An Open Letter to Kids About Machines and the World of Making Things
This is an open letter to middle- and high-school students about choices they’ll soon face. It is also an introduction to Career and Technical Education (CTE), the world of CNC machining, and a reminder that there are options outside of the traditional four-year college path.
Brent Donaldson
Editor-in-Chief, Modern Machine Shop
The Link Between CNC Process Control and Powertrain Warranties
Ever since inventing the touch-trigger probe in 1972, Sir David McMurtry and his company Renishaw have been focused on achieving process control over its own manufacturing operations. That journey has had sweeping consequences for manufacturing at large.
Zillow for Machine Tools?
The ability to see spec-by-spec comparisons between machine tools made Techspex.com immediately popular. Now, the machine tool search engine boasts a fresh new look and 5 must-see upgrades.
If the Federal Government Is to Solve the Manufacturing Labor Shortage, it Needs to Start Here
Student-run businesses focused on technical training for the trades are taking root across the U.S. Can we — should we — leverage their regional successes into a nationwide platform?
Lessons on the Journey Toward Shop Automation
By necessity, small and mid-sized American job shops are automating production, whether through swift, dramatic upgrades in capital equipment, or slow, methodical changes to processes and procedures on the shop floor.
The Automated Shop – A Conference and a Goal for U.S. Machine Shops
Modern Machine Shop’s upcoming technical conference will be an opportunity to learn about several types of automation that are now accessible to small- and mid-sized machine shops in the U.S.
There's Your Waste, Shaw! An Argument for Shop Reinvestment
The fictional Don Walling had it right: Innovation and long-term success for machine shops requires investments in technology and people. Not just one, but both.
