All Features
Scott Knoche
A very popular version of the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) is the portable CMM “arm,” not to be confused with the “robotic arm” or simply, robot—as it is called in the factory automation world. Robots are motorized, machine-driven devices that have tube segments connected by articulating…
(East Coast Metrology: Wixom, MI) -- East Coast Metrology (ECM), a division of In-Place Machining Co., is pleased to announce that Gary Confalone is the recipient of the 2023 ASQ Hromi Medal.
Each year the American Society for Quality (ASQ) Hromi Medal committee recognizes individuals who have…
(Mitutoyo: Aurora, IL) -- Mitutoyo America Corp. has announced an expanded trade-in trade-up program for Mitutoyo coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), vision measuring systems, and form-measuring systems.
The Mitutoyo trade-in trade-up program is an opportunity to upgrade to new, technologically…
(API: Rockville, MD) -- Accurate paper production depends on proper alignment, from calendar stacks to press rolls to unwind stands, felt stretches, and much more. Paper mills traditionally bear these alignment costs in one of three ways: 1) They can contract optical alignment services from a…
Sharon McDougall
Although the coronavirus pandemic changed the working lives of employees around the world, closing workplaces and transforming dining tables into professional workstations, it also gave employees a chance to time out and recharge from the hustle and bustle associated with office working.
The…
Tami Trout
It’s time for a digital workforce transformation. Modern manufacturers must juggle evolving expectations for workplace flexibility, pay, career paths, and benefits. They also have to take into account the changes in the ways employees learn and access information. The most obvious example of this…
(Nikon: Tokyo) -- Nikon Corp. is pleased to announce the launch of the large-volume high-performance X-ray and CT Systems VOXLS 40 C 450. This product realizes nondestructive inspection of various large and small components by using X-ray and CT (computed tomography scan) to implement high-accuracy…
(Instron: Pianezza, Italy) -- With its MFi5 and MFi7, Instron presents a new generation of melt index testers for tasks ranging from monitoring incoming materials to product development and process control. The compact, manually operated MFi5 is ideal for fast and reliable measurements thanks to…
Mark Hembree
Now that AI is an acronym that doesn’t really need to be spelled out (artificial intelligence, just in case you’ve been off the planet the last couple of years), we are hearing and understanding more about its various applications and capabilities.
I’m not an early adapter, but I do recall midway…
Bryan Christiansen
Benjamin Franklin said, “... in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” If you work in maintenance, you know that equipment failure is also on that list.
As inevitable as equipment failures are, by paying close attention to mean time to recovery (MTTR), you can make…
Verdi Ogewell
Which product life cycle management systems lead the market in terms of discrete manufacturing? As always, this question is as topical as it is controversial—but that doesn’t stop industry analysts from trying to position these developers against each other.
One of the more prominent and ambitious…
(BIPM: Saint-Cloud, France) -- May 20, 2023, is World Metrology Day, commemorating the anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in 1875. This treaty provides the basis for a worldwide coherent measurement system that underpins scientific discovery and innovation, industrial manufacturing…
NIST
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released a paper outlining its vision and strategy for a National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), a key component of the research and development program established by…
(NIMS: Fairfax, VA) -- The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) has announced a new suite of Smart Standards for various job roles in various sectors of manufacturing. These standards are a starting point for any employer and educator developing or evaluating training in these…
Matthew M. Lowe
Change of any kind often requires a catalyst. This is particularly true in a business environment where the rule of thumb is to do things the way they’ve always been done. And when you’re working in a regulated industry, processes tend to get more locked in because compliance is at stake.
That was…
Chip Bell
‘I write children’s books because there are no unicorns in adult literature, and today’s world needs unicorns.” The quote came from renowned children’s book author Jackson Pearce at a weekend writers retreat sponsored by Georgia Writers Museum. The sentiment could be equally applied to a great…
(Aras Enterprise SaaS: Andover, MA) -- Aras, a leading low-code product life cycle management (PLM) platform with applications to design, build, and operate complex products, announced that Aras Enterprise SaaS is now available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, an online store providing…
Ken Chapman, Tony Orlowski
‘Turning to the men around him, Dodge shouted, ‘Up this way!’ but the men ignored him. Dodge later stated that someone responded, ‘To hell with that, I’m getting out of here.’ The team raced past Dodge up the slope toward the ridge. Four men reached the crest, but only two, Bob Sallee and Walter…
Adam Zewe
Mass spectrometers are extremely precise chemical analyzers that have many applications, from evaluating the safety of drinking water to detecting toxins in a patient’s blood. But building an inexpensive, portable mass spectrometer that could be deployed in remote locations remains a challenge,…
(Novolyze: Washington, D.C.) -- Novolyze, a leader in food safety solutions and quality digitization technology, has upgraded its environmental monitoring program (EMP) to include advanced predictive analytics and machine learning. This latest upgrade will enable Novolyze’s technology to…
(HEIDENHAIN: Schaumburg, IL) -- HEIDENHAIN will be exhibiting at the annual EASTEC event May 16–18, held at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, and produced by SME and AMT.
HEIDENHAIN will showcase its latest products aimed at improving process reliability in the…
(Imaging Development Systems Inc.: Stoneham, MA) -- Whether it’s sorting, inspecting, supplying, or documenting goods, many steps in the production process can be optimized with machine vision and artificial intelligence. However, many companies still lack the know-how and time to familiarize…
Michael Glickman
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by enhancing decision-making capabilities, improving quality of care, and reducing costs. In the age of supercomputers and technological advancement, the health sector generates vast amounts of data, which AI can process and…
Peter Büscher
Over the past few months, I’ve covered the common sampling techniques used in technical cleanliness inspections. So far, I’ve taken a closer look at the washing method, direct liquid filtration, and tape lift sampling. Now I’ll discuss the particle trap method.
What is the particle trap method?…
(Dürr: Stuttgart, Germany) -- Togg, Turkey’s global technology brand and first smart and connected EV manufacturer, has an ambitious target for its Technology Campus for electric vehicles: to be one of the most environmentally friendly plants in Europe. Dürr planned and built the paint shop as a…
