Most of the latest trends in packaging focus on streamlining and enhancing the customer experience. According to StartUs Insights, some of these trends involve technological advances, particularly around the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to the interconnectivity of modern electronic devices. The smart packaging movement is at the forefront of this innovation, seeking to extend the life of goods through technological enhancements.

Using QR codes, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, and NFC (Near Field Communication), companies can achieve greater security and tracking at any price point, as well as improve connectivity and communication between package recipients and companies sending goods. Additionally, advancements like AR (augmented reality) technology can provide even more engaging experiences for clients. Denys Pavlov for SmartTek Solutions says that AR package labeling allows customers to access digital multimedia alongside their physical goods, including written information, videos, and even 3D models for a more entertaining and valuable experience.

Jana Iverson for PakFactory says that the current e-commerce boom coming out of the pandemic is part of a broader shift toward advancements in packaging technology. “With no in-store experiences or opportunities for the customer service industry during the lockdown, e-commerce is quickly on track to overtake traditional retail as the primary form of shopping,” says Iverson, particularly due to the customization that packaging can offer when tailored to individual customer experiences.

Now, companies that ship worldwide are embracing the role of packaging in enhancing the customer experience when ordering products, with cutting-edge technology serving as a tool to help people associate a delivered product with a positive and novel experience. A blog post from Omron Automation posits that this reflects a digital transformation in the packaging sector, where digital platforms are streamlining the packaging process by reducing manual labor and increasing efficiency at all stages of delivery.

The evolution of technology is not limited to the customer-facing side; automation is also gaining traction in the packaging industry to address persistent manufacturing issues like productivity, quality control, and accuracy. StartUs Insights reports that automated devices such as robotic arms and grippers are increasingly used for various tasks in creating and shipping packages, aiming to minimize the potential for human error.

The Omron Automation post highlights that Industry 4.0, which includes the push for automation in factory settings, is becoming an integral part of the packaging manufacturing process. With connected devices and predictive maintenance, the manufacturing floors of the future can experience less downtime.

Coupled with newer developments in AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning, some packaging manufacturing facilities are upgrading to enhance package quality assessments, inspections, and sorting. Katie Pyzyk for PackagingDive says that machine learning—AI designed to mimic human-like updating knowledge—is being integrated with robotics to create more efficient packaging streams and identify recyclable materials, aiding the industry’s push toward greener packaging.

Perhaps more significantly than technology-driven solutions, innovation in sustainable and flexible packaging is one of the industry’s most prominent growth themes. According to a Smithers report by Georgy Cameron, the global market for flexible packaging is expected to grow at an annual average rate of 3.4 percent, reaching 37.5 million tons by 2026.

This includes initiatives like biodegradable packaging, which utilizes materials such as starch, cellulose, and other plant-based substances like sugarcane or hemp to replace single-use plastics—a leading concern in many business sectors that rely on large-scale manufacturing. StartUs Insights notes that biodegradable packaging options aim to reduce the environmental impact of traditional methods while providing a cost-effective solution for businesses, underscoring their importance to the industry moving forward.

Fiber-based packaging is gaining traction in particular. A market report from Transparency Market Research in 2022 indicates that the fiber-based packaging market is expected to grow by 3.6 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) by the end of next year. “Due to rise in awareness among consumers regarding environmental concerns, this population base is inclining toward the use of eco-friendly products,” the report states. Currently, dry molded fiber appears to be the most effective way to produce this material into ready-to-use packages, as it is faster to produce, highly recyclable, and generates fewer carbon dioxide emissions than plastics.

Other materials, like PCR (post-consumer resins), are being explored for manufacturing due to their potential for end-stage recycling. Edible materials, such as packaging made from milk protein, are also emerging, especially for food products. Jana Iverson mentions that natural materials like algae, plant fibers, seaweed, and crops for edible packaging offer potential innovations in coloring, packing, and more. This could lead to packaging options that are friendly to both humans and animals, resulting in solutions that are even more directly recyclable.

These themes and more will be discussed at PACK EXPO 2024, an annual event that provides insight into the packaging industry at large. This year’s conference will take place from November 3-6 in Chicago, Illinois, featuring 2,600 exhibitors interacting with tens of thousands of attendees. This gathering of industry professionals aims to educate attendees about the latest trends in packaging and their relevance to the world around them.

A range of topics will be covered this year at PACK EXPO, with AI and generative AI being new focal points alongside established discussions on optimizing package design, innovations in automation and robotics, sustainable and recyclable packaging, and more. The expo will also offer an opportunity for packaging businesses of all sizes and across various disciplines to educate themselves on these topics, helping to define next steps for this decade and beyond.

In a report for Packaging Gateway, Mohamed Dabo notes that top industry leaders like Amcor, DS Smith, and Westrock are all committed to creating more environmentally sustainable packaging, as well as exploring innovative ways to design and market various solutions to today’s marketplace. “With a focus on reducing waste, minimising environmental impact, and meeting the needs of customers, these companies are shaping the future of the packaging industry,” Dabo says.

The packaging sector is dedicated to ensuring that customers receive what they need when they need it, while also prioritizing sustainability efforts to keep future generations in mind, ensuring that the industry remains integral to global operations indefinitely.

The post From Sustainable to Futuristic<p class="company">The Newest Innovations in the Packaging Industry</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

At MINExpo 2024, held this September in Las Vegas, mining industry leaders unveiled a suite of high-tech solutions aimed at enhancing productivity while reducing carbon footprints and fuel costs. Organized by the National Mining Association (NMA), MINExpo is the world’s largest mining trade event and serves as a launchpad for cutting-edge machinery built to tackle the toughest demands of modern mining.

Komatsu, for example, used the event to introduce the PC4000-11E hydraulic mining excavator, a formidable machine manufactured with an eco-friendly sensibility.

“The electrically powered hydraulic mining excavator merges the powerful digging force of high-performance diesel machines with the lower carbon footprint of an electrically powered machine. Built to endure the toughest mining operations, the PC4000-11E features robust components for exceptional durability and reliability in the harshest conditions,” states a September 24, 2024 Komatsu press release.

The PC4000-11E’s electric drive reduces emissions by roughly 95 percent and eliminates the need for diesel fuel—drastically reducing overall ownership costs compared to a conventional Tier-4 diesel engine machine, says Komatsu.

Komatsu also showed off its new Power Agnostic 930E haulage truck at MINExpo. “Power agnostic” means the truck can run on standard diesel but also be eventually transitioned to future clean energy sources, including hydrogen fuel cells. This capability enables customers to “future-proof” their mining fleets, boasts a September 24, 2024 Komatsu press release.

Future-proofed or not, vehicles used in mining tend to be very large. Komatsu’s surface mining wheel loaders include the WE1350 with an operating weight of 214 tons and bucket capacity of 22.9 cubic meters; the WE1850, with a weight of 295 tons and bucket capacity of 32.8 cubic meters; and the WE2350, with a weight of 293.5 tons and bucket capacity of 40.5 cubic meters. Komatsu also makes huge hydraulic mining excavators such as the PC5500, which weighs between 537 and 556 tons and has a bucket size of 29 cubic meters; the PC7000, which weighs from 678 to 696 tons, with a bucket size of 38 cubic meters; and the PC8000, with a weight of 769 to 790 tons and bucket size of 42 cubic meters.

Mining haul trucks are equally gargantuan. The 798 AC electric drive mining truck, exhibited by Caterpillar at MINExpo 2024, is 51.44 feet long and 48.85 feet in height with the body raised. The 3,500 hp 798 AC can deliver a payload of 372 metric tonnes (410 tons), while offering simplified maintenance and high speed on grade.

Caterpillar also unveiled the new R1700 XE-load-haul dump (LHD) loader at MINExpo 2024. Built for underground mining operations, the battery-electric R1700 XE gives off zero emissions, thus reducing air pollution in a confined environment while also generating less heat. Fitted with a lithium-ion battery pack, the R1700 XE has a peak rated power of 250 kW/335 hp and can be fully recharged in under 20 minutes using a dual MEC500 Mobile Equipment Charger. Its payload is 15 tonnes and safety features include two emergency exits, enhanced camera options, a fire suppression system in the cab, and improved visibility and lighting coverage.

