The simple proposition that no two automation solutions using robotics are alike because no two manufacturing processes are identical presented a major challenge to Daniel Drennen of Deshazo LLC (Alabaster, AL).
When GE decided that additive manufacturing was the way to go for making metal fuel nozzles for its new LEAP engine, the company touched off interest in other shops to move 3D printers from the design studio to the factory floor. It also stepped up the focus on safety standards for metal AM.
New coatings are going the boutique route, using multiple layers and new materials to optimize for a particular application
Supplying the 700 level-one trauma centers in the US is an intensively competitive business. Not only must suppliers like Smith & Nephew Orthopedics Inc. (Memphis, TN) produce very fine surface finishes on implantable devices and surgical instruments made from difficult-to-machine materials, but they also must deliver quality products, as surgeons need them.
Attendees at Makino’s 2017 Die/Mold Expo Sept. 13-14 learned how they can boost utilization and quality with high-performance controls as well as how to increase productivity through automation. In addition, they also had an early look at the V80S five-axis VMC that had its world premiere a week later at EMO in Hannover, Germany.
Coolant is a key component to successful centerless grinding but is often overlooked. Many coolant delivery systems for centerless grinders are under engineered and are often neglected.
The demand for better part quality and lower cost per part has driven advances in grinding technology both in machine tool design and wheel performance. Grinding professionals are more aware than ever before of the critical role coolant plays in efficient grinding processes and the need for a well-designed coolant strategy.
When it comes to creative workholding solutions, Kurt Industrial Products Division doesn’t hesitate to replace one or even two of its old vises with a new one to get a better product.
Combining effective shop-floor strategies with advanced machine tool technology has resulted in dramatic setup reductions for Land & Sea Inc., dramatically shrinking setup times from days to minutes.
In what shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, challenges for advanced grinding technology from high tech industries range from handling the most difficult-to-machine materials for aerospace jet engine turbines to series production on automotive drive train lines.