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Manufacturing Engineering: April 2021

The April 2021 edition of Manufacturing Engineering is available as a digital magazine. Links to individual articles are below.
Production-volume metal AM parts being produced for the Rolls-Royce Ghost. It is one of the applications discussed in Wohlers Report 2021.

Growing AM Industry Shows its True Mettle in COVID-19 Pandemic

April 1, 2021
Over the past decade, additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, has continued to grow and solidify its place within private industry, academia, and government.
By Noah Mostow Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International
Terry Wohlers
By Terry Wohlers Head of Advisory Services and Market Intelligence, Wohlers Associates
Boeing and Thermwood employed AM technology to produce a large, single-piece tool for the 777X program. Thermwood used a Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM) machine and Vertical Layer Print (VLP) 3D printing technology to fabricate the tool as a one-piece print, eliminating the additional cost and schedule required for assembly of multiple 3D printed tooling components.

Where is Aerospace AM Flying to Next?

March 16, 2021
If you’re following the additive manufacturing of aerospace components, you’re probably tired of hearing about printing fuel nozzles for GE’s LEAP engine, or sensor tubes for the GE 9X—two key metal applications.
Ed Sinkora
By Ed Sinkora Contributing Editor, SME Media
The MR-J5 main lineup from Mitsubishi Electric offers performance, predictive maintenance capabilities, functional safety, and CC-Link IE TSN connectivity.

The Electrical Heart of Manufacturing

March 18, 2021
The machines that make our world continue to advance. Six-axis CNC milling machines, seven-axis robots, collaborative robots, and smart presses are more powerful than ever, with micron- level accuracy.
Bruce Morey
By Bruce Morey Senior Technical Editor, SME Media
Routinely checking turret and spindle alignment is an important part of any machine tool maintenance routine.

If it Ain’t Broke, It May Need Fixing!

March 22, 2021
Some shops think routine machine tool maintenance is overrated. Bad idea. The big order’s running late. The lead programmer called in sick.
Kip Hanson
By Kip Hanson Contributing Editor, SME Media
Daniel Anderson operating PPR’s Electromechanical Assembly Press (EMAP) from Promess. The EMAP uses a servo-driven precision ballscrew ram and has force and position sensors to provide feedback to the controller.

Intelligent Assembly Helps Auto Part Remanufacturer Compete

March 24, 2021
When an automotive starter needs to be replaced, it’s very likely that the most expensive components—the armature, commutator or gears—are still functional, or can be restored economically.
By Joseph Neubauer Application Engineer, Promess Inc.

Shop Solutions

  • PRESS RELEASES

    Index Corp. Announces Director-Level Promotions

    PRESS RELEASE: Index Corp. January 21, 2026
    Index Corp., a global leader in high-precision CNC turning technology, today announced the promotion of two long-standing leaders to director-level roles on its executive leadership team. The company has named Ross Kenyon as director of applications and Tyler Economan as director of sales, reinforcing its commitment to disciplined execution, technical excellence and long-term customer success as the organization continues to grow.
  • NEWS DESK

    U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Up Year Over Year in November

    Cary Gitter January 21, 2026
    Cutting-tool shipments reached $206.1 million in November 2025, according to the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute.
  • PRESS RELEASES

    OMRON Introduces New Collaborative Robots, Software Upgrade

    PRESS RELEASE: OMRON Robotics January 21, 2026
    OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labor shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production. The TM30S, TM20S and TM6S extend the series’ payload and reach capabilities for applications such as palletizing, machine tending and precision handling.

Up Front

  • PRESS RELEASES

    Index Corp. Announces Director-Level Promotions

    PRESS RELEASE: Index Corp. January 21, 2026
    Index Corp., a global leader in high-precision CNC turning technology, today announced the promotion of two long-standing leaders to director-level roles on its executive leadership team. The company has named Ross Kenyon as director of applications and Tyler Economan as director of sales, reinforcing its commitment to disciplined execution, technical excellence and long-term customer success as the organization continues to grow.
  • NEWS DESK

    U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Up Year Over Year in November

    Cary Gitter January 21, 2026
    Cutting-tool shipments reached $206.1 million in November 2025, according to the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute.
  • PRESS RELEASES

    OMRON Introduces New Collaborative Robots, Software Upgrade

    PRESS RELEASE: OMRON Robotics January 21, 2026
    OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labor shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production. The TM30S, TM20S and TM6S extend the series’ payload and reach capabilities for applications such as palletizing, machine tending and precision handling.

