Manufacturing

  • Most Topular Stories

  • It Pays to Collaborate In Manufacturing

    Manufacturing Transformation Blog
    Gordon Benzie
    21 May 2013 | 9:11 am
    In today’s highly global supply chain and manufacturing economy, it is no revelation that better communications are needed to cross the geographic, cultural and language distances that must now be covered as part of running nearly any sized company. Better communications means improved efficiency, less waste and higher customer satisfaction. The challenge with these types of concepts, however, is how do you measure and justify future investments to take advantage of the perceived benefits? What are reasonable assumptions when evaluating this type of investment decision? Fortunately,…

  • Allied Motion Introduces Small Brushless Dual-Shaft Motor

    Manufacturing.net All
    jhans
    24 May 2013 | 10:19 am
    Allied Motion (Englewood, Colo.) has introduced the KinetiMax 32EB-DS brushless DC motor for double-sided applications. According to the company, the outer rotor motor and two identical bearings helps enable it to handle high side loads on both ends of the motor.

  • Good News in Existing Home Sales

    IndustryWeek
    24 May 2013 | 10:55 am
    Enjoy the good news in existing home sales, but keep a long-term perspective. Make Your Move read more

  • Good News in Existing Home Sales

    IndustryWeek
    24 May 2013 | 10:55 am
    Enjoy the good news in existing home sales, but keep a long-term perspective. Make Your Move read more

  • Rail project to spawn services industry in Oman

    Zawya.com - Manufacturing News
    22 May 2013 | 11:01 pm
    The Oman National Railway Project is expected to catalyse the growth of manufacturing industries and support services, all of which will also contribute significantly to employment generation, say authorities overseeing the development of the multibillion rial scheme.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Manufacturing.net All

  • Allied Motion Introduces Small Brushless Dual-Shaft Motor

    jhans
    24 May 2013 | 10:19 am
    Allied Motion (Englewood, Colo.) has introduced the KinetiMax 32EB-DS brushless DC motor for double-sided applications. According to the company, the outer rotor motor and two identical bearings helps enable it to handle high side loads on both ends of the motor.

  • China, Switzerland To Seal Free Trade Deal

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 7:48 am
    GENEVA (AP) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is in Switzerland to sign a free trade pact with the Alpine nation — the first comprehensive agreement the country has reached with a major western economy.Li met with Swiss officials Friday in Bern, where he is due to ink the deal after three years of talks.In an op-ed published by Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung Thursday, Li said the agreement showed China is committed to free trade.The two nations' trade volume last year topped $26 billion.

  • Wheelchair Lift Out Of Wis. Promises More Access

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 7:44 am
    MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- An elementary school has inspired the University of Wisconsin-Madison to create a new wheelchair lift that could help make more places wheelchair accessible nationwide.The invention process started about three years ago when the principal at Emerson Elementary School in Madison, Karen Kepler, told a school donor on a tour that her biggest wish was to have her building accessible to everyone. All four entrances to the 93-year-old building had stairs.It's something Kepler's thought about a lot since a family event her first year there.

  • Some Unions Now Angry About Health Care Overhaul

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 6:38 am
    WASHINGTON (AP) -- When President Barack Obama pushed his health care overhaul plan through Congress, he counted labor unions among his strongest supporters.

  • France Won't Force Companies To Cap Executive Pay

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 6:34 am
    PARIS (AP) -- The French government is trying to woo executives and entrepreneurs, amid concerns that it has antagonized the businesses needed to reinvigorate the economy.Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici announced Friday that the government no longer plans to push for a law to cap executive salaries in the private sector. Instead, Moscovici told reporters that he was in discussions with business leaders and he hoped companies would agree to institute their own limits. He did not give details.
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    IndustryWeek

  • Good News in Existing Home Sales

    24 May 2013 | 10:55 am
    Enjoy the good news in existing home sales, but keep a long-term perspective. Make Your Move read more

  • Creating a Successful Biotech Company: Innovation, Financing, Location

    24 May 2013 | 10:45 am
    QED's expertise attracted customers which lead to debt-free financing helping the company grow from a Cleveland biomedical manufacturing hub. QED's expertise attracted customers which lead to debt-free financing helping the company grow from a Cleveland biomedical manufacturing hub. read more

  • What the Pharmaceutical Industry Can Teach Us about Supply Chain Security Best Practices

    24 May 2013 | 8:38 am
    Jay Hauhn, chief technology officer, Tyco Integrated Security Today, up to 40% of the drugs Americans take are manufactured outside the U.S., as well as up to 80% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in those drugs. Today, up to 40% of the drugs Americans take are manufactured outside the U.S., as well as up to 80% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in those drugs. read more

  • Ford Promises to Keep 1,000 Jobs at French Plant

    24 May 2013 | 8:36 am
    Ford will maintain 1,000 jobs for five years at a factory in France under an agreement signed Friday on aid and incentives to keep the transmission plant running. Ford will maintain 1,000 jobs for five years at a factory in France under an agreement signed Friday on aid and incentives to keep the transmission plant running. read more

  • 5 Characteristics of Recession Recovery Leaders

    24 May 2013 | 8:26 am
    Mark Pearson, senior managing director, Accenture Manufacturers who create 'dynamic operations' show the best ability to take advantage of growth opportunities. While the global economic downturn of 2008 and 2009 affected nearly everyone, some companies bounced back more quickly than others. As Accenture found in its research on North American manufacturers, many companies are positioning themselves to capitalize on current and emerging growth opportunities, with some reporting more progress than others. read more
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    IndustryWeek

  • Good News in Existing Home Sales

    24 May 2013 | 10:55 am
    Enjoy the good news in existing home sales, but keep a long-term perspective. Make Your Move read more

  • Creating a Successful Biotech Company: Innovation, Financing, Location

    24 May 2013 | 10:45 am
    QED's expertise attracted customers which lead to debt-free financing helping the company grow from a Cleveland biomedical manufacturing hub. QED's expertise attracted customers which lead to debt-free financing helping the company grow from a Cleveland biomedical manufacturing hub. read more

  • What the Pharmaceutical Industry Can Teach Us about Supply Chain Security Best Practices

    24 May 2013 | 8:38 am
    Jay Hauhn, chief technology officer, Tyco Integrated Security Today, up to 40% of the drugs Americans take are manufactured outside the U.S., as well as up to 80% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in those drugs. Today, up to 40% of the drugs Americans take are manufactured outside the U.S., as well as up to 80% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients in those drugs. read more

  • Ford Promises to Keep 1,000 Jobs at French Plant

    24 May 2013 | 8:36 am
    Ford will maintain 1,000 jobs for five years at a factory in France under an agreement signed Friday on aid and incentives to keep the transmission plant running. Ford will maintain 1,000 jobs for five years at a factory in France under an agreement signed Friday on aid and incentives to keep the transmission plant running. read more

  • 5 Characteristics of Recession Recovery Leaders

    24 May 2013 | 8:26 am
    Mark Pearson, senior managing director, Accenture Manufacturers who create 'dynamic operations' show the best ability to take advantage of growth opportunities. While the global economic downturn of 2008 and 2009 affected nearly everyone, some companies bounced back more quickly than others. As Accenture found in its research on North American manufacturers, many companies are positioning themselves to capitalize on current and emerging growth opportunities, with some reporting more progress than others. read more
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Zawya.com - Manufacturing News

  • Rail project to spawn services industry in Oman

    22 May 2013 | 11:01 pm
    The Oman National Railway Project is expected to catalyse the growth of manufacturing industries and support services, all of which will also contribute significantly to employment generation, say authorities overseeing the development of the multibillion rial scheme.

