Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has the potential to revolutionize both prototyping and manufacturing in the field of industrial casting. By fusing metal powders, manufacturers can rapidly create near-net castings from designs, reducing the costs of metal finishing and material removal. The aerospace industry is ground zero for such innovation, with players like GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, taking the lead.
November 13, 2017Roy Amara once said, “We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run”. In the machine tool market, additive manufacturing promises to be revolutionary, enabling the production of parts that would be nigh-impossible to create with conventional machine tools. How is additive manufacturing going to impact the types of parts and profitability of machine shops in the future?
February 22, 2019Aerospace equipment shipments are projected to see growth through 2022. However, as these aircraft are increasingly designed with lighter composite materials, metal service centers may have trouble adapting to this decline in demand from aircraft producers.
June 20, 2018For the metal stamping industry, automotive manufacturing is the leading market, accounting for nearly 80% of demand in 2016. However, this market is expected to be tepid, prompting the industry to look elsewhere for growth.
June 29, 2017Following the slight downturn in aerospace manufacturing after events such as the grounding of the 737 MAX by Boeing, growth in the demand for bearings and other power transmission components began to wane. However, the aerospace sector is projected to see 3.1% growth through 2023.
October 9, 2019US aluminum production is at a historic low. Is this the result of anti-competitive practices by foreign suppliers, or an uncompetitive US industry?
June 13, 2017The US fabricated metals industry is highly affected by construction markets, as a significant amount of fabricated metal products are used in various construction projects. Robust growth in construction activity – both in the US and in key export markets – is allowing fabricated metal producers, particularly those specializing in structural metals, to forge a better path to 2021...
March 12, 2017The development of smaller, more advanced process nodes has slowed as the semiconductor machinery industry has struggled to produce the technology expected to improve the costs of manufacturing smaller nodes. However, many producers now seem to be ready to move forward.
February 9, 2018US demand for paper industry machinery (including parts and attachments) is forecast to reach $3.6 billion in 2022. Suppliers will benefit from increases in paper and paperboard production, which will support investments in new, more efficient machinery and upgraded parts.
April 9, 2018US lime demand is forecast to reach 18.9 million metric tons in 2021. Rising manufacturing output and construction activity will support lime consumption.
October 16, 2017