Category Archives: Technology

One drill body. Multiple applications

The Seco® X Tip Drill simplifies holemaking with one modular drill body and multiple, exchangeable carbide tips that perform across steels, stainless steels, cast iron, and more, reducing tool inventory, increasing productivity, and delivering consistent, high quality results.

 
 
Accurate repeatability in mixed production environments
Designed for mixed production environments, the Seco X Tip Drill adapts easily to changing materials and drilling depths. With one drill body covering 3xD, 5xD, and 8xD applications, manufacturers can streamline workflows, lower the risk of errors, and reduce setup time without compromising performance.

Fast tip changes are enabled by the patented pre tensioned interface. A double sided key supplied with each drill body allows quick, secure tip replacement, while the axial lock ensures accuracy and repeatability even after multiple changes.

Multiple geometries deliver predictability across demanding materials
Application specific geometries ensure predictable performance across demanding materials. ISO P and M tips provide reliable drilling in steels and stainless steels, ISO K geometry delivers stable cutting in abrasive cast iron, and the Flat Bottom geometry produces flat bottom holes in a single operation—eliminating secondary machining steps. All geometries are compatible with the same X Tip drill body.

“The Seco X Tip Drill gives manufacturers a smarter way to manage complexity,” says Ricky Payling, Global Product Manager for Solid Round Tools, Drilling at Seco. “One drill body, multiple applications, less waste, and consistent performance. It’s designed for flexibility on today’s shop floor.”

High feed capability, optimized chip evacuation, and self centering geometry deliver fast cycle times, excellent hole quality, and low cost per hole. The reusable drill body and replaceable, recyclable carbide tips also support more sustainable manufacturing.

Vodia Announces Vodia Billing

BOSTON: Sept 16 – Vodia Networks, Inc., a provider of unified cloud communications solutions to enterprises, contact centers, and managed service providers (MSPs), is pleased to announce Vodia Billing, Version 1.0.0-beta, a standalone billing middleware for Vodia PBX fleets.

MSP billing needs to answer three important questions: What is the amount of each invoice? Who owes the company payment? What invoices have been paid? Vodia Billing has been developed to answer and resolve these questions quickly, correctly, and seamlessly.   

Vodia Billing turns raw call data into invoices

Vodia Billing ingests CDRs, rates calls against rate sheets, and handles recurring charges based on PBX entities such as extensions, auto attendants, call queues, maximum concurrent trunk calls, etc., as well as hardware one-off charges and taxes. Once this information has been processed, Vodia Billing issues and delivers invoices, handing them off to Xero or QuickBooks Online (if connected). Vodia billing sits beside the PBX and turns raw call records into accounting entries, fraud alerts, and invoices.

Vodia Billing and Vodia Analytics

Vodia Billing is a companion product to Vodia Analytics, which transforms PBX call data into clear, actionable insights with real-time dashboards, detailed call records, and AI-powered analysis. Vodia Billing has been built with the same architecture and the same interface conventions as Vodia Analytics, but with a separate server and a separate database:

● Ingests CDRs from one or more Vodia PBX systems over the PBX’s own webcdr webhook; recovers missed days from archive CSV files.

● Rates outbound calls against your rate sheets, with per-destination charge types, connect fees, billing increments, minimum durations, and included-minute allowances.

● Counts recurring items from daily PBX snapshots: extensions, hunt groups, auto attendants, queues, DIDs, and concurrent-call peaks.

● Computes tax in per-bucket components, or hands tax computation to QuickBooks Online (must be connected).

● Produces invoices with gapless fleet-wide numbering, frozen detail, twelve languages, per-tenant branding, and revocable share links.

● Delivers by email with a call-detail CSV attached, and by CSV over SFTP, HTTP, or email to a payment system.

● Hands off to accounting, Xero or QuickBooks Online, with customer mapping, payment sync back, and per-invoice push state.

● Chases payment with configurable reminder schedules and overdue alerts.

● Watches for fraud with 20 detectors, optional automatic extension disable on the PBX, and per-tenant threshold overrides.

● Reports margin per tenant per month, split by charge basis, with loss-makers flagged (partner-only, never visible to customers).

Quick Start

Quick Start is the best way to test drive Vodia Billing: it goes from a bare server to a first draft invoice, with a worked example at each step.

Vodia Billing is another step in the company’s journey to provide MSPs with everything they need to find and retain customers and grow their brands. The company also recently announced the new Vodia Partner Program and new Vodia Partner Portal, which give service providers, MSPs, system integrators, and technology partners a clearer way to grow their Vodia business.

