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Event Features

Explore what makes AeroDef Manufacturing the place to be for aerospace and defense manufacturers.

Keynote Presentations

Exclusive insight from industry experts.

2nd Floor Grand Ballroom

Featured Speaker

Featured luncheon speaker will discuss the digital journey and present case studies on how this is accomplished.

2nd Floor Grand Ballroom

Panel Discussions

As a AeroDef attendee, you have complimentary access to the panel discussions taking place in the 2nd floor Grand Ballroom.

SME ZONE

Workshops

Immerse yourself in innovative processes, materials and best practices for aerospace and defense manufacturing.

Meeting Rooms

Integrated Solution Center

Complete Industry 4.0 solution platform that converts data into value. Enable legacy machine tools to use open

Booth 1445

Technology Exhibits

Discover new technologies and innovative solutions.

Halls A & B

Want a Sneak Peek?

Preview what’s waiting for you at AeroDef/WESTEC, including engaging keynotes, a digital transformation panel, the AeroDef conference, and hundreds of exhibitors showcasing new products and services to keep your business moving forward.

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Keynote Speakers

Gain insight on and actionable takeaways to address manufacturing's most pressing challenges.

Paolo Dal Cin

SVP, Operations & Supply Chain

Raytheon Technologies

Jim Simpson

Chief Strategy Officer

Virgin Orbit

Leslie Cohen, PhD

SVP

Maher and Associates

SME Events Health and Safety Guidelines

Updated Health and Safety Guidelines: Los Angeles County, home of WESTEC and AeroDef, currently requires mask wearing. We will inform you of changes as they become available.

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News

Aug 04, 2021

Advanced Composite Solar Sail System: Using Sunlight to Power Deep Space Exploration

NASA is developing new deployable structures and materials technologies for solar sail propulsion systems destined for future low-cost deep space missions. Just as a sailboat is powered by wind in…

Jul 07, 2021

NASA-DLR Study Finds Sustainable Aviation Fuel Can Reduce Contrails

Cleaner-burning jet fuels made from sustainable sources can produce 50%-70% fewer ice crystal contrails at cruising altitude, reducing aviation’s impact on the environment, according to research conducted by NASA and…

Jun 21, 2021

Four Key Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

The aerospace and defense industries are leading in the use of advanced manufacturing. Aerospace manufacturing technologies are consistently making headway in the future of automation and production. Aerospace involves some…

May 19, 2021

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Completes First One-Way Trip

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter completed its fifth flight on the Red Planet today with its first one-way journey from Wright Brothers Field to an airfield 423 feet (129 meters) to…

Apr 13, 2021

NASA Funds 36 Space 3D Printing Projects

NASA’s latest funding of space technology projects includes plenty of 3D printing innovation proposals. Out of a total of 289 US small businesses and 47 research institutions to receive initial…

Mar 19, 2021

Chaos, Cash and COVID-19: How the Defense Industry Survived — and Thrived — During the Pandemic

U.S. Air Force leaders faced a dilemma. The service needed a key raw material from Italy for one of its critical nuclear modernization programs. But in the early days of…

Mar 08, 2021

Nat Geo Special Examines New Air Force One

With the current pair of Boeing 747s known as Air Force One now passing three decades in service, their replacements are undergoing the extensive modification needed for them to assume…

Feb 01, 2021

Defense Manufacturing Conferences & Trends for 2021

The aerospace and defense industry along with defense manufacturing conferences have been facing enormous changes in the face of COVID-19. As we make our way into 2021, companies are committed…

Jan 08, 2021

Additive manufacturing in aerospace: How far have we come?

Sometimes, when you live and breathe a technology every day, innovation can feel slow. Sometimes it can feel like one step forward, three steps back. Perhaps that is less true…

Aug 15, 2020

Lockheed dives into next-generation missile defense interceptor competition

Lockheed Martin said it will compete to build the Missile Defense Agency’s Next-Generation Interceptordesigned to protect the homeland against intercontinental ballistic missile threats from North Korea and Iran. The company is…

Jul 15, 2020

Aerospace: Comply or Die

How quality assurance and regulatory issues influence aerospace part manufacturing Success in aerospace machining requires more than the ability to hold tight tolerances in difficult materials. It also requires the…

May 29, 2020

Enable offers widest range of metals for additive manufacturing

Every manufacturing process has its limitations whether it is traditional casting or direct 3D metal printing. High tooling cost and long lead-time are challenges of the traditional casting process whilst…

Mar 15, 2020

Aerospace Manufacturing Is Flying High

Aerospace manufacturing has influenced our world in innumerable ways, including employment and the global economy. In fact, it’s one of the world’s largest manufacturing industries in terms of people employed…

Mar 03, 2020

Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace

Since additive manufacturing’s inception in the 1980s, it has become more and more entrenched in the world of manufacturing. One of the areas where it’s had the biggest impact is…

Feb 15, 2020

Navy awards helicopter training system contract to Leonardo

The U.S. Navy has awarded AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp. (Leonardo) a contract for $176.5 million to produce 32 TH-73A (manufacturer’s designation TH-119) helicopters in support of the Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) program.…

Feb 07, 2020

Iterations on the Fly

Change is one of the biggest constants in today’s digital environment. For many manufacturers change means being nimble enough to continuously improve product designs. Unfortunately, this can be a steep…