Mining vehicle manufacturer Liebherr also debuted several innovative mining vehicles at MINExpo 2024, including the PR 776. This “flagship mining dozer” as a September 24, 2024 Liebherr press release calls it, weighs from 71,800 to 73,189 kilograms, has a blade capacity of 18.5 to 22 cubic meters, and features hydrostatic drive technology and an engine output of 565 kW/768 hp.

Liebherr unveiled its new zero-emissions T 264 battery-electric haul truck as well. Capable of autonomous operation, the T 264 was built in partnership with a firm called Fortescue Zero, which designed the vehicle’s 3.2 MWh battery. An automated quick charger option can charge T 264 trucks in under one hour. If all goes to plan, the T 264 battery-electric haul truck will undergo onsite validation testing at the end of next year.

“Liebherr’s mining dozers rip, push, stockpile, clear and reclaim in mines around the world,” states the company’s website. Liebherr diesel engines are developed with durability in mind and have been used for decades in “the harshest operating conditions… their robust design and cutting-edge technology ensure maximum operational reliability and longevity. The tried-and-true Liebherr hydrostatic drive system eliminates high-wear components such as gearboxes, steering clutches, or service brakes. Instead, high-quality hydraulic pumps and motors operate virtually wear-free, offering exceptional operational durability,” adds a September 24, 2024 Liebherr press release.

At MINExpo, the T 264 was fitted with 50/80R57 XDR SPEED ENERGY tires from tire giant, Michelin. This first-of-its-kind energy-efficient tire for mining vehicles utilizes a flexible tread and energy-reducing rubber compound that enables it to run at cooler temperatures, increasing the energy that propels the truck. Better fuel efficiency and fewer carbon emissions are the result. The Michelin XDR 4 SPEED ENERGY tire is expected to be commercially available next year.

“This cutting-edge innovation allows vehicles such as rigid dump trucks to minimize energy consumption using a new energy-saving compound. When a mining vehicle carries a load and operates on various terrains, whether hard or soft, the tire deforms and flexes, generating heat that results in energy loss and requires the vehicle to exert more effort to move forward,” states an article titled ‘Michelin Introduces ‘First-Ever’ Energy Efficient Tire’ posted September 26, 2024 on the website of magazine.

Indeed, mining vehicles are becoming increasingly futuristic and sporting features such as the Komatrax Plus Health Monitoring System. This solution from Komatsu provides real-time and stored data regarding machine operation. If a critical malfunction is detected, the Health Monitoring System will send a fault message to the digital display inside the cab, alerting operators to the problem. In such situations, the Health Monitoring System will also shut down the engine then compile a failure analysis report that can later be downloaded.

Komatsu’s MineCare and mRoc (Modular Mining) solutions, meanwhile, provide maintenance management in real time, and automatically detect component problems to prevent catastrophic failure. MineCare and mRoc are designed to boost uptime and reduce maintenance expenses.

Liebherr’s new PR 776 crawler dozer is fitted with advanced Operator Assistance Systems (OAS) which aid in blade stabilization in fine grading applications and enable automatic blade positioning in 2D grade operations. OAS is also available on other Liebherr dozers.

The PR 776 is also compatible with the Liebherr Remote Control (LiReCon) system. Dozers fitted with cameras, microphones, and a radio link transmitter and receiver are controlled by an operator at a teleoperation stand. The LiReCon system enables speedy shift changes between operators, reducing downtime and enhancing operator safety by removing the need for a human to occupy the cab in hazardous conditions.

Mining vehicles from Caterpillar can be equipped with Cat MineStar, a suite of technologies that warn operators of hazards, track time, location, and performance; enhance communications via audio and video; and crunch data to create reports about productivity and safety. Specific Cat MineStar solutions include Cat MineStar Command, a solution that enables autonomous hauling (the new Cat 798 AC is configured with this feature), and Cat MineStar Detect. The latter includes a safety system that identifies operator fatigue and distraction, uses radar and cameras to detect objects, vehicles, and hazards, and communicates information about vehicle proximity from machine to machine.

Like Komatsu, Caterpillar is also looking to “future-proof” its vehicles. To this end, Caterpillar has designed a modular Cat 793 mining truck platform “with powertrain flexibility [including] diesel, mechanical, diesel electric, and battery electric options,” according to a September 19, 2024 Caterpillar press release. “All current diesel electric and battery electric large mining truck platforms are also compatible with the recently announced Cat Dynamic Energy Transfer System, providing immediate benefit to mine sites that want to lower their operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions while providing flexibility for the future,” adds the release.

For all these technological developments, certain basics still need to be considered for mining vehicles to properly perform their duties. A piece titled ‘Mining Truck Considerations: Is Bigger Always Better?’ posted March 31, 2022 on the Caterpillar company blog, offers pointers about using large mining haul trucks. Big trucks require wide roads, which need to be well-maintained, and as such, mining firms might need to invest in big motor graders for road-maintenance purposes.

“Another consideration is the length of the haul and the percent of time a truck spends loading vs. hauling. If hauls are longer, then switching to a larger truck will mean more material is being carried that longer distance—and the costs come down. With shorter distances, smaller trucks can compete as the lower-cost option,” states the Caterpillar blog.

Overall truck operating costs should not be ignored as well: “While it’s true that larger trucks deliver higher productivity and overall lower cost per ton, it also costs more to operate them in terms of fuel usage, maintenance, et cetera,” continues the blog.

In other words, sophisticated as the latest mining vehicles may be, owners and operators still need to factor in age-old concerns about cost and size to achieve maximum value from their mining fleet. The advancements highlighted at MINExpo 2024 signal a transformative period in the mining industry. With electrification, AI-powered monitoring, remote operation capabilities, and future-proof powertrain options, these vehicles represent a shift toward a more resilient, environmentally conscious approach to mining. However, even the most advanced technology must contend with the practical demands of cost, maintenance, and efficiency—timeless considerations that determine a vehicle’s true value over time.

As mining companies adopt these sophisticated machines, balancing innovation with these operational fundamentals will be key to maximizing the benefits of a future-ready mining fleet.

The post What’s New in Mining Equipment<p class="company">Mining Haul Trucks, Dozers, and Wheel Loaders Go High-Tech </p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Since 2012, America Makes has led a consortium of government, educational institutions, and small, medium, and large businesses, all of whom have a stake in the advancement of AM. Each serves as a critical access point for the organization to understand the needs and priorities of the sector, informing its strategy and coordinating action. At present, there are over 80 active America Makes programs, adding to a list of more than 300 programs that have been supported throughout the organization’s history, all of which are directed toward advancing additive manufacturing and communicating its many advantages.

“It’s about moving further and further out from this center of knowledge that we have today, increasing awareness and providing education in the form of ‘What is this technology, how do I use it, where does it fit into my business case and what are the techno-economics of it?’” says Executive Director John Wilczynski of his mission and strategy at America Makes.

The strategy
First established as the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, the overarching goal of America Makes is to accelerate the adoption of AM in the interest of greater economic competitiveness and security in the United States.

The success of America Makes laid the foundation, in a program called Manufacturing USA, for the establishment of 17 manufacturing innovation institutes in the U.S. which are overseen by various government departments including the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Commerce. According to Wilczynski, “This initiative was necessary in the U.S. to address some existing market failures and shortcomings, so, generally speaking, trying to address global competitiveness and where the U.S. stood with regard to advanced manufacturing.”

AM, also commonly referred to as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is a series of technologies that create 3D objects one layer at a time using digital designs that have been sliced into layers to be replicated by the printing process, depositing and solidifying material, layer by layer, to the desired shape—hence “additive” manufacturing. The process creates complex geometries more efficiently and effectively than traditional manufacturing processes, with the capacity to reduce component weight while offering greater flexibility and speed, competitive advantages that cannot be ignored, particularly for industries like manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and healthcare.

Given the scope and reach of AM and that this represents only a fraction of its capabilities as a technology still under development, America Makes has the enormous task of sharing these ever-evolving technologies with the AM ecosystem and the world, while the body of knowledge and the various applications continue to grow.

“We need to let that knowledge proliferate into the ecosystem somehow while we’re moving onto the harder things that nobody has solved yet, and so being at different stages of adoption is a huge challenge,” says Wilczynski. He also acknowledges that while the technology is capable, it can’t do everything, nor is that anyone’s intent.

