Management

"There are some common mistakes people make when buying a new CNC machine that we see all too often," writes Okuma's Brian Kateley. "Sometimes they skip important steps in space planning that can really come back and bite them when installation day arrives. All of this can easily be avoided if you contact your distributor and request a 2D drawing so you can plan your installation correctly." Kateley's entire checklist is at the link below.

Carey Manufacturing makes pedestrian products -- the same handles and latches it's turned out for 40 years. But it's making a name for itself these days because of an unusual distinction. Almost half its workers are women, and women outnumber men on the factory floor.

The Commerce Department on Friday provided its first statistical snapshot of the American economy in the first quarter, the gross domestic product estimate. The economy barely grew, expanding at an annual rate of only 0.7 percent. The growth was a sharp decline from the 2.1 percent annual rate recorded in the final quarter of last year. It was the weakest quarterly showing in three years. Consumption, the component reflecting individual spending, rose by only 0.3 percent, well below the 3.5 percent rate in the previous quarter.

For years, cyber insurance was purchased mostly by consumer-facing businesses such as retailers and financial-service providers. But as factories are getting more tech-savvy and digitally integrated with other parts of the company, manufacturers are starting to realize that keeping those networks safe is essential, according to this Wall Street Journal report.