Industry News

For a long time, not much was known about Savannah Co. The precision machining firm didn’t even have a sign out front. There is one now. Arne King, who purchased Savannah two years ago, is working to enhance its visibility.

Global revenues for linear motion products reached a record high of $7.9 billion in 2017. Revenue growth of 10.2 percent is expected in 2018, primarily due to substantial order backlogs. Growth will then slow to 4.5 percent in 2019. Due to improved global economic conditions and an increase in manufacturing activity, total revenue from linear motion products is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6 percent from 2017 to 2022.

Any good machinist knows when to hit the stop button when their operation goes awry. Human senses - touch, see, hear, all come into play when optimizing a machining process. But as the saying goes, we're only human. Manually checking all machines running at all times leaves room for error and is next to impossible. Digital machining gives you a pair of digital eyes and ears providing you with the most accurate data from your machine – so you can know about disruptions before they happen.

Three ways to view the positive impact of a new technology approach that will drive the digital factory of the future … with your machines.

CNC Software Inc. has announced the winners of the 2017-2018 Wildest Parts competition. The company develops the industry leading CAD/CAM software, Mastercam, and holds the Wildest Parts Competition each year to encourage student interest and participation in manufacturing. The competition is open to students at the secondary and postsecondary levels to create parts demonstrating creativity and technical skill using Mastercam.

Xometry, an on-demand manufacturing platform, launched the Xometry Shop Advantage Program, which is exclusive to qualified members of Xometry's manufacturing partner network of over 2,400 small and midsize manufacturers. The program provides Xometry's manufacturing partners with easy access to a portfolio of offers on computer hardware, tooling, raw materials and business services, such as equipment financing.

Where do we come from – what is our destination? This was the question after the first introduction of this new cutting material “polycrystalline diamonds” (PCD) at the Hanover Trade Show in 1973.

Accenture believes that investment in artificial intelligence has the potential to double the annual economic growth rates of major developed economies, such as Germany, and triple Japan’s economic rate by 2035. In the manufacturing industry, Accenture believes that the power of AI technologies will increase profitability by 39 percent, boosting gross value added by almost $4 trillion in 2035.

In addition to TIR (total indicator runout) is the dimension of the grinding wheel side flutter, runout, roundness and tolerance. This is accomplished by truing, dressing, forming and conditioning.

We talk extensively about the “skills gap” facing manufacturing. The problem is this only partially true. Yes, there's a deficit in our skilled trades pipeline, and as employers, educators and communities, we need to rally around the value of skilled trades and support the growth of this critical workforce - starting in junior high and beyond. Yet, there's another gap that mid-market manufacturing is facing - The Strategic Gap - and it has many facets.

Manufacturing is booming. Many say that's great news for the stock market because increased manufacturing activity is evidence of a stronger economy. This seems logical, but does data support such a conclusion? And is it prudent to use manufacturing indicators to time your exposure to stocks?

While this statement may not applicable across the board with machine tool applications, it certainly rings true when used in context with air supply to machine tool spindles. More often than not we have found that poor quality air supply to spindles is a significant factor in premature machine tool spindle failures. Whether it be a dirty (particulate contaminant) in the air supply or more predominantly moisture contaminated air supply. This is a recipe for disaster.

Although automation is occurring in manufacturing, as it is in other sectors of the economy, the evidence does not support the idea that automation was the main cause of the sudden decline in manufacturing employment after 2000. It’s difficult to precisely pin down what was to blame, but a large body of research suggests that economists and pundits are wrong to so quickly dismiss trade and to blame machines.

Texas could be in line to land thousands of additional aerospace-related manufacturing and engineering jobs if companies in the fast-growing sector heed a new ranking of the most competitive places for them to operate. The report by PricewaterhouseCoopers lists Texas behind only Washington state as the top location in the United States for “aerospace manufacturing attractiveness.”

The metal fabrication and manufacturing industry has adjusted in recent years to meet the demands of an evolving global economy, impacted by social, political, economic and technological advancements that effect all aspects of the industry. In changing times and in a historically male-dominated industry, manufacturing has seen a steady rise in women playing key roles in the industry, shaping the next generation of manufacturing to be more gender diverse, innovative, and rewarding for those who pursue a career path in this compelling field.

Robots and the programming they rely on have certainly made huge leaps in recent years. But manufacturers have little use for jumping or cuddling machines. They need performers that can do specific production jobs. Do robots fit the bill? Will they replace all our manufacturing employees?

A close look at the performance of America's top manufacturing companies reveals a surprising story of industrial growth. It also suggests an alarming future.

Sascha Fischer, machine tool business manager at Siemens Industry Inc., discusses how CNC technology can take motion control and production data to the cloud to drive digital factory capabilities. Connecting production equipment to data networks promises increased uptime, process optimization and predictive maintenance. Most shops already have the key building block to start: the CNC that manages machine tools.

A waterjet cutting system utilizes a mixture of water and abrasive (or in some cases, water only) to cut through workpieces by rapidly eroding the material. Because water plays such a significant role in the operation of these machines, it is important that the condition of the water is optimized to maximize both the efficiency of the waterjet and the longevity of its components.

CONTOUR360 has been announced as the first ever ANCA Tool of the Year award winner at IMTS with the company's creative and eye-catching tool.