Jan 15, 2020

Making Airplane Parts Without the Massive Infrastructure

A modern airplane’s fuselage is made from multiple sheets of different composite materials that must be wheeled into warehouse-sized ovens where the layers fuse together to form a resilient, aerodynamic…

Dec 12, 2019

A Manufacturing Conference Above the Rest – AeroDef 2020

With the wealth of information we have access to online today, and the ability we have to make online connections, you might wonder why anyone in the aerospace and defense…

Dec 09, 2019

Getting the Most Out of an Aerospace Conference

As a member or prospective member of the aerospace and defense community, you’ve likely been to an aerospace conference or trade show that you weren’t thoroughly prepared to attend, resulting…

Jul 16, 2019

Digital Alloys’ Guide to Metal Additive Manufacturing – Part 9: Directed Energy Deposition (DED)

Author Alex Huckstepp, Vice President of Business Development at Digital Alloys, spoke at AeroDef 2019 in a conference session. Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a category of metal additive manufacturing…

Jun 24, 2019

Boom Supersonic signs seven-year partnership extension with Stratasys

Boom Supersonic, the Colorado company building history’s fastest supersonic airliner, signed a seven-year agreement extension with Stratasys. The companies are further accelerating the adoption of additive manufacturing for 3D printed flight…

May 31, 2019

Lockheed Martin, Boeing and other aerospace companies want to commercialize space. Here are their proposals

SALT LAKE CITY — NASA is looking to bring commerce to space, which could lead to space travel, manufacturing and even sports events. According to The Verge, 12 commercial aerospace companies have pitched…

Apr 16, 2019

AeroDef Industry Insights: Q&A with Tyler Rup

SME recently spoke with Tyler Rup, applications engineer at Lockheed Martin, to discuss automating the Digital Thread for aerospace assembly. He has five years of professional experience working in automation,…

Apr 15, 2019

The Value of SME’s AeroDef Event

By Dan Braley - Boeing Global Services My involvement in SME and its AeroDef event began in 2014, when I first presented an Adaptive Machining Overview at AeroDef 2014 in Long Beach, Calif. At the…

Apr 10, 2019

AeroDef Insider Insights: Q&A with Sam Kellett Jr.

SME recently spoke with Sam Kellett, Jr., chairman, CEO and co-founder at United Sciences LLC. Sam is responsible for establishing and executing the overall strategic direction of United Sciences and…

Apr 05, 2019

AeroDef Insider Insights: Q&A with Grant Lawton

SME recently spoke with Grant Lawton, engineer at W.L. Gore & Associates, to discuss how to better understand cable performance in tethered drone applications. He specializes in cable engineering and…

Mar 28, 2019

AeroDef Manufacturing 2019: Technology Breakthroughs Transforming Manufacturing

Conference returns to Long Beach in April 2019 SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing conference and exposition will gather the leading companies and executives from aerospace and defense manufacturing revealing technology breakthroughs, top-tier…

Mar 27, 2019

AeroDef Insider Insights: Q&A with John Sitilides

SME recently talked to John Sitilides, geopolitical strategist at Trilogy Advisors LLC, to discuss geopolitical risk and global strategies in the decade ahead. He chairs the U.S. State Department’s Advanced…

Jan 15, 2019

Ensuring the Security of Additive Manufacturing

By Dave Morton - AeroDef Industry Development, SME One of the key advantages of additive manufacturing is its digital thread, which allows for rapid communication, iteration, and sharing of a design model…

Dec 04, 2018

Pratt & Whitney to Continue F-35 Propulsion Tech Sustainment Work Under $400M Contract Modification

United Technologies Corp.‘s (NYSE: UTX) Pratt & Whitney subsidiary has received a one-year, $399.8M contract modification from Naval Air Systems Command to provide sustainment services for the F-35 aircraft propulsion technology. Pratt & Whitney’s military…

Nov 08, 2018

Short-term U.S. DoD UAS Spending Could Top $6 Billion

U.S. military UAS spending will top $6 billion between now and 2023. So predicts consulting firm Frost & Sullivan in its analysis of the market. On Monday, the company noted…

Nov 08, 2018

BYU creates drones that don’t rely on GPS

PROVO — Drones have become an ally to industries like agriculture and law enforcement for surveillance and information gathering. But what happens when drones fly into an area with little-to-no…

Nov 06, 2018

To the Moon and beyond: Airbus delivers powerhouse for NASA’s Orion spacecraft

BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe’s Airbus (AIR.PA) on Friday delivered the “powerhouse” for NASA’s new Orion Spaceship that will take astronauts to the Moon and beyond in coming years, hitting a…

Nov 05, 2018

Event: Accessing Capital for Defense Suppliers

Hosted by the AMP SoCal Strengthening Competitiveness Program Tuesday, December 11, 2018 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. University of Southern California Gateway Building Price School Research Centers 3335 S. Figueroa…

Nov 04, 2018

Lockheed Martin extends additive manufacturing to key spacecraft components

This article originally appeared in the Oct. 22, 2018 issue of SpaceNews magazine. Lockheed Martin’s Additive Design and Manufacturing Center in Sunnyvale, California, where the company produces military, commercial and…

