Technology Focus: Pressroom Automation |
MetalForming brings you the May installment of our monthly Technology Focus newsletters as we highlight Pressroom Automation.
Next Month: Press Feeds |
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Metal Forming Strategies for Overcoming Economic Crises |
How
should metal formers address capital-equipment concerns and investments
during trying times? Stephan A. Robertson, general manager/vice
president of sales and operation for Simpac America, offers answers in
this Q&A piece.
Answering one question on how a purchasing department can work with its manufacturing team to continue investing in new technology, Robertson offers the following: “There are four key factors when considering capital investments: price, performance, delivery and the ability to provide turnkey solutions. In a challenging economy, stampers should evaluate their current equipment and focus on two age groups. For presses within the 5- to 15-yr. age range, consider upgrading controls and automation—feeds and transfers. For older presses, one new machine, especially a servomechanical press, may allow a stamper to replace two or three aging presses. Efficiency skyrockets, as you conserve floor space and human capital.” |
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MEP Centers Receive Awards to Help SMMs Deploy Advanced Manufacturing Technology |
The U.S Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) will distribute four cooperative agreement awards as part of its 2020 NIST MEP Advanced Manufacturing Technology Services Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) 2020-NIST-MEP-AMTS-01. Four MEP Centers will receive awards totaling $4 million, to help small and midsized manufacturers (SMMs) deploy advanced manufacturing technology in the areas of robotics, flexible automation and Internet of Things (IoT), among others. |
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Weiss-Aug Partners to Create R&D Entities |
The
Weiss-Aug Group, East Hanover, NJ, a precision metal former offering
stamping, injection molding, and integrated component assembly, has
partnered with Lupine Labs, Boulder, CO, to create a new entity, Lupine
Research. Lupine Research will operate two divisions: Research and
Development, led by Alex Macpherson, Ph.D., vice president of R&D;
and Automation, led by John Francis, Ph.D., vice president of
automation.
The Research and Development division will focus on material science,
utilizing a new state-of-the-art lab for technology development in metal
sputtering, plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), and electroplating
technologies. The Automation division will develops systems and
artificial intelligence for machine vision. |
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Upcoming Issues |
June/July (combined issue): Mechanical Presses, Press Feeds, Press Controls, CNC Punching, Arc Welding, Preview of MetalForming’s July online Internet of Things (IoT) Experience for Manufacturers (This issue will be mailed on June 12, and, like all MetalForming issues, will be available at www.metalformingmagazine.com)
Special July Digital Issue—Automation and Software for the New Era of Manufacturing:
MRP/ERP software, IoT and other Industry 4.0 initiatives (This issue
will be emailed on July 9 and again on July 23, and will be available at
www.metalformingmagazine.com)
August: Servo Technology, Tool Steel, EDM Roundup,
Five-Axis Laser Cutting, Folding/Bending Technology, Arc Welding, Safety
Update, Preview: Hot Stamping Experience and Tech Tour—October 6-7, Ann Arbor, MI, Preview: IMTS—September 14-19, Chicago, IL |
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