News
How Companies are Transitioning Manufacturing Plants for PPE
Published on: April 3, 2020With the spread of Covid-19 at its peak in the United States and other part of the world, there is a need for ample production of Personal Protective Equipment. To meet up with the demands for PPE, companies are shifting the gaze of their manufacturing plants towards it production.
Is Your Business Essential? Why Manufacturing Is An Essential Business During US Stay In Place Orders
Published on: March 27, 2020Across the United States and globally, authorities are clamping down on people’s movement as a modus operandi to control the spread of Covid-19. Whether it’s a stay-at-home order, or a shelter in place, the directives differs from cities to cities across the US. This basically means that everyone must stay at home except for essential businesses. This further raises the question of what is considered an essential business especially during this crucial time.
US On Lockdown: How Employers Should Handle Safety at The Workplace
Published on: March 16, 2020More than the modern world has ever experienced, a pandemic has successfully lead to the shutdown of not just the economy but also the mobility. Currently, the rage of Corona Virus has forced numerous countries to declare total lock down. It all started with China but the events in Italy has shown that more has to be done to contain the disease before it wipes off half of human race.
Stock Market Crash and It Influence on Manufacturing Sector
Published on: March 11, 2020What is being referred to as Black Monday in the financial circle did not just happen out of the blue. It’s one of the consequences of the viral spread of COVID-19, which has affected not less than 100 countries with new countries joining the fray.
Opinions on Centralizing Purchasing
Published on: March 6, 2020Switching to centralized purchasing is one of the go-to solutions for companies. This denotes that one region will be in control over all or many most of the purchasing decisions of the firm. The issue with decentralized purchasing is that every region possesses its own process of purchasing. This results in there being more contracts to oversee, prices to negotiate, and more issuance of RFQs/RFP.
Gaining a Supply Chain Competitive Advantage
Published on: February 28, 2020Most times when people ask us for the key to outgrowing their competition, we give a one word answer: Management. While some people grumble about the vagueness of the answer, others just nod and move on. The fact remains that every aspect of business requires good management.
Coronavirus And Its Influence On The Manufacturing Sector
Published on: February 21, 2020Covid-19, as it is now called, has caused more harm to the Chinese manufacturing industry since the wake of the SARS virus. After 3 weeks, a complete shutdown of the country’s manufacturing sector which had thousands of factory workers quarantined. This situation has slowed down the world’s economy as China is one of the world’s economic powerhouse. Currently, the virus has claimed closed to 1900 lives and had over 60,000 quarantined.
How to Avoid Consulting Disasters
Published on: February 14, 2020Businesses have several reasons for hiring consultants to bring solutions to a problem in their business. Either the company needs a plane opinion, or if the company doesn't possess ways of addressing internal issues, consultants provide a method of solving an issue without costing too much. Nevertheless, how can you detect the right consulting firm? What are you to check out for when you search for advice from an expert? Though the right person or firm depends on the goal of your project, if you mistakenly hire a wrong consultant, you are highly prone to having consultant disasters. To avoid consultant disasters, below are some things that can assist you to know the consultant firm that is right for you.
Shipping Industry Behind on Real-time Location Data
Published on: February 7, 2020According to research by the Industry Trade Group, there is a yearly average of 1,390 ships that have been lost at sea in the last three years. In 2018 alone, about 46 ships stretched out as far as 1300 feet were lost at sea. Insurer Allianz described this number as being about 55% lower than the 10 year average. Taking these statistics into consideration, one would only naturally want to know "who is paying the big price?", "what is really the reason for this huge deficit in the shipping industry?". Given that about 90% of shipping today is sent by the ocean, this is a huge price to pay.
USMCA Trade Milestone in Manufacturing
Published on: January 31, 2020The President of the United States, Donald Trump, just signed the USMCA into law, which is just 2 weeks after the Senate has approved it, and a month after passing in the House of Reps. This agreement is a trilateral one, which requires the signatures of all 3 countries to be in effect.
