New Mastercam 2020 Released June 12, 2019 Tolland, Conn.-based CNC Software Inc., developer of Mastercam CAD/CAM software, announces the release of Mastercam 2020. The new release increases machining productivity and reduces overall production costs with new 2D through multiaxis milling automation features, CAD and model preparation improvements, improved machine configuration, 3D tooling, and more.
Getting a Clearer Picture with Advanced Simulation Software May 7, 2019 Simulation in manufacturing is becoming much more pervasive. Advanced visualizations are used everywhere, from machining on shop-floor CNCs to offline CAD/CAM programming of NC equipment.
Artificial Intelligence Comes to CAD May 10, 2019 The bane of modern engineering is complexity. One promise of artificial intelligence and machine learning is helping engineers to use complex tools and harness vast data sets effectively.
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.
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.
The Future of Smart Manufacturing November 5, 2018 On June 22-23, SME hosted a Smart Manufacturing Working Group meeting at Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) followed by an international workshop on Smart Manufacturing for the Factory of the Future.
Tool Life, Scalability Drives New Thinking in Machining November 20, 2018 With larger turbine components, compared to automotive and aerospace, plus assembly challenges, new machining technologies are gaining popularity. The conventional milling and broaching techniques in turbine blade machining, with the high tooling costs and abrasive flow issues, are fast fading, as modern assembly methods continue to drive machining tolerances to new heights
Setting Sights on Holy Grails in AM April 26, 2019 As additive manufacturing (AM) moves from prototypes to mass production, manufacturers are setting their sights on the holy grails—the products and processes that will be game-changers. Many game-changers are already in play.
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.
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.