A packaging line example. When or where should you apply or upgrade automation? Here’s help with that. The allure of automation is growing as it becomes more attainable and affordable. In the past, owning a sleek robot to assemble widgets at high speeds was as likely as having a Lamborghini.

As long as the automation engineering company is approved to program name-brand software, I can trust them to integrate my automation system. Right? Not necessarily. Carefully vetting an automation integrator is as important as vetting candidates for an in-house position at your company. Successfu

As a top integrator of Rockwell Automation components, we worked together with their team to develop this guide for platform modernization. Please visit their website and view this whitepaper for more information regarding platform modernization. Industrial Automation and Controls modernization ca

EPIC’s team of expert automation engineers takes great pride in executing all jobs on time and on budget. Our proven method of project execution plus decades of in-plant experience – both as plant engineers and now as integrators –  have helped us fine-tune the craft of executing succes

When you have the responsibility of ensuring a manufacturing plant is operating at its full potential at all times, talk of “Industry 4.0” and “industrial automation like never before” might be exciting but far-fetched. Industry 4.0 is just an empty phrase used by marketers

Line operators and other plant staff are the front-line for your automation system. Preparing them for any changes to advanced automation design or rollouts is critical to project success. Like that time your computer upgraded windows without warning, sudden changes to operating systems, HMI’s, and

The customer’s chemical packaging line was experiencing intermittent delays. The customer wanted to identify issues, maximize line uptime, and integrate a better OEE tracking system for their chemical packaging line. Industry: Chemicals Client: Fortune 100 Chemical Company KEY ENGINEERING FEATURES:

Emerging Leaders in the precision machining industry give their thoughts on what attracts young people to the industry.   Filling the skills gap, retaining employees, implementing automation – manufacturing can define these realities on shop floors across the country as obstacles or,

RW Screw believes adding robots to legacy equipment that remains accurate makes sense. Here, a cobot tends to a Hardinge turning center. This robot station with drawers for stock and completed parts is bolted to the floor to prevent any “walking” due to robot motion, given the precisi

Every month, we’re putting together a Technology Showcase, highlighting some of the product information that PM receives from supplier companies. For August, we focused on Automation & Robots that will be highlighted at IMTS 2022. PM’s August Automation & Robots showcase in

Precision machining paired with automation and robotics can offer unprecedented levels of speed, accuracy and quality control for manufacturing processes. Automation can also help companies advance to more lights-out production as well develop a continuous-improvement mindset that can enable increas

Those who are familiar with G-code programming can use the Quick and Simple Startup of Robotization feature in FANUC CNCs to more easily program FANUC robots. Photo Credit: FANUC America Although the potential benefits of machine-tending robots are clear to many shops, those with no robot exper

A bar feeder seems like a relatively simple device. The most common automation accessory in our world of high volume turning, it provides a reliable way of delivering material to the machine tool for extended periods of time, saving an operator from continually loading blanks into a chuck. In reali

Connectivity and data collection have become overarching themes in machining and manufacturing. Machine tool OEMs and accessory suppliers continue to build automatic feedback/monitoring capabilities into their equipment to enable shops to have greater control over their shopfloor processes. For

In a wireless age, the use of cables may be losing its function in some industries. However, for others, the role they play is as important as ever. In the case of manufacturing, as technology becomes increasingly integrated, so does the prominence of cables. Cables are key for both the delivery of

Production Machining focuses on helping niche machining businesses become more efficient operations. For our September Technology Showcase, we’re spotlighting products that will be showcased at this fall’s Eastec event, which is set for Oct. 19-21, 2021, at the Eastern States Exposition,

Senior Editor Lori Beckman talks with Jerry Rex, chief revenue officer at Athena, and experiences the voice-operated assistant for machine tools herself, during a demonstration.   When I woke the morning of May 4, I asked Siri for the weather report on my iPhone, and then asked Alexa on my

The Armroid is a built-in robot packaged within a CNC lathe. This video illustrates the robot’s functionality inside the machine tool.   Two of the biggest trends in the precision machining industry are currently automation and machining completed in one setup, in part due to

Rounds are sometimes mistakenly thought to be the easiest to straighten and are frequently the subject of customer complaints. However, symmetrical shapes are in fact the easiest to straighten. To some extent, bar straightness is like the air we breathe – you only really think about it wh

Thanks to those who showed up at the Production Machining Editor Meet and Greet. It was good chatting with everyone there and throughout the show. Like others, I wasn’t sure what to expect at August’s Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS). Would people show up? Would exhibitors