Industry News

As useful and commonplace as robots are in manufacturing, buying one is rarely a one-stop shopping experience. However, robot manufacturer Universal Robots A/S has launched a new service, UR+, which may change the way robots are bought and sold.

A look at "how manufacturers make the most of machine data" in CIO magazine goes over the challenges as well as the benefits of using ERP. A major source for the article is Magnus Wiktorsson, professor of production systems at Mälardalen University in Sweden.

A circular shape provides multiple benefits in the machining world. For example, round inserts are stronger than inserts with any other shape. However, when it comes to coolant channels in cutting tools and toolholders, channels that don't have circular cross sections can enhance operations.

Have a great idea for a machine tool but lack the cash to fund its commercialization? Crowdfund it! That's what Matthew Hertel did when he leveraged a Kickstarter campaign to raise more than $355,000 for the development and creation of his Pocket NC 5-axis milling machine.

The Quaker Chemical Corp., Conshohocken, Penn., acquired Lubricor Inc., a Canadian metalworking fluids manufacturer, in a deal announced Dec. 1. Lubricor, which manufactures and markets value-added metalworking products such as synthetic and semi-synthetic coolants, hydroforming fluid, and stamping products, sells directly to primarily Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive suppliers in North American, according to a Quaker news release.

A partnership between AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, McLean, Va., and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) is expected to increase access to apprenticeships and assist employers in developing new programs that reach diverse talent pools, according an AMT news release issued Nov. 15.

The Associated Press is reporting that air-conditioner manufacturer Carrier Corp. has reached a deal with President-elect Donald Trump to keep nearly 1,000 jobs in Indiana. Last February the company had said it would close the Indianapolis plant, lay off its 1,400 workers there and relocate the work to Mexico.

The Janesville, Wis., micromanufacturer Performance Micro Tool is part of a Janesville Gazette feature on local companies increasing their use of automation. The article notes that a recent source of revenue for the company is a tool contract with a company that makes the tiny housings in credit cards that hold those now-ubiquitous micro chips.

Carr Lane Manufacturing CEO Nance Frost recently announced the promotion of Colin W. Frost to Chief Operating Officer of the company, which is headquartered in St. Louis. Known primarily for jig & fixture components, Carr Lane Manufacturing offers more than 100,000 products, including quick-change tooling plates and accessories, hoist rings, toggle clamps, handles, knobs, ball and spring plungers, threaded inserts, clamp straps, drill bushings, alignment pins, fixture bases, and power workholding devices.

To spur significant innovation and growth in advanced manufacturing, as well as save over $100 billion annually, U.S. industry must rectify currently unmet needs for measurement science and "proof-of-concept" demonstrations of emerging technologies.

In a guest editorial, CEO and author Steven L. Blue argues that "Smart manufacturing should start with people, not machines" and that companies should "start by building a workforce that is engaged, enlightened, and empowered. A workforce that trusts in its leadership."

Kyocera Group is exhibiting a range of newly developed metalworking tools at the Japan trade show JIMTOF 2016. These will include the new CA3 Series CVD coated carbide indexable cutting tool inserts for cast iron machining; the Magic Drill DRA, a high-performance modular drill; and the MFH Micro, a tiny-caliber high-feed cutting tool.