Manufacturers stand to reap big benefits by digitizing their operations, not only financially through cost reductions but also operationally, to gain such abilities as being able to fast-track production changes in response to market conditions in real, or near-real, time. Jonathan Van Wyck,... Continue Reading
How the metalwork manufacturing industry can leverage the strength of the R&D credit. The fabricated metal industry in the U.S. is anticipating substantial growth in terms of revenue, employment, and exports in the next four years. The structural steel fabrication market alone is... Continue Reading
Gallup found that only 26% of employees strongly agree that the feedback they receive helps them do better work. 37% of managers don’t give positive feedback. (Zenger/Folkman) Feedback principle #1. People prefer affirmation to criticism. When options are available, you choose to hang... Continue Reading
Start by embracing open standards, open-source software Before harmonizing new technology onto the manufacturing floor, critical steps include determining the business problems to be solved and securing buy-in from all stakeholders, industry leaders said recently during an AeroDef conference... Continue Reading
No matter how siloed roles or departments are, no one works in a bubble. What happens in marketing affects finance, and finance’s forecasts have ramifications for customer service. In such an interdependent world, managers must learn to open up with all stakeholders or risk losing... Continue Reading
“Trust is based on perceptions that are formed by behaviors.” ~ Randy Conley At this week’s ATD 2019 conference in Washington, D.C., you expect to hear a lot about methodologies and theories, about Net Promoter Score and the Kirkpatrick model, and about software and systems.... Continue Reading
What are the three types of data, and which one is most important? Industry 4.0 will change the way goods are manufactured. Concepts such as predictive maintenance, demand forecasting, and digital twins not only reduce downtime and quality excursions, but can also help optimize production... Continue Reading
Don't miss this informative edition of MTI's Heat Treat LIVE from September 17th. MTI's Tom Morrison interviews Dan Herring, the Heat Treat Doctor, on emerging technologies and disruption's impact on the heat treat industry in materials, processes, and equipment. Tom and Dan also unpack the key... Continue Reading
Companies looking to improve workplace safety have a number of methods at their disposal, but to embed a sustainable safety culture, they must overcome the mind-sets that underlie unsafe behaviors. No one would deny that safety in the workplace is critically important. Most large industrial... Continue Reading
A well-run plant requires both. Figure 1 In this plant, all eyes are on the daily output numbers. But what if those numbers fall short? Then what? It’s impossible to improve the outcome without improving the upstream processes. Should you focus on processes or outcomes? You’re... Continue Reading
In the face of rising uncertainty, get ready for the unexpected. To build resilience, accelerate productivity improvement and operational flexibility. Economic and business uncertainty is rising across the world. After more than a decade of strong growth, expansion in many major economies has... Continue Reading
Spend more time on defining what you’re trying to solve, and get better results. A problem well put is half-solved. This statement, attributed to philosopher John Dewey, highlights the value of a good problem statement. Even if you’re not using a structured problem-solving method,... Continue Reading
