-standing structures because of its excellent load-bearing capacities.

Oil, Gas and Mining

Casting has many applications in the mining industry. The most common metal in the industry is alloyed cast iron. It has been used to make wheel hubs and clamping rings for trucks and shakers, crushers, and piston shafts. Cast iron is used here for its reliability and resilience.

Interestingly, the mining and casting industries are heavily interdependent. The casting industry relies on the iron industry to get the required metals, while the mining industry relies on the casting industry for cast iron accessories and parts. As a result, cast iron ensures minimal wear and tear and mechanical fatigue, which provides value for money and economic efficiency.

Military and Defense

Think of military vehicles, firearms, and gear. These can survive the harshest of conditions, thanks to cast components. While some machines cannot survive long periods without use, military equipment can stay long periods without being used and still achieve peak performance.

Cast components in military and defense include trigger guards, spare parts, pistol grips, joysticks for drone planes, hammers, gun triggers, and sights. Besides the military components being long-lasting, they are also affordable and can be made quickly and to precision because of the use of cast metals.

Aviation

Steel, titanium, aluminum, and their alloys are all used in aviation. Aluminum alloys have lower density values than steel alloys and have good corrosion resistance. Aluminum is also used to make fixtures such as seats, doors, and cabinetry.

Steel is another key aviation metal. Valued for its resistance to high temperatures, hardness, and durability, it is used to make parts such as hinges, fasteners, aircraft skin, and cables.

Agriculture

The agricultural industry is responsible for putting food on our tables. However, the sector needs agricultural equipment to perform in strenuous conditions. Investment casting is one of the most popular manufacturing processes that produce casted metals for agriculture. Investment casting works because it can yield results in a short time, reduces waste, and is efficient and inexpensive. Therefore, manufacturers can produce durable machines that can withstand heavy agricultural applications.

Cast metals used for agriculture need to be able to work in the harshest environmental conditions, and investment casting ensures the parts are durable, detailed, and with a considerable life span. Parts produced from this process are also corrosion-resistant and have high-load bearing properties crucial when in the field. Furthermore, investment casting is inexpensive, allows for faster production, and is convenient and affordable for the agricultural industry.

A Reliable Partner For All Of Your Casting Needs

As you can see, metal casting has applications across many industries. Without metal casting, the world would not be as it is today in terms of machinery; and if it were, it would mean that everything from the parts to the finished products would be more expensive. Therefore, if you are looking for a cast metal object of any sort, you must work with a manufacturer that understands the science of metal casting.

At Cast Technologies, we offer the best casting and machine shop services to ensure that our clients enjoy top-quality parts. Reach out to us today and to get started with your project.

Machining in a machine shop can be done on ceramic, metal, wood and other materials and the person performing the machining is known as a machinist. Machinists require a specific skillset and may have specialized training depending on the machining operations at the shop. The parts made are sold to different industries including the aircraft industry, power generating, shipbuilding and many more.

What is a Machine Shop – CNC Machines

CNC Machine Shops are an unknown celebrity in the world of manufacturing. The initials CNC stand for Computer Numerical Control.  This star of the machine shop continues to do a tremendous job shaping machine metal products, parts, and other components that we rely on for normal everyday operations.  CNC machining enables these shops to create machine parts and components that cannot be created manually.

While in medieval times people relied on smiths to shape machinery, today’s machine work is achieved in high-tech, multi-million dollar industries. This happened as a result of the industrial revolution that enhanced the rapid production of tools that would in turn produce other tools. Eventually, humans were capable of fabricating and mass-producing machines with parts that could be changed in their own machine shops. Now, The CNC has the opportunity to produce more products and we can see the products of their work in everyday products, something our ancestors could only dream of.

So How Does CNC Machining Technology work?

Computer numerical control (CNC Machining Process) is, in simple terms, the automation of machining tools including boring machines and industrial milling. Today, instead of machines being controlled by levers and hand cranks, they are fully automated and can be controlled through programmed commands that are stored on computers and retrieved whenever they are needed. The CNC system not only makes work easier but also cost-effective and simple. Today, CNC Is used alongside other technologies such as Computer-Aided Design (CAD) to make machining and designing of metal parts even faster and more effective. Now you can get machine parts and even electronic components easily compared to what you could get years ago.

Metal Casting Process

Casting metals is a modern process that has its roots in the ancient times. It involves pouring molten metal into a mold cavity. A cast metal object takes the shape of the mold cavity and multiple cast metal objects can be made using non-expendable molds.

Casting metals has a long history, but copper was the most popularly cast metal, with the first metal casting dating back to around 3200 BCE in Mesopotamia. The first production of cast iron was in China. Today, casting processes include sand casting, die casting, plaster casting and investment casting and the most popular metals cast are aluminum and bronze.

