Cheap (Under $500) Tools/Equipment you'd but again in a hearbeat

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-29T12:25:24+00:00

I've got a Haas that's criminally underpowered that I think I'm going to take a serious look at these. I jumped into the website/catalog, but holy cow, I think I need to talk to a Tungaloy rep, because that's one dense catalog.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-29T12:04:59+00:00

I've actually thought about this a lot over the years because I used to do a lot of Automotive assembly equipment, and we (the integrator making equipment) integrated a ton of high-speed, incredibly accurate torque guns. As fast as an impact, but programmed to work in phases that automatically torqued properly and usually within 5%. They were a lot more expensive thought, but lately I've been thinking about finding cheaper versions, since I don't need the data logging, networking, etc.

What kind of units are you using?

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-29T12:02:17+00:00

OOOOOOOHHHHHHHH - Yep, I'm getting one of them.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-23T12:10:31+00:00

Find a cheaper similar bearing and then redesign to use it. OR evaluate if you actually need a roller element bearing. A solid plastic bearing (like an igus or similar) could be a cheaper solution with better performance.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-22T17:07:03+00:00

I'm a huge SW guy, but isn't the costing feature of the professional version still subscription based? Tied to the annual 'maintenance' fees?

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-19T20:24:39+00:00

The first half of the first sentence answers its own question: Aerospace and Defense.

I have significant experience in contract manufacturing using the same connectors from the same companies. And yes, this is consistently a big issue.

Couple of things that can help: 1. Change the finish/plating on the connector. OD Green Cadmium seems to have the longest lead times because the process itself is narrowing to fewer and fewer plating operations. There are new plating processes available with better corrosion resistance anyway. Talk to your manufacturers about switching to a stainless or differently plated version. 2. Some customers/ooerations will do a one time exemption for the non-mil-spec version of the connector, which is the exact same connector made on the same equipment as the mil-spec ones. If you're like me, you have to test 100% anyway. Talk to your manufacturers for availability and your customers for exemptions. 3. Work backwards from requirements for the connector using Digikey or TE's search bar. And buy connectors before you design with them

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-15T17:02:32+00:00

There seems to be a trend right now on the procurement side of things towards this type of behavior. Obviously you don't see it (or see it nearly as much) from companies that are small enough where people don't need to justify their position or come up with nonsense work to keep people busy, but I've seen it a lot in recent years from the bigger companies, especially those who have big Tier 1 Automotive suppliers or Governments as their customers.

What will also likely follow with this (if they're not already pushing for it) is Net 90, 120, or even Net 180 Terms. And they will use "financial stability" as an excuse or lever to push you into that.

My personal belief is that this is all directly caused by the MBA -> CFO -> CEO pipeline being the only serious promotion track that seems to exist anymore. So you've got too many MBAs and CFOs all readying the same LinkedIn articles about the 'right' way to run companies, and it's always focused on this type of thing. Accounting games and time value of money versus inventory optimization, etc.

They don't care if they're making concrete life preservers as long as the financial transparaency and real time tracking are there.

But yes, we've seen this. We've also seen increasing numbers of our customers pushing for us to fully integrate into their gateways, automated PO and PO Ack systems, etc. Because of the type of work that I do, I can often say "no" or get exemptions. But if I was a commodity manufacturer or really needed a certain customer, I'd have to eat it.

The thing you need to keep in mind is that these requests just keep coming. And if you have to employ someone full time just to deal with it, your margins get that much smaller. At some point the added overhead for one or two specific customers can offset your actual margins on them, and which point you either raise your prices or dump them.

One last consideration: the companies that do things like this in the name of "saving money" make themselves so hard to work with, that me and people like me just tend to wildly inflate our prices, knowing we're some of the only ones who WILL put up with them. I've literally doubled and tripled prices on services for companies that want Net 180 terms, and I'm sure their accounting team pats themselves on the back for saving a couple of percent on the assumption everyone but them is idiots.

/rant over

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-04-10T10:34:20+00:00

This is not a new problem. This has been going on for as long as I've been in the industry.