Nov 03, 2018

NASA’s supersonic technology will cut transcontinental flights in half

The air corridor from the East to West coasts is one of the busiest in the United States. On a typical day, more than 100 flights make the six-hour journey between…

Nov 01, 2018

FAA Approves Bell 407GXi

Bell has received FAA type certification validation of its new 407GXi single from the FAA and made its first customer delivery to Eagle Copters of Chile this week. Bell received…

Nov 01, 2018

A powerful new battery could give us electric planes that don’t pollute

Brightly colored molecular models line two walls of Yet-Ming Chiang’s office at MIT. Chiang, a materials science professor and serial battery entrepreneur, has spent much of his career studying how…

Oct 30, 2018

Boeing Awarded $204 Million Contract for F/A-18 Super Hornet, Growler Modifications

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 26, 2018—Boeing [NYSE: BA] will continue its nearly 20-year legacy of F/A-18 modification work under a new $204 million contract award from the U.S. Naval Air Systems…

Oct 22, 2018

iPlane 1: Behind the Aircraft Design Kanye West Presented in Oval Office

By: Amanda Menard If you’ve caught any current news since last week we’re sure you’ve seen the highlights of Kanye West’s lunch meeting with the president. Among many ideas, he…

Oct 04, 2018

California Aerospace Caucus Launched in Congress

Two Southern California lawmakers on Sept. 12 announced the creation of the California Aerospace Caucus in Congress to promote legislation that supports the region’s aerospace industry. Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance,…

Sep 05, 2018

Aerospace Apprenticeship Program Addresses Worker Shortage

As the aerospace manufacturing industry continues to face a skilled labor shortage, many schools, organizations, and employers across the country are implementing aerospace apprenticeship programs and educational initiatives to entice…

Aug 27, 2018

Supersonic Without the Boom

The effort to build an airplane with a quieter sonic boom could let ordinary passengers break the sound barrier again. It hasn't flown in 15 years, but Concorde Alpha Foxtrot…

Aug 21, 2018

Lockheed to Build, Test F-35 Logistics Info Security Tool

Lockheed Martin has received a $26.1M order from the U.S. Navy to design, build, integrate and test a security tool for an information technology system F-35 operators use to sustain aircraft systems. The company will perform…

Aug 08, 2018

DARPA prototypes ‘breakthrough’ cyberattack ‘hunting’ technology

By Kris Osborn DARPA and BAE Systems are prototyping a new AI-empowered cybersecurity technology to fight new waves of highly sophisticated cyberattacks specifically engineered to circumvent the best existing defenses.…

Aug 01, 2018

McKinsey & Co. Finds Gap Between Trying and Applying Digital Manufacturing

July 23, 2018 by McKinsey & Co. - Press Release Most companies think they lead their Industry 4.0 competitors in AI and robotic technologies A huge confidence gap exists between the number of…

Aug 01, 2018

XR Drives Aerospace Excellence at Boeing

July 23, 2018 by Brian Laughlin - Technical Fellow, Technical Architecture / Strategic Planning, The Boeing Co. Extended reality positively impacts many business units [caption id="attachment_21200" align="alignright" width="338"] A first-person view of the…

Jul 25, 2018

Lockheed Finds AM Sweet Spot

July 24, 2018 by Robert Ghobrial - Technical Fellow and AM Technology Strategist, Lockheed Martin The bull’s-eye: military training and simulators. [caption id="attachment_21277" align="alignright" width="334"] Large 5-axis milling center finishing an F16 near-net…

Jul 11, 2018

3D Printing, Big Data, 100 Percent Validation, and Other Aerospace Manufacturing Trends

Aerospace is leading the way in the IIoT, with a heightened focus on additive manufacturing, the digital thread, and lightning-fast 3D measurement and inspection technologies. The Internet of Things (IoT)…

Jul 05, 2018

[White Paper] From Hype to Happening: Exploring Machine Learning & AI

Regardless of the myths and mysteries that come along with artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, these tools aren't as scary as they might seem. This white paper examines the…

Jun 29, 2018

2018 Key Trends in Digital Manufacturing Revealed in Joint Plataine; SME Industrial IoT Survey

(SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 28, 2018) – A recent Trends in Digital Manufacturing survey, jointly conducted by SME, a manufacturing association promoting advanced manufacturing technologies, and Plataine, a leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based…

Jun 20, 2018

3D Print Technology Adoption in Aerospace Industry Ignites 20.3% Growth Rate

Frost & Sullivan’s (London) recent analysis of the global 3D printing materials market for the aerospace industry reveals that the market is set to experience significant opportunities for rapid growth.…

Jun 11, 2018

Lockheed Martin adds $100 million to its technology investment fund

Bethesda-based defense contractor Lockheed Martin has announced it will double the size of its technology investment fund from $100 million to $200 million, a move it says was enabled by…

Jun 07, 2018

Report: Washington is best state for building Boeing’s new mid-market aircraft

When it comes to attracting the manufacture of Boeing’s next big airliner — and the jobs that come with it — Washington is pulling no punches: It asked a leading aerospace consultant to conduct…

Jun 06, 2018

Real Thinking About Artificial Intelligence

By Bruce Morey, Contributing Editor, SME Media My instincts tell me we need a sense of urgency around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing. The urgency is driven…

