Metal fabrication often requires custom punches and dies for punch press machines. Suppliers may be limited because of the small order volumes associated with custom
Manufacturing automation trends may negatively impact the job outlook for machinists, but positively impact the job outlook for other occupations. Manufacturing Trends in Automation The
Trillions of dollars have been spent on renewable energy sources over the past few years, but is renewable energy really replacing fossil fuels? Types of
Record installations of 3D printing systems, a type of Additive Manufacturing (AM) system, is expected to be one of the trends in 2023. According to
For now, it seems that AI (Artificial Intelligence) is more of an aid to design processes and product invention for manufactured products. There may be
In NFIB’s (National Federation of Independent Businesses) small business survey of April 2023, the overall optimism index decreased by 1.1 points from March. In terms
Carbon sequestration is the capturing and storing of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Is Direct Air Capture (DAC) machinery for capturing carbon economically feasible? There are
C&C Machine manufactures custom copper butt splice connectors for our customers’ unique designs. C110 Soft Copper In a recent run for a customer, C110 soft
Large technology companies started cutting costs through employee layoffs in 2022. It appears the trend will continue in 2023. Large tech companies such as Alphabet,
There are a variety of interesting products made from copper. Some products are for industrial use, while others are for the general consumer. Demand for
Medical devices that help the world seem to be invented every day. Devices like MRI machines, joint replacements and robotic surgeries. We did some research
Companies such as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Abbott Laboratories lead medical device manufacturing in the USA. Combined, these companies had over $88 billion in
The job outlook for CNC machinists, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), does not appear to take into consideration current efforts to reshore some
There are many challenges to consider when selling a small business like a CNC machine shop or metal fabrication shop. Common Challenges There are common
Materials recycled by CNC machine shops are dependent on the types of products that the shops manufacture. However, common materials include steel, aluminum, copper and
We recently manufactured an order of custom terminal block screwdrivers. There were two sizes, both of which would be used by our customer’s field service
Major manufacturing stories and trends for 2024 are useful for planning for 2025. We investigated and now offer a perspective from a CNC machine shop.
We recently had the opportunity to machine custom components for a cryogenic system. The small pins were made from 304 stainless steel. The pistons were
A China stimulus package can impact a small US precision machine shop by increasing demand for raw materials like steel, aluminum and copper. This can
We recently had the opportunity to machine components for an intake assembly associated with an organization doing research and development for artificial lift techniques in
Tariffs can have positive and negative impacts on CNC machine shops. Imported materials, products and machinery used by the shop that carry a high tariff
The NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) had a negative impact on US manufacturing jobs. What was NAFTA? NAFTA was an agreement signed by the
Industrial robots in manufacturing have been in use for many years. AI-enabled robots are being developed to improve industrial robots in manufacturing. The First Industrial
In NFIB’s (National Federation of Independent Businesses) small business survey of April 2024, the overall optimism index increased by 1.2 points from March. In terms
China is the leading EV battery manufacturer by country with approximately 57% of market share. The China-based company, CATL, has a 34% share all by
