Laser Hard Inc., a partnership between commercial heat treater Peters’ Heat Treating and laser welder Phoenix Laser Solutions, invested in a mobile robot designed for targeted laser hardening and tempering of metal surfaces. The company, which held an open house at its Meadville, Pa., headquarters June 20, says it is the first production system of its kind in the United States.

Each month, new advances in automation are taking shape that will create opportunity or eliminate your heat-treat company's business model.

How might today’s speeding technologies impact our businesses?

Penna Flame Industries broke ground on an expansion at the company’s facility in Zelienople, Pa.

Our monthly musings in this column often are based on what’s hot in the news over the past reporting period. For this reason, it seemed that the natural story this month would be about robots.