All in CNC Machining

Giving A Technical Education Class Presentation

Giving A Technical Education Class Presentation

Matthew Schowalter, CMfgT
Apprenticeship, CNC Machining, CNC Programming, Collaboration, Machining, Machinist, Manufacturing, Soft Skills, Technical Education, Worker Shortage

I was provided with a few opportunities to talk about my STEM project and my career in several schools. It can be a very rewarding experience to a part of. I never saw myself as a speaker or presenter but with my deep knowledge in the subject, I developed a passion for sharing my experiences in manufacturing.

Growing the Lathe Department

Growing the Lathe Department

Matthew Schowalter, CMfgT
CNC Machining, CNC Programming, Machining, Machinist, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineer

While spending much of my career working in the medical machining industry, it was an education into complex part machining. What is being done today in the machining industry is exceptional. Now a highly engineered part can be made compete in one setup in a machine that can turn, mill, drill, hob, broach, thread whirl, and gun drill parts. I have implemented lathes from 5-axis models up to 11-axis models. Here is a breakdown of what it might take to implement advanced lathes.

Popular Machinist Tools

Popular Machinist Tools

Matthew Schowalter, CMfgT
CNC Machining, Machining, Machinist, Manufacturing

When I got started in machining, I really didn’t know what kind of tools to purchase. There is a vast variety of tooling to use in the shop, from inspection tools to hand tools. While having a limited budget, I had to choose to first buy the tools that I thought that I would use the most. This will vary from machine shop to machine shop often dependent on the type of work that the machinist does. Here is a list of some of the more popular choices for tools:

What it Takes to Become a Machinist

What it Takes to Become a Machinist

Matthew Schowalter, CMfgT
CNC Machining, Machining, Manufacturing, Technical Education

Machining and Tool & Die Making is what I have spent most of my career doing. There is something to be said for being able to turn a raw piece of material into a complex finished part. Through all my roles in the machine shop environment, I have identified a few soft skills, hard skills, and technical skills to have mastered if you want to be a great machinist.

Is Being a Machinist Stressful?

Is Being a Machinist Stressful?

Matthew Schowalter, CMfgT
CNC Machining, CNC Programming, Machining, Machinist, Manufacturing, toolmaker

Machining could be a stressful job, but it is as stressful as you make it out to be. For example, there are many things to consider when machining parts, like quality issues, time deadlines, and machining conditions. These items may be stressful when you look at everything at once, but if you form a plan with many individual goals to meet it will add up to the end goal of making a quality part and on time.

Becoming a Career Machinist

Becoming a Career Machinist

Matthew Schowalter, CMfgT
CNC Machining, CNC Programming, Machining, Manufacturing, Soft Skills, Worker Shortage, Machinist

Machining is by far more interesting than what most people know. From the challenges of implementing new complex equipment in the shop, to CNC programming, or even making complex parts in one setup. It is definitely a career choice that most don’t know how advanced it can be, especially the machining of today. Now, we can make parts in one setup that were once made in many setups on multiple pieces of equipment over a long time frame. My career is a success story in manufacturing technology as I have embraced the technology of today.

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