Manufacturing Archives - Supply Chain Game Changer™

How to Optimize Your Factory for Industry 4.0!

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Industry 4.0 – Smart Manufacturing of the Future! (Infographic)

Optimize your Factory article originally published by, and permission to publish here provided by, Adam Robinson at https://cerasis.com.

Believe it or not, Industry 4.0 — the latest specialization for modern factories and manufacturing plants — does factor into design and factory layout. That is because digitization, or the current movement to connect and bring all equipment into modern times, absolutely influences design.

In essence, that is the heart of Industry 4.0, a complete synergy between operations, equipment, properties and, of course, the people who spend their time there. If 3.0 was about automation and boosting efficiency, this generation is about injecting the human touch back into the work environment, and that means accommodating such things from a design standpoint.

Smart Manufacturing: 5 Factors That Make Your Factory Smart!

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Industry 4.0 – Smart Manufacturing of the Future! (Infographic)

The manufacturing industry has been changing rapidly, aided by the newest software systems and machinery. Consumers continue to demand customized products, adding to the challenge of low-cost production.

Manufacturers have been forced to look hard at their production methods, labor costs, and transportation expenses, among numerous other areas throughout the organization. This focus has resulted in the emergence of smart factories in which machines and software share information and collaborate as never before.

What is MRO and Why is it Important?

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Indirect Procurement – It’s Time to Rise and Shine!

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In the world of Procurement and Operations one of the phrases that you will frequently come across is “MRO”.

But many people throw around the term without truly understanding what it means, and how important it truly is for the ongoing, and successful, operation of any company.

If your production line stops dead because you are out of stock of an MRO item you will immediately develop an understanding and appreciation for this area.

So let’s try and provide some clarification.

What is MRO? And why is it important?

Rethinking Global and Local Manufacturing!

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The Parallel Supply Chain … A Twilight Zone Strategy?

In today’s business climate, many companies are grappling with the decision of whether to manufacture their products locally or overseas. With the global pandemic changing so much in the world, that discussion around global and local manufacturing has become even more complex.

There are pros and cons to both global and local manufacturing, but ultimately, it’s important to consider what’s best for your company and your customers by conducting an internal audit.

If you can find a way to support local industries while still meeting the needs of your customers and being highly profitable, that’s the ideal scenario.

Manufacturing Toolbox for Next Level Productivity

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The Industry 4.0 Ecosystem!

Manufacturing Toolbox article and permission to publish here provided by Grant Kamperschroer at straightnorth.com.

The story of the manufacturing industry has been one of progress. Few manufacturers continue to produce the same products as they did in their infancy years. In order to remain competitive, manufacturers must continue to evolve their products to meet the demands of the marketplace. But meeting consumer demand is only half the battle — the other half is staying up to speed with industry advancements.

New technology brings a host of changes that manufacturers must recognize. For example, increasing dependence on automation leads to the need for more skilled workers who understand these advanced systems. If workers cannot adapt successfully, organizations could find themselves struggling to keep up with the rest of the industry.

To remain competitive in this dynamic environment, organizations should have several tools at their disposal that go beyond the physical equipment and technology innovations used in their facilities.

How to Improve Industrial Process Efficiencies!

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10 Signs You Should Reboot Your Lean Program!

Industrial process efficiencies article and permission to publish here provided by Adam Smith.

Industrial efficiency is defined as a manufacturer’s ability to produce a product at the lowest possible cost that will allow them to make a profit. To calculate the industrial efficiency of internal processes, the cost of production per unit must be compared to the unit output of that product. Ideally, industrial processes should have a lower cost per unit of output to be deemed efficient in any manufacturing plant.

Efficiency can also be improved by limiting the number of wasted resources that are used to produce a specific product.

Read on to understand how industrial processes can be made more efficient.

How Security Impacts ROI for Manufacturing Facilities!

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5 Manufacturing Technology Trends!

The data breach and security impacts cost rose to never before seen levels in 2021, reaching $4.24 million. Keep reading if you’re looking to maximize ROI for your security investments and keep your manufacturing facility secure.

How can you improve your security strategy to maximize ROI and avoid losses?

This Security impacts guide will discuss the top trends and technologies in the security sphere that can help you modernize your existing security system and reduce vulnerabilities.

How to Compare Metal Fabricators!

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Strategic Supplier Relationship Management – Do’s and Don’ts

Are you in a dilemma in deciding which company, like https://www.steelproductsdirect.com/, to choose for your next big project for steel equipment? There may be lots of metal fabricators and options springing up as you open the Internet, and they are all pretty much impressive enough to confuse you.

