How AM is Changing Inspection in Smart Factories November 1, 2018 In the manufacturing industry, the importance of metrology, or the science of measurement, is often underestimated. However, inspection is critical for ensuring products work and operate safely.
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.
Testing the Metal November 27, 2018 Materials science has opened new possibilities for designers of cars, planes and other products. Metal alloys are now as precisely engineered as they are machined. The result is longer lasting, stronger parts. But with a wider selection of materials comes risk—how can you be sure that one piece of gray metal stock is different than another? Careful warehousing procedures and paperwork only go so far.
Manufacturing in 2050: The World Turned Upside Down? November 26, 2018 Powerful trends will push manufacturing close to complete automation by 2050, while the people still working in the industry will be empowered to rapidly innovate like never before.
Voices AMplified: Making the Impossible, Possible—A Passion for Additive Manufacturing December 1, 2022 John Barnes, chair of SME’s AM Technical Community Leadership Committee, talks with Irina Schatorje, Global Director Marketing & Communications at Additive Industries about making the impossible, possible in this special Voices AMplified podcast.
Voices AMplified: Medical AM, Past, Present and Future May 19, 2022 This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host Bryan Crutchfield, vice-president and general manager at Materialise and an advisor for SME’s AM Technical Community Leadership Committee, and Andy Christensen, adjunct faculty in the radiology department at the University of Cincinnati, as well as the 2022 chair of the Radiological Society of North America’s 3D Printing Special Interest Group for Medical Devices, a Fellow of the SME and AMUG, and recipient of SME’s AM Achievement Award in 2009. Crutchfield and Christensen discuss in-depth the promise and challenges AM for medical.
Voices AMplified: Promises and Pitfalls of AM May 17, 2022 This special Voices AMplified podcast features guest host Bryan Crutchfield, vice-president and general manager at Materialise and an advisor for SME’s AM Technical Community Leadership Committee, and Fried Vancraen, founder and CEO of Materialise. Bryan and Fried explore the beginnings of Materialise and some of the decisions—good and bad—that have led to the success of the company today.
The Three Best Practices For Implementing Machine Tending Cobots February 11, 2022 Unlike other forms of automation and what we now think of as ‘traditional’ robots, cobots are much safer for humans to interact with them. They can work side by side with humans. But this leads to new ways of thinking about automation. And there are misconceptions that persist around cobots.
Opportunities in the Second Wave of Additive Manufacturing January 3, 2022 Learn how additive manufacturing is evolving in parallel with smart manufacturing
Autonomous Material Handling – The ROI and How AMRs Advance Your Operations March 4, 2021 Jeff Huerta, Senior VP for Sales at Vecna Robotics, speaks on how successful companies are advancing their operations with fully autonomous material handling equipment, and how some facilities are achieving very quick ROI. He also describes the differences between an AMR and an AGV, and addresses the topic of safety. Lastly, he prescribes ways to get started with this equipment, including what upfront costs companies should be prepared for.