Abril to Chair NAM’s Council of Manufacturing Associations

The National Association of Manufacturers announced new 2024 leadership for its Council of Manufacturing Associations at the CMA 2024 Winter Leadership Conference. Jennifer Abril, president and CEO of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates, will serve as chair, and Alison Bodor, president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute, will serve as vice chair.

“The CMA’s mission is to demonstrate the vital importance of manufacturing to the American economy,” said Abril. “In collaboration with the NAM, the CMA’s member associations will advocate for job creation, investment and innovation in American manufacturing. The strength and weight of the CMA’s voice is unparalleled, and I am honored to serve as the champion for our collective industries’ resilience and growth.”

Made up of more than 200 industry-specific manufacturing associations representing 130,000 companies worldwide, the CMA creates powerful partnerships across the industry, working with the NAM to unite the manufacturing association community, and ultimately the broader business community, around strategies for increased manufacturing job creation, investment and innovation in America.

“Jennifer and Alison have been instrumental to the success of the CMA, particularly in pushing back against an onslaught of unsustainable regulations that would crush President Biden’s goal of growing manufacturing in the United States,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “We are confident that they will work in their expanded roles to amplify manufacturers’ voices and further position our industry for global leadership.”

Abril has led SOCMA since 2016. Prior to that, she served as the president of the International Fragrance Association, North America and held leadership positions at the American Chemistry Council. She previously served as CMA vice chair.

Newly appointed 2024 CMA board members include the following:

• Stephen Kaminski, president and CEO, National Propane Gas Association
• Kelly Mariotti, president and CEO, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
• Ellen Thorp, executive director, EPDM Roofing Association

For more information, visit www.nam.org.

Denise Johnson to Chair Manufacturing Institute’s 2024 Women MAKE Awards

The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers, announced that Denise Johnson, Caterpillar Group President of Resource Industries, will serve as chair of the 2024 Women MAKE Awards.

The Women MAKE Awards honor women at all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite, who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers. Each year, 100 Honorees and 30 Emerging Leaders—women under the age of 30 who have achieved unique accomplishments at the start of their careers—are peer-selected based on their contributions to their companies and communities and to developing the next generation of talent. To date, the program has honored more than 1,400 women.

“The Women MAKE Awards showcase the vibrant, diverse and rewarding careers in the industry and how women have excelled as manufacturing leaders, paying it forward to inspire and uplift the next generation to pursue opportunities in modern manufacturing,” said Johnson. “After a year of working as vice chair, together with outgoing Chair Rose Lee, I am excited to step into this role and continue the work to close the gender gap and elevate women in our industry.”

Johnson brings extensive leadership in manufacturing experience to her role as chair. With Caterpillar since 2011, Johnson rose through various leadership positions and has served as group president of Resource Industries (RI) since 2016. As group president of Caterpillar, she is responsible for Caterpillar’s Integrated Components and Solutions Division, RI Operations and Products Division, Strategic Procurement & Planning Division, and the RI Sales, Services and Technology Division.

Prior to joining Caterpillar, Johnson worked at General Motors, where she built deep expertise in operations and product management. She also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the NAM Board of Directors. Johnson is also a member of numerous outside boards, including the National Mining Association, ABB, MIT Leaders for Global Operations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“We are honored to have Denise, who is an incredible advocate for women in manufacturing, serve as chair of this year’s Women MAKE Awards,” said MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee. “She has been an asset to our organization as vice chair and a valued supporter of our mission. We look forward to her continued leadership, which will help bring more women into manufacturing now and for generations to come.”

The Women MAKE Awards are part of the larger Women MAKE America initiative. Women MAKE America’s 35×30 Campaign aims to close the gender gap in manufacturing by increasing women’s representation to 35% by 2030. This industry-wide effort features a best-in-class female-to-female mentoring program, employer resources, tools and case studies as well as expanded personal and professional development programming for women in the industry, students and others considering a career path in manufacturing.

For more information, visit https://themanufacturinginstitute.org/.

IDS Appoints Dr. Michael Berger to Management Board

Dr. Michael Berger was appointed Managing Director of IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH, effective January 1. Jürgen Hartmann, founder and shareholder of the industrial camera manufacturer, is stepping down from the management board after 27 years at the head of the company. With the 42-year-old Berger joining the IDS management team, the generational change at the Obersulm-based image processing specialist has been successfully completed. Berger will be responsible for sales, marketing, product management and system consulting. Jan Hartmann is now in charge of Finance, HR, IT and Business Innovation & Ecosystem; Alexander Lewinsky will take over Development in addition to his previous responsibilities in Operations. Jürgen Hartmann is handing over the management of the operational business and will in future act as Chief Innovation Manager in the family business, advising on technologies and innovations. He remains managing partner of Hartmann Holding GmbH.

Dr. Michael Berger studied business administration at the University of Bayreuth, earned his doctorate in sales and market management at the University of Constance and most recently worked for VARTA AG as General Manager Li-Ion Cells. His actions are always characterized by a clear market orientation. "The IDS product portfolio bears enormous market potential that needs to be further exploited," says Michael Berger, looking forward to his new role.

