Knowledge Center Articles

The truth is simple: drill geometry makes or breaks hole quality. The right geometry takes stress off the tool, keeps the cut stable, and lets you focus on the job instead of the drill.

Aluminum feels easy to machine, right up until it is not. When that happens, you start checking the usual variables: toolpath, coolant, rigidity, engagement, and geometry. Flute count is just one part of the picture, but it is a part that influences chip flow more than it gets credit for.

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a technical drawing, wondering which milling cutter will slice through the material like butter, or how to boost your metal removal rates without sacrificing precision, you’re not alone. Whether you’re looking for versatility, speed, or pure power, choosing the right cutter can be a game-changer in your shop.

Each wear pattern tells a story about your machining process. Some are expected, like flank wear, while catastrophic fractures are warnings you don’t want to ignore. Here Seco breaks down the most common types of wear, what causes them, and how to troubleshoot or prevent them.

The Knowledge Center’s monthly series aims to help manufacturers move beyond reactive approaches and make more informed, data-driven decisions across their operations.

In this episode of Tooling Up, host Toni Neary is joined by Uwe Burkardt and Sebastien Granges from Tesa Tech to explore how the TESA-Hite and TESA-Hite Magna height gauges are helping manufacturers bring reference-grade measurement directly onto the shop floor.

Watch this short video as OSG demonstrates their HY-PRO® CARB VGM3-AL-LN end mill series.

In milling, selecting the proper insert geometry is an important decision because it affects many parameters from stability to surface finish and power consumption.

Calibration is often misunderstood as “just” paperwork, a sticker, or simply adjusting tools. But what if calibration is actually about performance, traceability, and trust in your measurement data? In this episode of MSC Industrial Supply’s How To series, host Jacob Sanchez steps inside Mitutoyo’s calibration lab to uncover what calibration really means.

The next time you spread some creamy yellow condiment on your burger, hot dog or sandwich, you’ll be experiencing how Norton products play a role in our daily lives in many surprising ways.

Discover how to better match the abrasive to your material, surface finish requirements, and production goals to optimize performance, reduce waste and gain better control over one of the most overlooked shop floor expenses.

What does it take to deliver a flawless finish every single time? In this episode of MSC Industrial Supply’s How To series, host Jacob Sanchez visits Norton’s Abrasive Process Solutions (APS) Lab to see how automation is transforming the final step in manufacturing: surface finishing.