Machining
If you are looking for a full-service metal fabrication company with reliable machining capabilities, you have come to the right place! Since 1958, Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc. has proven to be an industry leader in metal fabrication. Our team has the expertise, skill set, and machinery to produce your parts and components with high quality and precision to your exact specifications.
Metal fabrication is conforming flat or sheet metals into desired shapes through techniques and process combinations, including but not limited to: cutting, stamping, folding, welding, and more. Fabrication projects include several components, from manufacturing simple parts to heavy equipment and machinery.
Our extensive machining capabilities eradicate the need for additional vendors to complete your project because our skilled fabricators are competitively equipped with the proper fabrication techniques and machinery and perform the job in-house. Our value-added machining services save you time and money. With our dedication to customer satisfaction, we guarantee you final products that will exceed your expectations in terms of performance and quality.
What Is Machining?
Machining is a detail-oriented and highly technical metal fabrication process where a material is machined into a final size and form to create tools, instruments, and parts. Though machining can be used on various raw materials, it is most commonly used to shape metals.
Machining involves prototyping and manufacturing procedures that form the desired shape by removing unwanted components from a bigger piece of the part. When a part is built by taking away material, the process is called subtractive manufacturing.
Different Types Of Machining
The following are the primary metal fabrication processes where we use machining methods to cut and subtract material on a workpiece:
Turning
In turning, the workpiece rotates while the cutting tool travels linearly, delivering a cylindrical figure. A lathe is a machine used during turning operations.
Shoemaker MFG Solutions Inc. performs our Turning on MAZAK QUICK TURN CNC Lathes to produce low to medium volume close Tolerance Parts. With CNC, all the necessary movements, like tooling adjustments and speeds, are programmed, and these instructions are delivered to the lathe to complete the task efficiently.
Milling
Instead of rotating the part against a stationary cutting tool like turning, milling uses a computer to control the rotating cutting tool against a clamped-down workpiece to cut holes in it. Milling tools enable the cutting of different shapes. For CNC milling operations, instructions are programmed into a computer to supervise the direction of the cutter rotation.
Milling is also used as a secondary process to help accentuate features of the part, including contours, slots, pockets, and holes, and provide a finishing coat.
Shoemaker MFG Solutions Inc. uses Milling Machine tools, like vertical Mazak 5010 20 x 40 and Robodrill 4th and 5th axis vertical milling machine tools to produce close tolerance parts.
In-House Machining
Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc. has other machining types that we run in-house, such as:
Honing
Honing is an abrasive machining process that involves a bonded grain and is used to enhance the workpiece’s form, dimensional precision, and surface quality of a workpiece. This improvement is made under constant contact of the tool with an abrasive surface. Here at Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc., we are precise in delivering an improved geometric form of your components through our honing and machining capabilities.
Grinding
Grinding is a type of machining associated with turning but involves more finishing than shaping. Typically, the deburring metal parts require grinding. The technique of grinding parts to smooth the surface or create minimal cuts is an essential finishing technique and a significant portion of precision machining. Our experts here at Shoemaker are meticulous enough to give you a quality finish for your project through our precision machining.
Saw-Cutting
Saw-Cutting involves using a mechanized blade to cut metal into smaller pieces or parts in the manufacturing process. The type of saw-cutting machinery will depend on factors like the material and preferred shape of the final output, as well as the speed of the cutting process. If your projects call for saw cutting for precision metal fabrication, we at Shoemaker can provide the custom solution you require.
Vision Inspection
Machinery vision inspection is the ability of a computer to detect defects and process information based on what it catches.
Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc. has modernized services with innovative solutions like machinery vision inspection. We use a camera system to acquire an image, which is then processed and used to complete the inspection task.
A machine vision system produces data sent to a computer or robot controller using video cameras. The data is based on the set-up process that defines what is right or wrong or outside of limits. For example, the computer looks at a part and is programmed to denote whether the process should proceed, stop, or adjust.
This machining capability increases throughput, decreases scrap, and eliminates human error.
Faro Arm Inspection
Inspection is critical to Shoemakers’ success in the metal fabrication industry. Therefore, we utilize the Faro Arm system in our coordinate measuring machine (CMM) inspections. The Faro Arm is the World’s outstanding portable CMM that allows our fabricators to quickly and easily verify fabricated product quality.
We can perform 3D inspection, tool certifications, CAD comparison, dimensional analysis, reverse engineering, and more.
Machining Software
Our machining shop uses CAD/CAM software to translate computer-aided design (CAD) to manufacturing workpieces with computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) on our CNC machine. Below are the two machining software we use:
Mastercam
Mastercam is the World’s #1 CNC programming software because it is powerful and easy to use and supports many machines and technologies. It is a computer-aided manufacturing software for all programming and machining types.
SolidWorks
SolidWorks is an excellent software for visual creativity, planning, feasibility assessment, modeling, prototyping, and project management. It can perform tolerance-based dimensioning, which adjusts the strategy to meet the tolerance information defined in the model.
Machining: Industries Served
Machined products are used in various industries, such as construction, engineering, manufacturing, and more. Automobile manufacturers require every part to be machined precisely to function correctly. In the oil and mining industry, engineers give particular design and machining instructions for parts for pumps, pipes, and structural aids. In the construction industry, machining produces hammerheads, tool pieces, and more prominent structural elements.
Since machining is so versatile and precise, it allows businesses and industries to design products and tools that suit their needs exactly. Here are more industries we serve:
- Aerospace
- Chemical
- Defense
- Marine
- Medical
- Military
- Optical
- Packaging
- Pharmaceutical
Why Choose Shoemaker’s Machining Services?
Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc. takes pride in being able to machine whatever our clientele needs, from simple to complex work; you can count on our machining capabilities. We operate manual and CNC mills and turning machinery. Since we have several in-house capabilities, we can deliver finished products at a reasonable turnaround time and the most reasonable rate.
We are an AS9100D-registered manufacturer and ISO 9001:2015-compliant company, which means we follow the highest standards in all our work. We have been internationally accredited for following requirements in delivering precision and quality work, making us a reliable industry leader in metal fabrication.
Since founding the family’s company in 1958, Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc. has been proud to serve the community by providing services like machining, welding, fabrication, and laser cutting.
Our team of experts relies on skill, dependability, and integrity to steer our business growth through the years. With our dedication to continuous advancement and delivery of superior products, we can custom-fit every project to your needs.
Have Components For Machining? Let Shoemaker Do The Job For You!
Shoemaker MFG Solutions, Inc. houses a broad selection of manual and computer-controlled machining units for different machining projects and needs. Get a quote or speak with one of our experts to start your design and projects with us!