The Eplan Platform 2027 has arrived

 Directly integrated: Eplan Copilot supports users of the new version with features such as quick cross-project part searches or specific recommendations.

The Eplan Platform 2027, first introduced back at the Eplan Next26 in May, is now live. Users of the engineering software benefit from faster results along the process steps of preplanning, electrical engineering and control cabinet design. Another added advantage is the integration of Eplan Copilot into the software. This new AI assistant is now anchored in the platform with Version 2027 and provides valuable support in day-to-day project work. In addition, the Eplan Platform is now even easier to integrate into existing IT environments.

Even with the wide variety of more than five hundred enhancements in the new Eplan Platform 2027, what they all have in common is making project work easier and accelerating engineering. A key innovation is the introduction of Eplan Copilot into the new platform. This AI-powered assistant with a wide range of functions has been available since early September. First, it is acting as a knowledge service that can be accessed directly from within the Eplan software, providing structured access to Eplan’s internal expertise and reliably guiding users to the right solution, even for complex questions.

Copilot is also a powerful tool for tracking device usage. If engineers want to know in which projects they have used a specific product or component, all they have to do is enter a part number. The AI searches all the projects in the cloud and provides direct links to project pages where the device was used. Whether it’s translation, menu simplification, creating bills of materials or running quality checks, users can interact with Eplan Copilot via voice or text prompts, thereby enabling them to better leverage Eplan’s wide range of capabilities.

New: Central device management in the cloud

The additions to device management set a clear strategic focus on consistent, end-to-end data and efficient collaboration. With the new cloud-based device management and the associated synchronization capabilities, Eplan, the solutions provider, addresses a central requirement for modern, hybrid engineering environments and is hereby laying the foundation for consistent master data, digital twins and cross-system traceability. These core functions are complemented by targeted improvements in searching, selecting, transparency and data quality, all of which significantly simplify the day-to-day management of large parts inventories. Taken together, these improvements enable better-integrated working and significantly more efficient workflows throughout the entire engineering and life-cycle process.

Cloud device management is now synchronized

Looking at today’s processes in device/parts management, the process is characterized by media disruptions. In hybrid IT environments, companies operate both cloud-based and local systems in parallel. Differing user interfaces, product data maintained in multiple locations, and limited remote access often lead to inconsistencies, increased efforts needed for maintenance and data gaps in the engineering process.

The new Eplan Platform 2027 creates greater clarity in this area and synchronizes processes. By provisioning data from the Eplan Cloud, users have a uniform front-end workflow, the advantages of which are obvious. Product data is maintained only once and automatically synchronized bidirectionally between the cloud and local systems (keyword: data management). This is true for device data as well as master data such as formulas, plot frames and symbol libraries, which can all now be synchronized. At the same time, this workflow ensures location-independent access to parts information that is up to date. Users thereby achieve maximum data consistency, greater reusability and reduce efforts required for device management.

 
By displaying information such as the process flow direction or tank filling, Eplan Preplanning offers significantly more in-depth information along with numerous new automation functions.

End-to-end processes in focus

The Eplan ecosystem is continuing to expand by way of targeted additions for partner integrations. This expansion is driven by the growing need to seamlessly connect engineering systems with automation solutions and ERP/PDM solutions in order to avoid information silos. Enhanced integrations create end-to-end data flows between Eplan and leading partner solutions, such as Rockwell Emulate 3D (as just one example). By importing Eplan data into Rockwell’s virtual testing and simulation environment, users can simulate and validate machine and plant system layouts—including the actual control logic (PLC) – long before the hardware even exists. Additional integrations to ERP/PDM systems enable transparent, controllable device synchronization, which significantly improves data reliability over the long term.

To conclude

The Eplan Platform 2027 stands for connected, AI-supported engineering. Further developments in preplanning, improvements in the management of device data and in handling devices, expanded collaboration and integration – not to mention the inclusion of Eplan Copilot – make it clear that with the Eplan Platform 2027, users can access relevant information more quickly, utilize existing data more consistently and focus more on their actual engineering tasks.

AI to Transform Highway Emergency Support, Making 1033 Helpline Faster and Smarter

Representational Image 

New Delhi, Sep 15: A roadside breakdown, accident or medical emergency can quickly become frightening when a traveller is far from a familiar location. Finding help can be even more difficult when the person is unable to clearly describe where they are. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is now looking to make emergency assistance faster and more efficient by upgrading its 1033 National Highway helpline with artificial intelligence and real-time location technology.

The proposed upgrade is aimed at making it easier for travellers to get the right assistance without spending too much time explaining their location or the nature of the emergency. AI-enabled systems could help operators process calls faster, understand requests in different Indian languages and coordinate assistance more efficiently.

