Categories Starting with 'M'

Machining is a process of shaping work pieces by removing excess or exceptional elements from them. The process is realized by employing a power-driven milling machine, or a machine tool, such as a lathe, or drill. Machining is an integrant of almost all metal manufacturing processes. Some plastic parts are also subjected to machining. Most machining processes can be categorized as those that eliminate metal from a work piece, or those that structure a metal in a work piece. Machining operations powered by advanced technology might engage electro-chemical erosion, electrical discharge, or laser cutting for shaping metals.

A machine shop or workshop is any facility (or room) used to perform different machining processes. The machining room or building consists of machining equipment such as lathes, milling machines, and surface grinders for fabricating as well as finishing a product. From machine tools, molds, and dies to mass-produced parts such as screws and pistons, a diverse range of products are produced in machine shops.

Metal stamping processes use dies and punches to cut the metal into the required shape. A metal alloy sheet is used as the stock which is either stamped on a press using dies and punches or drawn into shapes on hydraulic deep drawing machines.

Electric motors convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. The three basic types are small (1/20 to 1HP), medium (1 to 100HP), and large (over 100HP) and can run on AC or DC power.

Metal machining is a globally acknowledged metal-shaping process catering to the mechanical manufacturing industry. The machining process involves the manufacture of metal parts from solid mass. The modes of machining are multitudinous with the associated occupational hazards being similar, and hence conventional machining is much concentrated upon. Hard metal machining is optimal for operations exacting high precision and high-speed milling of both graphite and steel. Laser metal machining and sheet metal machining are the two significant types in this class of machining.

Monorail conveyors function as materials-handling systems, similar to traveling cranes, for use in large factories. They employ a single rail run overhead with trolleys either suspended from it or run above it. Driving power is transmitted from the trolleys to the track by means of wheels that rotate horizontally, making contact with the rail between its upper and lower flanges.

Metal spinning is a quick metal manufacturing methodology that employs a round flat disc of sheet metal gyrating on a spinning lathe. The metal spinner exerts pressure on the rotating blank utilizing numerous tools to carve the metal into shape over a form called a mandrel or chuck. The pressure exerted can be effectuated either by a single tool or by several levers hydraulically. The process, on proper execution, results in an end product free of wrinkle and warble due to the high-speed rotation around the mandrel.

Metal inert gas (MIG) or gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a type of semi-automatic arc welding operation, which uses a consumable wire electrode that is continuously fed, to produce a weld. Along with the wire electrode, an inert gas is also fed as a shielding gas, in order to protect the weld area from atmospheric contamination. Though primarily adopted for the welding of aluminum and other non-ferrous materials, it is also used for the welding of steel. The high-deposition and speed of the MIG welding process, has made it one of the most commonly employed welding operations in a number of industries, including the automobile.

Medical machining is used exclusively to produce various types of medical components, such as instruments, surgical implants, and orthopedic devices. Most of these components are produced from medical grade non-reactive materials, such as titanium and plastic. Some common machining methods adopted for medical machining are micro-machining, multi-axis milling, chemical etching, and EDM machining. These components are produced to exact tolerances and in many cases, tolerances as tight as 0.0002 inches are achieved. Self-tapping bone screws, dental implants, clamps, surgical knives, and syringe needles are some medical components produced through machining.

Media abrasives are forced by gravity feed or high pressure, mixed with air, and sprayed out a nozzle as part of the sandblasting process. Beach sand and aluminum oxide are used as media. Glass beads are the most popular media used in blast cabinets today to hone, polish, peen, blend, and finish. Brown aluminum oxide is used in blast cabinets as a cutting media.

A magnetic pulley is a type of head pulley for belt conveyor systems which are used for the removal of ferrous contaminants from a material flow. The pulley works by attracting the ferrous material and holding it to the belt until it reaches the underside of the belt. Here the material is deposited into a separated chute or bin, when it passes out of the magnetic field of the pulley, and simultaneously, the cleaned material flow is discharged over the pulley. These magnetic pulleys are used in a number of applications, including mining, waste recovery, and feed & grain.

Multislide stamping is a process employed to produce metal stampings using multislided machines. This process of stamping includes horizontal die applications from more than one direction and hence the name multiple. A set of motions is imparted in succession or simultaneously by vertical stripper mechanism, forming slides and a multi-slide die head. Stamping of this type is effective in producing myriad parts from wire or metal stampings, small springs and wire forms. Hospital furniture components, clip for brake cables, automotive door components, vacuum cleaner washers, clips to support furniture partition panels, furniture, assembly line components are some examples of stampings produced by this process.

Magnetic conveyors convey hot, cold, wet, oily and dry ferrous materials virtually anywhere. They employ a non-moving slide plate over a moving chain driven series of powerful magnets to move the ferrous material.