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Automatic efficiency: How AI is redefining manufacturing
Delany Martinez ManufacturingArtificial intelligence has officially made the leap from science fiction plot device to cultural citizen, weaving into the fabric of daily life without much of a fanfare. In the private sector, its presence helps power internet searches and smart home devices, and is even starting to branch into vehicles.
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The double-edged sword of Amazon’s HQ2
Kate Hessong Civil & Government"Amazon is performing a competitive site selection process and is considering metro regions in North America for its second corporate headquarters," Amazon wrote in its request for proposal, seeking a home for HQ2. If the thought of having a retail and technology giant call your city home wasn’t exciting enough, the company is also promising to bring 50,000 new jobs, $5 billion in up-front construction investment and an inevitable boost to the local economy. But is Amazon moving to your city too good to be true?
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Common generator problems in industrial settings
Clayton Costello EngineeringGenerators need to run smoothly and efficiently to effectively power necessary equipment in industrial settings. However, there are a few common problems industrial generators encounter that factory managers, OEMs and owners should be aware of in order to prevent downtime. The single most common generator problem is neglected maintenance, but improper sizing and inadequate fuel supply are also problems that occur often.
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Puerto Rico’s pharmaceutical industry faces post-Maria uphill battle
Michelle R. Matisons PharmaceuticalProcter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lily, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Novartis. These are just a few of the 89 approved pharmaceutical companies using Puerto Rico as a manufacturing hub.
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Additive manufacturing: Is the supply chain going 3-D?
Delany Martinez Distribution & WarehousingThe concept of the supply chain has remained largely unchanged throughout business history: a series of services, including manufacturing and logistics, that carry a product from its raw material stage to the hands of the end user. Notably, each link in that chain deals with prefabricated materials, with the bulk of the chain's effort placed on getting them from point A to point B.
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In NAFTA talks, uncertainty reigns for suppliers and manufacturers
Seth Sandronsky ManufacturingThe first round of talks to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ended Aug. 20 in Washington, D.C. Round two of negotiations is set for Sept. 1-5 in Mexico City. What is at stake for U.S. supply chains and manufacturers?
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Equality in manufacturing: What’s in the way?
Delany Martinez ManufacturingAfter decades of men and women working alongside one another, it's both surprising and disheartening that there is still a gender war simmering. Women have been vying for equal placement alongside male counterparts since ancient sailors forbade their presence on sailing ships.
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UK getting smarter about energy storage
Andrew Gaved Facilities & GroundsThere has long been a feeling in the U.K. that better management of electricity consumption will pay benefits both for consumers of all scales and for the security and sustainability of the electricity grid itself.
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Upping the ante on indoor air quality
Andrew Gaved Facilities & GroundsThe debate around indoor air quality in the UK has gathered momentum in the face of an apparent reluctance by the British government to grasp the connection between indoor and outdoor pollution.
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A shift back to home: US exports are up
Delany Martinez ManufacturingIn addition to the raw materials that comprise the manufacturing process — plastic, metal, wood, and so on — there's an invisible ingredient that can be found on every assembly line if you know where to look: politics. From the restrictions that artificially drive up scarcity for some components to the freedoms that make others easily available, the decisions of the U.S. government have an outsized impact on manufacturing as a whole. Recent trade metrics highlight a move toward self-reliance, albeit at a pace that some would say rivals a particularly patriotic glacier.
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