Since 1996, the Plant 15 machining operations at Mercury Marine have included a reliance on automated machining cells. Over the years, the Fond du Lac, Wis.-based manufacturer and distributor of marine engines, parts, accessories and integrated systems has phased out some traditional manufacturing methods in favor of modern cells.
Manufacturers have begun using sensors and actuators to monitor their cutting processes and adjust parameters to optimize tool life and workpiece quality. However, traditional monitoring systems have some drawbacks.
The warning about the vulnerability of the aerospace and defense industry’s supply chain came buried in the pages of a report issued by the consulting firm EY two years before the COVID-19 outbreak became a full-blown global crisis.
Improvements in manufacturing management software, robotics, additive manufacturing and thermal controls are making small batch sizes more cost effective—even for smaller shops. Manufacturing plants are able to reduce inventory, improve throughput and reduce demands on human operators.
We no longer need to accept that it takes a decade to create and make a safe and effective vaccine—thanks in part to smart manufacturing.
Listen to this Smart Manufacturing magazine cover story: In the thick of the ‘herculean’ vaccine push. Moderna is among the companies able to tackle the most urgent of matters precisely because of their digital strength.
With the help of adhesive forces, geckos have been moving easily over smooth surfaces for millions of years. SCHUNK is using this principle to develop various fields of handling applications with ADHESO, its new gripping technology.
The company expands Xcelerator portfolio to use knowledge-based approach for defining MBD
In this final installment of the Connected Machine Shop series, we’ll tackle the more technical and implementation-oriented aspects of an Industry 4.0 transformation.
Cloud computing has become more prevalent in our daily lives and the ability to access the internet nearly anywhere at any time has allowed for manufacturers to become more able to view real-time shop data across all departments. In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering magazine discusses using cloud-based business systems with Kevin Must, Marketing Manager for Lantek Inc.
