Supply chains are shifting amid uncertainty and volatility. Once you understand the landscape, you'll be able to develop the strategies that help build resilience, hedge against disruptions, and implement the tech that transforms your supply chain into your value chain.
The staff at Tooling & Production would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!
As we do every year, we hope and pray you have the chance to relax and spend quality time with your family and loved ones over the holidays.
[color-green]We'll be entering the new year with optimism as we believe the current administration's goal of revitalizing U.S. manufacturing is on its way to being achieved. "Machinery orders have already begun to accelerate as we entered the last quarter of 2025 and continued growth as those machines hit shop floors should be a comforting signal for the cutting tool outlook in 2026," said Christopher Chidzik, principal economist of AMT -- The Association For Manufacturing Technology.
"The United States is growing stronger," says Douglas Woods, AMT President (AMT owns IMTS). For example, Woods thinks the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will strengthen investment conditions and deliver long-sought tax incentives, investment opportunities, and financial relief to manufacturers. We agree.
We also believe the long-term effects of President Trump's tariff policy will begin to emerge. "The 2025 Reshoring Survey found that 43% of contract manufacturers have already reshored work for customers or are actively fulfilling reshoring orders, while another 16% are currently quoting reshoring projects," says Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative. In the future, we'll hopefully look back and realize 2026 is when we truly entered the golden age for America.
Speaking of the future, who knows what is going to happen with AI? Short answer -- no one. But we can tell you that AI, along with the continued robotic integration and the seemingly daily advancements in additive manufacturing, will remain the hottest topics in our industry.
Here at Nelson Publishing, we are proud that our eNewsletters -- Tooling & Production (T&P), Modern Applications News (MAN), and the Manufacturing Center Product Spotlight -- continue to keep up with the latest trends as we try our best to deliver the latest, most interesting news from our industry.
[color-green]In what has become our annual tradition, we have put together our "Best of 2025" issue. We have compiled two lists -- the Top 10 Most Read Features and Top 10 Most Read Product Spotlights, as judged by the response of our readers. We hope you enjoy these stories and catch some helpful information you may have missed the first time around.
We want to thank all of our subscribers and advertisers for your loyalty to our publications, and we'd like to wish you a successful and prosperous 2026, which will be the 20th year for our eNewsletter/lead-generation program!
"Top 10" Most Read Features
Michigan Foundry on Fire Thanks to AM Technology (Watch Video) Astech, Alloy Steel Technologies, Inc., a steel and iron sand casting foundry, headquartered in Vassar, Michigan, has spent the last two decades leveraging technology to transform their business. This included the acquisition of a pellet-extrusion 3D printer, which has brought pattern production in-house, reducing delivery times for a pattern from 4-6 weeks to 3-10 days. Full Article
Real-Time CT Scanning Speeds Up Inspection, Keeps Automobile Production Line Moving Fast (Watch Video) CT scanning has traditionally taken hours -- not ideal if you are trying to check individual components on a moving production line that feeds into assembly. Now, thanks to lower-resolution scanning -- plus data visualization and analysis coupled with deep learning (AI) -- accurate results can be delivered to quality-control engineers in less than a minute. Full Article
Digitizing fluid management will improve your efficiency and sustainability As manufacturers integrate Industry 4.0 advancements, the management of process fluids is often overlooked. Effective management of fluids such as coolants, lubricants, and hydraulic fluids is essential for optimizing manufacturing processes, extending equipment lifespan, and ensuring product quality. The experts at Quaker Houghton showcase how digitized fluid management represents a modern solution that enhances efficiency and sustainability. Full Article
World's most expensive metal now viable for additive manufacturing (Watch Video) Using precious metals in additive manufacturing (AM) provides new ways to utilize these materials' unique properties. However, the high cost of these metals means that large-scale production is often beyond the reach of many manufacturers. To address this challenge, Renishaw helped precious metal AM pioneers, Cookson Industrial, succeed in making the production of platinum rhodium parts for industry commercially viable. Full Article
Bosch Rexroth-LiCON partnership increases output by 25% The worldwide manufacturer, Bosch Rexroth, employs nearly 34,000 employees and generates around 8 billion dollars in annual sales. The manufacturing behemoth recently teamed up with LiCON -- a smaller company but also with an international footprint. Providing their own expertise, the two worked on a couple projects that resulted in improved cycle times on hydraulic valve housings. Full Article
EOS and AM Solutions shape the future of SCALABLE additive manufacturing As additive manufacturing (AM) matures into a mainstream production technology, the conversation is shifting from isolated process improvements to integrated, end-to-end solutions. 3D printer manufacturer, EOS, is collaborating with AM Solutions to combine its 3D post processing technology to develop automation systems that may unlock AM's full potential as a scalable production technology. Full Article
Innovative 3D titanium part sparks USC's race team to 3rd place finish at recent event Wayland Additive partnered with USC Racing's Formula SAE Team to produce and supply a stand-out titanium exhaust collector for their 2025 car. Utilizing additive manufacturing (AM) for production components on race cars is increasingly common practice. You might be tempted to think '3D Printing and Race Teams' -- yes, I've heard this before. But have you? Full Article