The early and careful preparation of the handover of his management responsibility in his own company was important to Jürgen Hartmann from an early stage. He initiated this step four years ago with the promotion of his son Jan to the management board and the appointment of Alexander Lewinsky in 2021.

"Continuity and reliability are particularly important to us when it comes to our partners and customers. Everything has its time, and after more than 40 years of working life, it's time for me to take another step back," says Jürgen Hartmann. The 61-year-old industry pioneer, who is regarded as the father of the USB interface for industrial cameras, will continue to "support where desired and help where necessary" in the company founded by him, as he says. His main focus will continue to be on the development area. "I am delighted that we have been able to recruit Michael Berger as Managing Director. With his CV, he brings the knowledge and vision that are crucial for further scaling and the next innovation steps at IDS."

For more information, visit https://www.ids-imaging.us/corporate-management.html.

US Cutting Tool Orders Totaled $202.7M in November 2023, Bringing the Year-to-Date Total Up 7.5% From 2022

November 2023 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $202.7 million, down 4.9% from October’s $213 million and up 4.4% when compared with the $194.1 million reported for November 2022, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute and AMT.

November 2023 U.S. cutting tool consumption totaled $202.7 million, according to the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI) and AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total, as reported by companies participating in the Cutting Tool Market Report collaboration, was down 4.9% from October’s $213 million and up 4.4% when compared with the $194.1 million reported for November 2022. With a year-to-date total of $2.26 billion, 2023 is up 7.5% when compared to the same time period in 2022.

These numbers and all data in this report are based on the totals reported by the companies participating in the CTMR program. The totals here represent the majority of the U.S. market for cutting tools.

“Aerospace and automotive markets are still working on an impressive backlog and sales that will continue to keep most shops busy well into the new year,” declared Jack Burley, chairman of AMT’s Cutting Tool Product Group. “Despite high inflation and interest rates, there is still a positive mood for most companies who are working in manufacturing. This should be good news for 2024 forecasts within our industry.”

“Despite predictions of a recession in 2023, the economy has glided into what appears to be a soft landing,” said Christopher Chidzik, principal economist at AMT. ”To support this steady economic activity, cutting tool shipments have been on a reliably upward trend since they hit bottom in mid-2020. Cutting tool demand in 2024 should continue as long as consumer demand for durable goods remains elevated, businesses continue to invest in capital equipment, and government investment in infrastructure and manufacturing continue to come online.”

The Cutting Tool Market Report is jointly compiled by AMT and USCTI, two trade associations representing the development, production, and distribution of cutting tool technology and products. It provides a monthly statement on U.S. manufacturers’ consumption of the primary consumable in the manufacturing process – the cutting tool. Analysis of cutting tool consumption is a leading indicator of both upturns and downturns in U.S. manufacturing activity, as it is a true measure of actual production levels.

Historical data for the Cutting Tool Market Report is available dating back to January 2012. This collaboration of AMT and USCTI is the first step in the two associations working together to promote and support U.S.-based manufacturers of cutting tool technology.

For more information, visit www.amtonline.org.

America Makes Announces Winners of $5.75M in AM

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, announced the winners of the $5.75M Proliferation of Additively Manufactured (AM) Material Datasets, funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD(R&E)) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Recognizing the opportunity of expansive material utilization beyond Ti-6Al-4V, the objective of the Proliferation of AM Materials Datasets project aims to rapidly increase the number and type of pedigreed, statistically based, and industrially relevant AM material datasets. Award recipients are required to collaborate with small businesses to bolster applicable learnings, best practices, and data to benefit and address the needs of the broader AM supply chain.

“The awardees will be advancing our domestic manufacturing capability with the development and delivery of these material datasets. Aluminum and nickel-based alloys are pivotal in lightweight design and elevated temperature applications across the aerospace, automotive, defense, and energy sectors,” says Brandon Ribic, Technology Director at America Makes. “The rigor necessary to generate such pedigreed, statistically based material data is incredibly demanding. The outcomes of these efforts will be a substantial contribution to the AM design community. Furthermore, such collaborations are a tremendous benefit to small and medium-sized organizations as they drastically improve our knowledge base, domestic manufacturing competency, and can significantly reduce barriers to entry. We are so thrilled for this opportunity for collective learning and to serve the nation’s supply chain agility and resiliency needs.”

Below is the list of award winners and related topic areas:

• Topic 1: Aluminum Alloy Material Dataset
  • Title: Generation of Design Allowable Datasets for A7050-Ram Based on MMPDS C/D-Basis Guidelines
  • Team Lead: Elementum 3D, Inc.
  • Project Team: Battelle, Castheon, Inc., Dyndrite Corporation, Eaton Corporation, EOS North America, Incodema, Inc., National Institute for Aviation Research, Product Evaluation Systems, Inc., The Ohio State University Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, Westmoreland Mechanical Testing and Research
• Topic 2: High-Temperature Nickel-Based Superalloys
  • Title: Proliferation of Nickel Superalloy Material Datasets for Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing
  • Team Lead: Electric Power Research Institute
  • Project Team: Alloyed, Inc., Citrine Informatics, Product Evaluation Systems, Siemens Energy, Inc., The Boeing Company, The Barnes Global Advisors

In addition, funds were allocated to Wichita State University National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) and Penn State University Applied Research Laboratory (PSU-ARL) for data review and documentation and strategic data management development.

