Manufacturing, a major driver of economic growth in the U.S. that generated more than 11% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017; showing its strength, but manufacturers still struggle to fill job vacancies. Recruitment and staffing agency Aerotek conducted a survey, “Help Wanted: The Manufacturing Hiring Dilemma,” which looks at current trends in manufacturing and the challenges in hiring skilled labor.
One challenge is a shallow labor pool thinning further as industries outside of manufacturing – but that compete for the same talent – are offering higher wages. Also, the growing role of automation in advanced manufacturing has employers looking for employees with technical skill sets and experience in:
Mechanical, electrical engineering
Computerized systems
Machine programming
Manufacturing blueprints
Automated systems
Hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical systems
With the global medical technology market forecast to reach close to $600 billion by 2024 (see cover story, pg. 22), market demand is increasing the need for manufacturing talent. While the survey looks at a range of manufacturing sectors and recruiting challenges, it identifies a talent pipeline that will be crucial to filling job vacancies in manufacturing: women, military veterans, and future generations.
According to a Deloitte study on females in manufacturing, women totaled about 47% of the U.S. labor force in 2016 yet only 29% of the manufacturing workforce; but that is changing. In 2015 only 24% of women were ready to encourage their daughter or female family member to pursue a career in manufacturing; in 2017 it was up to 47%.
Women who think the school system encourages female students to pursue a career in manufacturing more than doubled from 12% in 2015 to 29% in 2017.
With 20,000 service members transitioning out of the military each year, Dave Majerowicz, Aerotek’s director of business development and an Air Force veteran says that former military members are an attractive pool of candidates because of shared characteristics such as being used to working in a team environment, knowing they must rely on each other, and realizing everyone must play a part.
Increasing young people’s exposure to real-world manufacturing can help develop the next generation of workers. A Deloitte/Manufacturing Institute survey found that after attending MFG DAY, 84% were more convinced that manufacturing provided interesting and rewarding careers and 64% were more motivated to pursue a career in manufacturing. A survey from American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor found that experiential learning plays a large part in attracting students to manufacturing; 62% of Americans agree that apprenticeships and vocational opportunities make people more employable.
Industrial part cleaning must achieve cleanliness standards required for high-quality downstream processes – coating, adhesive bonding, welding, curing – in a reliable, cost-efficient, resource-saving manner. Success depends on using suitable chemicals, equipment, and process technology.
When choosing a cleaning fluid, the chemical principle like-dissolves-like can be a guide.
Aqueous detergents are typically employed for water-based (polar) contaminants such as aqueous coolant and lubricant emulsions, salts, abrasion residue, and other solid matter. To make sure the medium will not attack the product surface, test the material compatibility and results through a cleaning trial.
For mineral oil-based (non-polar) contaminants such as machining oils, greases, waxes, and resins, a solvent will normally be used. Once the oil is removed, chips and particles on the product will lose their adhesion to the surface and are eliminated via injection flood washing or ultrasound.
Depending on the contamination being removed, the solvent will be a non-halogenated hydrocarbon, a chlorinated hydrocarbon, or a modified alcohol; the latter media have lipophilic and hydrophilic properties that can remove non-polar and, to a certain extent, polar contaminants.
Solvents exhibit a high degree of material compatibility and do not cause oxidation, discoloration, dulling, or other impairment of the part during cleaning treatment. Another advantage of solvents is quick and complete drying, even in difficult areas such as blind holes and undercuts.
EcoCcore
PHOTO COURTESY OF ECOCLEAN,INC.
Cleaning solutions
Fully enclosed solvent-based cleaning systems from Ecoclean Inc., Southfield, Michigan, carry fluid in a closed circuit. Integrated distillation and filtration systems continuously automate solvent reconditioning, nearly eliminating operator exposure to the solvent, while delivering consistent cleaning quality and long solvent life.
The EcoCcore cleaning system works under a full vacuum to clean large quantities of parts using two flood tanks, heat recovery, full-flow, and bypass filtration. The system can use non-halogenated hydrocarbons or modified alcohols (polar solvents) easily changing from one solvent to another.
