Category: Kosmo Stories

We’d like to show you the quality and care that goes into the creation of every Kosmo part.

In our new video, you can get an inside look at Kosmo’s full-service, precision machine shop, located in a climate-controlled, 62,000 square foot facility in Sandston, Virginia. We offer meticulous project management every step of the way—from handling RFQs all the way to production, inspection and shipping. We work hard to ensure that every part is of the highest quality and can meet even the most stringent of requirements.

You can also watch our state-of-the-art machines in action. Our Mazak 630-5XII 5-axis Mill/Turning CNC machine creates parts with incredibly complex geometries. We also recently purchased two EDM machines, a 4-axis Mitsubishi Electric EA12S Advance sinker EDM that attains superior tolerances and a Fanuc Robocut X-C600iB 6-axis wire EDM that allows for positional accuracy of 1/10,000 of an inch—about 1/30 the thickness of a single piece of hair.

We also offer custom welding, painting, parts assembly and reconditioning among our services. Dry ice blasting is one of the several advanced cleaning methods that we provide.

Most importantly, you now have the chance to meet some of our dedicated employees you might not have met before. Through our recently adopted Employee Stock Ownership Plan, our workers now hold equity in the company—and are rewarded for their long-term commitment to us and our customers.

As a Virginia-based, family-run business, we’ve been devoted to quality production and superior customer service since 1976. Our 99.9% customer acceptance rate and historically maintained 95% on-time delivery rate are well-respected in the industry. Quality certifications include ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100 for the manufacture precision machined parts including Aerospace and Defense, ASME/AWS certified welding, and parts reconditioning to European PED Classification CE Cat II.

I hope you enjoy the video. Please give me a call if you’d like to talk further or would like a tour of our facility.

Best Regards,

Pat Smook
Vice President of Sales
804-326-6825

For sales inquiries please call 804-326-6819 ext 4.
sales@kosmomachine.com

Machining is the process of producing several types of metal and machine components to create a specific shape or design to fit various industrial uses. Different machine and metal components are used in a wide variety of industries from aerospace and automobile to petroleum refineries and power plants. For this very reason, a machine shop may make metal parts for various industrial processes using advanced production methods.

Advanced machining tools, such as CNC milling and turning machines, are usually employed to create different dimensions to a metal object. In contrast to the manual milling cutting methods in the past, contemporary CNC milling machines consist of multiple rotary cutters to ensure precision and accuracy of cutting metal objects to create specialized parts. The following are some industries that a machine shop might make parts for.

Shipbuilding

The Shipbuilding industry is heavily dependent on a series of metal components and parts for various purposes. For repairing and cleaning ships, rotoblast and tread finishing parts are a big requirement. Different metal components and tools are needed to be made from an alloy that can provide the tensile strength needed, and be easy to clean and be resistant to corrosion. Some of these include shafts, gear blanks, hubs, pintle pins, and other complex parts that needed to be cut according to a precise measure and dimension.

Power Generation

Because power generation is a highly capital intensive industry, the range of metal components through machining is important. Fittings for trailer frames, heat exchanges, and shell plates that consist of tubular shapes need to be cut into a specific size and with holes to enable strong attachments.

More importantly, sophisticated and advanced machining components are required for water, gas and steam, and wind power. In the case of wind power, for example, machining components such as gearbox housings, hears, and rotors are required for optimum performance of wind turbines. As for gas and steam power generation, all manufacturing processes need to be function precisely and comprise of parts and components that can function efficiently under tremendous stress.

Industrial Valves

Valves, such as ball valves, gate valves, and piston valves, are all metal components that require the use of CNC machinery. Codes can be programmed into the CNC machine and be used to make fine cuts according to a particular diameter and weight to support industrial applications. Industrial valves are used in a wide range of industries from oil and gas and food and beverage to pipelines, biopharm, and marine industries.

