The environment facing automotive-related manufacturers is fierce. Changing regulations, competitor landscape, technology and customer preferences, along with a fluid global economy, create challenging conditions for automakers and their suppliers. The Austin Company understands this landscape. This is an excerpt from an interview Generis Group did with Brandon Davis, Vice President of Operations and General Manager at The Austin Company prior to the American Automotive Summit 2018. “How can automotive manufacturing facilities decrease project capital costs through engineering and re-design concepts? There are a few ways to look at reducing costs today, compared to how traditional automotive plants used to be designed and built. Throughout most of my career in the industry, we would build plants with what I would call ‘oversized’ structural steel. By doing this, we built in maximum flexibility for the plant, so equipment could easily move around and the plant could be easily adapted in the future, as much of the production processes were “hung loads” from the structure. As the industry has evolved, equipment has become lighter, many production processes can now be floor-mounted, and – in general – equipment has become more flexible and able to support different product types. In this setting, we are working hard in the production layout efforts to see what really needs to be supported from the structure and to design structures specifically for what is needed. That reduces the cost of the facility construction and saves the use of …
Read More →IoT Enables Predictive Maintenance
Over the past ten years or so there have been many smart manufacturing initiatives that have promoted the need for production facilities to become much more efficient and effective through the use of technology. The concept of the connected factory, achieved through the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), is being implemented, which is significantly driving up operational effectiveness, resource utilization and a digital visibility of production and process metrics never before thought possible.
Read More →Five Premium Manufacturing Facilities, from Bakery Production to Heavy Industrial Manufacturing
The Austin Company offers a comprehensive portfolio of in-house services, including planning, architectural design, engineering, design-build, construction management, and construction, as well as site location and operations improvement consulting, for commercial and industrial companies throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. In advance of the American Manufacturing Summit, we asked them to highlight some of their favorite manufacturing facilities they have worked on across different industries, from bakery production to heavy industrial manufacturing.
Read More →How Real-time Dynamic Scheduling Can Change the Game
In most high-mix discrete manufacturing, the concept of plant floor management can be misleading, as schedules cannot be carried out, production analysis is often too late to create impactful changes, and there is no visibility into bottlenecks, WIP or order status. Fortunately, Real-time Dynamic Scheduling is now available and can create improvements in plant floor management by coordinating among four functions: production planning, execution, tracking, and analysis.
Read More →Temptime Ebook: Key Issues in t he Storage & Transportation of Temperature-Sensitive Medical Product s
Temptime innovates cost effective monitoring solutions for environmentally sensitive products to ensure supply chain integrity, protect patients and benefit communities globally. The emergence of the storage and transportation of temperature-sensitive medical products has given Temptime the expertise and knowledge to resolve prevalent issues in this field. Temptime has narrowed down the key issues to the following: – Evolving Regulatory Oversight – Customer Complaints & Patient Safety – Impact on Financial Performance Temptime has identified that organizations have a challenge balancing the requirements of regulators and the needs of patients when adhering the temperature monitoring regulations. Another challenge is reducing costs and positively impacting the financial performance of a company. Temptime has unique solutions that can significantly reduce product returns and gain a competitive advantage in the market by enhancing the customer experience. For more information on key issues and solutions in the storage and transportation of temperature-sensitive medical products and solutions, read Temptime’s ebook here. To visit their website, click here.
Read More →QReview: Supply Chain News You Can Use
Transportation Impact, a 4-time Inc. 5000 company, comes from humble beginnings. In 2008, Keith Byrd and Travis Burt, both then senior-level managers at UPS, left the world’s largest shipping company after nearly two decades, respectively, to launch their own start-up with the mission of providing clients with the most competitive small package contracts in the country. The QReview is a magazine that highlights Transportation Impact’s Quarterly Review learnings and is filled with supply chain news that delves into specific strategies, statistics, and stories relevant to the supply chain industry. Take a look inside and find out how to overcome market challenges, look for optimization opportunities, and more below! Subscribe to QReview here.
Read More →Nine Ways Manufacturing Analytics Can Improve Your Profitability
If you’re looking for new ways to improve the profitability of your manufacturing business, there might be a resource that you’re not tapping into–data. Many organizations already have data and analytics about equipment, parts, and processes that are not being used to improve the organization. Download the tip sheet by Sight Machine below to find out how to use your manufacturing analytics to improve profitability. Within the sheet below, you’ll learn how to: Reduce unplanned downtime; Diagnose quality problems faster; Reduce the cost of compliance; And more. Find out more below!
Read More →Automation Today
As manufacturers struggle to fill highly skilled production positions—according to NAM (National Association of Manufacturers), “80 percent of manufacturers report a moderate or serious shortage of qualified applicants for skilled and highly skilled production positions”—technology may need to step in to fill the gap. As the article “Automation Today” by FARO Technologies states: “It’s no secret that manufacturing continues to become more automated, and manufacturing output per worker is on the rise.” Smart factories are sought after because they are quickly becoming the “factories of the future,” while growing changes in automation become difficult to ignore. Find out more about the latest advancements in optical 3D measurement and automation technology in the article below including: Advanced Manufacturing; Automated Metrology; and Cobalt.
Read More →The Five Best Practices of Inventory Leaders
Inventory optimization strategies and practices are known to vary throughout different organizations and even divisions. This is why the people managing inventory have to effectively provide superior service levels at a low cost to serve. This article will focus on an overview of the leading practices that TBM Consulting Group has helped clients implement. Also, included is a 10-Minute Inventory Performance Assessment so that you can discover a more detailed analysis of your inventory planning, scheduling, and control processes. View the full article below:
Read More →Q&A with Intermex Industrial Parks: Sourcing Challenges and Solutions for Manufacturers in North America
In this Q&A eBook, find out how to thrive in an industry where production costs are soaring and the competition is cutthroat. Also, learn how to become a lean organization, thrive in a fast-paced world, enhance quality, and apply strategic sourcing operations. If North American manufacturers want to outsource, leaders have to change their mindset to adapt to a worldwide view and use geographic diversity to their advantage. When a company is doing well and the idea of change comes up, it may be difficult to allow that in a culture of complacency. -Intermex Find out more about sourcing challenges and solutions for manufacturers in North America from Intermex in the Q&A eBook below!
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