Jun 05, 2018

Connecticut Aerospace Industry, Backers Tout F-35

Connecticut’s aerospace industry and its backers took a victory lap Monday, celebrating the state’s contribution to the joint strike fighter jet. Lockheed Martin Corp., which makes the jet, set up…

Jun 05, 2018

DoD Delivers A Mixed Report on the Health of the Defense Industrial Base

DoD recently released its FY 2017 Annual Defense Industrial Capabilities Report (Report). The Report presents a comprehensive overview of DoD’s assessment of key issues and risks facing the defense industrial base…

Jun 01, 2018

Raytheon to Invest $100 Million to Expand Its Mississippi Radar Plant

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A defense contractor announced Thursday that it will invest $100 million at its Mississippi plant to expand its ability to make and test military radars. Raytheon…

May 31, 2018

Indestructible Paint achieves new approval from Safran Helicopter Engines

Indestructible Paint has announced further approval by one of the world’s leading helicopter engine manufacturers for its specialist coating products. The move confirms the use by Safran Helicopter Engines, a…

May 31, 2018

New Robot Is Designed for Aerospace Needs

Engineers at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) here recently developed a robot for aerospace manufacturing applications. The machine uses advanced sensors to conduct real-time path planning and analysis as…

May 30, 2018

Aerospace, Defense Industry Must Join Digital Revolution

A hallmark of modern, innovative businesses is that they think digitally. They recognize that technology galvanizes different ways of thinking, and therefore doing. The introduction of steam and water power in…

May 30, 2018

Boeing to Provide $1.5M for STEM Programs

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Boeing Co. says it will give $1.5 million to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs at the National World War II Museum in…

May 29, 2018

Made in America: An Outlook for Manufacturing in the U.S

As changing U.S. trade policies continue to dominate headlines and discussion, many have examined how policy shifts will impact manufacturing, both at home and for our partners overseas. However, it’s…

May 29, 2018

Army secretary wants faster innovation — can his service make it happen?

WARREN, Mich. — Army Secretary Mark Esper climbed into the back of an experimental Bradley Fighting Vehicle on a recent afternoon, donning a helmet with plans to observe the armored…

May 23, 2018

Long Established, AR Making Headway in Design, Production and Maintenance

Delta Sigma started thinking about augmented reality (AR) in 2005. By January 2008, the company, which designs and builds custom machinery to automate manufacturing and assembly processes for aircraft production,…

May 21, 2018

3 Reasons the U.S. Additive Manufacturing Skills Gap Is Growing

North American manufacturing needs engineers who can think differently than previous generations. So why is the U.S. struggling with skills for additive manufacturing? Five years ago, the Boston Consulting Group…

May 21, 2018

Orbital ATK Set to Launch Ninth Cargo Resupply Mission to the International Space Station

Orbital ATK’s Cygnus Spacecraft Named in Honor of Legendary Space Industry Executive J.R. Thompson Launch Will Take Place May 21 from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility DULLES, Va.--Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA),…

May 11, 2018

GE Aviation Opens New $200M Manufacturing Facility in Alabama

The Birmingham (AL) Business Journal (5/10, Van der Bilj) reports that GE Aviation has opened a new $200 million manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama. The “two-factory complex” will “mass produce…

May 10, 2018

Chief Executive Magazine Names CEO of the Year

Chief Executive magazine has named Lockheed Martin's chief, Marillyn Hewson, its CEO of the year. Hewson joins Bill Gates, Jack Welch, Anne Mulcahy and Andy Grove among other high-profile winners of the award. Mark Weinberger, CEO of EY and…

May 09, 2018

Uber, NASA to Partner on Urban Manned Aircraft

Bloomberg News (5/8, Newcomer) reports that Uber and NASA have “announced a partnership to study urban manned aircraft.” Under the terms of the partnership, “Uber will share its data with…

May 07, 2018

Manufacturing in California Up $10 Billion, Economy Surpasses UK to Become Fifth Largest Globally

The AP (5/4, Cooper) reported that, with a GDP of over $2.7 trillion, “California’s economy has surpassed that of the United Kingdom to become the world’s fifth largest.” The AP…

Apr 30, 2018

Aerospace OEM Takes on Challenges of 3D Metal Printing

Eaton sees transformation using 3D metal printing as difficult but very worthwhile. The Boeing 787 aircraft flies with two 3D-printed metal parts. There is a fuel nozzle made by a…

Apr 26, 2018

Defense manufacturer breaks ground on state-of-the-art Chandler facility

CHANDLER, Ariz. — A major aerospace and defense technology firm broke ground on its new campus Wednesday. Orbital ATK is putting up two new buildings at Price and Willis roads,…

Apr 23, 2018

Transforming Manufacturing Through Digital Transformation

Manufacturing traditionally has been thought of as a process that turns raw materials into physical products, and the factory as the structure where manufacturing happens. Today the pervasive expansion of…

Apr 18, 2018

SpaceX to Build BFR Rocket, Spaceship at Port of Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Times (4/16, Masunaga) reports that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti “confirmed Monday that SpaceX will build the company’s BFR rocket and spaceship system at a facility at…

