News

How ERP Software Can Revolutionize Your Manufacturing Process

Enterprise resource planning can help organize inventory, prepare for customer demand, and improve productivity. From better inventory management and productivity, to improving quality and lead times, companies with manufacturing operations are constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency.... Continue Reading

The Importance of Setting Quantitative and Qualitative Goals

When you set goals, there’s commonly two types: quantitative and qualitative. By setting both types of goals for your organization, you can achieve a balance of results driven by people focusing on the behaviors that matter. Quantitative Goals and Driver Metrics When you set quantitative... Continue Reading

Spring Meeting Letter From Pete Hushek

Dear MTI Members, The most powerful resource we have as members, is our connection to one another. We are truly stronger together than separate. Social media has helped bring us together on a real-time basis, but there is nothing more powerful than the perspective you gain during MTI’s... Continue Reading

NAM Economic Report

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that manufacturers added 25,000 workers in December, extending the strong hiring gains in the sector seen throughout much of 2017. Manufacturing employment rose by 16,333 per month on average in 2017—quite a turnaround from the loss of 16,000 workers... Continue Reading

MTI Technical Standards Committee Ready For 2018

Every day you wake up as a heat treater, you are faced with the challenging task of working through the monumental task of heat treat specifications. Specifications are a much needed set of documents, within the quality process, to insure good products are delivered, but it doesn’t make the... Continue Reading

Smart Tools’ Target: Data Analysis, Not Paralysis

The road to manufacturing success today runs through the mountain of data that tools are generating in metal cutting applications, and most importantly communicating and reacting to in real-time on the shop floor. Keys to collecting data include: sensor technology, that is built into tools and... Continue Reading

Roomba’s Father Says Robots Will Evolve

Simpler, more integrated bots on the way Industrial robots are poised for change. They will become more integrated, easy to use, and widely deployed, especially in China, which is emerging as a center of robotics innovation. Large fulfillment operations run by the likes of Alibaba and Amazon... Continue Reading

Critical Staring Points for Your Digital Journey

Manufacturers want to jump-start growth. Digital opportunities offers a fresh approach to manufacturers who are ready to try new service offerings, target new niche markets, and expand product offerings around data and connectivity. New technologies offer exciting ways to focus on innovation and... Continue Reading

Go Beyond Spare Parts with 3D Printing and Machine Learning

The concept of 3D printing isn’t a new one. In fact, it’s been around for more than 30 years – long before it became popular in consumer settings. In discrete industries, like automotive and aerospace, we call it additive manufacturing – the process of creating something... Continue Reading

Weekly Scheduling: Ready, Set, Goal!

The third principle of scheduling is that the advance maintenance schedule should be crafted for a week. The week-long time frame is the best for maximizing productivity through goal-setting. This schedule consists largely of a simple listing or “batch” of work orders that... Continue Reading

Quality and Lean Partnership

QUALITY AND LEAN INITIATIVES MUST BE LINKED. It did not happen quickly but advocates of Six Sigma and Lean methodologies have worked together to achieve a partnership of both approaches. While Lean Manufacturing focuses on waste reduction, Six Sigma stresses process variation improvement. They... Continue Reading

Future-Proof On-Demand Supply Chain with 3D Printing

How do supply chain managers keep up with the Industry 4.0 revolution that’s decentralizing production through on-demand products and technologies like 3D printing? Design-rich experience and immediate product delivery are the new normal in consumer demand, which is forcing radical... Continue Reading