The 1033 helpline has been serving highway users since 2018 and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It provides support during medical emergencies, accidents and vehicle breakdowns, including access to ambulances, cranes and highway patrol services.

One of the most important improvements will be more accurate location identification. On long highways, travellers may not know the nearest town, kilometre marker or exit. In an emergency, this can delay assistance. Real-time location technology could allow the system to identify where the caller is and help response teams reach the right spot more quickly.

The technology could be particularly valuable during road accidents. When people are injured or under stress, communicating detailed information may be difficult. AI can assist in capturing essential information from a call, while trained operators can assess the situation and coordinate the appropriate emergency response.

Language support is another area where AI could make a difference. With travellers from different parts of India using the National Highway network, the ability to understand calls in multiple Indian languages could make the service more accessible. Better communication can help operators understand the problem and provide appropriate instructions while assistance is being arranged.

The upgraded system could also improve coordination between the helpline and field teams. Once a request is received, relevant information can be quickly shared with ambulances, patrol vehicles or recovery teams, helping reduce delays in dispatching assistance.

However, the introduction of AI does not mean that human support will disappear. Human operators will continue to play an important role, particularly when an emergency requires judgement, reassurance or detailed communication. The most effective system is likely to be one where AI handles routine information and location-related tasks while trained personnel take decisions in complex situations.

The scale of the 1033 service makes the planned modernisation significant. The helpline currently supports more than 1.46 lakh kilometres of National Highways and receives around 15,000 calls every day. Even a small improvement in response time could make a meaningful difference for a large number of motorists.

For ordinary travellers, the biggest advantage could be faster access to help when it matters most. A person whose vehicle breaks down at night on an isolated highway, for instance, may not know exactly where they are. If the system can identify their location and quickly direct the appropriate support vehicle, the situation can be handled more safely.

The upgrade also reflects the growing use of AI in public infrastructure. Technology is increasingly being used not only for convenience but also to improve essential services, emergency response and public safety.

For the system to deliver its full potential, AI will need to work alongside reliable communication networks, accurate digital mapping, trained operators and well-coordinated emergency teams. Technology can speed up the process, but effective response ultimately depends on people and services working together.

If successfully implemented, the upgraded 1033 helpline could turn highway emergency assistance into a more connected and responsive service, giving travellers greater confidence that help can be located and dispatched quickly when they need it most.

ZAKH launches solar panel and BIPV manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah

ZAKH’s new facility in Al Ghail, RAKEZ, is expected to have an annual production capacity of 600 MW of solar panels.

Ras Al Khaimah, Sept 15: ZAKH Renewable Energy and Engineering Manufacturing has launched its solar panel and Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) to serve markets across the UAE, the wider region and beyond.

Set on a 30,000 m² plot in Al Ghail Industrial Zone, the facility manufactures solar panels and customised BIPV façade solutions, with a current annual production capacity of 600 MW of solar panels, alongside up to 500,000 m² of BIPV façade solutions.

RAKEZ Group CEO Ramy Jallad said, “ZAKH’s facility brings specialised renewable energy manufacturing capabilities to Ras Al Khaimah’s growing industrial ecosystem. As demand for clean energy solutions continues to evolve across the region, building local production capacity creates opportunities to strengthen supply chains, advance industrial capabilities and serve growing regional and international markets. We are pleased to support ZAKH as it establishes its manufacturing base in Ras Al Khaimah and moves forward with its expansion plans.”

ZAKH Chief Operating Officer Marina Strateva said, “Establishing our manufacturing facility in Ras Al Khaimah represents an important milestone in ZAKH’s growth journey. From this strategic base, we aim to deliver high-quality solar panels and customised BIPV façade solutions that meet the evolving requirements of customers across the UAE, GCC and international markets. RAKEZ has provided the infrastructure and business environment needed to support our manufacturing ambitions, and we look forward to expanding our capabilities and contributing to the region’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.”

Looking ahead, ZAKH has plans for future expansion to increase its solar module production capacity to more than 1.8 GW in the coming years. Its products will primarily serve the UAE and wider GCC and MENA region, with additional reach into Africa, Europe and the United States.

ZAKH’s flagship solar technology brand, FAERS, began as an R&D initiative in Azerbaijan in 2017 and has since evolved into industrial-scale photovoltaic technology manufacturing, with solutions designed to perform in high-temperature and desert environments.

RAKEZ continues to strengthen its ecosystem for manufacturers operating in renewable energy and sustainability-focused industries, providing the infrastructure, facilities and business support needed to develop local production capabilities and scale their operations. By enabling companies in these emerging sectors to manufacture from Ras Al Khaimah, RAKEZ is supporting the growth of sustainable industries and more resilient local and regional supply chains.

