Humanity has engaged in metalworking since well before recorded history began. The most ancient societies that we modern humans are aware of – the Persian Empire, the Ancient Egyptians, and even the earliest known human civilisation, the Sumerians – all worked metal to craft tools, weapons, or armour. The Sumerians were responsible for the world’s…
Drill bits and end mills are very similar tools, especially to a layperson not involved in the tooling industry. But there are some significant differences that you may be unaware of in the use and function of end mills and drill bits. The tasks they can be used to perform can vary a lot, and…
Any substance that combines more than one raw material in order to enjoy the benefits of multiple elements is classed as a composite. Composite materials are formed through the combination of at least two base components, sometimes with extra additives to help boost certain characteristics of the produced composite. The use of composite materials dates…
There are numerous different types of drill bits out there, each suited for a specific purpose. Drill bits are, by definition, required to work under stress and pressure, so it’s important to choose the right one for the job. Drill bits are also available in a wide range of materials, but there are three main…
CNC cutting machines and laser cutting machines perform a very similar function: they cut, shape, and drill materials like woods, plastics, and metals to produce commercial products or industrial machine parts. Computer numerical controlled (CNC) cutting machines use a variety of tools to cut and shape the material, such as Router Cutters, Milling cutters and…
What Are Alloys? An alloy is a combination of a two or more elements, so long as at least one of the is a metal. All alloys are crafted by combining a metal element with other substances to produce a new material that maximises its useful functions for specific applications. Alloys can be created for…
A milling machine is a type of industrial machine which removes raw material from a central block in order to carve tools, parts, of completed products from the chosen material. Milling machines work by fixing the chosen material and feeding it through a tool calling a milling cutter. The cutting tool will then rotate at…
Turning A turning machine, or lathe, removes material from a central piece of material by rotating it at very high speeds against a stationary cutting tool, which shaves material off the piece to create the desired part of product. Turning machines are best used to carve parts of products which are rounded, tubular, or cylindrical.…
Carbide and high-speed steel (HSS) are both incredibly popular materials for producing tool tips due to their hardness and durability. These materials are used to craft carbide end mills, HSS drill bits, and plenty of other machining tools! But how can you tell the difference between your carbide and HSS tools? Check out these tips…
Computer Aided Design Computer Aided Design, or CAD, used to be known as Computer Aided Drafting, until the term was changed to design to encompass a broader range of methods. CAD refers to the use of computer software to aid in the creation, modification, and optimisation of a design. CAD replaced manual drafting on paper…
