AGMA Gear Industry News

American Gear Manufacturers Association

McInnes Rolled Rings

Chicago Tribune

Felsomat, a German manufacturer that makes automation equipment for the automotive industry, has a talent problem that's become a growth problem. Plans to triple the size of its Schaumburg facility, to 100,000 square feet, have stalled in part because it is difficult to find skilled technicians to design, build and service the automated systems that have allowed U.S. carmakers to produce more than ever before with fewer people.

Visit http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-manufacturing-talent-gap-1218-biz-20161217-story.html to view the full article online.

 

Bloomberg

Manufacturing expanded in November at the fastest pace in five months, indicating American producers are finding more relief in resilient domestic demand.

Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-01/manufacturing-in-u-s-expands-at-best-pace-in-five-months to view the full article online.

 

AGMA

Learn what is required for the design of an optimum gear set and the importance of the coordinated effort of the gear design engineer, the gear metallurgist, and the bearing system engineer. Investigate gear‐related problems, failures and improved processing procedures.

Visit https://www.agma.org/education/advanced-courses/gear-materials/ to view the full article online.

 
Gleason Corporation
Kapp Technologies
American Stress Technologies

GreenBiz

Five leading Massachusetts manufacturers found joining forces essential in their efforts to redefine chemicals management. Meeting recently as a peer-mentoring workgroup led them to share ideas and resources.

Visit https://www.greenbiz.com/article/detox-manufacturing-businesses-find-secret-ingredient to view the full article online.

 

Associated Press

Manufacturers in New York state expanded more quickly this month than in November, driven by a big jump in new orders.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says its Empire State index rose to a reading of 9 in December, up from 1.5 in the previous month. Anything above zero signals that factories are doing more business.

Visit http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/15/manufacturing-growing-at-solid-pace-in-new-york-hiring-lags.html to view the full article online.

 
SCOT FORGE - ATTN: Maggie Dort

The Washington Post

Susan Murray Carlock says her Indiana company is providing something popular opinion has deemed nearly extinct: well-paying manufacturing jobs. Over the past four years, Mursix Corp., a creator of seat belt buckles and bed frames, has sought to fill a variety of production positions. The average wages exceed $20 an hour — a ladder to the middle class. Trouble is, she can’t find workers.

Visit https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/15/are-manufacturing-jobs-really-dying-its-complicated to view the full article online.

 

Manufacturing.net

General Motors has started testing fully autonomous vehicles on public roads around its technical center in suburban Detroit. The announcement comes just one week after Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation that allows the cars to be tested on public roads without a driver or a steering wheel. But the automaker says that for now, it will have human backup drivers for its fleet of autonomous Chevrolet Bolt electric cars.

Visit http://www.manufacturing.net/news/2016/12/gm-begins-testing-autonomous-cars-michigan-public-roads-0 to view the full article online.

 
All Metals & Forge Group, LLC

Manufacturing Business Technology

Creating a safe workplace isn’t just an ethical imperative for manufacturers; it makes smart business sense, too. Workplace injuries lead to costly staffing shortages, and compensating workers in the form of benefits and settlements can have long-term financial consequences. That is why workplace safety in factories is a priority that should trump all others.  

Visit http://www.mbtmag.com/article/2016/12/predictive-maintenance-marrying-safety-productivity to view the full article online.

 

The Associated Press

Some look at an abandoned, centuries-old iron mine in New York’s Adirondacks and see a relic. An ambitious group of engineers sees the shafts in Mineville as a new way to provide a steady flow of electricity in a growing market for renewable energy. They are pitching a plan to circulate some of the millions of gallons of groundwater that have flooded the mine shafts over the years to power an array of 100 hydroelectric turbines a half-mile underground.

Visit http://www.680news.com/2016/12/18/hydroelectric-engineers-find-potential-in-centuries-old-mine/ to view the full article online.

 
Metal Powder Products, Inc.
Specialty Ring Products

3D Print

This week, the AMSC released the preliminary final draft of the AMSC Standardization Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing (Version 1.0) to the public for review and comment. The organization plans to have the final document published in February 2017, and currently invites comments and feedback from the public about any revisions needed before publication.

Visit https://3dprint.com/158957/america-makes-ansi-roadmap/ to view the full article online.

 

Bloomberg

German business sentiment rose to the highest level in almost three years in December, signaling growth in Europe’s largest economy picked up speed toward the end of the year. The Munich-based Ifo institute’s business climate index climbed to 111 from 110.4 in November. That’s the strongest since February 2014 and compares with a median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists of 110.6.

Visit https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-19/german-business-confidence-improves-on-signs-of-stronger-growth to view the full article online.

 
Cincinnati Gearing Systems Inc.

Manufacturing.net

From Newton's third law of motion to thermoelectric compounds and Silly Putty, these are some cool things happening this week.

Visit http://www.manufacturing.net/blog/2016/12/5-coolest-things-earth-week to view the full article online.

 

Modern Machine Shop

The bigger size of this combination milling/laser-metal-sintering machine could enable it to enter new markets.

Visit http://www.mmsonline.com/blog/post/hybrid-additive-manufacturing-machine-steps-up-in-size to view the full article online.

 

StarTribune

Factory heads in Minnesota and the rest of the Midwest are ready for 2016 to be over. Pressure from the strong U.S. dollar coupled with soft oil, mining and agriculture sectors meant tough conditions across the board. Add in some nervousness because of a pending presidential election and optimism was tepid. Enter 2017. U.S. manufacturers say on surveys they are upbeat and cautiously optimistic about the new year. 

Visit http://www.startribune.com/manufacturers-in-minnesota-midwest-expect-2017-to-trump-2016/407149846/ to view the full article online.

 
Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology
SCHUNK

MIT Technology Review

Which of today’s emerging technologies have a chance at solving a big problem and opening up new opportunities? Here are MIT’s picks. The 10 on this list all had an impressive milestone in the past year or are on the verge of one. These are technologies you need to know about right now.

Visit https://www.technologyreview.com/lists/technologies/2016/ to view the full article online.

 

Manufacturing.net

The U.S. auto safety agency has opened an investigation into complaints that another 1 million Fiat Chrysler vehicles can roll away after the owners shift transmissions into park, a problem similar to the one blamed in the death of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin.

Visit http://www.manufacturing.net/news/2016/12/government-investigates-ram-durango-gearshifts-rollaway-risk to view the full article online.

 

Robotics & Automation News

Boeing has reached an agreement to buy Liquid Robotics, a builder of autonomous maritime systems and developer of the Wave Glider ocean surface robot, to grow its seabed-to-space autonomous capabilities.

Visit https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2016/12/18/boeing-to-acquire-liquid-robotics-to-enhance-autonomous-seabed-to-space-information-services/9259 to view the full article online.

 
AMS Coatings
 
American Gear Manufacturers Association
1001 N. Fairfax Street, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA, 22314-1587
www.agma.org