Industry News

Satellites gather speed and travel through a variety of different atmospheric conditions during orbit. Many of the fluctuations in temperature and atmosphere are unlike anything experienced on Earth. This is one of the challenges faced when sourcing materials for the construction of satellite parts.

Sonaca Montreal, a manufacturer of large aerostructures and a subsidiary of Belgium-based Sonaca Group, inaugurated a new high-speed milling center at its plant in Mirabel, Que.

Clemson University announced the creation of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing. CU-CAM will consolidate all interdisciplinary education, research, innovation and engagement involving manufacturing-oriented activities under one umbrella with the overarching goal to improve manufacturing effectiveness, quality and sustainability. This confluence of expertise and infrastructure will enable the center to provide timely, relevant translation of innovation directly to industry partners.

A former NFL linebacker, Pete Shufelt credits his post-football career as the owner of Backerworks Manufacturing LLC to the day he asked his high school counselor/football coach about what elective classes to take.

The unemployment rate in the manufacturing industry for private wage and salary workers is at its lowest point in 17 years, reports the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. November had a rate of 2.6 percent unemployment, down from a high of 13 percent in January 2010 and the lowest since 3.1 percent in June 2000.

I attended 'Integr8,' an Industrial Internet of Things conference hosted by Automation Alley at Detroit's Renaissance Center last month. At numerous breakout sessions, a common question from participants was, "How do I get started with getting my shop floor connected?" This was an event full of experts enthused by the possibilities that IIoT hold for manufacturers, so I was pleasantly surprised to hear many of them reply, in effect: "With moderation."n

Deloitte projects that in the next decade, 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled. However, many manufacturers struggle to fill the employment vacancies they have now. With five website enhancements, a manufacturer can improve its chances of recruiting talented, experienced millennials.

The structural steel industry is bracing for – and counting on – a huge increase in demand for structural steel products. The anticipated surge in demand arises from a renewed focus on improving the country's infrastructure, as well as a high level of private sector construction. Manufacturers are investing in machinery that enables them to increase part production speed. This emerging metalcutting trend is supported by a variety of new tools, including the structural steel GEN3SYS XT holder and insert system and T-A structural steel drilling system made by Allied Machine & Engineering.

The job training programs at Hononegah Community High School and Beloit Memorial High School include job shadowing, mentoring, summer apprenticeships and training workshops at cutting tool manufacturer Regal Cutting Tools, Roscoe, Ill.—but no internships. Working at Regal Cutting Tools means being considered a normal employee, not an intern, even if the worker is there part time and spending his or her days as a high school junior or senior. Although students are allowed time off for academic-related reasons, such as preparing for college admission tests, there are no exceptions for extracurricular activities, such as sports or clubs. "They need to make a decision whether they want to be part of that," said Plant Manager Dennis Weiland.

Not every holemaking job requires a high-performance, solid-carbide or PCD-tipped drill with an advanced coating. For many, a HSS jobber drill will suffice.

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in November, and the overall economy grew for the 102nd consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. The November PMI registered 58.2 percent, a decrease of 0.5 percentage point from the October reading of 58.7 percent. This indicates growth in manufacturing for the 15th consecutive month led by expansion in new orders and production, offset by supplier delivery improvement and declines in raw material Inventory.

FANUC Corporation, supplier of robotics, CNC and factory automation has announced the production of its 500,000th robot. The company is working toward ramping production up from 6,000 to 11,000 units per month. To that end, FANUC is building a new factory, which is scheduled to open in August 2018.