In the aerospace world, as in all sectors of manufacturing, the race is on for faster, more automated and connected machining operations. Aerospace builders have steadily pushed for more automotive-like automation over the past several years in order to improve productivity and more effectively handle large order backlogs in commercial aviation.
New work materials are developed continually to improve the capabilities of finished parts, making them lighter and stronger, among other properties. When these materials catch on, cutting tools must adapt to their often challenging properties.
It is common sense—a vehicle that weighs less requires less fuel to move it. A number of studies show that reducing the mass of a vehicle by 10% results in anywhere from 4.5 to 6% better fuel economy—well worth the effort.
From Boeing 787s to new Navy destroyers, fiber-reinforced composites are gaining in use. As production scales up, more-efficient manufacturing remains a focus. One key to that efficiency is tooling for composites. These molds and forms give the final shape to a part, and are often integral to their final curing.
New Berlin, Wis.-based Sharpe Fabrication Inc. has the right technology to keep pace with the speed of customer requirements.
Houston-based DET develops innovative packer system that regulates flow of heat and steam in geothermal wells
Incremental changes highlight recent advances in the wake of severe supply chain challenges.
Understanding the flow of energy within a plant is key in defining a roadmap to decarbonization
Desktop Metal Inc., the company founded in 2015 with no plan to produce a production-level printer, is now promoting 3D printing for high-volume serial production under its AM (additive manufacturing) 2.0 initiative.
To be competitive in today’s dynamic manufacturing environment, small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) need to implement mechanisms to facilitate the effective processing of multiple streams of highly volatile and time-sensitive customer requirements.