Since 1996, the Plant 15 machining operations at Mercury Marine have included a reliance on automated machining cells. Over the years, the Fond du Lac, Wis.-based manufacturer and distributor of marine engines, parts, accessories and integrated systems has phased out some traditional manufacturing methods in favor of modern cells.
Peter Drucker, known as the father of modern management, was quoted in a 2006 article in Forbes as saying, “Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two—and only two—basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs.”
While the manufacturing sector generates large amounts of data, relatively few companies have fully harnessed that data to improve operational efficiencies.
Today’s job shops can distinguish themselves from competitors by adding deep hole drilling/gundrilling to their offerings. But complex, custom-built machines require more floor space and a bigger investment.
Betting that the worst of the pandemic will be over and travel restrictions lifted, the 2021 edition the machine tool exhibition is putting out the welcome mat to the world.
Improvements in manufacturing management software, robotics, additive manufacturing and thermal controls are making small batch sizes more cost effective—even for smaller shops. Manufacturing plants are able to reduce inventory, improve throughput and reduce demands on human operators.
Manufacturers have begun using sensors and actuators to monitor their cutting processes and adjust parameters to optimize tool life and workpiece quality. However, traditional monitoring systems have some drawbacks.
Supply chains are creating cybersecurity risks for companies, according to a security services firm report.
What doesn’t happen in Vegas stays in our magazine. So, we bring you some highlights of the exciting advances in cutting you would have seen at FABTECH 2020 this year in Las Vegas, which has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cloud computing has become more prevalent in our daily lives and the ability to access the internet nearly anywhere at any time has allowed for manufacturers to become more able to view real-time shop data across all departments. In this podcast, Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering magazine discusses using cloud-based business systems with Kevin Must, Marketing Manager for Lantek Inc.