“This is about making sure that the ‘additive’ body of knowledge across technology, and the business case and everything that goes into the end value chain, is accessible and attainable for more and more people,” Wilczynski says.

A resilient ecosystem
Manufacturing is a localized process that has regional and national implications, just as the conditions of the region and country will have an impact on manufacturing operations at the local level. This ecosystem is one that America Makes seeks to strengthen and grow.

“Of course, we have amazing manufacturing regions in our country, and you can’t just run an ecosystem of one particular region; you need to embed your concepts, frameworks, roadmaps, and all your tools in those regions where they’ll be used,” says Ecosystems Director Kimberly Gibson.

With any manufacturing ecosystem, some challenges must be overcome to grow the sector and its economic impact—chiefly the question of human resources and ensuring that adequate numbers of skilled workers are available to sustain the growth that’s being targeted. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, manufacturing represents 45 percent of all unfilled job openings in the country, a total of more than 615,000 job opportunities. What’s more, research by Deloitte found that one third of manufacturing employees are more than 55 years old, which means the dearth of workers is likely to worsen through attrition.

This is a major concern for all manufacturers. The AM industry is short of some 50,000 workers in the U.S., which means that workforce development and education have to be a major component of America Makes’ strategy.

“There are people who need training at various levels, so we do a lot to work on different pathways for learning and making those entry points as accessible as possible. We use the expression ‘From K to gray,’ so our approach is broad,” says Wilczynski.

America Makes is also interested in establishing industry-recognized credentials to ensure that skills and competencies are transferrable and accepted across applications, as there are many. This is where collaboration with the education system will be vital to success, now and in the future, to ensure that those talent pipelines stay flowing and relevant.

“The topic of ecosystem expansion is going to be critical for this to work and it’s really important that we’re building national programs, but it’s also very important that we’re working boots on the ground within regions to do this,” Wilczynski says of efforts to expand the reach and adoption of AM.

Industrializing the technology
A key part of ecosystem development and expansion is the dissemination of information including the transfer of knowledge and technology across the nation, but that’s not without its challenges. The rate of technological development in the AM space is rapid, despite the fairly long lead time for research and development, which means there is a need for patient capital and the ability to quickly and comprehensively communicate the advantages of the constantly advancing technology.

“You want to pull this new technology into different platforms, but you have to make sure the companies that develop the equipment and materials are still in existence by the time the world adopts it, because it’s very hard to be on the bleeding edge of something and stay alive—doing that thing that nobody wants to buy yet or don’t know they need yet or don’t yet crave,” explains Gibson.

Additionally, the work of America Makes has a lot to do with sharing what has been proven, supporting what is still to come, and communicating that message clearly to its members and the various sectors that will benefit.

Acknowledging that there are major advances in the size, speed, stability, and even cost of available systems, Gibson says, “We believe that ‘additive’ is key to manufacturing freedom and the ability to distribute that across the globe in various ways. We don’t believe additive will be used for everything; it just augments existing manufacturing.”

“We’re far beyond the thought that additive is for prototyping,” Wilczynski adds. “It is absolutely for that, but it’s for many more things. It’s widely used for tooling and things like that that support other manufacturing processes, and for direct part manufacturing. There are good use cases across that spectrum where, depending on who you are or what you do, you could apply the various toolsets of additive manufacturing based on what your needs are.”

The biggest challenge, then, is integration, which will be a big part of the organization’s role in the future as it continues to forge a path forward for the AM ecosystem. “We’re very much about raising the overall capability of the U.S. manufacturing base, and doing that is a bit of a different model, but we’ve been able to show significant impact and we’ve paved the way for a lot of other technologies at the same time,” says Wilczynski.

To be sure, there are exciting times ahead. What Wilczynski says about the goals of the organization speaks volumes about America Makes and the impact it seeks for the transforming—and near-limitless—potential of additive manufacturing in the United States.

The post Additive Manufacturing and America Makes – How They Add up to a Great American Future<p class="company">America Makes</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

At its core, AM LLC offers custom manufacturing services that cater to various industries. The company’s capabilities span multiple manufacturing types, focusing primarily on plastic and metal parts. Whether it’s through 3D printing, traditional machining, injection molding, laser cutting, or forming, AM LLC prides itself in finding a solution for every customer’s needs. If you have a plastic or metal part in mind, chances are this team can make it happen.

The company offers a dozen different manufacturing processes, and its expertise lies in being able to select the most suitable method based on the project’s requirements. One of its standout features is the ability to work on both prototypes and full production quantities. This flexibility allows customers to test their ideas on a smaller scale before scaling up to mass production, ensuring that their products are optimized before entering the market.

Moreover, AM LLC’s range of services is designed to cater to diverse industries, from aerospace and defense to commercial, medical, and industrial sectors. Whether it’s a military-grade component or a complex commercial product, the team has the experience and knowledge to handle even the most intricate projects. The ability to offer various production techniques gives customers more options, and this versatility makes AM LLC a valuable partner in the manufacturing process.

Behind every successful manufacturing company is a dedicated team of individuals, and AM LLC is no exception. Its team of 31 employees is a close-knit group of experienced professionals, each contributing to the company’s success in different ways. From sales to project management, manufacturing, inspection, and shipping, the team is equipped with the knowledge and expertise to handle even the most complex manufacturing challenges.

One of the company’s greatest strengths is its employees’ collective industry experience. Many members of the team have been in the manufacturing sector for over a decade, while some have been working in the industry for 25 years or more. The company recently hired a quality manager with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing quality, further strengthening its ability to cater to clients’ needs with precision and care.

This extensive experience means that the team can troubleshoot potential problems, streamline processes, and ensure that every step of the manufacturing journey is optimized for success. AM LLC’s focus on hiring skilled and knowledgeable personnel is what allows it to deliver high-quality results consistently. As the manufacturing industry becomes increasingly complex, having a seasoned team provides a competitive edge, enabling the company to provide expert guidance and support to its customers.

When it comes to company culture, the business places a strong emphasis on speed, quality, customer service, and pride in the work. Quality is paramount in the manufacturing industry, and AM LLC takes this aspect seriously. “We have implemented stringent quality control measures to ensure that every part we produce meets the highest standards,” says Gates Frazier, National Sales Manager. This includes thorough inspections and vetting processes overseen by a dedicated quality manager and a detailed inspection team. As a result, customers can trust that the parts they receive will not only meet but exceed their expectations.

Customer service is another key pillar of AM LLC’s success. In an era where automation has taken over many aspects of customer interaction, AM LLC takes pride in offering a more traditional, personalized approach. Unlike some larger companies where customers can face frustrating, automated responses, AM LLC ensures that when customers call, a real person answers the phone. Emails are answered promptly, and the company strives to make every interaction with its customers as smooth and efficient as possible.

This personalized service, combined with a commitment to quality, is what sets AM LLC apart. Its customers not only receive high-quality products but also experience a level of care and attention that is becoming increasingly rare in today’s automated business world. It’s no wonder clients continue to return for more projects, knowing they can trust AM LLC to deliver.

While the company’s main facility is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, its reach extends far beyond U.S. borders. For certain projects, particularly injection molding, AM LLC sources parts from manufacturers in China, a global approach that allows it to offer competitive pricing while maintaining strict control over quality and delivery timelines. Every part, whether produced in-house or sourced abroad, is inspected and vetted at the Las Vegas facility before it reaches the customer.

AM LLC’s customer base is primarily in North America, covering the United States and Canada, and has global sourcing capabilities, allowing the team the flexibility to take on projects anywhere in the world. Alternatively, parts can simply be manufactured in the Las Vegas, Nevada factory. This local and broad reach, combined with a commitment to quality, makes AM LLC a trusted partner for companies that need reliable, high-quality manufacturing solutions across a range of industries.

The business’ growth and success over the years have not gone unnoticed. Since its inception in 2009 and more aggressive expansion starting in 2013, the company has seen consistent year-over-year growth in sales, excepting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A growth increase of 20 percent last year is a testament to its ability to maintain strong relationships with clients and deliver on its promises.

The company has also earned recognition from major industry players. Notably, Northrop Grumman has recognized AM LLC as a pivotal supplier for the F-35 program, one of the most advanced military aircraft in the world. This recognition speaks to the team’s expertise in producing high-precision components for defense and aerospace projects, industries that demand nothing short of perfection.

