Bridging the Gap Between Research and Industry June 11, 2019 It is a great honor to serve our manufacturing community as the president of SME’s North American Manufacturing Research Institution in 2019-20. I will start this position after SME’s 47th North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC 47) takes place June 10-14 in Erie, Pa.
Talent Issues Impede Tech June 17, 2019 In a recent study, over 80 percent of survey respondents listed workforce issues as one of their top three challenges to adopting new technology at their plants. New technologies are coming not only to cars, utility vehicles and trucks but also to the manufacturing plants that produce parts, components and vehicles.
VR Experiences Create Real-World Machine Skills May 15, 2019 Virtual reality (VR) technology transforms a headset and software into immersive, interactive experiences, letting the user join in the view. For machine tool manufacturers, VR offers two important opportunities.
Human Innovation and Advanced Automation: The Balancing Act of Modern Manufacturing May 16, 2019 The automation debate is a captivating one, but for some it conjures up images of a world where their roles become obsolete, superseded by the ruthless efficiency and unwavering energy of machines.
Rise of Makers Will Bring a Waterjet to Every Garage May 13, 2019 Who are the makers? Since the founding of Make: magazine in 2005 and the first Maker Faire in San Francisco in 2006, the loosely knit group of inventors, entrepreneurs, tinkerers, and crafters has grown massively.
Innovation Changes the Game for Apprenticeships March 11, 2019 A question I ask an employer when I’m being toured around a manufacturing company is, “What makes this department thrive?” It’s a hopeful, positive question that initially lights the eyes.
SkillsUSA: Real-World Experiences Build a Better Workforce March 11, 2019 SkillsUSA wields a large shovel, but we have a big hole to fill. That hole is in the American economy and it is called the skills gap—the widening gap between the jobs available and the skilled workers ready to fill them.
130 Women To Be Recognized in Annual Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Awards, Chair Announced March 4, 2019 The Manufacturing Institute will be recognizing 130 women as part of its Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards at a reception in Washington, D.C., on April 11 during a program highlighting each Honoree’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.
New Coalition Aims to Close the Skilled Trades Gap February 20, 2019 One of the hardest segments of the workforce for employers to find skilled talent has been the skilled trades—the welders, electricians, machine tool operators, pipefitters, and other tradespeople who are essential in manufacturing and construction.
Can Wearable Robotics Shrink the Worker Shortage? February 5, 2019 With a shortage of young workers willing and able to do today’s factory jobs, manufacturers are taking steps to retain the older workforce already punching in.
