The idea, birth and development of the machine shop started a long time ago. Then, skilled metal craftsmen fabricated tools, parts, and machines and eventually customized entire factories that changed the world and made life a lot easier and more efficient for everybody. An example that comes to mind is the first mass production of automobiles wherein parts became standardized and quality became a guarantee. This kind of machine created equally sized parts from the same quality of raw materials that made mass assembly possible. With such a system in place, repairs and parts replacement became an easy task since parts that are mass produced became a sure fit to every vehicle. In the modern day factory, the machine shop continues to exist and performs very important functions. In it, defective parts are machined back to perfection and if it is not possible, new replacement parts are fabricated. This kind of setup saves the factory a lot of time and money. If replacement parts are to be bought, it normally takes the supplier time before the orders are fabricated and shipped. This may result to very costly delays and even a factory shut down. Having in-house or independent machine shop within the factory vicinity or nearby is a wise and business saving decision.
Benefits of consulting machine shop
Today, even the regular household benefits from the shop in several ways. One example is an overheating family car. Mechanics would most probably bring the overheating engine to a machine shop. In the facility, surfaces that got deformed by the extreme heat are delicately machined, smoothened and made to fit with the rest of the parts like brand new. This process results to a car engine that functions like it just came from the factory. Furthermore, the advanced car enthusiast may also ask the machine employees shop to resize, enhance or even fabricate special engine parts that would result to better car performance. Another common automobile use of the machine shop is the resurfacing of the disc brakes. As time goes by, and as automobiles are used, brakes regularly functions to decrease speed and to put the vehicle into a full stop. Because of that, brake pads frequently create a lot of friction with the break disc and it inevitably results to uneven disc surfaces. Instead of buying new disc brakes, the mechanic may simply remove the part from the vehicle and have it evenly resurfaced in a shop. At the end of the process, the disc brake again starts to function like brand new. This translates to a lot of monetary savings for the vehicle owner and greatly benefits the environment as well. Being able to repair disc brakes to perfection saves the planet from thousands of tons of scrap metal each year. Credit it to the wonderful benefits that result from going to the shop for vehicular solutions.
The regular homes needed a machine shop
In the regular homes, availing the services of shop is something that the wise repairman or contractor regularly does. Specially designed steel tubes can be fabricated in order to serve as special braces of heavy duty hanging cabinets. The shop services may also be availed in creating artistic home frames, special chandelier supports and just about anything.
The machine shop, nowadays, fabricates, repair and enhance not only metal but also plastic, wood and even glass. With the use of special equipment and Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software, two dimensional (2D) pieces can be made from plastic or metal sheets. Three dimensional (3D) designs may also be made possible from machined blocks of plastic, wood, metal or glass.
As explained by an executive of a faucet manufacturing company. Even years ago, their engineers drew proposed faucet and shower designs through CAD and they their shop services created 3D models from wood which they painted to look like the metal. The company bosses then examined the prototypes and once approved, order was given for the shop specialists to create the molds, dies and tools that factory will use in the mass production of the new products.
Machined glass product
As for machined glass products, there are a lot of examples, one of which are specially shaped laboratory implements. Researchers designed irregularly shaped glass for special purposes and send it to their shops for fabrication. This results to faster conclusion of experiments and of course, advancement in different fields of science. And since shop equipment has become more portable and affordable these days, even the normal school laboratories now have access to machine shop services. Because of that, even the regular student can be expected to regularly come out with breakthroughs in science research.
A possible addition to the shop family machine is the new and rising 3D printer technology. News articles and various YouTube videos show that amazing things that the 3D printer is starting to create. One video showed a simple firearm done through the 3D printer and a few months later, a new video showed an exact replica of a popular pistol. A search of the internet also shows a lot of new and exciting products like toys, miniature buildings, and machine and bicycle parts.
One can actually claim that the 3D printers of today are an attempt to duplicate what the machine shop equipment has perfected through the years. The 3D printer is now trying to create precision products in smaller spaces and that is something that the machine shop started doing with much accuracy, several decades ago.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the machine shop is here to stay and its usefulness will continue to multiply. New equipment being developed every day will make sure that it happens.
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