Robot Company Creates Industry 4.0-Friendly Software August 2, 2019 FANUC has made real one of the promises of Industry 4.0, that of predictive maintenance for factory equipment, with its Zero Down Time IoT solution. ZDT can be applied to any of FANUC’s robotic arms and their peripherals.
Automating Measurement on the Shop Floor August 13, 2019 It’s amazing what you can learn at a trade show. Editor in Chief Alan Rooks was reminded of this at the recent EASTEC show. He reflected on his visit with Joe Stanford, vice president, engineering and applications support for Applied Measurement Solutions LLC, Bristol, Conn., the largest metrology distributor for The L.S. Starrett Co., Athol, Mass.
Adapting Metal Cutting to Higher Power, Higher-Speed Lasers October 25, 2019 Using lasers to cut metal, especially sheet metal or tubes, continues to show its value. The market is becoming dominated by the newer solid-state fiber laser over its CO2 gas rival. Fiber’s advantages in ease of operation, packaging and efficiency are clear.
Murata Machinery USA Highlights New Technology at Showcase Event October 16, 2019 In a broad-ranging display of high-precision manufacturing proficiencies, Murata Machinery USA demonstrated its turning, fiber laser, punch press and automated storage technologies Sept. 18-20 at its biennial North American technology showcase.
Mobile Robots Increase Worker Productivity, Safety October 16, 2019 A mobile fleet of Universal Robots now receives daily work orders to solve ever-changing tasks for high-mix/low-volume electronics manufacturer Scott Fetzer Electrical Group (SFEG; Fairview, TN). Supplied by Universal Robots USA Inc.
New DNC Capacity Drives Improved Performance, Business Growth October 8, 2019 Looking to improve operations and expand its aerospace business, M-1 Tools Works began working with Cimco, a CNC communication and networking software supplier. Today, M-1’s programmers can write programs and get them to any machine in its plant.
Automation Marches on at FABTECH November 25, 2019 FABTECH 2019, held Nov. 11-14 at McCormick Place in Chicago, featured multiple educational opportunities for attendees. A key feature of the FABTECH educational program, and one open free to all attendees, were the Leadership Exchange Panels.
Fives DyAG Opens New Center of Competency for Controls Engineering December 18, 2019 At a grand opening ceremony on Nov. 5, Fives DyAG Corp. (Smart Automation Solutions Division) celebrated the inauguration of its new center of competency for controls engineering in Greenville, South Carolina.
Automotive Industry Improves Automation, Adopts Advanced Tech March 1, 2019 The U.S. auto industry has been automated for decades. Production of cars and trucks is associated with large, hulking robots fenced off from human employees. Inside those fenced off areas, tasks such as welding are performed. The industry, though, is advancing on the automation front.
Optimization Module Tackles Tough Materials March 8, 2019 Most anyone who’s worked in a machine shop for any length of time has at some point attended a trade show or machine tool distributor’s open house. There they see canned demonstrations of CNC machines busily carving up chunks of brass, mild steel, or aluminum into business card holders and tic-tac-toe games.