Additionally, AM LLC has achieved important certifications, including ISO 9001:2015 and ITAR certification. These certifications are critical for working with government contracts and defense-related projects, as they demonstrate the company’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality, security, and compliance. Holding these certifications also opens up opportunities to work with clients who require strict adherence to industry regulations.

Like all companies in the manufacturing sector, AM LLC faces its share of challenges, particularly in finding experienced personnel. The manufacturing industry as a whole has seen a decline in skilled workers, with fewer people entering the trades. This shortage is especially pronounced in cities like Las Vegas, where the pool of experienced manufacturing talent is smaller compared to other regions. However, AM LLC remains optimistic, noting that the influx of people relocating to Las Vegas in recent years has brought more talent to the area.

Another challenge is the rapid advancement of technology in manufacturing, particularly automation and AI. While these technologies have revolutionized certain aspects of production, AM LLC believes that the human element is still essential, especially when it comes to setting up and managing complex manufacturing processes. The expertise and experience of skilled workers remain crucial to ensuring that machines and systems operate efficiently and effectively.

One of the most exciting aspects of working in the manufacturing industry is being part of the development of next-generation products, and at AM LLC, employees get to see the latest advancements in military, space, aerospace, medical devices, robotics, and industrial products. Turning ideas into reality is what drives the team, and they take great pride in knowing that the parts they produce are contributing to the development of groundbreaking technologies.

Indeed, whether producing components for space exploration, advanced robotics, or cutting-edge military equipment, AM LLC is at the forefront of innovation. The ability to work with a wide range of materials and manufacturing processes makes it a versatile partner for companies pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Its involvement in projects for space exploration in particular is a point of pride for the company. As the space industry continues to grow, the need for reliable, high-quality components is increasing, and AM LLC is well positioned to meet this demand.

“By staying on the cutting edge of technology and constantly improving our processes, we are helping to shape the future of space travel, robotics, and other advanced fields,” explains Tory Sirkin, President of AM LLC.

As the company looks to the future, its focus remains on sustaining its impressive growth, expanding its capabilities, and continuing to provide exceptional service to customers. While there are no immediate plans for geographical expansion, the company recognizes that its current Las Vegas facility may need to grow to accommodate increasing demand.

In addition to expanding its physical footprint, AM LLC plans to continue investing in new technologies and equipment to stay ahead of the curve. As machines become faster, smarter, and more affordable, this team is committed to leveraging these advancements to offer even better service, understanding that staying at the forefront of technology is crucial in the competitive world of manufacturing.

AM LLC’s growth model also includes maintaining strong relationships with customers. Believing that long-term success is built on trust and reliability, by consistently delivering high-quality parts, providing excellent customer service, and building lasting relationships with clients, the company ensures that its growth will continue well into the future.

In a world where manufacturing is becoming increasingly automated and impersonal, Additive Manufacturing LLC stands out as a company that combines cutting-edge technology with traditional values. A commitment to quality, customer service, and continuous improvement has earned it the trust of some of the biggest names in the industry, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Abbott, Collins Aerospace, and many others. So whether you need a prototype or a full production run, AM LLC has the expertise and capabilities to turn your ideas into reality. With a global reach, a dedicated team, and a passion for problem-solving, this is the partner you can trust for all your manufacturing.

The post Innovative Manufacturing, Quality, and Commitment<p class="company">Additive Manufacturing LLC</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Researchers there are creating new methods for design optimization, materials development and characterization, process parameter selection, and parts qualification and certification, that have helped to drive the widespread adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. Their work has helped to mature the technology by enabling faster, more efficient and reliable production of parts that can be lighter in weight, superior in mechanical properties, and more complex in geometry.

Sandra DeVincent Wolf is the Executive Director of both the Next Manufacturing Center and Carnegie Mellon’s Manufacturing Futures Institute, which brings engineers and scientists from across the university together to advance the digital transformation of manufacturing by applying digital technologies such as artificial intelligence; advanced data analytics; augmented, virtual, and mixed reality; and digital twins to a wide range of manufacturing technologies, including robotics, micro and nano manufacturing, biomanufacturing, and additive manufacturing.

Wolf oversees two AM labs—one on the Carnegie Mellon University campus and a second at Mill 19, where both faculty researchers and engineering students conduct additive manufacturing research in a facility that was built on the former site of one of Pittsburgh’s largest steel mills.

The AM equipment in the labs includes aerosol jet printing, binder jetting, bioprinting, directed energy deposition, electron beam melting, laser hotwire, laser powder bed fusion, and wire arc additive manufacturing. The facilities are available for use by both university faculty and students as well as industry partners.

Next Manufacturing’s research employs artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance part design; process development, monitoring, and control; materials development; qualification and certification of parts; and robotics and automation. These advances will significantly increase build rates, reduce costs, improve properties such as fatigue resistance, allow for customization of the entire process, and ultimately enhance the widespread adoption of AM.

“Thanks to our ability to apply the ever-increasing computer power and AI expertise we have at Carnegie Mellon, we can now gather and analyze vast amounts of data to optimize these complex processes,” explains Wolf, who adds, “It’s astonishing how the work in the lab has evolved. We now spend more time setting up cameras and microphones to collect visual and audio data than we do actually running a build. It’s very efficient. It’s phenomenal.”

“I started at CMU in 2015, and my primary responsibility was to introduce outside industry, federal entities, and other organizations to the research and capabilities that we have, and to meet with those organizations to understand their challenges and interests, and then work to bring those together to develop partnerships that would support our research,” says Wolf.

“At that time, the aviation industry was developing an interest in using metal additive manufacturing, leading to increased activity as companies began calling us to inquire about industry developments and whether it would be significant enough for them to consider serving the additive manufacturing industry, in addition to traditional powder metallurgy industries,” she explains.

“Manufacturing organizations were honestly worried that metal 3D printing might replace what they do, and that machining wouldn’t be needed anymore,” says Wolf. “Fortunately, they’re not being replaced at all. They’re needed more than ever, and their skill set is essential to the system, whether it’s making fixtures and jigs or finish-machining parts that are 3D printed.”

Recognizing the growing activity in this area, in 2015, the Dean of the College of Engineering approved mechanical engineering professor Jack Beuth’s request to establish an additive manufacturing center.

“That was all it was at that time—there was no agreement, no plan, no program,” Wolf recalls. “In January 2016, Beuth and materials science and engineering professor, Tony Rollett, and I committed to diving into this. I agreed to serve as the founding Executive Director of the Center, and we just started building and building.”

Wolf collaborated with the legal department and the office of sponsored programs to develop the membership agreement before presenting it to companies eager to learn about additive manufacturing and what Next Manufacturing was doing in the field.

“We launched the consortium in July 2016, marking our very first Next Manufacturing Center Membership Meeting and Research Expo, with attendees from all over coming to meet our faculty and students, interact with others in the industry, learn about our research, and tour our facilities,” says Wolf. “We hosted some elected officials and top representatives from the FAA and the aviation industry, which is where metals additive was really gaining traction. At that time, we had one small metals additive lab with a couple of machines, two faculty members, and four students using it all.”

Since then, the Center has worked tirelessly to promote its capabilities and efforts to support interdisciplinary research, resulting in 35 faculty and 175 students considering themselves affiliated with the Center. There are now two metals additive labs designed and built under Wolf’s leadership.

“I might have 30-some-odd students qualified to use the metals additive lab, which is a process, so that’s an accomplishment,” she notes. “Kudos to those students who have followed all of our training protocols and gotten qualified to work in the labs. That’s something that sets us apart from many universities.”

Metals additive manufacturing can be hazardous, she adds. Handling powders poses significant environmental health and safety risks, including potential inhalation. “It requires extensive infrastructure, and we have managed to operate safely despite these challenges. We also handle reactive powders like aluminum and titanium, which introduces a whole other level of risk since they can be combustible and even explosive.”

The Center’s equipment is available to all its researchers, with external rates for those in the industry who lack such capabilities. Additionally, professional staff are responsible for maintaining the labs’ equipment and ensuring safety.