  • Saudi Specialty Chem launches Jubail facility

    22 May 2013 | 10:48 pm
    Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has further demonstrated its national growth commitment by opening its first engineering thermoplastics compounding facility as well as a new polypropylene compounding (PPc) plant, at its manufacturing affiliate, Saudi Specialty Chemicals Company (Specialty Chem), in Jubail.

  • 30,000 units operating in industrial townships

    22 May 2013 | 8:17 am
    Close to 30,000 industrial units operate across 910 industrial townships, said the deputy head of the Organization of Small Industries and Industrial Townships of Iran.

  • Bahra Cables opens new plant for manufacturing of PVC conduits

    22 May 2013 | 8:16 am
    Bahra Cables Co. has opened a new plant for manufacturing of PVC conduits and fittings for electrical use with an annual production capacity of 18,000 tons of PVC conduits, fittings and couplings of different diameters.

  • Sabic to open bids for USD500m plant in Jubail

    22 May 2013 | 8:15 am
    SABIC and Japan's Mitsubishi Rayon Company (MRC) are preparing to float the tender for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for two new petrochemicals plants worth about USD 500 m in Jubail.
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    GlobalSpec - Engineering News - Manufacturing

  • AST Pressure Sensors monitor Medical Safety Trailers

    23 May 2013 | 11:38 pm
    The pressure sensors are serving as components in a wireless remote monitoring system that ensures optimal operations of safety trailers used on remote sites as emergency first aid stations.

  • Breakthrough analysis tools

    23 May 2013 | 11:38 pm
    COMSOL's Multiphysics, V4.3b software now offers five new application-specific modules and expanded modeling and analysis tools. The five new modules include read more

  • Asset Managements: Best Practices for Developing Device Tasks to Operate with High-Level Batch Recipe Management

    23 May 2013 | 11:36 pm
    As manufacturers with batch operations strive to improve shareholder value through increased profitability, they are increasing investments in factory automation to reduce costs and increase operational flexibility. Equipment suppliers have responded with more capable devices, controls and software to meet these needs. To identify and share best practices, manufacturers and suppliers created associations such as ISA, International Society of Automation. ISA is comprised of several committees that focus on various elements of the automation industry including batch processing, the ISA-S88…

  • Is It Possible to Bring Manufacturing Back To The U.S.?

    23 May 2013 | 11:36 pm
    For the first time in the history of EDS (Electronic Distribution Show), industry associations ECIA (Electronic Components Industry Association) and

  • Study: No Higher Cancer Rate At Conn. Pratt Plant

    23 May 2013 | 11:36 pm
    HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- An 11-year study of the incidence of brain cancer at jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney in the state ended Thursday with university researchers saying they found no statistically significant elevations in the rate of cancer among workers.The researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Illinois at Chicago said they identified 723 workers diagnosed with tumors between 1976 and 2004 at the United Technologies Corp. subsidiary. The tumors were malignant, benign or unspecified and included 277 cases of brain cancer.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Manufacturing.net All

  • Allied Motion Introduces Small Brushless Dual-Shaft Motor

    jhans
    24 May 2013 | 10:19 am
    Allied Motion (Englewood, Colo.) has introduced the KinetiMax 32EB-DS brushless DC motor for double-sided applications. According to the company, the outer rotor motor and two identical bearings helps enable it to handle high side loads on both ends of the motor.

  • China, Switzerland To Seal Free Trade Deal

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 7:48 am
    GENEVA (AP) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is in Switzerland to sign a free trade pact with the Alpine nation — the first comprehensive agreement the country has reached with a major western economy.Li met with Swiss officials Friday in Bern, where he is due to ink the deal after three years of talks.In an op-ed published by Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung Thursday, Li said the agreement showed China is committed to free trade.The two nations' trade volume last year topped $26 billion.

  • Wheelchair Lift Out Of Wis. Promises More Access

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 7:44 am
    MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- An elementary school has inspired the University of Wisconsin-Madison to create a new wheelchair lift that could help make more places wheelchair accessible nationwide.The invention process started about three years ago when the principal at Emerson Elementary School in Madison, Karen Kepler, told a school donor on a tour that her biggest wish was to have her building accessible to everyone. All four entrances to the 93-year-old building had stairs.It's something Kepler's thought about a lot since a family event her first year there.

  • Some Unions Now Angry About Health Care Overhaul

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 6:38 am
    WASHINGTON (AP) -- When President Barack Obama pushed his health care overhaul plan through Congress, he counted labor unions among his strongest supporters.

  • France Won't Force Companies To Cap Executive Pay

    alawrence
    24 May 2013 | 6:34 am
    PARIS (AP) -- The French government is trying to woo executives and entrepreneurs, amid concerns that it has antagonized the businesses needed to reinvigorate the economy.Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici announced Friday that the government no longer plans to push for a law to cap executive salaries in the private sector. Instead, Moscovici told reporters that he was in discussions with business leaders and he hoped companies would agree to institute their own limits. He did not give details.
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Green Manufacturing

  • Green and Frugal, Part II

    9 May 2013 | 1:25 pm
    Broadly frugalIn the last post (an embarrassing long time ago!) the discussion centered on "frugal engineering" or, as it is sometimes referred to as "frugal innovation."  It was noted that frugal engineering usually refers to reducing the complexity and cost of some good and the production of it so that, for example, it might be more accessible in developing economies. It can also include simpler (or fewer bells and whistles) products that are devoid of non-essential features. One market for this is the so-called developing economies where there is an emphasis on simple basic…

  • Green and Frugal, Part I

    26 Mar 2013 | 3:34 pm
    Frugal Innovation and GreenThe last posting centered on innovation and sustainability - or creating "new" value  - and the role of green innovation in product design and manufacturing. Recently I've been reading about, and hearing about, "frugal engineering." Or, it is sometimes referred to as "frugal innovation." As an engineer I'm happy to have the terms innovation and engineering used interchangeably!Frugal engineering usually refers to reducing the complexity and cost of some good and the production of it so that, for example, it might be more accessible in developing economies.

