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Manufacturing Technology

In interview, IoT, manufacturing, Q&A, technology by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

Q&A with Contec In March 2019, Contec joined over 250 industry peers to exchange ideas around the impact of market dynamics and new technologies for current and future manufacturing, operations and supply chain leaders. Ryan Legg, VP of Industrial Solutions at Contec Americas, presented on the Strategy. His discussion focused on effective data that can enhance productivity coming from legacy technology; connecting legacy systems to Industry 4.0 deployments; and examples of legacy system connectivity. Ahead of the American Manufacturing Summit 2019, we spoke with Ryan to discuss technology in the manufacturing industry. In this Q&A, we examine Contec’s solutions; how manufacturers can leverage IoT to reduce cost, enhance efficiency and increase bottom line; and what the manufacturing landscape will look like in 5-10 years. Here is an excerpt from the Q&A we did with Ryan Legg: “How can manufacturers leverage IoT to reduce cost, enhance efficiency and increase bottom line? IoT can mean many things to different people. While we use the term IoT – which technically translates to Internet of Things – the concept is really about connectivity and visibility, whether you have a system that is truly connected to the Internet or an on-prem system. Value can be realized with both approaches. Collecting and analyzing data allows an organization to gain visibility where they did not have it before. A manufacturer may discover previously unknown bottlenecks in their process or that throughput is slowing on one particular shift. They …

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How to Set Up a Demand Driven Supply Chain: Moving from Push to Pull to Meet Customer Needs

In interview, manufacturing, Q&A, supply chain, Uncategorized by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

Q&A with Reveal Value Prior to the American Supply Chain Summit 2019, we spoke with Reveal Value to discuss how companies can set up a demand-driven supply chain and move from push to pull in order to meet customer needs. In this Q&A, we address what steps companies need to take in order to reap the full benefits of a supply chain that is driven by demand, the key benefits of a mature supply chain, and how companies can leverage digitization to stay competitive. This is an excerpt from the Q&A we did with Reveal Value: “How can companies use digitization to stay competitive in an ever-changing landscape? Digitization helps connect processes and applications across multiple functional areas to sense and respond more quickly to customer needs and deliver value that is focused on outcomes. It changes how employees work by using intelligent technologies and reliable data to drive new levels of productivity and efficiency.”

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Data Driven Innovation for Manufacturers

In innovation, interview, manufacturing, Q&A, technology by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

Q&A with ProSensus Prior to the American Manufacturing Summit 2019, we spoke with ProSensus to discuss data-driven innovation and how leveraging technology can give manufacturers a competitive edge in an ever-changing landscape. In this eBook, we discuss how manufacturers can achieve their big data objectives with multivariate analysis, how they can leverage their data to accelerate their product development efforts, and how they can achieve quality control with machine vision. This is an excerpt from the Q&A Generis did with ProSensus:

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Opening the Garage Door

In automotive, business, Lean Implementation, Lean manufacturing by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

Digital technologies have upended the automotive industry. Formerly based solely on a business model of car ownership, the industry is fundamentally redefining itself into a multifaceted digital ecosystem. In a recent study from the IBM Institute for Business Value, 80% of executives said “comprehensive connected vehicle services” will be a key differentiator for consumers. Today’s car manufacturers and suppliers face intense competition from startups and internet companies with new business models, agile processes and rapid releases. To innovate and scale, industry leaders will need to combine the creative skills of a startup with the traditional strengths of an industrial enterprise.

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Why You Need a New Quality Management System

In medical device, medtech, QMS, quality, Quality Management System by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

With technology rapidly changing, a global market, and competition around every corner, quality is one of the most important factors in manufacturing. Quality in products and process will ultimately keep any organization relevant in today’s marketplace. Additionally, having an efficient, paperless, and compliant QMS System can give an organization a competitive advantage.

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Proving New Technology Works in Products: The 8-Point Assessment Checklist

In innovation, medical device, medtech, technology by Alicia CheungLeave a Comment

Key Tech is often visited by enthusiastic and clever innovators demonstrating a brand new technology, hopeful that it could make it into a product. In this whitepaper, Key Tech explains how they’ve never seen a perfect technology; even the best has its limitations and flaws. At the first meeting with Key Tech, the new technology is usually embodied in a contraption referred to as the “Frankenstein Prototype”. The first task is to tease out the flaws in the new technologies in order to understand what it will take to get rid of them.