25kW Powers Critical Defence Systems. So, What Can 50kW Do? Powertec Has the Answer

Powertec will showcase the 50kW AC/DC Rectifier Unit at AEDEX + AIRPORT Expo 2026, providing industry stakeholders with an opportunity to view the system and engage with the company regarding its capabilities in specialised power conversion and customised power manufacturing.

The exhibition will be held from September 10–12, 2026, at Yashobhoomi, IICC, Dwarka, New Delhi.

Rosatom Presents Technology Solutions to Expand Strategic India-Russia Cooperation at INNOPROM. India

The State Corporation showcased solutions in nuclear energy, additive technologies, composite materials, metallurgy, digitalisation and logistics

New Delhi, Sept 12: Rosatom participated in the INNOPROM. India International Industrial Exhibition, held in Delhi from September 9 to 11, 2026. During an official tour of the exhibition, Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal were briefed on key achievements of long-standing Russia-India cooperation in nuclear and related technologies by Kirill Komarov, First Deputy Director General for Corporate Development and International Business at Rosatom.

The ministers were introduced to the VVER-1200, using the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant as an example, a model of which was displayed at Rosatom’s stand. In the technological sovereignty section, Kirill Komarov outlined prospects for expanding cooperation in additive technologies, composite materials, digital solutions and logistics.

“India is consistently developing its nuclear energy sector and has set an ambitious target of increasing its nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047. Rosatom is already making a practical contribution towards achieving this goal: we are the only foreign company constructing a nuclear power plant in India. Two units of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant are operating reliably, while four more are at various stages of implementation.

“Considering the scale of India’s target, we are ready to offer our partners a wide range of modern nuclear solutions, from large-capacity power units to small modular reactors. At the same time, our partnership extends far beyond nuclear energy and covers nuclear medicine, additive technologies, composite materials and logistics. I am confident that Russian technologies will contribute to strengthening India’s technological sovereignty,” said Kirill Komarov.

Kirill Komarov also participated in the forum’s business programme, speaking at the main plenary session, “Strengthening the Russia-India Trade and Industrial Partnership: Towards Self-Sufficient Cooperation,” and at the joint session with the Confederation of Indian Industry, “India-Russia: Business Cooperation, Strategic Partnerships and New Opportunities.”

During the Russia-India Business Dialogue, India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal emphasised the need to move from agreements to practical industrial cooperation and encouraged Russian companies to develop manufacturing operations in India by leveraging the country’s industrial capabilities, skilled workforce and opportunities under the Make in India initiative.

Additional Information

Representatives of Rosatom’s industry integrator for additive technologies participated in the session “Additive Manufacturing: A New Vector for Russia-India Partnership,” where participants discussed opportunities to jointly develop an ecosystem for the additive manufacturing industry.

Rosatom representatives explained how additive technologies can reduce equipment costs for end users by 40% and presented real-world examples of equipment localisation as well as the initial results of similar projects at an Indian partner’s manufacturing facility. They also shared experience on how the entire value chain can be developed jointly, from the supply and establishment of turnkey additive technology centres to technology transfer and equipment localisation.

Rosatom MetalTech LLC, an enterprise of Rosatom’s Fuel Division, held the session “Critical Minerals and Materials: New Opportunities for Industrial Cooperation.” Participants discussed industrial cooperation in the production of rare-earth magnets, building consolidated demand for rare-earth products, government support measures and attracting investment for the development of new production capacities.

In addition, during the roundtable “Russia-India: Cooperation in the Steel Industry,” Rosatom’s metallurgy businesses presented four product areas for cooperation with Indian partners: titanium, zirconium, hafnium and calcium.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, JET Engineering and Technical Centre, part of Rosatom Service JSC within Rosatom’s Electric Power Division, signed a distribution agreement with Indian company Syngient Technologies for the Repeat Vision software platform, a next-generation platform for end-to-end engineering and modelling of complex industrial systems.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed with Indian company EM Services. The document provides for mutually beneficial cooperation in the energy sector, including the digitalisation of power plants as well as the maintenance, reconstruction and modernisation of energy facilities.

Giredmet Institute, part of the Chemical and Technology Cluster of Rosatom’s Science Division, and Indian company Alt Metals Private Limited signed a contract to develop a pilot titanium sponge production facility.

Rosatom’s stand also featured glass-fibre and carbon-fibre-based solutions for compressed natural gas storage and transportation systems, a portable laser metrology solution and an interactive energy simulator.

