Cobots are an ideal, entry-level robotic device for smaller shops to begin using automation.
There’s more than one way to finish a hole. The most effective option will depend on the number of parts, cycle time and tolerances. One of the most effective options is boring.
Having a plan for maintaining and improving the performance and reliability of every machine on a shop floor is vital to manufacturing operations. Reliable machines make short-notice production runs possible. And the more flexible manufacturers are, the more new customers they’ll attract.
Manufacturing Engineering asked thought leaders at five companies for their views on challenges and trends facing the metalworking industry.
More shops than ever are embracing waterjet cutting systems. And for the most part, the reason is that a number of customer-driven improvements/innovations to waterjet technology make it even more user friendly, productive and appealing to an ever-broadening array of manufacturers.
There have been many process improvement trends in manufacturing over the decades, and none have had more significant ROI than machine monitoring. The increase in machine monitoring is owed in large part to the rise in popularity of the open and royalty-free interconnectivity standard MTConnect.
Additive will provide a simpler, more responsive supply chain for high-value parts, according to Velo3D CEO Benny Buller.
Robots simply are not used as widely as they could be, due to persistent barriers.
EV manufacturers must overcome a unique set of challenges to meet future customer expectations. Among them is the challenge to create innovative designs that meet safety requirements, performance criteria and keep costs down in the face of growing competition and a widening skills gap.
The history of cutting tools goes back a ways—a long, long way. Our prehistoric ancestors were pretty good at making stone tools, and the technology has improved from there. I saw how much on a February visit to the Deutsches Museum in Munich, which has an exhibit on the history of machining.