Identifying 3D Printing Opportunities on Your Factory Floor December 4, 2017 Markforged has played a role in advancing the art and science of additive manufacturing. They have helped companies make great strides in getting the best results out of their 3D printing operations. Now, the company is helping manufacturers that are not involved in 3D printing to identify the opportunities where 3D printing could be used to make stronger products, manufacture them at less cost, and ship those products faster. In this sponsored podcast, Manufacturing Engineering Editor Emeritus Jim Sawyer interviews Applications Engineer Nick Sondej to learn how Markforged makes this happen.
Think you know what’s causing the skills gap in automotive? Think again. September 19, 2017 Sharing findings from a survey of 300 automotive industry manufacturers, Jeannine Kunz, VP of Tooling U-SME, says the introduction of new technology is seen as the main contributor to the skills gap in manufacturing.
The Philosophy and Application of Data-Driven Manufacturing July 10, 2017 In this sponsored podcast, Memex CEO David McPhail details the relationship between OEE and the Industrial Internet of Things. Data, he explains, is what drives this relationship.
A High-Precision Water Jet for the Electronics Industry July 28, 2017 As water jet technology has improved so, too, has the precision of these abrasive cutting machines. Along the way the applications for water jet cutting has expanded as well. At Eastec, Michael Ruppenthal, Omax vice president for North American sales, sat down with Manufacturing Engineering’s James D. Sawyer to detail how the MicroMax, an ultra-precise fully enclosed water jet, has carved out a place for itself in the electronics industry, where it is used to make molds, circuit boards and other components.
Hermle Machine Establishes US Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program July 21, 2017 Hermle Machine Co., a manufacturer of high-end machine tools, annually employs 100 to 120 apprentices in its German operations. The apprentices make up about 13% of that workforce. Manuel Merkt, executive vice president of operations at Hermle’s US operations (Franklin, WI), is working with the German American Chamber of Commerce to establish a similar program in Wisconsin which would provide graduates with the same skills and certifications that the program in Germany offers. Merkt, himself a product of the apprenticeship program, explains to Manufacturing Engineering’s James D. Sawyer how the effort is proceeding.
Globetrotter Bids Adieu to ‘The Age of Dirty Growth’ February 9, 2017 The co-author of “The Smartest Places on Earth: Why Rustbelts Are the Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation” discusses not only all he discovered in writing the book but also what he has learned since it was published. Example of the latter: “The movement from a focus on cheap to a focus on smart is … a real competitive advantage, but it’s not permanent. I discovered that China now very well understands that this is an issue. China is now the biggest buyer of robots in the world.”
GE’s latest open-innovation concept that speeds up product and technology development June 15, 2017 Dyan Finkhousen, director of open innovation & advanced manufacturing at GE Global Operations, discusses Fuse LLC, an 8-month-old service offering of GeniusLink that involves small batch mfg. Key takeaways: The benefits GE businesses, customers and sponsors find by using Fuse to solve tough technology challenges; the types of problems that are a good fit for Fuse; and how to learn about and participate in a product or technology innovation contest sponsored by Fuse. (GeniusLink is GE Global Operations’ crowd-sourcing division.)
Sizing Up the Platform Market for the Internet of Things March 13, 2017 Sandra Rios, Head of Product Management & Marketing, AXOOM GmbH, explores the development of the platform market for the Internet of Things, the company’s vision for the IoT platform market, and its plans in North America.
How to Set Off on the Smart Manufacturing Journey March 15, 2017 At the Aerodef conference in Texas, Conrad Leiva, VP for product strategy and alliance at iBASEt and chair of the smart manufacturing working group at MESA, says companies should first evaluate their business model today to get ready for a smart manufacturing future.
Separating Innovations from Hype, and then Getting on with the Digital Transformation September 19, 2017 Drawing upon his firm’s work with NEC, Schlindler Elevator, Exelon and Pitney Bowes, Sergey Patsko of GE Digital advises manufacturing execs looking for value to focus on compute power and ways to process and analyze data.