The Evolution of 3D Printing

The concept of 3D printing anything and everything is a common thought amongst many individuals. While that hasn’t occurred and probably won’t for a long time, additive manufacturing is quickly becoming a need for many manufacturers, and it’s easy to understand why.

Although 3D printing originated over 40 years ago, at its inception, it was predominately used for prototyping. Today 3D printing is no longer utilized solely for consumer base purposes such as printing one-of-a-kind objects. It is now being used heavily in manufacturing settings to produce functional, large-scale, and end-use products.

Popular Machinist Tools

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

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?

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

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.

Print at the Point of Need: How 3D Printing Reduces Reliance on Outsourced Manufacturing Aid Components

In the realm of manufacturing, the production process often relies on various aids such as jigs, fixtures, and specialized tools to ensure efficiency, accuracy, and quality. Traditionally, manufacturers would outsource the production of these components, which could be costly, time-consuming, and limit flexibility. However, with the emergence of 3D printing technology, manufacturers now have the ability to reduce their reliance on outsourced manufacturing aid components.