CMTC Manufacturing Blog

Posted by Cullen Hilkene, Guest Author

Over the last decade, Additive Manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) has garnered many headlines—from the hype of consumer 3D printing to the substance of its impact on the design and manufacturing community. The amount of ink dedicated to the technology has been substantial and well-deserved. 3D printing changes manufacturing through the way industries design, make production parts and support products in the aftermarket. In this blog post, we delve into the ways that 3D printing is changing manufacturing today. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts about the ways additive stands to further change manufacturing in the future.

Posted by Steven Brand

Every year, billions of dollars are made available to small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) courtesy of government organizations. These initiatives aim to help SMMs get off the ground or aid in their expansion efforts; in fact, we covered eight organizations willing to lend a hand to SMMs in a recent story you can read here. Now, we’re pleased to report that another organization is stepping up and offering financing help: the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Posted by Steven Brand

How do you know if your election vote is really counted?

How do you know the person you’re chatting with online really is who they say they are?

And how do you know if a product you purchase has really met quality standards?

These three scenarios may not seem like they have much in common, but there is a common thread: blockchain—a decentralized, open-source ledger—could hypothetically be applied to each to give you the certainty you want in each situation.

Posted by Steven Brand

It may seem hard to believe, but in terms of technology, social media is still just a baby. Connecting with others via online social sites gained momentum less than 20 years ago with the arrival of sites like MySpace. Today, social media is a phenomenon, and Americans spend more than 215 weekly minutes connecting with others online through their smartphone, and an additional 100 minutes connecting via laptop, desktop, or tablet.

For small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs), social media represents an incredible opportunity for marketing and recruiting. Plus, by building an online social media presence, SMMs can significantly reduce the expense of traditional advertising because it’s inexpensive—or no cost—and it reaches a very broad audience. With social media, SMMs can connect with customers in real-time and engage them in a whole new way.

Posted by Steven Brand

When manufacturers think of social media, LinkedIn and Facebook are probably the first two that come to mind. As a video platform, they may feel YouTube is better suited to funny cat videos. That may have been true in the early days of YouTube, but now it’s more social and influential than ever before. Today, over 300 hours of video are uploaded every minute, so YouTube has something for everyone. And that’s exactly who you’ll find on YouTube: everyone.

Posted by Steven Brand

Want to stay in the know when it comes to the manufacturing world? A wealth of information is just a mobile device away. There are countless manufacturing blogs to subscribe to and, while it was difficult, we narrowed it down to five. If you’re less of a reader and prefer listening to a podcast while you hit the gym or commute to work, we’ve provided five of our favorite podcasts too.

Posted by Steven Brand

There are nearly 600 million users on LinkedIn, with two new users joining every second. This makes the social media giant one of the best ways to promote your company and products. While being on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all help your business connect with others, LinkedIn is truly the place for manufacturers to thrive. It can give you the ability to tap into existing connections, make new ones, and get noticed (it’s also the top-rated social network for lead generation).

Posted by Marjorie Dunn

In honor of International Women’s Day, CMTC celebrates women in manufacturing!

There’s a common misconception that the manufacturing industry is almost universally male-dominated. In many people’s minds, the industry is old fashioned, hanging on to dated gender biases and excluding women from managerial roles that are key to climbing the industry ladder, such as production supervisors and operations managers.

But the fact is, manufacturers are more forward-thinking than ever before, and women now make up nearly one-third of the manufacturing industry workforce in the United States.

Posted by Steven Brand

When it comes to cost-saving techniques, many manufacturers instinctively look toward making cuts; this could mean anything from laying off employees to pulling back on new technology. However, these methods can bring down morale and quash innovation, which allows competitors to get ahead.

Good news: there are other ways to save money that won’t hurt business—and can actually help it thrive.

Posted by Steven Brand

Just when you’ve gotten used to Facebook and Twitter, along comes another social media site. You might be tempted to roll your eyes and think, not another one! But instead, think of it as another opportunity to promote your business to a broad audience, boost your sales, and recruit new talent. The best part of social media? It can significantly reduce the costs involved with traditional advertising.