General Machining & Manufacturing Processes

September 2019 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $195.9 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration, was down 4.3 percent from August's $204.7 million and down 7 percent when compared with the $210.6 million reported for September 2018. With a year-to-date total of $1.8 billion, 2019 is up 0.2 percent when compared with 2018. Please note there were revisions to August 2019.

Arch Cutting Tools hired Charlie Novak Jr. as Arch Specials business development and coordinator. He will be located at Arch-Mentor and report to Brent Sheerer, product manager for Arch Specials (dotted line to Jeff Cederstrom, divisional president of Arch Cutting Tools). Novak joined the company on Nov. 11, Veterans Day, as the toolmaker honored those who've served.

Hermitage, Pennsylvania-based Solar Atmospheres of Western PA has completed construction of a new brazing and assembly room. Though built primarily to accommodate a large aluminum brazing project for a specific customer, the room will be used for other brazing and assembly work, as well.

API Services, Rockville, Maryland, one of North America's largest nationwide providers of on-site metrology and laser tracker rental services has launched a recertified laser tracker operation. API Services is a wholly owned division of Automated Precision Inc. (API) whose CEO, Kam Lau, invented the laser tracker. The API Radian laser tracker series offers the smallest lightest and most accurate trackers available.

Tomenson Machine Works is a third-generation, family-owned manufacturer of precision hydraulic manifolds, with a focus on continuous improvement. The company turned to collaborative automation in its pin-stamping application to improve quality, profitability and worker satisfaction. The OnRobot collaborative RG6 gripper handles dozens of different part sizes with fast and easy changeovers, and sets the stage for ongoing automation in potential applications such as CNC tending, deburring and packaging.

New Unison Corp., a Ferndale, Michigan-based builder of precision grinding equipment, announced that Robert Baker has been promoted to its senior management team. As the new general manager, he will be responsible for the company's manufacturing operations, as well as assisting in equipment sales and service.

U.S.-made, premium, right-angle, Korner zirconia and ceramic flap discs are available from Weldcote, a division of Zika Group. U.S.-made, premium, right-angle, Korner zirconia and ceramic flap discs are available from Weldcote, a division of Zika Group. The flap discs feature a unique design where the abrasive material wraps over the edge of the flap disc, allowing the user to grind aggressively into corners and other areas that are tight fits, including fillet welds.

RoboVent has re-designed one of their most popular weld fume extraction systems from the inside-out as the first part of a new wave of product launches and exciting organizational updates and announcements leading into 2020.nEach Spire unit provides filtration for up to two robotic weld cells for effective source capture filtration or easily converted to an ambient unit for area-wide filtration when a hooded enclosure is not possible.

Researchers have developed a futuristic 3D printer that is so big and fast that it can print an object the size of an adult human in just a couple of hours.

Without the right bits, even the perfect CNC rig won't go very far. Explore this comprehensive guide to CNC router bits.

Most political analysts agree that Donald Trump won the presidency on the backs of long-suffering blue-collar workers in industrial states. His campaign was propelled by a promise to revive manufacturing through trade, tax and regulatory policies. After nearly three years in office, the results are unfortunately tepid in terms of engineering a real boom in this sector, and the trends in recent months signal spreading weakness. Nonetheless, manufacturing is stronger than it was when he took office, and policy support is still in place for growth. Headwinds from trade policy and political uncertainty, however, are restraining a more robust growth path.

Colin Cooper, Connecticut's first chief manufacturing officer, will be involved with regulations, hiring and training. The new position comes after manufacturing companies in the state said they would like to hire more local workers but struggle to find candidates.