Come meet fellow change agents, in the Windy City March 23, 2020 Our interviews with the 30 leaders profiled in this issue should give you a taste of what you can learn about at SME’s Smart Manufacturing Experience event June 2-4 in Pennsylvania.
What a Magazine Means to Readers: The Sequel January 28, 2020 In my October Up front column, I wrote about an email I had received from Steve Wenning, who was retiring and told me about how much he used Manufacturing Engineering throughout his career. I enjoyed corresponding with Steve, particularly since I don’t often receive direct feedback from readers.
Autodesk University Rocks Out in Las Vegas January 3, 2020 Autodesk University in Las Vegas is like a party. But I’ve never left a party so inspired. Often, parties leave you exhausted and looking forward to a bit of rest—the same way an industry conference might leave you feeling after you return home.
Manufacturing Confronts a Long, Hard Slog Because of COVID-19 April 2, 2020 Manufacturing faces a long march up a steep hill because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). A quick recovery isn't likely.
Apprenticeships: They’re Good for Everyone February 6, 2020 According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in FY 2018 more than 238,000 individuals nationwide entered the apprenticeship system and 23,400 more were registered in apprenticeship programs across the nation.
From Shop Floor to Ecosystems, Trust is Vital April 2, 2020 For the last few years, many of us in the manufacturing automation field have expressed the need to “build bridges to everywhere” within the context of Industry 4.0. It is a way to describe the capability and the goal of connecting shop floor resources, for example single machines with pallet pools, machines with robotic machine tending, and multi-machine cells and FMSs.
How Manufacturers Can Cope with COVID-19 March 24, 2020 There’s a big new trend sweeping the world, and not in a good way. The new coronavirus goes by other names, including COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, and SARS-CoV-2, but by any name it is bad news.
Can Manufacturers Bridge the Skills Gap? April 1, 2020 This article is based on the Workforce Leadership Exchange held at FABTECH 2019 in Chicago. It is the continuation of coverage that began with the Up Front column in Manufacturing Engineering, January 2020.
Who Should Lead Automation-Driven Changes? January 7, 2020 In recent decades, lean management and Six Sigma have revolutionized global productivity efficiency and quality. And new waves of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality, 3D printing, cloud manufacturing, and robotic will no doubt take productivity and efficiency to unprecedented levels.
Single Spindle or Multi-Spindle Machines? January 9, 2020 Comparing the cost and ROI of one machine type versus another makes me think of compelling scenes from films such as “Good Will Hunting,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “Hidden Figures,” in which the main character fills up a chalk board with the divine language of math.