Manufacturing Engineering: June 2018
The June 2018 edition of Manufacturing Engineering is available as a digital magazine. Links to individual articles are below.

Advanced Technologies Drive New Cylindrical Grinding Capabilities
May 29, 2018
While cylindrical grinding has been used for some time, its capabilities may not be fully appreciated. New grinding wheel technology, controls, materials and dressing processes, coolant and pump options—as well as smarter software—make today’s machines worth getting acquainted with.

Automating Verticals: The Time is Right for Every Type of Shop
May 29, 2018
Whether we’re talking about linear pallet systems, simple pallet changers, or robots, it’s clear there is a huge opportunity to automate US machining operations. While horizontal machines are automated more often than verticals, vertical machining centers are more prevalent than horizontals so the greatest untapped potential is in automating verticals.

Optical Metrology in Three Dimensions
May 29, 2018
Basic trends in modern manufacturing are driving growth in 3D optical metrology. “One is the highly complex and high-tech material that manufacturers are using today. For example, in the aerospace turbine blade market, they simply cannot touch the part like they used to—the surface finish of the material is too readily affected by any kind of contact metrology."

Simulation Software Spreads its Wings
May 30, 2018
When wrestling with vexing issues such as product complexity, lightweighting, advanced materials and new manufacturing methods, today’s manufacturing engineers increasingly use high-fidelity simulations to visualize solutions to these challenges.

More Shops Take the ‘Through-Way’ for Coolant Applications
May 30, 2018
If John Winter of toolmaker Sandvik Coromant (Fair Lawn, NJ) were to start his own machine shop, all of his machines would be equipped for through-spindle coolant (TSC).

Liquid Nitrogen an Alternative to Traditional Coolants
May 30, 2018
Cryogenics offer an alternative to traditional liquid coolants when conventional cooling methods can’t or don’t do the job well enough.
Shop Solutions
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Advanced 3D Scanning Meets Rigid FSAE University Student Competition
May 31, 2018Formula SAE competitions challenge teams of university undergraduate and graduate students to design and fabricate a small, formula-style vehicle. Once completed after eight to twelve months of work, the vehicles are judged in a series of static and dynamic events including technical inspection, cost, presentation, and engineering design, solo performance trials, and high-performance track endurance. -
Smart Manufacturing
Maserati Wears Smart Tools for Auto Production Today and for the Future
May 31, 2018Smart wearable tools are setting the tone with Industry4.0 for Italy’s auto factories of the future in today’s Maserati plants. Developing and using technology within today’s Smart Factories is providing a level of intra-connectivity that is changing the very framework of modern manufacturing. -
Grinding & Deburring
Tool Measurement System Speeds CNC Tool Grinder’s Inspection, Deliveries
May 31, 2018When a growing backlog in the inspection room began to slow production and delay deliveries, Voisard Tool Service Inc. (Russia, OH), a division of Arch Global Precision, found a solution in a new advanced tool measurement system and software from United Grinding (Miamisburg, OH).
Up Front
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Tooling & Workholding
Change and Continuity in Manufacturing
June 1, 2018On May 9, I took a whirlwind tour of change in manufacturing by visiting several open house events. First up was BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling Inc. in Hoffman Estates, IL, where Matt Tegelman, applications manager and product manager Kaiser, talked about the Industrial Internet of Things.
Advanced Manufacturing Now
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Automation
Real Thinking About Artificial Intelligence
June 1, 2018My instincts tell me we need a sense of urgency around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing. The urgency is driven by how quickly technology can move today, and how an unexpected breakthrough can quickly dominate. -
Materials
The Key Role of Force Measurement in Composites
June 1, 2018Composite materials have clear benefits for manufactured parts in aerospace, medical, automotive applications and many other industries. Ensuring the highest part accuracy is critical. Force measurement and material testing are essential processes for product designers and manufacturers to gain insightful data to create high-quality composite components.
SME Speaks
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Expert Opinion
Lasers Grow Manufacturing
June 1, 2015Today, laser technology in manufacturing touches all of our lives on a daily basis; lasers cut air bag material and weld air bag detonators for our in-car safety; lasers weld the batteries in many of our mobile devices; lasers drill aero-engine components for planes; lasers cut the glass for our smart phones and tablets screens; lasers weld the drivetrains in our cars and trucks; lasers cut medical stents that increase and enhance our lives, just to name a few.
Workforce Pipeline
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Expert Opinion
Leveraging a Labor Match Made by Mother Nature–Gen Z
May 31, 2018The manufacturing industry’s concern over finding qualified skilled workers increased from 51% in 2016 to nearly 60% in 2017, according to the Sikich 2017 Manufacturing report. Solutions to address skilled labor shortages have been a top priority for US manufacturers.
Software Update
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Controls
Speeding Up the Additive Manufacturing Design Process with New CAD/CAM Tools
June 5, 2018PowerMill 2019 provides a dedicated suite of tools to program high-rate additive processes—commonly known as directed energy deposition [DED]. The DED process utilizes a CNC machine tool or industrial robot that can focus a power source—typically laser, arc or electron-beam—at a point in space.
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