Apr 18, 2018

Orion Spacecraft NASA’s First to Use 3D-Printed Parts

CNET News (4/17, Al-Heeti) reports that Lockheed Martin, Stratasys, and Phoenix Analysis & Design Technologies (PADT) announced Tuesday that they will manufacture and deploy 3D-printed parts for NASA’s Orion spacecraft,…

Apr 16, 2018

Utah School Partnering on Stackable Credential Pathway for Aerospace and Manufacturing

The St. George (UT) News (4/15) reports Iron County School District, Southwest Technical College, Southern Utah University, and MSC Aerospace will collaborate on “a stackable credential pathway for students to…

Mar 29, 2018

Virgin Orbit’s Goryca describes ‘fast and furious’ implementation of MES software

It is possible to implement MES (manufacturing execution system) software that does away with paper documentation in less than six months, Andrzej Goryca, senior enterprise systems manager at Virgin Orbit,…

Mar 27, 2018

SME Recognizes Leaders in Composites Manufacturing at AeroDef 2018

SME, a nonprofit organization that supports the manufacturing industry, along with its Composites Manufacturing Tech Group, recognized an industry leader and prominent composites manufacturing company with its 2018 Composites Manufacturing…

Mar 26, 2018

Motion Simulation For Image Stabilization, Mars-Rover Proven Actuators, Smart Flexible Transducers: All At PI’s AeroDef Booth #1053

PI (Physik Instrumente), a leader in precision motion control solutions, will showcase an application of its 6-axis hexapod for motion simulation such as used to optimize stabilization systems on vessels,…

Mar 21, 2018

Cybersecurity Initiative Focuses on Manufacturing

The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII; Chicago) has begun a new cybersecurity initiative focused on manufacturing. The US Department of Defense (DoD) ponied up $750,000 to support the…

Mar 21, 2018

Auburn University Will Create Two New Additive Manufacturing Centers

Alabama Live (3/20, Thornton) reports that Auburn University has announced that it “is partnering with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and ASTM International to create two new research centers focused…

Mar 20, 2018

Career Opportunities at AeroDef 2018

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. seeks Staff Composite Manufacturing Engineer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted…

Mar 20, 2018

SpaceX Negotiating with Port of Los Angeles on Manufacturing Expansion

The Los Angeles Times (3/19, Masunaga) reports that SpaceX has begun “preliminary negotiations” with the Port of Los Angeles on a “lease that would expand” the company’s facilities there to…

Mar 19, 2018

Additive Manufacturing: A Natural Progression for Kanfit

Additive Manufacturing: A Natural Progression for Kanfit -- Manufacturer of Aerospace-Grade Components “From the start we understood that to stand out from pack we needed to anticipate market trends and…

Mar 14, 2018

New Tech Helps to Cut Tricky Aerospace Composites

The list of aircraft parts now being made with composites has grown longer than a TSA screening line: the fuselage, empennage, wings, nacelles, control surfaces, nose skin, and even floor…

Mar 14, 2018

3 Things You Shouldn’t Miss at AeroDef Manufacturing 2018

(LONG BEACH, Calif., March 13, 2018) – SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event takes place March 26 to 29 at the Long Beach Convention Center. This annual technical conference and exhibition provides…

Mar 14, 2018

Supplier’s Rover Exploration Vehicle Parts Go to Mars for the Third Time

As a specialist in aerospace machining parts and assemblies for aerospace and military applications, Next Intent Inc. is accustomed to earth-exiting challenges. An early one came in 2000, when the…

Mar 13, 2018

Deloitte: Space Industry Struggles to Attract Young Professionals

Space News (3/12, Subscription Publication) reports that the space industry’s “struggle to draw young professionals is causing its workforce to lose members faster than they are gained, according to research…

Mar 07, 2018

Boeing Believes Flying Cars Will Happen “Faster than Any of Us Understand”

Bloomberg News (3/1, Johnsson, Levin) reports that in an interview, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said that flying vehicle technology “is near enough to occupy the present-day plans of Boeing’s leadership.”…

Mar 06, 2018

Robotic Systems Integrator Genesis Systems Group Showcasing at AeroDef

Genesis Systems Group, an RIA Certified Robot Integrator and globally recognized specialist in robotic systems integration for commercial aerospace, space launch, and defense applications, will be showcasing at AeroDef Manufacturing…

Feb 26, 2018

US Borrowing for Business Equipment Rose 10% in January

Reuters (2/23, Vijayakumar) reported that the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) announced on Friday that “US companies’ borrowing to spend on capital investment rose about 10 percent in January…

Feb 21, 2018

Boeing’s Target: Produce More than 900 Aircraft Annually by 2020

Boeing Co. CEO Dennis Muilenburg told CNBC that the aircraft maker wants to build more than 900 planes a year by the end of the decade. In 2017, Boeing delivered…

Feb 21, 2018

Draft Report on IoT Cyber Standards Released

ExecutiveGov (2/20) reports, “An interagency group has released a draft report that examines the current state of the development and implementation of international cybersecurity standards for internet of things-based systems,…

Feb 20, 2018

Raytheon CEO: Cyberattacks Pose Top Security Threat

CNBC (2/16, Turak) reported Raytheon CEO John Harris’s comments ahead of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where he argued that cyber threats are “one of largest and most important…

Feb 16, 2018

Reaching Out to Young People Helps to Build Interest in “Smart Manufacturing”

Advanced Manufacturing (2/15) reports that rather than continuing to “bemoan the problem” of a lack of skilled workers, “manufacturers are taking a multi-faceted approach to bridge the gap – not…

Jan 31, 2018

Baker Installs Five-Axis Machining Giant for Big Aerospace Projects

At Baker Industries (Macomb, MI) the large scale five-axis EMCO Mecof PowerMill has gone operational. This five-axis machining center is notably the first of its kind to enter the US…

Jan 25, 2018

How Real is Your Mixed Reality?