Also, there may be companies who have offered you their services for the same thing with a really tempting quote! This may create confusion in your mind as to whether to choose them (or not!).

When your contract is a really big one and influential enough, you just can’t take risks anywhere. Even when going for a metal fabricator company, it’s better to be very sure about your choice. (We know the contract may be worth a really big amount).

Product Management KPIs!

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What is Product (or Master) Data Management?

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Product Management KPIs article and permission to publish here provided by Raanan Cohen at bringg.com .

KPIs, KPIs, KPIs, — there’s been a lot of talk about KPIs lately. To be honest, people have been talking about KPIs for a long time, especially around marketing, sales, and some R&D (though the latest mostly speak about KPIs but don’t measure it well enough IMO — but that’s for another article).

The difference today, I think, is that now everyone is speaking about it. I guess COVID19 put the importance of KPIsinto perspective — people are working remotely and it’s harder to understand what is being done.

So now, whether you measure the individual, the team or the company, how well you are doing should be measured in objective KPIs.

Metal Processing Technologies for Fabricators!

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What is Fabrication Automation?

Innovation is essential for many companies in order to remain competitive. It is no different for metal companies; in fact: the importance of continuous innovation and metal processing technologies is growing. The causes are, among other things, the changes in the sales markets.

For example, customers increasingly need smaller batch sizes of end products. Customers also expect more in terms of cooperation in product development. In addition, technological developments in other sectors offer new opportunities for metal companies.

6 Tips to Maintain Quality in Aerospace Manufacturing!

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A Tale of Two Companies: Different Quality Management Beliefs!

Aerospace manufacturing article and permission to publish here provided by Claire Glassman.

While the aerospace industry may employ the same equipment and techniques as other manufacturing operations in producing parts for spacecraft and aircraft, it requires a significantly higher level of quality standards.

In fact, companies that want to become part of the industry must possess several certifications first. Getting certified will attest to the stringent quality management in place at each level of their manufacturing processes.

5 Manufacturing Technology Trends!

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Industry 4.0 – Smart Manufacturing of the Future! (Infographic)

Manufacturing technology article originally published by, and permission to publish here provided by, Adam Robinson at https://cerasis.com.

This post concludes our two part series on the “Changing Face of Manufacturing.” In this series, we first wrote about how manufacturers are now looking at total landed costs when deciding where they will place manufacturing facilities. Increasingly, those companies, who offshored to China and other countries in the 80s and 90s, are now taking a hard look at reshoring or bringing those facilities back to American shores.

However, as noted in a recent report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the reshoring of facilities, doesn’t necessarily mean new jobs. As we have said in the past, we think that is OK.

Today we will address these 5 sweeping manufacturing technology trends which look to disrupt and change how manufacturing companies execute current processes.

A Checklist for a Manufacturing Company Internal Audit!

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Cyber Security: The Weakest Link is Your Biggest Risk!

Internal audit article and permission to publish here provided by Angela at Reciprocity Labs.

Today, manufacturing firms face increasing threats from cybercriminals targeting weaknesses in SCADA (supervisory, control, and data acquisition) systems.

Regulatory bodies recognize the data security challenges that manufacturers face, and have initiated various requirements and standards of operations meant to safeguard data. Non-compliant firms risk huge fines or even jail terms for the responsible actors.

To survive in today’s competitive global manufacturing industry, companies need to incorporate various security compliance measures in their operations. Regulatory compliance requirements should be built into a company’s internal control systems.

7 Ways to Overcome the Challenges of Relocating Your Manufacturing Business!

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The Factory Relocation Guide!

Relocating your manufacturing business article and permission to publish here provided by Cristina Par.

When it comes to creating a relocation strategy for your manufacturing business, you have more to worry about than happy employees. For manufacturers, it’s about covering the raw cost of materials, labor, shipping, taxes, understanding your profit margins, and much more.

Manufacturers who decide to move to a new space also need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of their operations’ location before making a decision. For example, a building 20 minutes away from the city, while cheaper, could thin your margins due to high shipping costs.

Relocation questions may keep you up at night, but sometimes moving is necessary.

Here are 7 ways you can overcome relocation challenges on the business and employee side.

Make Your Manufacturing Business More Efficient!

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8 Ways to Improve Your Warehouse Fulfillment Efficiency!

Is your manufacturing business not operating to the levels you’re expecting? Are you looking for ways to increase your returns and profits? The secret lies with one dictionary word; efficiency.

Efficiency will ensure that you’ll achieve high production figures while minimizing costs. As a manufacturing company, how will you ensure you attain efficiency?

This post will discuss tips you can adopt to attain manufacturing business efficiency. Continue reading to learn more.