The COVID-19 pandemic clearly proved challenging to the manufacturing industry in myriad ways. Now, as nations and industries begin to navigate their way forward as restrictions are lifted, manufacturers have an opportunity to put into practice some lessons learned.
The expert personnel who engineer and manufacture the equipment and technologies for the A&D industry are fewer in number now than prior to the end of the shuttle program. To support the growth of this industry requires more professionals—fast.
Smart manufacturing is transforming A&D manufacturing as more companies adopt automation, artificial intelligence and robotics. Some manufacturers are also focusing on eliminating so-called islands of automation and integrating the technology across entire processes.
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.
LIMS—the Low Investment Manufacturing System—is an unassuming little box consisting of a computer with proprietary Solution Engine software and an I/O hub that plugs into a standard outlet. When wired at the edge of a piece of production equipment, it becomes a simple solution for collecting and sharing complex sensor-derived data.
Feature-based Product Line Engineering refers to the engineering of a portfolio of related products using a shared set of engineering assets, a managed set of features, and an automated means of production.
The three keynote speakers of HOUSTEX, EASTEC, SOUTHTEC and WESTEC—the Manufacturing Technology Series—offer perspectives pertinent to manufacturers in general, but of particular use to small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Around the U.S., the major manufacturing regions are taking stock of the fallout from the pandemic and how they can navigate out of the lockdowns in 2020 to thrive once again.
Among the expected new product offerings a company such as Trumpf would offer at FABTECH, it chose to show all of its offerings via large video screens and real-time links. It shows the reality of not only Industry 4.0 but Marketing 4.0 as well.
FANUC America and the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council have aligned to co-market the stackability of their industry-recognized certifications, representing a major step toward helping the U.S. overcome its shortage of skilled workers.