Manufacture Smarter Blog

6/18/2021 - BY: REBEKAH MCCARTER
Recently, manufacturers have been tasked with managing new challenges related to supply chains and talent shortages in addition to dealing with long-standing problems like optimizing efficiency and profitability. For some, an answer to these challenges can be found in microfactories.

6/11/2021 - BY: JOHN SPILLSON
Understanding how all generations learn and thrive is vital to optimizing the efficiency of a team. Lean can be the answer to keeping new hires engaged and excited about their work.

6/4/2021 - BY: KAREN GOIKE & RICH WOLIN
This summer, The Center will host its first-ever Summer Camp training for Applied Project Management. Held in Traverse City, this training will give participants the opportunity to complete an accelerated project management program while experiencing the beauty of northern Michigan in the summer. Learn more about the benefits and details of the training, as well as the supplementary activities, in this brief Q&A.

5/28/2021 - THE CENTER
This Memorial Day weekend, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center would like you to take a moment to remember, honor the ultimate sacrifice and celebrate the extraordinary service, commitment and courage of our nation’s heroes.

5/21/2021 - BY: ANTHONY WELSH
What comes to mind when you hear "The Scientific Method"? I'd like to offer a simple definition: The method we use to find things out. In other words, it’s how we increase our knowledge about a given system. In any situation, if you've truly increased your knowledge sufficiently, you should be able to describe the problem and solution using numbers. Think about your last completed project...

5/14/2021 - BY: BARBARA SHONIBIN
It is difficult to feel ‘safe’ nowadays. Any time we leave the house, we can never really be sure of how clean and safe public spaces are, even if they claim to have practices in place. But when I am at The Center, I feel more secure knowing they prioritize safety and will continue investing in the best, most advanced disinfection methods to ensure we all feel safe.

5/7/2021 - BY: JAMIE HEADLEY
In our most recent Smart Solutions Series webinar, we explored how manufacturers can solve challenges related to labor and skills gaps in their workforce through cross training and skills acceleration. Here are a few of the key topics explored. 

4/30/2021 - BY: MICHAEL MCGRAY
At The Center, we are always looking for the best ways to support manufacturers through innovative solutions. Much like how the many technologies of Industry 4.0 are overlapping, resources to support manufacturers should be overlapping, too, as multiple solutions often are needed to tackle one problem. Recognizing this, our team at The Center has worked to foster partnerships among technology vendors in Michigan to create more oportunities for collaboration and ultimately merge technologies together to provide the best solutions possible. 

4/23/2021 - BY: BOB JENKINS
In response to the drastic industry and economic changes faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, many manufacturers have had to pivot to provide completely different parts or services in order to keep their businesses operating. For those considering moving into medical device production, or those who already do some work in the space, a competitive advantage can be found with MedAccred.

4/16/2021 - BY: DAVE NELSON
The labor shortage is not going away. To fill these labor gaps, cross training employees must become a critical initiative in every manufacturing company. In our upcoming webinar on April 21, we will share ideas on how to begin cross training employees along with technologies that can enhance or streamline the process.