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Brexit’s unclear impact on US manufacturing
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingAs politicians fight over how and when the U.K. will leave the EU, Brexit's impact is felt around the world. A no-deal Brexit, which has the U.K. exiting the EU on March 29 without a clear trade agreement, is said to have potentially catastrophic consequences for U.K. manufacturing. How does all this impact U.S. manufacturing? First, we need to understand Brexit's impact on U.K. manufacturing — especially automobiles. The automobile sector provides an excellent example of increased challenges under the prospects of a new U.K. economy free of EU guidelines and infrastructure.
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Why Brexit planning is making the UK cooling industry hot under the collar
Andrew Gaved EngineeringI don't know whether you have noticed, but the U.K. is supposed to be divorcing from the European Union in a month's time. Brexit is nearly upon us. Or is it? The problem is, to quote Donald Rumsfeld, we are very much in the realm of the "known unknowns" when it comes to the details of Brexit. In fact, as I write, we don't even know whether we are going to be leaving Europe as planned on March 29, because there is so little that the various political factions agree on that it seems more likely now that there will be a postponement. But for the cooling industry, there is an additional administrative burden to deal with.
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How the IoT powers predictive maintenance in manufacturing
Joseph Zulick ManufacturingFor far too often maintenance has been treated as expendable. Now, however, the internet of things (IoT) has brought along technology in a useful package to help maintain factories. New sensor technology can measure pressure, distance, temperature, and much more in a smaller package and from greater distances. No longer are you required to modify a machine or tool. You can now use external laser technology to measure quality and keep track of machine maintenance. If you want to know if the machine is deviating outside of its temperature range, you’ll know. If you need to track power usage, you can even see the readout from a beach in Florida.
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Training is an investment, not a cost
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe race to attract skilled labor is on. Productivity may be slowing but it is still moving in a positive direction, and new unemployment applications are still declining. And according to a recent analysis by The Economist, American manufacturing, particularly among "agile smaller firms using advanced techniques" may be expanding. While this tight labor market may look different than the one before the recession, one thing is consistent: the most challenging staffing shortage is in skilled labor. Because of this, organizations across industries must recognize that training is an investment, not a cost.
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Getting ready for and managing an on-site visit by OSHA
D. Albert Brannen Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEmployers subject to an on-site inspection by OSHA or one of the state agencies that regulate workplace safety and health should take preventive steps to prepare for such an inspection and have a plan for handling it and any follow-up that may be necessary. This article outlines best practices for getting ready for and managing such an inspection.
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What devices are utilized when integrating IoT and smart manufacturing?
Joseph Zulick ManufacturingA question that has come up quite a bit in the "Factory 4.0" world is: What do we need to get on the internet of things (IoT) train? When you break them down to their simplest components, you only need a small amount of things to yield benefits from implementing IoT. The first part is real-world connections. These are inputs and outputs.
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U.S. economy adds 304,000 jobs in January as unemployment climbs to 4 percent
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe widely watched U.S. employment report for January is positive in spite of the partial federal government shutdown that spanned most of the month. Nonfarm employers added 304,000 jobs in January versus 312,000 new hires in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The January rate of unemployment rose to 4.0 percent from December’s 3.9 percent "potentially because furloughed government workers and contractors were counted as jobless in the household survey," according to Elise Gould, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
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US additive manufacturing reaches a slowdown era
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingFor those utopians starry-eyed about emerging 3-D printing/additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, former President Barack Obama’s enthusiasm was rather encouraging. As a new era has dawned in the White House, what is helping and hindering the growth of 3-D printing today? President Trump’s official position on AM is erratic. One minute he excitedly relates its capabilities for U.S. military might, and the next minute he says it aids illegal gun manufacturing. The White House released an updated Strategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing report in October 2018. This report does not indicate that there’s any official policy change on additive manufacturing. But this is not the same as funding.
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The difference between the internet of things and the industrial internet…
Joseph Zulick Science & TechnologyThe internet of things is one of the most controversial topics of the current generation. People on one side of the debate think that it will bring forward a more ecofriendly and connected society, whereas people on the other side of the debate insist that it will mean data security will go lacking. While the internet of things will forever create a divide between security and connectivity, one of its branches is becoming the new talk of the town. The industrial internet of things is an equally controversial, yet interesting topic. For those who don’t know the difference between the two, here is a guide.
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World Economic Forum recognizes green manufacturing solutions
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingThis week, President Trump boasted that 2018’s 284,000 new manufacturing jobs indicate he has a "magic wand" for job growth. This number, which reflects the greatest annual manufacturing growth since 1997, sounds good. But are they sustainable jobs in line with global emissions reduction goals? Not necessarily. When GM announced plant closure plans, it stated that it is preparing to manufacture greener electric vehicles, pitting jobs against the environment. But, according to many attending this week’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, jobs and the environment do not have to be at odds. Or do they?
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