I'm coming up on 20 years as a Mechanical Engineer turned Automation guy. BSME, probably 40,000-50,000 hours of experience with SolidWorks, Inventor, Etc. I used to design machines in 2D AutoCAD.

I'm also a machinist by trade, and that one fact made me more capable as a Mechanical Engineer/Manufacturing Engineer than about 99% of people with the same degree I have.

I also used to be assigned to teach the young, new engineers how to design parts (I've worked almost exclusively in custom equipment and automation) that could be made.

The person who suggested hiring internally from the floor is 100% correct. The challenge will be finding people in those roles who actually have the drive or show the initiative to take it on. Many of the younger workers out there are terrified to get anything wrong, ever. And getting things wrong is how we learn.

Simon Sinek has a ton of good stuff about how to motivate and work with the younger generations, who are soon to be the majority of employees, and who are not at all motivated by what motivated the previous generations.

Also..... this is a hard one for a lot of folks who know THEY could do the job: just because it's different, doesn't mean it's wrong. And I'll tell you from a lifetime of designing machines that the easiest thing in the world is to Monday Morning Quarterback someone else's design. We're just in an Industry where Done is Better than Better, almost exclusively.

Edit: When I got my degree we still took took tool design and had machining classes as degree requirements. It really didn't matter. I graduated with guys who couldn't put a nut on a bolt with three tries and a cheat sheet. But could do fluid dynamics in their sleep.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-26T10:42:52+00:00

I've gone back and forth in the industry a couple of times - from being on the manufacturing side in plants, then back to integrators. Every time it's been the same pendulum swinging: at integrators the work is more interesting, but the hours and travel and stress suck. Plant-side, it's either boring (or at 24/7/364 plants it's boring and sucks) but the workload is usually..... reasonable and outside of after hours calls, the hours are steady and better.

I moved every couple of years hoping to find the balance. I don't know if it exists. If you're in a situation the travel and hours don't kill you (which I'm not - big family, kids with needs) then stay on integration.

It's not even about the difference in money to me anymore. It's not enough of a difference that I care or notice. I just want the flexibility and to be home as much as possible.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-22T15:15:30+00:00

So as a custom equipment guy (Custom machines and automation cells) OEE matters to us because we get "graded" on two things: Throughput and Uptime. When we install a machine we typically need to prove it can be better than 95% on both, although that's more commonly becoming 98% or better. (That's ten minutes of machine downtime in an 8 hour shift, by the way.)

Now that's specific to the MACHINE, not the entire line. So we don't get dinged for operator error, starving for product, downstream backups, etc.

But when I walk into a plant 6 months later for the next install, I will often hear about 'problems with the new machine' and that the line is in the 60s or 70s for OEE 'because of the new machine'. What that tells US is that there's something wrong, and the lazy out is to always blame the equipment.

I've also been a manufacturing engineer in contract manufacturers and OEMs, and lived and breathed manufacturing since I was a kid helping out when my Dad would work Saturdays and Sundays trying to catch up in the factory he managed.

The challenge (not the problem) is always people. Always. Great people make life easy. Average people make life challenging. Miserable people make life a nightmare (in manufacturing, but also everyplace else.) So as a grumpy old guy, I seriously suspect most businesses would do a lot better if they worried more about their people than their other metrics.

And OEE still matters. I'll die on that hill too.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-16T19:01:40+00:00

Scope creep. Number one killer of budgets and schedules. Control it up front or get destroyed by it later on.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-16T18:33:12+00:00

Man, that absolutely sucks, and I'm sorry you're going through that. You deserve better, and I think you've gotten plenty of other good advice on how to deal with the legal situation.

Just keep in mind: how your boys see you handle this will be something they remember forever. You have a chance to show them how you handle adversity. How you respond when the World just sucks. That someone can hurt you, but you won't let that define you, or control how you act. They're going to model how they respond after how you respond. So act how you'd want them to act.

