Industry News

As manufacturers continue to be challenged by a shortage of skilled workers and the need to boost productivity, automation remains a topic of significant interest. That was certainly the case at the Wisconsin Manufacturing & Technology Show. The biennial trade show took place Oct. 8-10 at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis, Wisconsin.

After a bit of a hiatus, I received a new book about metalworking, "Essential Guide to Metals and Manufacturing" by Krishan Katyal. The author is a mechanical engineer who has worked for four decades designing and manufacturing machine tools, consumer appliances, diesel-electric locomotives and heavy concrete construction products for Chicago area companies.

NVision Inc., in cooperation with the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, is making it possible for those with vision-impairment to interactively engage with some of the great works by modern sculptors. NVision, a leader in 3D noncontact optical scanning/measurement for more than 29 years, recently scanned several sculptures by Auguste Rodin (perhaps best-known for his sculpture, The Thinker) and Julio González for the Nasher. The scanning data was used to 3D-print to-scale replicas of the sculptures for a tactile educational experience for the blind and visually impaired. nn

Master Fluid Solutions, a Perrysburg, Ohio-based manufacturer of metalworking fluids and associated chemicals, announces its acquisition of Wilhelm Dietz GmbH. Based in Düsseldorf, Germany, Wilhelm Dietz GmbH primarily serves the needs of the pipe and tube expansion, forming, wire drawing and metalworking industries under its WEDOLiT brand name.

The Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center Research and Development (OMIC R&D) announced this week that Urmaze Naterwalla has joined the organization as its Research Operations Officer. Naterwalla, formerly senior engineer for machining solutions at Boeing Portland, will be developing research operations at OMIC R&D in this new role for the organization.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) and the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center – Research & Development (OMIC R&D) have united to define a set of Metrology standards and to develop a metrology certification process. Metrology, the study of measurement, has far-reaching applications in the manufacturing industry. The ability to compare and verify a physical part against its CAD model is in high demand, and that demand is predicted to increase.

At first blush, hardness and toughness may seem like interchangeable concepts, but they actually exist at opposite ends of a continuum that defines indexable and solid tool performance, particularly when it comes to carbide inserts. Harder inserts offer greater wear resistance for superior performance and tool life in hot cutting environments, while tough inserts can handle greater impacts and stressors for the highest feed and depth of cut. For any given application, there is an optimal balance of hardness and toughness – and toolmakers have worked diligently to establish metallurgic principles to offer a range of tools that can meet the diverse needs of manufacturers.

Force Control Industries celebrates 50 years of manufacturing long lasting oil shear clutches, brakes and clutch brakes. Although industries and applications have come and gone in the five decades that the company has been in business, Force Control Industries continues to develop new uses for its unique oil shear technology.

MC Machinery Systems is known as a supplier of Mitsubishi EDMs and laser machines, and Mitsubishi EDM/Laser is prominently displayed on the company's headquarters in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, but several seminars focused on hard milling and 5-axis machining were presented during its EDM National open house. The event took place Sept. 26.

As additive manufacturing and 3D printing of metal parts continues to make inroads into production environments, the need to efficiently and effectively finish-machine them when typically required gains importance.

Manufacturing is transitioning from a linear supply chain world to a much more adaptable internet of goods. Just as the internet is built on the TCP/IP stack, the internet of goods will be built on a new manufacturing stack that goes beyond the factory floor.

Our discourse on the manufacturing renaissance is marked by a failure to take hysteresis into account. First, I will select representative voices from the discourse. Then I will present a bracing article from IndustryWeek. I'll conclude by merely alluding to remedies.