AGMA Gear Industry News

MarketWatch
The numbers: The New York Fed’s Empire State business conditions index took a sharp turn for the worse in June, falling into negative territory for the first time in more than two years.

Phys.org
Microscopic defects that occur in laser-based manufacturing of metal parts can lead to big problems if undetected, and the process of fixing these flaws can increase the time and cost of high-tech manufacturing. But new research into the cause of these flaws could lead to a remedy.

3D Printing Industry
Norsk Titanium, the company providing Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) additive manufacturing to the aerospace industry, has reached a new milestone in its relationship with Boeing. In its latest update, Norsk has successfully characterized its RPD process as part of the Boeing Material Allowables Program. In addition, all pre-production requirements have been met, and so some structural titanium parts will be suitable for long-term production using Norsk 3D printing.

Advanced Manufacturing.org
If San Diego-based Achates Power is ahead of its time now, it was completely revolutionary when it was founded in 2004 by James U. Lemke, former physics professor and founder of Spin Physics Inc. The company designs green internal combustion engines for passenger and commercial vehicles, and for military, marine and stationary use.

3D Printing Industry
Collins Aerospace Systems, one of the world’s largest aerospace and defense suppliers, has announced its intention to open an aerospace innovation hub for advanced maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) in Singapore. To be located at the Collins Changi MRO Campus, East Singapore, the new hub will house the company’s first additive manufacturing lab outside the United States.

Engineering.com
Industrial robots are well-established in many industries and are commonly associated with modern advanced manufacturing systems. However, aerospace manufacturing still relies heavily on skilled manual work. A key barrier to the adoption of robots in aerospace is a lack of accuracy. With improved accuracy the aerospace industry is forecast to see a big increase in the use of flexible automation. 

Ledger Insights
Next Spring, Japanese manufacturing companies will begin to share data using blockchain. Participants include Mitsubishi Electronics, Hitachi, tools maker DMG Mori and manufacturing robotics companies FANUC and Yaskawa Electric. The project is support by Japan’s Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI).

AGMA
The NFPA and AGMA have partnered to co-locate the AGMA Marketing & Forecasting Conference with the 2019 NFPA Industry & Economic Outlook Conference (IEOC) to bring each organization’s members more of the economic analysis and data they need to be successful.

Plant Services
About one-third of manufacturing workers held a bachelor's degree in 2016, up from only 8% in 1970, according to a report from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce. Meanwhile, the share of workers with a high school degree or less shrunk from 79% to 43% over the same time period.

Bloomberg
A zero-emission Hummer sounds as paradoxical as non-alcoholic whiskey, but General Motors Co. is mulling over the idea of building an electric vehicle that would bring the defunct gas-guzzling brand back to life.

CRN
PTC drew thousands of attendees to its annual LiveWorx digital transformation conference last week in Boston.