Manufacture Smarter Blog

11/27/2023 From November 6th-10th, manufacturers globally recognized World Quality Week and celebrated the role of quality management professionals in establishing systems and best practices that move our industry forward; many companies continue this recognition throughout the entire month.

10/30/2023 At MMTC, we believe in manufacturing’s power to create a brighter future, and the statistics are on our side: Every dollar invested in manufacturing adds roughly $2.60 to the U.S. economy.

10/27/2023 - BY: CHUCK WERNER
As a consequence of the ongoing strike and negotiations between the UAW and the American Auto Manufacturers, many suppliers to the OEMs (and suppliers to those suppliers) are seeing decreases in demand that could result in the idling of lines or even entire facilities. Driven by the voice of the customer (VOC) and in the best interest of the business, it was necessary to have a plan for how these functions were to be conducted.

9/25/2023 Enhancing employees’ skills can boost recruitment and retention and lead to greater job satisfaction and productivity. The best part? A MichiganWorks! program can help you make it all happen.

8/25/2023 - BY: TRICIA ONESIAN
In today’s work environment, we still see people bullying each other through demeaning acts that seek to destroy, damage or obstruct someone’s work performance, work product, tools or materials. To help alleviate this issue, building a strong company culture focused on retaining employees and learning from each other is key. My role as a Business Solutions Manager requires strong customer service skills. These customer service skills (or people skills) can be applied to working with coworkers, clients, upper management and so on.

8/11/2023 - BY: ROBERT SCIPIONE
It appears everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI). Although the technology is not brand new, it has now developed enough and weaved its way into various life applications, with manufacturing being one. AI has emerged as a game-changer in the manufacturing industry, revolutionizing traditional processes and unlocking new opportunities for operational efficiency, productivity and innovation. The integration of AI into manufacturing processes has paved the way for advanced automation, predictive analytics and data-driven decision-making, leading to improved outcomes and competitive advantages. Let’s look at ways AI can help manufacturers.

7/28/2023 - BY: REBEKAH MCCARTER
The latest Capterra Supplier Relationship Survey underscores the complexity of today’s global supply chains. This tells us it isn’t as simple as identifying a solution.

7/14/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
Now that we’ve covered the cost of ISO certification, what the audit process entails and how to choose a conformity assessment body (CAB) let’s dive into non-conformities! It is important to know what they are, how they can be reported and what to do post non-conformity. At some point in the ISO 9001 certification process, the CAB auditor may observe and report a situation they deem to be a non-conformity. If this happens, it shouldn’t be viewed by anyone as a failure. Because it isn’t.

7/7/2023 - BY: CHUCK WERNER
As technology continues to advance, one of our top priorities at the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) is to support manufacturers through their selection of business information systems. From our analysis of more than 500 technology opportunity assessments around the state, we have found roughly 80% of participants have an information system and nearly 90% of those strongly dislike the system they have.

6/30/2023 - BY: THE CENTER
The Center wishes you a happy Independence Day weekend! Enjoy time with loved ones out in the sun!