To Make vs. Buy in Manufacturing
Published on: January 24, 2020Everyday, manufacturers are faced with different choices, but the most common of them is choosing between producing an item in-house or buying it. The main driver for this choice is always cost and general profitability. With every choice between these two entities, there's always some factors to consider. This is why at the strategic and operational level, manufacturers run a make-or-buy analysis to determine their internal cost.
Getting The Best Out of Supplier Collaboration
Published on: January 17, 2020Ever wondered why collaboration is taking over the business world? Well, we know a lot about collaboration inside a business but not a lot of people really pay mind to supplier collaboration. According to Industry Week, close and ongoing supplier collaboration can lead to an overall increase in product value and improved innovation. How is this so? We'll talk more on that later. They also pitched an excellent business-supplier collaboration as being beyond technology. This is because quality check and supplier capabilities cannot be 100% assessed through a computer or a technical interface. There is a need to show up for on-site assessments to totally understand.
How Lack Of Language Skills Costs The Manufacturer’s Business
Published on: January 10, 2020The lack of language skills has been detrimental to business. About 22 percent of manufacturing companies have not been able to make a large number of sales due to this language barrier, especially in sales to other foreign nations. Although manufacturing companies have been dealing with international trade, it has not given thoughts to developing the language skills of its employees.
How To Recession-Proof your Operation
Published on: January 3, 2020In times when a country's economy is doing good, companies focus on growth and expansion. But during a recession, most industries do not have a clue of how to sustain themselves talk more about growing the company. Recession is a difficult period for any nation. However, few companies have been able to strive and become better. Some started manufacturing and producing new products in the recessive time. Here are some of the decisions and actions that were taken by these companies made. You can apply them too.
US Factory Output Rebound in the 4th Quarter
Published on: December 27, 2019The end of the General Motors Co. strike leads to the stabilization of the manufacturing industry. This increase in the output of the manufacturing industry in beyond the surge of the auto section of the manufacturing industry. With a 1.1% gain, this is the highest lead since 2018, despite the 0.7% decrease that was experienced in October.
OSHA Expectations in 2020
Published on: December 20, 2019As regards 2020, OSHA has not been forthcoming with information. Their website has been left redundant for a while. However, inkling can be drawn from the 2020 congressional budget justification for the OSHA. Drawing an inference from the congressional justification, OSHA will have four foci; reduction of regulatory cost, compliance document publications, enforcement, and whistleblower programs.
How Good Leaders Influence the Workplace
Published on: December 13, 2019True leadership is being able to establish and communicate a clear vision for the organization. As a leader, by demonstrating ideal values in the workplace, leaders are able to influence honesty, ethics, tolerance, and respect on the subordinates.
Where 2020 Presidential Candidates Stand on Manufacturing
Published on: December 6, 2019The current state of the manufacturing industry cannot be overlooked but should be seen as being of paramount importance. With over 937 candidates in total vying for Presidency, can you take a quick guess on how many are standing on an intended manufacturing policy?
Daycare as a Solution for SME Workforce Issues
Published on: November 29, 2019Small- and medium-sized (SMEs) manufacturers are often looking for step-function type change to increase their competitiveness. After reviewing several issues SMEs are experiences that are limiting productivity, offering daycare options for staff members has shown to be a significant step in improving retention rates, and reducing lead times.
Calculating the Ideal Manufacturing Cycle Time
Published on: November 22, 2019Ascertaining the ideal manufacturing time is to have an understanding of the period it takes to convert raw materials into finished goods. You may also come across this as throughput time. The ideal manufacturing cycle time considers the move time, process time, queue time and the inspection time.
China Wanting To Drop Tariffs On $360b Of Imports For A Trade Deal
Published on: November 15, 2019In what will be the beginning of the signing of a partial trade deal involving China and the United States, the Chinese government is seeking for a tariff roll back in the region of $360 Billion of Chinese imports. This is the basis upon which President Xi Jinping with meet his United State colleague for the signing of the trade agreement.
Attracting Millennials to Manufacturing
Published on: November 8, 2019These days it’s clear that manufacturing is not an industry often sought after by the millennial generation. But why is that and what can employers do to encourage this younger generation to take a step in the industry’s direction? It has been found that while 71% of those over the age of 55 find manufacturing to be very important, between the ages of 18 to 34 only 45% of people felt the same way.
