Industry News

SyncFab, a Manufacturing Blockchain solution for parts suppliers and buyers, has announced a strategic partnership with the National Tooling and Machining Assocation. The new relationship will grant access to SyncFab's advanced manufacturing blockchain platform for over 1,300 NTMA members across the U.S.

When metalworking fluids are used during machining processes, they generate airborne mists that facility operators must carefully control. If left unchecked, these mists can create a dangerous work environment and cause serious health problems for workers. The best engineering control to keep your shop safe and your business in regulatory compliance is a high-efficiency mist collection system designed for your specific application.

Almost everyone has become accustomed to smart phones, smart televisions, and even the concept of smart cars. And technology has advanced far enough that people understand generally what expectations of functionality are associated with the use of the word "smart" in front of a word. But outside of the consumer product sphere, the companies that produce those goods, and all the "non-smart" goods as well, are beginning to benefit from the same technologies.

Mitsubishi Electric, DMG Mori and Yaskawa Electric are among 100 major Japanese manufacturers set to share production data with each other to improve efficiency, using blockchain technology to ensure their information remains secure.

The federal agencies funding 14 institutes created to jump-start the manufacturing industry have no set criteria to measure progress, according to a government report. The departments of Commerce, Defense and Energy need a way to gauge whether they're meeting the goals of the 2014 law that formed this nationwide network of manufacturing hubs, the Government Accountability Office announced.

NUM AG is helping Taiwanese machine tool company Chien Wei Precise Technology Co. Ltd. develop CNC grinding machines for manufacturing specialized gears used in robotics applications. Based on NUM's Flexium+ 68 CNC platform, Chien Wei's machines are designed to speed the production of both involute and cycloidal profile precision gears.

The American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative, in collaboration with the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Century Foundation, is a new national organization building on the foundation of the 24-region Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership initiative, helping regional communities across the U.S. devise and implement sustainable economic development plans that lead to good-paying jobs in thriving manufacturing sectors.

Most manufacturers have invested in some type of technology to run their businesses, whether it's new equipment, robotics, software or business intelligence tools. Each year, Plex Systems Inc. conducts a survey that gathers insights on how manufacturers use technology to solve day-to-day challenges, as well as major industry challenges. The fourth annual State of Manufacturing Technology Report reveals that manufacturers investing in technologies that enable a connected environment are more resilient and optimistic about the challenges ahead.

The struggle among manufacturers to fill open jobs is likely to continue because of the shrinking labor pool and growing need for workers with high-tech skills. Those are conclusions in a report from the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group for manufacturers, including thousands of small businesses. In a survey in March, manufacturers said their inability to attract and retain talent was their biggest concern as it was for the previous two-and-a-half years. A quarter of those surveyed said they've had to turn down business opportunities because they didn't have the staffers needed to fulfill contracts.

A New Haven, Connecticut-based worker training organization is getting $3.45 million in state funding to expand a program to grow the workforce in the manufacturing sector. Funds will be used to build upon a program launched in February at Gateway Community College that took 19 unemployed and underemployed workers and provided them with an intensive five-week training course. "Every single one of them had a job before they graduated," said William Villano, president and CEO of Workforce Alliance. "This (is) a good program for people that want to change careers or high school graduates who aren't going to college."

My latest trip took me to Las Vegas, where I attended HxGN LIVE 2019. Hosted by Sweden-headquartered Hexagon AB, the ninth biennial conference took place June 11-14 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center adjacent to The Venetian and The Palazzo resorts, and I participated in the Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence division's media program.

Global demand for toolholders, specifically arising from the automotive and defense and aerospace industries, will witness a relatively steady growth through 2028, as predicted by Future Market Insights (FMI) in its recently released market intelligence report. While the demand for toolholders will be largely driven by emerging economies, in particular the manufacturing sector, China is likely to make substantial investments in high-performance cutting tools, considering the robust manufacturing and industrial output in the region.