CMTC Manufacturing Blog

Posted by Steven Brand on Oct 15, 2018 1:19:50 PM

In 2005, the Council of Logistics Management changed its name to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals to add differentiation between logistics and supply chain management. Why? Because logistics is a component of supply chain management (SCM). While SCM is focused on the “big picture,” logistics is only concerned with the storage and flow of goods inside and outside the organization, from point of procurement to point of consumption.

Posted by Steven Brand on Sep 19, 2018 11:32:24 AM

Are supply chain management and logistics the 21st century’s answer to George Gershwin’s famous lyrics “to-mayto, to-mah-to”? Today, many manufacturers treat the words as one in the same, and often use them interchangeably. Complicating matters further, what is considered supply chain management (SCM) in the U.S. is known as logistics management in Europe. However, while the words share commonalities, they are very different concepts meaning very different things.

Posted by Shekhar Chandrashekhar, SMART Manufacturing Practice Lead on Sep 13, 2018 10:21:29 AM

What is smart manufacturing? Essentially, smart manufacturing is the practice of making information about manufacturing processes available when and where it is needed, in the form it is needed, so that smart decisions can be made about the course of critical business operations.

Posted by Steven Brand on Sep 6, 2018 6:10:43 AM

It’s just one month away! Manufacturing Day 2018 officially arrives on Friday, October 5. This annual celebration gives small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) the chance to showcase their products and capabilities to students, educators, businesspeople, politicians, and the media.  The annual event also helps to dispel misconceptions about modern manufacturing in order to aid in the recruitment of the next generation of talent.

Posted by Steven Brand on Aug 24, 2018 12:26:48 PM

Losing workers from the factory floor is never easy, especially for small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) where the output of every employee can be critical to maintaining production quotas and keeping customers happy. When an employee leaves, it’s then critical that SMMs are able to attract skilled workers and onboard them quickly and adequately to minimize production disruptions and ensure a smooth integration that will lead to higher employee retention (after all, the less often you have to do this, the better!).

Posted by Steven Brand on Aug 21, 2018 10:42:18 AM

Additive Manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, has evolved rapidly in recent years. As new industries have begun to embrace the technology, they are discovering the many ways in which the technology is impacting their business.

Posted by Steven Brand on Aug 15, 2018 9:30:56 AM

Sensors have played a role in manufacturing for years, but until recently they have been largely constrained by issues such as system noise, signal attenuation, and response dynamics. Today, integration of local computing power and the Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed ordinary sensors into smart sensors, enabling them to carry out complex calculations on measured data locally within a sensor module.

Posted by Steven Brand on Aug 3, 2018 10:21:51 AM

It’s no longer just for gaming! Virtual Reality (VR), sometimes referred to as Augmented Reality (AR), is shaking things up across all industries, including manufacturing. While the technology is currently being employed mainly by large manufacturers, like additive manufacturing and the cobots before it, growing acceptance of the technology is likely to cause prices to drop, allowing small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) to take advantage of its powers as well.

Posted by Steven Brand on Jul 23, 2018 10:24:37 AM

When seeking out a new job, potential employees want to understand what will be expected of them and how they will be evaluated if brought onboard; on the other hand, employers want to be sure they are interviewing the right candidates for the right job, and not wasting valuable time interviewing under- or over-qualified individuals. One way to ensure each party gets what they want is to craft a well-thought-out and detailed job description.  

Posted by Steven Brand on Jul 5, 2018 1:32:48 PM

The tweet. These days, it seems that when you hear about Twitter it’s usually because a celebrity, politician, or even virtual nobody has posted an online faux-pas, resulting in a swift backlash that causes a public apology at best and career suicide at worst. Knowing the destructive powers of the little blue bird, why do so many people continue to engage with it? Numbers.