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Metal Parts Follow Tough Plastics Act

When you walk into the Redeye On Demand facility in Eden Prairie, MN, you enter into one version of the factory of the future. There you will see a bank of 100 high-end Fortus fused-deposition modeling (FDM) machines from Stratasys that provide the capacity to build real, functional parts with production-grade thermoplastics directly from CAD data.

Tooling to Match Composite Production

It’s getting harder to imagine any market that isn’t benefiting from the latest developments in parts manufactured from advanced composites. “Advanced composites will arguably dominate consumer and production products, especially in the near future,” says Bert Erdel, industry consultant and executive technology advisor, Morris Group Inc. (Windsor, CT), “as they have begun to gain wide acceptance in solving energy-related issues.”

Solutions for Difficult Machining

The machining challenges for two of the most advanced concepts in cutting tool materials are pretty well known. Cubic boron nitride (CBN) tools of varying designs are being used to cut hardened ferrous metals with or without interrupted cuts, as well as welded and clad metals.

Cutting Tools for Composites

Machining composites presents unique challenges compared to metals. Reinforcement fibers are abrasive, shortening tool life. The plastic matrix carries away little heat, unlike metal chips, and overheating can melt the matrix.

Advanced Technologies Supplement: Processes Reduce Composite Costs

Composites engineers are expanding their craft to build more complex, durable parts at higher production volumes. One way they are achieving this objective is by using infusion-molding processes based on Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM).

Micromanufacturing is Growing

Many industries have been making parts with micron dimensions for some time, but in the last few years, the market for miniaturization has expanded. The demand is not only for small parts, but also for small complex features on larger parts. This is due chiefly to the switch to modules in which the functions of several parts or subsystems are not handled by a single complex unit.

A More Informed Welding Solution

Welding has been around for millennia, but today’s technology doesn’t often benefit from the information- and feedback-rich technologies that its machining cousin does. Christopher Ripley, Director of Business Development, and Eduardo Almeida, Director of Engineering, Innovation and R&D for BrandTech®, sit down with Chris Mahar, Associate Editor, to talk about the company’s BrandTech® Precision Welding system and how its computer-controlled system differs from traditional stud welding.

Spotlight on Welding with AWS

April is National Welding Month and exciting things are happening within the industry. In this podcast, Chris Mahar, Associate Editor of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Monica Pfarr, Executive Director of the American Welding Society Foundation about what’s happening in the industry and what AWS is doing to celebrate. From the industry as a whole to the current market temperature and the workforce, this podcast is a welding one-stop-shop.