Industry News for 01/2020

Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have developed a system for fully automated monitoring of ballscrew drives in machine tools. A camera integrated directly into the nut of the drive generates images that artificial intelligence continuously monitors for signs of wear, helping to reduce machine downtime.

Ort Tool and Die Corp., Erie, Michigan, saw significant sales growth in 2019, which matched its best year of sales in 2007.

The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS), Weatherford, Texas, announced the launch of the industry’s first Level-One and Level-Two Certifications for traditional coordinate measuring machine professionals. Applicants for the CMS Level-One Certification must submit an application, meet eligibility requirements, sign the CMS code of ethics, and pass a peer review. Candidates for the CMS Level-Two Certification must possess a Level-One Certification, have two years experience using a CMM (minimum 400 hours), and submit an application with two references who can confirm their hands-on expertise.

Industrial cutting processes have played a significant part in the overall manufacturing of products. From metal foundries to automobile manufacturing, the effectiveness of cutting technologies has been employed across multiple industrial verticals. Among which, plasma cutting methods have gained lucrative grounds in the global industrial landscape.

Systima Technologies Inc., Kirkland, Washington, manufactures components for the defense, space and commercial markets. The company was founded in 2008 but has quadrupled in the four years since 2015. Materials and Process Engineer Marc Staiger realized early on that the forecast growth would require them to have better material management; “At that time we had around 20 rolls on-site, which we were managing out time with Excel spreadsheets, but information was not up-to-date and was scattered across PCs across the network. Also, it involved a lot of manual work counting out-time.”

According to the 2017 McKinsey report "Making it in America – Revitalizing U.S. Manufacturing," the manufacturing industry is responsible for 35% of the nation’s productivity growth, 60% of its exports and about 70% of private sector R&D spending. These figures point to just how impactful American manufacturing is to the U.S. economy. Visionary American manufacturers have the opportunity to lead the evolution in this industry, which is the basis for the growth/investment strategy of ARCH Cutting Tools (ACT).

Toolholders are the critical connection between a cutting tool and a machine tool spindle. A toolholder’s performance dictates productive output, part surface finish and cutter life. With the right toolholder for the application at hand, shops gain maximum benefit from their high-performance cutting tools and machine tools.

January is traditionally a month for new hope and new energy to meet life and business goals. But for manufacturers facing a new year with the lowest unemployment rate in more than five decades, it can be a tough time to expect workers to come back with enthusiasm from holiday celebrations to dull and menial tasks. That makes January an ideal time for National Cobot Awareness Month

Modern truck engines are produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim, Germany. The requirements for ideal engine properties include extremely tight tolerances for the decisive dimensions of the engine blocks. Thanks to the close cooperation between the specialists from Mercedes-Benz, the machine manufacturer and toolmaker Mapal, significant progress was made when a new production line for machining engine blocks was designed.

In March 2019, FOBA provided the Innovation and Research Center (IFC) Tuttlingen at Furtwangen University (HFU) with a laser marking system. Since then, the system has proven itself in scientific research, as well as for demonstration purposes in front of interested parties from the surrounding medical technology industry. The first study project using FOBA's M2000-P laser marking system with a Y.0201 fiber laser systematically dealt with the determination of the laser parameters for the marking of stainless steel instruments.

The U.K. has approximately 10,000 miles of railway track on its network while the U.S. boasts over 140,000 miles. One thing that both networks have in common however is the need to maintain and repair the rolling stock, especially the wheels which can be prone to flat spots or other damage causing them to run out of round. In the case of the U.S. however, the scale of the network exacerbates these issues, so to maximize efficiency and productivity in their repair workshops, Simmons Machine Tool Corp. turned to Güdel for a solution.

No, this story does not begin with “once upon a time,” since it is far too serious, vivid and full of unique facts for a fairy tale. The German partition created different living conditions in both parts of Germany. Moreover, since August 13, 1961, when a dividing wall was built, the citizens in the Eastern part were deprived of any possibility to move to the West. Thus, living conditions and priorities could develop in a contrary direction under totalitarian control.