News

Predictive Analytics Offer Manufacturers New Opportunities to Reduce Maintenance Costs and Downtime

Machine failure can be a tremendously costly problem in the manufacturing industry. Fortunately, new technologies, sensors, and big data machine learning can now offer insight that may help better predict failures and reduce downtime. According to data from the Bureau of Analysis, the average age... Continue Reading

ISM Index Finds US Manufacturing Expanding at Fastest Rate Since 2004

Bloomberg News (2/1, Chandra) writes that the January report from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), released on Thursday, found that “US factories expanded more than forecast in January and near the fastest pace in more than 13 years, indicating manufacturing was still powering... Continue Reading

6 Attributes to Look for When You Hire Your Next Maintenance Planner

HIRING THE RIGHT PERSON CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN EFFICIENT PLANNING AND SCHEDULING PROCESS AND ONE THAT WASTES TIME AND MONEY. Why do maintenance departments need to “invest wisely” when hiring for a maintenance planner position? Consider this: A skilled maintenance... Continue Reading

What to Consider When Adopting Predictive Analytics for Your Plant

Despite productivity gains made during recent decades, the financial pressure remains for manufacturers. Increasing global competition, greater consumer choice, unpredictable resource pricing, and tighter margins have them searching for strategies to become more productive and efficient. The good... Continue Reading

Solving Plant Problems with Industrial-Strength Blockchain

Sheila Kennedy examines how remote and predictive maintenance gets a boost via “smart contract” technology. The increasingly digitalized industrial space is a prime candidate for deployment of blockchain technology. Operations and maintenance organizations depend on efficient and... Continue Reading

How ERP Can Guide Industry 4.0

Machine-learning algorithms used by remotely connected computers. Autonomous robots with vast libraries of data at their metallic fingertips. “Smart factories” where sensors detect and repair problems before managers are even aware. These are not science-fiction tropes; they’re... Continue Reading

Operational Costs Mean EVERYTHING…Do You Know How You Compare?

In today’s fast-paced and highly-competitive economy, it is not good enough to compare your company simply against last year’s metrics. It may look great that your energy costs are down 5%, but what if your competition is down 10%? It may look great that your labor costs are down 4%,... Continue Reading

How ERP Software Can Revolutionize Your Manufacturing Process

Enterprise resource planning can help organize inventory, prepare for customer demand, and improve productivity. From better inventory management and productivity, to improving quality and lead times, companies with manufacturing operations are constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency.... Continue Reading

How to Create a High-Performance Team, According to Over 1,000 Top Executives

Effective leaders establish and regulate the sense of urgency in their companies. Peak-performance cultures maintain a sense of urgency. Urgency is a feeling people experience. Urgency is when your people believe not only that something specific needs to be accomplished, but also that that... Continue Reading

Your Personal Lean Journey

Your organization may not be started on its Lean journey, but that doesn't mean you can't be. Here are six key steps you can take: When signing copies of my book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean, I would often write "Lean is both an organizational journey and a personal one; Lean begins with you!"... Continue Reading

Spring Meeting Letter From Pete Hushek

Dear MTI Members, The most powerful resource we have as members, is our connection to one another. We are truly stronger together than separate. Social media has helped bring us together on a real-time basis, but there is nothing more powerful than the perspective you gain during MTI’s... Continue Reading

NAM Economic Report

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that manufacturers added 25,000 workers in December, extending the strong hiring gains in the sector seen throughout much of 2017. Manufacturing employment rose by 16,333 per month on average in 2017—quite a turnaround from the loss of 16,000 workers... Continue Reading