Turning Traditional Automation On Its Head February 7, 2019 Manufacturing automation is trickling down from the massive automotive assembly lines toward the “mom and pop” machine shop. As you take your first look at automation, consider the benefits of and barriers to this technology.
Non-Automotive Manufacturing Sectors Flocking to Robotics February 28, 2019 Cheaper robots with more functions, along with more flexible work cells and installations that facilitate robotics, are accelerating the growth of automated manufacturing facilities in the non-automotive sector. Ideas on whether robotics and automation lead to lights-out manufacturing on the shop floor, though, are mixed.
Swiss Machining Made Simpler January 30, 2019 Swiss-style machine tools can be a good choice for making complex parts. On the downside, however, Swiss machining itself has a reputation of being complex—and, therefore, more difficult to master than standard machining.
Large-Part Machining Tests Horizontal Machine Tool Capabilities January 29, 2019 Horizontal machining centers (HMCs) are versatile four-axis and, increasingly, five-axis machine platforms that maximize processing of multi-sided large parts by minimizing part handling.
New Approaches to Making Parts for the Oil Patch January 28, 2019 Rod Zimmerman of cutting tool manufacturer Iscar Metals lives in a pleasant green zone in a Fort Worth suburb. Yet within a half mile of his home, an oil company has sunk a vertical hole 7,500′ (2,286 m) deep, from which it has splayed nine lateral lines, each going about half a mile.
Dassault Systèmes Acquires IQMS for $425M December 11, 2018 Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IQMS, a leading manufacturing ERP software company, for $425 million. With the acquisition of the California-based IQMS, Dassault Systèmes extends the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to small and midsized manufacturing companies seeking to digitally transform their business operations.
Machine Tool Orders Reach 20-Year High December 10, 2018 Machine tool orders for August through October reached the highest level in more than 20 years, the Association for Manufacturing Technology said today.
Shop Roots Out Long Set Up Times with Advanced Automation December 7, 2018 Erik Anderson, president and CEO of Basin Precision Machining LLC, has determined that setups are the root of all evil when it comes to manufacturing productivity. They cause part variations, downtime, and high-percentage scrap rates.
Boeing Selects Siemens for Automation Standardization, Safety for Manufacturing Operations December 11, 2018 Technology systems provider Siemens USA (Washington) has been selected by Boeing (Chicago) to implement new automation solutions aimed at developing automation standards that will make Boeing’s manufacturing systems more efficient and safer.
Rethinking Control Systems for Multi-Well Pads November 20, 2018 Drilling advancements have spurred the evolution of oil and gas operations from simplistic single-well pad fields to more complex multi-well pads. Today, many producers are using fracking and lateral drilling techniques to place 10 or more wells on one pad.