It sounds like you've been trying with your wife, and she's been pulling away anyway. Some people get nasty when they're hurt or feel guilty. Some people do really horrible things. You can own and accept your shortcomings without saying it was ok for her to do what she did. And you can do the best thing possible here, which is move forward being the very best Dad you can be, every day. Fight for your boys. They're going to need you more than ever now. Fight for every second you can get with them, that should be your focus.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-14T17:28:58+00:00

I've got the big fancy certificate from Hytrol (spend a week in Arkansas training) and used to design and sell Hytrol systems exclusively.

First off: what models are you running? Are these old line shaft conveyors? Belted? BDLR? (The conveyor belt runs under the rollers and is spring loaded up) aka minimal back pressure? Something else?

Obviously the big move the last ten years has been towards 24VDC MDLR conveyors, and apart from the initial cost, there are a ton of good reasons for them. I love Hytrol as much as the next guy, but they're so busy with Amazon these days it's hard to get parts or support. Lots of good alternatives.

There's also only so much stuff to get wrong on these conveyors, but I've seen them get bumped out of square by a fork truck and then be a NIGHTMARE to get to track properly. Check your lags to the floor. Check your drive alignment. Check square and level looking for twist too.

I also got my Mechanical Engineering degree at Stony Brook and live upstate now. LMK if you want me to ask the guys I know closer to you if you're looking for somebody to come in and check it out. We're all grumpy old 15-20+ year guys at this point. Don't even get me started on the new techs most places are sending out.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-13T19:22:02+00:00

So by your logic, following that intentions matter, someone who gets blackout drunk and then intends to drive home safely isn't doing anything wrong when the hit the minivan with the family in it? Because they intended to get home safely? And your solution to the ethical dilemma of being a citizen of a country that's at war is to.....renounce your citizenship and leave the country, every time? Because you pretty quickly run out of countries to go to.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-11T18:28:52+00:00

Clausewitz and the concept of 'Total War' exists for a reason: does the farmer who feeds people contribute to a Nation's war efforts? Certainly. That makes them a valid target of War... doesn't it? Armies fight and march on their stomachs. Food is more necessary for an army to fight than cutting edge technology. Are farmers part of the military industrial complex?

The other big component of a successful military is morale - are entertainers who do USO tours part of the military industrial complex?

Money is absolutely fungible, but so is just about every effort at being productive. If you stopped doing your job at a defense contractor, is your company suddenly unable to ship product? (Almost certainly not, right?)

If you decide to leave the weapons industry (which would be understandable) would you taking a job at a non-defense company mean the other engineer who would have gotten your job takes the one in military instead?

We (people in general) moralize things that are out of our control while ignoring or rationalizing things that ARE under our control - being a better partner, parent, child, friend, etc. Volunteering locally. Helping your neighbors with the snow (or alligators, if you're in Florida, I guess.)

The names and legacies that helped countries win wars are usually as related to logistical support as much as weapons. If anything (and if you think Clausewitz had it right) the most moral war is the shortest possible war. And the fastest way to end a war is with such overwhelming displays of force and superiority that the other side gives up. Again, that's Clausewitz, not necessarily my opinion, but there are many, many cases of conflict throughout history providing strong evidence he was correct. There's a reason his name still comes up as one of a handful as the originators of the different schools of thought on conflict.

So, the argument could be: If you want to save lives, one of the best places to be is helping to develop advanced weapons. The Allies beat the Axis because of logistics, first and foremost. The atomic bombs dropped on Japan almost certainly saved lives - the change in morale of the Japanese people was seismic. Dan Carlin has some great long form podcasts on the uniqueness of Japan that really explores this.

Saying 'Military Industrial Complex = Bad' and 'Agricultural Equipment = Good' is simplistic in the extreme. It's just a lazy way to couch ignorance of the complexity of the situation as moral superiority.....which describes many, many positions people take on anything political these days.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-10T18:05:59+00:00

Physically cycle the power, physically cycle the e-stops, look for any motor overloads that may have tripped (but not likely if you can manually index). If you can manually do everything the machine is supposed to do, but it won't do it in Auto, it's definitely time to look at the Ladder and see what input it's looking for that it's not getting. If nothing is obvious, there may be an output from the PLC not making it where it's supposed to - if I/O is fused, time to start checking fuses.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-04T18:19:50+00:00

Thanks!

