EWI is pleased to present an overview of our activities, awards, and achievements in the past year.
The post EWI Year in Review 2019 appeared first on EWI.
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EWI is pleased to welcome Viant Medical to membership. Viant is a global medical device manufacturer specializing in surgical technologies, orthopedics, cardiac & vascular, drug delivery, and diagnostics & monitoring.
The post Viant Medical is New EWI Member appeared first on EWI.
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Electric vehicles and consumer electronics depend on high-capacity, highly efficient batteries, and the demand continues to rise. Critical to producing these batteries is the successful welding of foil-to-tab joints which are often made of dissimilar materials with dissimilar thicknesses. This process is complicated, and the failure of a single joint will compromise an entire battery pack.
A recurrent problem associated with the stamping of advanced
high strength steel (AHSS) is edge cracking. The shearing process damages and
hardens the edges of AHSS blanks, resulting in lower edge formability.
Recently, studies have been conducted at EWI on ways to improve edge formability of AHSS. Findings demonstrate that high-speed shearing can significantly improve edge formability. A paper by EWI associate Clare Gu, Effects of High-Speed Shearing on Edge Formability of AHSS, discusses the research and results of this work. To download this paper, simply complete the form on this page.
The post Effect of High-Speed Shearing on Edge Formability of AHSS appeared first on EWI.
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EWI’s Buffalo Manufacturing Works was recently featured in a
3-part series published by Forbes.com.
The articles focus on how small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMMs) are starting
to use automation to address workforce shortages and optimize operations.
Buffalo Manufacturing Works has played a key role in helping regional SMMs
identify, develop, and implement robotics for greater productivity.
The Forbes series, written by Rich Blake,
homes in on the pivotal work being done by EWI’s team in Western New York to
bring advanced manufacturing solutions to smaller companies. The first article,
Small
Factories Embrace Automation – Because They Can’t Find Enough People,
discusses the challenge of finding qualified workers for manufacturing
today and how incorporating automation is one way to address that issue.
Getting started, however, can be daunting for SMMs. That’s where the
engineering team at Buffalo Manufacturing Works can provide expertise and assistance.
The second article, Smaller
Manufacturers That Need a Helping Hand Add Robotic Arms, follows EWI
Senior Engineer Mike Garman at Buffalo Manufacturing Works as he guides a group
of SMMs through the options for introducing smart automation into their
operations. EWI’s Shift program offers resources to help them take that crucial
first step.
A local company that took that step is highlighted in the
third piece, An
Aerospace Company’s First Foray into Robotics Takes Flight. Astronics
LSI worked with EWI to identify a repetitive-yet-critical task that could be
automated. The advisory team developed a set of robotic solutions for the job,
then helped the manufacturer find the right service provider to build the
robotic arm. As a result, Astronics is now able to redirect its staff toward
higher-level machine work, making the best use of its resources and raising its
productivity.
To read the articles, click on the links below:
The post EWI’s Work to Help Small and Mid-size Manufacturers Automate is Featured in Forbes appeared first on EWI.
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Advanced engineering service provider EWI is pleased to announce that Sunstone Engineering LLC, maker of micro-welding and engraving systems, has become a new EWI strategic technology member. Together, the two companies will collaborate to advance the state of pulsed arc welding and micro-resistance welding technology.
As part of the cooperative endeavor, Sunstone is providing three pulsed-arc welders, two resistance welding systems, and a small tabletop spot welding laser to EWI. “These additional systems expand the joining process capabilities within our microjoining lab,” said Tim Frech, EWI Senior Engineer. “EWI and Sunstone plan to develop joining applications based on Sunstone’s unique technology to benefit our clients in the electronics and consumer products industries.”
Pulsed-arc welding utilizes a precision power
supply coupled to a retracting welding electrode to create an intense, short
burst of energy. This electric arc welds metals with minimal heating of the
component. Unlike competing processes,
pulsed-arc welding is not influenced by electrical conductivity and optical
reflectivity. This technology can be used for joining battery materials, knife
blades to test samples, magnet wire for higher-temperature coils, and other
wire applications such as tipping and strand consolidation.
