Medical and electronics are by far leading that trend, based on the miniaturization of anything electronic and anything that would be surgically implanted in the body.

Because additive parts are made as one entire structure, engineers enjoy considerably greater design freedom than in traditional manufacturing.

Shops might soon have to embrace enhanced CNC connectivity or go bust and get left behind.

Automating processes will pay major dividends for anyone worried about competition from offshore or elsewhere.

The idea behind today’s controls is that everyone in the modern world has a smartphone, so they know how to operate it and are familiar with it. It’s second nature.

So what is the overall prognosis for medical manufacturing? The sector is looking very healthy, and not just because baby boomers are greying.

Job shops across the country all struggle with the same issues. Maintaining customer relationships and growing the business means investing in new technology and hiring the right people.

It’s important that any workholding be stable and strong. For a vise, this means having strong, dependable jaws.

Toronto shop's services include 5-axis machining, CNC turning, electrical discharge machining (EDM), welding, waterjet cutting, CNC sawing, as well as all project development tasks.

Invest in new equipment when possible, and keep existing equipment maintained and in good condition.

Medical devices will be more in demand as the baby boomer population ages.

Canadian auto part shipments amounted to $25 billion in 2014, according to the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA). Roughly 85,000 people worked directly in the auto parts sector that year, with many more working indirectly in the supply chain.

Resiliency means being prepared for cyberattacks, boosting security on a regular basis, and fixing problems immediately to keep your machines running.

New manufacturing trends must compete with political developments to make headlines in the Canadian aerospace sector.

Is plunge milling a lost art or an underappreciated but still relevant application? Or a bit of both? The main difference between plunging and traditional milling is the change in cutting forces from radial to axial. “Plunge milling takes advantage of the machine’s strongest axis, Z,...