Particular attention was given to developments in industrial 3D printing and manufacturing localisation. The stand showcased the first localised Russian-developed 3D scanner manufactured at an Indian partner’s facility.

Local production of Russian 3D scanners in India began this year and has reduced equipment costs for customers in the Indian market by 40%, while also enabling the products to receive local product status under the Make in India initiative.

Background

INNOPROM. India is a platform for developing international cooperation in industrial technologies and creating new business opportunities in India, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies. The construction of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is the flagship project of Russia-India cooperation in the nuclear sector. The Kudankulam NPP project is being implemented under the Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation in the Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant in India, signed on November 20, 1988, and the supplementary agreement dated June 21, 1998.

Units 1 and 2 of the Kudankulam NPP were connected to India’s national power grid in 2013 and 2016, respectively. They are India’s highest-capacity nuclear power units. As of April 2026, they had generated more than 132 billion kWh of electricity since entering operation.

Units 3, 4, 5 and 6 represent the second and third phases of the Kudankulam NPP and are based on VVER-1000 reactors. Once all six units are commissioned, Kudankulam NPP will meet a significant share of the electricity requirements of Tamil Nadu, which has a population of nearly 85 million, as well as other states to which the electricity generated by the plant will be distributed.

Six VVER-1200-based power units are currently in operation worldwide: four in Russia and two in Belarus. VVER-1200 units are under construction in Bangladesh, Hungary, Egypt, China and Türkiye. Kazakhstan has also selected the same type of reactor. Russia has proposed continuing nuclear cooperation with India through the construction of a new nuclear power plant in the country based on VVER-1200 reactors. In April 2026, Rosatom’s Fuel Division, which includes its Additive Technologies business, supplied a RusBeam 2800 industrial 3D printing system to India. The contract was awarded following Rosatom’s successful bid in an international tender and marked the first delivery of a Rosatom-manufactured 3D printer to a non-CIS international market. Large-format components printed using the system will accelerate prototyping and the production of structures for India’s future Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, Bharatiya Antariksh Station and Chandrayaan lunar exploration programme. The Indian customer’s decision to select Rosatom technology demonstrates the strong competitiveness of Russian solutions in the global market and their compliance with stringent international standards.

OGP Brings “Optics at the Core. Certainty to Measure More.” to IMTS 2026

Sept 11: Optical Gaging Products (OGP®), the pioneer and leader in optical dimensional metrology, will showcase its latest innovations in precision dimensional measurement at IMTS 2026, September 14–19 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Under the theme “Optics at the Core. Certainty to Measure More.”, OGP will highlight the optical expertise, technology and innovation that have defined the company for more than eight decades.

At the heart of every OGP system is advanced optical technology. From compact video measurement systems to sophisticated multisensor platforms, optics are the centerpiece of the OGP measurement experience – providing manufacturers with the speed, repeatability, resolution, and measurement capability needed to inspect more parts and more features with confidence.

“Optics at the Core” reflects OGP’s heritage as a pioneer in optical dimensional metrology and its continued leadership in developing advanced optical measurement technology. Since introducing SmartScope® in 1992, OGP has built its reputation on putting innovative optics at the center of precision measurement.

“Certainty to Measure More” captures what manufacturers expect from their measurement systems: confidence that parts meet requirements, inspections stay on schedule, and production keeps moving. Whether supporting a Quality Manager responsible for on-time inspection or an executive team pursuing the next major manufacturing opportunity, OGP provides the measurement certainty needed for confident quality and production decisions.

Introducing SmartScope E18

Making its worldwide debut at IMTS, SmartScope E18 is a high-capacity, fully automatic 3-axis video measurement system designed to maximize XY measuring range in locations where space is at a premium.

Its fixed-lens IntelliCentric-E optical system and VIRTUAL ZOOM™ technology provide high-resolution imaging for automated inspection, while delivering the measurement capacity manufacturers need in a compact benchtop platform. With its 300 x 300 mm stage in a benchtop format, SmartScope E18 brings the capabilities manufacturers demand for automated video measurement into a compact and cost-effective platform. As with all E-Series systems, SmartScope E18 comes standard with easy-to-use Measure-X software. For applications requiring full 3D capability and other advanced software functionality, OGP’s flagship ZONE3 software is now also available on all SmartScope E-Series systems.

E18 expands the SmartScope portfolio with a system designed around a simple objective: measure more – quickly and easily – without requiring more space.

More Optical Innovation. More Measurement Capability.

OGP will also showcase the recently announced StarLite™ S1, a semi-automatic 3-axis video measurement system, featuring the new IntelliCentric-S optical system, VIRTUAL ZOOM technology and advanced LED illumination.

