Management

Bob Hudson of New South Whales, Australia, responded to my April 11 blog titled "Assisting manufacturers with augmented reality."

"One of the more common problems I have seen in my years in the machine shop is a general lack of readily available and handy information on machine shop math, specifically on feeds, speeds and related formulae," writes Kevin Mulhern. "Whether you are programming a 5-axis CNC machine or turning handles on a 60-year-old knee mill, the numbers don’t lie. However, one very important lesson I have learned is to respect the variables."

Swedish engineering group Sandvik will buy French software company Metrologic Group for 360 million euros ($435 million) on a cash and debt-free basis to boost its digital manufacturing capabilities. Metrologic Group’s software includes automation and robotics control, as well as services for calibration and 3D measuring. It is used in the automotive, aerospace, energy and general engineering sectors, among others.

Celebrate the grand opening May 2 and 3 of Morris Midwest LLC's office and tech center at 2323 Corporate Drive in Waukesha, Wis. See live cutting demonstrations on CNC machines from leading builders integrated with tooling, accessories, software, automation and more. Discuss manufacturing challenges with Morris Midwest's productivity specialists, application engineers and technology partners. Learn about best practices and the latest advances in manufacturing. Network with industry leaders and peers. Enjoy a free, hot lunch; snacks; coffee; and other refreshments.

If you're an exhibitor planning to showcase a product or service at IMTS 2018, please click here to send a press release and image of the product or service to Cutting Tool Engineering Editor Alan Richter.

There are many advantages to financing your equipment purchases instead of paying cash. Stearns Bank vice president of business development, Michelle Fuchs, has helped many businesses reap the benefits of commercial equipment financing. They’ve learned that financing, rather than cash, is the best approach for the long-term health of their business.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that manufacturers added 22,000 workers in March, extending the 32,000 gain in employment in February. It was the sixth consecutive month with robust hiring growth in the sector, averaging 27,167 per month over that time frame.

There’s a very old parable, thought to have originated in the Indian subcontinent, of six blind (or blind-folded) men asked to describe an elephant. They reach different conclusions depending upon which part of the elephant they touch: side – it’s like a wall; leg – it’s like a tree; trunk – it’s like a snake; tusk – it’s like a spear; ear – it’s like a fan; and tail – it’s like a rope.

The surface treatment global business unit of Ludwigshafen, Germany-based BASF SE’s coatings division, operating under the Chemetall brand, opened a laboratory at its 38,700-sq.-ft. manufacturing and office facility in Querétaro, Mexico.