  • Innovation and Sustainability

    27 Feb 2013 | 5:35 pm
    (Or creating "new" value)In one of my previous posts the subject of externalized costs was dealt with in some detail (see the posting of December 29th, 2012 to be specific.) The idea that we are not really paying for the true expenses associated with the products we consume. The discussion went on to muse about how we might address that.You might also recall a posting in this blog a long time ago (July 2009) speaking about the "next leap forward" in manufacturing. The evolution of manufacturing in terms of productivity, flexibility, response time, work philosophy or business model, and market…

  • Insourcing and green manufacturing

    29 Jan 2013 | 3:21 pm
    Or how to win friends and influence peopleMy dad, as I mentioned in a blog some time ago, was a tool room supervisor for a large John Deere factory in Wisconsin. In his role, which he went into after becoming a journeyman machinist and toolmaker himself (the kind of skills manufacturing is looking for these days and can't find enough of!) was to supervise a large department of similarly talented machinists and tool makers who were tasked with building the tooling and other hardware needed in the factory to make the components of the products Deere built there.As he took on more and more…

  • The "S" word, Part V

    29 Dec 2012 | 3:25 pm
    Who should share the responsibility for all this?Almost two years ago exactly, December 2010, this blog addressed the different changes in our collective thinking that might usher in a sustainable world. It was argued that this depended to a great extent on folks "getting it" with respect to how people view sustainability and their responsibility (personal and corporate - although I understand some believe corporations are individuals!). I quoted Lester Brown and his observations on this. He compared the change in thinking needed relative to sustainability (and sustainable development,…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Shopfloor

  • New Durable Goods Orders Up in April, But Still Lag Behind Levels of Year’s End

    Chad Moutray
    24 May 2013 | 8:22 am
    New durable goods orders were up 3.3 percent in April, somewhat reversing the 5.9 percent decline observed in March. This data has been highly volatile so far in 2013, up one month and then down the next largely on wide swings in aircraft orders. Nonetheless, even with the gain in April, durable goods orders were $222.56 billion, down from $228.45 billion at the end of 2012. These ups and downs can clearly be seen in the chart below. As noted, defense and nondefense aircraft orders were up significantly in April, the reverse of what was true in March. Excluding transportation orders from the…

  • CBO Releases Carbon Tax Report

    Greg Bertelsen
    23 May 2013 | 2:44 pm
    This week the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report, Effects of a Carbon Tax on the Economy and the Environment, which explores the economic and environmental impacts of a carbon tax. The NAM recently released an economic study conducted by nonpartisan NERA Economic Consulting, looking at two carbon tax scenarios: one levied at $20 per ton increasing at 4 percent, and the other designed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 80 percent. Our study, which was actually cited in the CBO report, found that any revenue raised by the carbon tax would be far outweighed by the…

  • House STEM Bill Key Solution for Manufacturers’ Skills Gap

    Christine Scullion
    23 May 2013 | 12:20 pm
    Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the “Supplying Knowledge-Based Immigrants and Lifting Levels of STEM (SKILLS) Visas Act’’ , which is another step on immigration reform efforts in the House of Representatives.  For years, the NAM has maintained that the Immigration system is broken and manufacturers need access to highly-skilled foreign born talent. The existing immigration system  is hindering research, development, growth and job creation. The SKILLS Visas Act would raise the number of H-1B visas to 155,000 per year and also increase green cards for advanced degree…

  • A Tale of Two Stories on Coal Exports

    Chip Yost
    23 May 2013 | 10:22 am
    Yesterday we saw two very different takes on coal exports in a petition filed by environmental groups, and a study released by the National Mining Association. Several environmental groups filed a petition with the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) asking them “to evaluate the cumulative and related impacts of all proposed coal export terminals in Oregon and Washington in a single, comprehensive, area-wide environmental impact statement (“EIS”) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Such a process will allow explicit consideration of the collective impacts of multiple…

  • Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Activity Positive for the First Time Since September

    Chad Moutray
    23 May 2013 | 8:46 am
    The Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank said that manufacturing activity in its District turned positive for the first time since September. The composite index improved from -5 in April to 2 in May. Even as other regional sentiment surveys had some progress earlier in the year, the Kansas City Fed survey continued to reflect more pessimism. Now, it appears to be one of the few indicating some slight growth, with surveys from the New York and Philadelphia Fed Banks reporting contractions last week. The good news is that measures of production, shipments, and new orders were all higher for the…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Lean Blog

  • Lean Thinking (Finally?) Gets to Chrysler Windsor Plant?

    Mark Graban
    21 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    This article appeared back in March… March of 2013… as in this year: “Windsor Chrysler workers reduce waste to be world class.” I mean, good for them, but they are just now getting to this (even if the effort started in 2009 or so)… in the auto industry? Many hospitals were applying Lean thinking before then. Was that Chrysler plant expecting Toyota to just go away? I worked at a GM plant from 1995 to 1997 and the writing on the wall was clear that Lean / Toyota Production System was the winning formula. Thankfully, they have gotten results in the areas…

  • Shingo Research Award for “Healthcare Kaizen”!

    Mark Graban
    20 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    My co-author Joe Swartz and I are happy to announce that our book Healthcare Kaizen was named a recipient of the prestigious Shingo Professional Publication and Research Award. The award will be formally presented to the co-authors in early 2014 at the Shingo Prize annual conference. A formal release will be coming out in a few weeks, but we were told we could share this news. Joe and I are honored by this designation and we thank our mentors and teachers, including Norman Bodek and Masaaki Imai, both of whom contributed “front matter” to be included in our book. Thank you,…

  • Podcast #175 – Mike Taubitz, Lean and Safety

    Mark Graban
    17 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    Please upgrade your browser MP3 File (run time 28:17) My guest for podcast #175 is Mike Taubitz of the firm Sustainable Lean and FDR Safety. Mike is a retired GM employee (including a stint as Global Safety Director) and we met at the Michigan Lean Consortium conference in 2011. We quickly discovered our shared interest in Dr. Deming, Lean, and, most importantly, safety improvement. I hope you enjoy our chat about his background and lessons from his career, the integration of Lean practices and safety improvement, lessons from Paul O’Neill and other great topics. Like my dad, Mike is…