SmartScope® M130, the newest addition to the evolutionary SmartScope M-Series family, demonstrates OGP’s multisensor approach to dimensional measurement, combining advanced optical technology with additional sensor capabilities to give manufacturers the flexibility to inspect more features in a single system.

Visitors can also experience the best performance and the highest accuracy offered in any SmartScope system: SmartScope Quest. OGP’s SmartScope Quest™ 300 will demonstrate the most advanced multisensor measurement, ideal for complex 3D inspection applications.

For manufacturers requiring robust shop-floor inspection, OGP will showcase its c-vision™ lineup, that combine advanced video measurement and the rugged form factor of an optical comparator. For those that demand extreme throughput for feature-rich parts, OGP will display its Fusion large field-of-view multisensor systems that deliver high-speed multisensor measurements. Across the portfolio, the message remains consistent: the best optics available are at the core of every OGP system.

Metrology and Productivity Software That Helps Manufacturers Measure More

OGP will also demonstrate its software portfolio, including ZONE3® Metrology Software and EVOLVE™ Productivity Software, showing how advanced measurement software can help manufacturers increase inspection throughput and turn measurement data into actionable information.

ZONE3 provides the programming and measurement environment behind OGP’s SmartScope systems, supporting automated multisensor inspection and efficient, repeatable measurement processes.

OGP’s EVOLVE productivity software portfolio extends the value of measurement beyond the inspection system. EVOLVE Design helps users work with CAD models and PMI while supporting GD&T proofing to ASME Y14.5 and ISO 1101 requirements. EVOLVE SPC provides statistical process control capabilities that help manufacturers monitor processes, identify trends and make informed decisions.

Together, OGP hardware and software help manufacturers measure more, improve throughput, and have greater certainty in their quality processes.

Inspiring the Next Generation

OGP will also participate in the Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS, connecting with students and educators and demonstrating the important role precision measurement and metrology play in advanced manufacturing.

By engaging with the next generation of manufacturing professionals, OGP is helping demonstrate how optics, automation, multisensor measurement, and software are shaping the future of quality.

Experience OGP at IMTS 2026

IMTS attendees are invited to visit OGP at Booth 134700 in the East Hall to experience the latest innovations, see measurement systems in action, and speak with OGP experts about how to increase inspection capability and throughput.

From the class-defining SmartScope systems and shop-floor ready c-vision lineup, to ZONE3 and EVOLVE productivity software, OGP will demonstrate why it remains a leader in optical dimensional metrology.

Optics at the Core. Certainty to Measure More. OGP at IMTS 2026.

Why many ceramic machining trials fail before they even begin

For most machinists, there is one rule that has been reinforced throughout their entire career:

When in doubt, slow down.

A cutting edge wears too quickly? Reduce the speed.

The process becomes unstable? Reduce the speed.

The insert starts showing signs of failure? Reduce the speed.

For carbide machining, this instinct is often correct.

Then comes the first ceramic insert trial.

An application engineer visits a customer to introduce ceramic tooling for a roughing operation.

The recommendation is straightforward:

“Increase the cutting speed from 250 m/min to 900 m/min.”

The operator looks at the machine.

Then at the insert.

Then back at the application engineer.

“You want me to run almost four times faster?”

The recommendation feels wrong.

Everything learned from years of machining with carbide suggests that higher speed means more heat, more wear, and greater risk.

So the operator does what seems sensible.

Instead of 900 m/min, the machine starts at 400 m/min.

The result?

Poor tool life.

Unexpected wear.

Disappointing productivity.

And the conclusion is often:

“Ceramics don’t work for us.”

The reality is that the ceramic insert was never given the opportunity to perform as intended.

Because successful ceramic machining requires a different mindset.

Why Ceramics Play by Different Rules

The explanation lies in how heat affects both the workpiece and the cutting tool.

In conventional carbide machining, heat is usually considered the enemy. Higher temperatures accelerate wear, shorten tool life, and reduce process stability.

Ceramic machining works differently.

In high-speed machining of heat-resistant superalloys and cast irons, the relationship between heat and cutting performance can be very different from what most machinists are accustomed to.

In nickel-based alloys, the material maintains extremely high strength at room temperature. As temperature rises, however, the material begins to soften. Around 800°C, its resistance to deformation decreases significantly, making it easier to cut.

At the same time, ceramic cutting materials retain their hardness and wear resistance at temperatures that would rapidly degrade conventional carbide grades.

This creates an unusual advantage: as the cutting zone becomes hotter, the material becomes easier to machine while the ceramic cutting edge retains its strength.

The result is lower cutting forces, higher material removal rates, and greater productivity.