China Steel Overcapacity and its Influence on Manufacturing
Published on: October 25, 2019China has the highest steel making capacity in the world. It is estimated at 10 times that of the United States. They recently shut down over 50 million tons to reduce pollution but are still the predominant entity that fuels the steel industry.
Automating Data Entry in Manufacturing
Published on: October 18, 2019Keeping your business competitive in today’s fast paced markets requires efficient and streamlined processes. If your business relies on data which is not available in an easy-to-access format, manual data entry can quickly become a bottleneck and harm your business. Data entry automation software can help your business eliminate such bottlenecks and automate entire workflows.
Secure Data Exchange Within Your Manufacturing Company
Published on: October 11, 2019In the manufacturing world today, cross-company collaboration has become a critical challenge. Efficiently sharing data on a large scale faces all sorts of issues including compliance, regulations, file size as well as security against cyber-attacks and internet spies. Data protection has become a key issue for manufacturers because the sensitive information shared between external companies as well as other individuals must be safeguarded at all times.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Exhibiting at Trade Shows
Published on: October 4, 2019Trade shows, are they worth it? The answer is dependent on what you intend to achieve from exhibiting at trade shows. Without a goal in mind, it will be difficult to measure what you can get out of exhibiting at trade shows. Trade shows have always been a very popular way to market your company, but exhibiting at a trade show is an investment for any company.
Protecting Your Manufacturing Company’s Critical Data
Published on: September 27, 2019Cyber criminals used to target mainly companies with huge financial data but now attention is being shifted to manufacturing companies. More recently, the manufacturing industry has come under the devilish radar of cyber criminals and hackers. The reason isn’t far-fetched, manufacturers holds valuable intellectual properties that have financial value to cyber-criminals.
Identifying Failures in your ERP System
Published on: September 20, 2019ERP failures does not happen overnight, it’s a gradual and gathering of smaller decisions and actions. An ERP system will be said to have failed if it fails in driving up efficiency and effectiveness of the business. Failings of an ERP is dependent on what you expect out of the system. ERP systems don’t just fail, it must have given warning signs over time.
Handling an Aging Manufacturing Workforce
Published on: September 13, 2019Research shows that the manufacturing sector is at the frontier of the aging workforce trend. Manufacturing firms have reported that about 27% of their workers are aged 55 and above. Not so many engineering and manufacturing firms are aware of this trend. As such, many are unprepared for its future impacts. Is an aging workforce an industry a threat or a blessing? It could be a threat if ignored and a blessing if well managed.
Comparing Blending Options
Published on: September 6, 2019At the core of every raw material transformation process lies blending. Getting the right blender is one of the best investments a manufacturer can make. There are different types of industrial blenders. The ability of a blender to mix items together is not enough reason to select it. This is because each blender is unique in its properties and functions. Let's take a closer look at some of the dry blending options available.
Reducing Operating Costs While Meeting Product Demand
Published on: August 30, 2019Manufacturing costs are consistently trending upward recently. Alongside increasing product complexity, production costs are growing as higher quality equipment and specialized employee skills become crucial in maintaining customer satisfaction.
Food Manufacturing Experiencing Increase Versatility Due To Mixing And Blending Equipment
Published on: August 23, 2019Mixing and blending are at the center stage of transforming raw ingredients into food for human consumption in the food manufacturing industry. Mixing and blending are terms with specific meaning in the food industry. Most food manufacturers use the term mixing to describe the process of combining wet and dry materials.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Equipment
Published on: August 16, 2019Purchasing machines can be quite a difficult task for entrepreneurs. The market is full of machine retailers selling similar products. Machines are capital investments and have a great influence on workflow in any enterprise.
Closing the Customer Experience Gap with B2B Suppliers
Published on: August 9, 2019There’s a cliché “if you give customers reasons to leave they will, and if you don’t, they’ll find a better experience somewhere else.” Customer expectations are getting higher by the day, creating a wider gap. This means manufacturing companies must work harder, and suppliers must leave no room for complacency.
