Displaying 521-530 of 779 results for

It’s the machine tool acronym you never bother to put into words: CNC. And much of the time it’s probably OK to view your “computer numerical control” as a black box doing magic. But if you’re struggling with high-speed machining, need better surface finishes or higher accuracy, have training and retention problems, or want a better handle on your production efficiency, the answer just might be the latest iterations of those three little letters.

There are plenty of manufacturing catchphrases: the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industry 4.0 and the Digital Factory. “Sometimes it’s a lot of buzzwords. Sometimes there’s a lot of reality behind it,” said Roger Hart, research and development manager of Siemens (Berlin and Munich, Germany).

There are two ways to tackle the skilled labor shortage: automate wherever possible or encourage a new generation to consider the manufacturing industry. Bowden Manufacturing of Ohio does both, with the help of industry partners such as Absolute Machine Tools.

A few not-so-tall tales of how machine shops gain a competitive edge through automation

Smaller, more versatile vehicles and robots help address the labor shortage

Manufacturers require a deep understanding of operations to make quick, data-driven decisions and keep production running in the face of unpredictable challenges.

Tales from manufacturers who’ve implemented automation: Why they did it, what the results were—and advice to others considering a new droid.

The advantages promised by Industry 4.0 are being realized at Ingersoll Machine Tools in Rockford, Ill.

A member of SME describes how to get started on the automation journey.

Predictive maintenance is a way to predict every possible scenario of hardware failure, identifying when maintenance is required and alerting maintenance staff, when necessary, as well as providing preventative solutions.