(LONG BEACH, Calif., Jan. 24, 2018) – SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event will bring together the leading companies and executives from aerospace and defense manufacturing to explore current technologies and coming…

Jan 24, 2018

Additive Manufacturing Accelerates Aerospace Design Validation and Tool Production

French aircraft design and manufacturing group, Latécoère, is deploying Stratasys FDM additive manufacturing throughout its design and production process to accelerate design validation and tool production. Latécoère–which services aerospace giants including Airbus, Bombardier and Dassault–is using a…

Jan 23, 2018

General Dynamics plans new Plano office for 280 jobs

A major U.S. defense contractor is planning a new facility in Plano. Virginia-based General Dynamics Mission Systems intends to locate an office with 280 jobs in East Plano. The facility…

Jan 10, 2018

America’s Factory Floors Reimagined: Introduction to Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Technologies

By Dave Morton - SME Industry Development Manager for Aerospace and Defense As augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies come of age, manufacturers are finding easier ways to…

Jan 04, 2018

Boeing Among Companies Using Google Glass in Factories

The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (1/2, Lee) reports augmented reality is “roaring back to prominence as one of Silicon Valley’s favorite frontier technologies,” and notes that Google Glass “made…

Jan 04, 2018

Smart Manufacturing Has Potential to Solve C-Suite Issues

In a post for its ‘Forbes Technology Council’ series, Forbes (1/2, Clemons) reports that although “members of the C-suite may rarely interact directly with smart technologies, they are nonetheless vital…

Jan 03, 2018

What Defense Firms Can Do to Ensure Industrial Security

Defense systems are, by design, built to defend against threats. Today, however, manufacturers of these systems are focusing on an entirely new kind of threat: security breaches targeting their automation…

Dec 15, 2017

Stanford Professor Launches Startup To Help Manufacturers Utilize AI Technology.

The AP (12/14) reports that Stanford Professor Andrew Ng, “one of the leading figures in AI,” has launched a startup called Landing. AI, with aspirations “to help manufacturing companies use…

Dec 15, 2017

Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee Opens New Manufacturing Training Center in Washington State

PRNewswire (12/14) reports the Aerospace Joint Apprenticeship Committee (AJAC) has opened the first of several planned training centers “to meet the needs of an industry with a growing skills gap…

Dec 05, 2017

Bombardier Aerostructures Picked For New Airbus Program

In a brief, Reuters (12/4) reports that Bombardier Aerostructures and Engineering Services has been selected for a new Airbus Nacelle Program, in support of a new engine for the “A320NEO…

Dec 04, 2017

Shapeshifting Metals Could Be New Future of Aviation Technology

A feature story for Wired (12/3, Stockton) reports on the potential use of shapeshifting metals on airplane wings, which “affects virtually every aspect of flight, and making them from metal…

Nov 29, 2017

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Siemens Collaborating to Develop Hybrid Plane

The AP (11/28, McHugh) reports, “Airbus, Siemens and Rolls-Royce are teaming up to develop a hybrid passenger plane that would use a single electric turbofan along with three conventional jet…

Nov 22, 2017

Boeing Seeks Thousands of Applicants for Open Manufacturing Jobs

Boeing Co. is seeking "thousands" of applicants for open manufacturing jobs in Washington state, according to KOMO. Boeing is seeking "veterans who have recently separated from the military or recent…

Nov 15, 2017

Bombardier Anticipates New CSeries Orders Before Year’s End

Reuters (11/14) reports, “Bombardier Inc expects two recently-announced orders for its CSeries jets to be finalized by the end of 2017, Commercial Aircraft President Fred Cromer told reporters by phone…

Nov 13, 2017

Mechdyne & Raytheon Case Study

Imagine 15 military engineers each armed with three or four drawings and CAD models of a new missile defense system. They come together in a conference room for a long,…

Nov 09, 2017

Raytheon Delivers Next-Generation GPS Systems To US Air Force

Airforce Technology (11/7) reported that Raytheon has completed the “delivery of global positioning system next-generation operational control system’s (GPS OCX) launch and checkout system (LCS) to the US Air Force…

Nov 07, 2017

Boeing Awards $50M In Grants To Nonprofits, Including Support For STEM, Workforce Training

Industrial Equipment News (11/6) reports, “Boeing has announced more than $50 million in grants to more than 500 nonprofit organizations across 50 countries globally,” including “a three-year commitment of more…

Oct 26, 2017

Boeing Not Changing Strategy After Airbus, Bombardier Partnership

USA Today (10/25, Jansen) reports, “Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday there is no reason to change planes for the 737 to compete against C Series planes with less than…

