Automation Speeds A380 Wing Assembly March 1, 2005 The prime contractor for supplying automation tools to the Airbus plant in Broughton, UK, which is assembling the wings of what will be the world’s largest commercial aircraft–the A380–is Electroimpact Inc. (Mukilteo, WA).
Masters of Manufacturing: M. Eugene Merchant July 1, 2004 M. Eugene Merchant began his career in 1936 at the Cincinnati Milling Machine Co. (later Cincinnati Milacron), where he went to work analyzing the nature of friction between the cutting tool and the chip. The young engineer eventually developed a mathematical model of the metalcutting process that is still taught and used today.
Machine Components/Cleaning/Environment/Fluid Power and Other Manufacturing Equipment August 1, 2004 Keeping products clean is becoming a more significant part of manufacturing as standards for cleanliness, deburring, and finish grow more stringent.
Bar Feeders Boost Turning Productivity March 1, 2004 One of the most cost-effective ways to obtain the benefits of automation is by adding a bar feeder to a CNC lathe or other bar machine. Costing anywhere from about $10,000 to $40,000 depending on configuration, the devices can add hours of untended operating time for part volumes of a few hundred to tens of thousands.
Servopress 101: A Basic Guide January 8, 2020 Servomechanisms are at the heart of 21st century automation. The basic elements are a servomotor; a device to convert rotary motion into linear motion; a suite of sensors to provide the required feedback; a controller to convert feedback data into command signals; and enabling software.
Advanced Robotics for Industrial Manufacturing August 6, 2020 Manufacturing is moving towards high-mix production different products in very small lots. Advanced robotics may be needed to get there.
ToolConnect IoT Upgrade Announced June 11, 2020 An upgrade to ToolConnect IoT was announced by Visual Knowledge Share Ltd.
Tips for Choosing a CNC March 26, 2020 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.
The Promise of Next-Level Automation March 24, 2020 Edge. Cloud. Digital twin. AI. AR. VR. Cobots. Once they were buzzwords. Now, they are becoming technical realities in mid- to large-scale manufacturing plants in North America.
Hey, Job Shops: Time to Automate! March 25, 2020 Robots and job shops have not typically been talked about together. After all, everyone knows that automation is only suitable for high-volume production, and the typical mom-and-pop operation is anything but—its schedule filled with orders for high-mix, low-volume, and often highly complex work.