Industry Trends & Analysis

News • February 19, 2022

Understanding photo-chemical etching’s capabilities and costs

Photo-chemical etching is a viable alternative to legacy metal fabrication technologies and is seen in many applications as the only technology that can achieve the repeatability, accuracy, and geometric complexity demanded by OEMs from across myriad industries.

Articles • December 1, 2021 • Alan Richter

COVID strikes back

The delta variant of the coronavirus, a shortage of semiconductors, logistics challenges and a scarcity of skilled labor are affecting the rebound of manufacturing, but there is reason for optimism.n

News • October 8, 2021

Marketing for manufacturers: Let your customers be your marketers

A look inside the launch of a digital marketing campaign.

Articles • July 26, 2021 • Dennis Spaeth

A shot in the arm

Business may not be back to pre-pandemic levels across the board, but the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute's spring meeting and the latest economic indicators are a welcome shot in the arm for the industry.

Articles • July 21, 2021 • Christopher Tate

Tool presetting truth

Reducing time spent setting tools can increase profits.

News • July 8, 2021

Calculating tooling can help manufacturers diversify

Choosing the right tools, and determining the right tool calculations, is vital to overcome diversification challenges and developing new revenue streams.

News • April 15, 2021

Choose digital, choose the right drill

Fewer than 30% of manufacturers have extensively adopted Industry 4.0 technologies, according to findings published in a new report, but manufacturers' reluctance to go digital might have to change if they are to adapt to an unpredictable future. Sandvik Coromant's testing finds that an increase in machine utilization can result in a higher gross profit margin.

News • April 14, 2021

Coalition asks Commerce Secretary to terminate job-costing tariffs

Continued job losses and lost business can be expected if the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum are allowed to continue, according to a manufacturing coalition.

Articles • March 10, 2021 • Dennis Spaeth

Recovery by the numbers — believe me

Good or bad, up or down, expansion or contraction — CTE reports the numbers that serve as manufacturing's economic indicators.

News • February 18, 2021

Cutting tool consumption, manufacturing indicators up in December

The U.S. manufacturing industry continued to rebound in December 2020 with cutting tool consumption up 4% over November and the Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index expanding from 57.5 in November to 60.5 in December. n

News • January 25, 2021

U.S. manufacturing indicators reveal growth through December

As the overall U.S. manufacturing industry continued to rebound in November 2020, the cutting tool sector found itself on the downside of an economic rollercoaster. That said, optimism for the year ahead continues to grow.

Articles • January 14, 2021 • Marcus Ralston

Shift focus toward technology

To compete in the 21st century, we need to emphasize the technical, more complex aspects of metalworking.