Investment in the Food and Beverage Industry
Published on: July 26, 2019Individuals and groups who seek opportunities to invest their millions of dollars are increasingly turning their attention towards the food and beverage industry. Not only because no one can do without food and beverage, but because the future projections of the returns on their capital is mouth-watering. According to reports, a 34% increase in funding was recorded against the previous 1.08 billion dollars in 2017, with the new figure now a little shy of 1.5 billion dollars.
USMCA Passage and the Future of Manufacturing in the United States
Published on: July 19, 2019In November 2018, there was a modification of the 25-year-old North America Free Trade Agreement which resulted in the North American Free Trade Agreement. The trade agreement was applauded by manufacturers in the US however, despite high expectations among manufacturers in the US, it has yet to be ratified by congress.
Immigration Policy and Its Effects on Manufacturing
Published on: July 12, 2019The United States is made with the toiling of immigrants. Right from the civil war, numerous immigrants joined the United States army in prosecuting the war just for the purpose of La’Unita America. America is indeed a nation built with the help of immigrants. Generations of immigrants have helped the American journey is every area, including manufacturing. The impact and contribution of immigrants to the industrial transformation of the United States cannot be overlooked.
Staying Updated on Regulations on Emerging Contaminants
Published on: July 5, 2019Whether you refer to them as emerging contaminants or contaminants of emerging concern, it is already established that they are capable of causing ecological and/or damage to the human health. Interestingly, these contaminants are present almost everywhere; personal care products, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, surfactants, and industrial chemicals. These contaminants can be present in drinking water, food sources, groundwater, waste water, surface water and more. They can either be in form of chemicals and/or microorganisms. The issue lies in the absence of a known data on the environmental and human toxicology of these emerging contaminants.
Wet Ball Milling Vs Dry Ball Milling
Published on: June 27, 2019Everything we make use of in our day to day activities passes through a milling process. Cement used in building, the cereals we eat, toiletries, paints used in making our house presentable, and the tiles that beautifies the house we live in, all went through a milling process.
VR and AR Use in Engineering Manufacturing
Published on: June 21, 2019In recent time, VR and AR have become far-reaching technologies in engineering industry. They are gaining substantial attention in engineering manufacturing because their wide range of practical applications and enormous potential benefits. As part of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), VR and AR now make it possible for engineers to undertake a virtual visualization of the manufacturing process.
Growth of Ice Cream Processing Equipment
Published on: June 14, 2019Recent studies have revealed that ice cream processing equipment will experience substantial demand in the coming years. This is as a result of the growing demand for ice cream globally, due to an increase in the per capital consumption of ice cream.
Oiling Coatings To Prevent Bacteria In Process Equipment
Published on: June 7, 2019Applying a thin layer of cooking oil in the stainless-steel food processing implements has been found to deter bacterial growth. This discovery is of utmost importance to the confectionery industry. It was discovered by Professor Ben Hatton of the University of Toronto’s Department of Materials Science & Engineering and his research team. This simple solution led to a 1000x reduction in the bacterial levels inside the process equipment used in the test.
Logistics Efficiency in Industrial Manufacturing
Published on: May 31, 2019There is always a need to have a laid down plan and procedure for every system in an organization to operate. Directors and managers come together and determine how the physical materials and the information system of the organization will be done in order to enhance productivity and achieve the organization’s goal.
Industry 4.0 and How It Impacts Engineering
Published on: May 24, 2019If you’ve had the chance to read an op-ed manufacturing or you’ve been to a trade show, then chances are that you’ve seen the term ‘Industry 4.0’. Depending on the person you ask, the words ‘Fourth industrial revolution’ may very well be a bunch of empty buzzwords. However, that’s not the case. To be more specific, these words actually have a major impact on various sectors including the engineering industry.
How Higher Tariffs Affect Industrial Manufacturing
Published on: May 17, 2019The current tariffs being implemented across oceans will no doubt have economists on their toes. On one hand, many believe these tariffs will contribute to bringing manufacturing jobs back from overseas. Others feel that more harm than good will come of the implementation. Regardless of what side you’re on, there is no doubt we will see impacts on the quality of products, use of technology, and types of materials used.
