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Optimism among U.S. manufacturers is growing as the nation adopts policies that prioritize them, according to an industry advocacy group. The latest tax changes have "transformed the business climate," said Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers. "Manufacturing in America is a confident industry."

Vincennes University and the Porter County, Ind., career center are partnering for an early college program. Students seeking careers in precision machining will benefit from a completed addition to the career center and an equipment grant from Vincennes University that provided more than $300,000 in new CNC equipment, manual/conventional equipment, tooling, cabinets, benches and tables.

United Grinding North America Inc., Miamisburg, Ohio, will host "The Artistry of the Grinding Universe Event" April 18-19 at its new 110,000-sq.-ft. headquarters. The free 2-day educational event will give attendees an opportunity to explore the latest grinding technologies, automation and measurement systems that provide the turnkey solutions required to keep pace in today's evolving manufacturing landscape.

The HAIMER Safe-Lock pull-out protection system ensures safe cutting tool clamping. Special drive keys in the toolholder match the spiral-shaped grooves on the cutting tool shank, thus creating frictional clamping forces and a positive locking form-fit. This effectively prevents the cutting tool from pulling out of the toolholder. Furthermore, it increases the productivity through faster permissible speeds and increased tool life.

Today’s manufacturing and industrial processing facilities face intense competitive pressures, challenging economic conditions and stringent government regulations. To thrive, companies must engage in operational “best practices” designed to continuously improve process and product quality and reduce costs. An often overlooked method of process improvement is to remove oil from your facility’s wastewater or process stream as soon as possible, preferably using a highly cost effective “tube type” oil skimmer. Properly applying a tube type skimmer can pay for itself within a few months by improving operational efficiencies, promoting employee and environmental wellness and generating new revenue.

The Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute (DMDII) announced today the launch of a “Cyber Hub for Manufacturing” with $750,000 in seed funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The hub will serve as a testbed for the creation and adoption of new cybersecurity technologies to secure manufacturing shop floors across the United States and complements DMDII’s public-private partnership as one of the Manufacturing USA institutes sponsored by DOD to advance the state-of-the-art in digital manufacturing in America.

Many manufacturers in the aerospace industry depend on high-precision, complex specialized cutting tools and want them as quickly as possible. However, not all tool grinding shops can meet that challenge. Almar Tools Inc., Camas, Wash., is one that can. To succeed where others often fail, the shop takes a simple straight-forward three-prong approach that consists of efficient production practices and highly trained machinists paired with the latest in tool grinding machine technology.

Julian Cornwall, a 17-year-old junior in the Butler Tech precision machine program at Colerain Career Center, has a big decision ahead of him. Companies looked at his portfolio and shop samples and talked to his instructor about his work during a recent skills competition. He had 11 job offers in hand when a trio of executives from the Feintool Group stopped by his machine to talk to him. When they left, his options had increased by another offer.

A precision machining supplier has come up with a way to address the skills shortage problem. Micron Manufacturing Co., Walker, Mich., lets workers create their own schedules. You want to be there for your first-grader's field trip? Do it. Want to have a long lunch with your aging mom? You can.

Nearly 100 percent of the solid-carbide tool assortment is suitable for reconditioning, according to Sandvik Coromant Co. Once a solid-carbide tool has been reconditioned three times and is no longer a candidate for reconditioning, it can be recycled.

This year should be an exciting one for manufacturers. First, we must recognize the long-term trend where large corporations’ productivity gains have been outstripping mid and small-size manufacturing companies (500 employees and less). This year we expect those large manufacturers to continue celebrating those productivity gains.

Jonathan Saada, aerospace veteran and president and founder of Hi-Speed Corp., a top manufacturer’s representative to the aerospace market, announced his decision to represent high-performance tool manufacturer YG-1. According to Saada, the decision was clear after analyzing the performance, breadth and value of the YG-1 product portfolio.

If the third time is the charm for a grant request in Pardeeville, Wis., all its schools will win. But luck won’t get it done. Pardeeville High School applied last month for the Fab Lab grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Council, which awards $25,000 in matching funds for technology education at school districts.

By 2025, nearly 25 percent of the U.S. population is expected to be 60 years of age or older. With this demographic preparing to exit the workforce and enter retirement, what can be done to retain people's knowledge and pass it down to the next generation of employees? After all, a good portion of the knowledge that our "employee elders" possess is not written down or stored on computers—it's in their heads. This is especially true in the manufacturing sector.

"Shaping Success Together" is Vollmer's motto at the international trade fair GrindTec 2018 in Augsburg, Germany. The specialist in grinding and eroding machines has further developed both technologies and services for its sharpening and machine tools in close communication with customers and partners.

Students in Birmingham, U.K., are being challenged to showcase the potential uses of magnesium within the aerospace sector as part of a competition being set by Birmingham City University and Meridian, a producer of magnesium components.

The technical closing report about EMO Hannover 2017 shows that exhibitors presented many innovations. For instance, to enable large components to be flexibly and cost-efficiently machined irrespective of the component’s dimensions, the start-up Picum MT, created by the Institute of Production Engineering and Machine Tools at Leibniz University in Hanover, Germany, is adopting fresh approaches. Instead of bringing the component to the machine tool, the Picum One, an intelligent tool robot weighing about a mere 100 kg with its own single-software solution and innovative metrology, is brought to the component.

Northern Maine Community College officials know the value of strong relationships among employers, educators and students, as evidenced by three campus visits from General Electric Co., Pratt & Whitney and the Associated General Contractors of Maine Inc. One of the visits was for students in the precision machining technology program.

Hardinge Inc., Elmira, N.Y., an international provider of metalcutting solutions and accessories, entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Hardinge will be acquired by an affiliate of Privet Fund Management LLC, Atlanta. Under the terms of the agreement, Privet Fund Management will acquire all shares of Hardinge common stock not currently owned by Privet Fund Management for $18.50 in cash, for a total transaction value of approximately $245 million.

The MEP National Network is a unique public-private partnership that aims to deliver comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing. Focused on helping small and medium-size manufacturers generate business results and thrive in today’s technology-driven economy, the network comprises the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and over 1,300 advisers and experts at more than 400 MEP service locations, providing any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources for success.