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Tax credits, jobs slashed as GM adds new electric SUV plant
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingAuto giant General Motors has announced it will begin manufacturing a new electric vehicle (EV), with the news coming shortly after previously reported plant closures took effect. Meanwhile, the IRS has confirmed that an electric car subsidy is now being phased out. Layoffs from the plant closures have been a thorn in the side of the Trump administration's spotlight on Rust Belt manufacturing jobs. Despite monthly reports, the U.S. manufacturing sector faces attrition that can't be obscured by political machinations, and the GM controversy proves this.
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PLC security for control engineers: Keep your friends close and your enemies…
Joseph Zulick EngineeringNo one understood or more succinctly described strategies and philosophies of war than the great Chinese general Sun Tzu. Despite living and penning these words of wisdom almost 2,700 years ago, leaders of today still apply the tactics described in "The Art of War" to the technology-driven world we live in today. Sun Tzu also said, "To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy." As a control engineer working for a reputable organization, no one is advocating that you become a dark web hacker to understand the challenges you are facing when creating security for programmable logic controllers (PLCs), but there is value at understanding who the enemy is and what their motivation and techniques may be.
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Top US manufacturing cities in surprising locales but still vulnerable
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingWhat do Wichita, Kansas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Battle Creek, Michigan; Toledo, Ohio; and even Portland, Oregon, all have in common? A new report on U.S. manufacturing jobs by Chicago's Digital Third Coast can answer that. They are all part of a manufacturing shift towards smaller U.S. cities. The report, culled from Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau, analyzes 236 cities in four general categories: total manufacturing jobs per 100,000 people; year-over-year growth; median income for the manufacturing industry; and median housing cost. Wichita, Kansas, tops this list.
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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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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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Washington state’s Paine Field gears up for its next stage
Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & AutomotiveNext month, Paine Field, north of Seattle in Snohomish County, Washington, will enter an exciting new phase in its life with the beginning of scheduled passenger services. As the first flights approach, the new terminal building has reached the final stages of construction and looks set to be one of the most attractive facilities for passengers in the country. Flights begin operating out of Paine Field on Feb. 11 when Alaska Airlines commences service to Las Vegas, followed the next day by Los Angeles and San Jose.
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Bursting the bubble of driverless cars
Lucy Wallwork Transportation Technology & AutomotiveSorry to rain on the parade. Each of us is as susceptible to the romance of science-fiction visions of cities as the next person. These visions sell magazines, they provoke debate at the water cooler. They are a ubiquitous part of the visuals surrounding any "smart city" vision. The latest seductive images of our urban future is that of the driverless car. This is not to decry technological advances. However, there are good reasons to be suspicious about some of the claims about how driverless vehicles are going to transform our towns and cities.
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5 surefire ways to kill your company’s innovation
Steven L. Blue Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementInnovation is difficult to come by. It is a fleeting concept that eludes most companies. In fact, the odds of a new product idea reaching full commercialization are less than 4 percent. And that is the best case. But, there are five surefire ways you can make certain innovation never sees the light of day at your company.
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If you hit a wrong note, hit it again
Patrick Gleeson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementOn my first night on the bandstand in Herbie Hancock’s band, I was somewhere between panicked and terrified. As we began the first song, I made the mistake of looking out at the audience. A few rows away sat famed jazz arranger Gil Evans with his best buddy… Miles Davis. At that point I left merely panicked far behind and advanced well into terrified. One horrible mistake would brand me an incompetent newbie, not only in the eyes of my fellow band members, but in the presence of Gil and Miles, both of whom I idolized. It would have helped if I’d known what Miles regularly told his band members: If you hit a wrong note, hit it again!
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