Manufacture Smarter Blog

4/26/2019 - BY: CHUCK WERNER
I recently had the opportunity to participate on a panel during an after-hours meeting of local businesses. The ensuing discussion among this diverse group reminded me of an area in business that can greatly benefit through the application of technology: Human Resources.

1/25/2019 - BY: ANNA STEFOS 
Each day, more manufacturers are implementing new technologies in their facilities in efforts to improve operations, boost efficiency and increase profitability. However, many are still trying to figure out how to best approach these new technologies and what they will look like for their business. One way to better understand how to achieve a “smart” factory is to think of it in the context of Lean Six Sigma.

1/4/2019 - THE CENTER
If manufacturers were to look back five or 10 years, most manufacturers would realize their companies have changed so tremendously, that they are unrecognizable compared to how they once were. These transformations in processes, products, staffing and innovations have altered how their businesses appear and operate. This begs the question, what will manufacturing look like in 2019?

10/12/2018 - BY: CHUCK WERNER
In past posts, we’ve talked about the relevance and applications of implementing technology, highlighting the advantages that such innovations can bring to manufacturers of all sizes. But what does it actually look like when these technologies are leveraged to improve a business?

9/14/2018 - BY: ELLIOT FORSYTH
Manufacturing is changing. The industry is entering a new era, with oncoming workforce and technological advancements set to transform manufacturing as we know it. In this emerging age of smart manufacturing, a number of factors are contributing to this evolution.

7/13/2018 - BY: ELLIOT FORSYTH
Having skilled, competent employees is key to an organization’s success. This is no longer easy for manufacturers to come by, however, as a massive talent shortage has emerged in the industry in recent years, leaving many jobs unfilled and tasks undone. It is expected that this talent gap will result in millions of positions remaining vacant in the years to come, a number that will only continue to grow if nothing is done to counteract this trend.

5/4/2018 - BY: CHUCK WERNER
Discussions of the Industry 4.0 technologies among small to medium enterprises usually take one of two paths. The first is a politely positive path where everyone ignores the impact these advancements will have on the human workforce. This is what is known as ignoring the “elephant in the room,” where there is an obvious problem at hand, but no one wants to address it.

3/9/2018 - BY: GEORGE SINGOS
The process of embracing new technology continues to confuse and discourage many small and medium-sized manufacturers. Although there is no established protocol in place for how to successfully transition to utilizing such technologies, the first step for all manufacturers is to understand the needs of their business.

12/15/2017 - BY: CHUCK WERNER
One advantage of my current role, which I did not get to experience while working full-time in manufacturing, is getting to take part in conferences for the new tools, technologies and techniques being used in the industry. As a result, I have witnessed many presentations from suppliers of Industry 4.0 products and processes, as well as heard from companies that have taken various steps to implement smart factories, Internet of Things, robotics and so on.

12/1/2016 - THE CENTER
According to a recent report by Deloitte, the United States is expected to take over the number one position as the most competitive manufacturing nation from China by the end of the year—with Germany holding steady at number three. The United States continues to improve its ranking as technological innovation sweeps across the manufacturing landscape and new opportunities continue to arise.