“We’re very well known for our development of materials, new alloys, and process monitoring and control,” Wolf says. “I would also say we’re leaders in applying AI to additive manufacturing, which has been a primary focus of our research for the last four years. While we continue with process or alloy development, we are utilizing and applying AI as a tool to accelerate our efforts and do it more accurately. As humans, we alone can’t process all the data we can now collect with available computing power.”

In manufacturing—or science in general—when there’s a need for advanced data analytics and the ability to collect vast amounts of rich data, there’s really no other way to achieve this today, Wolf explains, but fortunately, the Center has the computing power to manage it.

“Now that we can monitor all these aspects, it’s astonishing how the work in the lab has evolved. You spend more time setting up the build in order to collect data than actually running a build because of the amount of information you can gather. The experiments are very efficient. It’s phenomenal how much valuable information you can collect in a short amount of time.”

On the funding side, the Center has been fortunate in securing various grants from different branches of the federal government, enabling it to advance vital research. According to Wolf, the Consortium, which was quite large in its earlier years, positioned the Center to win several federal grants including three with the Department of Energy for over two million dollars each for heat exchangers. There’s also been funding from the Office of Naval Research, for a Lockheed Martin-led project that included Center researchers, as well as a NASA University Leadership Initiative program totaling $6 million over three years and a NASA Space Technology Research Institute program funded at $15 million over five years, which has allowed the Center to pursue qualification of additive Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), particularly for aviation. The Center is currently wrapping up an AI-enabled AM program funded at $15.7 million over four years supported by the Army Research Laboratory.

One of the Center’s greatest strengths, says Wolf, is that it “includes faculty with deep expertise in important topics like material development, solidification processing, modeling and simulation, design, and advanced data analytics and AI. It allows us to go both deep and broad at the same time to address AM challenges.”

Additionally, the Center’s commitment to fostering an “extremely collaborative environment” has proven invaluable.

“It shouldn’t be a secret sauce; everybody should be collaborating everywhere, and that’s one of the things that’s really special about the Center,” Wolf emphasizes. “My personal mission the entire time I’ve been at CMU is to bring people together, to find the right people, to help others.”

Part of Wolf’s success is her dedication to continuous learning and staying informed. “It’s never too late to learn,” she says, and after extensive experience across various industries, she feels that Carnegie Mellon is the perfect fit. “I’ve finally arrived. I am in a place that I absolutely love, because it’s incredibly exciting. The innovation is outstanding.”

The students are equally impressive, she adds, enthusiastic about being part of the Center. Seminars are highly attended, allowing students to broaden their knowledge beyond their own research.

“We also see students collaborating significantly. They love it; they love being part of this. Some students have even told us that this Center is the reason they chose us over other grad school options while pursuing additive manufacturing.”

The Center is committed to supporting these students, particularly in their research endeavors. “We train them. We want them to be hands-on and capable, which doesn’t happen at every university,” Wolf says. “We also foster a strong collaborative culture of safety in our labs, which is something we are very proud of.”

She is equally proud of the students’ generosity with their time, skills, and knowledge, as well as their willingness to share what they know with others, whether it’s safely training peers or operating various lab machines. “Every one of them is so grateful for their opportunities that they pay it forward or backward. They’re just so generous and gracious.”

Looking ahead, the Next Manufacturing Center aims to continue with automated and data-driven qualification and certification as a pathway to true adoption of additive manufacturing. The goal is also to attract more students and raise awareness of the vast possibilities within the manufacturing field.

“We have the advantage. 3D printing is the best thing that’s happened to metallurgy in years,” Wolf says. “We have an outreach tool, if you will. We have a technique—even if it’s just desktop plastic 3D printing—that’s so visual and so accessible. For $300 to $500, you can have a desktop 3D printer.”

This accessibility means schools, libraries, and community centers are now being introduced to the field, which can only benefit the broader industry.

“Even if you’re a non-technical parent or teacher, you can acquire one, and it’s for girls and boys,” Wolf says. “Additive is on the move now, and that’s incredibly exciting when trying to engage kids in STEM, particularly in additive manufacturing.”

The post Artificial Intelligence and Real Collaboration Drive Additive Manufacturing Research and Development at Carnegie Mellon’s Next Manufacturing Center<p class="company">Carnegie Mellon’s NextManufacturing Center</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, this veteran-owned and woman-owned business supplies high-reliability components and superior supply-chain solutions for the aerospace and defense sectors. The company offers a wide variety of specific services, including inspection and analysis, ASIC programs, IT foundry services, test services, and aerospace and defense programs, as well as a number of custom services.

New Space is the term for the emerging private space industry. This entrepreneurial space race is expanding rapidly, and the opportunities are abundant. “New Space is just the most booming part of the industry there is,” McCurdy says. “The number of satellites going up in constellations—it’s literally crowded up there.” A constellation refers to artificial satellites that are working together in a system.

The players have to be at the cutting edge of the industry to maintain a position in the dynamic, rapidly evolving New Space race. “They’re agile,” she states. “They’re super-fast to market.”

Naturally, data collection is a major part of the industry. For example, around a decade ago, Spirit Electronics was involved in a program to utilize constellations to track “any aircraft that’s not on the ground,” McCurdy shares. “As soon as it’s in the air, whether it’s a two-seat Cessna or a Boeing 777, this constellation tracks it now.”

Today, the industry is working to apply the same technology to the maritime sector. “It is currently one of the most unregulated things that we have,” she says. For example, if “you’ve got a big barge or a carrier coming over from Europe to America with cars on it, and they lose AIS on it, they can’t find it.” This means that anyone trying to track the vessel is completely in the dark. It is impossible to know what might have happened. “Did it get hit by a big wave? Is it lost? Did it sink?” In other situations, vessels go off the grid intentionally. They “turn their AIS off because they don’t want to be tracked,” McCurdy notes.

Utilizing New Space to keep tabs on the movement of vessels at sea will be a game changer. “All of these things in the maritime sector are going to get a little bit more oversight from the world, to know where the shipping lanes are, which ship is where. You can look at that as a classic data collection constellation that’s going up to try to help the maritime community.”

This is just one sector impacted by New Space. “It’s happening in everything,” McCurdy says. “Forestry, water management, oceanography—all these things are what New Space is tackling.”

McCurdy has been at the forefront of supporting New Space as the industry develops. “I was on a panel with the Greater Phoenix Economics Council and some of the other primes like Northrop, Boeing, Raytheon, et cetera, really discussing what is needed to support this New Space defense market out here from an education standpoint and trying to bring [new talent] into play,” she shares.

This enthusiasm is seen throughout America, particularly when it comes to encouraging the next generation to enter the field. “Every state is doing something from an educational standpoint to try to get young kids and new college students to say, ‘hey, I would like to have this career field, because it’s exciting,’” she says. “All of these options are out there, but it’s really lacking human resources right now, and there’s a lot going on to try to bolster that.”

Spirit Electronics works hard to stay at the forefront of opportunities in New Space. For instance, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, Spirit and a few other primes are headed to the Netherlands, Belgium, and parts of Scandinavia to undertake “an exchange of ideas [regarding] New Space and semiconductor capabilities [with] potential business partners. And we’ve already been going down this road this year. We have several companies in Europe now that are working with us to bring their products to the U.S. for the New Space market specifically—they don’t know how to enter it. We ended up doing some of the manufacturing in the back end so that they have some ‘Made in the USA’ capabilities. There’s a big push for companies [outside of the U.S.] to try to get into this market.”

Speaking of Spirit’s capabilities, ASIC is an acronym for Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ICs). These computer chips use multiple circuits, allowing custom programming for specific tasks. Customers choose Spirit Electronics to supply their ASIC solutions for several reasons: “One is cost, and one is securing their supply chain,” says McCurdy.

Larger companies are focused on bringing new technology to the marketplace, so it does not always make sense for them to continue to manufacture older product lines. “They’re always moving forward,” she says. “They’re churning out all the latest technology.” She uses an iPhone as an example. “With iPhones, literally every six months they’re putting something new on the market, but in order to do that, you need new technology, new cameras, higher speed—all these things.”

To be sure, not all customers are able to advance that quickly. “The aerospace and defense market actually doesn’t move at that kind of commercial pace, and they always lag in technology slightly, not because our airplanes or our jet fighters are not current… It’s because they don’t want to change the electronics once they’ve qualified them. Just imagine if you had to change something on some heat-seeking missiles, then you’ve got to shoot a bunch of them off to guarantee that it works again; in other words, you’ve got to requalify it. So the military always lags, and then because of that, they want the supply chain to be 20 years long.”

