The Brave New (and Old) World of Manufacturing March 2, 2018 My original intention for this column was to discuss a phrase getting a lot of buzz lately, artificial intelligence (AI). By any measure, interest in AI is expanding exponentially, both in the number of articles one can read on the subject and, according to Google Trends, the number of searches for those articles.
Savvy systems open door to extreme customization March 30, 2018 New systems, software and processes are replacing so-called islands of automation with seamless, automated manufacturing lines that boost overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) from 30 to 80% or more.
Manufacturing Discovers Trump Doesn’t Run a Cafeteria June 12, 2018 US manufacturers are discovering the policies of the Trump administration aren’t like a cafeteria. You don’t get choose which policies you want.
Real Thinking About Artificial Intelligence June 1, 2018 My instincts tell me we need a sense of urgency around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing. The urgency is driven by how quickly technology can move today, and how an unexpected breakthrough can quickly dominate.
The Digital Factory: Where Are We in the Rapid Evolution of Industry 4.0? June 11, 2018 As OEMs and suppliers alike wrestle to convert Big Data to Smart Data, Industry 4.0 and digitalization, plus cloud-based technologies for production monitoring and management, how do manufacturers best work together with end-users to achieve today’s production targets and plan future facilities?
Taming Complexity, Variation in Automotive Engineering with PLE, Digital Twin June 19, 2018 Automotive engineering has never had so much complexity to address. Producing millions of vehicles per year is a daunting feat.
Narrowing the Skills Gap February 15, 2018 Technological gains, young ambassadors, apprenticeships help. But manufacturers’ training investment remains a problem.
Sharpening the Point of Attack of Automation on the Shop Floor June 28, 2018 Flexibility has come to automation, perhaps as never before. And for industries that require precision machining, assembly, and measurement, automation technologies have never been more available.
Smart Manufacturing: Think Big, Start Small April 4, 2018 Smart manufacturing is about making the best decisions in the shortest time possible based on the most accurate real-time data—whether those decisions are made by people, machines or cyber-physical systems.
How Collaborations Expedite Tooling Progress April 27, 2018 Ongoing exchange between CAD/CAM software technology developers and cutting tool manufacturers is an excellent illustration of how technology collaborations can create productivity gains in manufacturing. Several examples involve our company and cutting tool manufacturers.
