When it comes to the production of high-precision parts for industries ranging from aerospace to medical, grinding remains the best, most cost-effective approach to obtaining fine surface finishes and tight tolerances.
We all know the buzzwords circulating around digital data and the factory. You have heard them—Industry 4.0, smart factories, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). The question we all have is how will this impact workers in the long term? What do these terms really mean? Nevertheless, both traditional software suppliers and makers of advanced manufacturing equipment are offering digital solutions.
For machine shops in a competitive global marketplace, keeping spindles running and making product is the only way to stay in business. Still, adding a new piece of equipment, even with the promise of improving the efficiency of your existing ones, may be a difficult sell to management.
Rod Anthony is the president of Anthony Screw Products Ltd., Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He has more than 25 years of experience working in every position in his plant’s manufacturing process.
The Grinding Symposium 2019 hosted by the United Grinding Group attracted hundreds of journalists, customers, and other stakeholders from around the world. Held near its Studer subsidiary’s plant in Thun, Switzerland, the scenery of the Alps and a warm welcome was combined with a purpose: education.
SyncFab will give more than 1,300 National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) members access to its advanced manufacturing blockchain platform, the company said today. As the national representative of the precision custom manufacturing industry, NTMA members generate more than $30 billion in sales combined.
I’m always amazed by the wide range of technologies that go into the process of machining. At EASTEC 2019, I saw the latest and greatest technology from machine tool builders, cutting tool manufacturers, measurement providers, software developers, and many more.
Maybe your company specializes in aerospace or medical components, and you need to produce complex geometries in metals too tough to cut via conventional machining methods.
The bane of modern engineering is complexity. One promise of artificial intelligence and machine learning is helping engineers to use complex tools and harness vast data sets effectively.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of Industry 4.0, and perhaps a bit sheepish about your lack of progress, you’ve got good company.