Calibration blocks are a mainstay of non-destructive testing (NDT). They’re used to detect flaws within a component and can be utilised with various testing methods, including ultrasonic testing (UT), eddy current testing (ET), phased array (PA), advanced ultrasonic testing (A-UT) and time of flight diffraction...
When it comes to deciding on CNC machining or manual production for part creation, it’s necessary to evaluate both the advantages and disadvantages. While automated processes have elevated production methods – driving down costs and increasing accuracy in many situations – there are still times...
The upcoming year is set to be an exciting one for the industry. A potent combination of advanced technology and the ongoing skills shortage is aligning and - for CNC machining – this means change. Perhaps not (yet) monumental change, but something that providers and consumers...
The basic premise of CNC lathe machining relies on rotation. The material that will end up becoming the finished article is mounted onto a single spindle. This is then rotated and moved through pre-programmed axes. As it does so, a variety of machining methods are...
CNC machining is a technologically advanced process that produces highly precise, predictable and repeatable part patterns in a wide range of materials. Such accuracy is achieved through a software program that defines the movements of the shaping tools to produce parts with the required geometry. How...
Wire cutting – often referred to as Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (WEDM), is an alternative machining method that uses an electrical spark and a taut wire to cut materials with conductive properties. When used in particular situations, WEDM has many advantages over more traditional methods –...
Calibration blocks come in many guises, but they all have one core similarity: they’re used to assess precision of equipment and refine their correctness to ensure accuracy. When it comes to ultrasonic testing kit, there are many different types of blocks used to measure this. The...
Electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a specific type of precision machining that’s used to create parts from a variety of metals. It’s referred to by many different names, but the two most common are: Conventional EDM Sinker EDM The technology creates the required shape by plunging or sinking...
The term, advanced manufacturing, is much used, but defining what this means isn’t as straightforward as one might think. As technology becomes ever more intertwined with virtually every element of production, the lines between old-school manufacturing and its cutting-edge alternative become further blurred. However, there are...
Precision engineering is often thought of as a process that’s solely utilised for specialist components in complex machinery. While this is one area where it’s used, the advanced manufacturing technique is also behind many of the items we all rely on every single day. From refrigerators to...