This is why recommended cutting speeds for ceramic tools often appear surprisingly high. The objective is not simply to remove material faster. The objective is to generate the thermal conditions that allow the process to work efficiently.

The Cost of Playing It Safe

Understanding the theory is one thing.

Applying it on the shop floor is another.

When ceramic tools are introduced into production, many users instinctively reduce the recommended cutting speed during the first trial.

It feels like a reasonable precaution.

Unfortunately, it often produces the opposite effect.

At lower cutting speeds, the temperature in the cutting zone may never reach the level required to take advantage of thermal softening. The material remains difficult to machine, cutting forces increase, and productivity suffers.

In one rough milling application on Inconel 718, increasing cutting speed from approximately 400 m/min to over 1,000 m/min reduced machining time significantly while also producing lower wear than the slower cutting conditions.

For users transitioning from carbide to ceramics, this is often the moment where expectations and reality finally align.

It’s Not Just About Speed

None of this means that ceramic machining is simply a matter of turning up the spindle and hoping for the best.

Like any advanced cutting tool technology, ceramics require the right application conditions.

Rigidity remains critical. Stable workholding, secure toolholding, minimal overhang, and a vibration-free setup all contribute to successful performance. In milling applications, smooth tool paths and reduced interruptions help minimize impact loads on the cutting edge. In turning operations, stable engagement and consistent cutting conditions allow ceramic grades to perform at their full potential.

Another common question concerns coolant. In milling applications, ceramic machining is typically performed dry. The high temperatures generated during cutting are part of the process, and intermittent coolant application can create thermal shock that may damage the cutting edge. In turning operations, however, coolant can often be applied successfully because the cutting edge remains continuously engaged, avoiding the repeated heating and cooling cycles commonly found in milling.

The key difference is that, unlike carbide, cutting speed is rarely the first parameter that should be reduced when challenges arise.

More often than not, the solution lies in improving process stability rather than slowing the process down.

Rethinking What We Know About Speed

The greatest challenge in ceramic machining is often not the machine, the insert, or even the material being machined.

It is changing habits built over years of successful carbide machining.

One of the most common misconceptions is to view ceramic inserts as simply another grade of carbide.

They are not.
Ceramics are a different cutting technology, designed to operate according to different principles and within a completely different performance window.

With decades of experience in ceramic development, NTK Cutting Tools offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions for both heat-resistant superalloys and cast iron machining. From SiAlON grades for high-speed HRSA roughing to ceramic solutions optimized for gray and ductile cast irons, these technologies help manufacturers achieve productivity levels that conventional carbide tooling often cannot reach.

The next time a ceramic cutting speed seems surprisingly aggressive, resist the temptation to treat it like carbide.

The recommendation is not high simply because the insert can survive it.

It’s high because that’s where the technology begins to work.

Kramer unveils new premium Dante-enabled speaker range ahead of InfoComm India 2026 – latest AVoIP portfolio on show in Mumbai

Expanded range of passive and Dante-enabled speakers delivers premium sound, flexible deployment and simplified installation across meeting spaces, education, hospitality and more. Kramer will also be showcasing its comprehensive AVoIP portfolio, with the new KDS-17 Lite making its debut, alongside KDS-17, KDS-100 and ZeeVee SDVoE solutions.

Mumbai, India – Sept 10 – Kramer, a leading company in audio-visual experiences, is excited to announce it will be showcasing an expanded portfolio of premium professional speakers at India’s premier professional AV event, InfoComm India 2026, in Mumbai, including a new range of Dante-enabled models that extend the company’s range of networked audio solutions.

Exhibiting on booth L01 at the Jio World Convention Centre (Sept 16-18) – alongside thousands of technology leaders shaping the future of professional audiovisual and integrated experience solutions across India and South Asia – visitors will also experience Kramer’s latest AVoIP portfolio, with the new KDS-17 Lite making its debut, addressing a broad range of applications, performance requirements and budgets.

“Our customers and partners in India are designing AV systems for an incredibly diverse range of environments, and they need audio solutions that can adapt to those different requirements,” said Kirti Shetti, India Sales Director, Kramer. 

An Expanded Range of Networked Audio Options

Spanning ceiling, wall-mounted, all-weather and pendant speakers in multiple form factors, Kramer’s growing portfolio combines premium sound quality, flexible deployment and integrator-friendly installation. With both passive and Dante-enabled options, the range gives system integrators greater flexibility to design audio solutions for a wide variety of environments, from meeting and collaboration spaces and education to hospitality, retail and other commercial applications.