Project teams will report on their progress at the America Makes Technical Review and Exchange and other industry events during the execution phase of the program.

For more information, visit https://www.americamakes.us/.

Taylor-Dunn Celebrates 75 Years of Industrial Electric Vehicles

Taylor-Dunn, a leading industrial electric vehicle manufacturer, announced its 75th anniversary. With a rich legacy of designing and producing commercial and industrial utility vehicles, Taylor-Dunn has become synonymous with productivity, reliability and safety.

“Celebrating 75 years of Taylor-Dunn offers up a great opportunity to reflect on the company’s significant growth over the years that are rooted in its humble beginnings,” said Keith Simon, CEO, Waev Inc. “The company was born in innovation on an Anaheim, California, farm where the first Taylor-Dunn electric vehicle was developed to drive productivity on the farm. Today, we produce EVs that can be seen working in an expansive set of use cases around the world. This success can be attributed to a 75-year commitment to engineering sustainable solutions that work.”

As the world embraces greener, safer, more productive solutions, Taylor-Dunn's electric vehicles have emerged as the go-to workhorse thanks to the brand’s reliability and versatility. One of the standout vehicles in Taylor-Dunn's lineup is the Bigfoot, an electric utility vehicle that is revolutionizing the industry. The Bigfoot is replacing gas UTVs, golf carts, tractors and trucks, offering the same towing and hauling capabilities as a full-size pickup truck. However, it distinguishes itself by being right-sized, cost-effective and easy to charge.

All Taylor-Dunn products are built to last, whether it is the durable steel bodies, the purposefully simple electrical architecture, or the drives that are overengineered for reliability and capability. Taylor-Dunn has doubled down on the commitment to reliability in its 75th year, by introducing a new robust 4-year warranty – further demonstrating the company’s confidence in the quality and durability of the vehicles.

To keep up with the growing demand in the market, Taylor-Dunn has made significant investments in its Anaheim, CA, manufacturing operation. These investments enable the company to scale production and continue delivering exceptional vehicles in a timely manner.

“We take pride in not only having amazing Taylor-Dunn products and team members, but also in the long-standing relationships with the expansive network of Taylor-Dunn dealers and customers,” Simon added. “Many of our dealers have been selling these products for decades, and the company has a loyal customer base that has been relying on their Taylor-Dunn vehicles for much of the brand’s history. Their partnership and collaboration have been instrumental and we share this milestone with them.”

In addition to the company’s deep roots and enduring partnerships, Taylor-Dunn attributes its success to its dedicated team, many of whom have been with the brand for years. The legacy of the Taylor-Dunn team is impressive; 30 percent of the team has been with the company for more than a decade, a handful for more than three decades and one for almost six decades. Within the team are many multigenerational families that have also been integral to the Taylor-Dunn story.

As Taylor-Dunn celebrates its milestone year, it remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of electric vehicle technology in a way that creates real value for customers. The company is poised to lead the industry into a greener and more sustainable future. Taylor-Dunn will commemorate the anniversary with a look back to the past throughout the year, as well as with exciting news in 2024 that will continue to propel the brand into the future.

For more information, visit https://www.waevinc.com/taylor-dunn/.

NMi Group Acquires TrustCB

NMi Group announced the transformative acquisition of TrustCB in the Cyber Security domain. This strategic move solidifies NMi Group as the premier provider of certification services for the evolving landscape of digitally integrated and smart devices.

Now part of NMi Group, TrustCB is the exclusive commercial Certification Body for the globally recognized Common Criteria cybersecurity standard, working with globally leading clients and capable of certifying up to the highest levels (EAL7). This strategic alignment reinforces NMi Group's commitment to a comprehensive approach, integrating legal metrology and Common Criteria standards to ensure the overall reliability and integrity of smart industrial devices.

A key emphasis of the acquisition is TrustCB’s expertise in translating Common Criteria standards via SESIP to the Internet of Things domain. This strategic move further fortifies NMi Group's dedication to "Measure Tomorrow" by synergizing precision in measurements with increasingly requested robust cybersecurity standards.

In legal metrology and Common Criteria, coexistence is imperative to guarantee a holistic approach to the functionality, accuracy, and security of devices such as smart meters, smart grids, and other smart industrial devices. Manufacturers and operators navigating these digital landscapes must adhere to both legal and cybersecurity regulations, ensuring compliance with standards for accuracy and security.

Expressing enthusiasm about the strategic move, Yvo Jansen, NMi Group CEO, states, "Acquiring TrustCB fortifies our commitment to excellence in smart industrial devices. By integrating accuracy in measurements with robust cybersecurity standards, we ensure regulatory compliance and enhance the overall reliability of our solutions."

Echoing this sentiment, Wouter Slegers, TrustCB CEO, adds, "Joining forces with NMi Group is a strategic move safeguarding the TrustCB Common Criteria and dedicated scheme certification business even further. In practical ways, nothing changes: TrustCB stays the trusted, responsive partner as a certification body. This synergy amplifies our commitment to precision and security in smart industrial devices, advancing the global standard for regulatory compliance and elevating the trustworthiness of our certified solutions." Wouter will continue to lead TrustCB, ensuring solid independence and sustained excellence in Common Criteria certification.

