Whether transmitted through wires or the air, data collected from older factory devices can help a shop owner make smarter business decisions.
Digitization and data dominated the discussion as EASTEC returned to West Springfield, Mass., after its 2020 pandemic hiatus.
Why don’t more manufacturers in the United States use smart manufacturing technologies like AI and machine learning to reduce waste, achieve predictive maintenance and enhance their automation systems? Five CESMII roundtable panelists share their insights.
AP&T provides a case study of the work it did at a plant in Italy of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis).
Respondents in a survey said supply chain planning drives better business performance.
Lean manufacturing principles and automation systems can coexist, although many lean purists contend that lean goals conflict with using automation. Smart applications of automation, however, can result in deployment of systems that are both automated and lean, with flexible manufacturing systems that can be easily reconfigured as factory operations change.
Common misperceptions about lean manufacturing and automation systems lead many manufacturing managers to dismiss the use of automation in a lean setting.
There’s much more to leveraging production data than its capture and analysis; there’s also
integration with the company’s other software systems and the strategic perspective that results.
ABB said it has completed its acquisition of the Siemens low voltage NEMA motor business.
Meeting demand in a consistent, cost-effective manner requires balance and good forecasting. But sometimes it takes a little more due diligence to uncover the best way to increase throughput or meet rising demand.
