Michael C. Anderson

News • March 3, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Cerasis: Green, IIoT and analytics among manufacturing trends in 2017

Cerasis, a transportation-management company that works with the manufacturing industry, recently shared a list of manufacturing-technology trends that it says are growing in importance. Among them are green manufacturing, IIoT and computer analytics.

News • March 3, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

EDA: Machine tool equipment sales had a strong finish in 2016

According to newly released figures by industry analyst EDA, new machine tool equipment sales jumped from 1,288 units in November 2016 to 1,744 in December—its highest number of the year and just slightly under 2015's highest monthly number of 1,825 units, also in December. Used machine tool equipment sales also jumped at the end of 2016, from 762 units in November to 1,241 in December. That's still well below its 2015 peak month of 1,637 units sold in October of that year.

News • February 27, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Renewable-energy manufacturing jobs are on the rise

While the Trump administration focuses on trying to bring back coal-industry jobs, the outlook for renewable-energy employment, including in manufacturing, has increased. Solar showed bright prospects in 2016 and the wind industry is picking up.

Articles • February 22, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Machine tool school days

Jennifer Creamer, a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T), conducts research into fixing flaws introduced when machining large components. Beyond her research, Creamer herself is worthy of attention in this era of concern about manufacturing jobs going unfilled because of a lack of interested or qualified candidates. She's female—still an underrepresented group in manufacturing—and she's chosen to go into manufacturing by way of Missouri S&T.

News • February 20, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

GE Aviation has invested $4 billion over 5 years in US manufacturing

To maintain and grow its production levels on its newest jet engines, engine components and aircraft systems, GE Aviation investments reached $4.3 billion in its U.S. operations during 2011–2016, with another $1.1 billion invested in its international sites, the company reports. That U.S. amount includes $214 million to establish five new plants here.

News • February 20, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

As available jobs increase, manufacturers get that old school spirit

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that hiring in December 2016 was at a four-month high, while the number of manufacturing hires tied that of November for its best monthly performance since 2010. Separately, the BLS said that manufacturing companies created 5,000 new jobs in January for a second straight month of growth. That's good news for those who remember the dark days of the Great Recession—but for employers who have more work to be done than workers to do it, it's a headache. One solution has been to reach that next generation early—while they're finishing high shool.

News • February 15, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Cutting Tool Market Report: ‘Strong finish’ for 2016

Down, but getting back up: December 2016 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $176.04 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT — The Association for Manufacturing Technology. This total was up 4.4 percent from November's $168.69 million and up 12.5 percent when compared with the total of $156.49 million reported for December 2015, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration. With a year-to-date total of $2.042 billion, 2016 is down 4.3 percent when compared with 2015.

Articles • February 14, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: Calibration celebration

Calibrating a multiple-axis machining center is one of those time-consuming but necessary tasks that parts makers have to accept. The task has gotten easier in past years, however, and has just gotten easier yet.

News • February 14, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

AMT: Manufacturing tech orders jumped 20% in December

AMT — The Association for Manufacturing Technology released its December 2016 U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report this week, noting that orders finished 2016 down 4 percent compared to 2015. But the report also holds some good news: month over month data showed December orders up a whopping 20.6 percent compared to November.

News • February 10, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

3D Printing of titanium gets off the ground

Two companies, using different 3D-printing methods, have put titanium components into extreme environments. SLM Solutions recently completed a 12.21" × 8.74" × 8.66" dia. titanium aircraft component using its two-laser selective laser melting process. And Sciaky Inc. has used its Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) technology to produce a titanium Variable Ballast (VB) tank for an autonomous submarine. Now that such critical additive-made titanium parts are out of the lab and in use, these companies and their competitors are working to speed their processes and increase their maximum build sizes.

Articles • February 10, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Look Ahead: Low-temperature PVD coating

The Look Ahead department covers a low-temperature PVD coating, free of charge, in the February 2017 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

News • February 9, 2017 • Michael C. Anderson

Transformer: 3D Printer becomes CNC Mill

In recent years the manufacturing world has seen numerous hybrid additive-subtractive machines. These generally are in the form of a 3D printing head combined with a CNC machining center: the additive is added. But creative additive enthusiast Thomas Sanladerer has come at the idea from the opposite direction: he has started with a 3D printer and transformed it to be able to function as a CNC mill.