When we’re taught how to measure things in grade school, we’re handed a ruler, or maybe we see the tape measure in the toolbox as infallible objects. After all, how can these absolute objects of measurement ever be any different? But most people would be surprised to know that measurement
CFI Editor
Pulling on threads
How the type of thread can completely change the characteristics of fasteners When the average person looks at a box of bolts or screws, they don’t think much past the basic size of the screw, or, if it will be exposed, maybe the color of the metal. But in the
Tools of the trade
Four-Slide Machine gives CFI a quick, powerful tool for shaping material Beyond CNC machines and their many variants, there in another piece of machinery in the components industry that has a long history, but is equally important. This tool is used for the creation of complex wire forms as well
Getting bent into shape
Custom wire forms, one of CFI’s specialties, makes for one of the most versatile pieces money can buy Custom wire forms is one of the most interesting fields in our industry. If you can dream of a shape, we can make it out of a wire today. From everyday wire
Plastics quickly making their way into automotive engine bays
Over the past decade, plastics and forms of nylon are quickly replacing their ferrous counterparts as the material of choice under the hood of cars and trucks all over the world. How can this be? Conventional wisdom would tell you that the high temperature and high stress environment of an
What’s the difference between Brown & Sharpe, Laser and Swiss CNC Machining?
Machinists often have a tough decision to make when they’re apprenticing – just what kind of Miller should they be? With costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, it’s not as if an average Miller can buy his or her own machinery and set up shop – so, what
What is Heat Treating and what can it do for your parts?
Heat treating is much more than one of the services that CFI provides to its customers. Instead, it is a fascinating metallurgical process that has a rich history that has roots in the Bronze Age. This process heats the metal up to extreme temperatures in order to alter the most
