All Features
Matthew Greenwood
The next frontier for industrial digitization and automation is the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine vision.
AI-powered machine vision promises to transform the way industrial manufacturers conduct their business, according to experts at a recent webinar hosted by the…
Del Williams
Manufacturers in the food and beverage sector continually seek methods to boost their operational efficiency and are prepared to invest in superior machinery when the expected returns justify the expenditure. However, the potential advantages of upgrading bulk bag filling systems are frequently…
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
Welcome to a sneak peek at the 2024 edition of Engineering Reality, a magazine published by Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division and dedicated to accelerating smart manufacturing. This edition highlights human ingenuity, showcasing how engineering teams from different organizations harness…
James Chan
Reactive maintenance is a form of physical asset management in which maintenance is only performed on equipment or machinery when it malfunctions or fails entirely. Sometimes referred to as run-to-failure maintenance or breakdown maintenance, reactive maintenance strategies provide the most basic…
Gleb Tsipursky
As companies continue to navigate the new normal of remote and hybrid work, it’s crucial that they establish clear expectations and guidelines for their employees. And unlike Disney and Twitter, it’s very important that they don’t change their minds randomly when the leadership changes.
However, a…
Joe Judge
I once had to give an employee constructive feedback about being too impatient, irritable, and unmotivated at work. He shrugged, apparently unwilling to acknowledge the problem.
In response, I asked, “How does this character flaw manifest with your kids at home?” That question got his attention…
Stephanie Ojeda
Formal complaint management is a requirement in regulated industries such as medical device and pharmaceuticals under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other international regulations.
The FDA mandates that medical device companies, for example, designate a formal unit for managing…
Shiela Mie Legaspi
As remote workers, we have more freedom than ever before. This means we must learn how to make personal accountability in virtual teams work for us. We must understand what drives our success, and use that knowledge to drive our own growth. Simple self-accountability techniques can empower you with…
Jennifer King
Route optimization algorithms transform last-mile logistics by improving efficiency, cost-effectiveness, delivery accuracy, sustainability, and customer satisfaction, ultimately reshaping the landscape of modern supply chain management. Route optimization algorithms use advanced computational…
Mike Figliuolo
Managers who establish clear expectations and rules that are communicated to team members find it easier to deal with employees when they violate those rules.
What follows is an excerpt from my book One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 2011).
“…
Melissa Burant, Marc Schneider
As a manufacturer, you understand that supply chain disruptions happen all the time. What you don’t know is when or how they will affect your operation and business. But assessing your supply chain risks and implementing good supply chain management practices can be daunting. This is especially…
Denise Robitaille
ISO 9001 has begun its revision process. In the next few months, all eyes will be riveted on that arena as everyone seeks to anticipate the changes and what they’ll augur for their own quality management systems. The attention is not undeserved.
Equally important but with considerably less…
Scott Ginsberg
The manufacturing sector has always played a crucial role in the economy. But our industry has been grappling with a notable shortage of labor in recent years.
This scarcity of skilled workers is a pressing concern for industry leaders, who recognize the potential consequences for production…
Gleb Tsipursky
Have you seen the headlines about the new study in Nature that “conclusively proves” remote work harms innovation and creativity? That study matches previous anecdotes by leaders like Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Ellevest, when she claimed remote work made her employees more productive but less…
Jamie Fernandes-ETQ
Generative AI took the world by storm in 2023, from the classroom to the film studio, and the writer’s bench to the White House. Enterprises and creative industries worked to figure out how to leverage it in their operations, while classrooms and government entities struggled to govern its use.
In…
Jennifer Chu
An intricate, honeycomb-like structure of struts and beams could withstand a supersonic impact better than a solid slab of the same material. What’s more, the specific structure matters, with some being more resilient to impacts than others.
That’s what MIT engineers find in experiments with…
James Chan
In manufacturing industries, calculating overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) offers deep insights into the performance of production processes and enables data-driven improvements.
Determining OEE is a standard method for assessing the productivity of production lines compared to their…
Mark Rosenthal
Continuing on the theme of value stream mapping (and process mapping in general) from my article “Where is your value stream map?”, I outlined the typical scenario: The map is built by the continuous improvement team, and they are the ones primarily engaged in the conversations about how to close…
NVision Inc.
Air conditioning is hotter than ever—hot as in demand, a must-have, a comfort most of us want, and, with higher-trending temperatures generating heat-related health issues, one that many can no longer live without.
NVision, a leader in 3D noncontact optical scanning and engineering, has worked…
Patrice Parent
Battery trays are structural elements that enclose and safeguard the battery modules and their supporting electrical and thermal management systems. Battery modules must precisely fit into the battery tray, which must fit seamlessly within the vehicle's chassis.
Variations in tray dimensions can…
Erin Vogen
Utility companies play an essential role in our communities, supporting our well-being and quality of life. But providing always-on services that rely heavily on machinery, technology, and other assets can pose a challenge. In the dynamic and demanding world of utilities, mastering the art of asset…
Andy J. Yap
Mergers have become the norm in the telco sector recently: Far EasTone and Asia Pacific Telecom in Taiwan in 2022, True and DTAC in Thailand, as well as Celcom and Digi in Malaysia both in 2023. These represent a global shift toward an era of two or three players in each market, especially in Asia…
Gene Russell
Without a basic grasp of financial concepts at the C-suite (executive) level, small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) may be limited in their ability to compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace. This is why financial literacy is near and dear to my heart.
As a former manufacturer myself…
Michael King
In the ever-evolving life-sciences industry, market share is fiercely contested and companies must continuously optimize their operations to maintain their competitive edge.
Modern technologies and intelligence-driven solutions are revolutionizing how organizations work, empowering them to elevate…
Matthew Barsalou
The FMEA (failure modes and effects analysis) turned 75 years old in 2024. However, a look at the literature may paint a different picture. Both the origin year of FMEAs and the name of the organization that developed FMEAs seem to vary among authors. Much of the literature on FMEAs is inconsistent…
