Featured Image

AMT Tech Report: Issue #255

Art and engineering, Robot retires to do what it loves, Projects for standards in measurement, US air force offers am experience for students.
Apr 14, 2023

“The most important qualification for any leader is not wanting to be leader.”

– Plato


1. Art and Engineering

English “best” smoothbores, Italian gear-driven cam V12s, Swiss perpetual calendar chronographs, Japanese folded steel blades… The fling between art and engineering is more timeless than Romeo and Juliet. Dr. Onome Scott-Emuakpor is a mechanical engineer who has shown that art and engineering are not mutually exclusive. He believes that by looking at all topics with an open mind, one can find art in any field. 

Read more here.


2. Robot Retires To Do What It Loves 

This is the story of Brian Brocken, who procured a retired ABB IRB6400 six-axis welding robot from a Eurorail factory in Austria and brought it back to life with some repairs and upgrades. He installed a USB drive and a spindle on the robot’s wrist with a 3D printed adapter and then used a serial port to stream coordinates to it, allowing it to function as a giant CNC router. The video shows the machine being delivered and used to carve foam blocks into complex shapes. 

Read more here.


3. Projects for Standards in Measurement 

Three working groups of the VDMA Measurement and Testing Technology Association are working to develop basic standards to promote communication and interoperability in measurement technology. The groups are focused on developing the OPC Companion Specifications for Geometric Measurement Systems, OPC UA Cutting Tools, and I++ DME protocols, making the digital integration of measurement systems into an Industry 4.0 environment easier and more efficient. 

Read more here.


4. US Air Force Offers AM Experience for Students 

The University of Oklahoma has received an $8.7 million congressional appropriation from the Air Force Research Laboratory in partnership with the Air Force Sustainment Center, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, and GE Additive for a comprehensive metal additive manufacturing research project that will test the design and fabrication of replacement parts that could meet the certification requirements for airworthiness by the U.S. Air Force. 

Read more here.


To get the latest tech developments delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to the weekly Tech Report here.

To access Tech Trends, log in to or register for an MTInsight account at https://www.mtinsight.org/ 

PicturePicture
Author
Stephen LaMarca
Senior Technology Analyst
Recent technology News
Check in for the highlights, headlines, and hijinks that matter to manufacturing. These lean news items keep you updated on the latest developments.
Successfully implementing edge computing into your shop floor may be more cost efficient than you think! Here are a couple ways your shop (and budget) can benefit. Bonus: Edge computing devices can also bolster your cybersecurity measures, saving you more!
In collecting data for digital manufacturing, the underlying system architecture for collecting and storing the data can significantly impact the system's benefits and its flexibility for future extensions. We examine two types that may address your needs.
Event to Connect Small and Medium Manufacturers with Experts in Smart Technologies
Edge computing in digital manufacturing involves placing devices between data sources and the network, and ranges from basic data collection to distributed systems. Learn more about its benefits like data processing, isolation, organization, and security.
Similar News
undefined
Technology
By Benjamin Moses | Dec 20, 2024

Robots in the wild. Path to lights-out. War games and advanced manufacturing. Roll your own 3D printer. New metals.

6 min
undefined
Technology
By Stephen LaMarca | Dec 13, 2024

Check and MFG. Micron's coming to Manassas. Start them while they're young. 3D scanning a physical original... Diamonds (batteries) are (almost) forever.

6 min
undefined
Intelligence
By Catherine “Cat” Ross | Dec 18, 2024

The ARM Institute wins big at the 2024 Tech50 Awards. FANUC’s opens an all-new Canadian headquarters. LIFT announces its plans for an advanced materials center in Detroit. Caron Engineering names new national sales manager. Murata Machinery turns 50.

7 min