This acquisition marks a pivotal milestone in NMi Group's Build and Buy strategy, solidifying its position as an industry leader in legal and applied metrology services for smart industrial devices.

For more information, visit https://www.nmi-group.com/.

MVTec Hires Schulmeyer as Product Manager for MVTec MERLIC

MVTec Software GmbH announces an important change to its MERLIC team: Ulf Schulmeyer took over product management of the easy-to-use MERLIC software in mid-2023. He has more than 20 years of experience as a product manager for B2B software. In working together with the product team, his main tasks will be to press ahead with the development and strategic positioning of MERLIC and to meet the rising demand for easy-to-use machine vision software.

MVTec MERLIC is a particularly good choice for machine vision beginners looking for a powerful standard software suitable for creating complete machine vision applications. The tool library integrated into MERLIC allows users to perform all important machine vision tasks easily – from measurements and presence / absence checks to code reading and surface inspections. Drag-and-drop functions make it easy to configure the workflow. The individual process steps can each be parameterized separately and shifted around as needed. MERLIC also enables complex deep learning applications to be easily implemented.

Ulf Schulmeyer already has a clear idea of the direction in which he wants to take the machine vision software. "Along with traditional machine vision technologies, we’re also emphasizing easy process integration. We already offer many preconfigured communication interfaces for connecting seamlessly to the production line. We plan to expand this selection."

MVTec Managing Director Dr. Olaf Munkelt looks forward to working with the new product manager. "We were able to bring a true expert with many years of experience on board for the key position of product manager. Ulf Schulmeyer will lend fresh impetus to MERLIC and play an important role in meeting the high demand for easy-to-use machine vision software on the market," he said.

For more information, visit www.mvtec.com.

H1 headline goes here - NO IMAGE

paragraph style text goes here  

MVTec Hires Schulmeyer as Product Manager for MVTec MERLIC

MVTec Software GmbH announces an important change to its MERLIC team: Ulf Schulmeyer took over product management of the easy-to-use MERLIC software in mid-2023. He has more than 20 years of experience as a product manager for B2B software. In working together with the product team, his main tasks will be to press ahead with the development and strategic positioning of MERLIC and to meet the rising demand for easy-to-use machine vision software.

MVTec MERLIC is a particularly good choice for machine vision beginners looking for a powerful standard software suitable for creating complete machine vision applications. The tool library integrated into MERLIC allows users to perform all important machine vision tasks easily – from measurements and presence / absence checks to code reading and surface inspections. Drag-and-drop functions make it easy to configure the workflow. The individual process steps can each be parameterized separately and shifted around as needed. MERLIC also enables complex deep learning applications to be easily implemented.

Ulf Schulmeyer already has a clear idea of the direction in which he wants to take the machine vision software. "Along with traditional machine vision technologies, we’re also emphasizing easy process integration. We already offer many preconfigured communication interfaces for connecting seamlessly to the production line. We plan to expand this selection."

MVTec Managing Director Dr. Olaf Munkelt looks forward to working with the new product manager. "We were able to bring a true expert with many years of experience on board for the key position of product manager. Ulf Schulmeyer will lend fresh impetus to MERLIC and play an important role in meeting the high demand for easy-to-use machine vision software on the market," he said.

For more information, visit www.mvtec.com.

FAA Halts Boeing Expansion; Sets Inspection, Maintenance Requirements

It is the government agency’s response to the door plug incident on Alaskan Airline flight on Jan. 5.

In a press release on Jan. 24, the FAA opened its indictment of the incident by saying “The Jan. 5 Boeing 737-9 MAX incident must never happen again” and announced “actions to ensure every aircraft is safe.”

The agency announced it will not grant any production expansions of the MAX aircrafts as it has imposed oversight of both Boeing and its suppliers and has approved what it deemed a “thorough inspection and maintenance process that must be performed on each of the grounded 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft.” Only when this process is complete can the aircrafts be eligible to return to service.

The press release quotes FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker saying, “We grounded the Boeing 737-9 MAX within hours of the incident over Portland and made clear this aircraft would not go back into service until it was safe. The exhaustive, enhanced review our team completed after several weeks of information gathering gives me and the FAA confidence to proceed to the inspection and maintenance phase.” 

Whitaker continued, saying, “However, let me be clear: This won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing. We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737 MAX until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved.”

After reviewing the data of 40 inspections of the 9 Max fleet and review by a Corrective Action Review Board (CARB), the inspection and maintenance process, bringing the door plugs into compliance with the original design and safe to operate, was approved on Jan. 24.

The process requires:

• An inspection of specific bolts, guide tracks and fittings
• Detailed visual inspections of left and right mid-cabin exit door plugs and dozens of associated components
• Retorquing fasteners
• Correcting any damage or abnormal conditions

Oversight of Boeing includes: 

• Capping expanded production of new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to ensure accountability and full compliance with required quality control procedures.
• Launching an investigation scrutinizing Boeing’s compliance with manufacturing requirements. The FAA will use the full extent of its enforcement authority to ensure the company is held accountable for any non-compliance.     
• Aggressively expanding oversight of new aircraft with increased floor presence at all Boeing facilities.
• Closely monitoring data to identify risk
• Launching an analysis of potential safety-focused reforms around quality control and delegation.

