Advanced Manufacturing Now

Mark Kirby, Registered Professional Engineer and Additive Manufacturing Business Manager for Renishaw Canada and Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine discuss the pluses and minuses of the still-emerging 3D printing technology that is sweeping the business press. We will take a look at common misconceptions and what, in our opinion, could be things to watch out for if any of our listeners are thinking about adopting 3D printing for their applications.

Smart Manufacturing magazine Contributing Editor Karen Haywood Queen speaks with Sridhar Tayur about what supply chain players are learning from COVID-19. The Carnegie Mellon professor covers the roles AM and cobots are playing. He also looks at what manufacturers should consider doing to be prepared for the next hugely disruptive event.

The use of automation is growing rapidly in aerospace manufacturing and many companies are looking for help navigating this new reality. In this episode, Alan Rooks, editor in chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Randy Woolridge, global product manager, automation & integration for Ascent Aerospace, about the services Ascent provides customers in aerospace manufacturing and integration; the investments Ascent has made in manufacturing and assembly technology over the last few years; and the growth in the aerospace manufacturing industry and Ascent's vision to keep pace with the industry.

One of the key challenges in aerospace manufacturing is how to measure and inspect the complex and demanding parts used in aerospace applications. In this episode, Alan Rooks, editor in chief of Manufacturing Engineering, talks with Mark O'Connell, applications engineer for ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions, about the challenges aerospace components like airfoils pose for industrial metrology; how to integrate measurement and inspection into aerospace production lines; and how this type of equipment differs from solutions available 5-10 years ago.

Composites are increasingly becoming a key feature of the aerospace market. In this episode, Chris Mahar, Associate Editor, talks with Doug Decker, aerospace consultant and retired technical fellow at Northrup Grumman – winner of the 2019 J.H. "Jud" Hall Composites Manufacturing Award. Decker shares his insights about composites within the aerospace market and a bit of history on how he got to where he is today.

Click here to make a nomination for the J.H. "Jud" Hall Composites Manufacturing Award for 2021

Pivot International CEO Mark Dohnalek talks with Smart Manufacturing magazine's Brett Brune about not only Industry 4.0 but also how manufacturers are breathing a sigh of relief because of the China Trade Deal First Phase, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the arrival of Brexit. Dohnalek also details how Pivot has successfully alleviated trade tensions operationally.

When it comes to manufacturing – especially machining – the toolroom is the heart of an operation. The critical tool management, cleaning, assembly, presetting and delivery that comes out of the toolroom is what keeps manufacturing life pumping out on the shop floor. Chris Mahar, Associate Editor, talks with Jeff Schemel, North American Sales Manager at Rego-Fix, about how automating their toolroom can benefit manufacturers. As technologies advance, automated toolrooms are enabling manufacturers to perform better in today's competitive environment.

Alan Rooks and Brett Brune, editors in chief of Manufacturing Engineering and Smart Manufacturing, respectively, preview some of the actionable information readers can find in the February issues.

Terry Wohlers, a renowned expert on additive manufacturing, and Bruce Morey, Senior Technical Editor for SME's Manufacturing Engineering Magazine, discuss the present and future of AM in the medical and dental fields. Applications are discussed and skepticism addressed as the industry anticipates RAPID + TCT in Anaheim April 20-23 and the Additive Manufacturing for Medical Yearbook SME will publish in April.

When it comes to making something move, whether it be a robot arm, machine head, assembly line or more, you need to get the power from where it is generated to where the movement happens – enter gearboxes. Mike Quaas, President of DieQua, sits down with Chris Mahar, Associate Editor, to talk about the world of automation and how gearboxes are critical to its deployment. Gearboxes have been around for hundreds or years, but today's engineers have more choices than ever in how to utilize their power.