  • My Guest Post @LeanBlitz – Baseball and Warnings

    Mark Graban
    16 May 2013 | 7:32 am
    My friend Chad Walters has contributed guest posts to my blog (and has been a podcast guest) and I’m happy to return the favor with a guest post on his site: “Guest Post: A Clown Post About Bryce Harper and Warnings.” Since his “Lean Blitz” blog is sports themed, I wrote a post about warning tracks (and how players like Bryce Harper, pictured below, often ignore them), the general ineffectiveness of warning signs in different workplaces (including healthcare), and how mistake proofing and better processes need to be the way we ensure safety and quality. Check out…

  • A Lean Guy Visits Scott & White Hospital – Leader Standard Work, Huddles, and Lean Culture

    Mark Graban
    15 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    Hosted by Steve Hoeft, author of the book Stories from My Sensei: Two Decades of Lessons Learned Implementing Toyota-Style Systems, I had a chance to visit Scott & White Hospital in Temple, Texas. With his permission (but without editorial review), I am sharing some stories from my visit to their excellent health system (which is in the process of merging with the larger Baylor Health system in the Dallas / Fort Worth area). Baylor is one of the largest health care providers in North Texas with about $4 billion in annual revenue. Scott & White, with a national reputation for quality…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Evolving Excellence

  • Net Nonsense - hilarious commentary

    Kevin Meyer
    17 May 2013 | 10:42 pm
    By Kevin Meyer My Net Nonsense post from a couple weeks ago on the evils of large companies trying to force long payment terms on suppliers received considerable coverage, including being reposted in Quality Digest this week.  However the best - and funniest - commentary was by the editors of Quality Digest in their Quality Digest Live video. For ten minutes, beginning at about the 13:20 point, they savage some well-known companies like DuPont, Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, JC Penney, and more.  Check out their review of the hypocrisy of the mission statements of these companies. …

  • Net Nonsense

    Kevin Meyer
    25 Apr 2013 | 7:34 pm
    By Kevin Meyer A few months ago I told you how, in my past life as president of a medical device company, I had two reliable leading indicators of a potential customer relationship.  Basically if the customer demanded automatic annual price decreases, or if their payment terms were greater than net-30.  Those few customers that offered to pay faster would become strong partners as they knew supplier financial stability is in their best interest.  Those that tried to insist on longer terms just considered suppliers a necessary evil.  The correlation was nearly perfect. Luckily my company…

  • A Lesson on Leadership from Marrakech

    Kevin Meyer
    9 Apr 2013 | 12:53 am
    By Kevin Meyer My wife and I are currently in Marrakech, Morocco, on one of our increasingly frequent trips to explore new locales.  Truly a remarkable place, and with the tall snowcapped Atlas Mountains only an hour away in one direction, and the ocean in another, I'm convinced it's destined to become another mecca for sports enthusiasts similar to Queenstown, New Zealand.  The people are exceptionally friendly - just three weeks ago CNN ranked it the third most welcoming country to visitors, coincidentally right after New Zealand.  The craziness of the souks in the medina provide an…

  • The Last 100 Feet of Walmart's Supply Chain

    Kevin Meyer
    26 Mar 2013 | 11:15 am
    By Kevin Meyer I've written a lot about Walmart, in particular their supposedly glorious supply chain.  To be honest, they execute a traditional supply chain exceptionally well.  They source from cheap labor countries, put it on big ships, and distribute it to thousands of stores incredibly efficiently.  For a traditional supply chain.  They still run into issues with too much inventory floating on slow-moving ships, arriving after that particular style has lost favor.  And they beat the crap out of their suppliers to get every last penny of margin out of them, and then claim they…

  • The Postal Service Forgets the Customer

    Kevin Meyer
    12 Mar 2013 | 12:05 am
    By Kevin Meyer A recent CNN article pretty much describes the problem at the US Postal Service, although that wasn't really its intent.  You see, there's this new startup called Outbox that is working to digitize traditional paper mail, and our beloved USPS is having a bit of a conniption about it. I think this is a terrific idea as I've been trying to make more and more of my life electronic - and thereby location independent.  A few years ago I subscribed to a voicemail service that emails me the voicemail so I don't have to be near a phone.  Last year that service even began…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Manufacturing Transformation Blog

  • It Pays to Collaborate In Manufacturing

    Gordon Benzie
    21 May 2013 | 9:11 am
    In today’s highly global supply chain and manufacturing economy, it is no revelation that better communications are needed to cross the geographic, cultural and language distances that must now be covered as part of running nearly any sized company. Better communications means improved efficiency, less waste and higher customer satisfaction. The challenge with these types of concepts, however, is how do you measure and justify future investments to take advantage of the perceived benefits? What are reasonable assumptions when evaluating this type of investment decision? Fortunately,…

  • Navigating the Operational Intelligence Selection Process

    James Montgomery
    14 May 2013 | 11:10 am
    Operational and business intelligence are very broad and open terms used in day-to-day conversation by not only manufacturers, but by many businesses. Because of this, the market is now quite saturated. Vendor messaging can be 75-90% the same or very similar, which makes the selection process for a solution a difficult one. “Capturing data in near real time from multiple data sources and turning it into valuable information” is heard time and time again, using roughly the same terms. This messaging confusion made me wonder about what really matters. What would be most important to me, if…

  • Vertical Launch: Urban Legend or Manufacturing Revolution?

    Chris Brecher
    9 May 2013 | 1:12 pm
    Is a “Vertical” product launch just an urban legend, or is it really possible? No, I’m not talking about a rocket launch. I’m talking about a well-oiled perfect product launch that is on-time and achieves full ramp-up on Day One. This type of new product introduction would appear as a vertical line on a time / volume graph, and would notably win a marketplace for an enterprise, and at the very least, make a career for the product manager. This kind of innovation could revolutionize manufacturing. Is such a thing possible? Let’s consider exactly what challenges would…

  • How BPM-based Traceability can go Beyond Regulatory Compliance

    Jordan Berkley
    7 May 2013 | 9:21 am
    Yesterday, I had an interesting phone call with some very smart people from ChainLink research (www.chainlinkresearch.com/).  We were discussing business drivers for global traceability initiatives when Bill McBeath, their Chief Research Officer, used the term “incident driven” initiatives. Basically, the point being that manufacturers don’t look to improve their traceability processes and supporting manufacturing systems until they’ve had a quality or compliance failure that impacted a customer or resulted in regulatory attention. My experience certainly supports Bill’s…

  • Leveraging the Industrial Internet for Operational Excellence

    Derek Singleton
    2 May 2013 | 1:04 pm
    Over the last few months, the manufacturing technology industry has seen the popularization of a new term: the Industrial Internet. The term describes the network that connects sophisticated machines embedded with sensors and computer software so manufacturers can gain real-time insights into everything from materials planning to pending maintenance issues. Some estimate this technology could potentially add $15 trillion to the global GDP through gains in manufacturing productivity by 2030. Whether the Industrial Internet can deliver these gains is up for debate. However, manufacturers can…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Invistics » Blog

