McLean, US: AMT is establishing an Emerging Technology Center (ETC) at IMTS to showcase emerging technologies to visitors.
"At IMTS 2004 we created the Emerging Technology Center to present manufacturing 'technologies of the future' from universities and government research labs," notes Peter Eelman, VP – Exhibitions and Communications, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology.
"This feature returned IMTS to its roots as a forum where the latest technologies are first seen. This year is no exception, and we are confident that this will be the most exciting ETC effort yet."
One important exhibit in the ETC is sure to be the complete construction of a 3D-printed electric car by IMTS partner Local Motors. The company will build and deliver the first direct digital manufactured vehicle at IMTS 2014.
Making certain that US manufacturers can compete globally remains a hot topic. Also part of the ETC will be the Institutes for Manufacturing Innovation that make up the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation. They will show how regional hubs leverage public-private partnerships to strengthen the position of US manufacturers.
Read more...Hexagon Metrology India’s CMM laboratory in Noida, India has received ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation from National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). With this lab, the company is the only CMM manufacturer in India to receive this accreditation.
NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) is the accreditation body for testing and calibration of laboratories in India. It operates as an autonomous body under the aegis of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
The company received this accreditation by demonstrating technical competence for product compliance testing, calibration and also for the operation, quality system and effectiveness of its laboratory. ISO/IEC 17025:2005 not only considers management and technical expertise, but also emphasises continual product and process improvement. The assessment report contains the evaluation of technical manpower, all relevant material examined, test witnessed including those of replicate testing/ measurement, compliance to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and NABL specific criteria.
Read more...Hurco Companies have filed a US patent application for a technology combining 3D printing and CNC machining.
"We designed an additive manufacturing adapter that, in combination with Hurco control software, effectively turns a CNC milling machine into a 3D printer," said Gregory Volovic, president of Hurco Companies. "With this new additive manufacturing capability, users may go from print to plastic prototype to finished metal part on one machine without repeated set-ups and without multiple prototyping utilising costly metals and raw material," explained Mr Volovic.
This additive manufacturing technology permits the company’s machine tools to achieve 3D printing directly on the machine tool without the need for a separate 3D printer.
Read more...Hexagon AB has acquired Vero Software. The acquisition strengthens Hexagon's software offerings, providing the means to close the gap of making quality data fully actionable by extending the reach of the newly developed MMS (metrology planning software) to include CAM (manufacturing planning software).
"Together with its unique suite of manufacturing software solutions, Vero Software has the expertise, knowledge and resources to deliver even higher levels of productivity to our customers," said Hexagon president and CEO Ola Rollén. "Leveraging our global footprint, the synergies from our combined technologies will advance our strategy, supporting the growing need to integrate all data and processes across the manufacturing lifecycle."
Read more...Dassault Systèmes has agreed to acquire Quintiq, a provider of on-premise and on-cloud supply chain and operations planning & optimisation software, for approximately €250 million (US$335 million).
The acquisition extends Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform to business operations planning and further enables its long-time goal of harmonising product, nature and life. It will also expand Dassault Systèmes’ Delmia brand, adding a product line of operations planning and optimisation to the existing ones. Quintiq provides a new reach into industries such as metals, mining, oil & gas, rail, delivery and freight.
“The Quintiq team is excited and proud to join Dassault Systèmes,” said Dr Victor Allis, co-founder and CEO of Quintiq. “Quintiq brings record-breaking decision support and optimisation technology to the most complex global business planning challenges. Now, in combination with Dassault Systèmes’ leadership in the Experience Economy, we will bring our customers new levels of innovation, operational efficiency and performance.”
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Kennametal Extrude Hone has completed its relocation to Holzguenz, Germany, after a year of planning and construction. The inauguration of the facility took place on May 6, 2014.
This relocation is consistent with the company's strategy to increase efficiency and better serve its customers.
