MT Magazine September/October 2022

MANUFACTURING MATTERS

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

9

Manufacturing Matters Check in for the highlights, headlines, and hijinks that matter to manufacturing. These lean news items keep you updated on the latest developments.

TECHNOLOGY

Consider a Workflow and Not Just a Single Technology Despite the industry looking to harvest value from new, faster, and more efficient technologies, no one technology will truly drive a company to their goals. All the advanced manufacturing technologies are workflow improvements. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a prime example. By its definition, AM is the process of growing, post-processing, and finishing. Automation can significantly increase throughput by expanding upstream and downstream of the operation/machine. Metrology improvements are gained from managing data flows and analytics. Is a shift from 3-axis to 3-plus axis in your plan? Consider the CAM to match the capabilities and the inspection techniques to reach these features. Going to high-speed machining? Are the pre- or post-operations within the required TAKT time? As manufacturers explore new technologies at upcoming exhibition events, one question to consider is: What can I improve pre- and post- this operation? JOLTS Data Set in the News The “Great Resignation” has made big news in recent years as a record number of people left their jobs during the pandemic, peaking at 4.53 million in March 2022. This data is easy to see in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report (JOLTS), which tracks U.S. job vacancies, hires, and separations. During this time, a combination of approximately $5 trillion in government stimulus and unprecedented low-interest rates increased personal savings and financial asset prices dramatically. With increased financial security, many households reevaluated their work-life balance, sped up retirement, and opted for new careers. The JOLTS data indicates this trend may be over, as job openings and voluntary separations have decreased since the March 2022 high. Visit the following link to explore the data set yourself. fred.stlouisfed.org/searchresults?st=JOLTS INTELLIGENCE The Onshoring Project Is Here To Help In the wake of ongoing global supply chain disruptions, AMT and a consortium of North American innovators, practitioners, and supply chain experts from across the manufacturing industry launched The Onshoring Project. During IMTS 2022, The Onshoring Project hosted the inaugural Smarter Sourcing Symposium. Consortium members and supply chain leaders shared strategies for sounder and more financially beneficial North American part production. OEMs, tier suppliers, and contract manufacturers alike benefited from firsthand demonstrations and panel discussions on new tools and proven techniques for leaner, more agile, more profitable domestic sourcing. Specific tools and topics covered included Manufacturing Critical-Path Time (MCT), Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), and Supply Chain Interoperability Specification (SCIS). SUPPLY CHAIN – THE ONSHORING PROJECT MTUniversity: Outsource Your Sales Training to AMT AMT’s Smartforce Development team launched a new, digital career fair model at the Smartforce Student Summit at IMTS 2022. There were tower signs in Student Summit exhibitors’ booths and throughout IMTS that displayed the new Smartforce Career Connections brand, participating exhibitors’ logos, and a QR code that linked directly to the “Careers” page of each exhibiting company. Community college, technical college, college, and university students nearing graduation were able to use their smartphone camera to connect directly with each company’s posted job openings using the QR codes. Students explored hundreds of job openings for robotics technicians, field service technicians, and more from the exhibitors who participated in this initiative. For more information, visit IMTS.com/smartforce, as these QR codes will be posted online as well. SMARTFORCE