Modern Machine Shop

Modern Machine Shop Metalworking's leading information source Gardner Business Media was founded in 1928 (as Gardner Publications Inc.)

Gardner Business Media is the premier publisher for the heart of manufacturing in North America – providing unique, one-of-a-kind, relevant information of keen interest to the people who power plants, shops and factories. in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the introduction of Modern Machine Shop magazine. To this day, Modern Machine Shop is recognized around the world as the premier metalworking and machin

e tool publication in North America. Since then, Gardner has built a niche with eight titles focused on one area: manufacturing. We bring industrial buyers and sellers together through our integrated approach to media. Modern Machine Shop strives to use media—be it print publications, websites, electronic devices, newsletters, webinars, research or in-person events—to show best practices and practical, how-to information to explain technology and help our customers be competitive in today’s challenging environment.

Turkish machine tool builder Kestech offers a rotary transfer platform that addresses several persistent production chal...
09/10/2026

Turkish machine tool builder Kestech offers a rotary transfer platform that addresses several persistent production challenges — and is now entering the U.S. market through Detroit-area importer Dynamic Machine.

The Multivexa features a vertically oriented workpiece trunnion, which reduces floor space compared to horizontal rotary table configurations. Beyond that, two technical differentiators stand out:

- **Compensating chucks for forgings.** A self-compensating chuck design actively accommodates parting line variation, allowing the jaw geometry to self-center on the functional datum rather than the raw forging surface — effectively absorbing flash without tilting or mis-seating the part.

- **Integrated turning spindle capability.** Rather than relying on interpolation via a generating head, Kestech can install a true rotating workpiece spindle at one or more stations. Runout and concentricity are governed by spindle bearing quality — fundamentally more accurate for critical tolerances.

Station tooling can be reconfigured for new part families, and machines support bar feeders, robotic load/unload, vision systems, and SPC feedback.

Affordability is also cited, attributed to Kestech's location in an EU and Turkish free trade zone. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/compact-rotary-transfer-technology-new-to-the-us-market-2

Flow International spent 50 years as a waterjet company. That changed last year.The company has expanded its portfolio t...
09/10/2026

Flow International spent 50 years as a waterjet company. That changed last year.

The company has expanded its portfolio to include laser cutting and press brake systems — a strategic shift driven by a clear customer-facing rationale: "By only offering waterjet technology, we were not only boxing ourselves in but also boxing our customers in by making it so that they had to go to other suppliers to do these other things."

At IMTS, Flow is displaying one machine from each technology:

- **NX Pro waterjet** — featuring an abrasive management system that recycles and reuses up to 50% of spent abrasive to reduce waste and improve uptime
- **LZR fiber laser** — demonstrating high-speed, precision cutting
- **HyperBend press brake** — integrated with a collaborative robot in an automated bending cell

All three systems are running live throughout the show.

The portfolio expansion reflects a broader objective: reducing friction for customers who would otherwise manage multiple supplier relationships across cutting and forming operations.

Full coverage from the show floor is linked below. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/flow-international-shines-a-light-on-product-expansion

Carbide is not the only answer when machining heat-resistant super alloys.With tungsten carbide prices surging, shops wo...
09/09/2026

Carbide is not the only answer when machining heat-resistant super alloys.

With tungsten carbide prices surging, shops working with materials such as Inconel 718 have reason to evaluate alternatives — particularly when cycle-time reduction is a priority.

Advanced cutting materials offer distinct advantages depending on the operation:

- **Ceramics** can operate at significantly higher cutting speeds than carbide by concentrating heat in the chip rather than the cutting edge — enabling faster roughing of nickel-based superalloys with consistent performance.
- **Cubic boron nitride (CBN)** is suited for finishing operations where surface finish and dimensional accuracy are critical, offering high wear resistance at elevated temperatures with lighter depths of cut, typically 0.1–0.5 mm.

Carbide remains versatile and widely compatible, but for demanding HRSA applications in aerospace, medical, power generation, and oil and gas, ceramics and CBN present a technically sound case for reconsideration.