Managing Allergen Risks in Bulk Food Processing
Published on: May 10, 2019In our world today, it is difficult to overlook the high level of food allergy occurrence. Even though most of the consumers may not quickly react when they come in contact with contaminated food products, the remaining few who are highly sensitive might have severe medical complications which could eventually result in the death of those individuals. This high level of food allergy occurrence has made the government enforce some regulations on manufacturers.
Ball Mill Grinding Media Options
Published on: April 26, 2019Ball mills are not only used for grinding, they can also be used for cold welding. One advantage of ball mill is that it is suitable for grinding materials of all degree and hardness because of its many options of grinding media.
Flow in Bins, Feeders and Hoppers
Published on: April 19, 2019More often than not, bulk solids are handled without the proper knowledge of the bulk solid equipment. As a result, flow problems end up slowing down the production process. Not to mention the fact that it increases the cost of the entire project.
How Manufacturing Stays Innovative Thanks to Intellectual Property
Published on: April 12, 2019Innovation simply means to do something new that in turn enhances a product, a process or service. Therefore, innovation is the most essential tool for an engineer. The Invention is said to be the bedrock of innovation. It can be defined as a new solution to a technical problem. Intellectual property means the unique creation of human intellect that comes from human creativity and inventiveness.
ASME Certifications and Its Importance in Equipment Development
Published on: April 5, 2019ASME is an organization that has been improving the standards of industrial safety for over 130 years and certifying recognized companies that meet the highest industry standards. Throughout the industrial community, ASME is considered to be the standard that must be met when manufacturing high-quality industrial products.
New Product Development in Industrial Manufacturing
Published on: March 15, 2019No business practice is more difficult to approach than the process of manufacturing and developing of new products. Regardless of industry, this practice remains a challenge for businesses across the spectrum. Today, most managers are viewing new products as the best chance to stay ahead of the competition. Not only will new products give you a competitive edge, but they can also set new standards within the industry. Product advancement opens you to engagement with new industries and further increases company standards.
Double Arm Mixers or Malaxeurs: What’s the Difference?
Published on: February 11, 2019Double Arm Mixers or Malaxeurs are designed specifically for mixing, homogenizing and, kneading profoundly thick products. Two shaped blades sitting parallel at the base of the blending trough, give intensive blending. The sharp blades rotate at various speeds in inverse ways making the products to transfer from one blade to another and from start to finish, bringing about the pattern of figure eight.
Total Productive Maintenance Programs in Industrial Manufacturing
Published on: January 25, 2019Total Productive Maintenance is a support program for performing proactive maintenance with the goal of increasing equipment availability and avoiding breakdowns. TPM programs enable manufacturing units to search for evolutionary changes occurred in the business environment and is an advancing procedure which is followed by most organizations.
Brexit’s Influence on Industrial Manufacturing
Published on: January 18, 2019Since the UK triggered Article 50 formally, it officially fired a gun on a two year time period on the government for negotiating the terms and conditions on the UK’s exit from EU. This leads to an era of prolonged and heightened uncertainty in the industry. The one thing that markets dislike, is uncertainty.
Creating Manufacturing Service Leaders in Your Business
Published on: January 4, 2019The Service Council (TSC), one of the few influential voices within the service industry, has completed a survey revealing one of the mutual concerns of industrial manufacturing service leaders. They all are thinking about ways to improve their customer experience. They are searching for the answers to improve management of data-driven operations as well as knowledge. Talent requirement and skill gap were the major aspects that emerged from this study.
Planning for the “Green” Demand
Published on: December 21, 2018Sustainability programs have grown substantially for several reasons. While meeting government regulations is often the first reason, businesses are seeing increasing pressure from their stakeholders, especially those of publicly traded companies. Today, building a brand that is both environmentally and socially responsible is crucial in ensuring strong business performance amongst a changing consumer environment. For many companies, being “green” is still simply consider something nice to have as oppose to a necessary business change. Others have jumped in head first, increasing investments in alternative materials and processes to better conform to sustainability goals.
