Industry News

As additive manufacturing and 3D printing of metal parts continues to make inroads into production environments, the need to efficiently and effectively finish-machine them when typically required gains importance.

Manufacturing is transitioning from a linear supply chain world to a much more adaptable internet of goods. Just as the internet is built on the TCP/IP stack, the internet of goods will be built on a new manufacturing stack that goes beyond the factory floor.

Our discourse on the manufacturing renaissance is marked by a failure to take hysteresis into account. First, I will select representative voices from the discourse. Then I will present a bracing article from IndustryWeek. I’ll conclude by merely alluding to remedies.

ARCH Cutting Tools announced that the Richards Micro-Tools product portfolio is being rebranded as KEO Micro Tools.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) is now offering standardized CAM credentials, CAM Milling and Turning. “The CAM field continues to grow and is expected to create almost 100,000 new programmer, designer, and engineer jobs by 2024,” said NIMS Executive Director Montez King. “It is imperative that people entering the field are properly trained and capable, and these credentials show a potential employer that applicants are ready to program CNC machine tools. Further, employees already on the job may wish to secure an official, portable, industry-recognized certification.”

Precision and efficiency have become the leading demands for manufacturing. Modern equipment is changing rapidly. Sturdier, harder materials are used, complex geometries with tight tolerances and fine surface finishes are required, and all that has to be done at a faster pace. This race toward product perfection involves using professional custom machining services for more and more industries and for a lot of different purposes.

When tariff hikes began in spring 2018, companies associated with manufacturing immediately went on alert. Over the past year and a half, continued escalations have increased pressure on U.S. and China relations, leaving international companies that rely on Chinese manufacturing looking to reduce uncertainty with short- and long-term solutions.

Continuing collaborative efforts for the technological advancement of manufacturing processes, Florence, Kentucky-based Mazak Corp. and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) manufacturing demonstration center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, have entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA). Working on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, ORNL and Mazak will further develop the use of hot wire deposition (HWD) in additive manufacturing part production operations.

DAYTON, Ohio—Five-axis coordinate measuring machine OEM AIMS Metrology announced the hiring of Chris Brown as national sales manager.

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – GF Machining Solutions has announced that it will expand distribution channels and regional sales to further invest in its capability to deliver advanced manufacturing technology to customers throughout North America.

Waukesha, WI—Walter, a cutting tool manufacturer has announced the appointment of two new regional channel development managers to support its overall sales organization, channel partner relationships and aggressive business growth strategy.

Cleveland, TN – voestalpine eifeler Coatings today announced the opening of their newest coatings facility in Cleveland, Tennessee, thirty minutes north of Chattanooga on Interstate 75.

[FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ]  Mr. Kinichi Kato has been named President of Mitsui Seiki Kogyo, Ltd., the parent company of Mitsui Seiki USA, Inc.

Rockford, IL – Bourn & Koch, an American manufacturer of new precision machine tools, today announces that its parent company, Alleghany Capital Corporation, has acquired Coastal Industrial Distributors LLC, (doing business as CID Performance Tooling); and has formed a new holding company for its subsidiaries in the machine tool and consumable cutting tool sectors.

Grand Rapids and Macomb, Mich. – Mary Nicholson has been named president of Die Cad Group, a Tooling Tech Group (TTG) company that specializes in engineering and tooling design services for the metalworking and plastics industries.

[Hazlet, NJ]  High QA, Inc., the developer of Inspection Manager™ Quality Management Software, has appointed Christopher (Chris) Mendicino to the position of Vice President of Professional Services and Jim Moroz to the position of Senior Software Support Applications Engineer.

SCHUNK will now be assembling grippers in the US.

Milwaukee, WI— PFERD INC., a global manufacturer of abrasives, brushes and power tools, has announced the appointment of Rafael Astacio to the position of Vice President, Sales.

The global cutting tool inserts market is likely to account for ~US$ 18.1 Bn by the end of the assessment year 2019, and is estimated to expand at a CAGR of ~7.0% during the forecast period of 2019-2029. Among the type of material, the carbides segment is anticipated to grow at a noteworthy rate, owing to their cost effectiveness and durability, thereby contributing to the relatively high growth rate of the carbides segment over the forecast period.

A leading provider of manufacturing execution systems (MES), Critical Manufacturing, Porto, Portugal, has announced that its new strategic partnership program is rapidly gaining momentum to enhance its global presence. Critical’s newly forged relationships with leading service providers will benefit customers globally in industries across complex high-tech discrete industry segments, including semiconductor, electronics assembly and PCB, medical devices, aerospace and defense, and automotive.