August 2015
On this playing field, anything that can be connected, will be connected. Those who can adapt to connecting will thrive. Those who can’t, well . . .
Big Data analytics is taking over manufacturing and providing a totally new dimension to the value of research and trend analysis. Instead of only reporting past activities, data now predicts future events, foresees risk and helps shops build and deliver not only better products, but a richer overall experience for their customers.
Data analytics is a key technology that is creating new frontier for manufacturers to uncover new insights that can speed their decision-making and improve their business performance.
Integrated sheet metal fabrication software is moving far beyond nesting and production functions to step into Industry 4.0 management of end-to-end data flow and business administration tasks.
The automation behind CAM nesting software helps shops become more competitive by reducing non-cutting time and doing more with less. Here are some of the latest nesting software advances and proven ways to use them to help your shop operate more efficiently and further reduce costs.
Advanced CAD/CAM nesting software enables fabricators to become more competitive by making the greatest impact in these five process areas of profitability.
The inherit flexibility of this CAM nesting software allows a job shop to not only program all of the different machine tools on their shop floor, but manually manipulate the options as needed to meet a wide variety of changing demands.
A review of some of the latest metal fabrication software solutions now available to job shops, contract manufacturers and metal service centers that need help with design, job quoting, reverse engineering, production operations, inspection and more.
On this playing field, anything that can be connected, will be connected. Those who can adapt to connecting will thrive. Those who can’t, well . . .
Big Data analytics is taking over manufacturing and providing a totally new dimension to the value of research and trend analysis. Instead of only reporting past activities, data now predicts future events, foresees risk and helps shops build and deliver not only better products, but a richer overall experience for their customers.
Data analytics is a key technology that is creating new frontier for manufacturers to uncover new insights that can speed their decision-making and improve their business performance.
Is your shop having problems forming parts that require a large radius with a press brake? These four proven techniques can increase your part quality and eliminate scrap with minimal investment.
This exclusive fiber laser cutting system uses a series of six intelligent setup functions and three intelligent monitoring functions to significantly reduce operator dependency and improve throughput and cut quality.
The premier manufacturing event on the West Coast returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center on September 15-17. Take a look at some of the machinery, tooling, systems and accessories that will be exhibited that can help solve your most pressing problems, improve your productivity and increase your profits.
On this playing field, anything that can be connected, will be connected. Those who can adapt to connecting will thrive. Those who can’t, well . . .
Big Data analytics is taking over manufacturing and providing a totally new dimension to the value of research and trend analysis. Instead of only reporting past activities, data now predicts future events, foresees risk and helps shops build and deliver not only better products, but a richer overall experience for their customers.
Data analytics is a key technology that is creating new frontier for manufacturers to uncover new insights that can speed their decision-making and improve their business performance.
Matching the automation to the need keeps a shop competitive, which is precisely why the selection of knowledgeable and experienced suppliers is equally or potentially more important than choosing the actual equipment.
The SGU32X100S Cylindrical Grinding Machine from Sy Machinery uses a stable and rigid spindle head, precision wheel head with special hydrostatic bearing and advanced automatic hydrostatical lubrication for extremely smooth movement, added feed accuracy and superior grinding accuracy.
Ideal for multiple-land and tandem bores, heavy/odd shaped parts, keyed or splined bores, blind bores and thin-wall parts, the value-priced SSH-1680 honing system from Sunnen brings power-stroke efficiency to small shops for sizing complex bores up to 60 mm diameter and 250 mm length.
The TGS-CL-6020 centerless grinder from Total Grinding Solutions is ideal for medium to large-batch production with short setup times in the roughest production environments.
The Slugger GI series of belt systems from FEIN are ideal for radius grinding, cylindrical grinding and flat grinding of thick and thin wall pipes, square tubes, flat materials and profiles.
The fully automated ultragrind 700 R from Georg is ideal for both conventional and CBN grinding of parts with center lengths of 5,000 mm, grinding diameters of up to 700 mm and roll weights up to 10 tons.
This turnkey system from ABB Robotics increases grinder utilization by up to 60 percent over manual machine tending and can handle most any part.
The 325linear 5-axis CNC grinder from Schütte is ideal for processing micro tools, gun drills, hob cutters and complex geometries.
Ideal for maximum material removal in heavy fabrication, shipbuilding, rail and foundry and infrastructure applications, 3 hp and 4 hp Vertical Grinders from Cleco Tool can withstand demanding environments.
The advanced GT-610 CNC centerless grinder from Glebar makes the most precise inner and outer tubes for use by orthopedic surgeons.
The extremely flexible GI-10NII from Okuma America is ideal for handling a variety of workpiece shapes in a simple data setting.
