Knowledge

Machinist

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516: 137: 45: 475:, usually within 0.010" or 0.25 mm (more commonly expressed as ±0.005" (Plus or minus five thousandths of an inch) or ±0.13 mm), and sometimes at tolerances as low as +/-0.0001" (plus or minus one tenth of a thousandth of an inch – or 0.0025 mm) for specialty operations. A machinist deals with all facets of shaping, cutting and some aspects of forming metal, although forming is typically a separate trade. The operations most commonly performed by machinists are 276: 331: 631:
The machine tools have undergone a dramatic shift in the last 20 years. Manual machines have given way to computer numerically controlled machines (CNCs). For clarity's sake a categorization based on the historical groupings will be offered. Each of these groupings has been altered by the advent of
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machines which are common today, but still require such professionals to set up and calibrate the machines. Other more specialised machinists produce custom-made parts for prototyping, repair, or research. A machinist may work on manufacturing something relatively simple like a bracket, or a shaft,
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A machinist is usually called upon when a part needs to be produced from a stock material by cutting. Such a part may be unique or may be needed in the thousands. The part could be anything made from metal or plastic, though machined parts are usually ones that require high precision and cannot be
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Additive machining means 3D printing to create industrial components, prototypes, tooling, and end-use production parts. Additive machining comes into its own in the manufacturing of very small intricate parts, which could not be produced through any other manufacturing process. There are several
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Large commercial organizations often staff machinists on site in a maintenance mode to ensure continuing operations of the production machinery. Such machinists can often make replacement parts the same day. Because of this, the labor cost for this role are significantly lower than costs involved
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use blueprints and engineering drawings to produce detailed specifications of the part, especially its geometry (shape), then decide on a strategy to make it. Machine tools are then configured by the machinist and production commences. The machinist works with the quality department to ensure the
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operations. CNC (computer numerical control) is the modern manufacturing method in which machinist use a form of programming called G-code to make components for a wide variety of industries. CNC programming is a highly skilled position. Programmers are usually machinist as well. A CNC programmer
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The machine trade is an extremely broad field with a wide variety of workplaces, job duties, and types of work. Most machinists work in machine shops and factories where they operate machinery that produce precision component parts. In general, the occupation is exacting, and requires extensive
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A competent machinist should have a well-developed mechanical aptitude, the ability to correctly use precision measuring instruments, interpret blueprints, and a working knowledge of the proper parameters required for successfully utilizing the various tools commonly used in
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creates programs using software called CAM (computer aided manufacturing). The programmer must be proficient in math, speeds and feeds, machine tooling, work holding, and the different ways various materials react to stress and heat in the machining process.
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CNC machines are becoming the standard due to their speed, precision, flexibility, repeatability, and reduced downtime while changing jobs. Production runs consisting of large numbers of parts are more cost effective and commonly referred to as
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While the foregoing were primarily the materials that a machinist would be cutting, the cutters that the machinist uses must be harder and tougher than the materials to be cut. The materials in the cutters a machinist uses are most commonly
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The hand tools are the usual complement of tools found in a complete auto mechanic's set except that auto specialty tools would be absent and some outsized tools would likely be present, such as 1 1/2" (38 mm) open end
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Good machinists are highly sought after and respected skilled trades persons and are generally well-paid. In utility, medical, and military use companies, experienced machinists can earn over $ 100 000 per year.
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is one who is called on to fix a problem with a part or to create a new one using metals, plastics, or rarely, wood. Depending on the company, a machinist can be any or all of the titles listed above.
412:. The term exotic metals is a general term describing out of the ordinary, rare or special purpose metals. A synonym might be space-age. A list of exotic metals might include, but is not limited to, 300:. Producing a part will often require several steps and more than one machine tool. Each machine tool plays a specific role in cutting away excess material. When large numbers of parts are needed, 917: 348:
processes in additive manufacturing which include direct metal deposition: electron beam melting, fused filament fabrication, select laser sintering, and variations of them.
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Under the machinist title are other specialty titles that refer to specific skills that may be more highly developed to meet the needs of a particular job position, such as
248:. A fitter and turner is the tradesperson who fits, assembles, grinds and shapes metal parts and subassemblies to fabricate production machines and other equipment. 1014: 308:
machines are computer-driven tools that can machine a large variety of shapes, and whose use in the workflow depends on the part to be machined.
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CNCs and the CNCs meld some groups and blur the lines between others. The most common machine tools fall into five categories:
515: 444:). Very often the meaning of the term suggests the need for specialized handling and/or tooling to machine them effectively. 896: 1032: 585:, which plot cartesian points around the surfaces of a part to generate a digital model that can be compared against the 1082: 491:. There are other more specialized operations that a machinist will less frequently be called upon to perform such as 1580: 1000: 969: 864: 777: 812: 1273: 666: 1145: 100: 1052: 962: 582: 1195: 1120: 488: 156:, and has the ability to set up tools such as milling machines, grinders, lathes, and drilling machines. 1436: 695:, cutter adapters, cutter extensions, tool posts, indexable turrets, box tools, quick change adapters, 31: 17: 1278: 1135: 750: 595:, which magnify the silhouette of a part onto a screen so small features can be more easily inspected 1268: 219: 1554: 1358: 1343: 1283: 1245: 1185: 538: 1388: 1368: 1263: 323: 238: 753:
tools; various grinding wheels distinguished by their geometry, bond, grit size, and compound.
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or something extraordinarily complex, such as aerospace components accurate to 5 micrometres.
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The tools that a machinist is expected to be proficient with fall into broad categories:
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for the most common materials. Materials that machinists work with occasionally are
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Patience, steady hand, ability to read plans, attention to detail, physically strong
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in the trade. Conversely, small production runs are sometimes referred to as
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produced by other means. Machinists generally start with a saw cut length of
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is required to plan the most logical workflow through a series of machines.
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specifications, machine tool manuals, and tooling feeds and speeds charts.
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Many machinists make mass-produced parts using highly automated computer
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such as tap drill charts, conversion charts, thread tolerance charts,
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Machinery repairman creates helicopter part aboard an aircraft carrier
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Some titles reflect further development of machinist skills such as
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knowledge of the tools and processes in order to achieve the tight
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The most common materials that machinists make parts from are
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International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
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Many women worked as machinists in the United States during
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Machine Tool Hall of Fame: The American Precision Museum
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of these materials. Other less common materials such as
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specifications are maintained in the finished product.
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Cutting tools include various milling cutters such as
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The measuring tools come in several basic varieties:
625:and break sharp edges often left on machined parts 30:"Machinists" redirects here. For other uses, see 1572: 548:Direct reading tools such as rules, scales, and 197: 1008: 970: 663:, surface, cylindrical, centerless, universal 352:Materials commonly encountered by machinists 1022: 1015: 1001: 977: 963: 644:, horizontal, vertical, and boring mills, 43: 862: 510: 514: 329: 274: 270: 244:In Australia, a related profession is a 135: 14: 1573: 638:, bench, floor, radial, and horizontal 471:Machinists usually work to very small 996: 958: 342: 152:or trained professional who operates 858: 856: 831: 829: 571:Electronic measuring tools based on 537:Comparison tools such as adjustable 306:Computer numerical controlled (CNC) 24: 621:, picks and blades used to remove 49:Machinist, operating a metal lathe 25: 1597: 938: 853: 826: 813:"Fitter and Turners – JobOutlook" 168: 984: 899:from the original on May 6, 2016 863:Fagerlund, Jaakko (2010-12-08). 778:List of metalworking occupations 334:Machinist inspecting a CNC lathe 841:ESI Engineering Specialties Inc 757:Charts and reference materials: 1274:Electrical discharge machining 1063:Numerical control (NC and CNC) 910: 881: 805: 13: 1: 798: 691:The tool holders may include 677:The work holders may include 583:coordinate measuring machines 558:tools based on screw threads, 229:other related fields include 101:Industrial Training Institute 721:, and form cutters; various 283:, sometimes referred to as ' 7: 1121:List of drill and tap sizes 945:The Machinists Union: IAMAW 771: 667:Electric Discharge Machines 339:with production shutdowns. 198:Related occupational titles 10: 1602: 1437:Magnetic switchable device 598:surface roughness testers, 182:that these parts specify. 32:Machinist (disambiguation) 29: 1515: 1460: 1387: 1279:Electrochemical machining 1254: 1144: 1076: 1031: 992: 122: 110: 94: 86: 81: 71: 59: 54: 42: 1581:Metalworking occupations 613:These are tools such as 519:A machinist operating a 118:Industrial manufacturing 77:Industrial manufacturing 1359:Rotary transfer machine 1344:Photochemical machining 1284:Electron-beam machining 1246:Tool and cutter grinder 524: 511:Tools of the machinist 335: 288: 141: 1555:Tools and terminology 922:americanmachinist.com 518: 333: 278: 271:Role in manufacturing 139: 1473:Machining vibrations 1379:Ultrasonic machining 783:Machinist calculator 324:Production engineers 239:mechanical engineers 1493:Tool and die making 1181:Cylindrical grinder 869:Home Shop Machinist 593:optical comparators 302:production planning 255:(assembles parts), 39: 1161:Abrasive machining 749:, form tools, and 699:, shrink fit, and 650:Turning machines, 646:4 and 5 axis mills 525: 392:are often used as 343:Additive machining 336: 289: 204:tool and die maker 142: 96:Education required 37: 1568: 1567: 1511: 1510: 685:, and faceplates. 661:Grinding machines 636:Drilling machines 507:, to name a few. 410:refractory metals 394:alloying elements 320:or jobbing work. 246:fitter and turner 235:quality assurance 187:numerical control 134: 133: 16:(Redirected from 1593: 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type 50: 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1599: 1589: 1588: 1583: 1566: 1565: 1563: 1562: 1557: 1552: 1547: 1542: 1537: 1532: 1527: 1522: 1516: 1513: 1512: 1509: 1508: 1506: 1505: 1500: 1495: 1490: 1485: 1480: 1475: 1470: 1464: 1462: 1458: 1457: 1455: 1454: 1449: 1444: 1439: 1434: 1429: 1424: 1419: 1414: 1409: 1404: 1399: 1393: 1391: 1385: 1384: 1382: 1381: 1376: 1371: 1366: 1361: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1334:Milling cutter 1331: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1311: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1276: 1271: 1266: 1260: 1258: 1252: 1251: 1249: 1248: 1243: 1238: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1218: 1213: 1211:Grinding wheel 1208: 1203: 1198: 1193: 1188: 1183: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1152: 1150: 1142: 1141: 1139: 1138: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1118: 1113: 1108: 1103: 1098: 1093: 1087: 1085: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1070: 1065: 1060: 1055: 1050: 1045: 1039: 1037: 1033:Computer-aided 1029: 1028: 1020: 1019: 1012: 1005: 997: 990: 989: 982: 981: 974: 967: 959: 953: 952: 947: 940: 939:External links 937: 934: 933: 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Index

Machinists
Machinist (disambiguation)

Vocational
Industrial Training Institute
Apprenticeship
Millwright

tradesperson
machine tools
machining
tolerances
surface finishes
numerical control
tool and die maker
patternmaker
mold maker
programmer
operator
Millwrights
quality assurance
mechanical engineers

World War II
Rosies
stock
casting
production planning
Computer numerical controlled (CNC)
production work

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