5 talking points in the manufacturing industry you may have missed

The manufacturing industry is changing all the time, and it’s not easy to keep up to date with the latest updates and innovations in your sector. 

So we’ve listed 5 of the main talking points in the manufacturing industry to keep you up to speed with what’s been making the headlines in manufacturing, including the security of 3D printing, supersonic passenger jets and additive manufacturing.

1) Manufacturing production is on the rise

The UK’s manufacturing output has risen by 0.7% between the end of last year and the start of this year, following a poor performance in 2015.

Whilst these figures look encouraging, in the grand scheme of things these manufacturing figures are still lower than the figures posted during same time periods last year and the pre-2008 recession.

Read the full article from The Guardian here to find out how much the UK’s manufacturing output has really grown.

2) The beauty of composite materials

Composite materials are widely considered to be one of the best materials for use in the aerospace and automotive industry. Their lightweight, sturdy and thermal properties make them the ideal material in producing more fuel efficient aircraft and automobiles.  

Composite materials have been used in the production of Mclaren’s sports cars right through to a soap box designed by epm: technology group and the Sheffield Hallam University Centre for Sports Engineering Research.

To find out how composite materials have been utilised in these projects, read the full article from The Manufacturer here.

3) Stealing 3D printing data using smartphones

Research conducted by the University of California has found that 3D printing data can be stolen by using smartphones to capture the sound of the 3D printing process. 

The sound that a 3D printer makes when building an object can be used to identify the object being produced. This opens up the possibility to reverse-engineer the object, with one study able to achieve 90% accuracy in duplication when demonstrating this method.

To find out how manufacturers can address this issue, read the full article from The Engineer here.

4) NASA and the supersonic passenger jet

NASA have been working on an exciting project to develop supersonic passenger jets known as ‘X Planes’.

The hope is that these aircraft will contribute to a more efficient aviation system, improving the speed of air travel.

To learn how NASA aim to overcome the noise pollution of sonic booms associated with supersonic travel, read the full article from The Engineer here.

5) The rise of Additive Manufacturing 

Additive Manufacturing has received much attention, namely because of how it has transformed the manufacturing industry by creating products that cannot be produced using traditional methods.

Yet, Additive Manufacturing has also led to a shake-up of the supply chain. Manufacturers can condense the supply chain and therefore help companies to reduce their costs. 

To learn more about how Additive Manufacturing has had an impact across industry sectors, read the full article from The Manufacturer here. 

So there you have it. 5 talking points in the manufacturing industry to keep an eye on in the near future.

If you want to learn more about how you can improve your own manufacturing processes, download the eBook ‘5 ways to boost efficiency in NC Programming and CNC Machining’ now.