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Adopting AM to Drive Organizational Value

John Deere’s Eric Johnson discusses the company’s additive manufacturing journey—with an eye toward helping small and medium businesses get going in AM. Learn about the early days of getting one of the first AM parts, as well as unrealistic expectations of the technology and how John Deere is creating value with the technology today. Finally, Johnson provides tips on unlocking the value of AM for your business in five key applications.

How Machine Shops Can Benefit from New Automation Technology

As automation technology becomes more effective, cost effective, and easier to implement, job shops are automating more and more of their processes. In this episode, Alan Rooks, editor in chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Michael Gaunce, group manager, stationary workholding for Schunk Inc., about what a small to medium size job shop should consider when starting and exploration into automation; the particular machines or jobs that are easier to automate over others; why high part quantities are not needed in order to automate a job; what types of skills a shop should look for in employees working with automation; and how to define categories for the different styles of automation used in machine tool tending.

MTConnect Exec: Standards Help See Into Future, Integrate Diverse Equipment

Russell Waddell, managing director at the MTConnect Institute, dives into why so many standards exist, what manufacturers can gain from a digital factory project, and how they can cut through the hype—to at least achieve shop floor monitoring. MTConnect, a standard with more than 10 years of history, frees up manufacturers to focus on value-add functions instead of normalizing data. And it has been installed on more than 50,000 devices worldwide. Today, the use case is not just what happened or what is happening “what is going to happen: looking at … anything that is forward-looking and anticipating what will happen next.” Perhaps most important, embracing standards allows for quick and easy integration of all types and brands of equipment.

Getting Supply Chain Risk Under Control

William Crane, CEO of IndustryStar, an on-demand supply chain services and software technology company, dives into what manufacturers concerned about supply chain risk can do to worry less. In his estimation, “on-demand supply chain risk management resources have really been taking off.” It is possible, he said, to build a “supply chain competitive advantage.” Heard of agile supply chain? If not, he explains it.

Adaptive Welding Key to Power Generation

While water and fire tube boiler power plants may be considered archaic, they now power much of North America and will for some time, even as newer, cleaner, greener tech transitions into the mainstream and becomes practical.

The Diversification Crisis in Manufacturing

According to a survey conducted by ISM, 75 percent of U.S. manufacturing companies experienced delayed resources and materials due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak has forced manufacturers to rethink supply chains to allow for product diversification.