On the other hand, when it comes to the commercial space, “that product line is maybe a year or two long,” she points out. Customers in aerospace and defense, who need a longer life cycle for their supply chain, turn to Spirit Electronics, and, in doing so, take advantage of the customization the team offers. “All of a sudden, you have this very sophisticated chip that now will help them secure their supply chain for the next 20 years, plus it has added technology [that] actually enhances what they had originally.”

Certainly, Spirit Electronics is always moving forward. Quick to take advantage of foundry consolidation within the industry, the company now offers foundry services in collaboration with Texas Instruments, and this access is only the beginning. Spirit continues to grow and adapt to best meet its customers’ needs. “We have been in acquisition mode here the last couple of years,” McCurdy tells us. “The one piece we have missing in the entire ecosystem is assembly. So we’re trying hard to get some assembly in-house, and we’re hoping to do that so we can package up our own silicon and manage the complete turnkey process as opposed to outsourcing that one small thing.”

With such a strong track record and focused strategy, Spirit Electronics is sure to meet that goal—and plenty more. As it does, Manufacturing in Focus will continue to keep an eye on this market-leading company.

The post Advanced Solutions<p class="company">Spirit Electronics</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

With a legacy rooted in strong connections, from the hardware and components it offers to the relationships it builds, A+ Group’s history in the sector speaks volumes of its ability to withstand market ebbs and flows and remain a reliable, dedicated partner to domestic manufacturers, connecting them to a wider global network of vendors of the highest quality.

For this and many other reasons, A+ Group is a resource for its customers across the many industries it serves including tactical, medical, promotional, apparel, and accessories for people and their furry companions.

From its headquarters in New Jersey, its sales and warehousing locations in Canada and Mexico, and its international footprint in China, A+ Group supports over 1,500 manufacturing partners. Sourcing is a critical part of the company’s capabilities, and this includes the ability to draw on its network of over 100 vetted factories and suppliers for anything from custom hardware to logo/branding, finished goods, and expert customer service that’s accessible when needed.

The longevity of A+ Group’s relationships in the market with vendors and customers alike, as well as its ability to validate quality through a robust qualification system, is what takes a lot of the risk out of the equation for its customers. Essentially, A+ Group puts in the groundwork, saving customers time and money and offering peace of mind that their best interests are being protected so they can focus on what they do best: manufacturing.

From Chief Revenue Officer Bryan Collins’ perspective, “We select the best suppliers and we try to pair them with the customers who need those products,” ensuring that every product and every supplier is a good fit. With a product development team on the ground to rigorously test hardware components and pre-vet factories and suppliers, it has become a proven model to ensure the highest quality before products are even shipped out.

“For 35 years,” says Collins, “we’ve been qualifying some of the best ingredient manufacturers in China and elsewhere in Asia, and our value-add is that we give domestic manufacturers access to those high-quality manufacturers without having to travel overseas and go through the trial-and-error process themselves.”

USA+ is A+ Group’s Berry Compliant product line that offers traceability of its sources coupled with the highest standards of strength and durability. This includes high-performance plastic components, rugged nylon webbing, durable metal hardware with low minimum-order quantities, and turnkey sample kits that are available at a moment’s notice, giving manufacturers peace of mind that their domestic supply chains are secure.

The company prides itself on its ability to act as an extension of its customers’ operations by handling their global supply chain via its trusted global network. This allows customers to focus on their business, not their logistics. The reliability of this offering eliminates the stress associated with supply chain and inventory management—especially valuable at a time when talent and space are at a premium—without compromising access to components and hardware of the highest quality.

A+ Group enjoys relationships with award-winning brands like Fidlock, recognized for its revolutionary magnetic fasteners that facilitate one-handed operation without compromising hold and endurance. Additionally, its A+ Elite line is a hand-curated offering of premium components including in-house designs that have demonstrated their value both as standalone components and as part of a package. Readily available in a range of colors and finishes, these components can be customized to fit.

As Collins notes, “With our product development team, we actually developed our own finished goods that integrate our products and our technologies to showcase the proper use case and application for our parts.”

With more than 70 design clients and over 100 completed projects, A+ Group’s product development team of engineers and industrial and graphic design specialists, led by its talented Mechanical Engineer Chris Laurita, are there to offer custom engineering, contract development support, packaging design, and more, making the company a true one-stop shop for manufacturers.

“Our claim to fame is our ability to customize,” says Collins. “We like to go to our customers and say, ‘What do you need exactly?’ because we can make that for you. We don’t try and put a round peg in a square hole. If they need a round peg, we make them a round peg.”

Further to having the right products at the right time, A+ Group has invested in its internal capacity to ensure transactions are optimized and efficient down to the tiniest detail. Over the last several years, the company has undergone a digital transformation that has strengthened its connectivity to its vendors and customers around the world. From a new web presence to investments in software integration, to ecommerce supported through its new webstore, the company has streamlined its processes to make it easier than ever to access the products and services it provides.

CEO Elizabeth Matlaga is upbeat: “We really are top of our game with using technology and how we integrate,” something that has been made possible with the addition of Wayne Laul, Director of Information Technology, who is credited with spearheading many of these technology initiatives to keep A+ Group competitive in the face of Industry 4.0.

According to Collins, “Some of our strongest assets are item and vendor data and customer data, and essentially our job is connecting the two—customers’ needs and vendor abilities.” This enables more effective processes and adds greater value to the company’s customers, which is always the goal.

Technology will also equip A+ Group to achieve its growth plans, scaling its operations and its culture around the globe. This growth will facilitate greater volumes which will translate to greater value for the customer in the long term.

As Matlaga says, “That’s the beauty of it because we could bring in more of the same thing—having more buying power with our vendors and lower freight [costs]—and send it into every market that we go into.”

And as the market continues to grow with the company’s success, a big part of that success is attributable to its culture—a culture of the highest quality that serves as the foundation for all that the company does, both internally and externally.

Indeed, the culture at A+ Group is one where people are prioritized for more than just the value they create for the bottom line. Just as the goal is to add value for its customers, A+ Group takes that same approach with its internal relationships, ensuring that its employees are a good fit. When the fit is right, the culture is enriched.

“If we get the right fit, which most times we do, you hire the person, the whole person,” says Sabrena Watkins, Chief People Officer. She notes that with the right people, the right tools and products, and driven by its core values, A+ Group is equipped to deliver the foremost in service. “When people are being seen as a whole person, beyond their roles, they just give so much more.”

The team at A+ Group give all of themselves every single day, not only in the level of service and expertise they bring to customers but also in the community, where vital connections are being made. Beyond uplifting its customers, A+ Group supports Think Big for Kids, an organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing students with opportunities to explore careers, mentorship, job readiness, and placement.

Initiatives like these empower A+ Group employees to buy into the work that is being done on a deeper level, striving for their personal and professional best through the work they do as part of the A+ team. “Everyone here feels like they’re a part of something bigger—working together to break free from the status quo… allowing freedom, which is the company’s core ‘Why.’ Beyond your role, we care about you, the whole person,” Matlaga says. This care, connection, and freedom extend through the A+ Group family of employees, vendors, and customers alike—the foundations of the company’s success

The post In the Business of Building Strong Connections<p class="company">A+ Group</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

This year, it celebrates 80 years of loyalty as a business partner to some of the world’s greatest industry leaders. And, with many big names across many industries utilizing its products for myriad purposes, the company’s reputation is indeed stellar. Providing a vast global audience with top-notch vacuum measurement instruments alongside gas mass flow control and metering instrumentation, Teledyne Hastings also provides its customers with trusted repair and calibration services.

Teledyne Hastings is well-known for premium precision and custom engineering. From attachments that regulate flow, to sensors, and data logging equipment, the team has the necessary tools to develop whatever solution customers need to keep their operations and equipment running smoothly. From its base in Hampton, Virginia, Teledyne Hastings Instruments also provides customers with high-end customization services. Whatever the challenge, the team supports its customers through every part of the process of instrumentation creation.

