Time for Monumental Thinking in Additive November 2, 2016 As additive manufacturing emerges from a long infancy, the industry is grappling with a key challenge: A file format and design tools from the 20th century are being asked to do 21st century jobs.
Change-up Pitch: From Metal to Plastic October 2, 2014 Even though it’s been around since the 1950s, when engineering-grade resins were first introduced, many manufacturers still are not familiar with the many benefits that metal-to-plastic conversion provides.
Quality Inspection and the CAD Connection January 6, 2016 Modern manufacturing is rapidly adopting model-based definition (MBD). When employing an MBD strategy, the CAD model becomes more than the nominal to which all parts are measured and inspected against. MBD keeps the all-important digital thread intact—from design to manufacturing to inspection and quality reporting.
Bridge Tool & Die: CNC Turns ‘Feel’ Into High-Precision Carbide Grinding November 28, 2018 Glenn Bridgman describes the difference between his shop’s manual grinders and its newest state-of-the-art CNC ID/OD grinder, a Studer CT960 OD/ID from United Grinding (Miamisburg, OH), as “feel vs. facts.” Bridgman, president of Bridge Tool & Die (Buckley, MI), believes that manual grinding is a somewhat personal operation.
Three Ways Industry 4.0 Is Forcing Manufacturers to Rethink Lead Times August 10, 2018 Named the next phase in the digitization of the manufacturing sector by McKinsey & Company, Industry 4.0 is sweeping through manufacturing—combining connectivity with computational power and data for unparalleled capabilities. Here are three ways Industry 4.0 is forcing manufacturers to rethink one key metric: their lead times.
SmarTech Says Auto Additive Manufacturing Market to Reach $5.3B in 2023 June 21, 2018 Industry analyst firm SmarTech Publishing has just issued a new report that examines the current market for automotive additive manufacturing market including prototyping and tooling applications while focusing specifically on production of final parts.
3D Metrology Redefines Appliance Maker’s Product Development June 29, 2018 GE Appliances (GEA) has been designing and manufacturing consumer appliances for over 125 years. The iconic brand, headquartered in Louisville, KY, employs nearly 6000 people, a number that rose to 12,000 employed globally after its acquisition by Haier, making the company part of the largest appliance manufacturer in the world.
Report Urges US Investment in Manufacturing June 14, 2018 A new report urges the United States invest in emerging manufacturing technologies, saying the private sector can’t preserve US manufacturing by itself.
AM Continues Rapid Ascent, Targets New Markets March 30, 2018 Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly known as 3D printing, is a vibrant and dynamic field. Each year, developments in AM allow organizations to create products that were previously unthinkable.
SME Chief Warns of ‘Silver Tsunami’ Facing Manufacturing October 10, 2017 Manufacturing faces an even larger shortage of skilled workers as older employees retire over the next few years, the head of SME said in a speech today.