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.
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.
Structured Vision in Manufacturing April 4, 2019 Structured light systems measure surfaces by projecting a pattern of fringes, then using cameras and sophisticated software to convert them into point clouds of metrology data. Accuracy can reach the single-digit microns over millions of points.
CMMs Grow Their Niche August 30, 2018 For CMMs, the good times continue to roll. “One of the surprising things that has happened in just the last three to four years is the sheer volume of CMMs that we are shipping,” said Angus Taylor, president of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, North America (North Kingstown, RI). “The market seems to be really exploding.”
Quality Assurance Passes with Flying Colors at IMTS August 14, 2018 The world of quality measurement devices and software continues to expand, and IMTS years are especially exciting times. If there is a theme in the many offerings—new devices, new software—it might be how quality devices are continuing to burrow their way into the heart of manufacturing on the shop floor.
Hot Techniques for Cutting High-Temperature Alloys August 1, 2018 For Dale Mickelson, Yasda product manager at Methods Machine Tools Inc. (Sudbury, MA) and author of several books on hard milling, tackling heat-resistant superalloys (HRSAs) requires the perfect combination of machine, workholding, tooling, tool paths and coolant.
Software, Quality Inspection Deliver Auto Parts Safety September 4, 2018 Although drivers may not know it, cable connections for the airbags and seatbelt buckle systems in their vehicle simply would not work without components manufactured by ODW-Elektrik. A development partner and supplier for high-quality cabling, solenoids and mechatronic systems used in vehicles around the world, ODW-Elektrik supplies most of its products to Bosch, Autoliv, Brose, VW, and ZF.
Metal AM Class is in Session at Morf3D April 4, 2018 In the near absence of academic programs to teach undergraduate engineering students additive manufacturing, a California-based startup has stepped in to help fill the void through internships.
Ellsworth Launches Free Adhesives Database for Engineers May 19, 2018 Engineers trying to keep track of liquid adhesives, coatings, sealants, and specialty chemical materials now have access to the free, searchable Gluespec database from Ellsworth Adhesives (Germantown, WI). The engineering research tool is designed by engineers to help engineers find the right adhesive and specialty materials for their projects as quickly and effectively as possible.
GF Machining Opens Aerospace and Energy Center of Competence March 16, 2018 GF Machining Solutions (GFMS) celebrated the grand opening of its new 21,000 ft² (1950 m²) Aerospace and Energy Center of Competence in Huntersville, NC (near Charlotte), with a flourish and local dignitaries.