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Manufacturing Engineering: August 2020

The August 2020 edition of Manufacturing Engineering is available as a digital magazine. Links to individual articles are below.
The Large Additive and Subtractive Modular Machine development unit, with two giant articulating FANUC robots on rails that perform wire and arc additive deposition, a rotary part rotator and build platform, and a Tricept unit for subtractive machining.

Print, Cut, or Use the Best of Both?

July 22, 2020
Manufacturing Engineering last covered the pluses and minuses of combining additive and subtractive machining in detail in July 2017.
Ed Sinkora
By Ed Sinkora Contributing Editor, SME Media
Augmented and mixed reality leverages another important component of Industry 4.0, the digital twin. In this example from Microsoft, a technician is guided through the steps needed to assemble a fuel-injection system.

ERP in the Age of Industry 4.0

July 23, 2020
As with so much else in manufacturing, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is a byproduct of the Third Industrial Revolution. Where electronics began transforming manual lathes and mills into CNC machine tools some 60 years ago, so too have computers and information technology given us CAD/CAM, ERP, PLM, and so much more.
Kip Hanson
By Kip Hanson Contributing Editor, SME Media
Electric vehicle parts being inspected with a Renishaw Equator gaging system.

Gages Step Up the Tech

July 27, 2020
Sophisticated metrology equipment, like coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and laser scanners, are increasingly seen outside quality labs. “Many companies have cut costs by moving inspection from the lab to the shop floor,” said Matteo Zoin, head of marketing and new market development for Marposs Corp., Auburn Hills, Mich.
Bruce Morey
By Bruce Morey Senior Technical Editor, SME Media
(Left to right) Jackie Zhang, Anjana Chiluka, Megan Joseph, Stephanie Price, Reena Limbachia, and Alison Niendorf at a Digital Divas event.

Promoting STEM Careers for Women

July 24, 2020
In the United States, females earn 61.3 percent of the four-year college degrees and make up over 50.3 percent of the population, but still lag in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers.
Stephanie Price Software Engineer, Promess Inc.
By Stephanie Price Software Engineer, Promess
By Bia Hamed Digital Divas Program Director
Full digital tool information can help deliver safer, more efficient cutting motion, as shown in this delicate turning example from Mastercam.

Connecting the Dots in Manufacturing

July 28, 2020
Before Industry 4.0, it didn’t matter that the CAM software didn’t talk to the ERP system, or that the CNC machine tools were mute. Islands of information were acceptable back then.
Kip Hanson
By Kip Hanson Contributing Editor, SME Media
The IMTS balloon will not be flying over McCormick Place in Chicago this September, but AMT says it is fully committed to the show’s return there in September 2022.

IMTS 2020: A Show in Print

July 29, 2020
The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), which would have been held in September in Chicago, has been canceled for the first time since World War II.
By SME Media Staff
The new-generation Cincom L212X, featuring the all-axis simultaneous Cincom System M70 Control as well as a 15,000-rpm main spindle.

COVID-19 Disrupts Planning, Not Advanced Technology

July 29, 2020
The impact of disruptive technology and the benefits of Industry 4.0 digitization of controls, machines and processes have been fully embraced by the metal removal segment of advanced manufacturing.
Jim Lorincz
By Jim Lorincz Contributing Editor, SME Media
Bluco’s Extra-Large Modular Fixturing system is designed to help shops achieve precise, accurate results on their largest parts. Seen here are custom-configured base plates and a selection of some of Bluco’s 120+ extra-large modular components.

Machine Tool Processes Depend on Creative Enablers

July 30, 2020
It is fair to say that IMTS, virtual or otherwise, presents the ultimate manufacturing tool box, where shops can find the newest, most innovative and proven devices for holding, moving, cutting, bending and inspecting workpieces.
Jim Lorincz
By Jim Lorincz Contributing Editor, SME Media
Vollmer’s laser technology can be used to optimize different processes in tool manufacturing, including the machining of chip guide notches.

New Tech Powers Grinding Ops

July 31, 2020
Abrasive machining is a tried-and-true technology for meeting exacting tolerances and producing superior finishes. Manufacturers continue to develop new capabilities.
By Larry Adams Contributing Writer, SME Media
The new-generation TNC 640 control.

The Heart of Modern Manufacturing

August 3, 2020
Controls help make modern manufacturing go. Controls help shop floor employees monitor Industry 4.0 technology. Controls also boost productivity on the shop floor. Technology companies are highlighting improvements designed to maintain the forward momentum of advanced technology.
Bill Koenig
By Bill Koenig Senior Editor, SME Media
A copper welding arm printed on a Markforged machine. The company has added copper to its roster of available metals for printing.

IMTS Reflects Additive Advances

August 4, 2020
Over the past decade, IMTS has been a good indicator of the changing status of additive manufacturing. The show’s floor space devoted to 3D printing expanded from 2014 to 2018, reaching pavilion status at the most recent show. It had been scheduled to grow even more at IMTS 2020 before the show’s cancellation.
Bill Koenig
By Bill Koenig Senior Editor, SME Media

Shop Solutions

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

Up Front

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

SME Speaks

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

Advanced Manufacturing Now

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

Research Focus

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

Additive Manufacturing Update

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

Workforce Pipeline

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.

Viewpoints

  • ADDITIVE

    Coloring Outside the Cortex: 3D Printing Anatomic Models for Complex Brain Tumor Surgery

    Maggie Lashutka, Biomedical Engineer, Ricoh 3D for Healthcare LLC March 11, 2026
    When you’re a neurosurgeon faced with a complex tumor resection case, the more tools you have at your disposal for pre-surgical planning, the better. Attending neurosurgeon Dr. Marcus Ware, neurosurgery resident Dr. Michelle Miller, Tulane University medical student Smruti Mahapatra and other medical staff at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans faced a particularly complex brain tumor case that called for thorough planning. Due to the tumor’s left-sided and deep intraventricular location within the brain, multiple attending neurosurgeons with extensive experience in tumor resection looked at the patient’s imaging and suggested different approaches for the case.
  • ADDITIVE

    The $132-Billion Engine: Why Boston is the Center of Gravity for Additive Manufacturing

    Angie Szerlong, Group Director, AM Series, SME March 10, 2026
    When we bring RAPID + TCT 2026 to Boston this April, we’re stepping into one of the densest, most diverse industrial supply chains on the planet.
  • WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

    Effective Interviewing Practices for Manufacturing Positions

    Staff Writer March 10, 2026
    Conducting interviews is still considered the most efficient way to analyze talent and skills for hiring in manufacturing.