Manufacturing Machines & Processes- An Overview
Thu, 10 Jul 2008
eMachineShop is a unique online machine shop which
allows its clients to download easy-to-use free 3D CAD software to design custom parts. Parts can range from computer chassis to car parts to door knobs in metal, plastic and other materials. Customers
receive instant pricing from the software and may then order their
custom parts online.
Customers are not limited to a single machining process. They can select from multiple processes. Some key processes include:
- Bending: Bends sheet metal to an angle
- Blanking: Custom punch cuts shape in one hit
- Pressure Die Casting: Molten metal forced into mold
- Counter boring: Rotating tool enlarges upper portion of hole
- Drawing: Sheet metal formed by successive stamping
- Finishing/Polishing/Anodizing: Various methods of surface treatment
- Forging: Heated metal pressed into mold
- Surface Grinding: Abrasive wheel creates uniform flat surface
- Honing: Tool with rotating abrasive creates smooth uniform surfaces
- Knurling: Textured tool creates a textured pattern on a surface
- Laser Cutting: Laser beam vaporizes cut path
- Milling: Rotating cutter moves in three dimensions to remove material
- Compression molding: Heated rubber pressed into mold
- Molding, Injection: Molten plastic forced into mold
- Photochemical Milling: Chemical dissolves unmasked areas of a thin sheet
- Plasma Cutting: A plasma arc vaporizes the cut path
- FDM Rapid Prototyping: Extruded plastic deposits in 3D space
- Reaming: Precision cutting tool creates accurate hole
- Sawing: Saw blade cuts material in straight line
- Shearing: Scissors-like action cuts material in straight line
- Silk Screen: Ink is forced thru a mesh that holds a graphic pattern
- Spring Forming: Wire formed into helical shapes
- Spur gear cutting: Cutting of plain 2D gears
- Thermoforming: Heated thin sheet is formed onto mold
- Turret Punch: Successive punching of fixed shapes
- Turning: Cutter applied to rotating material on a lathe
- Water jet: High pressure water with fine abrasives cuts material
- Welding: Joins metal surfaces
- Wire EDM: Charged wire erodes erode cut path using sparks
eMachineShop.com lets users design custom parts online and provides instant design analysis, pricing and ordering.
