Tool and Die

What is precision machining?

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Precision Machining is a process to remove material from a workpiece during holding close tolerance finishes. The precision machine has many types, including milling, turning and electrical discharge machining. A precision machine today is generally controlled using a Computer Numerical Controls (CNC).

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What is Custom machining?

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A “custom machined” part in CNC language generally refers to piece-parts, or component parts which are custom machined to a customer’s specific requirements from multiple drawings or specifications.   Generally the customer’s requirements are conveyed by a detailed drawing along with additional notations by engineers or designers of the mechanism. To be custom machined is to be outsourced to a third party like Keck and Schmidt Tool and Die Company where you know the parts are made precisely and accurately. 

Custom machined parts are typically purchased for one or more of the following reasons:

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•  The part is not available as a catalog or off-the-shelf item

•  The part has special requirements

•  The volume of parts needed is too low to justify other forms of fabrication

•  A formed, cast, or molded part would not have an adequate level of precision or strength

•  The parts are needed very quickly

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Depending on the part’s shape and requirements custom machined parts might be made on a lathe, a milling machine, a stamping press, a press-brake, a precision shear, or machined on a myriad of other types of precision equipment. At Keck and Schmidt Tool and Die Company we have all the necessary equipment to produce your parts or even prototypes and new designs.  In many cases a custom machined part might pass through many of the operations listed before being finished. Although custom machined parts are typically more expensive than a mass-produced method, quite often the higher price is justified due to the fact that custom machined parts are generally more accurate, offer higher strength and/or integrity and can be made much faster than most other methods. Contact us today to see about our pricing. We are competitive and fair in our industry with a state-of-the-art facility. You can submit your design specifications or production specifications to us through our contact form or to our email.

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What is CNC turning?

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CNC Turning is a manufacturing process in which bars of material are held in a chuck and rotated while a tool is fed to the piece to remove material to create the desired shape. CNC lathes or turning centers have tooling mounted on a turret which is computer-controlled. We have the top of the line equipment for CNC Turning.

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What is Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)?

 

Electrical discharge machining (EDM), also known as spark machining, spark eroding, die sinking, wire burning or wire erosion, is a manufacturing process whereby a desired shape is obtained by using electrical discharges (sparks). Material is removed from the workpiece by a series of rapidly recurring current discharges between two electrodes, separated by a dielectric liquid and subject to an electric voltage. One of the electrodes is called the tool-electrode, or simply the "tool" or "electrode," while the other is called the workpiece-electrode, or "work piece." The process depends upon the tool and workpiece not making actual contact.

 

What is a stamping machine?

 

Stamping (also known as pressing) is the process of placing flat sheet metal in either blank or coil form into a stamping press where a tool and die surface forms the metal into a net shape. Stamping includes a variety of sheet-metal forming manufacturing processes, such as punching using a machine press or stamping press, blanking, embossing, bending, flanging, and coining. This could be a single stage operation where every stroke of the press produces the desired form on the sheet metal part, or could occur through a series of stages. The process is usually carried out on sheet metal, but can also be used on other materials, such as polystyrene. Progressive dies are commonly fed from a coil of steel, coil reel for unwinding of coil to a straightener to level the coil and then into a feeder which advances the material into the press and die at a predetermined feed length. Depending on part complexity, the number of stations in the die can be determined.