On every trade show floor featuring additive manufacturing, there’s a growing selection of additive processes for making production parts that stand alongside machines more commonly associated with prototyping. An essential aspect of additive’s transition from prototyping to production is data collection.

The load cell sensor is arguably the most important component in a force measurement or material testing system’s ability to provide accurate, precise and valid measurements. A sensor’s accuracy is often the primary characteristic that is used to specify a load cell sensor for a given application.

The manufacturing industry continues to push the conventional boundaries of creating larger and more complex parts. The potential for costly errors also increases exponentially when producing large-scale, intricate components and assemblies. 

It’s an exciting time to work in ultrasonics. Phased array and other innovations in ultrasound have expanded its applications and uses, and with the advent of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) in aerospace, the need to nondestructively test critical parts for thickness and flaws continues to grow.

A depth gage could be as simple as marks on a piece of tape, a line on a ruler, or tape on a drill. Fortunately, of course, modern gages take the guesswork out of measurement, providing a range of simple or high-tech options depending on the job.

The biggest trend we are seeing in the manufacturing industry is automating the inspection process using robots. According to a projection from ABI Research, the number of industrial robots sold in the U.S. will jump nearly 300% in less than a decade. 

Step into the optical metrology world and one thing is clear. This vibrant business sector continues to innovate new designs of portable coordinate measuring machines (PCMMs) for the inspection of large components and fixtures.

The process of reverse engineering using 3D scanning can yield many outputs and there is certainly some confusion between them. I hope this brief explanation of options can help set you down the correct path for your needs.

Those familiar with the animated comedy The Simpsons may recall that Homer has a once long-lost brother named Herb. While making a valiant effort to pull himself from the gutter, Herb invents a device that will translate a baby’s cries into intelligible language that will tell parents exactly what the baby wants or needs. 

Productivity is a key competitive element for any manufacturing operation. Do more in less time is an often recited production mantra.