The ever-volatile oil and natural gas industry—roiled most recently by September’s drone attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities that temporarily reduced the kingdom’s output by nearly half (about 5 percent of global production)—faces particularly challenging requirements for machined components to meet evolving supply targets.
Midway between Houston and Austin sits Brenham, Texas, home to Blue Bell ice cream and the world’s largest BBQ pit. Within this smallish town you’ll find a not-so-small contract manufacturer, MIC Group LLC.
As I walked through the DMG Mori factory in Davis, Calif., during the company’s Manufacturing Days event in October, there was something noticeably different about it compared to other factories I’ve visited: it was brightly lit and quiet.
Materials engineered for use with specific printers and qualified for verifiable repeatability and accuracy help ensure long-term mechanical properties ranging from heat resistance to biocompatibility.
Like most of the digital architecture of manufacturing, computer numerical controllers (CNCs) have advanced rapidly in recent years, producing far more processing speed and implementing advanced algorithms, while at the same time offering simpler, more intuitive user interfaces.
Rapid prototyping is a staple of every designer and engineer’s workflow—essential for testing new concepts, verifying designs, and meeting increasingly aggressive time-to-market goals. Regardless of the industry or product, all engineers must consider the speed, accessibility, cost, and output of these additive manufacturing equipment.
The best way to solve the skills gap is to ignite the already existing and yet dormant fuel of curiosity inside of young minds.
New partners integrate with the GrabCAD Additive Manufacturing Platform adding manufacturing operating system and new product introduction 3D workflow software options for Stratasys customers
A new multi-scale monitoring software for powder bed fusion (PBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) machines.
This year’s RAPID + TCT show signaled a new wave of users, with 35 percent of the audience being new to adopting additive manufacturing technologies.
