Manufacture Smarter Blog

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?

10/5/2018 - BY: JEFF WILLIAMS
The number of cybercrime victims grows by 2.7 million every day, or 1,861 victims a minute. The total global cost of cyber-attacks in 2018 so far exceeds $600 billion, with organizations spending $8 billion a year on ransomware alone. It is clear that the risk of cybersecurity continues to grow, with a variety of agencies from the Department of Defense to the Automotive Industry Action Group mandating new industry-wide standards for cybersecurity.

9/28/2018 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
If you are registered to ISO 9001:2015 or one of the quality management requirements built on the international standard, like IATF 16949 or AS9100D, your management must comply with the requirements of the “Management Review” clause 9.3. When complying with this requirement, commonly asked questions include how often and when to do the review.

9/21/2018 - THE CENTER
Since 2013 the Skilled Trades Training Fund (STTF) has provided nearly $73 million in funding for training and apprenticeships. This fall, another $29 million will be available for businesses throughout Michigan through the Going PRO Talent Fund, the new face of STTF. Although its name has changed, Going PRO is still as powerful as ever, helping to drive Michigan’s economy and provide manufacturers with the talent they need to compete and grow.

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.

9/7/2018 - BY: BRIAN MAMO
Manufacturing Day answers the question: what does it mean to be a manufacturer? If you were to ask 20 people this question, you would get 20 different answers. This is because of not only the lack of awareness of the manufacturing industry, but also the ever-changing nature of manufacturing itself. 

8/24/2018 - BY: JAMIE HEADLEY
Employers across America are dealing with the combined effect of baby boomers retiring, a strong economy and record low unemployment. Now faced with the large labor shortage this perfect storm has created, manufacturers are looking to the next generation of workers to fill this gap: millennials.

8/17/2018 - BY: GEORGE SINGOS
While company-wide alignment is essential to realizing strategic goals, progress cannot be made without maintaining a strong sense of how well the business is performing. This is where Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) come into play. By establishing, monitoring and analyzing KPIs, such as on-time delivery, changeover time or schedule bumping, companies will be equipped with the data and guidance necessary to align their business toward success.

8/10/2018 - BY: JOHN SPILLSON
Everything we do as manufacturers, and food processors, can be described as a process.  FMEAs help identify what can go wrong within a process as you create, make or assemble your product. Although this is often associated with a manufacturing process, it can be applied to any process (which involves inputs being turned into outputs). FMEAs are used to analyze possible failures or risks, along with the potential severity, chance of occurrence and detection rate of each risk.

8/3/2018 - BY: DALE WICKER
If your company is registered to one of the ISO Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, IATF 16949), then you are required to perform internal audits at planned intervals to verify the conformance of your system.