Basic Machine Tools

The modern machine-making industry has hundreds of metal casting tools. There are big production machines and small machines as well. While production methods may have changed tremendously, these machines still retain the basic features of the 19th and 20th-century machines and can be classified under different categories including:

Turning Machines

This is one of the most important machines in the production environment. It is also called an engine lathe and is considered an important mechanical element that can become a part of other machine tools. It can be used for different purposes including facing, drilling, and turning.
The tool has a single point that is used to bore and turn. Turning involves cutting away excess metal from the diameter of a piece. It also includes turning tapered and straight cylinder shapes, shoulders, screw threads, and other shapes on the ends of cylindrical parts.

On the other hand, boring includes activities such as enlarging and finishing a cored or drilled hole. Boring of holes is done with a single-point cutting tool that works on the inside of the workpiece. Therefore, these pieces end up more accurate in parallelism, roundness, and concentricity compared to drilled holes.

Shapers and Planers

As the name suggests, these are used for shaping and planning. Surfaces that can be shaped and planed include grooves, flat surfaces, T slots, and other angular surfaces. In the world of shaping and turning, the largest tool has a 36-inch cutting stroke and can work on parts that are up to 36 inches long. The cutting tools oscillate and cut on the forward stroke. During each stroke, the workpiece feeds towards the tool.

On the other hand, planers do the same thing as shapers. The main difference is that planning machines work on pieces longer than 36 inches. Sometimes they can be as long as 50 feet. For the planer to work, you have to mount your piece on a reciprocating table. This table moves the piece under the cutting tool. The cutting tool remains in one position as the workpiece is cut and it feeds into the piece with each stroke.

Drilling Presses

These are commonly called drilling machines. They cut hokes into metal in a drill motion. Apart from boring, there are other mechanisms involved including boring, counterboring, countersinking, reaming, and tapping internal threads.

Grinding Machines

Grinding machines remove chips away from metal parts. The workpiece comes into contact with a rotating abrasive wheel known as an abrasive belt or grinding wheel. Grinding is the most accurate of the techniques we have discussed. A grinding machine can grind both soft and hard parts to tolerances of +_0.0025 millimeter.

Milling Machines

Milling machines/milling tools cut the workpiece against milling cutters. Milling cutters come in different sizes and shapes for the different types of milling operations. Milling cutters cut inclined surfaces, T-slots, dovetails, grooves, and shoulders. There are also form-tooth cutters that are used to cut convex and concave corners and gear teeth.

There are various milling machine designs including standard horizontal and vertical knee-and-column machines, bed type machines, and special milling machines designed for specific or special jobs.

Power Saws

There are three types of basic metal cutting power tools. They include band saws, power hacksaws, and circular disk saws. There are also vertical band saws that can cut metal plate shapes, angular cuts, and internal and external contours.

Presses

Presses cover a large class of machines that are used to form metal parts. They can be used for shearing, forming, bending, squeezing, blanking, hammering, drawing, flanging and upsetting. These presses have a movable ram that is pressed against a base. The ram is powered by mechanical linkages, gravity, or pneumatic and hydraulic systems.

Top Machine Shop

Machining involves cutting, fabricating, and preparing parts for use. Machine parts are places where new parts are created, and existing parts repaired. The machinists who make these machines may have specialized training depending on the skillset required and the work done at the shop. Machinists can use subtractive and additive manufacturing to take away and add material to a machine part using CNC machining equipment.

Now that you know what is a machine shop, contact Cast Technologies for all of your foundry and machine shop casting needs.

What Does CNC Stand For In Machining?

If you have even a cursory knowledge of manufacturing, you’re probably familiar with the term CNC, even if you don’t know it stands for Computer Numerical Control. What is Computer Numerical Control? It’s a computer-driven machine that can be programmed to remove parts or sections of whatever material is placed into the machine. The material in that stock piece could be metal, wood, plastic or just about any other material you can imagine.

The cuts, drills or other material removals made by the CNC machines are precise and can meet very tight tolerances. Machined parts are far more uniform and precise than parts made by hand could ever be.

What Are the Advantages of CNC Machining?

Now that you know the surface-level answer for “What is CNC Machining?” Let’s dig into the advantages of CNC Machining. Code is written that controls the exact movements of the machinery. This results in faster and more exact movements, less waste and less human error. Once a program is written to meet the specifications of a given item, the item can be reproduced quickly, easily and perfectly countless numbers of times.

Why Does Cast Metal Need Machining?

Not every cast metal item requires machining, but many do. That’s why Cast Technologies has a CNC machine shop on-site. The CNC machine shop at Cast Technologies focuses on machining cast metal items to bring them up to customer specifications. This can mean smoothing a finish, correcting a defect or merely removing sections that were needed to make a good cast but are not part of the final design. It can also mean adding fine details beyond those that can be produced by casting alone.

