Manufacturing Still in Cruise Mode While Held Back by Labor Availability
The U.S. manufacturing economy continued to cruise in June but was held back by a lack of labor availability, the Institute for Supply Management said. The Tempe, Ariz.-based group said its manufacturing index, known as the PMI, eased to 60.6 percent, down from 61.2 percent in May. Still, a PMI above 50 percent indicates expansion. The index has been above 60 percent for six of the past seven months.
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Manufacturing added 15,000 jobs in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said. But the manufacturing employment picture was mixed. Durable goods industries added 18,000 jobs while non-durable goods cut 3,000. Within durable goods, results varied. A number of industries posted gains but motor vehicles and parts had a big loss as the global computer chip shortage continues.
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Brian West, Boeing Co.'s incoming chief financial officer, "faces tough choices around how to bring down the company’s debt," The Wall Street Journal said. West, 51, is a former General Electric executive and has close ties to Boeing CEO David Calhoun. Boeing had $63.6 billion in debt as of the end of the first quarter. West assumes the CFO post on Aug. 27.
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Space Tech Expo 2021 returns to California
Space Tech Expo USA (October 6-8, Long Beach, California) is the West Coast’s premier event for commercial, civil, and military space technology. Space Tech Expo USA consists of three days of knowledge sharing and networking alongside the largest supply chain exhibition of its kind. The free-to-attend exhibition and conference will showcase the very latest technology from technical designers, sub-systems suppliers, manufacturers and components through to systems integrators for civil, military and commercial space.
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Electrical discharge machines (EDMs) use electrical discharges to machine parts. New wire EDM models offer improved accuracy, faster cycle times and better finishes. They are also highly automated and getting easier to use.
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Rockwell Automation Inc. agreed to acquire Plex Systems, a developer of cloud-native smart manufacturing platforms, for $2.22 billion in cash. Plex offers a single-instance, multi-tenant SaaS manufacturing platform, including manufacturing execution systems, quality, and supply chain management capabilities.
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Gundrilling Machine utilized to make new All-Electric F-150
The DeHoff 1024C is a custom machine for gundrilling the axles of the new all-electric Ford F-150. It enables a Tier-1 supplier to produce lighter axles in large volumes for use in the F-150's all-wheel drive electric layout. The machine utilizes six gundrilling spindles on a single machine base, and features automated workpiece loading and unloading. DeHoff machines are designed and manufactured in the USA.
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The United Auto Workers named Ray Curry, who had been secretary-treasurer, to take over as president, the Detroit Free Press said. Curry's appointment was effective July 1. He succeeds Rory Gamble, who retired. Curry will serve for the rest of Gamble's term, which expires in June 2022.
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Making products faster and smarter through the use of cutting tools and digital products was the overarching theme of the latest installment of the “Its Tool Time” streaming event from the Ceratizit Group. Experts came together to take part in the recent fast-moving, interactive and multi-language event.
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Direct 3D Printing of Aluminum 6061 Now Available
In March 2021, ExOne announced a new patent-pending process to binder jet 3D print and sinter aluminum 6061, one of the most commonly used alloys in the world. Developed in collaboration with a global automaker, the process delivers final parts with 99% density and material properties comparable to traditional manufacturing. The innovation will unleash new part designs that will lightweight products and improve system performance and sustainability.
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