  • Configuring SAP to be Lean Friendly

    Xing
    24 May 2013 | 6:21 am
    Continuous improvement remains a high priority across many industries as companies seek to increase flexibility and dampen rising costs. As these efforts mature and expand through an organization, they can take many forms. For information technology professionals in a manufacturing company, it may mean ensuring the company is getting the best use out of its software tools by identifying valuable, unused functionality. For material and inventory managers, it may mean reviewing replenishment methods and tools to be sure that they support Lean principles and fit the current business. As one of…

  • Invistics Published in IIE Magazine

    Xing
    10 May 2013 | 8:10 am
    Congratulations to Tom Knight and Xing Guan of Invistics who published, along with Donna Ruder of Rock-Tenn, a featured article in the March 2013 issue of Industrial Engineer Magazine. The article was titled “Electronically Pulled Production”, and it details a case study where an Atlanta packaging company reduced inventory by over 50% and saved millions using the Invistics solution to implement E-kanban replenishment between it’s manufacturing facility and the two distribution centers it fed. Learn how Invistics designed the new processes with Pull-driven replenishment,…

  • How Mature is your Lean Program?

    Charma
    14 Aug 2012 | 5:10 pm
    Maturity Levels Needs Improvement Competitive Advantage Through Lean People Lack of employee engagement Poor communications Significant investment in training Ideas from workforce Process Forecast-driven push Financial metrics based on internal efficiencies Demand-driven pull KPIs based on customer satisfaction Technology Lack of investment in equipment Manual decision support tools Investment in tools to support people Automated, scalable business intelligence analytics A recent study by consulting firm Bain, showed that only 19% of high-mix manufacturing companies that tried Lean were…

  • Tom Knight interviewed on Bold Ventures Radio

    Brandy
    15 Jul 2012 | 9:48 am
    Recently our CEO, Tom Knight, was invited to speak with Jean Creech on Bold Ventures Radio. Tom and Jean talked about business, leadership, and Tom’s ill-fated attempts to run a lemonade stand as a kid. Tom Knight speaks with Jean Creech about entrepreneurship On Bold Ventures, technology entrepreneurs, manufacturing entrepreneurs, and retail entrepreneurs talk about their companies and their personal journeys. Bold Ventures Radio broadcasts live every Wednesday night on 1620 AM in north Atlanta.

  • May Webinars Scheduled!

    Xing
    30 Apr 2012 | 7:56 am
    Our popular Webinars are back for May. Join us for our Lean Manufacturing series. May 17th, Thursday 2:00 PM EST Join Invistics CEO, Tom Knight, for free, no obligation webinar on the basics of developing a Lean pull design strategy for high-mix manufacturing environments. May 24th, Thursday 11:00 AM EST Join Invistics VP Charles Agulla for a concise 1 hour session on Inventory Optimization. Click HERE to register and check out our upcoming webinar schedule!
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    TheFabricator.com - Blog

  • Long-term trends are fabricators' friends

    Dan Davis
    23 May 2013 | 2:50 pm
    With every conversation I have with a metal fabricator, I become more convinced that the companies left standing after two recessions within a 10-year span are primed to survive in this very competitive global economy. In essence, they have survived because they are the fittest. In the wake of the bloodbath of U.S. jobs since [...]

  • Welder and assistant, a good team

    Vicki Bell
    23 May 2013 | 11:56 am
    If you pay attention, you can learn something new on any given day. And sometimes, what you learn makes you smack your forehead, either literally or mentally, and think I should have known that. Such was the case a couple of weeks ago when I was sharing an exchange on Facebook with a dear friend [...]

  • A grim reminder

    Eric Lundin
    21 May 2013 | 1:11 pm
    Much of a town flattened. Entire neighborhoods reduced to piles of debris. Hundreds injured. More than two dozen killed. It’s a grim reminder that the confluence of weather systems in the central U.S., specifically masses of cold, dry air from the north and fronts of warm, moist air from the south, don’t mix well. Kansas [...]

  • ALAW celebrates 20 years

    Tim Heston
    15 May 2013 | 2:31 pm
    Mariana Forrest perhaps knows ALAW® better than anyone. The president of laser consulting firm LASAP Inc., based in Troy Mich., has attended all 20 conferences. She was there back when it was called the Automotive Laser Applications Workshop, and in recent years, after the event was broadened and renamed (though conveniently keeping the same acronym) [...]

  • Hey buddy … wanna buy a watch?

    Eric Lundin
    13 May 2013 | 8:51 am
    Fake Rolex® watches, knock-off Armani® handbags, counterfeit Nike® shoes, pirated movies of all sorts—if you’ve traveled to any countries that have lax trademark, patent, and copyright protection, you’ve seen plenty of faked goods. It’s pathetic, to say the least. The companies that make the original item lose out on sales, and risk losing some credibility [...]
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    SmartVan

  • Earl: A New Ironman Tablet for Field Duty?

    Darren Weiss
    24 May 2013 | 10:11 am
    In need of an absolute Ironman mobile device that can hack any call of duty in the field? The mobile market is flooded with “rugged” device options these days — we’ve covered a bunch of them — but the new Earl, from Seattle-based Squigle, is the latest making a bid to be the ruggedest of all. To be sure, Earl isn’t designed for the urban masses, nor is it marketed specifically to industrial markets. But conceived more as a “backcountry survival” device, it boasts a number of features that service managers and field engineers might love,…

  • Upgrading Your Field Technology? How to Turn Your Engineers Into Early Adopters

    Field Technologies Online
    23 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    Technology deployments bring change. Whether it’s the major change of transitioning from paper-based processes to a mobile solution for the first time, the moderate change of migrating from a first generation solution to the next, or the minor change of an upgrade to an existing solution, it is change. If you think you can make these changes successfully without a strategy in place to manage that change, you are sorely mistaken. Why does change require management? Because change brings about uncertainty, and uncertainty causes fear. Your employees are comfortable with the status quo. Asking…

  • Caterpillar: The Future King of Rugged Phones?