The
micro-resistance welding equipment provides pulse shaping and on-board
statistical control capabilities, both of which offer energy control and
process monitoring for challenging resistance welds. This technique is
particularly useful for microjoining copper, aluminum, nickel, and other metals
for which minimizing distortion is critical.
“EWI is pleased to have Sunstone join as our second strategic
technology member and eager to integrate their innovative technology into our
internal R&D programs,” said Chris Kiminas, President of EWI Ohio. “Our
engineers look forward to working the Sunstone team to develop new applications
that will be relevant for our members and customers.
“Combining our expertise with EWI’s will enable our customers to
leverage the world’s best welding knowledgebase and provide an exceptional level
of weld analysis for micro-welding,” said Sunstone President, Jonathan Young. “We
are excited about this collaboration and ready to begin as soon as possible.”
For more information about EWI and Sunstone’s innovative work in
pulsed arc welding and micro-resistance welding, contact Tim Frech
at [email protected]
or David Holloway at [email protected]. To learn more about EWI Strategic Technology Member
program, contact Dale Robinson at [email protected].
About EWI
EWI empowers industry leaders to overcome complex manufacturing challenges and integrate new processes to bring products to market more quickly and efficiently. Since 1984, EWI’s comprehensive engineering services have helped companies identify, develop, and implement the best options for their specific applications. Our customers include but are not limited to aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, industrial products, defense, and heavy equipment. Backed by unmatched professional expertise, state-of-the-art lab facilities, and technology resources, we offer customized solutions that deliver game-changing results. How can EWI help your organization? Visit ewi.org or call 614.688.5000 to learn more.
About Sunstone Engineering
Sunstone Engineering LLC designs, engineers and manufactures
high-tech micro welding and engraving solutions for many different industries.
The Sunstone product line includes laser, pulse arc, capacitive discharge, AC,
and hot bar reflow welding systems that are used in a variety of research and
manufacturing fields and industries. Sunstone welders are used by accomplished
jewelers, Apple, NASA, MIT, GE, HP, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and multiple
government and military agencies. For more information visit www.sunstonewelders.com or call 801.658.0015.
The post EWI and Sunstone Welders to Collaborate on Micro-welding Research and Development appeared first on EWI.
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I hear the same thing everywhere I go and from everyone I talk with — product demand in the manufacturing space is high and workforce supply is low. And all these anecdotes are backed up by the 2018 skills gap and future of work study. The study, produced by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, includes these hard-hitting statistics:
This industrywide workforce shortage didn’t just appear yesterday, and it won’t be solved tomorrow. But I’m seeing some approaches to addressing the problem that are worth mentioning…
The post Combatting the Manufacturing Workforce Shortage appeared first on EWI.
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Electric vehicles and consumer electronics depend on high-capacity,
highly efficient batteries, and the demand continues to rise. Critical to producing
these batteries is the successful welding of foil-to-tab joints which are often
made of dissimilar materials with dissimilar thicknesses. This process is
complicated, and the failure of a single joint will compromise an entire battery
pack.
Recent research by EWI shows that optimizing knurl design
for foil-to-tab joining has a greater impact on weld quality and repeatability
than optimizing parameters. FEA modeling can be used to refine tooling design,
thereby reducing the cost and lead time for developing the most suitable knurl
pattern.
This work is described in a paper by EWI Applications Engineer Tom Feister, Optimizing Knurl Patterns with FEA. To download the paper, simply fill out the form on this page.
The post Optimizing Ultrasonic Knurl Patterns with FEA appeared first on EWI.
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EWI welcomes Harley-Davidson, Inc., to corporate membership. The American motorcycle company, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been manufacturing bikes, parts, and accessories since 1903.
The post Harley-Davidson Becomes EWI Member appeared first on EWI.
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