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Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace Industry

In 3D printing, additive manufacturing, aerospace, Digital Transformation, manufacturing, technology by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

“With 3D printing, the old rules of how we design things are out the window,” said Terry Woychowski, VP, NA Test Operations at LINK in his talk on “The Brilliant Machine Age” at the American Automotive Summit. “You can now create a component exactly how you want it, without excess material.” The result is lighter, more cost-effective parts. The opportunities this presents are endless. We have previously covered additive manufacturing in the automotive industry, but the aerospace industry is another place we are seeing the effects of this new technology today. Despite the tremendous opportunities additive manufacturing presents, it is still a time-consuming process, and therefore best suited for high-end components used in low-volume products, such as aircraft. According to a recent study by ABI Research, due to the sheer size of the American aerospace industry and its defense budget, the U.S. aerospace and defense industries will drive much of the growth in additive manufacturing over the next ten years, producing additive manufactured parts and products with a value of US$17.8 billion in 2026.

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Additive Manufacturing in the Automotive Industry: Insights from Ford & BMW

In 3D printing, additive manufacturing, Digital Transformation, emerging technology, innovation, manufacturing by Cressida Murray1 Comment

In 2014, Local Motors printed the first 3D printed car from an ABS carbon-fiber blend. They call it The Strati. John Fleming, Former EVP, Manufacturing and Labor Affairs at Ford Motor Co., showed this video of The Strati during his presentation at the American Automotive Summit. He explained, “I showed this video not because I think Ford or anybody else is soon going to be 3D printing whole cars, I don’t see that. But I do see additive manufacturing as one of the technologies that is going to be one of the most critical in the future because it has the opportunity to do things that we’ve never been able to do before – to design components and manufacture them like we’ve never been able to before – and I do think it will disrupt the business, and this is happening already.”

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Smart Factory Transformation: Tips from Arconic, Raytheon, DARPA and Forcam

In aerospace, automation, manufacturing, Smart Factory by Cressida MurrayLeave a Comment

At the 2016 American Aerospace & Defense Summit, Forcam’s Director of Business Development, John Mack, discussed the Smart Factory Transformation Checklist with our panel of aerospace & defense thought leaders, who have witnessed transformations in their own organizations. Read on to hear the lessons they have learned along the way, including how to achieve buy-in, what to automate, how to start your transformation, aligning your smart factory transformation to your business goals, and what metrics to pay attention to. Panel: John Mack, Director of Business Development, Forcam Jan Vandenbrande, Program Manager, DARPA J. Wade Keith III, Quality & Mission Assurance Staff Executive, Raytheon Missile Systems Markus Heinimann, VP, Engineered Product & Process Technology, Arconic

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Averna’s Q&A Ebook: How the Internet of Things is Transforming the Medical Device Industry

In automation, Continuous Improvement, cost management, cost reduction, design, design engineering, emerging technology, healthcare technology, innovation, Internet of Things, IoT, manufacturing operations, medical device, medtech, technology, testing by Jennifer MiraraLeave a Comment

The ‘Internet of Things’ is transforming the medical world, allowing more patients to be looked after using real time data. Combining Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities with current technology is allowing for a faster, more resourceful and satisfying experience for both patients and employees. With the Internet of Things(IoT) reinventing the technological landscape so rapidly, companies are struggling to keep up with the latest innovations. Companies must now test the wireless capabilities of all their medical devices to ensure their products feature seamless connectivity. With more tests being conducted and the rise of IoT, competing companies have introduced robots to automate processes in order to reduce costs. Robotic-driven production has become more economical, as robots can perform routine tasks without fatigue at a faster pace. So, how can OEMs in the medical world stay ahead of their competition with all this technological development? One way is to work with a company that excels at Design for Test (DFT) and design for manufacturing (DFM). Companies can also capture and analyze up-to-date test data. For more ways to stay ahead of the competition despite the constant changes in technology and for a deeper understanding of IoT and its impact on the medical device industry, read Averna’s Q&A Ebook here. Averna is a worldwide Test & Quality leader. Their talented team includes hundreds of engineers, system architects, developers, project managers and other professionals, as well as a network of partners such as National Instruments, Keysight Technologies …

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