"The new site combines all functions of the previous locations, including machine technology for the areas of AFM (Abrasive Flow Machining), ECM (Electro Chemical Machining), PECM (Precise Electro Chemical Machining) and TEM (Thermal Energy Method - Thermal deburring), sales, finance and administration," says Urs Hirsiger, MD of Kennametal Extrude Hone Global, a subsidiary of Kennametal.
Read more...US: May US cutting tool consumption totalled US$169 million, according to the US Cutting Tool Institute and AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report (CTMR) collaboration, was down 3.5 percent from April's total and down 4.4 percent from May 2013.
"Overall cutting tools shipments were down in May despite many other manufacturing indicators being positive in the same time period," said Brad Lawton, chairman of AMT's Cutting Tool Product Group. "This down month should be taken in context with that other data and an upward three-month trend."
Read more...Cinisello Balsamo, Italy: Forecasts by the UCIMU Studies Department say that the Italian machine tools industry will find its way back to growth in 2014.
According to forecasts, 2014 production will go up 4.4 percent to 4,685 million euro (US$6,372 million). Exports will increase by 4.7 percent reaching 3,545 million. Italian consumption will be back on a growth path with a 3.3 percent increase to 2,115 million euro, thus providing Italian manufacturers' deliveries with much needed stimulus expected to result in a 3.4 percent growth to 1,140 million euro. Imports are expected to grow (+3.3 percent), with the import/consumption ratio set to remain stable. The export/production ratio will continue increasing to 75.7 percent.
As to export figures, in 2013 China confirmed its position as the first and most important end market for the Made in Italy of the sector, followed by the USA, Germany, Russia, France and Brazil. The latest figures available, concerning the period going from January to March 2014, highlight a recovery of foreign sales, up 2.1 percent compared to the first quarter of 2013. Germany is back leading the ranking as the biggest end market, following a 17.6 percent year-on-year increase in the purchases of Italian machine tools, followed by China (-16.3 percent) and the USA (-11 percent), both suffering big slackening. Good performance for France (+30.2 percent). Russia (-5.8 percent) and India (-35.3 percent) close the top positions of the ranking.
"Against an unflattering European backdrop, Italy is experiencing a particularly tough stage that doesn't seem to be completely over yet," said UCIMU president Luigi Galdabini. "The Italian economy is still too static and stuck, thus risking to further damage the manufacturing industry in the country which basically stopped investing in production machinery in 2008."
This across-the-board crisis has indeed long blocked all investment in production technology. Obsolete machinery not being replaced (in 2005, when the last survey was carried out, 25 percent of machines in Italy had been operated for more than 20 years) as well as recent purchases of innovative systems by companies in emerging markets foster fears that our industry might not be able to keep up with foreign competitors.
Read more...London, UK: Boeing has projected a demand for 36,770 new airplanes over the next 20 years, an increase of 4.2 percent from last year's forecast. The company estimates the total value of those new airplanes at US$5.2 trillion.
"This market is strong and resilient," said Randy Tinseth, VP of marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "With new and more efficient airplanes entering service, the growth in air travel is being driven by customers who want to fly where they want, when they want."
Fueling this year's forecast is the single-aisle market, which is projected to be the fastest growing and most dynamic segment due to the continued emergence of low-cost carriers. 25,680 new airplanes will be needed in this segment, making up 70 percent of the total units in the forecast.
"Based on the overwhelming amount of orders and deliveries, we see the heart of the single-aisle market in the 160-seat range," said Mr Tinseth. "There's no question the market is converging to this size, where network flexibility and cost efficiency meet. The Next-Generation 737-800 and new 737 MAX 8 offer our customers the most revenue potential in this mid-sized space."
The company forecasts that 8,600 new airplanes will be needed in the twin-aisle segment, led by small widebody airplanes in the 200 to 300 seat range such as the 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliner. This year's forecast reflects a continued shift in demand from very large airplanes to efficient new twin-engine products such as the 787-10 and new 777X.
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