Manufacturing Expansion Slows in December, Concern About Omicron in Future
Manufacturing’s economic expansion slowed in December, the Institute for Supply Management said in a monthly report. The group also said the Omicron variant of COVID-19 likely will complicate manufacturing in early 2022. ISM’s manufacturing index, known as the PMI, registered at 58.7 percent last month. That was down from 61.1 percent in November.
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Manufacturing added 26,000 jobs in December with durable goods sectors doing the heavy lifting. Durable goods accounted for 20,000 jobs of the gain, according to a breakdown by sector issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Leading the way was machinery, with an increase of 7,700 jobs, and motor vehicles and parts, up 4,200.
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Allegiant Travel Co., which operates an ultra-low-cost carrier, "tried to ease concerns among investors" that its plans to add 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft would increase operating costs, Reuters reported. Allegiant wants to add the 737 Max planes to its fleet of used Airbus jets. Allegiant said the 737 Max jets will help reduce costs.
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Thermwood said it received 32 additive manufacturing patents late in December. The company said the new patents were in addition to other patents it had already received.
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New orders for durable goods increased in November, paced by transportation equipment, the Commerce Department said. Orders rose 2.5 percent to $268.3 billion, according to a report on Dec. 23. Transportation led the way with a 6.5 percent monthly gain. Durable goods orders have risen six of the past seven months.
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Smart Assembly Made Simple
The FlexIQ is a compact and versatile press featuring a low 24 volt DC power requirement and simple software design that can have you running production parts in less than an hour from unboxing. The FlexIQ is available in 1kN and 3kN force ranges, available in 200mm stroke length, and can move at a max speed of 100mm/s (4in/s). This press system is all electric and the setup is built for numerous part configurations at the operator’s discretion.
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Power management company Eaton said it has completed the acquisition of Royal Power Solutions, a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-precision electrical connectivity components used in electric vehicle, energy management, industrial and mobility markets.
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Alan Rooks, editor in chief of SME Media's Manufacturing Engineering magazine, is retiring at the end of the month. He presents some parting thoughts. "I’ve had the pleasure of writing about metalworking for more than 15 years, including the last five-plus years at ME," he writes. "It’s given me the opportunity to take a look inside this proud, highly productive and innovative industry."
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Digital microscope featuring MALS™ technology, real-time all-in-focus optical inspection
Classic inspection systems offer shallow depth of field, this means that parts of the sample may not be in focus, which can lead to missing features, user fatigue, and incomplete inspection.
ZEISS Visioner 1 revolutionizes the world of optical inspection and documentation. Driven by the unique Micro-mirror Array Lens System (MALSTM technology), it enables for the first time, real-time all-in-focus imaging – first time, every time.
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Florida is Manufacturing
More than 8,500 advanced manufacturers call Florida home — and for good reason. With over 186,000 advanced manufacturing workers, the second-ranked infrastructure in the U.S. and a 0% sales tax on manufacturing equipment, Florida is where manufacturers break through. Discover all the advantages of made in Florida.
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