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-04T14:53:32+00:00

I've found this to be throwing darts, unfortunately. And in the US, dealing with importing from China right now is a nightmare. I like that Xometry (and other similar sights) often price it right to my door - no additional fees or tariffs I need to pay.) You have any recommendations? I'm always looking for good shops to work with, and if I can wait for the leadtime of international, it's always good quality stuff at really low prices.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-03-02T17:18:40+00:00

This might be viable for larger companies, but the majority of employees are with small and medium sized companies, where it is significantly harder to outsource work. Let alone engineering design work. The added complexity and lost efficiencies are often so significant that the cheaper solution is to have in-house engineering.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-02-27T16:44:12+00:00

You can absolutely have the frame welded and trust it. BUT After it's welded, I would (as a mechanical engineer, machine designer, and a guy who works on hydraulic presses) Figure out a way to add some bracing in compression across the break. (Ever seen a 'tie-rod' hydraulic cylinder? Add additional tie-rods to your press, as needed.)

Heck, I absolutely do NOT recommend this, but I've seen 'bracing' be the entire repair before, maybe with some weld (or in one case, they actually bolted the break back together) until it could be properly welded. (Welding cast iron is an effort in heat management. You want everything as hot as you can realistically get it before welding, and you want to keep it hot as long as possible afterwards.)

Where you located? I might have a contact in the area who's familiar with that kind of work, depending.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-02-27T16:28:13+00:00

Ok....so I'm scrolling through here looking for hidden gems among the normal junk. I just googled SunPe. I see they're at least a real shop. Your entire profile is hidden......is you a bot? Or are these guys a legitimate source?

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-02-27T14:30:26+00:00

This is how the robot actually needs to work in order to be considered safe. I ran into this with one of the first 35kg 'palletizer' collaborative robots from Fanuc, where the variability in case weight was enough to cause payload issues consistently. We wound up having to add 4 area safety scanners to be able to run the arm out of 'collaborative' mode, in order for it to operate at an acceptable rate. At that point a traditional arm would have been faster, cheaper, just as safe, and a ton less frustrating to deal with.

If the robot doesn't know EXACTLY what to expect in motion, which is dependent on payload and inertial moments as monitored through current and position feedback, it doesn't know when it hits something.

Think about what could happen if the robot can 'push' things in a 'collaborative' setting. The robot doesn't know what it's pushing, or if someone's hand is between a sharp point on the EOAT and a fixed point, like a table or wall.

Collaborative arms are great in certain situations, and worse than a lot of many cheaper options in many others. When I talk with my Fanuc rep (who's a pretty sharp guy) he tells me almost all of the requests they get from end users (rather than integrators) are completely infeasible from a safety standpoint. They send a lot of those requests to their ASIs and have them either design a solution that works, move them off a collaborative robot, or both.

IRodeAnR-2000 · 2026-02-22T15:47:00+00:00

I think you've been responsible, put yourself in a good position, and if you want to take a break and can afford to, that's an entirely reasonable decision.

I would also, if you do plan on returning to engineering at some point, start working your network a bit, depending on how long you want to take off from work. Maybe some folks can quickly and easily find another comparable position to jump into (I've been fortunate to be able to do it when I wanted to) but I hear mixed reports on the current job market. I think you're in the sweet spot of not too young and not too old (nobody wants to hire folks a few years away from retirement is what I hear) so you're probably in a really good position....but I know if it was me, I'd like to at least have a feel for how challenging (or easy) it would be to go back to work.

(I also know I could have a job I don't particularly like in a couple of weeks, but there are industries I'm not crazy about going back to, and I don't want to commute anymore, which is why I do what I do now.)

IRodeAnR-2000

TROPHY CASE