    Sara Suddes
    22 May 2013 | 11:11 am
    Caterpillar’s push into the field service market for rugged smartphones continues: the Fortune 500 maker of heavy-duty machinery is rolling out its second Android phone aimed at withstanding the rough conditions service techs often encounter in the field. Caterpillar, the iPhone killer? Hardly. But as the world’s largest maker of construction and mining equipment, Caterpillar understands better than most companies all that can go wrong with mobile devices in the field. And as far as the rugged tablet market goes, there’s plenty of room for improvement. Coming Soon to an…

  • Top 8 Ways to Advertise Your HVAC Business

    Steve Berman
    22 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    Those in HVAC, field services, or really any service-based industry would probably learn something from a recent chuckle-worthy post by Patrick Peterson of ZenHVAC titled, “Am I Advertising To Customers, Or Feeding My Ego?”. Effective marketing and advertising has certainly shown to be a great way to drum up new business, publicize products and services, and give one’s company an identity. However, advertising can also expensive. And done poorly, ads can do more harm than good. Peterson lists 14 forms of advertising, and put them in three different categories:…

  • Flavio Martins: Why Simply Meeting Service Expectations Isn’t Enough

    Derek Korte
    20 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    No matter how punctual or competent your technicians are, don’t assume your best-laid customer service plans are actually delivering great service. Flavio Martins, a customer service “fanatic” and blogger at Win the Customer!, spoke to us recently about a common mistake field service companies make: assuming their customer service is great — without asking their customers. Martins also offers smart insights about the role of emotional connections in great customer service, and why rotating field techs through other company support roles can improve service. In what ways do…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    HVAC Training » | HVAC Training

  • Use “shadowing” to recruit HVAC employees

    Mike Moore
    22 May 2013 | 11:00 pm
    Job shadowing is a great way for your HVAC business to recruit future employees without wasting money or your precious time. Show recruits what it’s like to work a day in the life at your HVAC company. Here’s three ways to have a great shadowing experience — for both your potential employee and technician. Make your recruit feel at home Brief your potential employee on what your schedule will be like for the day. Don’t go out of your way to make it an over-the-top day – you want it to be an average day so your recruit will know what to expect from a job with your company. Encourage…

  • Maintaining your professional reputation off the clock

    Mike Moore
    20 May 2013 | 11:00 pm
    Even when your employees are off the clock, they are still representing your HVAC brand. Your business’ reputation matters — and one employee being irresponsible around clients or potential clients can damage it. Through stressing that around the clock professional behavior is expected of your employees, you’ll be able to sleep safely knowing they have your brand’s best interests at heart. HVAC truck safety If your employees drive your HVAC vans when off duty, stress the importance of driving responsibility. Your company’s vans should only be seen in professional locations, and stay…

  • 5 healthy snacks for the HVAC job

    Mike Moore
    15 May 2013 | 11:00 pm
    It’s three o’clock in the afternoon and a long day of fixing systems in extreme temperatures is getting to you — and you’re hungry to boot. But what should you eat? There are many options out there, but not all of them are healthy or will keep you filled up for the rest of your busy day. The key to a healthy snack that keeps you filled is having a carbohydrate and a protein. We’ve got five satisfying snacks to hold you over until your day is through. A piece of fruit and half a cup of nuts. This snack can be easily packed in the morning and doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Fruits…

  • Upgrade your trucks & equipment before the rush

    Mike Moore
    13 May 2013 | 11:00 pm
    Before your company is overwhelmed with work this summer, take a moment to check out our five-point checklist on getting your fleet ready for spring and summertime. Take an inventory of your truck. Spend an afternoon taking everything out of your truck, cleaning out the space, then placing it all back in the proper place. It will not only make finding tools and equipment easier, but also keep the interior of your vehicles clean. Make sure all the vehicles in your fleet are current with their inspection stickers. Not only is this safer for the driver, but also keeps you or your employees from…

  • It’s all about speaking the customer’s language

    Mike Moore
    8 May 2013 | 11:00 pm
    Would you make a sales pitch to a client in the United States in Mandarin? I didn’t think so. Then why would you use HVAC jargon when speaking to a customer who doesn’t understand it? Instead, try speaking their everyday language and experience positive results. I know changing behaviors can be a challenge, but here’s how to get started: Learn your customer’s language While the HVAC industry has its own set of jargon, your customers don’t understand these terms. Instead, you need to learn how to speak the language of your customers through active listening. Customers are looking for…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Premier - Warehouse Safety and Efficiency Tips

  • How to Use Industrial Boot Washers

    Randy Teadt
    10 May 2013 | 8:15 am
    How to Use Industrial Boot Washers – Video Transcript Hello and welcome to the Premier Handling Solutions’ video series on running a safer and more efficient warehouse. Today we’re focusing on the extraordinary benefits of industrial boot washers. Industrial boot washers are a staple for the food industry. Sterile clothing and equipment is essential to a safe food handling operation. Boot washers allow all employees to thoroughly sanitize their footwear, virtually eliminating the chances of contamination from feet-borne bacteria. Boot washers are very simple to use and maintain.

  • Green Warehouse Ideas for Earth Day 2013

    Randy Teadt
    22 Apr 2013 | 4:15 pm
    Green warehouses are on the rise. More and more companies are realizing the importance and money-saving potential of green warehouses. The initial capital and time investment of converting to a green warehouse scares many companies away. Luckily, choosing to upgrade to green equipment is more popular than ever before. Climate Control in the Warehouse Cool Roofing – Certain coats and reflective paints will significantly reduce warehouse cooling bills. Efficient Heating and Cooling Units Entrance Overhangs – This ancient technique is still underutilized. Blocking the sun from an…

  • Industrial Hygiene Stations

    Randy Teadt
    16 Apr 2013 | 2:17 pm
      Hygiene stations significantly reduce the risk of cross-contamination and food poisoning in the food industry. Food hygiene systems that use color-coding such as HACCP are excellent tools, but they can’t be completely relied upon. Perfect hygiene must be accomplished by food handling industries due to each product having strict handling procedures. Food Poisoning   Food poisoning was the cause of approximately 5,000 deaths and 76 million illnesses in 2012 according to StatisticBrain. Meats, dairy products, and eggs have the highest chances of contamination.That’s why it’s…

  • Warehouse Design Logistics

    Randy Teadt
    12 Apr 2013 | 9:59 pm
    Warehouses to the common public are basically just settings for terrible things to happen in movies. What most don’t realize is the effectiveness of modern warehouses and the impact their design has on the cost of our goods. Decades of research has gone into strategically designing warehouses to be most efficient. You might have read studies such as this one that shows how grocery stores strategically place items in their stores for maximum effectiveness. Placing essential items such as milk and bread at the back of the store results in consumers seeing more items; thus purchasing more than…

  • All-Terrain Pallet Truck Uses

    Randy Teadt
    8 Apr 2013 | 3:08 pm
    Standard pallet trucks are perfect for most applications and will never have to leave a smooth paved surface. They are built with smaller wheels which aren’t designed for a wide range of surfaces. However, for the select few industries that leave the luxury of indoor material handling and require passage over rough terrains like grass, dirt, mud, and sand, all-terrain pallet trucks are an excellent solution. All-terrain pallet trucks are an astute ally to thousands of companies around the world.  Certain material handling warehouses, agriculture, and construction businesses require…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    CNCCookbook CNC Blog

  • Brother Can You Spare A Little 4th Axis G-Code?

