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In the Lima, Ohio, area, local educators and businesses are trying to bridge the gap between education and the business world. For example, the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce and an Ottawa-Glandorf High School business teacher created an experimental program last year called Emerging Business Leaders. The intention was to connect junior and senior high school students who had taken at least 3 years of elective business classes with CEOs or owners of local businesses. Also, Apollo Career Center, a trade school in Lima with a licensed practical nurse training facility in Ottawa, works with local businesses to learn what jobs need to be filled and then trains people to fill those jobs.

Boeing employees and community members this week commemorated the 90,000 square-foot expansion of Boeing Helena to support 777X airplane production. Boeing Helena is set to install new machine tools to fabricate critical titanium parts for the twin-aisle 777X.

Blaser Swisslube announces its partnership with TITANS of CNC. This collaboration includes the appearance of Blaser in an episode of TITANS of CNC. The episode highlights how Blaser helps its customers improve their economic efficiency, productivity and machining quality.

The manufacturing industry has created nearly 500,000 new jobs in the last 6 years, but some places have experienced better job growth than others. Headlight Data has just released its annual rankings of the fastest-growing US counties in manufacturing. Recently released data show that manufacturing job creation in 2016 across counties in the US varied from a high of 3,600 in Jefferson County, KY to a loss of 19,000 jobs in Harris County, TX.

Hexa Research reports that the global laser marking machine market size will reach USD 3.38 billion by 2024, driven by increasing adoption of laser systems in industries such as automobile, packaging and machine tools. The marking equipment industry witnessed notable change over the past two decades, and the trend is expected to continue.

As Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) continue to grow and evolve, they promise numerous benefits for a leaner enterprise. In the realm of machine tools, the IIoT can certainly offer chances for improvements in monitoring and maintenance. There are, however, some concerns that must be addressed before this becomes a reality.

UI LABS and ManpowerGroup have released a workforce analysis that identifies 165 data-centric jobs that will define the future of manufacturing in the United States. Descriptions for jobs such as collaborative robotics specialist, manufacturing cybersecurity strategist and enterprise digital ethicist give a window into the advanced skills and knowledge needed to put new technology into practice and remain globally competitive.

The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) reports that June manufacturing technology orders climbed 6.5 percent over May. The latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report also shows a year-over-year increase of more than 10 percent, the fifth consecutive month posting a year-over-year gain.

The Manufacturing Leadership Council's 800+ members have identified the most urgent and important issues disrupting the manufacturing industry over the next twelve months as it pursues a more efficient, agile, and data-driven future. MLC bills itself as "the world's foremost executive leadership organization dedicated to driving transformational growth for the world's manufacturing companies."

When you hear the phrase “preventive maintenance” what comes to mind? Do you cringe at the thought of taking your CNC machine out of production, losing precious time and money? Or are you meticulous about taking care of your investment so it will last a very long time? Here are some preventive maintenance (PM) tips to help keep your CNC lathe running at peak performance while avoiding unplanned downtime.

June U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $186.57 million according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report (CTMR) collaboration, was down 2.8% from May’s $191.93 million and up 6.0% when compared with the total of $175.97 million reported for June 2016. With a year-to-date total of $1.095 billion, 2017 is up 5.8% when compared with 2016.

As a precision sheet metal machining technology, photo etching achieves exacting tolerances, is highly repeatable and in many instances is the only technology that can cost-effectively manufacture precision metal components with the accuracy necessary in demanding and often safety critical applications. Once design engineers select photo etching as their preferred metalworking process, it is important that they fully appreciate not just its versatility, but also the specific aspects of the technology that can affect—and in many instances enhance—product design. This article analyzes the key considerations that design engineers must appreciate to get the most from photo etching and benchmarks the process against other metal machining technologies.

Pressure and flow are two common terms when it comes to air compressor systems, but the relationship between the two is often misunderstood. Choosing the wrong compressor for your facility can lead to the inability to produce products or wasted energy that increases costs. In this article, we’ll get back to the basics of compressed air and examine the relationship between pressure and flow.

"Adoption of production-monitoring software is growing as manufacturers search for new ways to optimize machine efficiency and maximize shop productivity," writes Makino Inc. "From large manufacturing plants to small job shops, these software technologies are enabling manufacturers to accomplish more with less." A white paper from Makino provides a detailed overview of the capabilities of prominent production-monitoring software, including both common and advanced features. A free login is required to download the paper.

From the Napa Valley Register: “I ended up taking Machine Tool Technology by accident – I didn’t know what it was. When the professor started by talking about the danger of getting scalped by machines, I thought ‘What am I getting myself into?’ But once we got started working I fell in love with the trade and knew what I wanted to do with my life.”

Fast growth in South Carolina’s automotive industry is a driving force behind a new Clemson University program that gives workers an opportunity to stay on the job while learning the skills they need to advance their careers and earn higher pay. Students will have a chance to work in state-of-the art laboratories, participate in large design projects with auto industry clients and learn from top Clemson faculty members.

"When preparing a used machine for auction, there is always important information you should include," writes digital marketplace Machine Tool Bids. "By informing potential buyers about your machine, you will help make the sales process go more smoothly." Machine Tool Bids lists a number of things a seller should provide: machine hours; materials worked; current photos and videos; included options or accessories; machine specifications; and the seller's ability to load the machine.

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in July, and the overall economy grew for the 98th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. At 56.3 percent, the July PMI shows a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from the June reading of 57.8 percent.

Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed marginally in July, reinforcing expectations that the world's second-largest economy will cool in coming months as borrowing costs rise and regulators clamp down on riskier types of financing. The official Purchasing Managers' Index stood at 51.4 in July, down from the previous month's 51.7 but still well above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis. Analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast that the reading would come in at 51.6, little changed from June.

Padded reamers are utilized throughout the manufacturing industry to generate the final hole geometry and meet demanding surface finish tolerances. Some examples of padded reamer applications are automatic transmission valve channels, engine valve guides and engine crankbore/cambores. Because the reaming process is one of the
last manufacturing steps prior to assembly, it is extremely important to optimize the process to reduce costly scrap.