Aerospace

Without a fully optimized manufacturing process, individual machines and entire manufacturing operations fall short of their full productivity and cost-effectiveness potentials. To avoid this fate, shops should take advantage of engineering and process optimization support services typically offered by those well-equipped and truly capable manufacturing equipment suppliers.

Verisurf Software Inc., Anaheim, Calif., appointed Pat Bass director of sales for the Americas.

Machine tool builder Fives Machining Systems Inc., Hebron, Ky., acquired Konecranes Machine Tool Service, which has facilities in Erlanger, Ky., and Massillon, Ohio.

Metrology specialist Marposs Corp., Auburn Hills, Mich., appointed Francisco Flores aerospace market development manager, a new position at Marposs.

Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, Kan., which makes metal detection, material-handling and magnetic separation equipment, appointed Kevin Miller general manager of the company's primary manufacturing facility in Newton.

The ultimate goal for Made In Space Inc. is that everything in space will be made in space, according to Matt Napoli, the company's vice president of in-space operations.

To strengthen its customer support in Mexico, Seco Tools LLC, Troy, Mich., opened a facility in Querétaro.

Earlier this week we shared the conclusions of the McKinsey Report, which concluded that it may be possible for U.S. manufacturing to grow by 20 percent and add more than 2 million jobs by 2025. That was the good news. It can only happen, however, if manufacturers embrace Industry 4.0 technology.

Combining operations in a single tool is a significant trend sweeping through the metalcutting industry. Combining cutting operations reduces the cost per hole by eliminating tool changes. It improves production efficiency and machine utilization, ultimately increasing manufacturers' speed to market.

Walter teamed up with machine builder Starrag AG, Rorschacherberg, Switzerland, to take a step into the future. The venue was the fifth annual "Turbine Technology Days." Held at Starrag headquarters in Rorschacherberg, the event attracted over 200 visitors from 19 countries.

Mitchell Metal Products, Merrill, Wis., has received the first National Reshoring Award in recognition of the company's success bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. The award, given by The Reshoring Initiative and the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), honors a company that has effectively reshored products, parts or tooling made primarily by metal forming, fabricating or machining.

Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, tested NASA's first 3-D printed rocket engine prototype part made of two different metal alloys through an innovative advanced manufacturing process. NASA has been making and evaluating durable 3-D printed rocket parts made of one metal, but the technique of 3-D printing with more than one metal is more difficult.