Having our own on-site machining services is far more desirable than working with a separate shop, because both the foundry and machine shop employees are all working toward the same goal. Plus, if anything goes wrong, we own it. There’s never any question of who is responsible for making things right for the customer. There’s no worry about poor machining ruining a good cast. When we cast it and we machine it, we are responsible for it. 

What Are Some Types of CNC Machinery?

Computer numerical control technology has shaped modern industry over the last several decades. There are many different types of CNC machinery commonly in use today. Each has advantages and disadvantages based on their cost, their ability to meet tight tolerances, their suitability for different materials and the cost of operating the machine. Some of the most common examples of CNC machinery include:

• CNC Laser Machines: These machines use small but powerful lasers to cut or engrave any desired material, including metal. One advantage to laser CNC machines is that they have fewer moving parts and no physical cutting surfaces to wear out. Compared to many other alternatives, this means lower maintenance costs.
• CNC Plasma Cutters: These specialized machines cut through metal using a plasma torch. Gas is forced through a nozzle and an electric arc is produced. A CNC plasma cutter is far more accurate than a hand-held plasma torch. These machines are also faster, cheaper and more precise than many other options. A plasma CNC is also versatile. It can handle thick or thin pieces of materials and works for almost any kind of metal, including steel.
• CNC Water-Jet Machines: You wouldn’t think of plain water as being able to slice through metal, but it can. Very high-pressure water jets allow a CNC water machine to cut through metal or virtually any other material. For softer materials, pure water may be used. For harder materials, the water may be mixed with an abrasive substance, such as garnet. Using jets of water or water mixed with abrasives, a water CNC machine can cut complex shapes in a highly precise fashion. One large advantage of a water-jet cutter is they heat the workpiece less, an advantage when working with materials that could melt if subjected to high-heat cutting methods. However, they usually are slower than other CNC machines.
• CNC Milling Machine: A CNC milling cutter is very versatile and thus one of the most common and popular CNC machines. CNC milling machines work for most metals as well as plastics, ceramics, rubber, wood and similar materials. This machine is used most often for drilling and cutting.
• CNC Electric Discharge Machines: Electrical discharge machining has its strengths and weaknesses. Material is removed by electrical discharges. The cutting wire doesn’t touch the part being made, so extremely tight tolerances are possible and no stress is placed on the wire. But it can only be used with electronically conductive metals. It can make complex shapes that are impossible through most other means.
• CNC Router: The CNC router is usually used for softer materials. It’s typically less expensive than most other CNC machines, but it’s also less precise.
• CNC Lathe: As in an old-fashioned lathe, a cutting tool is applied to the workpiece, which is made to spin at high speed. However, because the CNC lathe is controlled by computer, it is faster and more accurate than hand-held methods. A CNC lathe is usually smaller and less expensive than a CNC milling machine.

What Industries Depend on CNC Machines?

It would be hard to find a manufacturer today that doesn’t rely on machining services. Some of them include:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Commercial
• Defense
• Electronics
• Manufacturing
• Medical
• Oil and gas
• Optical
• Transportation
• Many more

What is CNC Machining Prototyping?

CNC prototyping offers many advantages. But, what is CNC machining Prototyping? It’s quick and accurate. Making small changes in a prototype is simple in that only the program must be adjusted. Because of these advantages, prototype machining can be much less expensive than other manufacturing methods. Cast Technologies has the capability to perform CNC rapid prototyping. We can partner with you. Let us help you develop your prototype design.

Who Operates A CNC Machine?

The computer numerical control technology process calls for a different workflow than when factories depended on traditional machinists to operate the equipment. The programmer will study the blueprint of a given part and choose what tools would work best to shape it. Next, the programmer will write the program for the CNC machine. Another person will set up the machine and make sure everything is operating correctly. At that point, another person, often an entry-level worker, can operate the machine by loading it with materials. Each role may vary and there may be some overlap depending on the size of the shop. 

What Are the Skills of a CNC Machinist?

A CNC machinist will have advanced skills. These will likely include the ability to:

• Read and understand blueprints 
• Apply strong math skills
• Program and set up CNC machines
• Understand the properties of metal and other materials
• Read calipers and gauges

Are You Looking For A One-Stop Casting and Machining Shop?

Casting Technologies has the people, equipment and experience you need. Whether you’re working on a prototype or have a part for which you need a small or large production run, we can handle the whole process. Our equipment allows us to design, cast and machine almost anything you might require, from small, delicate parts up to pieces weighing hundreds of pounds. Our engineer can answer any questions you might have. Contact us today.