Workflow as a Competitive Advantage
As the cost of machine tools drops and the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement, the nature of competition between machine shops is trending toward data democratization and shop management software.
Read MoreYour Competitors Can Do What You Do
With the barrier to entry for machine shops so low, competitive advantage is not necessarily tied to the ability to machine parts. Increasingly, it is a shop’s ability to document and streamline digital processes that sets it apart from competition.
Read MoreHitting the Zone with Five-Axis Machining
By investing in five-axis machining technology, Advance CNC Machining has done more than just add new capabilities to its roster. It has found a way to achieve something that most of us strive for: a way to work “in the zone.”
Read MoreIncreasing Employee Output Through Automation: Here is What We Found in 7 Recent Shop Visits
Modern Machine Shop editors routinely visit machining facilities to report on shops that are succeeding. Here is what our editors found on seven recent shop visits, all related to using labor more efficiently.
Read MoreMeet Colossus: An Inside Look at One of the Largest Five-Axis Machining Centers in the U.S.
My behind-the-scenes tour on the shop floor of Baker Industries began and ended with its Emco Mecof PowerMill, one of the biggest five-axis machining centers in the United States. The tour also shed light on the company’s highly aggressive approach to new equipment purchases.
WatchA Dramatic Debut and Key Collaborations at the Paris Air Show
News announcements by aerospace manufacturers and suppliers flew fast and furious throughout the Paris Air Show, but — at least for this writer — the long-awaited debut of the world’s largest engine and a series of announcements by Oerlikon took center stage.
Read MoreMethods Seeks the Perfect Machining Environment
With its new Precision Center, Methods Machine Tools is locking down environmental variables that could impact machining processes. Why? So North American manufacturers will no longer need to send parts, tooling and material to Japan or somewhere else to have intricate, sensitive or challenging test cuts performed.
Read MoreTackling the Aerospace Supplier’s Dilemma: Scalability
Automation and robotics can go a long way toward increasing capacity and growing a business dedicated to aerospace manufacturing. But Trinity Precision has learned that refining the indirect and unseen aspects of its operations can be just as valuable.
Read MoreMission Critical: An Additive Manufacturing Breakthrough in Commercial Aviation
The GE9X is the first commercial aircraft engine to reach production with significant additive content. The story of GE’s accomplishment and why it matters.
Read MoreA Flight Plan for Next-Gen Manufacturing
Learn more about the materials and processes that will shape next-generation aircraft in a collection of stories from Modern Machine Shop, Additive Manufacturing and CompositesWorld, available to read or download for free.
Read MoreWhat is the Role of Collaborative Automation in Production?
Thyssenkrupp Bilstein’s North American operations is finding out. The shock absorber manufacturer has eight cobots and counting in its Ohio production facility, plus two autonomous vehicles. Here are scenes from its shop where the picture of automation is changing.
Read MoreThe Case for 3D-Printed Workholding: Collapsing Costs and Lead Times
When Precision Metal Products purchased its first 3D printer last year, the company hoped to collapse both tooling costs and lead times. But the technology’s impact is reaching core business operations, enabling the shop to focus on higher-margin, lower-volume production.
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