Augmented Reality & The Production Floor

Technology allowing manufacturers to work virtually in an industrial environment can support product launches and reduce decision-making time.  A new Google product, Glass, is close to release and merges the physical world with the digital world.  Click here for more.

Internet on the Manufacturing Floor

Read how manufacturing facilities are utilizing an industrial internet: sensors are spread across the plant floor and connected to a high speed internal Ethernet that provides a wide range of data.  Click here to read more from MIT Technology Review.

The 10 Principles of Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, can make a remarkable improvement in cost, time and complexity challenges over traditional manufacturing processes like milling, molding, cutting, drilling, etc.  3-D printing is achieved by using an additive process, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes.  Click here for more.

Getting the Most Out of Waste Elimination

"Lean" is often defined as "do more with less" but this author's perspective is to focus on the "do more" piece of the definition, i.e. add more muscle not just trim the fat.  Click here for more.

The Smart Factory

Integrating product lifecycle management, manufacturing execution systems, and industrial automation is the key to the future of manufacturing.  By bringing these three critical manufacturing technologies together into one system, companies can realize top line growth.  Read entire article.

Robots in Manufacturing - Job Creator?

The United States seems to be alone in its anxiety that further automation in manufacturing will cost jobs; Japan and Europe do not have the same fear.  As a matter of fact, evidence suggests that it will boost jobs because it will allow the U.S. to "compete against increasingly advanced global competitors."  Click here for The New York Time article.

U.S. Manufacturing: Skills & Wages

The New York Times recently published an article about the future of manufacturing in the U.S. and the much lamented skills gap.  The author looked at the issue from several angles: from low wages, to the educational system, to the advanced skills required for today's manufacturing environment.  Click here for more.