News
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 the coronavirus pandemic, as industrial…
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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 the role of the airborne…
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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 to a full post-pandemic recovery…
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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 in 3D printing, where there…
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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 “excited to confirm that we…
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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 ability to prove that you…
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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 material compatibility is a restricting…
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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 and value of output.[1] According…
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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 in the aerospace industry. That’s…
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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. “Today marks a great team…
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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 challenge using traditional approaches. In…
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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 shell. Engineers have developed a…
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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 field would still need, or…
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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 in the feeling that you…
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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 (AM) that utilizes robotic welding…
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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 hardware using the Stratasys F900 3D…
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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 ideas to NASA on how…
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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, metrology, additive manufacturing, and other…
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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 time, the conference was relatively…
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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 drives the development and marketing…
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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 design that supports aerospace data…
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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 education, unique processes and innovative…
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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 Area Studies Program for Southeast…
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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 and its corresponding physical representation.…
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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 engines division will continue to…
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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 that the demand for UAS…
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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 GPS signal? BYU’s engineering department…
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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 key milestone that should lead…
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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 St. Unit A Los Angeles,…
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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 civil space technology, attained a…
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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 the Big Apple and Tinseltown.…
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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 Transport Canada certification for the…
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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 slightly different arrangements of those…
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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 Command. The sole-source contract, which…
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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 presented photos of an aircraft…
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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, and Ken Calvert, R-Corona, launched…
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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 young people to explore new…
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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 still looks like something from…
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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 non-recurring engineering work on the…
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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. The program, called Cyber Hunting…
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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 companies that try digital manufacturing…
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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 mixed reality wiring application using…
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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 shape cockpit. Photos courtesy Lockheed…
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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) refers to the growing network…
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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 reasons for investing in and…
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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 manufacturing optimization solutions, has revealed…
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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. Leading industry participants such as…
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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 tax savings under the Republican…
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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 the most comprehensive state-by-state aerospace…
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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 by how quickly technology can…
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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 an F-35 cockpit demonstrator at…
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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 (DIB), generally and in specific…
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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 Co. of Waltham, Massachusetts, said…
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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 Division of the Safran Group,…
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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 it moves around the outside…
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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 the 1800s, electricity in the…
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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 New Orleans. Among other things,…
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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 also critical to look at…
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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 behemoth from the inside. An…
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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, made its first installation on…
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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 (BCG) published a report that…
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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), a global leader in aerospace…
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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 silicon carbide (SiC) materials –…
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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 a member of the selection…
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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 the National Aeronautics and Space…
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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 wrote that newly-released data “demonstrate…
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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 century-old, $120-billion-a-year industrial giant, and…
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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, near the Chandler Fashion Mall.…
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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 sensors and the Internet of…
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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 the Port of LA.” SpaceX…
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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, the first of the agency’s…
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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 quickly move into the high…
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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, said today at the AeroDef…
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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 Awards. Composites combine different materials…
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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, drones and even for cell…
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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 initiative in part because cybersecurity…
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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 on 3-D printing.” The article…
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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 aircraft and tactical reconnaissance radars,…
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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 accommodate the manufacture of “large…
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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 customer demands,” explains Shachar Fine,…
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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 beams. Plus internal non-airframe components…
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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 compelling and timely information, resources…
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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 shop gained a contract to…
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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 from Deloitte Consulting.” Deloitte consultant…
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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.” Muilenberg said, “I think it…
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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 2018, an important industry event…
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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 from a year earlier,” adding…
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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 763 commercial aircraft, or one…
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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, components and services.” NIST “said…
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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 threats to our nation and…
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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 only for next year but…
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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 and one of the largest…
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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 trends March 26 to 29…
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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 Stratasys Fortus 450mc Production 3D…
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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 at 1000 Klein Road will…
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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 adopt these technologies on many…
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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 a comeback in 2017 as…
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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 to achieving the strategic objectives…
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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 systems. Trying to manage today’s…
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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 computer algorithms to cut costs,…
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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 and shortage of middle skilled…
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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 family of aircraft.”
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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 that can change its shape…
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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 engines running on aviation fuel.”…
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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 graduates of academic manufacturing programs,"…
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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 from Dubai.” It adds, “Earlier…
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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, all-day session to critique new…
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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 (USAF).” The LCS, “also called…
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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 than $25 million in support…
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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 150 seats from a partnership…
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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. The awards are presented annually…
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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 since establishing the HorizonX venture…
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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 on critical structures, such as…
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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 deal of the century for…
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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 least five times the speed…
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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 aerospace and defense technologies, today…
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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
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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, MI 48312 Sponsored by Michigan…
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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 industry’s significant scale” as well…
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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 beam welding. Read more
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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 technology. Read more
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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.
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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. He traveled to a conference…
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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 Money. The US Air Force…
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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 sources say will create building…
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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 in 2017. Aerospace and AM…
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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 – IoT initiatives among manufacturers around…
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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 first airline to put the…
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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 agency official said. “A strong…
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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 Third Point LLC wants the…
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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 students, along with anyone under…
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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 from composite materials including carbon…
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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 local, national and global economies.…
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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 models have the potential to…
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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 factory machines via smartphones, tablets…
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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 the benefits and limitations of…
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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 Composites Manufacturing Tech Group recognized…
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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 to function in advanced manufacturing…
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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 SME's AeroDef conference in Fort…
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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 Forecast predicts the need for…
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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 compelling and timely information, resources…
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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 KUKA robotics and Broetje. The Chinese…
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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 760 to 765 commercial aircraft…
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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 the communication grapevine, this misinformation…
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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 Technology Inc. The decision was…
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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 airplane maker’s commercial aircraft. Arconic…
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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 aerospace and defense manufacturing to…
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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 well as newly created materials…
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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%, to $239.4 billion, the US…
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