Machining / Fabrication

Machining operations

Most machining operations can be divided into those that remove metal from an item, and those that form metal in an item.

Often an unfinished workpiece will need to have some parts removed or scraped away in order to create a finished product. For example, a lathe is a machine tool that generates circular sections by rotating a metal workpiece, so that a cutting tool can peel metal off, creating a smooth, round surface. A drill or punch press can be used to remove metal in the shape of a hole. Other tools that may be used for various types of metal removal are milling machines, saws, and grinding tools. Many of these same techniques are used in woodworking.

Metal can be formed into a desired shape much more easily than materials such as wood or stone, especially when the metal is heated. A machinist may use a forging machine to hammer or mold a hot metal workpiece into a desired shape. Dies or molds may be used if the metal is soft enough, or under high pressures. A press is used to flatten a piece of metal into a desired shape.

Shape modifying with material retention processes

These processes modify the shape of the object being formed, without removing any material.

  • Casting
  • Sand casting
  • Shell casting
  • Investment casting (called Lost wax casting in art)
  • Die casting
  • Spin casting
  • Plastic deforming
  • Forging
  • Rolling
  • Extrusion
  • Spinning
  • Stamping
  • Powder forming
  • Sintering
  • Sheet metal forming
  • Bending: A calculated deformation of the metal from it original shape.
  • Drawing
  • Pressing
  • Spinning
  • Flow turning
  • Roll forming
  • Wheeling using an English wheel / Wheeling machine

Plastics

Plastic can cover many synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization products. They are composed of organic condensation or addition polymers and may contain other substances to improve performance or economics. There are few natural polymers generally considered to be "plastics". Plastics can be formed into objects or films or fibers. Their name is derived from the fact that many are malleable, having the property of plasticity.

Common plastics and their uses

Polyethylene (PE)

  • Wide range of inexpensive uses including supermarket bags, plastic bottles.

Polypropylene (PP)

  • Food containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers).

Polystyrene (PS)

  • Packaging foam, food containers, disposable cups, plates, cutlery, CD and cassette boxes.

High impact polystyrene (HIPS)

  • Fridge liners, food packaging, vending cups.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

  • Electronic equipment cases (e.g., computer monitors, printers, keyboards).

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)

  • Carbonated drinks bottles, jars, plastic film, microwavable packaging.

Polyester (PES)

  • Fibers, textiles.

Polyamides (PA) (Nylons)

  • Fibers, toothbrush bristles, fishing line, under-the-hood car engine mouldings.

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)

  • Plumbing pipes and guttering, shower curtains, window frames,flooring, erotic clothing.

Polyurethanes (PU)

  • Cushioning foams, thermal insulation foams, surface coatings, printing rollers. (Currently 6th or 7th most commonly used plastic material, for instance the most commonly used plastic found in cars).

Polycarbonate (PC)

  • Compact discs, eyeglasses, riot shields, security windows, traffic lights, lenses.

Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) (Saran)

  • Food packaging.

Bayblend (PC/ABS)

  • A blend of PC and ABS that creates a stronger plastic: Car Interior and exterior parts.

Special-purpose plastics

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)

  • Contact lenses, glazing (best known in this form by its various trade names around the world, e.g "Perspex", "Oroglas", "Plexiglas"), fluorescent light diffusers, rear light covers for vehicles.

    • Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (trade name Teflon)

    • Heat-resistant, low-friction coatings, used in things like "non-stick" surfaces for frying pans, plumber's tape and water slides.

    Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) (Polyketone)

    • Strong, chemical- and heat-resistant thermoplastic, biocompatibility allows for use in medical implant applications, aerospace mouldings. One of the most expensive commercial polymers.

    Polyetherimide (PEI) (Ultem)

    • A General Electric product, similar to PEEK.

    Phenolics (PF) or (phenol formaldehydes)

    • High modulus, relatively heat resistant, and excellent fire resistant polymer. Used for insulating parts in electrical fixtures, paper laminated products (e.g. "Formica"), thermally insulation foams. It is a thermosetting plastic, with the familiar trade name "Bakelite", that can be moulded by heat and pressure when mixed with a filler-like wood flour or can be cast in its unfilled liquid form or cast as foam, e.g. "Oasis". Problems include the probability of mouldings naturally being dark colours (red, green, brown), and as thermoset difficult to recycle.
    • Urea-formaldehyde (UF), one of the aminoplasts and used as multi-colorable alternative to Phenolics. Used as a wood adhesive (for plywood, chipboard, hardboard) and electrical switch housings. Melamine formaldehyde (MF), one of the aminoplasts, and used a multi-colorable alternative to phenolics, for instance in mouldings (e.g. break-resistance alternatives to ceramic cups, plates and bowls for children) and the decorated top surface layer of the paper laminates (e.g. "Formica").

