What is hardness in metals? Hardness is the property of a material that allows it to resist permanent distortion, penetration, indentation, and scratching. Therefore, hardness is important from an engineering point of view because resistance to wear by either friction or erosion from steam, oil,... Continue Reading
We often think of the holiday season as a festive, fun-loving time. There are decorations, parties, cookies, gift exchanges, and sometimes year-end bonuses! Everyone should be having a great time. However, that’s not always the case. The end of the year can cause greater stress, anxiety,... Continue Reading
Over the past couple of years, the Metal Treating Institute (MTI) has been updating its technical content to meet the growing needs of members. MTI is excited to announce it has completed the updates to all certificate programs, with new video content and in-plant demonstrations in many of the... Continue Reading
Oilfield services firm Halliburton on Monday warned the world is headed for a period of energy scarcity following years of underinvestment in bringing more fossil fuels to market. “For the first time in a long time, we will see a buyer looking for a barrel of oil, as opposed to a barrel of... Continue Reading
“Why don’t they do it the way we tell them?” The CEO was frustrated. He was quite sure that his directions had been clear, but his team members had not come through. He was beginning to think that they were lazy or didn’t care. He was especially worried because in the... Continue Reading
The concept of the digital twin, in which an organization creates a virtual representation of its business operation, has been around in various forms for decades, but has undergone a tremendous shift in recent years. Previously, digital twins were created using spreadsheets to input data and see... Continue Reading
Initial unemployment claims totaled 199,000 for the week ending Nov. 20, the lowest level since the week of Nov. 15, 1969. Meanwhile, the 2,049,000 continuing claims for the week ending Nov. 13 marked a post-pandemic low. In addition, total unemployment insurance payments dropped to $45.2... Continue Reading
What do employees want from leaders today? Don’t guess. Ask, listen, and adapt to boost workplace respect. The Great Resignation seems to be gaining strength. A record 4.4 million US workers voluntarily quit their jobs in September 2021. Nearly 24 million US workers have quit since... Continue Reading
As consultants, a lot of our time is wrapped up around the issues that are common pain points and areas of concern for our clients – labor, supply chain, and government spending. Our presenters discuss these items with our clients directly and from the stage as we talk to groups across the... Continue Reading
When leaders of a chemical company in Northeast Ohio started exploring the “rent-a-robot” model that’s gaining momentum in manufacturing, their biggest hang-up had nothing to do with associated costs or integration, the lack of engineering talent or the pilot process. Their... Continue Reading
Winter 2021-2022 Electricity and Natural Gas Forecast Market volatility is seemingly settling in for the long haul as volatile Henry Hub natural gas prices – and as a result electricity prices – continue to rise. While no one can predict where prices will go as we head into winter,... Continue Reading
Turnover is inevitable. Every company in every industry will have to deal with turnover, and turnover isn’t necessarily a negative for the company. But too much turnover among top performers is always a negative. The goal for leaders is to attract and retain top performers—at least... Continue Reading
