“By taking care of your vehicle, it will more likely take care of you. And it will do it for a lot less money.”
– Pat Goss
1. New Way to Produce Metal Powders
While materials are one of the lifebloods of 3D printing, the current state of powdered metals has its limitations, including cost. Luckily, researchers are developing a new technique that uses an abrasion process that could yield a more consistent and cost-effective powder.
2. Pittsburgh Is an Automation Powerhouse
Launching the ARM Institute has established Pittsburgh as a center of excellence in developing AI and automation, a sector which covers a broader variety of technologies than ever before. The director of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute discusses opportunities and obstacles ahead in this rapidly growing field.
3. Nothing Is Ever Certain
This is both an abstraction and a reality. If a CMM says a measurement is X.XXXX, that is absolute, right? Nope. There is always some level of uncertainty in all measurement equipment. It is important to know the factors for this uncertainty and the scale for each piece of equipment. Want to be friends with your quality department? Ask them about uncertainty in the measurement equipment. It’s best to do so over a beer (or more).
4. Always a New Way
I am a big fan of reinventing the wheel. It is a matter of perspective – what is a wheel, and how effective is it? I see milling the same way: Milling strategies are changing as programming and controllers continually evolve, creating challenges like balancing the life of the cutter versus pure speed. Trochoidal cycles can add a new dimension to your processes. Just don’t try to pronounce it in public. It never ends well.
5. Set Phasers to Culture
In recent years, security has emerged as an important issue for running and sustaining a manufacturing business. A common practice in cybersecurity is to rely on software and technology to safeguard data completely. This is only part of the story. A culture of training people to drive safe practices is critical for this new world based on data. After all, the best security system can be defeated by a friendly employee holding the door open for a stranger.
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