Industrial M&A Posts Mixed Results in 2018 January 24, 2019 Industrial merger and acquisition activity was mixed in 2018, with fewer but higher value deals, consulting firm PwC said in a report.
Solar Plastics Appoints New President January 7, 2019 Solar Plastics, LLC, part of ATEK Companies, has appointed Sam Rosen President. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, Rosen will report to Mark Osmanski, CEO, and be responsible for all aspects of the business, including setting the strategic direction of the company and driving growth.
Shop Roots Out Long Set Up Times with Advanced Automation December 7, 2018 Erik Anderson, president and CEO of Basin Precision Machining LLC, has determined that setups are the root of all evil when it comes to manufacturing productivity. They cause part variations, downtime, and high-percentage scrap rates.
Helical Cutters Go Deep and Long in Tough Materials December 13, 2018 When it comes to achieving high material-removal rates in even the toughest materials, it’s hard to beat helical cutters. With the correct insert grades and cutting data, these cutters can achieve far greater depths of cut than non-helical milling tools without sacrificing reach or the ability to hold tolerance.
How One Research Conference Still Inspires Me December 3, 2018 My first participation in SME’s North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC) was in 1994 at NAMRC-XXII, hosted by Northwestern University (Evanston, IL). I presented my work, “Development of a New Type of Magnetic Finishing Tool for Internal Finishing of Tubes Using Rotating Magnetic Field,” in the Machining Innovation 1 session at 10:30 a.m. on May 25, 1994.
Using 3D Scanning to Find Pipe Problems at a Nuclear Power Plant December 3, 2018 Nuclear power has long been a clean, dependable source of energy throughout the world. However, as power plants age, concerns grow on their continued reliability. There are many components that make up the infrastructure of a nuclear power plant with the design intent to reduce radiation and contamination exposure to personnel, equipment, and the surrounding environment.
Dassault Systèmes Acquires IQMS for $425M December 11, 2018 Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IQMS, a leading manufacturing ERP software company, for $425 million. With the acquisition of the California-based IQMS, Dassault Systèmes extends the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to small and midsized manufacturing companies seeking to digitally transform their business operations.
Machine Center Produces Oil Field Rock Bit December 5, 2018 Typically, components produced for the oil and gas field are very large, very heavy and often have complex contours, making the machining time long and the tool life short. The DMU 50, although an entry-level five-axis machining center from DMG Mori, is a compact unit that features considerable strength.
Securing the Edge of the Network December 3, 2018 As IIOT-enabled devices usher in a new era of connected factory floors, manufacturers must protect critical equipment at the edge of their production networks. Companies are rapidly investing in edge computing, which enables data and analytics gathering at the source, pushing computing applications, data, and services away from centralized locations.
GE, GM Are Manufacturers to Watch in 2019 December 17, 2018 General Electric Co. (Boston) changed CEOs this year for second time since the summer of 2017. The company slashed its dividend to conserve cash. General Motors Co. (Detroit) announced immediately after the Thanksgiving weekend that it intends to close five plants in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2019. It’s also moving to make making deep cuts in its salaried workforce.