September, 2023

article thumbnail

Recommendations for Managing Cybersecurity Threats in the Manufacturing Sector

Foley

In the hyper-connected era of smart manufacturing, accelerated by “Industry 4.0,” the manufacturing sector is undergoing a digital revolution. By leveraging technologies such as advanced automation, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and the like, manufacturers continue to optimize production, increase efficiency, and drive innovation.

article thumbnail

How to Use Conversational AI to Improve Your Customer Service

Robotics Automation News

In 2023, customer service has become a focal point in the business world, with exceptional customer experiences being more crucial than ever. A PwC study reveals that 73% of individuals consider customer experience a vital factor in their purchasing decisions.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

What reviewing scholarships taught me about future manufacturing professionals

The Fabricator

The WELDER editor Rafael Guerrero shares his experience reviewing Nuts, BoltsandThingamajigs (NBT) scholarship applications and what the process says about future manufacturing professionals.

article thumbnail

Carlo Gavazzi 2-Phase and 3-Phase compact power supplies

Design World

Carlo Gavazzi is excited to introduce the new SPDE Power Supply Series, which are very compact 2-phase (bi-phase) and 3-phase DIN-rail mount power supplies designed for electrical panels with limited space. This series offers power ratings from 120 to 480 W with 24 and 48 VDC output, and input voltage range with AC voltage, (2-Ph… The post Carlo Gavazzi 2-Phase and 3-Phase compact power supplies appeared first on Design World.

290
290
article thumbnail

5 Ways CMMS Software Transformed Broderick's Manufacturing Plant: A Case Study

Discover how CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) transformed and revitalized Broderick's manufacturing plant in 5 productive ways. Before the CMMS, the plant faced challenges such as reactive maintenance due to staff shortages, inefficient inventory management, and poor team communication. With the CMMS, the plant experienced increased equipment uptime, streamlined maintenance processes, enhanced inventory management, improved communication, and better decision-making through real-

article thumbnail

UK CV production up again in August

SMMT

UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing grows 8.6% in most productive August since 2012. 6,660 units leave factories in August, pushing year-to-date volume 62.2% above pre-pandemic levels. CVs made for the domestic market up by 24.4%, while exports fall slightly, down -2.0%. British commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing grew 8.6% in August as 6,660 units rolled out of UK factories, according to new figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

article thumbnail

New UK projects grow nuclear sector workforce by 20 per cent in one year

E&T

The annual jobs map from the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) shows that the sector employs 77,413 people across the UK, a 20 per cent year-on-year increase. However, the NIA warns that the UK must train tens of thousands of additional workers to deliver the government’s 24GW nuclear target by 2050. The first project on course to be completed is the oft-delayed and over-budget Hinkley Point C.

Sourcing 144

More Trending

article thumbnail

WPI researcher receives $600,000 grant to develop 3D printable robots for search-and-rescue operations

Robotics Automation News

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher Markus Nemitz is the recipient of a $599,815 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation to develop an innovative architecture for low-cost custom robots capable of traversing challenging terrains by swimming, crawling, climbing, and diving through hostile and confined spaces as part of search-and-rescue operations.

Robotics 124
article thumbnail

Parliament House to showcase strength of Queensland manufacturing

Manufacturer's Monthly

To celebrate the launch of Manufacturing Month, 26 of Queensland’s leading manufacturers will show off their wares and capabilities in the first Parliamentary Manufacturing Showcase event. Manufacturing is a powerhouse sector in Queensland, contributing $20 billion to the Queensland economy each year and employing 180,000 Queenslanders. Many Queensland manufacturing businesses are world leaders in their field and the Showcase provides an opportunity for manufacturers to be celebrated, and to dem

article thumbnail

An engineer since childhood

Design World

Norberta Lu started disassembling and rebuilding things at an early age. Today, she uses her skills to improve how things work. By Martin Rowe, senior technical editor, EE World “I like to destroy things and rebuild them,” said Zhuofan (Norberta) Lu. Spoken like a true engineer. After all, who doesn’t like taking things apart? Currently… The post An engineer since childhood appeared first on Design World.

