Automation in Lean Manufacturing July 1, 2007 Common misperceptions about lean manufacturing and automation systems lead many manufacturing managers to dismiss the use of automation in a lean setting.
Lean at NUMMI September 1, 2005 To remain competitive in the fiercely contested North American automotive industry, the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI, Fremont, CA) assembly plant, a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corp. (Aichi Prefecture, Japan) and General Motors Corp. (Detroit), has rededicated its efforts in lean manufacturing during the past few years by applying key tenets of the Toyota Production System (TPS).
A More Informed Welding Solution December 11, 2020 Welding has been around for millennia, but today’s technology doesn’t often benefit from the information- and feedback-rich technologies that its machining cousin does. Christopher Ripley, Director of Business Development, and Eduardo Almeida, Director of Engineering, Innovation and R&D for BrandTech®, sit down with Chris Mahar, Associate Editor, to talk about the company’s BrandTech® Precision Welding system and how its computer-controlled system differs from traditional stud welding.
Targeting the Skills Gap in Forming and Fabricating July 24, 2020 As in other industries, U.S. forming and fabricating companies are experiencing a critical shortage of skilled labor. In this SME Media podcast, Alan Rooks, Editor in Chief of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Robert Tessier, National Director of Advanced Fabrication Technologies for Airgas about the skills gap in the forming and fabricating industry; changes needed in the education system to fill the need for skilled labor; how automation factors into efforts to reduce the skills gap; and efforts at Airgas to develop workers for manufacturing operations, including a special program for military veterans.
Spotlight on Welding with AWS April 24, 2020 April is National Welding Month and exciting things are happening within the industry. In this podcast, Chris Mahar, Associate Editor of Manufacturing Engineering magazine, talks with Monica Pfarr, Executive Director of the American Welding Society Foundation about what’s happening in the industry and what AWS is doing to celebrate. From the industry as a whole to the current market temperature and the workforce, this podcast is a welding one-stop-shop.
Tackling Downtime and Inefficiencies with Software November 20, 2019 Turning to software over paper reports does more than just save trees. Chris Mahar, Associate Editor of Manufacturing Engineering, talks with David McPhail, President and CEO of Memex Inc., about how manufacturers can utilize technology to improve efficiency, reduce downtime and boost productivity and profits across their business.
No Room for Error December 21, 2022 When energy infrastructure fails, the cost is often unbearable. Are better design tools the means to reduce risk, improve efficiency, and prepare the world for a more sustainable future?
DoE Announces $2.5 Billion Loan for Battery Plants December 12, 2022 The U.S. Department of Energy today announced the closing of a $2.5 billion loan to Ultium Cells LLC to help finance the construction of new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan.
Building on Success, Planning for the Future December 22, 2022 For SME and Manufacturing Engineering (ME), 2022 has proven to be consequential.
Mazak Expands Kentucky Manufacturing Campus December 13, 2022 To support the production of yet another new Kentucky-designed and built line of machine tools, Mazak has expanded its Florence manufacturing campus with the addition of a new SYNCREX assembly plant.