Manufacturing Innovation Blog

Detecting Abnormal Cyber Behavior Before a Cyberattack

March 5, 2021

The promise of advanced manufacturing technologies — also known as smart factories or Industry 4.0 — is that by networking our machines, computers, sensors and

Confident manager standing by chassis in car plant

Sometimes It’s Not Easy Being a Small Manufacturer

February 23, 2021

Mark Schmit

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented big challenges for small manufacturers. That was the message of three leaders from manufacturing companies located in two

Logistics and transportation of Container Cargo ship and Cargo plane with working crane bridge in shipyard at sunset, logistic import export and transport industry background

U.S. Manufacturing to the MEP National Network: Don’t Let Up!

February 17, 2021

Mark Schmit

The COVID-19 pandemic has asked much of manufacturing executives. They’ve had to make decisions about staffing and operations in the face of tremendous health

Business woman using tablet analyzing sales data and drawing growth graph with icon customer network connection on virtual interface

After a March (and More) of Madness, What’s Next for Manufacturers?

February 10, 2021

Mark Schmit

The six manufacturing executives participating in a Sept. 25, 2020, virtual conversation spent much of the time discussing what comes after the pandemic has

Black female engineer working on industrial machine in a laboratory

Pandemic Makes Plain Need for Manufacturing Workforce

February 4, 2021

Mark Schmit

In the Sept. 18, 2020, session of the “National Conversation with Manufacturers,” our three West Coast manufacturing leaders on the panel kept coming back to

Robot arm cnc automation handling system for industrial manufacturing and factory production.

Getting a Grip on What’s Next for Robotics in Manufacturing

January 21, 2021

Andrew Peterson

Manufacturing robotics is to some extent following a similar path of advances to those in machining and fixed automation systems. Though the ROI is most easily

Sometimes You Just Have To Go Fishing Says Manufacturing Executives

January 12, 2021

Mark Schmit

Sometimes you just have to go fishing. Seriously. That’s one of the messages manufacturing executives from West Coast and Mountain states passed along during a

Group of children colouring while wearing masks

How Daycare and Industrial Entrepreneurship Relate to Manufacturing’s Recovery

December 23, 2020

Mark Schmit

Two subjects that came up that I wasn’t expecting (but probably should have been) in a conversation with manufacturing executives were daycare and

Rethinking Business Risk After the Great Lockdown

December 16, 2020

Mark Schmit

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more aware of the items we purchase on a regular basis and how they get to store shelves and to our doors. Anyone else still

COVID-19 — The Disease That Is Reshaping Manufacturing

December 9, 2020

Mark Schmit

Unless you’ve been living on private island (send invite immediately!), it’s no secret that the pandemic has changed the way manufacturers operate and run their

Augmented reality concept. AR. Industrial 4.0 , Hand of engineer holding mobile smart phone using virtual AR to check the work of electric machine on smart factory background

Five Simple Digital Applications That Are Changing Manufacturing

December 4, 2020

Michael Taylor

Digital applications in manufacturing are not only becoming increasingly accepted; they are expected. However, for smaller manufacturers, the process of making