The latest additions expand Kramer’s range of PoE-powered Dante speakers, providing system integrators with more options when designing modern networked AV environments. By carrying audio and power over the network, the Dante-enabled models help reduce cabling requirements and installation complexity while providing the flexibility and scalability of IP-based audio distribution.

A key advantage of the portfolio is the ability to combine networked and traditional audio within the same project. Dante-enabled speakers are complemented by corresponding passive models with the same industrial design and sound profile, allowing integrators to mix and match passive and Dante speakers while maintaining consistent audio performance and a cohesive look throughout the installation.

This flexibility enables integrators to select the most appropriate audio architecture for each space and project rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Premium Sound Across Different Environments

Designed for professional AV applications, Kramer’s speakers deliver high-quality, consistent audio with a strong focus on speech intelligibility and background music reproduction.

Advanced sound dispersion helps provide even audio coverage throughout the room, minimizing dead spots and helping ensure that speech, presentations and music can be heard clearly.

With multiple speaker types, sizes and deployment options, the portfolio can address the different requirements of corporate meeting and collaboration rooms, classrooms and higher-education environments, hospitality venues, retail spaces and other commercial applications.

Kramer has developed the speaker portfolio not only around audio performance, but also around the practical needs of the professionals who design, install and support AV systems.

Designed with System Integrators in Mind

Integrator-friendly features help simplify deployment and ongoing support. These include front-access wiring for ceiling speakers, designed to make installation easier, alongside centralized speaker utility software that supports configuration and troubleshooting.

Multiple form factors and mounting options give integrators additional freedom to adapt their audio design to the architectural, aesthetic and technical requirements of each environment.

Kirti Shetti, India Sales Director, Kramer, added: “By expanding our speaker portfolio, particularly our range of Dante-enabled models, we’re giving system integrators more flexibility to choose the right approach for each project. Whether it’s a meeting room, a classroom, a hospitality environment or a larger commercial space, the goal is the same: great sound combined with solutions that are simple to design, install and manage.”

Complete 1G and 10G AVoIP portfolio

Kramer will also showcase its comprehensive AVoIP portfolio at InfoComm India 2026, bringing together multiple 1G and 10G technologies to address a broad range of applications, performance requirements and budgets.

Visitors will experience Kramer’s 1G solutions, including KDS-17 and KDS-100, alongside its high-performance 10G SDVoE portfolio. Together, these technologies give customers and integrators the flexibility to select the right AVoIP architecture for each application while benefiting from interoperability, centralized management and a more consistent approach to AV deployment.

Kramer’s 1G portfolio combines complementary technologies for different application requirements. The KDS-17 family delivers visually lossless 4K60 4:4:4 video over standard 1Gb networks using JPEG2000 compression, combining high image quality with ultra-low latency. KDS-100 provides H.264/H.265-based streaming for applications where efficient, scalable video distribution is a priority.

At InfoComm India, Kramer will also launch KDS-17 Lite, a new cost-effective 4K60 4:4:4 transceiver that can be configured as either an encoder or decoder. Fully interoperable with the wider KDS-17 ecosystem, KDS-17 Lite provides a more accessible entry point for cost-conscious projects and helps customers standardize AVoIP across a wider range of spaces.

The complete 1G portfolio is centrally managed through AVoIP Manager, available both in the cloud and on-premises. Supporting KDS-100, KDS-7, KDS-17 and ZUHD60, the platform simplifies configuration, routing, monitoring and management across installations of different sizes.

High-performance 10G SDVoE

For applications demanding uncompromised image quality and near-zero latency, Kramer will showcase its latest 10G SDVoE portfolio, including the latest ZyPer4K-XSE.

The next-generation, low-power ZyPer4K-XSE delivers uncompressed 4K video with near-zero latency and advanced capabilities for demanding AV environments. Managed through the ZyPer Management Platform (ZMP), it enables centralized configuration and monitoring across high-performance 10G deployments.

Beyond video distribution, Kramer’s AVoIP portfolio brings USB and audio into the same connected environment. USB-C connectivity across key 1G and 10G product families helps simplify system design and support modern BYOD and collaboration workflows.

Native Dante support across the AVoIP portfolio also enables video endpoints to become part of the wider audio-over-IP ecosystem, connecting with Kramer’s Dante-enabled amplifiers and speakers to support complete, scalable AV and audio deployments.

“With a unified portfolio that spans 1G, 10G, video, USB, and audio-over-IP, Kramer is enabling AV systems that are simpler to deploy, easier to manage, and ready to scale,” said Dorit Bitter, EVP Product and Technology. “At InfoComm India 2026, we’re demonstrating how true interoperability and standardization translate into real-world value for integrators and customers alike.”