Industry News

Shape Corp., a tier-one automotive and industrial component supplier, is partnering with the SME Education Foundation to expand its manufacturing education program for high school students. The Foundation, Shape Corp. and Grand Haven Area Public Schools will collaborate through SME's Partnership Response In Manufacturing Education (PRIME) initiative, to develop and launch an advanced manufacturing education program at Grand Haven (Mich.) High School beginning in the 2018 academic year.

On June 15, officials from the Jenoptik board of directors, the city of Rochester Hills, Mich., Oakland County and the state of Michigan, gathered at the company’s new facility in Rochester Hills to mark the grand opening. The building covers 100,000 sq. ft. on a 16-acre campus. Half of that acreage will be devoted to the production of laser cutting systems and automated gaging solutions for the automotive industry in North America.

An article at HR (as in Human Resources) Dive revisited the ongoing skills-gap issue, noting that "today's talent lacks the skills required to complete manufacturing tasks in a computerized world." Two experts—Mitch Free, chairman and CEO of ZYCI CNC Machining and founder of MFG.com, and Chris Hobbs, reliability solutions manager at Advanced Technology Services—make the case that certification programs offer "at least a partial solution" to the problem.

Contrary to public perception, U.S. manufacturing and logistics industries experienced dramatic growth over thepast generation, says a new report from Ball State University. U.S. manufacturing production grew 11 percent since the dot.com bust (2000-03) and the ensuing economic turbulence of the 2001 and 2007-09 recessions.

Machine tool builder GF Machining Solutions LLC announced its new “learn and earn” apprenticeship program during the first day of the machine tool builder’s 2-day Solutions Days open house. The event, which took place June 6-7 at its Lincolnshire, Ill., headquarters, included technical presentations and equipment demonstrations.

Coldwater (Ohio) Machine Co., an engineered solutions company that manufactures and integrates precision equipment and tools, has announced the expansion of it complex part machining capability with the addition of a DMG Mori NTX-2000 5-axis multitask machine to enhance its build-to-print and design-and-build services. The company is recognized for precision machining of workpieces with complex geometries in a variety of materials for customers in the aviation, automotive and energy industries.

According to MTD Micro Molding, nothing is more frustrating for micropart designers than to spend countless hours on a new drawing, only to get to the manufacturing phase and find out they need to make significant revisions or compromises. Their tooling department provides eight recommendations to help improve the manufacturability of your next micropart design.

In 2016, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. installed new manufacturing systems for machining structural parts made of aluminum. To achieve the desired surface quality and precision during high-speed milling operations, the aircraft manufacturer continuously relies on the solutions provided by Haimer: a large selection of toolholders and the corresponding shrinking and balancing machines.

According to Frost & Sullivan’s Industrial Automation and Process Control team, cognitive technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are "poised to transform all manufacturing sectors." Partnership, collaboration, and technology investment are crucial for growth opportunities in an era when "data is the new currency."

MBFZ toolcraft GmbH reports that 3D printing is developing at an increasingly rapid pace. While plastic parts can already be 3D printed on home printers, metal 3D printing remains in the hands of innovative industrial companies. Here, the transition has already been made from rapid prototyping to rapid manufacturing. Both the ability to produce titanium bone implants and the growing interest in the technology shown by politicians are clear indications that the manufacturing method is ready to be used for series production. To improve its additive manufacturing processes, toolcraft has invested in new laser melting machines from TRUMPF.

"There are some common mistakes people make when buying a new CNC machine that we see all too often," writes Okuma's Brian Kateley. "Sometimes they skip important steps in space planning that can really come back and bite them when installation day arrives. All of this can easily be avoided if you contact your distributor and request a 2D drawing so you can plan your installation correctly." Kateley's entire checklist is at the link below.

"Keeping manufacturing jobs from going overseas" is the top recommendation Americans give as the best way to create more jobs in the U.S. Many also suggest reducing government regulation, lowering taxes, creating more infrastructure work and improving education. These responses, from a May 3-7 Gallup poll, are generally similar to what Gallup found when it asked this open-ended question in 2009 and 2011 -- except education, which is mentioned more frequently this year than in the past.

Carey Manufacturing makes pedestrian products -- the same handles and latches it's turned out for 40 years. But it's making a name for itself these days because of an unusual distinction. Almost half its workers are women, and women outnumber men on the factory floor.

The Reshoring Initiative, in conjunction with the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), invites companies that have successfully reshored parts or tooling made primarily by metal forming, fabricating or machining to apply for the first National Reshoring Award. There will be one award for buyers and one award for suppliers.

Without a doubt, cutting tools for machining titanium must be well-engineered. This was reinforced for me while attending Horn Technology Days 2017 May 10 to 12 at Hartmetall-Werkzeugfabrik Paul Horn GmbH’s in Tübingen, Germany.

Economic growth is expected to continue in the U.S. throughout the remainder of 2017, say the nation's purchasing and supply executives in their Spring 2017 Semiannual Economic Forecast. Expectations for the remainder of 2017 continue to be positive in both the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors. Sixty-four percent of respondents from the panel of manufacturing supply management executives predict their revenues will be 8.5 percent greater in 2017 compared to 2016, 12 percent expect a 9.6 percent decline, and 24 percent foresee no change in revenue.

The University of Strathclyde’s Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) is celebrating a quadruple success of new memberships with some of the United Kingdom’s most forward-thinking technology companies. The center has signed agreements with 3D Scanners, CGTech Vericut, Dontyne Systems and TMS CADCentre, each joining as tier two members.

Local high schools investing heavily in technical education have noticed interest from an unexpected subset of students: females. Late last year the Sheboygan Area School District built new advanced manufacturing labs at both high schools under a program called "Red Raider"—and similar manufacturing education centers have been constructed in high schools in Plymouth and Sheboygan Falls in recent years.

Heller Machine Tools will open its doors for Tech Days 2017, July 26 and 27, at its facility in Troy, Mich. The machine tool builder will demonstrate new 4- and 5-axis machining solutions for automotive, oil and gas, heavy-duty diesel and general machining applications.

In the 100th year of its history, 2016, the BMW Group ordered the 100th EcoCFlex system from Dürr Ecoclean. The anniversary specimen of the flexible robot cell forms part of a three-unit package and has received a special painting. The machines have been serving in a volume production environment at the Steyr engine plant since May 2017.