Three Common Pieces of Equipment Used in the Manufacturing Industry

The manufacturing industry is a vital part of every country’s economy and without it, consumers simply wouldn’t have access to the vast range of products that are available today. From the latest home computers and smart devices to cars and home entertainment, a diverse range of products are produced via the manufacturing industry.

In America, the manufacturing sector employs 8.5% of the total workforce, which amounts to over 12.8 million workers. In recent years, the manufacturing industry has increasingly utilized the latest technology to enable it to create high quality products en masse and as quickly as possible.

This article looks at the manufacturing industry in general, with a discussion of three key pieces of manufacturing equipment that are vital for a range of manufacturing firms. Some of the equipment used have only become available in recent decades while others have been an integral part of this industry for decades.

1. 3D Printers

3D printing technology has only become available for home use in the last decade, although the manufacturing industry is increasingly utilizing this type of equipment and it’s predicted that 3D printing machinery will become commonplace across a range of industries in the near future.

One industry in particular that benefits from this technology is the aerospace industry. 3D printers are becoming increasingly used to create complex component designs to high levels of accuracy. In the aerospace industry, parts need to be extremely strong and lightweight for safe and efficient flights and the use of 3D printers to create these types of components is proving to be an extremely reliable and effective method of manufacturing.

Today, the construction industry is also starting to utilize 3D printing technology in the fabrication process and entire 3D homes and buildings have been constructed using this method. See here for some of the latest construction projects that have relied on 3D printing technology.

2. Welding equipment

The use of welding equipment in manufacturing has been a vital part of various industrial processes for decades. Welding enables structures to be built that are exceptionally strong and resilient.

Traditionally, welding has used the heating of metals to form a strong joint or securing point between two or more components. For example, welding is common in the automotive manufacturing industry and is used to construct the frame of the vehicle to ensure that it’s strong and light.

Today, the use of plastic in welding has become commonplace for various applications in medicine and electronics. Commonly, a plastic welding rod is heated by a heat gun which then forms the welding joint.

3. Advanced robotics

A final piece of essential equipment in the manufacturing industry is the use of robotics. Robotic arms have been used in the car industry for decades as they have been proven to be highly effective in undertaking repetitive cutting or shaping tasks that require high levels of accuracy and speed.

Today, robotic equipment has advanced significantly and in Japan, some factories are entirely staffed by a range of robotic workers which allows 24/7 operation to take place, often without the need for heating and lighting in the premises. It’s predicted that the use of increasingly sophisticated robotics equipment will be utilized in a wide range of manufacturing applications in the future.