Module Works Partners with DN Solutions

ModuleWorks, a software provider for the CADCAM industry, has struck up a partnership with CNC machine tool builder DN Solutions involving equity investment and business co-operation. The collaboration will foster a close working relationship between the two companies, focusing on the joint development of machine tool software and the creation of integrated solutions to drive digital transformation in the manufacturing industry. DN Solutions will leverage the software resources provided by ModuleWorks to enhance the pace of developing intelligent, automated machining cycles and user-assisted solutions.

For further information www.moduleworks.com

ADDRESSING THE SKILLS GAP IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY THROUGH ROBOTICS TRAINING

Global manufacturing is facing a growing productivity paradox. While manufacturers are racing to capture the knowledge of retiring workers before they leave, applying that know-how with new technologies, including robotics, is becoming challenging because of a widening skills gap.Louis Columbus, senior industry marketing manager at Delmia, delves deeper into the ever-growing skills gap in manufacturing and how robotics training could be the catalyst for change.

Nowhere is today’s skills gap more apparent than on the shop floor, where workflows, often decades old, require streamlining to keep manufacturers competitive. Robotics is helping manufacturers meet that challenge worldwide. It is important to keep robotics in context, however, and see it as an enabling technology of a broader knowledge network every manufacturer needs to cultivate and grow if they are going to survive and thrive in the 21st century.

The skills gap between worker capabilities and what manufacturers need to run their operations is growing. Gaps are the widest in the technology areas that can significantly improve shop-floor accuracy, speed and quality, with robotics being one of the most in-demand skills today. Globally, the World Economic Forum predicts a shortage of over 7 million skilled manufacturing workers by 2030.

Several forces are driving this talent shortage. Up to 25% of the manufacturing workforce will retire in the next decade, draining decades of expertise. At the same time, the industry is undergoing rapid digital transformation through technologies, including AI, predictive analytics and collaborative robots (cobots). This results in a mismatch, where just 30% of front-line manufacturing workers have skills that meet the evolving needs of manufacturing, with robotics being the most in-demand yet least available skill.

The majority of manufacturers, 83%, are struggling to attract and retain a quality workforce, according to a Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute study. Some 45% of manufacturers turned down opportunities due to a lack of workers. A recent CNN segment ‘Made in America is back, leaving US factories scrambling to find workers’, explained there are 800,000 openings despite a hiring binge last year. CNN interviewed Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, who said: “I think we’re in uncharted territory. For every 100 job openings in the sector, we only have 60 people looking. I think it’ll take quite a while to fill that pipeline.”

This is reason why targeted robotics training programmes are becoming sopopular. Forward-thinking manufacturers are offering their employees the opportunity to learn robotics techniques and maintenance to further their careers. One plastics manufacturer offers unlimitedtuition reimbursement for robotics training and a career path into robotics operations or maintenance, depending on the preference of employees.

The strategy is working. The plastics manufacturer runs three shifts and can scale up to run on weekends for rush jobs, providingovertime pay and still achieving profitable margins on orders. By offering short-notice production runs over the weekend – made more efficient with robotics – the plastics manufacturer is getting new customers as competing manufacturers in the area cannot scale that fast to support last-minute orders.

Competing with e-commerce, online retailing and logistics providers who offer 30-50% higher per-hour pay rates for the same skills needed on shop floors is making robotics training even more of a priority. Focused training initiatives that integrate robotics and automation skills show the potential to close the manufacturing skills gap. Employees trained in programming, operating and maintaining robotics become better equipped for in-demand roles later in their careers.

For example: Germany’s advanced manufacturing sector partly attributes its competitive edge to robust apprenticeship programmes that develop the robotics and technical abilities of workers from an early age. Similarly, on-site training helps existing employees re-skill for automated production jobs. Boeing offers virtual reality-based courses to upskill factory workers on advanced manufacturing robots and software. Studies find that these retraining programmes can improve worker productivity on automated tasks by over 70%.

Notably, developing in-house robotics skills does not require massive investments. Companies without dedicated training facilities can still build workforce expertise in operating and optimising robotics.

Consider the following approaches, which are working for small and mid-tier manufacturers: popular options for forward-thinking manufacturers include FANUC Handling Tool Operator Certification and Yaskawa Motoman Robot Operator Certification.

Covering employee costs to earn these credentials expands skills in key programming areas like motion control, maintenance, vision systems and work cell integration. Employees become certified to code robots used on your shop floors efficiently.

Beyond certifications, manufacturers are wise to fully fund continuous skills updating through robot OEM training courses and online programmes. A small annual investment here can significantly boost programming productivity. Manufacturers can explore potential partnerships with local technical schools, community colleges and universities to utilise their robotics labs and STEM programmes for affordable hands-on training.

By supporting robotics certifications and ongoing education, manufacturers amplify workforce capabilities and flexibility to maximise the value of automation investments.

Manufacturing leaders recognise that re-skilling their workforce represents the most effective way to overcome the skills gap. By providing production team members access to hands-on robotics education, manufacturers can unlock more value from investments in automation. Manufacturers creating defined career pathways also gain loyal, highly capable workforce.

