For Manufacturing, It Looks Like Robots Are Benevolent

In some industries, the rise of machines more capable of performing complex tasks is taking the place of human workers. Here’s an article from BetaBoston claiming that in the manufacturing industry things are different…

“It appears the manufacturing industry may be a special case, in which automation and artificial intelligence can actually protect jobs rather than replace them.”

How is this?

The robots are able to accomplish automated tasks that help keep costs down and help American companies win bids against Chinese or other overseas low-cost manufacturing companies. So far, this has worked with the companies who tried it, and none of them have laid off workers, giving these robot manufacturer’s claims more and more validity.

Time will tell…

Read the full article HERE.

5 Tips to Improved Manufacturing Quality

5 Tips to Improved Manufacturing Quality

“There is no better cost to eliminate than the cost of poor quality.”

Here’s a great article from Industry Week that outlines 5 steps to improving manufacturing quality. Some of them are organizational tips; others stress the importance of collaboration and a team mindset and culture. They’re all important points for any manufacturer.

“In order to best eliminate these wastes, a strategic approach to quality improvement is essential.”

Read the full article HERE.

 

The Future of U.S. Plastics Manufacturing

While far from certain, the future of plastics manufacturing in the United States is showing some current trends that are worth watching closely. “Economists and analysts are watching trends in manufacturing closely, as it’s an industry that is in part driving the economic recovery in the United States.”

Here’s a good article that summarizes the most important trends including 3D printing and robotic technologies.

Read the full article HERE.

 

Why You Should Re-shore Your Plastic Injection Molding

The injection molding industry is extremely competitive because of the need to respond quickly to a customer’s requests while keeping production costs low. Unfortunately, both are not always possible, and that’s why many manufacturers have been opting for off-shoring in order to cut production costs. However, the recent trends show manufacturing companies are now looking to re-shore their plastic injection molding manufacturing, and they have very good reasons for doing so. (more…)

12 Practical Tips for Manufacturing Safety

12 Practical Tips for Manufacturing Safety

12 Practical Tips for Manufacturing Safety

Plant Engineering’s blog article, Manufacturing Safety: 12 Practical Strategies, has some great information and reminders that anyone in the manufacturing industry could benefit from taking a few minutes to read.

Planning for safety is crucial to protecting your workers and facilities from accidents and mishaps. Taking steps now to ensure your workers are safe from injury protects yourself from liability.

See the full article of 12 safety tips HERE