The FAA press release also described the convening of a “Boeing Safety Culture Review report” in early 2023, including 24 experts to review safety management processes and how they affect Boeing’s safety culture. The FAA said it expects the report within weeks and “the results of the report will also inform the agency regarding future action.” 

Association for Advancing Automation Celebrates Golden Anniversary 

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024. The global advocate for the benefits of automation now represents more than 1280 member companies as it promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform and redefine the business environment.

“The success of A3 for the past five decades is directly attributable to the unflagging support of our members, the incredible advances in automation technology, and the resilience and talent of the team we’ve assembled,” said Jeff Burnstein, who joined A3 in 1983 and has served as president of the association since 2007. “The last few years have been an especially exciting time as the use of robotics and other forms of automation has hit record levels. We expect the next 50 years to be even busier for our organization as we support our member companies and users as they continue to embrace automation. We look forward to commemorating a legacy of innovation and progress all year, but especially as the industry gathers in Chicago this May for the Automate Show.”

The Association for Advancing Automation began in 1974 originally as the Robot Institute of America (RIA), initially founded by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (now SME) and headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. The first Robots Show, now known as Automate, took place in 1976, co-located with the Assemblex III show. In 1982, RIA separated from SME, changing its name to the Robotic Industries Association. In 1984, RIA began publishing the first industrial robot sales statistics, solidifying RIA as a trusted resource on market trends for the robotic industry. In 1986, RIA published the first Robot Safety Standard (R15.06), putting RIA on the map for its global leadership in safety and standards. 

Headquarters then moved to Ann Arbor in 1986, and over the years, began adding support for other automation technologies with the AIA-Advancing Vision + Imaging and Motion Control and Motors Association (MCMA). Those separate associations remained until 2021, when A3 merged RIA, AIA, MCMA and A3 Mexico into one association while adding a new Artificial Intelligence group to help industrial automation companies navigate the AI landscape. That year, automate.org became the official home of the unified A3 and a hub for all automation industry resources. 

“While the name of our association has changed over the years, what has never wavered is our mission of bringing vendors and users together to take advantage of the productivity and efficiency benefits robotics and automation enable,” Burnstein said. “I’ve had a front row seat to the growth of the industry for more than 40 years and expect even greater growth as more industries facing labor shortage and efficiency issues recognize what robotics and automation can do to help them succeed.”  

For more information, visit https://www.automate.org/.

Accruent Acquisition of RedEye to Accelerate Strategy with Next-Generation Engineering Document Management System

Accruent announced that it has acquired RedEye, an Australia-based engineering document management company specializing in cloud-native solutions. This acquisition reflects Accruent’s ongoing commitment to providing differentiated, cloud-enabled solutions to drive business productivity. 

RedEye's addition to Accruent's engineering document management system (EDMS) portfolio, which includes Meridian, provides customers with expanded options for storing and accessing their documents. This acquisition further solidifies Accruent’s leadership in the EDMS space, offering a versatile SaaS solution that enables customers across various industries, whether on-premise or cloud-based, to securely manage their engineering documents, drawings, and media from any device.

The RedEye solution:

• Expedites drawing discovery with advanced search capabilities, leveraging rich metadata,
• GIS, and QR codes for instant retrieval;
• Safeguards intellectual property and data in an ISO 27001 compliant solution;
• Provides robust API connectivity to seamlessly integrate documents across business systems.

Customers will have access to regional data hosting hubs designed to ensure compliance with privacy and security regulations applicable to their business. The offering is tailor-made for operating and maintaining complex facilities across manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, mining, and pharmaceutical. 

Bill Pollak, president of Accruent, shared, "This acquisition underscores our commitment to delivering industry-leading solutions across our portfolio, with a continued investment in comprehensive solutions across the facility and asset workflow, while further expanding Accruent's presence in the region. Overall, RedEye’s industry-focused, cloud-native solution, coupled with its strong customer satisfaction, aligns with our investment strategy and long-term objectives."

For more information, visit accruent.com.

Trescal Completes 100^th Acquisition, Expansion in Asia, North, South America

Trescal announced the acquisition of Lumadae and ACCI in Brazil, Q&Q in South Korea, SP Metrology System in Thailand and A.A. Jansson in the United States. Together, these acquisitions represent €12M in sales and 200 employees.

In Brazil, ACCI and Lumadae bolster Trescal Brazil’s liquid flow calibration and repair capabilities in Sao Paulo state. They represent combined revenue of €5M. Their accreditations in density and liquid flow help serve chemical, energy and water supply companies in Brazil.

Q&Q is the largest calibration company in Busan with revenue of €3.7M. As the market leader in South Korea, Trescal now becomes the leader in the Busan region. It will also reinforce the local technical offer, especially in gas and liquid flow.

SP Metrology System provides calibration services for over 1,500 customers near Bangkok and generates €1.3M in sales. The broad scope of 19 domains, including dimensional, chemical and time and frequency, along with its food and beverage client portfolio will complement Trescal Thailand’s existing capabilities.

