For decades, many manufacturers have counted on robots to tirelessly produce parts of predictable quality. One of the key attributes of robots is their repeatability, which means that their tool tip will return to the same pre-programmed location with a known and relatively small error.

The Knapheide Manufacturing Company of Quincy, IL, is a leader in the North American utility truck body market, so when they adopt manufacturing and testing procedures, the industry takes note.

Technology advances, strong economy propel North American manufacturing show.

More than 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space in the multi-hall convention center are filled with the newest manufacturing technology.

Technology company‘s new location is Chicago’s first-ever industrial-grade additive manufacturing facility.

A wide range of single-purpose point sensors such as proximity sensors, lasers and photocells have long played a key role in virtually all factory automation systems by detecting the presence of parts or assemblies, performing measurements and identifying colors, among other tasks. 

Dominant technologies to watch at IMTS 2018 include an increasing digital thread, robotics and automation, quality assurance and additive manufacturing.

IMTS bringing technology partners to demonstrate advances in additive manufacturing.

December U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $175 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute and The Association For Manufacturing Technology.

Orders totaled $425.97 million for the month, up 19.0 percent compared to November 2016. At a cumulative total of $4.06 billion for the year, orders were up 9.4 percent compared to the same point in 2016.