The 3-D printing revolution has changed the way we think about plastics. Everything from children's toys to office supplies to high-value laboratory equipment can be printed. The potential savings of producing goods at the household- and lab-scale is remarkable, especially when producers use old prints and recycle them.

Buying plastic filament for printing can be expensive, says Joshua Pearce, the lead researcher in the Open Sustainability Technology group at Michigan Technological University. Pearce and his students have whittled the cost of printing to ten cents per kilogram -- down from $30 per kilogram.

The International Federation of Robotics states that demand for industrial robots will continue at an average annual growth rate of 12 per cent between 2015 and 2017. In Asia/Australia, robot sales are expected to increase by around an average of 16 per cent per year. The automotive and electronics industries will continue to see increasing investment in robots.

Mr. Lim Say Leong, Assistant Vice President, Marketing of ABB, thinks that in a new era of robotics, collaboration between humans and robots will become a reality. MTA2015 caught up with Mr. Lim to learn more about future trends in automation technologies and robotics for the Asian manufacturing sector. ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies, will be showcasing its robotics solutions at MTA2015.

C13027 Optical NanoGauge film thickness measurement system 

Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. has developed a new film thickness measurement system, the Optical NanoGauge C13027, which offers easier integration into inline manufacturing equipment thanks to its reduced size and compatibility with automation controllers. The new system’s footprint is roughly 30 percent smaller than previous systems. Furthermore, the Optical NanoGauge C13027 can help improve quality control with the inclusion of a color measurement function that checks the evenness of colors of films and flat panel display during thickness measurement. The Optical NanoGauge C13027 also provides double the measurement speed of previous systems.

Recent research and development activities at PTG Heavy Industries’ UK-based HQ have include the successful joining of exotic aerospace steel and titanium alloys using the friction-stir welding process.

"We have successfully welded both aerospace-grade steel alloy and aerospace-grade titanium in thicknesses of 3 mm and 8 mm, using our proprietary PTG fixed pin tooling techniques," comments sales manager Chris Cheetham.

"Although each presented distinct challenges, including the potential for workpiece distortion and ensuring sufficient heat transfer when blending thicker materials, these issues were overcome."

Guy Mollart (left) with Mark Ridgway (right)

Finlay Media reported that Guy Mollart, managing director of Mollart Engineering, has taken over the role of acting president from Mark Ridgway OBE DL, managing director of Group Rhodes. The announcement was made at the association's annual dinner and awards event, held at the ICC in Birmingham earlier this month. Ridgway held the position for just over two years, while Mollart's term will be confirmed at the MTA's AGM in December.