Lessons on the Journey Toward Shop Automation
By: Brent Donaldson
By necessity, small and mid-sized American job shops are automating production, whether through swift, dramatic upgrades in capital equipment, or slow, methodical changes to processes and procedures on the shop floor.
#thesetup
The Automated Shop – A Conference and a Goal for U.S. Machine Shops
By: Brent Donaldson
Modern Machine Shop’s upcoming technical conference will be an opportunity to learn about several types of automation that are now accessible to small- and mid-sized machine shops in the U.S.
#thesetup
Made in the USA - Season 2 Episode 5: A Motorcycle Supply Chain in Amish Country
By: Brent Donaldson
Janus Motorcycles clearly outlines where each of its parts is sourced. Its top-selling engine is a 229 cc air-cooled single-cylinder two-valve pushrod motor from a manufacturer in China. The company's co-founder Richard Worsham makes no bones about it being the best choice of engine for his line of Halcyon 250 motorcycles.
There's Your Waste, Shaw! An Argument for Shop Reinvestment
By: Brent Donaldson
The fictional Don Walling had it right: Innovation and long-term success for machine shops requires investments in technology and people. Not just one, but both.
#thesetup
An American Manufacturing Story
By: Brent Donaldson
For manufacturers that choose to move or keep production in the United States, what are the challenges and opportunities that motivate them?
#thesetup
Integration, Automation and Green Tech Highlight JIMTOF 2022
By: Brent Donaldson
Known as one of the largest machine tool trade shows in the world, the Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF) has a reputation for being a machining technology show more than a machine tool sales event. And this year’s show in Tokyo — the first in-person Japanese machine tool trade show in four years — did not disappoint.
Team Unity – the Tightrope Walk for Corporate Culture
By: Brent Donaldson
Finding your place in an organization doesn’t always mean falling in line. But creating a culture of continuous improvement means fostering unity among independent thinkers.
#thesetup
How to Start a Swiss Machining Department From Scratch
By: Brent Donaldson
When Shamrock Precision needed to cut production time of its bread-and-butter parts in half, it turned to a new type of machine tool and a new CAM system. Here’s how the company succeeded, despite the newness of it all.
#Basics
Showcasing the Benefits of Some Oft-Overlooked Grinders
By: Brent Donaldson
Brent Donaldson of Modern Machine Shop sits down with Supertec's Don Staggenborg to discuss what the IMTS veterans brought to this year's show.
#imts
Schunk Makes a Gripping Debut at IMTS
By: Brent Donaldson
By taking inspiration from gecko feet, Schunk has developed a residue- and particle-free adhesive robotic gripper that holds up to 35 pounds.
#imts
Weiler to Debut New Automation Features For Its Lathes
By: Brent Donaldson
Weiler’s V 110 four-way precision lathe introduces features new to the U.S.
#imts
Niche Work If You Can Get It: A CNC Machine Shop Crafts Its Own Destiny
By: Brent Donaldson
The latest innovations in metalworking aren’t always related to CNC automation or robotics. For Rosenberger North America, a 2022 Top Shops Honoree, it is the company’s niche processes that create the biggest successes.
#topshops