Plant Tours In The 21st Century: How Manufacturing Executives Can Stay Connected
Part three of a six-part blog series based on my 30+ years’ experience collaborating on innovation with complex, discrete machinery manufacturers. Previously, I discussed how a supply chain planning...
View ArticleTracking Fish From ‘Bait to Plate’ Is Smart Business
Do you know where the canned tuna you are eating for dinner came from? There is a 60% chance it comes from the Pacific Ocean. And according to recent findings by the Business & Human Rights...
View ArticlePlant Tours In The 21st Century: How Procurement Executives Can Stay Connected
Part four of a six-part blog series based on 30+ years’ experience collaborating on innovation with complex, discrete machinery manufacturers. In the third blog in this series, I discussed how...
View ArticleDigital Twins: Revolutionizing R&D And Enabling Next-Generation Value Chains
Companies have been digitizing products, processes, and equipment for a long time. The concept of a digital replica, or twin, of a physical object, has been around in product engineering for decades....
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A New Digital Era With Services And Content Packages
In today’s era of digitization, companies are looking for innovative digital strategies to manage assets and provide value-added services to their business partner network. For manufacturers and...
View ArticlePlant Tours In The 21st Century: How Human Resources Leaders Can Stay Connected
Part five of a six-part blog series based on my 30+ years’ experience collaborating on innovation with complex, discrete machinery manufacturers. In my last blog, I discussed how best-run businesses...
View ArticleGoodbye Spreadsheets, Hello Industry 4.0: Continental Standardizes...
Continental is one of the world’s largest producers of automotive components for passenger and commercial vehicles. The company develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and...
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Building A Supply Chain Strategy For Industry 4.0
Tech Unknown | Episode 5 Featuring guest Gary Mintchell and host Tamara McCleary Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts|Stitcher|Google Play “I look at the Industrial Internet of Things as this whole system...
View ArticleDesign To Operate: Innovation Starts With Design
Part 1 in a 5-part series on “Design-to-Operate with the Digital Supply Chain.” This blog kicks off a 5-part series on the design-to-operate (D2O) lifecycle. Each blog will take up one phase of the...
View ArticleResolving Key Manufacturing Challenges With Process Optimization
Part 1 in the “UK Manufacturing” series, which explores how companies in this sector can harness technology to conquer adversity. The UK manufacturing sector continues to grow, even in these uncertain...
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Streamlining The Factory Floor With Failure Mode Analytics
Learning from failures is an important part of moving forward in any industry, job, or project. It’s no different in the manufacturing environment, where various equipment failures can provide...
View ArticleDesign To Operate: Manufacturing For Empowered Customers
Part 3 in a 5-part series on Design-to-Operate with the Digital Supply Chain In this blog series, we’re looking at the design-to-operate (D2O) product lifecycle, which spans the phases of design, plan,...
View ArticleDesign To Operate: Integrated Processes For Better Operations And Maintenance
Part 5 in a 5-part series “Design-to-Operate with the Digital Supply Chain” This blog series looks at the design-to-operate (D2O) product lifecycle, which spans the phases of design, plan, manufacture,...
View ArticleHow Enterprises Are Using IoT To Improve Business
Connectivity among people, things, and businesses is increasing exponentially. Enabling flexible connectivity and data exchange between billions of assets and processes represents a tremendous...
View ArticleVinyl Marketing: Can Vinyl Records Also Be Green?
Did you know that August 12th was National Vinyl Record Day? It seems that every music store, festival, and concert you go to, there are bands that offer merchandising materials like CDs, T-shirts, and...
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Managing Complex Supply Chains With Automation And Innovation
Part 2 in the “UK Manufacturing” series, which explores how companies in this sector can harness technology to conquer adversity. If you were asked, “what do you feel is the biggest threat to...
View ArticleWhat Is The Amazon (Fire) Effect On Our Environment And Businesses?
Every time I click on the news, I see a new report on the fires in the Amazon. This is not a new phenomenon this year, since July and August are the beginning of the dry season. However, the sheer...
View ArticleIntelligently Manage Assets With Custom Analysis Apps
In the modern world of digitization, manufacturers and operators managing assets must be able to bring their home-grown industrial processes into the cloud to complement the solutions they purchase...
View ArticleIndustry 4.0: It Takes A Village
Industry 4.0 promises to create the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digitally transform manufacturing in discrete and process industries. Depending on who you talk to, Industry 4.0 has been touted as...
View ArticleSustainable Design: The Key To Unlocking A Sustainable Future
As a millennial who is studying for a master’s degree, I still have much to look forward to. But, as 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg recently asked: “Why should I be studying for a future...
View ArticleUse Robots To Improve Your Manufacturing Fitness
Part 2 of a 3-part “Manufacturing Fitness” series In the previous blog in this series, we used the human body as an analogy to talk about the idea of manufacturing fitness – where the manufacturing...