To ensure good process flow and optimal customer experience, these processes are made as clear and simple as possible and are initiated early in team meetings where Teledyne Hastings ascertains the scope of a project and its customers’ needs. Face-to-face conversation is followed by establishing product specs according to the finest details of the client’s particular operational needs.

Top technology
The company consistently invests in maintaining a strong presence in its field, and that means ensuring that its technology remains current. By concentrating on this aspect of the business, other advantages such as top-class efficiency, quality, and product durability follow.

A natural result of this real commitment to meeting every client’s specific needs is that Teledyne Hastings has developed and introduced so many unique, high-quality products. One that stands out is the 300-VUE series of mass flow meters and controllers. Lauded for its plug-and-play technology and ease of operation, it provides clients with unique functionality. Another is the HVG-2020-B vacuum gauge, as convenient and versatile as it is robust. Each of these comes with optional touchscreen displays enhancing user experience, plus free software.

Indeed, the company’s investments have always been strategic. Having grown into one of the leading vacuum and thermal mass flow companies in America through the ’60s, and becoming a part of Teledyne Incorporated in 1968, Teledyne Hastings became part of the parent company’s instrumentation division and has flourished with its support ever since the amalgamation. Today, Teledyne Hastings operates within the Teledyne Instruments Group.

Teledyne Hastings Instruments has been working with automation experts along with a sister company, Teledyne Dalsa, in incorporating automation technology into their manufacturing processes. “This will be a big step forward in automating our production environment, which will improve our efficiencies and consistent reliable end product,” says Scott Paris, Controller and Site Lead.

Supported by more extensive investment in research and development, the company will launch another vacuum product in early 2025.

People power
Together with intelligent strategy, mindful attention to its people is a large part of the company’s success. Its team is a motivated one, with several of its employees making this their forever job. Within the company’s doors, it’s common to find folks who have come to work here daily for three or four decades. Naturally, the value of such continuity is huge. “We have a long history of dedicated employees who have been with the company forever, ever since they left high school or college—a strength of our company,” says Paris.

Here, continuity not only refers to team spirit and internal systems but also to the expertise passed down from one generation to the next. Customers reap the benefits, enjoying consistent quality instrumentation that supports valuable infrastructure in innumerable ways. “Teledyne Hastings is a great place to work,” agrees Douglas Baker, Director of Sales and Business Development.

A consequence of taking good care of its people is that the company has built a sterling team. With the surprising number of employees who have spent most of their working lives here, the company warmly appreciates the people who make its existence possible. Good leadership guides the team forward, and regular open discussions among its managers fire up communication, and at the same time enrich relationships between staff and leadership.

But Teledyne Hastings is more than a fantastic employer; the company also takes care of its communities through charitable contributions to organizations and initiatives like local community projects, Toys for Tots, and several others. Team members play a part in the company’s green initiatives, whether by replacing traditional lighting with LED bulbs or pitching in for beach clean-ups. In addition, the team celebrates Arbor Day and Earth Day while also providing a list of environmentally aware actions that customers can take at work and home to help protect the environment. The company hosts safety days and other gatherings to mark important dates that align with company values, and beyond all these commitments, the company is also committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by the end of 2040.

Aiming high from the start
Teledyne Hastings has enjoyed an interesting history since its founding in 1944 by Mary and Charles Hastings. Charles, born in 1914 and with a penchant for building radios from a young age, was an aeronautical engineer. Becoming involved with the earliest iteration of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) which, in 1944, was operating as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), Charles received the go-ahead from the government to establish himself in private business on the back of a few groundbreaking concepts he had developed.

Establishing a small home-based outfit called Hastings Instrument Company (HICO), the two Hastings made a formidably visionary team, with Mary taking care of administration and Charles developing equipment that broke new ground, often making history as he went along.

Mary was also instrumental in establishing the company in other ways. At one point, initial calibrations were based on set speeds achieved in her car driving down the road. She later had an assistant who gave her a hand in taking notes and managing instruments attached to the car to collect data on air measurements. The couple’s entire home became part of their operation as the paintwork of the company’s first Air Meter was dried in their kitchen oven.

Growth followed for the company as the Hastings’ instruments gained traction. There were two divisions at one stage, with one of them, Hastings-Raydist, founded on the groundbreaking radio instrument that measured distance, unlike other instruments of this type that, until then, had only measured speed. This division focused solely on radio equipment.

The other division focused on instrumentation and was—pardon the pun—instrumental in the company’s expansion into its present-day place in the market. Eventually, in 1968, its supply of a pioneering vacuum sensor to Apollo 11 for the safe preservation of geological samples collected on the moon helped put the company on everybody’s map.

Growing organically
Teledyne Hastings Instrumentation’s commitment to its customers’ projects remains second to none, as evidenced by the amount of repeat business the team enjoys.

“We are here for our customers,” says Baker. “When we meet a customer, the first thing we want to do is to listen to what their instrumentation needs are in terms of vacuum and flow.” And considering the reputation of the company’s products for robustness and durability, this strong customer loyalty makes sense. As a result, organic growth continues to push Teledyne Hastings’s capabilities and reach ever further, spurred by its ongoing product research and development and agility in responding to market needs.

Sending out a message of sincere thanks to its customers, employees, and suppliers for driving its success, Teledyne Hastings is set to reach greater heights than ever.

The post A History of Reliability – A Future of Innovation<p class="company">Teledyne Hastings Instruments</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Over the ensuing nearly 40 years, the company has blossomed into a nationwide family-run business, offering services including crane manufacturing, emergency derailment, and many more related to railroads.

President Barry Isringhausen says that, in 1981, a train derailment involving a 700,000-plus-pound payload and car occurred in St. Louis, Missouri. Whereas other derailment businesses balked at the recovery, Barry’s father suggested that if he could knock down a wall in a nearby building, he could get a truck in and use one of his cranes to access the load. Barry, 16 years old at the time, never forgot the feeling of being part of a unified team with such intensity and focus on getting the job done. That experience cemented his aspiration to be part of the railroad industry and, as he says, still moves him today to follow his father’s example.

Senior Vice President Aubrey Amadeo notes that there are three elements to what kind of work Cranemasters does from both an engineering and a manufacturing standpoint. The first is new product development, wherein the company determines the next problem to solve and the next piece of equipment to build or invest in. The second is an ongoing catalog of production, which involves taking a developed product and putting it into a material and equipment catalog to be built for a customer. For example, the company recently provided a railroad project in Alaska with a standard crane and an Arctic package specific to the climate. The third element is aftermarket service, where Cranemasters delivers a piece of equipment and becomes an ongoing partner.

Amadeo points out that, while the company’s competitors seek to serve the needs of the railroad industry, Cranemasters is the only business of its kind that has a dedicated manufacturing department for the same purpose. Primarily, this department, located in North Chesterfield, comes up with new solutions to ongoing issues, builds the cranes that do the work, and then sells them to the railroad industry. The manufacturing facility literally builds the devices needed to complete necessary work, which gives the company an edge in understanding more about the railroad industry and its needs. Director of Marketing Jim Gaddis says that Cranemasters is thus accustomed to creating groundbreaking industry products for its own use, which has led to producing cranes for customers.

Another key aspect is that the company focuses on holistically solving problems for its clients. The team looks at the needs of a customer not just from a problem standpoint, but to understand more about the customer’s business, applying this kind of all-in perspective to everything from machine fixes to railroad repairs and more. Isringhausen says that the experience Cranemasters has with the equipment it designs and builds allows it to give clients a user-friendly experience that meets their needs.

The company has been moving from strength to strength over the last couple of years. One such instance has been the acquisition of the intellectual property and design rights for a crane by international manufacturer Tadano, a design that Cranemasters has enhanced significantly since its purchase.

The company has also benefited from repeat business, including a multi-crane deal with a returning customer, which has strengthened its financial success. Amadeo notes that continued interest in the business is driven by the close-knit nature of the railroad industry and demand from regions like Mexico and Alaska, where its capabilities are highly valued. “What generates the ongoing product is a repeatable product that we get better and better at making,” he says.

Gaddis adds that safety is, of course, a huge concern for the railroad industry, especially now that things are so much bigger and heavier. Meeting railroad businesses where they are, Cranemasters takes a similarly serious approach to safety, starting every job with a briefing to identify all risks and hazards. A considerable amount of safety training is involved, and the company’s innovations themselves have largely come about in the interests of advancing safety and removing hazards, from the way the cranes operate to the traction motors within them.

