With the success of its inaugural All Axes Live online event, Mazak has reimagined how the industry connects with manufacturers and set a new standard for online events. Held August 11, 2020 and streamed live from Mazak’s Midwest Technology Center, All Axes Live drew large crowds from across North America and worldwide. The company’s All Axes Live online event series is part of a new, holistic digital customer experience designed to elevate the customer experience by providing unprecedented virtual access to new Mazak manufacturing technology, as well as new opportunities to engage with experts and the larger manufacturing community. More than 1,000 manufacturers registered to attend the first All Axes Live event.

Described as a paradigm shift for events in the manufacturing industry, All Axes Live was well received by the media, attendees and Mazak’s industry partners. “The response to our first All Axes LIVE event has been overwhelming,” says Dan Janka, president of Mazak Corp. “From the moment the event began on Tuesday and in the hours that followed, I’ve received countless messages of support from customers, our supplier partners and members of the press, all of which expressed excitement and enthusiasm about this new opportunity to engage with our customers on a new level.”

The format for All Axes Live includes both live and on-demand cutting demonstrations, technology presentations, and opportunities for customers to ask questions and interact with Mazak experts in real time. Participants can also use the event application to schedule meetings and visits to Mazak’s eight North American Technology Centers and be part of continued conversation in a variety of customized social media environments.

Upcoming All Axes Live events are already scheduled for September, October and December of 2020, as well as January 2021. Additional details and registration for upcoming All Axes Live events are coming soon. In addition to All Axes Live, the Mazak will release its new Virtual Technology Center and 360 Kentucky Campus Tour in the coming weeks. Mazak’s network of North American Technology and Technical Centers are open, fully functional and welcoming visitors. To schedule a visit, please contact your local Mazak sales representative.

Bantam Tools’ new desktop CNC milling machine is fast, easy to set up, and comes with software that allows for predictable outcomes, including automatic material location, effectively bringing aluminum prototyping to an accessible and affordable level. Bantam Tools milling machine software also supports a simple drag-and-drop integration with SVG files for 2.5D designs.

“The Bantam Tools desktop CNC milling machine will be the gateway to CNC milling,” says Bre Pettis, CEO of Bantam Tools. “We have built the machine from the ground up, creating an easy-to-use machine that pairs with our intuitive software and can get product designers, educators, and engineers making, prototyping, and building right out of the box.”

In addition to its high speed and ease-of-use, the desktop CNC milling machine has Fusion 360 integration and toolpath templates that allow CAD designers with limited CAM experience to machine parts using an Auto-CAM solution. This feature helps anyone who has experience with Fusion 360 start milling quickly and easily.

Made in the USA at the Bantam Tools Peekskill, New York, factory, the desktop CNC milling machine offers swappable build plates, easy maintenance and service, and a one-year warranty and customer support.

“One of the main reasons we decided to make the desktop CNC milling machine is to close the gap between hobby-grade and professional-grade CNC machines,” Pettis says. “With the new machine, we’re offering product designers, engineers, and educators who prototype the ability to reliably machine aluminum and other materials at an entry level price point. Because this machine is perfectly suited to explore, teach, learn, and prototype, we know it’ll be a welcomed boon to both educators and product designers.”

Mitutoyo America Corporation has expanded its Custom Solutions offerings, now offering end-to-end solutions for all its customers’ needs and the ability to customize products and advanced technology for specific applications.

Custom Solutions engineers offer a variety of services and capabilities including sensor customization and inline inspection, designing and building custom fixtures, sensors, part loading/holding systems, optics, algorithms, firmware, user software, and fully-automated, closed-loop solutions to incorporate precision measurement and inspection into a company’s manufacturing process. Additionally, Custom Solutions offers custom calibration with the broadest scope commercial lab available in the United States, providing the highest accuracy and lowest measurement uncertainty for custom equipment.

Customers interested in an evaluation will participate in a five-step process with a Mitutoyo Custom Solutions Engineer to determine how to best integrate the right approach:

• Discover – An experienced Mitutoyo Custom Solutions Engineer evaluates specific business measuring and quality needs and manufacturing applications
• Define – Existing Mitutoyo products, algorithms and software are identified (along with non-Mitutoyo parts if necessary) to best suit a businesses’ needs and set requirements and specifications for custom equipment
• Develop – The team constructs the custom mechanical components, optical and electrical components, and optimized embedded software and firmware elements, providing 3D CAD drawings or prototypes as a proof of concept
• Deliver – Custom Solutions Group installs and integrates a tailor-made solution into the customer’s facility and existing production process
• Support – The team provides continuous support once the custom solution is implemented, including training, troubleshooting to calibration and ongoing service

Currently, Mitutoyo has nine Custom Solutions Centers located throughout the United States.

Kokomo, Indiana – General Motors and Ventec Life Systems has delivered their 30,000th V+Pro critical care ventilator to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, GM and Ventec collaborated to rapidly scale up production of critical care ventilators. In one month, the teams went from an introductory phone call to delivering life-saving technology to frontline medical heroes. The full federal order was completed in just 154 days, with one ventilator completed about every seven minutes.

With the contract satisfied, GM has turned over operational control of the company’s Kokomo ventilator manufacturing operation to Ventec. Ventec will produce VOCSN multi-function critical care ventilators in Kokomo, as well as in Bothell, Washington, in response to ongoing demand during the pandemic. Ventec’s monthly ventilator production increased 80x during the pandemic.

“Our drive to put critical care ventilators into production was fueled by thousands of people at GM, Ventec, and our suppliers who all wanted to do their part to help save lives during the pandemic,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. “It was inspiring to see so many people achieve so much so quickly.”

“Our hope continues to be that mitigation efforts stop the spread of this virus. Ventec Life Systems is committed to maintaining increased production capacity for as long as it is needed to ensure frontline healthcare workers have the tools necessary to save lives,” said Ventec Life Systems CEO Chris Kiple.

Chicago patient Jeffrey Dickerson says the ventilator was vital to his COVID-10 treatment.

“When I was rushed into the hospital room, I couldn’t walk without pausing to catch my breath. The team at Weiss [Memorial Hospital] put me on one of your machines, and I was fortunate to make a fast recovery. They later told me they were running out of ventilators, but fortunately had received one of the first shipments from the federal government, so I didn’t have to wait for help.”

Many of the men and women who joined this historic effort to quickly ramp up ventilator production felt a strong call of duty to support their families, communities and country.

“When I received information that Kokomo was hiring for its ventilator operations, I was homeschooling my niece. At first, I didn’t respond to the email. But it became apparent this was a historic moment and I wanted to do my part to help,” said assembler Glenn Sandifer.

Robotic technician Ian Cartier added, “It’s much deeper than simply hitting our goal. All of us chose to leave the security of our homes and give 110% every single day to build ventilators. We came in with the attitude that for every challenge we were handed that day, that we would face it, fix it, and overcome it. That collective attitude has brought us to where we are today.”

Shift leader Mike Schroeder said the experience was personal for him. “My daughter is a physician assistant and my wife works for a blood center. But it wasn’t until GM started this project in late March that it hit home for me. The moment I saw our first shipment of critical care ventilators being received at the hospitals by the doctors and medical staff was the moment I realized the importance of what we were doing.”

The unique collaboration between Ventec and GM to build V+Pro critical care ventilators began with conference calls initiated by stopthespread.org on March 17 and 18. The first units were delivered to Franciscan Health Olympia Fields in Olympia Fields, Illinois, and Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago. A third shipment was delivered by UPS to the Gary/Chicago International Airport on April 18 for distribution to other locations where the need was greatest.