Based in Michigan, A.A. Jansson generates €2M in sales. It specializes in dimensional calibrations, especially for gage blocks which it resurfaces before calibration in a temperature and humidity controlled facility.

Guillaume Caroit, Trescal CEO: “With Q&Q, we are thrilled to celebrate our 100th acquisition since Trescal’s independence in 2007. These acquisitions reflect our constant desire to balance our market exposure between geographies, industries and domains.”

For more information, visit trescal.com.

Gerresheimer, Medical Device Manufacturer Expands in Peachtree City, GA

Gerresheimer, a manufacturer for the pharma and life science industry, will invest more than $88 million in expanding its manufacturing operations in Peachtree City, creating over 200 new jobs for Fayette County.

“This project is a prime example of the exciting growth of the life sciences industry in our state, with companies like Gerresheimer bringing career opportunities to all four corners of Georgia” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Employers from across the globe can find a skilled workforce here that we are continuously investing in through innovative programs like the GEORGIA MATCH Direct College Admissions Initiative. We're excited to see how this expansion will further benefit the community and surrounding region.”

Germany-based Gerresheimer offers a comprehensive portfolio of pharmaceutical containment solutions, drug delivery systems, and medical devices as well as solutions for the health and cosmetics industry. Gerresheimer currently supports more than 260 jobs in Peachtree City. The existing Gerresheimer manufacturing facility is already in the midst of an expansion, where it will support an additional 180 jobs with operations beginning in April 2024. This announcement marks yet another investment by the company here in the No. 1 state for business.

“We appreciate the continuous support of the State of Georgia for our expansion in the U.S.,” said Dietmar Siemssen, CEO of Gerresheimer AG.

“The U.S. market is an important growth driver for us, and the expansion of our operations in Peachtree City will be key for growing our medical device business in the U.S. We are glad that we have found such favorable conditions and a highly motivated and skilled staff here.”

Gerresheimer’s new facility will be located in the Southpark International Industrial Park in Peachtree City, and will produce medical devices, in particular autoinjectors, to administer injectable drugs. Operations are expected to begin in fall 2024.

The company is currently hiring for various positions from entry level production employees to highly skilled engineers, quality managers, and administrative staff. Hiring for the new facility will start in early summer 2024. Interested individuals can learn more at www.gerresheimer.com/en/careers/jobs/job-openings or contact Vickie Britt at Vickie.Britt@gerresheimer.com.

“We are dedicated to fostering strong partnerships and economic growth in Peachtree City, evidenced by our support of Gerresheimer’s plans to expand their facility here,” said Peachtree City Mayor Kim Learnard. “Gerresheimer's commitment to innovation in the pharmaceutical packaging industry aligns perfectly with our vision for a prosperous and vibrant city. We are excited about the additional employment opportunities and the positive impact this expansion will have on our community.”

“I am thrilled to witness Gerresheimer’s continued commitment to Fayette County through its expansive growth in Peachtree City. By choosing to expand in our community, they are not only creating job opportunities but also making an investment in the future,” said Darryl A. Hicks, Chairman of the Fayette County Development Authority. “Having been an integral part of our community for three decades, Gerresheimer’s decision to grow here speaks volumes about the quality of our workforce, the strength of our local economy, and the supportive environment that Peachtree City and Fayette County provide.”

Senior Regional Project Manager Fernanda Kirchner represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with Fayette County Development Authority, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Georgia Power.

“Georgia prides itself on creating long-term relationships with companies, and we have been fortunate enough to meet with Gerresheimer’s team in both Peachtree City and their headquarters in Germany multiple times,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Companies locate in Georgia for the business friendly environment, and they choose to expand here because of the state’s solutions to the challenges facing businesses, including workforce training. Gerresheimer’s commitment to Peachtree City and Fayette County over the last 30 years shows our approach works, and we look forward to Gerresheimer’s continued growth in Georgia!”

Georgia is outpacing the nation in life sciences employment, with a 20 percent growth rate since 2015. The industry supports more than 78,000 jobs statewide, and at least 4,000 life science organizations operate in Georgia. In 2022, Georgia exported over $1 billion in medical instruments to international markets.

For more information, visit www.gerresheimer.com.

SME Announces Open Nominations for Additive Manufacturing Awards, AM Pitchfest

SME announced nominations are now open for four additive manufacturing awards and for its AM Pitchfest scheduled for RAPID + TCT 2024, North America’s largest and most influential additive manufacturing (AM) event, June 25-27, 2024 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The deadline for applying for the awards is April 5.

“Awards such as these not only celebrate individual or team technical accomplishments, but they also serve to inspire others in additive manufacturing to continuously improve their performance, often transforming their knowledge and gaining a new perspective on their profession,” said Stacey DelVecchio, chair of SME’s AM Technical Community Leadership Committee. “We honor these groundbreaking achievements in AM to boost the quality, productivity, and competitiveness of manufacturing, not only in the U.S. but also globally.” 

