Advanced Manufacturing Now

Measurement and inspection processes are becoming faster, more accurate, and more productive. In this podcast, Alan Rooks, editor in chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Frank Powell, product manager, grinder products for Marposs Inc. about where measurement and inspection systems fit during the production process, why the reputation measurement systems have for being very complicated is not true anymore, and how Marposs is positioning itself for the transition to Industry 4.0.

CAD/CAM software is one of the key elements in a sound machining strategy, and developers of this software take different approaches to creating, implementing and improving their products. In this podcast, Alan Rooks, Editor in Chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Don Davies, vice president, DP Technology Corp., the developer of Esprit CAM/CAD software about how post-processing in CAM is key to success in machining, DP Technology's approach to post processing, and how the Esprit solution differs from similar products in the market.

Historically, a company who had a need for parts required their own expensive manufacturing operations or navigate complex and time-consuming negotiations with potential suppliers. Ben Redwood, Director of Supply Chain at 3D Hubs and the author of the 3D Printing Handbook, talks with Chris Mahar, Associate Editor of Manufacturing Engineering, about how the company is connecting customers and manufacturing job shops together. 3D Hubs is helping manufacturers increase their bottom line by using 21st century thinking to help customers meet their 3D printing, CNC machining and injection molding needs. Ben is the writer of The 3D Printing Handbook, a top selling book on 3D printing for professionals. 3D Hubs is offering a free download of the first chapters of the book. To get your copy and to learn more about 3D Hubs, go to https://www.3dhubs.com/podcast/advancedmanufacturing.

At the AeroDef conference in Long Beach, Calif., Ascent Aerospace's Sean Henson describes some of the new technologies and innovations in composite mold tooling. He also gives an overview of Ascent and explains the advantages Ascent's HyVarC tooling has over traditional composite tooling materials. Lastly, Henson shares how he sees AM impacting the tooling industry in general.

At the AeroDef conference in Long Beach, Calif., Lincoln Electric's Mark Douglass talks about acquiring Baker Industries, experimenting in additive manufacturing—and planning to specialize in large-format metal AM: parts that are larger than a microwave. AM is a significant "growth leg" in the 124-year-old firm's just-hatched 2025 plan, he noted. Among the concrete examples in AM his firm can point to already: Oakridge National Labs now has three of Lincoln's robotic AM systems for producing large metal parts. Lincoln is set to this year open a 3D printing facility in Cleveland.

At the AeroDef conference in Long Beach, Calif., Daniel Martinez of Siemens Digital Industries patiently describes how OEMs and supply chain members that haven't yet taken up digitization move into it now. For the uninitiated, he also describes his firm's totally integrated automation (TIA) portal and how it helps companies in their production strategies. And, for those in the aerospace and defense sectors who still don't quite get the Digital Twin, he details its importance.

At the AeroDef conference in Long Beach, Calif., Lee Coleman, managing director of the U.S. machining division at Suhner, discusses the company's aggressive move into the robot tool area. He also talks about what his firm's new cooperative venture with PushCorp means for the future. And he gets into what impact composites have had on Suhner's business strategy in aerospace manufacturing.

In an interview at the AeroDef conference in Long Beach, Calif., George Barnych of B3 Technical Services details a demo project at the University of New Hampshire. The project addresses the promises of automation and IoT adoption. It explores ways to minimizing financial and technical risks for small and medium-size manufacturers. The underlying system is based on open standards. The project is being industrialized, and it is not yet open to the public.

At the AeroDef conference in Long Beach, Calif., Creaform's Payam Hariri explains who in manufacturing is using 3D scanning, as well as all the ways in which it is being used. It is a cradle-to-the-product-shelf tool tale: It begins with product development and ends with production and QA.

If you cut metal and make chips, machine tools are the lifeblood of your operation. Ryan Hegman, National Sales Manager, Caron Engineering Inc, talks with Chris Mahar, Associate Editor of Manufacturing Magazine, about how software and sensors can improve CNC machine tool life and performance. From better predicting and managing tool life and replacement intervals to maximizing precision through auto-compensation of tool wear, automating CNC machining is about more than robotics. Hegman shares how software and sensor automation can elevate your machining operations to the next level.