Industry News

Hi-Tech Products, a precision die cutting company, has expanded its capability through the purchase of a new Ultra X6000 laser system from Universal Laser Systems Inc.

Modern truck engines are produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim, Germany. The requirements for ideal engine properties include extremely tight tolerances for the decisive dimensions of the engine blocks. Thanks to the close cooperation between the specialists from Mercedes-Benz, the machine manufacturer and toolmaker Mapal, significant progress was made when a new production line for machining engine blocks was designed.

In March 2019, FOBA provided the Innovation and Research Center (IFC) Tuttlingen at Furtwangen University (HFU) with a laser marking system. Since then, the system has proven itself in scientific research, as well as for demonstration purposes in front of interested parties from the surrounding medical technology industry. The first study project using FOBA's M2000-P laser marking system with a Y.0201 fiber laser systematically dealt with the determination of the laser parameters for the marking of stainless steel instruments.

Markus Stolmar has been elected as the new president and CEO by the board of directors for United Grinding North America Inc., Miamisburg, Ohio.

Birmingham, Alabama-based Motion Industries Inc., a leading distributor of MRO replacement parts and a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Co., has named Chris Pacer to vice president of the company’s Central Group.

Driven by higher customer demand and expectations of further growth, Seco Machine began production at its new manufacturing plant.

The U.K. has approximately 10,000 miles of railway track on its network while the U.S. boasts over 140,000 miles. One thing that both networks have in common however is the need to maintain and repair the rolling stock, especially the wheels which can be prone to flat spots or other damage causing them to run out of round. In the case of the U.S. however, the scale of the network exacerbates these issues, so to maximize efficiency and productivity in their repair workshops, Simmons Machine Tool Corp. turned to Güdel for a solution.

Tavares, Florida-based GWS Tool Group announces it has acquired Intrepid Tool Industries (“Intrepid”). Intrepid is the first add-on acquisition in 2020 for GWS.

Glebar Co., a precision grinding solutions organization, announced the acquisition of Tridex Technology Ltd. Tridex is a leader in electrochemical grinding (ECG) technology, bolstering double-digit growth since inception. Tridex specializes in the design, manufacture, application development and automation of electrochemical grinders, cut off machines and precision abrasive cut off solutions.

No, this story does not begin with “once upon a time,” since it is far too serious, vivid and full of unique facts for a fairy tale. The German partition created different living conditions in both parts of Germany. Moreover, since August 13, 1961, when a dividing wall was built, the citizens in the Eastern part were deprived of any possibility to move to the West. Thus, living conditions and priorities could develop in a contrary direction under totalitarian control.

Solar Atmospheres announces the addition of Tom Gundic to its Greenville, South Carolina, facility. Gundic has accepted the position of plant manager, bringing with him over 14 years of vacuum heat treating and brazing experience, with significant time spent leading teams in the highly demanding environment of Nadcap and AS9100 quality systems.

Walter has reached an agreement to acquire the Melin Tool Co., a privately owned, Cleveland-based company and manufacturer of solid-carbide and HSS end mills, drills and countersinks. Melin is a growing company, supported by innovations in the solid-carbide endmill product family making the acquisition a strategic fit to increase Walter’s milling business in North America.

Worthington, Ohio-based Hyperion Materials & Technologies, a global leader in developing hard and superhard materials for a wide range of demanding applications, on Jan. 1 completed the acquisition of AFC Hartmetall, a premium cemented carbide tool blank manufacturer, marking the close of the complementary agreement announced in September.

North American Tool Corp., South Beloit, Illinois, has announced the appointment of Steve Mayse as director of manufacturing.

Manufacturers are looking to lower costs and increase speed without sacrificing quality. This means getting more done in less time with less manpower, less scrap and fewer mistakes. To do this, the manufacturing industry is investing more in automation.

The manufacturing industry got a huge boost from President Donald Trump's election, seeing a groundswell of job gains during his first year in office. But the trade war with China has undone that progress. Jobs in the sector have stalled out and turned negative in 2019.

U.S. companies aren’t likely to pack up manufacturing operations in China and move back home amid the trade war. That’s because supply chains are “very difficult to put together and equally difficult to disentangle,” said Stephen Roach, senior fellow at Yale University.

Smart manufacturing, or Industry 4.0, is transforming manufacturing back into an economic powerhouse. Industry 4.0 helps companies digitally transform manufacturing operations to provide new capabilities, reduce costs, empower teams, improve decision-making and create better ways of doing business. An integral part of smart manufacturing is the concept of the digital thread, which is key to capturing and managing the information associated with manufacturing operations.

Factory work used to be dirty, dangerous and bleak. Technology has changed that, creating a manufacturing sector that looks radically different.

New robots will be able to generate savings in manufacturing and plug short-term gaps while helping create future jobs.