Oct 24, 2017

Composites Manufacturing awards at AeroDef

Submission Deadline: January 16, 2018 EXCELLENCE IN COMPOSITES MANUFACTURING AWARDS The Excellence in Composites Manufacturing Awards acknowledge the valuable roles that both large and small manufacturers play within the industry.…

Oct 20, 2017

Boeing Invests In Self-Guided Drone Startup Near Earth Autonomy

Bloomberg News (10/19, Hull) reports, “Boeing Co. is investing in Pittsburgh-based Near Earth Autonomy, a self-guided drone startup, marking its first financial backing for a company specializing in autonomous technology…

Oct 18, 2017

Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Singing Praises of Composites

Starting during the Wright Brothers era, the use of composites in aircraft has evolved throughout the years. From small amounts on nonstructural components to up to half of some aircraft and use…

Oct 16, 2017

Airbus, Bombardier Forge Industry-Shaking C Series Agreement

Described by CEO Tom Enders as a “win-win-win situation for everyone,” Airbus’s unparalleled agreement to acquire a majority stake in the C Series airliner without paying anything is both the…

Sep 19, 2017

Orbital ATK to help U.S. military develop hypersonic propulsion for aircraft and missiles

ARLINGTON, Va. – Aviation propulsion experts at Orbital ATK Inc. in Elkton, Md., are helping U.S. government researchers develop a full-scale reusable propulsion system for future hypersonic aircraft and missiles that can fly at…

Sep 19, 2017

Northrop Grumman to acquire Orbital ATK for $9B

FALLS CHURCH and DULLES, Va. – Sept. 18, 2017 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC), a leading global security company, and Orbital ATK, Inc. (NYSE: OA), a global leader in…

Sep 14, 2017

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Used in Aerospace

The aerospace industry is often the first to come up with innovative advanced manufacturing approaches. Find out what the four advanced manufacturing technologies are! Read more

Sep 13, 2017

Upcoming Meetings for Aerospace Manufacturers

Meeting #1 Supplier Cyber Regulatory Awareness Session Wednesday, September 27, 2017 | 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Defense Corridor Center for Collaboration and Synergy 7205 Sterling Ponds Ct Sterling Heights,…

Sep 08, 2017

US Ranked No. 1 by PwC for Aerospace ‘Attractiveness’

The United States is the top-rated nation for aerospace “attractiveness,” according to an annual report issued by consulting company PricewaterhouseCoopers.The US received the ranking “as a result of the aerospace…

Sep 08, 2017

Aerospace Leads Manufacturing Today with 4 Technologies

Aerospace is the pioneer industry developing advanced manufacturing technologies that eventually are applied elsewhere. Mark Crawford examines four that are driving aerospace today: additive manufacturing, composite materials, robotics and laser…

Sep 06, 2017

Boeing, NASA Look to Flying Geese in Chase for Jet-Fuel Savings

By lining up cruising aircraft in a V-shaped formation favored by Canada geese, carriers would be able to produce a leap in efficiency without investing in structural makeovers or futuristic…

Aug 23, 2017

Lockheed Martin Wins Part of $499M Pentagon Award

Lockheed Martin is one of six companies sharing a $499 million contract for research into aerospace systems, Reuters reported, citing a Pentagon announcement. More.

Jun 09, 2017

Siemens PLM Tries to Makes Sense of the “Digital Thread”

"Siemens PLM has a strategy to reinvent manufacturing by threading digital information from concept, through design to monitoring performance in the field," writes Advanced Manufacturing Media Contributing Editor Bruce Morey.…

Jun 08, 2017

Boeing’s New Flying Gas Station

Boeing Co. (Chicago) "is set to deliver a refueling tanker that can gas up a jet in midair in complete darkness -- the first of its kind," according to CNN…

Jun 08, 2017

Boeing Considering Wide Range of Options for Mid-Market Jet Design

Reuters (6/7, Hepher) reports Boeing is considering options “‘from mild to wild’ for the design of a proposed mid-market jet, a senior executive said, hinting at a breakthrough that industry…

Jun 08, 2017

Additive Manufacturing Design Tips For Aerospace

According to the consultancy MarketsandMarkets, aerospace firms will be using additive manufacturing (AM) to make more than $3 billion in parts by 2022, up from a bit over $700 million…

Jun 07, 2017

Study Shows Manufacturers Profiting From IoT

IndustryWeek (6/6) reports that MPI’s 2017 Internet of Things Study was released last week, and study authors “expected to see dramatic jumps in awareness of – and investment in –…

May 25, 2017

Boeing Delivers 737 Max 8

Boeing Co. "made the first delivery of its new 737 Max airplane to a customer," the Pudget Sound Business Journal said. The customer? Malaysia's Malindo Air, which will be the…

May 24, 2017

NASA Looks to Help From Manufacturers to Explore Mars

By Bill Koenig - Senior Editor, Advanced Manufacturing Media WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA — NASA will need the help of its manufacturing contractors as the agency steps up exploration of Mars, an…

May 24, 2017

Honeywell To Decide On Selling Aerospace Business By Fall

Reuters (5/23, Ajmera) reports Honeywell International “said on Tuesday it would decide by fall this year whether to separate its aerospace business,” which Reuters says is “a move hedge fund…