The full article outlines how each tool material performs and where each is best applied. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/tooling-alternatives-as-carbide-costs-rise

Proving your machining process is capable is not the same as proving your parts are good.PPAP — the production part appr...
09/09/2026

Proving your machining process is capable is not the same as proving your parts are good.

PPAP — the production part approval process — is the package submitted before the first production order ships to demonstrate that a process can make a conforming part not just once, but every time. The core of that package is capability: a number that quantifies how well the process fits inside the tolerance.

The practical effect is significant. A Cpk of 1.33 consumes roughly a quarter of the tolerance band before a chip is made. At 1.67, that figure rises to about 40%. A print reading ±0.0020" may leave a machinist working to ±0.0012" in practice.

At the spindle, that compression shows up across the entire process:

- Boring or reaming replaces interpolation where variation margins tighten
- Fixtures are probed rather than trusted
- Tools are changed on schedule, not to failure
- Machines receive a full warmup before any capability run

As John Miller writes, what PPAP changes is the burden of proof — demonstrating in numbers the consistency already being run.

Read the full column at mmsonline.com. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/how-to-certify-production-at-scale-with-ppap

Scalable automation is often discussed in theory — at IMTS, Muratec USA is demonstrating it in practice.Exhibiting under...
09/08/2026

Scalable automation is often discussed in theory — at IMTS, Muratec USA is demonstrating it in practice.

Exhibiting under the theme "Automation for All," Muratec is featuring a portfolio of integrated automation solutions designed to optimize fabrication, turning, and machining operations. Key highlights include:

- The LS3015MC, a combination laser cutting and drilling machine
- The MW400II twin-spindle turning center
- The Integrated Model, illustrating how high-density storage, automated material handling, machine tools, and factory logistics can operate as a single system

Central to the exhibit is the interactive Job Shop Center — a live, working environment that mimics real-world manufacturing conditions. Visitors can load parts, operate controls, and observe how connected technologies improve productivity, maximize spindle utilization, and simplify the path to unattended production.

A media briefing on Tuesday, September 15th at 1:30pm will address how these integrated solutions deliver measurable improvements in productivity, precision, and workforce efficiency.

Read the full coverage to learn more about what Muratec is presenting at IMTS. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/muratec-brings-automation-for-all-to-imts-2026

Plans never survive contact with reality — and for job shops, schedule drift can be costly.Two high-mix, low-volume shop...
09/08/2026

Plans never survive contact with reality — and for job shops, schedule drift can be costly.

Two high-mix, low-volume shops — Three Sigma Manufacturing in Kent, Washington, and Yeager Manufacturing in Winter Park, Florida — both faced the same core problem: setups running long, unexpected absences, late materials, and cascading delivery failures.

Skody AI's scheduling software addresses this by functioning like "Google Maps for production planning." It builds an optimized schedule from ERP data, then adjusts as complications emerge, giving operators visibility into how one decision affects every job downstream.

Key capabilities the shops rely on:

- Dual scheduling support for both people and machines
- A bill of materials function tracking inventory and lead times
- Scenario simulation for capacity decisions
- Permissions controls to protect the live production plan

Three Sigma reports steadily improving on-time performance. Yeager Manufacturing climbed from a low of 70% on-time delivery to 85–90% within three months, trending toward 95%.

The full account of how both shops implemented and shaped the software is worth reading for any operation wrestling with schedule reliability. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/charting-the-course-through-schedule-drift

Global machine tool production, consumption, and trade patterns shifted measurably in 2025.New data from the 58th Annual...
09/08/2026

Global machine tool production, consumption, and trade patterns shifted measurably in 2025.

New data from the 58th Annual World Machine Tool Survey reveals where growth is concentrating — and where trade imbalances are widening.

Key findings from full-year 2025 data:

- China led all nations in both production ($30.7B) and consumption ($26.4B)
- Among the top 5 producers, only China, Japan, and Italy posted year-over-year gains
- The United States remained the world's largest machine tool importer at $5.8B and the second-largest consumer at $11.4B — more than double Germany's $5.13B
- The U.S. also recorded the survey's largest trade deficit at -$4.4B

The report ranks the top 20 countries across production, consumption, imports, exports, and trade balances, with detailed data summaries by country and machine type.

