Management

The Chicago-based Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute is opening its manufacturing floor to manufacturers and academic institutions that need to quickly test process improvements. “We are seeing a manufacturing renaissance in Chicago, and the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute is adding to that momentum,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “By opening their doors, sharing equipment and providing expertise to small businesses, startups and students, DMDII is ensuring Chicago’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem will be stronger for generations to come.”

In manufacturing, the nature of the work as well as the nature of the workers are changing: What’s a prospective employer to do? Some pre-Manufacturing Day discussion.

My Nov. 20 blog post titled "Manufacturers favor a digital workplace transformation but hold tight to their wallets" generated an insightful response from Jesse Z. Melton, owner of Harpers Ferry Toolworks.

Easy, accurate tracking of items through the manufacturing process is becoming more and more important in the quality-conscious 'Smart-Factory' era. RFID tagging has distinct advantages as a tracking method, but barcode scanning has its adherents too.

Earlier this week we shared the conclusions of the McKinsey Report, which concluded that it may be possible for U.S. manufacturing to grow by 20 percent and add more than 2 million jobs by 2025. That was the good news. It can only happen, however, if manufacturers embrace Industry 4.0 technology. The Integr8 conference in Detroit showed how to get started.

While manufacturing jobs dominated in the 20th century, many believe that coding will have a similar impact during the 21st century. “I think we’ve lost the ability to make things," said Adam Enbar, co-founder of Flatiron School, on Fox Business’ “Wall Street Week.” "Americans love to build and create and make things. This is that new wave. The new form of manufacturing is making software.” Flatiron School, which is located in New York City, is a coding boot camp that trains people of all skill levels on how to code.

Jasper, Ind.-based toolmaker NAP Gladu, a Techniks Industries company, acquired Eide Saw & Tool Service Inc., Minneapolis.

The skills gap is a well-known, widespread dilemma across the manufacturing industry. Now that the gap is a mainstream problem, what are the steps industry leaders can take to solve it?