May 18, 2017

Jarod Weber Wins First Place in AeroDef Conference Poster Competition

Jarod Weber, GTMI undergraduate researcher, won first place for the poster presentation challenge at the AeroDef Manufacturing 2017 Conference (an SME conference). It was open to undergrads, masters, & PhD…

May 11, 2017

Startup Debuts 3D Printer That Builds Parts From Composite Materials

CIO Magazine (5/10, Mearian) reports that the “start-up Impossible Objects on Tuesday unveiled its Model One 3D printer, which it claims is the first such printer that can build parts…

May 05, 2017

An open letter to Apple: Manufacturing thanks you

Dear Tim Cook, On behalf of SME, thank you. Thank you for standing up for manufacturing. Thank you for investing your financial strength in the manufacturing industry that truly drives…

May 04, 2017

Digital Manufacturing Boosts Competitiveness

In a column for The Huffington Post (5/4, Holt, Contributor) Proto Labs President and CEO Vicki Holt writes that “for businesses looking to operate more efficiently and competitively, digital manufacturing…

Apr 19, 2017

With IIoT, Managing Shop-Floor Data Becomes More important

By Bill Koenig - Senior Editor, Advanced Manufacturing Media There was a time, not that long ago, that the Industrial Internet of Things, or IIoT, sounded theoretical. The notion of managing…

Apr 12, 2017

Register Now for Composites Webinar on 4/16/17

Manufacturing Considerations for Optimizing Compression Molding Long-Fiber Composite Webinar Wednesday, April 26, 2017 | 2 p.m. EDT Join SME's Composites Manufacturing Tech Group for this April 26 webinar, which will highlight…

Mar 09, 2017

SME Recognizes Leaders in Composites Manufacturing at AeroDef 2017

Dimitrije Milovich and Radius Engineering receive industry awards for their longtime contributions (FORT WORTH, Texas, March 9, 2017) ― SME, a nonprofit organization that supports the manufacturing industry, along with its…

Mar 08, 2017

New Partnership Expands Advanced Manufacturing Opportunities for High School Students

(Dearborn, Mich., March 8, 2017) – Manufacturing jobs are on the rise, but the industry is dealing with a severe shortage of workers equipped with the knowledge and skills needed…

Mar 07, 2017

Memex Inc. at SME AeroDef and American Manufacturing Summit

BURLINGTON, ON--(Marketwired - Mar 7, 2017) - Memex Inc. ("MEMEX") ( TSX VENTURE : OEE ) today announced that the Company will present its MERLIN Tempus IIoT software platform at…

Feb 10, 2017

Aerospace Industry Places Unique Demands on Holemaking Technology

By Nate Craine and Greg Torres - Allied Machine & Engineering The aerospace industry is bigger than ever. As more and more people rely on air transport, the Airbus Global Market…

Jan 26, 2017

3 Things You Shouldn’t Miss at AeroDef Manufacturing 2017

(FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 26, 2017) – SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event takes place March 6 to 9 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. This annual technical conference and exhibition provides…

Jan 26, 2017

Chinese attempts to buy Airframe On-assembly Automated Drill/Countersink Technology

By George Bullen, FSME, CPIM Recently there have been attempts by the Chinese to buy aerospace automation technology and specifically drill and countersink end effector technology by acquiring companies including…

Jan 25, 2017

Boeing Forecasts Improved 2017 After Quarterly Profit Increase

By Bill Koenig, Senior Editor, Advanced Manufacturing Media Boeing Co. today forecast improved profits and aircraft deliveries after posting increased fourth-quarter earnings. The Chicago-based company said it expects to deliver…

Jan 13, 2017

The Truth about Balance: It’s the Assembly that Matters

By Drew Strauchen - Vice President of Marketing & Business Development, Haimer There is a cloud of misinformation surrounding the topic of balance in the metalworking industry. Sometimes created accidentally through…

Dec 15, 2016

KUKA Sells US Aviation Unit as Part of Regulatory Review

By KUKA - Press Release Augsburg, 15th December 2016 — Today, KUKA AG announced the sale of its section KUKA Systems Aerospace North America to the US automation company Advanced Integration…

Dec 14, 2016

Arconic Strengthens 3D Printing Collaboration with Airbus

By Arconic - Press Release NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Arconic (NYSE:ARNC), a global technology, engineering and advanced manufacturing leader, has entered into two agreements to supply Airbus 3D printed metal parts for the…

Dec 08, 2016

2017 AeroDef Manufacturing Event: What’s Influencing Aerospace and Defense?

Conference and exhibition returns to Fort Worth in March 2017 (FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 7, 2016) – SME’s AeroDef Manufacturing event will bring together the leading companies and executives from…

Dec 07, 2016

2017 Manufacturing Trends

By Advanced Manufacturing Media - Staff There are many opportunities that lie ahead for the manufacturing industry. These include disruptive processes such as additive manufacturing and the internet of things as…

Nov 13, 2016

Durable Goods Orders Rise on Commercial Aircraft

By Bill Koenig - Senior Editor, Advanced Manufacturing Media New orders for durable goods rose in October on a surge in commercial aircraft business. Orders increased about $11 billion, or 4.8%,…