Industry News

Jasper, Ind.-based toolmaker NAP Gladu, a Techniks Industries company, acquired Eide Saw & Tool Service Inc., Minneapolis.

Gear Motions Inc., Syracuse, N.Y., is partnering with Southeast Industrial Solutions, Atlanta.

As reported in The Wall Street Journal, nearly 200 parents of high school students in Fort Collins, Colo., recently gathered for “Parents’ Night.” Their children, they were told, could have great, well-paying careers while being “the next generation of makers.” The venue? Woodward Inc., an engine and equipment components plant looking for ways to line up the next generation of employees amid a dearth of manufacturing workers nationwide. “We’re really trying to get after the parents—the parents are influential with their kids,” said Keith Korasick, Woodward’s vice president of operations, who started as a machinist there 26 years ago. “Our message to the parents was, ‘There’s another option.’ You can’t have everybody be a lawyer.”

Stanek Tool LLC, New Berlin, Wis., a manufacturer and employee-owned business specializing in the design and production of complex hydraulic workholding fixtures and precision machined components, appointed Kevin Lichtenberg CEO.

Single Source Technologies, Auburn Hills, Mich., a distributor of machine tools and consumables, is collaborating with SmalTec International LLC, Naperville, Ill., to bring the EM203 and GM703 microprecision EDMs to SST’s West, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions.

Aircraft Tooling, a Dallas-based repair center for the aviation industry, was surprised to find that Universal Robots could withstand the high temperatures and harsh environment while performing metal powder and plasma spray processes. The UR “cobots” have been in operation for 3 years without breakdown or service requirements.

​​​A year ago, a leading aerospace manufacturer approached Sandvik Coromant with a machining challenge. The operation in question was finishing deep titanium pockets, a common feature in structural aircraft components.

Open Mind Technologies AG has announced that its hyperMILL CAM software has provided 5-axis programming to successfully replicate a basketball hoop. The basketball hoop was machined on a GROB G350 5-axis machining center using conical ball barrel cutters from OSG.

The skills gap is a well-known, widespread dilemma across the manufacturing industry. Now that the gap is a mainstream problem, what are the steps industry leaders can take to solve it?

In response to the question of whether custom CNC aluminum is better for the CNC machining process, the answer is “yes” in the majority of cases. Today, demand for CNC machining is on the rise, and to ensure superior quality parts and components, customization makes a significant difference.

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, North Kingstown, R.I., will open its newest Hexagon Solution Center on Jan. 11 in Irvine, Calif.

Eriez Manufacturing Co., Erie, Pa., appointed Modern Tools Inc., Stoneham, Mass., the company’s exclusive HydroFlow Fluid Filtration Systems sales representative agency for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

J.M. Sales-USA, Troy, Mich., is the representative in North America for Swiss Tool Systems AG, Bürglen, Switzerland, a modular boring system provider.

Eriez Manufacturing Co., Erie, Pa., celebrated its sales representative agencies that have been partners with the company for 50 years or longer.

Scottie Mahl joined finishing toolmaker Osborn, Richmond, Ind., as director of marketing and product management.

Brett Green joined dimensional metrology equipment manufacturer Mahr Inc., Providence, R.I., as vice president of sales for the Americas.

Dimensional metrology equipment manufacturer and member of the worldwide Mahr Group, Mahr Inc., Providence, R.I., announced that Karen Gardner joined the company as director of human resources.

Proto Labs Inc., Maple Plain, Minn., acquired privately held company Rapid Manufacturing Group LLC, Nashua, N.H., a custom parts supplier specializing in quick-turn sheet metal fabrication and CNC machining.

Bunting Magnetics Co., Newton, Kan., which makes metal detection, material-handling and magnetic separation equipment, appointed Kevin Miller general manager of the company’s primary manufacturing facility in Newton.

Abco Automation Inc., Browns Summit, N.C., a designer and builder of high-end factory automation systems, signed a value-added reseller agreement with Visual Components, Espoo, Finland, a maker of 3D manufacturing factory simulation software.