MFG.com Offers Online Sourcing for Robotics Parts October 31, 2016 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).
Product Innovation is on Tap. So How Fast Can Spigot Flow? November 9, 2016 The Fourth Industrial Revolution has begun, and there is wide agreement this revolution will involve cyber-physical systems with human-machine interaction and lots of data. But many still wonder what the revolution is about and what to expect as consumers and manufacturers.
How to Run a Factory: Timeless Advice from the Late Jim Harbour October 2, 2014 Here’s something you can cut out and hang on your bulletin board if you run a manufacturing company, large or small. I’ve spent nearly 60 years thinking about the factory floor, and here’s how I believe it should be run.
To U-Shape or Not to U-Shape? January 28, 2015 Batch and queue is the hallmark of a mass production system. Parts are processed, moved in large quantities to the next process, wait for their turn, are processed, and moved as a batch to the next process.
Searching for the Perfect Lightweighting Recipe September 1, 2016 Lightweighting is so established it’s now part of marketing for new vehicles. Automakers routinely detail how much less models weigh than their predecessors. General Motors Co., for example, has said a range of its vehicles is anywhere from almost 250 lb (112.5 kg) to 700 lb (315 kg) lighter.
Honeycomb Heroes: Making Composites for Aerospace June 24, 2016 There’s an old saw that if bumblebees were aeronautical engineers they would know they can’t fly. Quite apart from the miracle of their flight, bees also happen to make a lightweight structure of surprising strength, just the sort of thing you’d want if you were building aircraft: honeycomb.
Fiber Lasers Continue to Gain Market Share in Material Processing Applications February 1, 2016 The first kilowatt-class fiber laser for material processing was introduced by IPG Photonics in early 2002. Since that time, the adoption of fiber lasers for production applications has grown at a rapid rate. Today, fiber lasers are becoming the choice for most major production laser applications as well as converting traditional welding and cutting processes to fiber laser technologies.
3D-Printed Parts Restore Cars’ Glory August 12, 2016 Daimler may be the first vehicle maker to offer 3D-printed replacement parts, but racing enthusiasts and car collectors like Jay Leno have been using additive manufacturing and 3D scanning for many years to replace worn-out parts or to enhance their rides.
Smart Factory Technologies Step Up at IMTS September 16, 2016 Smarter factory systems connected via the cloud are the grand vision offered for the future factories that will fully leverage the best available tools from automation, software and machine tool builders.
Opportunities and Challenges of the OEE Numbers Game September 1, 2016 The issues around OEE are not its utility but the ease and credibility of the data used to calculate it