General Shop Equipment & Supplies

The Associated Press is reporting that air-conditioner manufacturer Carrier Corp. has reached a deal with President-elect Donald Trump to keep nearly 1,000 jobs in Indiana. Last February the company had said it would close the Indianapolis plant, lay off its 1,400 workers there and relocate the work to Mexico.

Carr Lane Manufacturing CEO Nance Frost recently announced the promotion of Colin W. Frost to Chief Operating Officer of the company, which is headquartered in St. Louis. Known primarily for jig & fixture components, Carr Lane Manufacturing offers more than 100,000 products, including quick-change tooling plates and accessories, hoist rings, toggle clamps, handles, knobs, ball and spring plungers, threaded inserts, clamp straps, drill bushings, alignment pins, fixture bases, and power workholding devices.

In a guest editorial, CEO and author Steven L. Blue argues that "Smart manufacturing should start with people, not machines" and that companies should "start by building a workforce that is engaged, enlightened, and empowered. A workforce that trusts in its leadership."

The Skills Gap dilemma in manufacturing shows little sign of abating amidst Baby-Boomer retirements. One possible solution: Bringing back the once-popular high-school shop class--but with a high-tech slant to interest and prepare a new generation for modern manufacturing. The Tampa Bay Times reports on a Florida high school that is doing just that.

Could it really happen? An unnamed source tells Nikkei Asian Review that iPhone maker Apple has asked two Taiwan-based iPhone assemblers, Foxconn and Pegatron, to examine the feasability of manufacturing the devices in the U.S.

Mastercam 2017 for SOLIDWORKS is a CAM application that is fully integrated into SOLIDWORKS. Users can program parts directly in SOLIDWORKS using Mastercam's industry-leading toolpaths and machining strategies. In addition to all the improvements to Mastercam Mill and Lathe, Mastercam 2017 for SOLIDWORKS features the Analyze Toolpath and improved Tplanes.

Methods Machine Tools Inc. has announced the addition of the KIWA-Japan Triple H40 horizontal machining center with a column-traverse structure to its current KIWA line. One of the most unique design features of the Triple H40 is its ability to support flexible mounting of various fixtures and rotary tables based on the application.

Three new capabilities in the 2017 edition of PartXplore are maintaining the powerful high-speed CAD viewer and analyzer's long tradition of updating format support and new enhancements. PartXplore, by Vero Software, contains many innovative features usually found in high-end CAD systems that enable users to perform part diagnostics, create assembly instructions and prepare the production of 3D models.

Whether you're starting a new engineering program or upgrading an existing one, the Haas Mini Mill is the ideal learning tool. Now available in a school edition, this machine is bundled with educator and student tools that provide real-world machine shop experience within the classroom.

Reuters reports that America's manufacturers are urging President-elect Donald Trump to back off from his most threatening trade rhetoric and pursue a more nuanced approach to trade with China and Mexico, avoiding unilateral tariff actions and focusing on negotiations. Corporate lobbying groups, some chief executives and pro-trade lawmakers also say they eventually even hope to persuade Trump that free-trade agreements can help grow the U.S. economy and create jobs.

Geometric Americas Inc. released CAMWorks 2017 with significant additions to the software focusing on customer needs and worldwide manufacturing initiatives, such as Smart Manufacturing and Industrie 4.0. The new capabilities in CAMWorks 2017 are a result of more than 60 customer-driven enhancements.

Mazak's QTU-200MY multitask turning center reportedly offers shops of all sizes ease of use, cost-effectiveness and unmatched productivity. The space-saving machine features a main turning spindle, tool turret with rotary milling spindle, Mazak's new MAZATROL SmoothC control and Y-axis off-centerline capabilities for high versatility paired with all the benefits of multitasking part processing.