    Polylactic acid

    • A biodegradable, thermoplastic, found converted into a variety of aliphatic polyesters derived from lactic acid which in turn can be made by fermentation of various agricultural products such as corn starch, once made from diary products.

    Plastarch Material

    • Biodegradable and heat resistant, thermoplastic composed of modified corn starch.

    Advanced machining operations might use electrical discharge (EDM), elecro-chemical erosion, plasma arc cutters or laser cutting to shape metal workpieces.

    As a commercial venture, machining is generally performed in a machine shop, which consists of one or more workrooms containing major machine tools. Although a machine shop can be a stand alone operation, many businesses maintain internal machine shops which support specialized needs of the business.

    The inferior finish found on the machined surface of a workpiece may be caused by insufficient clamping, cutting conditions (speed) or perhaps an incorrectly adjusted tool. It is evident by an undulating or irregular finish, and the appearance of waves on the surface

    Electrical discharge machining (or EDM) is a machining method primarily used for hard metals or those that would be impossible to machine with traditional techniques. One critical limitation, however, is that EDM only works with materials that are electrically conductive. EDM can cut small or odd-shaped angles, intricate contours or cavities in pre-hardened steel without the need for heat treatmentment to soften and re-harden them as well as exotic metals such as titanium, hastelloy, kovar, inconel and carbide.

    Sometimes referred to as spark machining or spark eroding, EDM is a nontraditional method of removing material by a series of rapidly recurring electric arcing discharges between an electrode (the cutting tool) and the work piece, in the presence of an energetic electric field. The EDM cutting tool is guided along the desired path very close to the work but it does not touch the piece. Consecutive sparks produce a series of micro-craters on the work piece and remove material along the cutting path by melting and vaporization. The particles are washed away by the continuously flushing dielectric fluid.

    There are two main types of EDM machines: Conventional EDM (also called Sinker EDM and Ram EDM) and Wire EDM.

    • Sheet Metal Fabrication
    • Manual and CNC Machining
    • Certified Welding
    • Wet & Powder Coat Paint
    • Silkscreen Printing
    • Engineering Support
    • Mechanical Assembly
    • Managed Inventory

    RF/EMI PCB Shielding

    Our system has been proven in hundreds of wireless devices used in applications such as GPS, WLAN, Last Mile & Broadband Access, PDAs and Remote Asset Management. This advanced RF/EMI shielding system is in use today for a number of Central Office and Wireless Base Station applications, enabling superior RF performance in a variety of demanding environments.

    If you design or develop RF communication equipment, we can provide the PCB-based RF/EMI management solutions you need.

    Engineering Design and CAD/CAM – Our design engineering department utilizes multiple workstations with Pro/Engineer and AutoCAD to assist and support your manufacturing requirements.

    We utilizes the following CAM software - PRO/ Manufacture and Master CAM This allows us to quickly verify your designs in CAM. Any changes or corrections are found before manufacturing begins.

    We support and are familiar with approved FDA materials for the Lifesciences and Biotech.

    CUSTOM HEAT SINKS

    We solve complex heat dissipation and hard to manufacture electronic components whether stand alone or attached to an assembled PCB ( Printed Circuit Board )

    Solution: We can use aluminum extrusion to replace the costly machined heat sink for production.

    CUSTOM FACE PLATES

    We offer unique capabilities to produce large volume, high quality, inexpensive finished aluminum face plates for electronic devices.

    These can be completely finished, labeled and or plated with or without silk screen marking.For production quantities, we suggest large selection of standard extruded shapes to reduce costs. We operate under ISO and MIL-I-45208 guidelines.

    We support the following industries:

    • Medical device
    • Lifesciences & Biotech
    • Semiconductor
    • Capital Equipment
    • Chemical processes
    • Military and Aerospace
    • Computers and Peripherals
    • Telecommunications
    • Construction
    • Satellite manufacturing
    • Microwave waveguides
    • Industrial
    • Test and instrumentation
    • Vacuum systems
    • Wireless