The awards, with links for nomination, include the following:

• AM Industry Achievement Award – Established in 2008, the AM Industry Achievement Award recognizes an individual or team for outstanding accomplishments that significantly impact the application of AM in any industry. It recognizes achievements implemented or deployed in a commercial/industrial environment versus research or investigative work. Their scope and scale of benefits realized and the potential future impact their work will have on the industry are key differentiators.
• The Aubin AM Case Study Award – This award looks to recognize innovations in the application of AM technologies. The award recognizes outstanding use cases of AM adoption and implementation and provides inspiration to others in their journey of AM application.
• The Digital Manufacturing Challenge is designed to inspire the next generation of engineers. It challenges them to re-think ways to design, create, and utilize infrastructure-level systems that deploy engineering design and manufacturing solutions to strengthen infrastructure in the response, mitigation, and/or prevention of such disruptive and devastating events and envision an optimistic view of healthy, robust, sustainable, smart, agile, peaceful communities. The Digital Manufacturing Challenge Award has three categories for 2023: high school, undergraduate, and graduate teams.
• The AM Startup Technology Award – This award is designed to showcase young companies that have developed a new AM technology or application that solves an existing problem or utilizes a unique approach.

The AM Pitchfest showcases the latest in AM technology and innovation to a panel of industry leaders, media, and the AM community.  The AM Pitchfest competition is open to entrepreneurs, startups, and academic spinoffs bringing emerging technology, products, and applications to the market. Finalists will be selected to “pitch” present – each is allowed a five-minute presentation followed by one minute of Q&A by the judges.

All of the awards celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of individuals, teams, and companies that have had a significant impact on commercializing AM. They represent more than two decades of SME recognition of notable, innovative leadership in the additive sector.

For more information, visit SME.org.

ABB Acquires Sevensense

ABB announced that it has acquired Swiss start-up Sevensense, a leading provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Sevensense was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Swiss technical University, ETH Zurich.

“This marks a significant step towards our vision of a workplace where AI-enabled robots assist people, addressing our customers' needs for greater flexibility and intelligence amidst critical skilled labor shortages,” said Sami Atiya, President of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation. “Each mobile robot, equipped with vision and AI, scans a unique part of the building; collectively these robots complement each other’s view to form a complete map, enabling them to work autonomously in a rapidly changing environment.”

The acquisition follows ABB’s minority investment in Sevensense after it joined the company’s innovation ecosystem in 2021, the same year ABB acquired ASTI Mobile Robotics. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Following pilot customer projects in the automotive and logistics industries, ABB will integrate Sevensense’s technology into the company’s AMR portfolio, offering an unprecedented combination of speed, accuracy, and payload.

The market for mobile robots is expected to grow at 20 percent CAGR through 2026, from $5.5bn to $9.5bn and ABB’s AI-powered 3D vision technology is at the forefront of this growth.¹

Sevensense’s pioneering navigation technology combines AI and 3D vision, enabling AMRs to make intelligent decisions, differentiating between fixed and mobile objects in dynamic environments. Once manually guided, mobile robots with Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) technology create a map that is used to operate independently, reducing commissioning time from weeks to days and enabling the AMRs to navigate in highly complex, dynamic environments alongside people. Maps are constantly updated and shared across the fleet, offering instant scalability without interrupting operations and greater flexibility compared to other navigation technologies.

Today, this AI-enabled navigation technology is already transforming the automotive manufacturing and logistics sectors, delivering value through faster and more efficient operations. For automotive manufacturer Ford, Visual SLAM enabled ABB AMR’s will create efficiency gains in production sites in the US, while Michelin will use the technology in intralogistics at its factory in Spain. Other automotive manufacturers will roll out the technology in the UK, Finland and Germany.

“Offering more autonomy and cognitive intelligence, ABB’s unique market-proven technology paves the way for a shift from linear production lines to dynamic networks. Intelligent AMRs autonomously navigate to production cells, tracking stock inventory as they go and sharing this information with other robots, while collaborating safely side-by-side with humans,” said Marc Segura, President of ABB’s Robotics Division. “With the acquisition of Sevensense, ABB becomes the leader in next-generation AMRs, offering Visual SLAM in Autonomous Mobile Robots, together with an integrated portfolio covering robots and machine automation solutions, all managed by our value-creating software.”

Gregory Hitz, CEO of Sevensense, said: “This is a significant moment in our shared journey, as we introduce our home-grown technology to a wider range of markets and sectors. ABB is the ideal home for us to continue scaling our versatile platform for 3D visual autonomy, serving OEMs across the automated material handling and service robotics industries. Together, we will redefine the limits of AI-enabled robotics.”

This revolutionary technology has the potential to impact robotics far beyond AMRs, leading to greater efficiency, flexibility and accuracy throughout production and intralogistics. The technology will also continue to be sold across segments including material handling, cleaning and other service robotics fields under the product name Sevensense.

For more information, visit www.abb.com.

America Makes Announces Winners of EARTH Project Totaling $1.2M

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, announced the winners of the $1.2M Environmental Additive Research for Tomorrow’s Habitat (EARTH) Project funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD(R&E)) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

The additive manufacturing (AM) sector holds increasing importance within the U.S. manufacturing landscape due to its ability to decrease lead times, provide personalized products, produce intricate shapes, and facilitate on-demand part printing. As this industry progresses, it is imperative to emphasize sustainable practices that encourage the reutilization and recycling of AM materials. The recipients of the EARTH project awards will assume a crucial role in identifying and validating AM designs and materials that consistently meet the necessary qualifications and performance standards for end users.

