Industry News

Yamazaki Mazak Corp. and Murata Machinery, Ltd. (Muratec) have collaborated in the development of the MAZATEC SMS, an advanced manufacturing system designed to provide efficiency by performing unmanned machining. It incorporates the internal factory material handling technology of Muratec with the advanced horizontal machining centers and multi-tasking machine tools of Mazak Corp.

In the 1987 movie "Wall Street," the archetypal corporate villain Gordon Gekko memorably argues that "greed is good"—and that the bottom line is the only good a dutiful company need pursue. Thirty years on, Ethisphere Institute has announced 124 companies spanning five continents, 19 countries and 52 industry sectors as the 2017 World's Most Ethical Companies honorees. Of these, four are in the category of Industrial Manufacturing: 3M Co., Deere & Co., Milliken & Co. and Timken Co. Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, Pa., is the only honored company in the category of Machine Tools and Accessories.

On Robot ApS, a Danish manufacturer of grippers for collaborative robots (cobots) that was founded in 2014, is introducing its technology to the North American market and has appointed Gary Eliasson as its general manager for North America. He will be based in Charlotte, N.C. "My goal is to set up a North American distribution channel," he said.

Kitagawa North-Tech Inc., Schaumburg, Ill., reportedly will open a new office and warehouse facility in Queretaro, Mexico, on April 7. Kitagawa North-Tech, which makes standard chucks, advanced chucks, cylinders, steady rests, custom-engineered workholding and workholding accessories, described the new facility as a demonstration of the company's "commitment to Mexican customers," according to a March 17 company news release.

Sources tell Reuters that Plex Systems Inc, a privately held U.S. maker of software used to run manufacturing plants, is exploring a potential sale that it hopes will value it at more than $1 billion, including debt. The move comes as the world's largest industrial companies, from General Electric Co. to Siemens AG, seek to snap up software assets to modernize their manufacturing processes, improve their supply chains and cut costs.

GF Machining Solutions this month appointed two new regional managers in the Western Region to support growing sales of the company's machines, automation solutions and services, especially for the tool and moldmaking industries, according to a March 15 company news release.

In October 1977, the Cortec Corp. developed vapor phase corrosion inhibitors (VpCIs) that allow clean, dry, more environmentally friendly methods of corrosion protection for multi-metals. At a time most companies still relied on inorganic chemistries, Cortec established its first groundbreaking technological platform of organic corrosion inhibiting chemistries.

U.S. factory output increased for a sixth straight month in February while consumer sentiment rebounded in early March, underscoring the economy's resilience even as growth appears to have slowed significantly in the first quarter. That was supported by other data on Friday showing a gauge of future economic activity rose in February to its highest level in more than a decade.

SMTCL USA Inc., City of Industry, Calif., received an award at the Digital Manufacturing Showcase event Feb. 10 from Galesburg High School for the machine tool builder's part in a new partnership bringing manufacturing training to high school students. This program gives students an opportunity to learn CAD, CNC programming and CNC operation. Students from six local high schools will be able to take the classes.

Donald Trump promises to bring factory jobs back to the U.S. from overseas, but many blue-collar workers are hurt more by a lack of skills than by globalization.

The U.S. manufacturing industry is rushing to embrace technology as a critical part of its processes and plans to make new technological investments in 2017, but barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption still exist, according to Automation Alley's 2017 Technology Industry Report. According to the report, 85% of national manufacturing executives said their company plans to increase budgets for technological advancements; nearly a third of them plan to increase their budgets by 10% to 15%.

At Manufacturing Tomorrow, Greg Dyer of Randstad Commercial Staffing writes about "The hottest jobs in manufacturing in 2017." He notes "new technology, innovative production systems, a growing preference for American-made goods and a decline in offshoring are transforming U.S. manufacturing. There is an increased demand for technology-savvy workers to not only capitalize on the next industrial revolution, but to fill a critical void left behind by retiring workers." The hottest manufacturing jobs this year are: "production supervisor, maintenance mechanic, driver, machine operator and warehouse supervisor."n