The Ins and Outs of Laser Marking June 26, 2020 Part identification is a necessary step in any manufacturing operation. This might be as simple as a label on the shipping box, but more often shops are required to mark each component, especially those used in automotive, aerospace, or medical applications.
New Management, Processes Deliver Growth to SPM October 9, 2020 Long-term customer contracts are a lofty goal for every contract manufacturer. At Shapes Precision Manufacturing (SPM), that goal is being achieved by a strong new management team using new fabricating processes initiated by a skilled workforce.
Laser-Equipped Swiss CNCs Grow in Capability, Ease of Use June 25, 2020 Beginning around six years ago, one machine tool builder after another added laser cutting and even welding to their products’ already impressive repertoires.
Fabricator Uses Cobots to Beef Up Welding Operations October 27, 2020 Processed Metal Innovators LLC (PMI), Bloomer, Wis., is a metal fabricator that produces hundreds of different stamped and welded metal parts for heavy equipment, automobiles, appliances, and more.
FABTECH Launches State of the Industry and Economic Outlook Webinar Series November 16, 2020 The producers of FABTECH have launched a three-part webinar series that includes an expert line-up of visionary speakers sharing insights and predictions for the economic future covering the impact of the current state of affairs; pre and post-election insights and predictions for the future.
IPG Photonics Launches LightWELD Handheld Laser Welding System November 17, 2020 IPG Photonics Corp. has launched LightWELD, a new handheld laser welding system. The LightWELD product line enables fabricators to benefit from the greater flexibility, precision and ease of use enabled by laser-based solutions over traditional welding products, according to IPG Photonics.
Vibratory Feeders in the Manufacturing Industry October 22, 2020 Vibratory feeding and conveying equipment has been used in the manufacturing industry for several decades to move fine and coarse materials into mixers, furnaces, production processes or final containers.
Safe Handling of Flammable Chemicals Requires Effective Transfer Systems October 26, 2020 In manufacturing, potentially flammable and hazardous chemicals such as acetone and isopropyl alcohol are often stored in 55-gallon or larger drums for dispensing into smaller containers or at the point of use.
Targeting the Skills Gap in Forming and Fabricating July 24, 2020 As in other industries, U.S. forming and fabricating companies are experiencing a critical shortage of skilled labor. In this SME Media podcast, Alan Rooks, Editor in Chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Robert Tessier, National Director of Advanced Fabrication Technologies for Airgas about the skills gap in the forming and fabricating industry; changes needed in the education system to fill the need for skilled labor; how automation factors into efforts to reduce the skills gap; and efforts at Airgas to develop workers for manufacturing operations, including a special program for military veterans.
Welding Automation Addresses Skills Shortage October 5, 2020 Like just about every other manufacturing operation, welding has made the leap into the 21st century with automation, agile manufacturing processes, and offline programming.