Festo mobile app

Festo’s mobile app provides access to the Festo FAST Catalog of industrial automation components, available for same-day, three-day, or five-day shipping. Available from Google Play or Apple’s App Store, the app allows users to navigate through products in the FAST Catalog and access technical specifications, pricing, and delivery options. Shipment tracking, order status, and order history are available, and users can create a product wish list, generating an email with links to selected products and an online shopping basket. www.festo.us; IMTS 2016 Booth #E-5066 & NC-734

Kennametal Inc. has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of 2016’s World’s Most Ethical Companies. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Kennametal has received this distinction, which recognizes organizations that excel in three areas – promoting ethical business standards and practices internally, enabling managers and employees to make good choices, and shaping future industry standards by introducing tomorrow’s best practices today.

“At Kennametal, ethics and integrity make up the foundation of our culture and are a crucial part of our business success,” says president and CEO Ron De Feo. “It is thanks to our 12,000 team members worldwide that we have been awarded this honor for the fifth year in a row. ”

Kennametal is one of only two companies in the machine tools and accessories category honored this year.

“Companies rely on Ethisphere to continually raise and measure the standards of corporate behavior. Those that demonstrate leadership in areas like citizenship, integrity, and transparency create more value for their investors, communities, customers, and employees, thus solidifying a sustainable business advantage,” explains Timothy Erblich, Ethisphere’s CEO. www.ethisphere.com; www.kennametal.com; IMTS 2016 Booth #W-1522

Greg Miller promoted to operations manager at at Joining Technologies

Connecticut-based Joining Technologies Inc. has announced the promotion of long-time employee Greg Miller to the position of operations manager at its headquarters facility. Miller will oversee engineering, facilities maintenance, and manufacturing personnel. He will have responsibility for delivering fusion welding, machining, and supply chain services to its North American customers, which include medical device OEMs. Miller will report directly to the company’s president and CEO, Dave Hudson. www.joiningtech.com

Amedica first to 3D print silicon nitride for medical applications

Amedica Corp. officials have announced the first fabrication of complex, three-dimensional structures by a 3D printing process called robotic deposition, or robocasting. The final products have been examined under scanning electron microscopy to confirm the integrity and validity of the 3D printing method, and have been shown to achieve theoretical density and microstructure attributes similar to traditionally manufactured silicon nitride fusion devices currently in use.

“This innovation speaks to the unique art and science related to our manufacturing strength,” says Dr. Sonny Bal, chairman and CEO. “3D printing of a complex ceramic material opens future doors, especially in terms of cost advantages, and addressing a variety of OEM partner needs.”

Robocasting, a freeform fabrication technique for dense ceramics and composites that is based on layered deposition of highly colloidal slurries, is binder-less, and a device can be completely sintered in less than 24 hours. This advancement allows Amedica to progress toward commercializing 3D-printed silicon nitride implants, with controllable porosity levels to address specific clinical needs. The technology is promising for the production of anatomically relevant, shaped silicon nitride implants and custom fabrication of bone scaffolds suited for cellular differentiation and neovascularization. https://ctlamedica.com/

Fullerton Tool opens new facility

Fullerton Tool Co. has opened a 35,000ft² facility on a 35-acre parcel in Thomas Township, Michigan, as the first tenant of the Great Lakes Tech Park. Increased manufacturing and office space allowed Fullerton to bring coating in-house, a process that had been outsourced. The larger space will allow the company to increase production of end mills, drills, reamers, burrs, saws, keyseat cutters, and PCD-tipped tools, as well as reduce lead-time for customers. The expansion helps Fullerton meet the increased demand for the company’s solid carbide cutting tools in the medical and other manufacturing industries, and allows the company to expand in the future. www.fullertontool.com

Stuart Manser to director of sales, precision gages at Mahr Federal

Mahr Federal has named Stuart Manser director of sales, precision gages for North America. Manser will report to Mahr Federal CEO Tony Picone and will be responsible for planning and directing the sales team for the Precision Gage product line, including defining sales territory and hiring sales staff. He will work with the director of sales, metrology systems for North America, and participate in global sales strategy meetings.

Manser was most recently regional sales & channel manager, non-contact measurement and control systems for NDC Technologies. Previously, he worked for Beta LaserMike Europe as general manager, then U.S. West Coast regional sales & channel manager, and eventually Asia sales director. He started his sales career with a former Mahr distributor for the UK and Ireland as technical sales manager. www.mahr.com; IMTS 2016 Booth #E-5614

Dapra opens milling tech center in Rockford, Illinois

Dapra Corp is opening a new Midwest Tech Center in Rockford, Illinois. The location will offer customer training, prototype testing, turnkey application development, and educational opportunities, all with the goal of helping customers maximize their milling efficiency and increase their productivity.

“We take the concept of being a total solutions provider very seriously,” says Mike Bitner, Dapra’s vice president of sales and product management. “Selling the tool is only one small step in a process that includes process evaluation, tool and insert grade/geometry selection, operating optimization, troubleshooting, and productivity enhancement. We believe that education on the process – not just on our product – is critical to our customers’ success.”

The tech center is intended to provide a combination of theoretical and practical training, with a 30hp, 12,000rpm Haas VM-2 machine tool on the classroom floor for hands-on demonstrations. Training classes cover practical examples with students exploring insert grade and geometry selection, ideal operating parameters, setup, and programming tips. www.dapra.com; IMTS 2016 Booth #N-6256