Impact Dakota Blog is a blog dedicated to supporting North Dakota’s manufacturing community improve People, Purpose, Processes and Performance. Entries provide information on opportunities, new ideas, quick tips, celebrations of success, and well, frankly, anything to help you become a better manufacturer.
Last year’s Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) was an enormous success for U.S. manufacturers looking to engage the next generation of manufacturers. But how can you ensure the spark you kindled in the next generation finds fuel?
Innovative manufacturers are starting to use additive manufacturing (AM) to support a strategic approach to product design. This means specifying performance parameters and employing AM to support optimal design, part geometry and material selection, opening new doors to what’s possible. Learn more about this approach to part design with this account from senior design engineer Dave Pierson of MAGNET, part of the MEP National Network™.
Big holiday surprises do come in small packages, like quality gifts that fit easily into a stocking. Forget those generic ties for Dad or socks for Mom; well-crafted gifts created by American manufacturers can bring a smile to even the “Grinchiest” family member or friend.
While many companies are pursuing Industry 4.0 projects, not everyone is scaling their efforts to the point where they can begin realizing the business advantages promised by these new technologies. Here are five principles you can use to embrace Industry 4.0 and start reaping the rewards these technologies promise — no matter what size your company.
Manufacturers involved in supply chains tied to government contracts can anticipate those awards bringing in additional revenue at levels that might not be possible otherwise. However, being successful in getting and keeping such work means complying with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).
If industrial manufacturing had a buzzword of the decade, it might be “Industry 4.0.” The concept is inescapable, yet it can be hard to define, especially for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs). After all, SMMs’ capabilities, needs, and budgets look very different from the large companies who often drive the latest innovations and trends.
Internships can feed the talent pipeline for many small- to medium-sized manufacturers facing serious workforce gaps as their senior employees near retirement. But internship success (finding, engaging, and retaining talent) requires strategy and planning to locate and groom qualified job candidates.
If you run a smaller manufacturing facility, you may not consider yourself a target for hackers and cyber criminals. The truth is, your operational systems could already be under attack, with no obvious signs of an ongoing information security breach. Learn how to detect cyber attacks that may have already compromised your information systems in the third installment of the five-part MEP National Network “Cybersecurity for Manufacturers” series published in IndustryWeek.
"Do you have a plan of action if your manufacturing infrastructure is attacked by a malicious hacker? Even one cyber attack can be devastating to your bottom line if you don’t act quickly to contain the fallout. Don’t wait to plan your strategy. Learn the essentials of a successful response plan in the fourth installment of the MEP National Network’s five-part series on “Cybersecurity for Manufacturers” published in IndustryWeek."
Recovering from a cybersecurity incident can be a daunting undertaking, especially if you’ve lost information that’s critical to running your manufacturing facility. But you can limit the damage to your company and your reputation by developing a solid recovery plan in advance.