Hello from Northern Ireland!

I’ve been programming CNC machines since I left University in 2003, and started out on Makino MAG3’s programming 3m long thin wall aluminium parts. Tough learning curve! Since then I’ve devoted myself to becoming a jack-of-all-trades (master of some :smile:), covering everything from industrial product design, through to DFMA (design for manufacture and assembly), machine tool design and building and CNC programming for all the major controls, as well as a few oddball ones.

My industrial experience led me back into the academic world, where I now work as a Research Fellow, completing research into High Performance Machining of Aerospace Materials (Aluminium, Titanium, CFRP, Inconel, etc.) and development of Hybrid Parallel Kinematic machine tools (google Exechon to see what I mean). My area of expertise is in Modal Analysis of machine tools, investigating how Chatter occurs, and tuning machine tools and cutting processes to maximise metal removal.

I’m not the average ‘mad-scientist’ Academic though – I’m just passionate about figuring out this ‘black art’ of machining. You find out that it’s nothing of the sort. Every ‘trick’ – like rubber bands around boring bars to reduce chatter, why increasing spindle speed can be the best way of stopping chatter, why running dry makes the tool last longer – has a scientific explanantion. It shouldn't be hit and miss!

I’m always mesmerised by ‘proper’ engineers and toolmakers who can craft something precise and beautiful from a block of material with only simple tools and a whole load of experience. It makes it look like I’m cheating by using CNC to do the hard work.

I hope that I can pass on some of my experience, and hopefully learn a lot from you guys too.