Industry News

Avantech recently added two new, large bridge-style CNC machines, significantly enhancing its capability to provide large-scale tooling for customers.

I admit to some bias against school. From about fifth grade on, our educational system and I were rarely on speaking terms. Think oil and water rather than peas and carrots. Needless to say, I left at my earliest opportunity. Aside from that thing with my daughter pulling the fire alarm, my kids were far better students. So when it came time for them to make the big decisions, I kept my opinion to myself and did what most parents do these days: Encourage them to get their college degrees.

March U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $207.08 million, according to the United States Cutting Tool Institute, Cleveland, and The Association for Manufacturing Technology, McLean, Va. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration, was up 8.8 percent from February's $190.32 million and up 3.5 percent when compared with the $200.05 million reported for March 2017. With a year-to-date total of $581.02 million, 2018 is up 6 percent when compared with 2017.

BIG KAISER Precision Tooling Inc. held its Breakfast & Learn 2018 open house May 8-10 at its headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Each day include a technical presentation. On the third day, John Zaya, workholding product manager for BIG KAISER, covered multiple-axis, quick-change workholding systems.

TechDay is a dual-location event June 7 by Datron Dynamics Inc. at technology centers on the East and West coasts to demonstrate new CNC control software. Although free and open to the public, registration is required.

The Institute for Supply Management reported that the April Purchasing Managers' Index registered 57.3 percent, a decrease of 2 percentage points from the March reading of 59.3 percent.

Sandvik Coromant Co., Fair Lawn, N.J., and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Edmonton, Alberta, extended their contract until 2022.

Tooling Tech Group, Macomb, Mich., acquired Century Tool Group, which is composed of Century Tool & Gage Co. in Fenton, Mich., and CTG Bel-Kur Automation in Temperance, Mich.

Machine tool distributor Kaast Machine Tools Inc., Ardmore, Pa., appointed Ebony Goldsmith office manager.

Mahr Inc. has partnered with the University of Rhode Island's (URI) engineering department to offer students the opportunity to work on real-world engineering and manufacturing problems. As part of the URI capstone project, students in their senior year are selected to take part in a year-long capstone project focused on automation of submicron precision finishing of ring gages.

To celebrate Mikron Tool SA's 20th anniversary, a dozen employees will cycle from the Rottweil branch in Germany to the parent company in Agno, Switzerland, over four days. The participants are using the trip to support the Greenhope Foundation, which benefits children with cancer.