Keeping Your Food Plant Construction Project on Track
Published on: December 7, 2018Due to technology and growing consumer demands, food and beverage companies are forced to compete at a higher level than ever before. Not only do customers expect quality products but turn out time has become increasingly important in a market seeking instant satisfaction. The faster construction can be completed, the sooner it can start producing a return on investment. So how do you ensure your next project stays on track? Let’s take a look at several ways to best set your projects up for success.
Manufacturing Engineering Majors are on the Rise
Published on: November 23, 2018Over the past 10 years, the number of individuals earning degrees in engineering has consistently risen. This trend is expected to continue moving forward. One specific discipline of engineering, manufacturing engineering, is becoming more and more appealing as time goes on.
FDA Removes Seven Synthetic Flavoring Substances from Food Additives List
Published on: November 9, 2018As of October 5th, The Food and Drug Administration has amended its food additive regulations to no longer allow for the use of seven synthetic flavoring substances and flavor enhancers.
Principles of Grinding in Ball Mills
Published on: October 26, 2018Action inside a Ball Mill drum is not a haphazard process. Stirring is not random nor is the throwing of the charge. There is a very specific operating speed for the most efficient grinding. Depending upon the Mill’s speed, there is a point in which the load along the wall of the cylinder will break free and the grinding media will begin to cascade through several layers of the material. This breaking point is affected by several factors: speed of mill, amount of material, amount of grinding media, and viscosity in the case of wet grinding.
Glass Packaging Is a Clear Choice
Published on: October 19, 2018The U.S. Food & Drug Administration generally recognizes only one type of packaging material as safe; glass. Academic research also supports this fact as a growing body of information continues to show the harmful effects that can potentially occur due to bisphenol A (BPA) and other chemicals used in some plastics production. Glass is the only packaging material that requires neither a plastic nor chemical liner that may affect food and beverage taste. Where other food and beverage packaging options may affect both taste and consumer health, glass is made from 100% natural raw materials. The use of limestone, soda ash, silica sand, and recycled glass creates a final product that doesn’t migrate into food or beverages.
Industrial Benefits to Additive Manufacturing
Published on: October 12, 2018Additive manufacturing is a relatively new process that is now taken advantage of in several industries including everything from ceramics to medical applications. For those unfamiliar with the term, additive manufacturing (AM) is defined as the process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies. Common terminology also refers to this process as 3D printing. Products manufactured additively can be utilized throughout the life of the product. Some manufactures utilize this process for pre-production, in the case of small-scale prototypes. Others can utilize AM in full-scale production and post-production customization.
Challenges Facing Manufacturing Policy in the US
Published on: October 5, 2018The manufacturing industry is an enormous foundation to the U.S. economy. With applications ranging from automotive to food production, manufacturing has a limitless potential. Despite the level of importance in our economy, there are still concerns about U.S. public policies that influence the success of this sector. Recent studies have even demonstrated that there is no other sector that creates as much economic value in addition to new jobs.
Using Industry-Specific Software to Ensure Quality Standards
Published on: September 21, 2018Have you ever tried to touch up the paint in your living room only to realize that the color doesn’t quite match? Often, you’ll be given the tip to keep extra from when you originally painted and to make sure that they are from the same lot number. A common issue people encounter is color differentiation despite having purchased an identical color. Most consumers will assume that all products regardless of time frame should have the same properties, so why do these issues occur?
CAD and Its Influence of Product Design of Process Equipment
Published on: September 7, 2018Computer Aided Design, more commonly known as CAD, is the use of software to create or modify parts or a compilation of parts. Beginning with AutoCAD back in 1982, CAD software has assisted engineers throughout the design process. Now, there are even further innovations demonstrated in commonly used software such as Autodesk Inventor and SolidWorks.
Key Concepts of Food Plant Design
Published on: August 24, 2018Food plant designs have made massive strides in recent years and the needs of the industry are constantly evolving. As more information is brought to light, companies are making strides forward as far as sanitation, energy efficiency, and especially creating healthy food.
