Manufacturing technology provides the tools that enable production of all manufactured goods. These master tools of industry magnify the effort of individual workers and give an industrial nation the power to turn raw materials into the affordable, quality goods essential to today’s society. In short, we make modern life possible.

Manufacturing technology provides the productive tools that power a growing, stable economy and a rising standard of living. These tools create the means to provide an effective national defense. They make possible modern communications, affordable agricultural products, efficient transportation, innovative medical procedures, space exploration... and the everyday conveniences we take for granted.

Production tools include machine tools and other related equipment and their accessories and tooling. Machine tools are non-portable, power-driven manufacturing machinery and systems used to perform specific operations on man-made materials to produce durable goods or components. Related technologies include Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) as well as assembly and test systems to create a final product or subassembly.

Manufacturing Technology Products

Typical manufacturing technologies include:

Software – Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), Computer Numerical Control (CNC), Direct Numerical Control (DNC), Programmable Logic Control (PLC), Numerical Control (NC), program optimization software, and systems integration software.

Material Removal – Turning, milling, drilling, grinding, tapping, electrical discharge machines (EDM), broaching, sawing, water jet cutting equipment, and laser process equipment.

Material Forming – Stamping, bending, joining, hydro-forming, presses, shearing, cold and hot forming equipment.

Additive Processes – 3D printing, laser sintering, and rapid prototyping equipment.

Workholding – Chucks, fixtures, clamps, blocks, angle plates, and tooling columns.

Tooling – Drills, taps, reamers, boring bars, dies, punches, and grinding wheels.

Material Handling – Conveyors, automated wire guided vehicles, die handling equipment, robots, pallet changers, and bar feed equipment.

Automated Systems – Transfer machines, assembly systems, automated systems and cells, and Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMS).

Technology Initiatives

Through the MTConnect initiative, AMT is addressing the need for a software/hardware platform that facilitates exchange of information between shop-floor equipment, data analysis software, and monitoring systems. MTConnect™ is a lightweight, open and extensible protocol and data representation to allow the exchange of dynamic sensor data, configuration data, and control information among MTConnect-compliant machines, software applications and controllers.

AMT embarked to find the greatest challenges and the latest R&D discoveries in industry today. Tech Trends is the next step of this new endeavor to disseminate the vast amounts of information relating to advancements in the manufacturing technology industry. It provides information on trends in manufacturing technology from three perspectives: newly accepted production technologies, greatest needs and challenges still remaining, and areas of interest within R&D.

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