In summary, studies show that focused training programmes integrating robotics skills can improve worker productivity on automated tasks by over 70%. Employees trained in programming, operating and maintaining robotics equipment become better equipped for in-demand roles. With the widening manufacturing skills gap projected to leave over 2 million jobs unfilled in the next decade, building a robotics-ready workforce is a strategic imperative for manufacturers worldwide.

For further information www.3ds.com

Ceratizit wins prestigious environmental award

Ceratizit has received the Prix de l’Environnement 2023 from Luxembourg industry association FEDIL for the process used to manufacture carbide grades in the upGRADE product family. By using secondary raw materials from an optimised recycling process, upGRADE carbide grades not only offer a particularly low carbon footprint, but also the high performance of a premium carbide grade.

“Mining ore containing tungsten at a content of 0.06%means it requires the transportation of around 200 tonnes of ore to obtain 1 tonne of metallic tungsten, which requires a lot of energy,” explains Dr Ralph Useldinger, head of group analytics and fundamental R&D. “This is why Ceratizit only uses secondary raw materials from the zinc recycling process for our upGRADE grades in order to minimise the carbon footprint of the products.”

The zinc deployed to break up the carbide structures is reused, meaning that the process produces emissions almost exclusively as a result of the necessary electricity. However, Ceratizit also scores points in this area: “Since the beginning of 2023, we’ve only been purchasing green electricity from sustainable sources,” saysexecutive board member Frank Thomé, who adds: “The upGRADE product family is an important component of our sustainability strategy. They prove that more sustainable carbide products are possible without having to compromise on performance.”

The upGRADE product portfolio currently includes the CT-GS20Y carbide grade for metalworking, which has already won the Best of Industry Award. It forms the vanguard of a product family that, according to Thomé, is set to become increasingly sustainable in the coming years: “Our goal is to be the leader in sustainability in the cemented carbide and cutting tool industry by 2025.”

For further information www.ceratizit.com

Tungaloy adds more mini boring bars to range

Tungaloy is adding 146 new solid-carbide mini boring bars to its TinyMiniTurn series. The new mini bars are available in a wear- and fracture-resistant grade SH725, and with through-coolant.

TinyMiniTurn incorporates a variety of small-diameter boring tools, including solid-carbide mini boring bars for as small as 0.6 mm diameter boring and boring bars with a brazed CBN tip. The series also offers an indexable solution which comes with a tiny insert featuring an optimised pressed-in chipbreaker, enabling boring down to 5 mm diameter.

Tungaloy’s TinyMiniTurn solid-carbide miniboring bar line includes10 different geometry types for internal turning, profiling, grooving, deep facing and thread-turning operations. Furthermore, the JBBS-4N tool sleeve designed to hold TinyMiniTurn solid-carbide boring bars features four periphery coolant outlets situated on the tool periphery that direct the coolant to the optimal positions close to the cutting zone. This capability provides improved coolant supply and predictable tool life, reports the company.

The new solid-carbide mini boring bars are available in SH725 grade, a PVD-coated grade that Tungaloy says provides the boring bars with an excellent balance of wear and chipping resistance. In combination with through-coolant, the boring bars enable high-performance chip evacuation and long tool life. The use of JBBS-4N tool sleeve will further improve chip evacuation for minimum machine downtime by preventing chips from ‘bird nesting’ around the tool and workpiece, which is a common cause of machine stoppages.For further information www.tungaloy.com

Hole-making is no bore with new heads from ITC

Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) is further enhancing its portfolio of bore machining products with the expansion of the Big Kaiser EWN monoblock range. The ability to improve productivity and performance arrives thanks to the introduction of Big Kaiser’s Smart Damper technology, which reduces chatter and, subsequently, cycle times.

The EWN Monoblock fine boring heads now include the new CK1 and CK2 products for the machining of diameters from 20 to 36mm and 25 to 47mm, respectively. The full EWN monoblock family of products ranges from the smallest CK1 to the largest CK7,today supporting fine boring from 20mm to over 200mm in diameter.

The Smart Damper mechanism helps to absorb vibration, essentially eliminating chatter and thereby achieving higher levels of precision with superior surface finishes. Thanks to its inherently stiffer design, ITC says the Monoblock boring head ensures high precision even when machining long bores.

EWN Monoblock CK1 and CK2 heads do not have an interface, enabling users to achieve significantly tighter tolerances. A major advantage of Big Kaiser’s Smart Damper technology is that it eliminates the need to reduce cutting speedsin order to manage vibration. This categorically increases metal removal rates and raises productivity levels.

 
Giampaolo Roccatello, chief sales andmarketing officer for Europe at Big Kaiser, says: “These new boring heads are ideal for achieving deep, chatter-free boring in challenging materials. Together with our EWB and EWB-UP ranges, the EWN boring heads represent some of the most advanced and sophisticated tools available on the market.”

For further information www.itc-ltd.co.uk