The advanced semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) will likely be key for the next generation of high-speed communication systems and the power electronics needed for state-of-the-art data centers. Unfortunately, the high cost of GaN and the specialization required to incorporate this…

Streamlining the transition from scan to CAD involves selecting the right tool set for reverse engineering. However, many software platforms force product designers to switch between multiple tools, disrupting their workflow and increasing the risk of errors. Furthermore, some advanced scan-to-CAD…

As if occupational hazards like “mansplaining” and “he-peating” weren’t bad enough, women in leadership positions often find it hard to get respect. “Women play an unfair game,” says Alison Fragale, a professor at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. “But that doesn’t…

A global food safety and quality certification, BRCGS (British Retail Consortium Global Standards) initially focused on food safety but now comprises various sectors such as packaging, consumer products, and retail. It aims to ensure that businesses maintain high standards of safety and quality…

The world has shifted in remarkable ways, and flexible work is an undeniable force reshaping professional life. But do remote and hybrid arrangements help the environment or lead to unintended consequences? A new study by Mark Ma at the University of Pittsburgh, Betty Xing at Baylor University, and…

As part of its effort to address the changing landscape around artificial intelligence (AI) in medical devices, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently released two new guidance documents on artificial intelligence-enabled device software functions (AI-DSF): • “AI-enabled device…

I heard an interesting twist on an old question the other day. People always ask the classic, “What keeps you up at night?” question. (By the way—don’t ever ask that of your interviewer during a job interview. It comes across as cheesy and stupid.) But while the question itself is a little corny,…

Ready for that long-awaited summer vacation? First, you’ll need to pack all items required for your trip into a suitcase, making sure everything fits securely without crushing anything fragile. Because humans possess strong visual and geometric reasoning skills, this is usually a straightforward…

On April 8, 2025, a driverless Zoox robotaxi misjudged an approaching vehicle, braked too late, and sideswiped it at 43 mph on the Las Vegas Strip. One month later, the Amazon subsidiary issued a software recall on 270 autonomous vehicles and suspended operations while regulators investigated the…

Anyone who has cracked their smartphone screen or had a rapid oil change knows that sometimes the OEM isn’t the most affordable or convenient service option. Consumer flexibility, paired with lower-cost, high-quality options, is logical, whether it’s in the consumer market or in healthcare. The…

Hearing aids, mouth guards, dental implants, and other highly tailored structures are often products of 3D printing. These structures are typically made via vat photopolymerization—a form of 3D printing that uses patterns of light to shape and solidify a resin, one layer at a time. The process…

For as many words as we use, we’re terrible communicators. Voicemails are jumbled streams of consciousness. Emails are “text bombs” with no rhyme or reason. Presentations are nothing but crippling piles of slides. But don’t worry—here are three rules of three to make your communications clearer,…

Remote work has become a game-changer for older individuals with disabilities, offering a solution that not only improves their employment prospects but also brings substantial economic benefits, according to a new study from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Before the…

Amid uncertainty in manufacturing, AI adoption, labor market fluctuations, and salary disparities across industries and geographic regions, quality professional compensation can be difficult to calculate. Without current job-level salary benchmarks, quality professionals, from technicians to…

According to the U.S. News & World Report article “FDA Warns Sanofi of Manufacturing Irregularities at Key Facility” (Jan. 23, 2025), the pharmaceutical company Sanofi received a U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning letter “stating that FDA inspectors found irregularities with the facility…

The cornerstone of efficient industrial and facility management, maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) cover all activities related to equipment maintenance, procurement, upkeep, and inventory management. This includes spare parts, consumables, lubricants, cleaning supplies, safety equipment,…

For many hundreds of years, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” has summarized the predominant approach to process operation. From the physician’s admonition to do no harm, to the slightly more positive aphorism that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, there is a common theme of differentiating…

There’s an old army saying, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” I’m sure some Navy or Marine guy out there will attribute this comment to their branch of service, but to be clear, it came from the Army. Actually, the original of this paraphrased quote is widely attributed to Prussian…

The Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) is a leading-edge resource facility dedicated to driving innovation and advancing manufacturing technologies. Operating from West Virginia facilities in Huntington, South Charleston, and Point Pleasant, the MAMC is at the heart of groundbreaking…

When I talk with maintenance leaders, I hear urgency. Pressure is mounting. They’re being asked to cut costs, attract skilled workers, and embrace AI—and fast. Yes, pressure turns coal into diamonds. But constant pressure can wear down even the best teams. So for our 2025 State of Industrial…

Last year, after many years of physical therapy, cortisone shots, and experimental treatments to prop up my failing knees, I decided to go bionic and get full knee replacements. Holding out hope for more than a decade that emerging cell-therapy technology would offer breakthrough cartilage…

Just like in the Star Trek holodeck, digital twins are virtual replicas of the physical world. They enable industries to predict and optimize processes using live data. In manufacturing, digital twins create a real-time digital profile of production lines, assets, and processes. Manufacturers can…

In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, resilience is the new quality. And one of the most powerful lessons in resilience doesn’t come from a factory—it comes from an art form. In the Japanese tradition of kintsugi, a broken ceramic bowl is not discarded or disguised. It’s repaired—…

Ålö Agricultural Machinery (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ålö, is a leading manufacturer of loaders and implements for agricultural tractors. With production facilities in four countries, and customers in more than 50, Ålö holds approximately 30% of the world market for tractor…

In 2025, sustainability is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative. Manufacturers, responsible for nearly 40% of global material waste, face rising demands to reduce emissions, cut waste, improve product consistency, and enhance efficiency.  Artificial intelligence (AI) is central to this…