287
287
article thumbnail

August boost for EV market but regulatory uncertainty threatens future ambitions

SMMT

New car market enters second year of growth as August registrations rise 24.4%. Battery electric cars take highest monthly market share for the year, accounting for 20.1% of new cars reaching the road. Industry warns delay on Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate details puts decarbonisation goals at risk. SEE CAR REGISTRATIONS BY BRAND DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE AND DATA TABLE The new car market grew 24.4% in August with 85,657 new vehicles registered, according to the latest figures from the Society of Mo

article thumbnail

Navigating the Future: Generative AI, Application Analytics, and Data

Generative AI is upending the way product developers & end-users alike are interacting with data. Despite the potential of AI, many are left with questions about the future of product development: How will AI impact my business and contribute to its success? What can product managers and developers expect in the future with the widespread adoption of AI?

article thumbnail

Rolls-Royce nozzle breakthrough brings hydrogen plane engines closer to reality

E&T

The firm is working with partner easyJet to develop hydrogen combustion engine technology capable of powering a range of aircraft from the mid-2030s onwards. It said it completed tests on a full annular combustor of a Pearl 700 engine, which was running solely on hydrogen fuel. The test proves that the fuel can be combusted at conditions needed to achieve maximum take-off thrust.

130
130
article thumbnail

Nail It the First Time: Your Roadmap to Intelligent Contact Center Automation

Frost & Sullivan Manufacturing

In the last article, we explored automation’s potential to deliver swift query resolution while carving out multi-million-dollar savings for contact centers. Companies know this and are investing heavily in AI and automation solutions. Yet many consumers are not happy with the state of affairs. Why is it that most automation projects fail to deliver on expectations?

article thumbnail

How robotics-as-a-service can help manufacturers with operations challenges

Control Engineering

Robotics insights The consumer packaging industry faces significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and a worker shortage, leading to a need for increased automation. Robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) offers a cost-effective solution for companies to implement automation, with lower upfront costs and faster ROI compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

Robotics 122
article thumbnail

ERIKS welcomes its first apprentices

Manufacturing Management

ERIKS has welcomed the first apprentices to its newly designed apprenticeship programme. The new programme demonstrates its commitment to fostering a new generation of engineers and bridging the engineering skills gap.

121
121
article thumbnail

The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

article thumbnail

Reinventing heuristics for design and risk management

Design World

By Jeff Morang | Director of Human Factors Engineering • BlackHӓgen Design Incorporating Human Factors Engineering and Usability Engineering (HFE/UE) processes during medical device development greatly increases the chances that devices will be safe and effective for intended users in the intended use environments and meet the expectations and requirements of regulatory authorities.

279
279
article thumbnail

UK car manufacturing falls in August as factories gear up for next gen models

SMMT

UK car production declines by -9.7% to 45,052 units in August, following six months of growth. Production for home market falls -25.2%, as exports also decline by -5.5%. Electrified vehicles represent nearly two in five of all cars produced in August, equivalent to 16,511 units. UK car production fell -9.7% in August, following six consecutive months of growth, as 45,052 models rolled off factory lines, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Tra

article thumbnail

Heat pumps outperform fossil fuel heating even in icy conditions, study finds

E&T

A heat pump takes heat at a low temperature from the air or ground and increases it to a higher temperature, before transferring it into homes for central heating and hot water. This heat extraction method means that the efficiency of heat pumps declines in colder temperatures. However, experiments from researchers at Oxford University and the Regulatory Assistance Project think tank have shown that, even at temperatures as low as -30°C, heat pumps still outperform fossil-fuel-powered systems.

Sourcing 128
article thumbnail

Distributed ZTNA enables simple and scalable secure remote access to OT assets

Cisco Smart Manufacturing

Zero trust network access (ZTNA) is the ideal alternative to cellular gateways and VPN solutions for remote access. But in OT environments, ZTNA needs to be distributed.

122
122
article thumbnail

Modernizing MES: A Guide for Complex Manufacturers Adapting to Industry 4.0

As engineers push the boundaries of innovation with groundbreaking hardware products, their success depends largely on the speed and efficiency of production. The challenge? Manual processes and disparate systems lead to multiple versions of documents, incomplete records, and duplicated work, creating a chaotic system of records that is difficult to manage.

article thumbnail

An 8,000-ton dream for Milacron, 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics

Plastics News

One of the largest injection molding machines ever built in North America — an 8,000-ton Milacron press that's 94 feet long with 38 miles of wiring — is now installed at 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics LLC in Holiday City, Ohio.

120
120
article thumbnail

Fernride raises $50 million in Series A funding to scale autonomous yard trucking

Robotics Automation News

Germany-based autonomous trucking innovator Fernride has closed a further $19 million in its Series A funding, pushing the total round amount to $50 million. This comes as the company strengthens its focus on advancing the transition towards automated and sustainable logistics by creating the world’s leading human-machine collaboration technology.

Logistics 119
article thumbnail

5 Bioplastics That Meet Today’s Food Packaging Needs

Plastics Today

Three drop-in bio-derived replacements for fossil-fuel-sourced polymers and two enhanced-barrier polymers made from biomass provide brands with responsible packaging options.