Electric Motor Components

Machining is also used for serving the automobile industry, especially electric motor components. Metal tools and components such as shafts and gears, as well as other parts, need to be produced cost-effectively and be durable enough for effective conduction of electricity.

There are a number of industries that a machine shop can make parts for. If you would like to request a quote, please click here.

The role of a machinist is very important for ensuring all metal components and parts are produced and designed in a manner that conforms to the highest industry quality standards. Also, the machining process has to be managed safely and reliably to avoid the possibility of injuries in the workplace, or damage to the machine tools used for cutting materials and metal components.

These requirements mean that a machinist must be highly skilled and adept in carrying out complex milling and turning tasks. This is especially true with regards to a CNC milling machine, due to the variety of tools and programmable settings that have to be configured to ensure the effective quality of finished parts. Following are the skills and training that a machinist is required to undertake.

Skills and qualification

Our machinists are required to operate a CNC milling machine, they must have an understanding of the software, and be able to program codes to enable specific cutting dimensions for various industrial applications. Being familiar with the technical aspect of the job will ensure the machinist is able to follow technical instructions on the job, understand various blueprints required for individual industrial usages, and be able to follow instructions and make assessments without any difficulties.

Of course, the setup requirements for CNC machines will vary from industry to industry. Nevertheless, a machinist should be adept in the technical aspects of the role, to understand different machining requirements to produce and design specific metal components and parts.

Apart from this, there are no high qualifications required for one to become a machinist. In most cases, a high school diploma is sufficient to meet the educational requirements. The main skills hinge on being proficient in computers and math, an attention to details, problem-solving, and accuracy.

Training

All machinists are obliged to undertake an apprenticeship and on-the-job training. Upon completion of an apprenticeship, you can gain the credentials to operate as a machinist. You can also take examinations from the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) and become certified to become a CNC setup programmer.

Furthermore, there are also 2-year degree programs that can be found in some technical colleges. However, an on-the-job training is most preferred for gaining the skills and expertise to work as a machinist. Undergoing this training process can equip you with the practical skills and requirements of producing metal components and tools for different industrial applications, and ground you with real and practical knowledge.

If you would like to learn more about career opportunities at Kosmo Machine, please click here.

The Dry Ice Blasting program is now up and running at our Sandston facility.

This is leading edge technology in the part cleaning business. We now provide integrated on-going cleaning and inspection services 7 days per week. Advantages of the Dry Ice process include:

• No water
• No additional solvents
• No part distortion
• No negative health risks
• Cleaning will not disrupt production
• Less labor intensive
• Grit entrapment is eliminated
• Surfaces are free of residue
• No Hazardous wastes are produced

We are pleased to announce our selection of Cold Jet, LLC. Their MicroClean line brings enhanced performance and extended operation to the revolutionary cleaning system. The shaved ice and feeder technologies deliver a complete precision cleaning. We can now clean small parts thoroughly, even the complex cavities and crevices that other methods cannot reach. It is hard to imagine, but we now clean delicate surfaces faster than traditional cleaning methods – without abrasion or disassembly. Call Kosmo Machine to discuss how this technology can work to improve your product quality and your bottom line.

This video provides a basic overview of this technology:

Environmental Cleaning & Surface Preparation from Cold Jet on Vimeo.

Thanks to our employees who participated in our litter pickup session last Saturday. We appreciate your help with keeping Henrico Beautiful!

 

A machinist is someone who is tasked with using machine tools to produce or amend metal parts to suit different industrial applications from shipbuilding and power generation use to electric motor components and industrial valve making. Unlike in the past, a machinist is required to work with a certain set of machine tools to cut metal objects to meet specific size, shape, and weight.

Over the years, the machine tools required by a machinist have evolved gradually and are generally utilized in the case of computerized numerical control (CNC) machines for milling and turning. These machines enable point-to-point precision and accuracy that is required for producing industry standard metal parts and equipments.

In this post, we will look at the different types of machine tools that a machinist is required to use to cut metal parts and components.