Gaddis cites Cranemasters’ culture of respect, wherein the company values input, feedback, and work ethic, as foundational to its success. He believes that company management, as well as the entire workforce, care deeply about the community they have made their name in as well as the industry overall. Of utmost importance is care for the customer.

Isringhausen affirms that Cranemasters will continue to expand the line of products it creates for both customers and itself at its manufacturing facility. The team will soon complete their first version of a 70-ton crane model for a customer, to be delivered later this year or early into next, a new model that has exciting potential thanks to its projected market appeal.

Cranemasters is also working on new versions of its primary pieces of equipment built for internal use and will begin manufacturing them in early 2025. Everyone involved will be taking the lessons learned over the course of the company’s 38-year history and its expertise in the railroad services space to make a more robust, resilient, and better-performing company.

Amadeo says of the role the company has carved for itself that, at Cranemasters, “you’re like a first responder for the rail industry.” This role is one that the company is more than willing to fill, especially because of how much everyone believes in the work. Isringhausen adds that the industry represents one of the safest modes of transportation today, and one of the most reliable, able to transport anything in terms of quantity and size.

Cranemasters takes great pride in being a part of that industry and helping to keep it safe and productive by providing the best equipment to solve problems and address needs. Gaddis believes that railroad service is critical and crucial to America and its infrastructure, and as he says, “It’s an honor to serve in this role for that industry and for the country.”

The post First Responders for the Railroad Industry<p class="company">Cranemasters</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

It is no stretch to say that those companies are both the foundation and the unsung heroes of America’s entire manufacturing industry. Without them, mass production could not exist.

We spoke with Mike Hetherington, President of Franchino Mold & Engineering Company (FMEC), the ISO 9001:2015 certified company based in Lansing, Michigan, which serves cutting-edge manufacturing customers across the U.S. and around the globe in the automotive, aerospace, agriculture, construction, consumer goods, furniture/household, marine, and material-handling manufacturing industries.

FMEC is an industry leader in the design and engineering of medium to large die cast dies and plastic injection molds, which include high-pressure (from 1200- to 8500-ton) injection molds, gas-assist molds, structural foam molds, compression molds, and stack molds. In addition, it offers contract machining, preventive maintenance, and mold/die repair services.

Hetherington, who joined the family-owned company in 1997 as a designer and worked his way up to Manager of Engineering and Vice President of Operations before becoming President in 2020, tells us the company got its start in 1955 when Richard Franchino began working out of his garage in Lansing, Michigan. Six years later, in 1961, he moved into a larger standalone facility.

His son Robert (Bob) joined him in 1974, with a mechanical engineering background. Together, they continued to build the company based on the highest level of craftsmanship. Bob’s son, Kent, Vice President of Operations, joined the company in 2012 and his daughter, Hollie Rusthoven, Director of IT, joined in 2015.
“At one point we had three facilities in Lansing, one in Jackson, and one out of state, but since have combined all the facilities and operations under one roof,” explains Hetherington. “Now we take up 98,000 square feet, 78,000 square feet of climate-controlled space, which includes a recent 18,000-square-foot extension.”

He goes on to explain that this expansion (80’ x 225’ x 50’) is a dedicated mold-making area, with an 80-ton main crane and four 25-ton auxiliary cranes, “for our guys who are putting our molds together. Each has their own area set up with air, electric, water, and overhead cranes. Everything is at their fingertips, so they’re not stopping to look for anything.”

From inception to the present, Hetherington says FMEC’s goals have remained constant: “To produce results with products that exceed our customers’ quality and schedule expectations, while providing growth and prosperity for the company and its employees.” The key to the company’s success, he believes, is in its focus on people, process, and technology. “If we can get those three things right, then everything else falls into place.”

FMEC considers its people to be its greatest strength, with Human Resources Manager Brad Rusthoven playing a key role in attracting and retaining the most skilled, qualified, and motivated people in the trade. Employees are hired, reviewed, rewarded, and recognized based on how closely they are aligned with the company’s core values of teamwork, hard work, innovation, trustworthiness, and integrity.

As Rusthoven explains, “We want an employee who: 1. Gets It, that is, one who truly understands the role, knows what’s expected, comprehends the culture and core values; one who 2. Wants It, who is interested and motivated; and one who has the 3. Capacity, the knowledge, experience, or education to do the job, and the necessary physical, emotional, and mental capabilities. We would prefer to spend our time training the right person who shows they have the character to do the right thing and work as part of a team.”

While many of FMEC’s employees have been with the company for 20 or more years, the company recognizes the importance of continuing to recruit and train new employees who will be ready to take the place of retirees. Currently, eight of the 85 employees are apprentices.

To that end, Rusthoven spends a considerable amount of time visiting local career centers, talking about the advantages of a career in the industry, and working with students through the company’s internal apprenticeship program. This valuable program leads students through to qualifications as CNC machinists or mold-makers, along with students at Lansing Community College also enrolled in the Manufacturing Engineering Technology program as designers or machinists.

“Brad does an excellent job working with career centers and local schools and because of that we are ‘a preferred employer,’” Hetherington says. “We get an opportunity to talk with the top students prior to graduation. We are proud of our apprenticeship program because it provides the apprentices with the technical and personal skills needed to succeed in the workplace.”

On the retention side, Hetherington cites the company’s clean, safe, climate-controlled workspace, where employees earn competitive wages and undergo annual performance reviews based on key performance indicators which help everyone stay on track and understand what is expected of them.

The process begins with the seven-member leadership team, including Hetherington and Rusthoven, who participated in offsite training days, learning how to become effective leaders. They work on communication and conflict management skills, and on developing an understanding of how their leadership can impact company culture and how that culture in turn impacts productivity. Based on that learning comes the establishment of leadership team goals, which starts with a positive, strong, productive, and yet open culture. The group also provides vision and strategic leadership to meet the cost, quality, and delivery expectations of customers; and ensures continuous improvement by tracking data and responding accordingly.

“We are data-driven, and we base our decisions on our key performance indicators of safety, quality, delivery, and cost. We have internal matrices that define what we are doing well, that ask if we are doing what we should be doing, and do we have room for improvement in any of those four key areas,” Hetherington explains. “Then we follow those KPIs into the work centers, because each one of those centers has safety, quality, delivery, and costs they are responsible for, and the team leader in that area ensures the center is meeting those goals,” he says. “From there, we waterfall it down to the individual’s performance reviews, so it goes all the way down, from the corporate level to the individual.”

To keep it all organized, FMEC has developed sophisticated tracking tools that support a clearly defined workflow process beginning with the RFQs and continuing through the job release, engineering, purchasing, planning and scheduling, production, quality, assembly, and delivery phases of every project. These tools also allow management to determine capacity week by week for months in advance and adjust workloads on time so that schedules are met and downtime is eliminated.

Since its inception, FMEC has invested in the best technology available and continues to believe that research and investments that increase capacity and improve efficiency are crucial to its success. FMEC has all the equipment one might expect from a manufacturer of this size and scope. There are multiple boring mills, CNC mills, 21 CAD/CAM workstations, grinders, lathes, cranes, drills, MIG and TIG welders, laser scanner inspectors, and transportation/delivery vehicles.

But over and above these, there are some exciting new acquisitions, because, as Hetherington tells us, “Our goal is to find and obtain technology that is advanced, flexible, and automated.”

One of the newest and truly significant investments is the Hermle C650 5 Axis Machining Center with a 14-pallet changer. “This is a crucial piece of equipment for us to become more automated because the 14 pallets allow the machine to work when we’re not here,” Hetherington explains. “Our operators load workpieces into the carousel, and when the operation is finished with one workpiece, the robot takes it out and replaces it with another from the carousel, so it’s not waiting for an operator to load and unload the machine.”

These factors—people, processes, and technology—combine to guarantee that the die cast dies and plastic injection molds that are designed, engineered, and built at FMEC’s plant will be of the highest quality, ensuring that the products its customers produce with those tools will be of the same high quality.

“We’ve been extremely fortunate with our workload that our customers have entrusted us with in the past,” Hetherington says. “With our ongoing continuous improvement in people, process and technology, we are excited about the future of FMEC, our customers, and our team members.”

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