    Bob Warfield
    24 May 2013 | 11:09 am
    One thing that can really move G-Wizard Editor ahead is access to new g-code. Let me explain. Recently, I had about 3 people send me some really complex Fanuc macros.  Very cool stuff.  By working through some of the problems they were having, the g-code simulator got a lot better for everyone.  The thing is, it is very hard to get everything just exactly right just by reading the manuals.  There are subtleties that are lost there.  It takes real world g-code to expose those subtleties.  As I tell people, once I can duplicate an issue on my own computer, I can make things better very…

  • Last Chance on Our MAYDAY Sales is Today!

    Bob Warfield
    21 May 2013 | 10:12 am
    Thought I’d beat the drums one more time.  The sale ends today.  Lots of great deals on almost everything we offer.  Check our Deals and Steals page for details! We’re almost at that 20,000 mark and the sale has really helped.  We really appreciate all the support you’ve given us. If there’s nothing on sale you need, you can still help us out a bit.  If you have a web site, put a link back to us on your site.  We love links to our main page, but honestly, if there is some other page you really enjoyed that you think others would enjoy, we’d love a link to…

  • Nesting Software from Sigma Tek to MyNesting.com: An Introduction

    Bob Warfield
    21 May 2013 | 9:43 am
    Have you heard of Nesting Software?  It’s one more piece of the CNC Software puzzle, but an important one in terms of minimizing material waste, particularly for large flat pieces of material such as you would put on a CNC Router, CNC Laser Cutter, CNC Plasma Table, or CNC WaterJet. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a picture of what Nesting Software can do: I chose that sample just because it shows familiar shapes (letters) in an unfamiliar configuration.  Imagine software that takes arbitrary outline shapes, and then rotates and positions them to maximize the…

  • Take the CNCCookbook 2013 CAD Package Survey

    SiteOwner
    20 May 2013 | 7:38 pm
    We love to do surveys at CNCCookbook, and our readers clearly love them if their page statistics are any indication.  The last survey we did was on CAM packages and was particularly popular.  This time around, we want to survey which CAD packages are most popular. Let us know what you’re using: Click here to take survey Once we get a few hundred responses, I will collate and present the results in a later blog post. Some of the packages are a bit specialized.  Blender, for example, is really only useful to the 3D printing community.  … Read the rest

  • An Entire 3D Printed City?

    Bob Warfield
    20 May 2013 | 6:57 pm
    Modelers must love 3D printers, especially those with decent resolution that make small plastic parts with fine details.  How about a model of an entire city done with a 3D Printer? That’s what architectural firm Mitekgruppen did for Stockholm: A 48 square meter model of Stockholm… A Stratasys 3D Printer was used to create over 10,000 replica buildings for the model. Are any of you gentle readers using 3D printers for modeling or architectural work?  This would’ve been awesome back when I was building a big HO train layout.… Read the rest
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    HEAVY DUTY INSIGHT

  • The Industrial Designs of Dieter Rams

    cbpower
    22 May 2013 | 3:54 pm
    Do a survey with product designers of who they think the most influential industrial designer is of the 20th century, and the consensus will undoubtedly be Dieter Rams. Rams is the brilliant mind behind Braun’s streamlined and user-friendly electronic gadgets. His designs also influenced Apple’s product designer Jony Ives. Rams explained his design approach in the phrase “Weniger, aber besser” which translates as “Less, but better”. Below are a few of his creations. Braun PC 3-SV Record Player   Vitsow Shelving System   620 Chair Program   If…

  • Hyperconsumerism: Made in the U.S.A.

    cbpower
    15 May 2013 | 2:15 pm
    In 2012 a group of archeologists, anthropologists and other scientists began a four year study on 32 middle-class families in the United States. Its goal is to observe how families use their built environments and relate to the material goods they own. Some of the findings from the study were published in the book “Life At Home In The Twenty-first Century“. They are surprising, if not a little troubling. See if you and your humble abode can relate with any of the following discoveries: 75% of the families didn’t keep their car in the garage because it was already full of…

  • Industrial Designer Jony Ive and the Secret to Powerful Products

    cbpower
    8 May 2013 | 5:09 pm
    In a recent article entitled Jony Ive Is Not a Graphic Designer, writer Ben Thompson shares a portion of a talk given by Apple’s Industrial Designer Jony Ive. What he says could have been attributed to Steve Jobs and most people would never know the difference: One of the things that’s interesting about design [is that] there’s a danger, particularly in this industry, to focus on product attributes that are easy to talk about. You go back 10 years, and people wanted to talk about product attributes that you could measure with a number. So they would talk about hard drive size,…

  • 7 Principles for Excellence in Manufacturing [Infographic]

    cbpower
    1 May 2013 | 2:12 pm
    While pictures say a thousand words, infographics can do that and supply statistics as well. Lockheed Martin shares its integrated approach for performance excellence and better business.   CB Power and Industrial Equipment supplies new and used industrial machinery. For expert advice or a quote, call 1-888-317-8959 today.

  • Small Business Accounting in the Clouds: You’ve Got Options

    cbpower
    24 Apr 2013 | 11:04 am
    Cloud computing, it’s a term you’ve likely heard before. It’s the widely-used term for services of all kinds that operate entirely on the internet – as opposed to desktop software you install on your computer’s harddrive. It’s also referred to as SaaS (Software as a Service) although that’s more of an industry-insider term and not one you would hear at a family BBQ. With cloud-based services, everything is done online. You can access your information and do your work anywhere there is a computer with internet access. It’s where a lot of the innovative time-saving applications…
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Siemens PLM Software Blog

  • Conflict Minerals and PLM – Making a Difference through the Supply Chain

    Robert Hidajat
    23 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    I have a special treat for you this morning, a guest post from our partner, Andrew Sweatman, Compliance Solutions Manager, PE INTERNATIONAL. If, like me, the first thing that came to your mind when you heard the term “conflict minerals” was Leo DiCaprio’s movie Blood Diamond, then you will definitely enjoy this eye-opening post on conflict minerals and and how PLM can help minimize your company’s exposure to conflict minerals. Image Source: Enough Project – http://www.raisehopeforcongo.org/ Walking down a supermarket aisle we are faced with more and more ethical…