Using direct-driven, digitally controlled spindles for the tool and the workpiece, the Präwema SynchroFine 205 HS gear honing machine from GMTA can produce gear finishing quality comparable to grinding for spur and helical gears, as well as shafts.
Engineered for high-production volumes, the Walter Helitronic Mini Automation 5-axis universal tool grinding machine has a robot loader that can handle up to 1,500 tools and an optional extension for a robot loader that can hold four additional pallets for up to 2,000 tools, providing a total production capacity of 3,500 tools.
Ideal for the internal grinding of longer workpieces for machine tools, drive elements, aerospace and toolmaking jobs, the Studer S141 universal ID cylindrical grinding machine from United Grinding combines cutting edge technologies with optimal ergonomics and ease of use.
GPV-10 Vertical CNC Cylindrical Grinders from Shigiya feature a compact footprint that accommodates a range of production line layouts and is less expensive than a horizontal version without sacrificing accuracy or advanced features.
Ideal for vertical and overhead drilling, these compact cordless magnetic drills meet the demands of workers with limited access to power that regularly encounter thin metal applications.
Shops are using this innovative CAM software to increase their machine tool productivity with more efficient toolpaths in more applications — and also to improve their own CNC programming productivity.
Shops everywhere are investing in 5-axis machining technology to increase profit margins on parts they were producing on 3-axis machines. Here’s why.
Take a look at how these new submerged arc welding systems meet the demands of heavy fabrication, shipbuilding, pressure vessel, beam fabrication, wind tower and pipe manufacturing.
Trailer manufacturer Sun Country proves Tweco Velocity MIG consumables can weather even the toughest high-volume spray transfer applications and pass with flying colors.
Advances in welding technologies and processes can help fabricators address the shortage of skilled welders, shorter project turnaround times, the need to report and document weld quality, and other critical industry challenges that are impacting their profitability. Here’s how.
The story of Andrew Cardin, a passionate young welder who is focused on representing the U.S. at WorldSkills, represents the potential future of the welding industry.
Here are some tips on how to maintain exceptional cleanliness, select the right filler metal and employ the correct welding preparations to remove the oxide layer on the surface of the material.
American Electric Power gained a definite financial advantage by purchasing their own overlay motion control equipment from Bug-O Systems and hiring local labor to perform the operation.
Ideal for spot welding, the Kant-Twist Cantilever Clamp eliminates material twisting or walking off-center that happens with standard C-clamps.
It only makes up about 20 percent of the cost of your typical welding operation, but incorrectly estimating the amount of filler metal needed can have a far-reaching impact to your bottom line.
The rapidly evolving business climate for machine tool retrofitting is impacting production economics and creating retrofit business opportunities in large OEM production departments and job shop machine tool sectors alike.
As the use of aluminum, titanium and other exotic materials increases in everything from aerospace components to golf clubs, metal fabrication processes are creating more combustible dust than ever before that must somehow be rendered inert.
Here are the reasons why wet dust collectors are a safe and economical solution for manufacturing operations to use in preventing industrial dust explosions.
Air movement is not new, but understanding how it can improve working conditions is bringing a wind of change to industrial facility design and management.
The strategy behind Resource-Efficient Manufacturing is to introduce new approaches to metalworking fluids that dramatically reduce resource use.
These new strap wrenches from Lowell make it possible to turn any shape without scratching, denting, or crushing.
Here are the reasons why wet dust collectors are a safe and economical solution for manufacturing operations to use in preventing industrial dust explosions.
When an employee of a contractor is injured in a manufacturing plant, the owner of the plant becomes a prime target for a lawsuit. An indemnification agreement can be a shield of protection against this liability – if it is used properly.
Anchor Track from Rigid Lifelines can be easily customized to accommodate curves or slopes, making it perfect for anywhere fall protection is required.
Some still think that tool presetters don’t make sense for job shops because their production quantities are too small. But short runs are precisely why job shops should be doing presetting offline with advanced systems like these.
The precision grinding techniques and specialized carbide grade of the Cast Master XL band saw blade from Lenox enable longer blade life and smoother cuts for shops that compete in the growing aluminum market.
As markets reduce the number of machining operations, more complicated indexable drilling geometries are becoming more common. Finite element analysis software allows shops to better understand their processes, providing not only forces and chip shape results, but also stresses and temperatures throughout the cutting process.
The new VHT tooling system from OTW is perfect for shops that deal with short runs of a broad range of part diameters.
Ideal for conventional, Swiss and CNC machines, these Counter-Clockwise inserts cut internal face grooves in ferrous and non-ferrous materials with major diameters starting at 0.300 in.
The demand for improved surface quality is increasing the need to effectively measure and analyze fundamental roughness and waviness parameters, contour and form error, and more. Here are some of the newest systems that efficiently meet this demand.
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