Sourcing 119
article thumbnail

The 2023 September/October digital edition of Manufacturing AUTOMATION is now online!

Automation Mag

The September/October 2023 digital edition of Manufacturing AUTOMATION is now available. Our cover story focuses on how Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michal Goc solves challenging automation problems with an innovative mind and perseverance. Also in this issue, you’ll find: Behind the scenes: Robot integration Navigating challenges when implementing robots to achieve desired results.

article thumbnail

Mastering Digital Transformation: Your Guide to a Successful MES Implementation

70% of digital transformation projects fail (BCG, 2020). In an industry where most large software implementations falter, we recognize the importance of planning, optimization, and execution. With over 25 years of industry experience and countless successful implementations, MASS Group is opening the vault of tips and tricks to provide a complimentary step-by-step guide in implementing a Work-In-Progress (WIP) tracking software.

article thumbnail

Korean researchers develop AI-based pothole inspection tool

E&T

The system is designed to review primary pothole information detected by the pothole detection program operated by the Land Management Office. This is a mobile-based application used for detecting potholes. However, due to limitations in device performance, high-specification programmes cannot run on mobile devices. This means that what is flagged as a pothole by the systems is often not so, and instead correlates with shadows, lane markings and tires – a mistake that the new system aims to addr

article thumbnail

Metal fabrication trends to watch at FABTECH 2023

The Fabricator

It’s show time for FABTECH 2023. Get ready for new levels of fabrication power and new levels of programming and planning simplicity, all driven by the almighty algorithm.

119
119
article thumbnail

Material Insights: UAW strike impacts resin market; exports, outages drive up PE prices

Plastics News

The UAW strike against the Detroit 3 is already impacting the resin market. PN 's Sarah Kominek talks with Matt Zessin, global director of automotive for M. Holland, at the Detroit auto show. Also, a surprising price increase for polyethylene, driven by exports to China and supply issues at Chevron Phillips and Nova Chemicals.

article thumbnail

Empowering Your Online Presence: WordPress Web Design Essentials

Robotics Automation News

In today’s digital age, establishing a robust online presence is vital for businesses, bloggers, and individuals alike. Your website is often the first point of interaction between you and your audience. Therefore, ensuring that it not only looks visually appealing but also functions seamlessly is of utmost importance.

Function 119
article thumbnail

Future Focus: Constructing Unshakeable Stability in Your Manufacturing Supply Chain

Speaker: Jay Black, Senior Account Executive

We’ve all heard the buzzwords to describe new supply chain trends: resiliency, sustainability, AI, machine learning. But what do these really mean today? Over the past few years, manufacturing has had to adapt to and overcome a wide variety of supply chain trends and disruptions to stay as stable as possible. Stability has become key in this post-COVID world, and will remain key moving forward.

article thumbnail

Centennial College opens LEED Gold, zero carbon, mass timber building

Canadian Manufacturing

Photo credit: Riley Snelling. CNW Group/Centennial College TORONTO — Centennial College is opening the doors to its A-Building ─ Canada’s first LEED Gold, zero carbon, mass timber, higher-education building. A-Building, formerly known as A-Block, establishes a new gateway to Centennial’s flagship Progress Campus in Scarborough that supports Indigenous ways of being and teaching.

article thumbnail

Canada’s manufacturing sector seeks to reduce ‘repetitive labour’ through AI

Automation Mag

By Sammy Hudes Artificial intelligence and increased automation can help lessen the load for workers at a time when Canada faces a labour shortage in the manufacturing and construction sector. That’s one of the messages being shared at this year’s Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show taking place in Toronto from September 25 to 28. The annual event is put on by SME, formerly the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, which represents various players in North America’s manufactur

article thumbnail

Recruitment plans on hold as UK manufacturers experience sharp downturn

E&T

According to Make UK, despite a positive picture in the first half of the year, the sector is going into reverse. In March, it was reported that manufacturers were seeing a rebound in activity despite ongoing inflationary pressure. But Make UK, which represents 20,000 manufacturers across the country, has now cut its forecast for growth for 2023, with output set to fall this year as recruitment plans are reversed amid slowing orders.

article thumbnail

3D Systems Partners with Clarkson College to Establish 3D Printing Center of Excellence

Plastics Today

The partnership enables Clarkson College to manufacture FDA-cleared, 3D-printed, patient-specific devices onsite and make them accessible to healthcare facilities across the region.

article thumbnail

A Low-Risk, Incremental Approach to Smart Manufacturing for Small & Medium Manufacturers

This guidebook discusses how small/medium manufacturers have implemented Smart Manufacturing initiatives and realized benefits such as increased productivity as well as higher levels of coordination and speed within the enterprise and supply chain.