CNC Milling mMachines

Out of all the tools required by a machinist, perhaps the most important one is a CNC milling and turning machine. These are computerized machines that are programmable via codes to ensure metals are cut with impeccable precision and quality standards. Used primarily in the manufacturing sector, a CNC machine can be configured to automate the cutting process using a wide variety of tools including waterjet cutter, router, lathes, grinders, and more.

Metal Working Lathe Machine

This machine involves using a group of lathes for machining hard materials. In addition to machining metals, a metalworking lathe is also used for machining plastics and other materials. The types of lathes incorporated into the machine are varied. Some of these include engine lathe, bench lathe, and center lathes.

Shaper

A machinist may also be required to use a shaper machine that works similar to a lathe machine with the main difference being that the cut performed is linear as opposed to helical. There are several different types of shapers including horizontal, universal, vertical, crank, hydraulic, and others. In the case of a vertical shaper, it is often attached to a rotary table to perform cutting on curved surfaces.

Drill Presser

A drill press machine is another tool that comes in different sizes and shapes. In addition to drilling, a drill pres machine can also be sued for reaming, counterboring, and countersinking, as well as inserting small or large holes into metal objects.

Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broaching_(metalworking)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaper
http://www.americanmachinetools.com/how_to_use_a_drill_press.htm

Milling is just one of the many crucial machining processes used to shape metals and other materials into the desired shape and dimensions. In milling, a cutting tool which rotates at a high speed is utilized to remove undesired material from the workpiece. The tool is moved at a certain angle with the tool’s axis. It can be carried out on small parts as well as on large heavier components.

The process of milling is done through a milling machine or a mill. Before the advent of computing technology, milling was performed manually by hand or mechanically. Nowadays, it is conducted through computer numerical control milling machines.

These machines are known as machining centers and come in either horizontal or vertical orientation, depending upon the cutting tool spindle’s orientation. A machining center consists of tool magazines, carousels, automatic tool changing system, computer control, enclosures, and coolants. Milling has now been integrated with turning and vice versa to allow more flexibility and increase productivity.

The Importance of Milling

Milling is similar to cutting and drilling and plays a vital role in the manufacturing industry. Whether it is an automobile, aircraft, mold, medical prosthetic, toy, household appliance, or a mobile phone, milling is present everywhere.

The Process

Unlike turning which uses a single-point cutting tool, milling utilizes a multi-point cutting tool to cut away material from the workpiece. It is also different from drilling where the cutting tool is moved along its axis of rotation; in milling, the cutter is moved in a direction that is perpendicular to its axis of rotation, so that the workpiece is cut along the circumference of the cutting tool.

In some cases, the workpiece is also moved along as the cutter cuts away. There are two types of milling:

• Face milling
• Peripheral milling

In face milling, the cutter is used to create flat faces into the surface of the workpiece and the cutting is done at the ends of the cutter. Sometimes, it is also used to cut flat-bottomed cavities. In peripheral milling, the cutter cuts along its circumference; hence, the surface of the workpiece receives the shape of the cutter. It is generally used to make threads, gear teeth, and deep slots.

How is it done?

In the early days of manufacturing milling was done manually, but with the invention of computers and information technology, CNC milling machines became the best means of milling parts. The CNC milling machine is programmed using a programming language like G and M codes; these codes represent individual functions of the machine. When combined, they will result in an end product.

As soon as the file is sent to the mill, it executes the instructions and starts drilling and cutting, turning itself along the axes to shape and cut the material in the required form. CNC milling allows for more flexibility, higher precision and accuracy, and faster turnaround time.

Sources
https://www.worldskills.org/what/career/skills-explained/manufacturing-and-engineering-technology/cnc-milling/
http://www.thomasnet.com/about/cnc-milling-51276103.html
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rapidproto/students.03/dwm3/project2/process.html
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rapidproto/students.06/ibrown/CNC%20Mill/information.html