Michael C. Anderson

News • October 20, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

CNC lacks options? It may not be too late.

A recent CNC Cookbook survey included respondent comments about what they found lacking in their current CNC control. They mentioned inadequate work offsets, lack of web monitoring, limited tool data management and other shortcomings. FANUC Corp.'s Paul Webster explains why for some users, it may not be too late to easily add the capabilities they need.

Articles • October 19, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Modular fixturing pros and cons

Modular fixturing at its best offers the stability and accuracy of dedicated workholding with the flexibility to be reconfigured quickly for a variety of parts. But sometimes compatibility issues arise.

News • October 13, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Controls, DIYs and getting respect

The CNC Cookbook blog recently polled its readers regarding their use of CNC control systems. According to the results, the five most-used CNCs are FANUC, Haas, Mazak, Siemens—and Centroid, which jumped up 9 places from last year's poll. The company is less well known that those other four but has a growing niche among "do-it-yourself" manufacturers.

News • October 9, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

UI study: Fresh inspectors improve medical manufacturing

Most inspection-in-manufacturing features these days are about precision metrology equipment. This one is about people. More frequent rotation of (human) plant inspectors at medical device manufacturing facilities could benefit consumers and lead to fewer product recalls. That's the finding of a seven-year review of Food and Drug Administration inspections of and subsequent recalls at such facilities.

News • October 5, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

RFID, barcode scanning keeps manufacturers on track

Easy, accurate tracking of items through the manufacturing process is becoming more and more important in the quality-conscious 'Smart-Factory' era. RFID tagging has distinct advantages as a tracking method, but barcode scanning has its adherents too.

News • October 2, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

ISM: Manufacturing expands to 60.8% in September; highest since 2004

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in September, and the overall economy grew for the 100th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. The September PMI was 60.8 percent, an increase of 2 percentage points from the August reading of 58.8 percent. This indicates growth in manufacturing for the 13th consecutive month and is the highest reading since May 2004, when the index registered 61.4 percent.

News • September 29, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

‘New-collar’ jobs, millennial workers and Manufacturing Day

In manufacturing, the nature of the work as well as the nature of the workers are changing: What's a prospective employer to do? Some pre-Manufacturing Day discussion.

Articles • September 22, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: Small advances in waterjet

Omax Corp. developed the MicroMax JetMachining Center with help from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which awarded the company a Small Business Innovation Research grant. The investment has paid off.

News • September 14, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Expertise, new technology shared at Makino’s Die/Mold Technology Expo

The first day of Makino Corp.'s two-day 2017 Die/Mold Technology Expo included technology seminars, economic prognosticators, and demonstrations on more than 23 state-of-the-art machines at the company's U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. The company also unveiled a new vertical machining center for true 5-axis continuous processing.

Articles • September 13, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Aerospace supplier lives up to challenges

Visioneering Inc. employees stay ready to adapt to change as the Auburn Hills, Mich., aerospace supplier opens a new facility and adopts a new way to apply coolant.

News • September 5, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

ISM: Manufacturing activity expanded in August

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in August, and the overall economy grew for the 99th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. At 58.8 percent, the August PMI showed an increase of 2.5 percentage points from the July reading of 56.3 percent.

Articles • September 1, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

No-cost thread mill program generators

Numerous toolmakers provide free programs that will automatically generate G code for a specific thread milling application. The programs vary in sophistication and in whether they are online-only or downloadable, but all are useful tools. Among the suppliers of these apps are Scientific Cutting Tools Inc., Simi Valley, Calif.; Guhring Inc., Brookfield, Wis.; and Kennametal Inc., Pittsburgh.