Companies, trade associations, investment firms, and banks use this annually updated data to identify markets where business can be expected to grow, stay steady, or risk decline.

The full report is available at GardnerIntelligence.com/report/world-machine-tool. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/58th-annual-world-machine-tool-survey-report-and-data-now-available-2

Manufacturing decisions are only as good as the information behind them.Whether the question is when to order material, ...
09/07/2026

Manufacturing decisions are only as good as the information behind them.

Whether the question is when to order material, whether to invest in automation, or which markets to prioritize, manufacturing leaders need curated, reliable intelligence — not more noise.

Manufacturing Connected, an industrial media and intelligence platform launched by Gardner Business Media, brings that intelligence together in one place. Members gain access to:

- Proprietary research and industry data, including the Gardner Business Index and Capital Spending Survey
- Interactive tools such as an Automation ROI Calculator and Tariff & Landed Cost Comparator
- A federal procurement dashboard with active bidding opportunities
- Original reporting from Modern Machine Shop, Additive Manufacturing Media, CompositesWorld, and other established publications
- Five newsletters covering CapEx, defense and aerospace, supply chain, technology deployment, and weekly manufacturing signals

The platform is structured around the decisions manufacturing leaders actually face — connecting data, analysis, and reporting within a single editorially vetted resource.

Read more at MFGConnected.com. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/get-the-signal-not-the-noise-with-manufacturing-connected-2

Machining was not the career David Wynn chose — it chose him.Wynn's path from dual chemistry and biology major to direct...
09/04/2026

Machining was not the career David Wynn chose — it chose him.

Wynn's path from dual chemistry and biology major to director of technical services at the Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA) was shaped by family, mentorship, and a willingness to challenge himself at every stage.

Working in his family's machine shop through college and an MBA program, Wynn learned Brown and Sharpe screw machines under a grandfather who demanded mirror finishes on every ground tool. When his grandparents retired and he took over the business, he confronted a clear gap: decades of accumulated skill cannot be replicated quickly.

His response was to seek efficiency without sacrificing quality — a pursuit that led him to PMPA membership, Swiss-type machining, and a fundamental shift in how the shop operated.

Key inflection points in his career:
- Transitioning from screw machines to Swiss-type equipment
- Leveraging PMPA networks and mentorship
- Mastering information technology implementation alongside machining

Now in a technical services leadership role, Wynn focuses on helping PMPA members solve real manufacturing problems — the same kind he once faced himself. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/how-i-made-it-david-wynn-director-of-technical-services-for-pmpa

Hard milling above 45 HRC has long been considered impractical — too demanding on tooling, too costly to sustain.That ca...
09/03/2026

Hard milling above 45 HRC has long been considered impractical — too demanding on tooling, too costly to sustain.

That calculus may be shifting. With the right combination of machine technology and process discipline, hard milling can be cost-competitive with grinding and EDM, and in some cases faster.

The requirements are precise:

- Depths of cut around 70 nanometers, held consistently throughout the operation
- Aerostatic spindles to reduce runout below 10 nanometers and eliminate bearing-induced vibration
- Linear motors in place of ballscrews to enable nanometer-scale incremental movement
- Optical in-process tool gaging to detect deformations of even a few microns before they affect part geometry
- Temperature control accurate to within 0.1°C to prevent thermal growth from invalidating sub-micron cuts

The productivity case is measurable. One part requiring 24 hours via EDM was completed in 11 hours through hard milling. A mold needing eight hours of hand-polishing required only 40 minutes after optimizing surface finish at the machine.

Hard milling is not universally applicable — sharp internal corners and tight flatness tolerances may still favor EDM or grinding. But where geometry allows, it can eliminate entire preparatory operations. https://www.mmsonline.com/articles/removing-the-difficulty-from-hard-milling

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