COVID 19 NOTICE - Because of interstate travel limitations due to COVID-19, we have have had to halt this project's training sessions onsite at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. We have developed a virtual training program that requires access to CNC machining centers near the locations of our trainees nationwide. If you would like to help, please submit the form below. They will adhere to social distancing and PPE protocols as shown in this video.
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and MSC Industrial Supply
Project Title: Improving Milling Performance on New CNC Machining Centers with Machining Dynamics

A message from Dr. Scott Smith, group leader of Machining and Machine Tool Research at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory:
"This project leverages America’s largest cutting tool supplier, MSC, and you, America’s machine tool distributors. You are the ideal partners. You sell the machines to the tens of thousands of machine shops that can benefit from this technology. Your new machines are faster, more powerful and more capable than their predecessors. MSC has a nationwide team of Metalworking Specialists with the technical capacity to learn to make the required tap-test measurements. They sell tools and holders from nearly all manufacturers and are regarded as an honest broker whose goal is to improve productivity of the machine tool users. MSC’s ability to rapidly improve the performance of your newly delivered machines is high. We look forward to joining you and MSC to improve America’s manufacturing competitiveness."
"This project leverages America’s largest cutting tool supplier, MSC, and you, America’s machine tool distributors. You are the ideal partners. You sell the machines to the tens of thousands of machine shops that can benefit from this technology. Your new machines are faster, more powerful and more capable than their predecessors. MSC has a nationwide team of Metalworking Specialists with the technical capacity to learn to make the required tap-test measurements. They sell tools and holders from nearly all manufacturers and are regarded as an honest broker whose goal is to improve productivity of the machine tool users. MSC’s ability to rapidly improve the performance of your newly delivered machines is high. We look forward to joining you and MSC to improve America’s manufacturing competitiveness."
Why we want to work with you:
From the CRADA:
"The advanced technology innovation is the direct use of tool point dynamics in parameter selection at the process planning stage. While it is understood in the laboratory setting that this enables increases in material removal rates (a 2× improvement is typical), implementation on the shop floor is limited. By enabling data collection by MSC, the primary impediment is removed and US machining productivity can be increased."
To support this effort, MSC has launched a new program to support American Machine Tool Distributors. It is called MachineMax Pro.
- 80% of metal-cutting in the U.S. is performed on machines that are five years old or newer.
- New machine tools are faster, more powerful and have greater capabilities.
- By improving the performance of newly delivered machines, we can have the maximum impact on American manufacturing in the shortest amount of time.
From the CRADA:
"The advanced technology innovation is the direct use of tool point dynamics in parameter selection at the process planning stage. While it is understood in the laboratory setting that this enables increases in material removal rates (a 2× improvement is typical), implementation on the shop floor is limited. By enabling data collection by MSC, the primary impediment is removed and US machining productivity can be increased."
To support this effort, MSC has launched a new program to support American Machine Tool Distributors. It is called MachineMax Pro.
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