“There is the need to acknowledge the potential environmental impact of AM innovations within the manufacturing industry, even as it invests resources in research and development,” says Brandon Ribic, Technology Director at America Makes. “We applaud the efforts of the awardees in exploring sustainable approaches for reusing and recycling AM materials and designs. Their initiatives are expected to make a substantial contribution to reducing waste, conserving energy, and mitigating carbon emissions. The forward-thinking of our industry partners demonstrates a commitment to understanding sustainable AM practices which will influence future adoption of the technology in a variety of sectors.”

Below is the list of award winners and related topic areas:

• Topic: Analysis of AM Sustainability and Environmental Benefits
  • Project 1: Accelerating Additive in Department of Defense (DoD) Applications of High-Performance Recycled Polymers
    • Team Lead: IC3D, Inc.
    • Project Team: 3Degrees, Harrisburg University, The Ohio State University
  • Project 2: Powder and Process Optimization for Sustainable Additive Manufacturing (POSAM)
    • Team Lead: RTX Technology Research Center
    • Project Team: 6K Additive, The University of Arizona

Project teams will report on their progress at the America Makes Technical Review and Exchange and other industry events during the execution phase of the program.

For more information, visit https://www.americamakes.us/.

November 2023 Manufacturing Technology Orders Fall Despite Economy’s Soft Landing

The soft landing the U.S. economy generally experienced through 2023 did not affect all sectors of the economy evenly. Even in the face of improving economic health, orders of manufacturing technology, measured by the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders Report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, consistently fell short of orders placed in 2022. November 2023 was no different, with orders falling to $399.8 million, 10.3% lower than those placed in November 2022 and 2% behind orders placed in October 2023. Year-to-date orders reached $4.45 billion in 2023, 13.3% below the same period in 2022.

Contract machine shops, the largest consumer of manufacturing technology, decreased their November 2023 orders by nearly 16% from October 2023. The decline was nearly balanced by increases from other manufacturing sectors. Of those sectors that increased orders in November, aerospace manufacturers peaked at 60% above the monthly average compared to the rest of 2023. Electrical equipment manufacturers also increased orders. Tight conditions in the labor market persisting through the holiday travel and shopping seasons necessitated additional investment in automation to help manufacturers meet consumer demand.

While overall orders for the year were down compared to their near-record levels in 2022, several regions and industries saw a late-year rally, showing strong order activity through November 2023. The Northeast and South-Central regions only declined by around 2% from their 2022 totals – virtually flat compared to the steeper declines seen in other regions. The minimal comparative losses in these regions were driven by significant year-over-year growth in orders from aerospace manufacturers. The South-Central region also benefited from significant growth in orders from the automotive sector. The release of December 2023 USMTO data will determine if the November bright spots were outliers or the beginning of a rebound that could drive manufacturing technology investment into 2024.

For more information, visit https://www.amtonline.org/.

Valeo, Teledyne FLIR Announce Agreement, First Contract for Thermal Imaging for Automotive Safety Systems

Valeo and Teledyne FLIR have started a strategic collaboration to bring thermal imaging technology to the automotive industry to enhance the safety of road users. Together, the team already secured a major contract in late 2023 from a leading global automotive OEM to deliver their new thermal imaging cameras as part of a new generation of advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) driver-aide technology to improve vehicle and road safety.

Valeo and Teledyne FLIR will deliver the first Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) B thermal imaging technology for night vision ADAS. This system will complement Valeo’s large range of sensors and rely on Valeo’s ADAS software stack to support functions such as automatic emergency braking (AEB) at night for passenger and commercial vehicles as well as for autonomous cars. The collaboration brings together Valeo, the world’s leader in automotive camera technologies, with Teledyne FLIR, the world leader in thermal imaging technology, to create the next generation of multispectral sensor fusion systems for automotive safety.

Valeo will leverage its extensive expertise in automotive vision systems to integrate Teledyne FLIR thermal vision technology and supply the OEM with a complete solution for night vision, including perception software based on Valeo’s AI and Graphical Visualization stack.

“Valeo has the most extensive portfolio of perception solutions on the market and we are looking forward to working with Teledyne FLIR to add thermal imaging to our offer,” said Marc Vrecko, president of Valeo comfort and driving assistance “This new camera and its perception software will complement our offer and improve the overall performance of ADAS and autonomous vehicles systems to bring even more safety to road users, especially at night.“

“Teledyne FLIR continues to make tremendous strides in developing and incorporating thermal imaging into automotive safety systems, from aftermarket driver-aid technologies to autonomous robotaxis,” said Paul Clayton, vice president and general manager, Teledyne FLIR. “Our work with Valeo enables us to make thermal imaging technology ubiquitous within transportation, from passenger cars to semi-trucks, allowing more drivers and automated vehicle safety systems to see in complete darkness, in cluttered environments, and in adverse weather where other incumbent sensors struggle.”

For more information, visit https://www.flir.com/adas.