4^th Axis- 4^th axis machining is used in complex machining. With 4^th axis we are able to machine 4 sides of a part to achieve complex designs and cut down on secondary operations.

5^th Axis- 5^th axis machining is used in the most complex machining. With 5^th axis we are able to machine 5 sides of a part and are able to achieve the most complex of designs and cut down on secondary operations.

Bar Feeder- A bar feeder is a tool that automatically loads new bar stock (material) into CNC lathe. This allows us to keep machining when new material is being loaded.

Burrs- Burrs are edges left on a part as a result of machining. This can be due to dull tooling and/or improper cutting speeds. Most burrs can be removed after machining but in some cases burrs cannot be removed.

CNC- CNC is short for, Computer Numerical Controlled. CNC machines utilize computer programs to aid in the machining of components; making much more complex movements and designs then conventional machining.

CNC Lathe- A CNC Lathe is a lathe that is computer controlled. A machining program is written to achieve complex designs and tight tolerances

CNC Mill- A CNC mill is a mill that is computer controlled. A machining program is written to achieve complex designs and tight tolerances.

Collet- A collet is a tool used on laths and Screw Machines to hold round material tight as the machines spins the material. With the material held in place we then can machine the material to the desired shape.

Conventional Lathe-A conventional lathe is a lathe that is operated without the aid of computers. An operator controls what movements the machine will make.

Conventional Mill- A conventional mill is a mill that is operated without the aid of computers. An operator controls what movements the machine will make.

Diameter- The diameter is the measurement of round dimension. The diameter can be found by starting anywhere on a circle/round object and drawing a straight line through the center of the circle and stopping on the point that intersects the circle on the opposite side from the beginning point. The diameter is the length of the straight line from the start point to the finish point.

Finishes- Parts may require specific finishes. Different finishes can be achieved by using different materials, various cutting tools and/or different machining methods. The lower the finish number the smoother the part. A 32 finish will have a rougher finish then a 16 finish. Parts requiring smoother finishes may require more machining time or special tooling and can result in a high piece price.

Lead time- Lead time is the time it takes to deliver parts from the time we receive the order.

Live Tooling- Live Tooling gives our lathes added functionality. With live tooling lathes are capable of performing milling operations as well as lathe operations. Live tooling allows a part that is being turned to also be milled and drilled as if it were in a mill, cutting down on secondary operations required to machine a part complete.

Inside Diameter (I.D.) - The inside diameter is the diameter of the bore in the tube.

Machinability- Machinabilty refers to how difficult a material is to machine. Each material has its own machining characteristic. Some materials are very hard and are not machined easily, while others can be machined without any complications. Other characteristics that make a material hard to machine are, brittleness (material cracks or breaks), dimensional instability (dimensions do not stay constant while machining) and hardness (materials that are hard like Celazole will chip and destroy tooling). Machineability is measured on a scale of 1 – 10, 10 being the most difficult to machine.

Milling- Milling is the process of using a milling machine to hold material stationary while a moving tool cuts and contours the material being held.

Outside Diameter (O.D.) - The outside diameter is the overall diameter of the tube.

Piece price- The piece price is the cost per part/per piece.

Secondary Operations- Secondary operations are additional operations that are required to machine a part complete. Secondary operations may be required to finish machining the back side of a part (The section of the material being held during the first operation). Also, secondary operations may be required if parts need to be transferred from one machine to another machine for a different type of machining operation. A secondary operation can also refer to machining features on a part that is molded or produced from another method, other then machining.

Swiss Screw Machine- A Swiss screw machine is capable of multi axial machining, similar to a lathe. Screw machines are able to achieve more complex and longer parts than regular lathes because unlike standard lathes, the screw machines cutting head stays close to the guide collet while the material moves in and out; creating no flex or tool run out, unlike a lathe. Multi axial screw machines also allow for milling operations to be performed in a single set up, combining both the operations of a mill and lathe, drastically cutting down the number of secondary operations required to machine a part complete.

Tolerances- Tolerances are the permission of acceptable variance in a part. No part can be machined to the exact dimension every time; a tolerance gives a range in which a part is still considered acceptable.

Turning- Turning is the process of using a lathe to rotate material while a cutting tool reshapes the material into a round object or makes a round object smaller in diameter.

Walls- A wall refers to the thickness of a tube. The wall thickness is made up of the material between the Inside Diameter and Outside Diameter.