SME Speaks

  • PRESS RELEASES

    Index Corp. Announces Director-Level Promotions

    PRESS RELEASE: Index Corp. January 21, 2026
    Index Corp., a global leader in high-precision CNC turning technology, today announced the promotion of two long-standing leaders to director-level roles on its executive leadership team. The company has named Ross Kenyon as director of applications and Tyler Economan as director of sales, reinforcing its commitment to disciplined execution, technical excellence and long-term customer success as the organization continues to grow.
  • NEWS DESK

    U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Up Year Over Year in November

    Cary Gitter January 21, 2026
    Cutting-tool shipments reached $206.1 million in November 2025, according to the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute.
  • PRESS RELEASES

    OMRON Introduces New Collaborative Robots, Software Upgrade

    PRESS RELEASE: OMRON Robotics January 21, 2026
    OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labor shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production. The TM30S, TM20S and TM6S extend the series’ payload and reach capabilities for applications such as palletizing, machine tending and precision handling.

Advanced Manufacturing Now

  • PRESS RELEASES

    Index Corp. Announces Director-Level Promotions

    PRESS RELEASE: Index Corp. January 21, 2026
    Index Corp., a global leader in high-precision CNC turning technology, today announced the promotion of two long-standing leaders to director-level roles on its executive leadership team. The company has named Ross Kenyon as director of applications and Tyler Economan as director of sales, reinforcing its commitment to disciplined execution, technical excellence and long-term customer success as the organization continues to grow.
  • NEWS DESK

    U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Up Year Over Year in November

    Cary Gitter January 21, 2026
    Cutting-tool shipments reached $206.1 million in November 2025, according to the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute.
  • PRESS RELEASES

    OMRON Introduces New Collaborative Robots, Software Upgrade

    PRESS RELEASE: OMRON Robotics January 21, 2026
    OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labor shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production. The TM30S, TM20S and TM6S extend the series’ payload and reach capabilities for applications such as palletizing, machine tending and precision handling.

Software Update

  • PRESS RELEASES

    Index Corp. Announces Director-Level Promotions

    PRESS RELEASE: Index Corp. January 21, 2026
    Index Corp., a global leader in high-precision CNC turning technology, today announced the promotion of two long-standing leaders to director-level roles on its executive leadership team. The company has named Ross Kenyon as director of applications and Tyler Economan as director of sales, reinforcing its commitment to disciplined execution, technical excellence and long-term customer success as the organization continues to grow.
  • NEWS DESK

    U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Up Year Over Year in November

    Cary Gitter January 21, 2026
    Cutting-tool shipments reached $206.1 million in November 2025, according to the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute.
  • PRESS RELEASES

    OMRON Introduces New Collaborative Robots, Software Upgrade

    PRESS RELEASE: OMRON Robotics January 21, 2026
    OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labor shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production. The TM30S, TM20S and TM6S extend the series’ payload and reach capabilities for applications such as palletizing, machine tending and precision handling.

Viewpoints

  • PRESS RELEASES

    Index Corp. Announces Director-Level Promotions

    PRESS RELEASE: Index Corp. January 21, 2026
    Index Corp., a global leader in high-precision CNC turning technology, today announced the promotion of two long-standing leaders to director-level roles on its executive leadership team. The company has named Ross Kenyon as director of applications and Tyler Economan as director of sales, reinforcing its commitment to disciplined execution, technical excellence and long-term customer success as the organization continues to grow.
  • NEWS DESK

    U.S. Cutting Tool Orders Up Year Over Year in November

    Cary Gitter January 21, 2026
    Cutting-tool shipments reached $206.1 million in November 2025, according to the Cutting Tool Market Report compiled by AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute.
  • PRESS RELEASES

    OMRON Introduces New Collaborative Robots, Software Upgrade

    PRESS RELEASE: OMRON Robotics January 21, 2026
    OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labor shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production. The TM30S, TM20S and TM6S extend the series’ payload and reach capabilities for applications such as palletizing, machine tending and precision handling.