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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Same Skills, Different Problems
October 10, 2012 8:21 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | CommentsSometimes, when we decide to engage in process improvement or business improvement endeavors, we feel like we need to hire or contract people with special skills. The truth is, we probably have the right skills already inside of our businesses.
Will The Right Brain Rule The Future?
October 9, 2012 4:08 pm | by Mike Collins, Author, Saving American Manufacturing | CommentsFor many decades we have been in an information age dominated by engineers, computer scientists, programmers, and other left brain thinkers. In Daniel Pink’s book A Whole New Mind, he makes the case that we are in transition from an information age to a conceptual age, and from L-directed thinking to R-directed thinking.
A New World Record
October 8, 2012 12:12 pm | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, IMPO | CommentsWe wore pedometers and tried to make the walking into a game, but after three days and 35,000 steps (over 17 miles!), it was a little less fun to see those digits tick as I trekked across Chicago’s McCormick Place for September’s IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) 2012. I don’t care if they don’t go with my dress clothes: next time, I’m wearing my hot pink Nike running shoes. Luckily, the IMTS show was worth it.
How To Lose Your Job To A Robot
October 5, 2012 8:49 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | CommentsA recently posted video entitled Are Droids Taking Our Jobs? explores the job market and how the recession is affecting workers, as well as robot welfare. As our society progresses, robotics and algorithms are becoming more advanced. This has been apparent for quite some time. So, are droids really taking our jobs?
Augmented Reality… Too Much Technology?
October 3, 2012 8:17 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | CommentsIs this next bit of technology worth exploiting in engineering? There are certainly applications to visualize a specific part within its associated surroundings or to simulate placing a part, making sure everything fits. There are certainly applications, but how practical, useful, or needed it is will remain to be seen.
What Black Belt Training Doesn't Teach
September 26, 2012 8:11 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | CommentsRegardless of the process improvement, business improvement, or innovation methodology training, almost all of them focus on teaching us tools and methods. They don’t teach us how to lead the implementation. Here is a short list of the things we change leaders need to do to succeed.
Sitting With America
September 25, 2012 8:13 am | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | CommentsSome buy American because they, as Americans themselves, think it’s simply the right thing to do. Some buy American because, to them, seeing the “Made in America” label means that they’re getting a superior product. Others, because they’ve heard the statistics outlining the importance of a strong manufacturing base in the U.S. Whatever the reason, I don’t think it can ever hurt to support an economy that makes such a difference.
Construct Your Own Innovation Pipeline
September 21, 2012 8:17 am | by Mike Schmidt. Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | CommentsWhether it comes from a senior executive, a mid-level manager or new-hire, TIP allows ideas to be shared with a broad audience of potential collaborators through an online platform. Ideas move through a rate-and-review process, and the best and most promising ideas are developed further and considered for funding.
Some Tribulations Of Testing And Truthfulness
September 19, 2012 8:16 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | CommentsMost of us do some form of testing or other validation of our designs and production systems before we initiate production of our products. For some of us, especially those of us who produce products related to safety, we must prove to a regulatory agency that our products are safe and meet regulations. I’ve yet to witness an environment where testing of products is not a delicate balance.
Does Your Product Have A Lasting Story?
September 18, 2012 8:16 am | by Jim Signorelli | CommentsA brand has one layer, a brand story has two. Both have outer layers consisting of functional benefits or the results that can be achieved by using a given product. However, the brand story has an additional inner layer that gives it distance and longevity. The brand story's inner layer is more than just air. It's made up of very real values and beliefs.
Making Sense Out Of Costs And Margins: Part 2
September 13, 2012 11:29 am | by Mike Collins, Author, Saving American Manufacturing | CommentsA common belief held by manufacturers is that price discounts can be justified because even at lower prices, the additional volume covers overhead. A review of the CM explanation earlier will show that this is true only if (1) the firm is operating above its breakeven sales levels and (2) that the proposed discounted project in fact possesses a positive contribution margin.
Innovation To Beat The Band
September 12, 2012 4:02 pm | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, IMPO | CommentsI love this Alliance Rubber story mostly because the innovations are interesting, fun products — and in the age of Facebook and Pinterest, potentially buzz-worthy — but they’re also the results of the efforts of a team that sees the challenge of improving upon an age-old product, and doesn’t hesitate to move outside of the box.
Trumping Progress – How Money & Politics Corrupt Innovation
September 7, 2012 8:06 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | CommentsHave you heard of Nikola Tesla? I’m sure most of you have. Just in case you haven’t, Tesla is arguably the most underrated and overlooked engineer of all time. He developed the alternating current, invented the bladeless turbine, built the first induction motor, and innovated the use of X-rays, to name just a few of his contributions. So, why is this guy just a paragraph in history books?
Visiting The 'Detroit' Of Southeast Asia
September 4, 2012 8:07 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsA few months ago, I had the pleasure of flying across the Pacific to visit Thailand and to tour the county’s burgeoning automotive industry. The trip was at the behest of Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOI) agency, which has developed a number of policies and incentives to help bring more manufacturing into the country, regardless of industry.
Is The Ongoing Mortgage Crisis Harming Our Manufacturing Skills Crisis?
August 31, 2012 8:46 am | by AJ Sweatt | CommentsI’m not going to get into who or what caused the housing & mortgage crisis in this country. And I’m not gonna offer any recommendations on what we could be doing to fix it. What has me curious is why we’re not seeing more concern in manufacturing about its impact on hiring and the lack of talent to grow manufacturing and accelerate reshoring & innovation in the US.