The EcoCcompact’s two flood tanks use a space-saving, modular configuration, to clean using polar solvents or non-halogenated hydrocarbons. Operating under full vacuum, the unit supports high-speed degreasing, intermediate cleaning, and specification-compliant final cleaning.
The EcoCduty features a solvent-based large-chamber cleaning system and uses hydrocarbons or polar solvents and operates under full vacuum in a modular design adaptable to shop needs. Configured as a vapor-degreaser, the system is also available with one or two stainless steel flood tanks, and vacuum drying is standard.
A compact solution, for small- or large-scale operations, the Minio 85C, delivers immersion, steam degreasing, and vacuum drying with non-halogenated hydrocarbon media, either between or downstream from production processes.
When considering investment in a part cleaning system, review the range of available technology to find the system that fits your part-cleaning challenges.
The 325linear 5-axis CNC grinder now has extended X- and Y-axis movement plus two auxiliary slides for workpiece clamping and improved grinding wheel guidance across the entire machining envelope. It features a universal rotation A-axis with a 0.0001º resolution, high pitch accuracy, and the X-, Y-, and Z-axis resolution is maintained at <0.1µm. The swiveling C-axis for the grinding head has a 225º range of motion and resolution accuracy of <0.0001°.
The primary motor spindle operates up to 12,000rpm with 15kW max. drive output, while the grinding spindle option affords a max. speed of 24,000rpm. Linear axis travel on the machine is 480mm x 250mm x 275mm.
The machine is offered with the Schütte Integrated Grinding Software (SIGSpro), enabling users to assign clamping options for each grinding operation performed. When the support and tool guidance system are used, preset distances from the grinding wheel to the workpiece can be defined and held constant. In the 3D mode, all cycle steps can be simulated, controlled, and optimized for exact estimating, collision avoidance, and external workstation integration with the other workpieces.
Motion control is maintained on a Siemens 840D sl CNC with compatible drive technology.
Air rest buttons provide pneumatic position control for detecting proper workpiece loading on a machining fixture. The modular units consist of a threaded body installed in a fixture, holding a precision floating plunger with a reamed hole – available in three diameters – that accepts any height of Carr Lane’s standard press-fit-type rest buttons. Proper placement of a workpiece on the air rest button assembly causes the plunger to fully retract into the body, sealing off air flow and increasing the overall pressure of the system. Pressure value can be read using an analog or digital pressure sensor which can be tied into a PLC or control system.
Designed for small and deep threads applications, the MTSB mini mill-thread’s coolant bores remove chips when using high-pressure coolant. Constructed of solid carbide with advanced physical vapor deposition (PVD) triple coating, more flutes shorten cycle times and, combined with coolant use, improve tool life. Delivering high machining parameters and designed for deep thread-milling operations, the MTSB can be used on operations demanding increased performance and higher thread quality. Thread sizes range from M1.2 to M16 and 0-80 to 7/16-20UNF.
The FDA is rethinking efficiency of the 510(k) review process. The changes detailed in the FDA’s draft guidance could increase use of the special 510(k) program by opening it to a wider range of changes. FDA proposals allow certain changes to indications for use to be reviewed under special 510(k) filings as part of regulatory revisions that expand the program to cover design and labeling amendments.
Certain limitations will apply to the use of the program; changes that require supportive performance data will be ineligible for the program, but the exception is if the change can be evaluated using well-established methods and the performance data needed to show substantial equivalence can be reviewed in summary or risk-analysis format.
Feedback on the draft guidance will be accepted until Nov. 27, 2018.
IMDRF committee to tackle cybersecurity threats
The International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) has added a new cybersecurity working group chaired by the U.S. and Canada. Established in 2011 to harmonize regulatory standards across different countries, the IMDRF includes the U.S., European Union, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, Australia, and Brazil.
According to Jeff Shuren, director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a member of the IMDRF’s management committee, the new working group will write guidance to define cybersecurity and related terms, and will clarify that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility.
