Recycling increases efficiency, enhances brand image and saves money.
Not every contract manufacturer has the capability to quickly switch production between myriad parts, but that’s exactly the position FPD Co. is in thanks to Grob Systems Inc.’s automated five-axis machining.
Keep good employees by listening to, and acting on, their concerns
The international refrigerant manufacturer is using HART-enabled instrument technologies and tools, combined with AI, to optimize maintenance and equipment management.
Conrad Leiva, vice president for product strategy and alliance at iBASEt and chair of the smart manufacturing working group at MESA International, speaks with Smart Manufacturing magazine Editor in Chief Brett Brune.
Methods Machine Tools Inc. (Sudbury, MA), a leading supplier of precision machine tools, 3D printing technology and automation, recently introduced an automation cell designed to greatly boost 3D manufacturing throughput.
Mazak Corp. (Florence, KY) continues its steady advance toward the complete factory digitization of all its manufacturing operations with the recent transformation of its Oguchi, Japan, facility into yet another Mazak iSMART Factory.
Unplanned downtime and production loss due to equipment failure is one of the leading losses for manufacturers. Most shops perform maintenance on a fixed schedule or on failure. This means a machine will be maintained regardless of how often it is used and unexpected breakdowns will stop production.
Simulation tools are making it much easier for manufacturers to optimize their processes, visualizing the entire path of production from NC metalcutting simulations through 3D design and factory-floor imaging.
Data management and the maintenance of clean, usable data for asset performance metrics pose great challenges for manufacturers today.