  • Smart, Fast, Lean Manufacturing with Tecnomatix 11 – MPM

    Tim Egloff
    21 May 2013 | 6:05 am
    Earlier this month we released the latest version of Tecnomatix along with several of our portfolio’s digital manufacturing solutions.  As we move forward, I’d like to share additional details behind this release. The release has been issued under three solution domains; Manufacturing Process Management, Simulation and Validation and Launch and Production.  Each domain provides an integrated set of capabilities which brings to market numerous enhancements working together to provide smarter decisions through collaborative product and process development, faster results through…

  • Space system dynamic analysis presentation at the 2013 Femap Symposium

    Al Robertson
    20 May 2013 | 11:56 am
    MAYA Heat Transfer Technologies Limited and Preissner Engineering and Consulting LLC are teaming up to present at the Femap Symposium on 27th June. Eric Preissner of PEC will be discussing how Femap was used in a study of the dynamic response of the Landsat 8 satellite ground transport/handling system – a large system analysis in a dynamic design process with many iterations. If you haven’t already registered for the Femap Symposium, do so now – there’s just over a month to go. This presentation also illustrates how the Femap with NX Nastran Structural Analysis Toolkit helped…

  • ROCK – it is what Keyshot does!

    Mark Burhop
    16 May 2013 | 7:01 am
    We are pumping up the volume for Solid Edge University, partnering with an electric set of hard core  rockers for the event.  You definitely want to be there to party with the greats. The Solid Edge news team went on the road to interview some amazing talent, first catching up with Luxion after one of their light and vector enhanced appearances.  It was hard getting past the screaming industrial designers and marketing people wanting autographs. We thought the engineers would help but even they realized Keyshot makes them look good. We finally made it back stage thanks to a guy named Ray…

  • Principia Solar Car Update and Interview with Student Engineer Kali McKee

    Dora Smith
    15 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    You may remember Kali from our post The Secret to Designing Solar Cars. Now I’d like to share a little bit more from and about her. This semester I got the chance to visit the Principia Solar Team in their garage on the campus of Principia College. The team shared updates on modifications they were making to their current Ra 7s car for exhibitions this year as well as plans for their new Ra 8. The new car will race in the American Solar Challenge next year and the World Solar Challenge in 2015. It will feature an additional wheel (four vs. three) as well as a light color vinyl wrap instead…
 
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Goldin Pieser & Peiser, LLP

  • Three Myths Hindering the Growth of U.S. Manufacturing

    24 May 2013 | 10:01 am
    With the help of MAPI, the National Association of Manufacturers and the White House, the United States manufacturing sector has been making strides to bring production and prosperity back home. Unfortunately, there are still old…Read More

  • 6 Reasons We May See a Decline in Traditional Manufacturing

    10 May 2013 | 12:41 pm
    Although no one wants to admit it, traditional manufacturing is in decline. Below are six basic reasons why we should expect to see a decline in production:  Dirt. The U.S. lost out to many raw materials years ago when China and…Read More

  • Executives Optimistic About US Manufacturing Revenue Growth

    26 Apr 2013 | 11:27 am
    A new survey compiled by PwC US revealed optimism among manufacturing executives pertaining to the 12-month outlook. This is up seven points from the Q2 2012 outlook. Industrial manufacturers also remained upbeat on the domestic…Read More

  • Vacation Flexibility May Prevent Employee Burnout

    19 Apr 2013 | 12:33 pm
    Unlimited vacation is becoming more and more of a common term in the white-collar work world. Researchers say that allowing regular breaks can produce better results and cause workers to stay with employers longer. Some manufacturers…Read More

  • 5 Ways to Keep Up High Quality Production

    5 Apr 2013 | 12:18 pm
    With a majority of manufacturing returning back to the U.S., production is increasing at a rapid pace. Demand is higher and lines are busier. With that though, there is more room for error and consequences. Below are five tips that…Read More
  • add this feed to my.Alltop

    Flextronics

  • The Top 50 Most Influential Women in Technology

    Catherine Hernandez-Blades
    20 May 2013 | 6:40 pm
    Congratulations to our own Caroline Dowling, who was named one of the Top 50 Women in Technology recognized by ITLG and featured in the Silicon Valley Global. As President of Flextronics’ Integrated Network Solutions, Caroline leads an international team with unrivalled end-to-end supply chain solutions that can take someone’s vision and bring it to life like no one else in the world. Looking at the latest trends, Caroline believes the pace of innovation is moving faster than ever before and that the time between disruptive technologies is down to a half-life. I’m sharing the link to…

  • Future Engineers in Action at “Asteroids Rock!”

    Murad Kurwa
    7 May 2013 | 11:39 am
    Since 2008, Flextronics has been a proud supporter of The Tech Challenge, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation.   The Tech Challenge is an annual engineering design event for students in grades 5 through 12, created to inspire the next generation of Silicon Valley innovators. This project-based learning program teaches the engineering design process by letting students invent and build their own solution to a real-world problem. We believe educational programs like The Tech Challenge that focus on developing engineering, math and science skills are fundamental to fostering…

  • Are You Designing for Manufacturability?

    Erik Volkerink
    23 Apr 2013 | 12:42 pm
    With today’s time to market pressure, it is critical that companies reassess their core organizational competencies in terms of technology, design and engineering and determine whether they meet the criteria of creating a sustainable competitive advantage.  Equally important is the utilization and deployment of the organization’s given engineering resources.  As an organization grows, develops and adjusts to the new market environment, its core competencies and resources also need to adjust and change to give way to innovation. A simple question for an organization to consider is,…

  • 3D Printing Brings Added Manufacturing Value

    Murad Kurwa
    29 Mar 2013 | 9:22 am
    The idea of new product introduction is not new to us. It has always been a part of our manufacturing and end-to-end supply chain solutions and a cornerstone of our value proposition that benefits our customers. Now, with the added technology of the 3D printer, we will speed up our production time, enhancing our overall speed to market process. The recent launch of our newly expanded and improved Silicon Valley Product Innovation Center showcased our 3D printing capabilities. We pride ourselves in applying the Lean manufacturing Kaizen principle, “double the good, halve the bad, and triple…

  • From the Back of the Napkin to the Marketplace

    Catherine Hernandez-Blades
    20 Mar 2013 | 6:59 pm
    From the Back of the Napkin to the Marketplace: Our Product Innovation Center is Where Passion and Technology Meet! I recently sat down with Murad Kurwa, our Vice President of Design & Engineering. We spoke about the unveiling of our newly enhanced Flextronics Product Innovation Center in Silicon Valley and how it’s essentially an ecosystem comprised of multiple elements that make the center a success. Investing $12 million of equipment and capabilities to support major industries in bringing new products to market rapidly, I was most interested to hear how the enhancements to the…
Log in