Search

New machining technologies have developed in response to the demand for increased speed and accuracy. Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Institute, for instance, developed the Hexapod robot for machining complex parts. Heidenman offers computerized numerical control software which allow users to program basic instructions in plain language while University of Wales researchers are studying the use of machining for rapid prototyping.

Advances in machines must be accompanied by advances in the related supporting cast of tools, feeders and cutting fluids for machines to acquire the desired benefits. Kitagawa has recently focused on several machine-manufacturing problems such as the speed of machining and the speed of the rotational chuck. The company is working with several Japanese lathe manufacturers, including Mori-Seiki and Okuma, to develop new chucks capable of reliable and safe operating speeds of up to 10,000 rpm. The new chuck has been produced from a mixture of different grades of steel.

Four unusual R&D projects in production engineering are presented. Collaborative robots or 'cobots' promise to foster cooperation between a cobot and a person, with the former providing support against gravity and offering guidance, while the human will supply the force required to move the component. Charles Vann's SixDOF sensor could trim costs involved in robot control, while the HydroGuide is touted to enhance speed and accuracy in machine tools. The US Dept of Energy has allocated 500,000 pounds sterling on research on new magneto-elastic materials for torque sensors.