View ArticleAdd Muscle And Flexibility To Your Manufacturing Operations With 3D Printing
Part 3 of a 3-part “Manufacturing Fitness” series Concluding our series on manufacturing fitness, we now turn our attention to 3D printing – the process of physically manufacturing a product directly...
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Strengthening The Supply Chain Through Supplier Collaboration
Supplier collaboration means working with decision-makers at a supplier to determine improvements that can have a measurable, positive financial impact for both organizations. An example of supplier...
View ArticleMidsize Discrete Manufacturers Raise The Stakes On Industry Evolution
Discrete manufacturers are no strangers to change. But lately, even “change” is beginning to feel different. Customers are constantly raising the bar beyond the historical level of “good enough.”...
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The Secret Weapon Of Choice For Future-Ready Midsize Discrete Manufacturers
Every new prediction for the coming decade brings greater appreciation for how far discrete manufacturers have come. After surviving one of the worst recessions in world history, most industry players...
View ArticleChristmas For Manufacturers
Ho ho ho! Christmas is approaching with big steps. Are you getting nervous? Do you have all your gift shopping for Christmas done? In my case, it is quite easy: I got the first reminder in October,...
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IoT-Enabled Transformation For Tangible Business Value
These days, the set of technologies under the “Internet of Things” (IoT) name is considered the enabling factor for a potential Fourth Industrial Revolution. While the hype has been great, the business...
View ArticleQuantify Enterprise Solution Value Impact Using Discrete Event Simulation
Customer value is the level of satisfaction of your customer has with your business. This value is often related to what they are willing to pay for your product; therefore, the value of a product or...
View ArticlePrescription Drug Shortages Could Plague The 2020s
In the U.S., impeachment hearings are taking over the headlines alongside the ongoing trade war with China. In the UK, Brexit has been delayed – yet again. This time to January 31, 2020, as Boris...
View ArticleHow Industry 4.0 And Digitization Are Driving Innovation And Customer...
GEBHARDT Intralogistics Group was founded as a machinery construction company in 1952 and has lengthy experience in developing and manufacturing systems solutions for internal logistics. All of its...
View ArticleSourcing For Direct Spend: The New Sourcing Frontier
Savings in spend have always been a top priority for chief procurement officers (CPOs). While key performance indicators (KPIs) for process improvement, compliance, people initiatives, etc. have always...
View ArticleThe $1 Million Story at Endress+Hauser: Our Way To Success With Design For...
Whatever you are doing, at any moment in time, Switzerland-based Endress + Hauser is nearby. Whether you are drinking or eating, turning the light on, or taking a pill, you are surrounded by things...
View ArticleIt’s A Leap Year: What Did You Do With The Extra Day?
2020 is a leap year, which means that we had a February 29th for the fifth time this century. Since Leap Years were introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C, we have been getting that extra day every four...
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The Intelligent Industrial Manufacturing Enterprise: Five Ways Forward
Gone are the days when the industrial manufacturing value proposition was relatively simple: industrial manufacturers made products and delivered them. Now, the industrial manufacturer’s job does not...
View ArticleIndustry 4.0, Digital Supply Chain, And Sustainability: A Chat With Hans...
The buzz around Industry 4.0 is starting to grow, so I decided it might be interesting to have a series of interviews themed around Industry 4.0 here on the Digital Supply Chain podcast. To kick off...
View ArticleWhat Is The Future For Industry In The Post COVID-19 Paradigm?
It is April 2, 2020, and the world is gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. The global supply chain is experiencing a level of disruption that has never been seen before. Some manufacturers have ceased...
View ArticleA New Perspective On The Future Of Supply Chains
Recently, I talked to a senior business architect of supply chain at a major consumer packaged goods (CPG) organization about his project of digitizing the core. I wanted to hear his perspective on the...
View ArticleHenry Ford, Industry 4.0, And A Recovery For Manufacturing
There is a quote attributed to Henry Ford that I think holds the key to the future success of manufacturing. It may even change our thinking during the current crisis and provide the basis for...
View Article3D Printing To The Rescue: Innovation During Crisis By Automotive Companies
In his blog series, Aswin Mannepalli highlighted how automotive companies have been protecting their employees, financially guarding their companies, and using their manufacturing expertise and...
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Mission Unstoppable
Your mission, should you accept it, is to scope, secure, and retrofit an electric car assembly line in a remote corner of the world. You must complete your mission within 30 days or abort. This...
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The Impact Of Intense Disruption On Business Models And Strategic...
When you are in business, you need to be always prepared for the worst. As the current major economic disruption and uncertainty shows, various uncertainties can cause major disruptions to the entire...
View ArticleThe State Of Industry 4.0 In 2020: Plants And Processes
Part 2 in a series on the findings of an Industry 4.0 adoption study by The MPI Group The previous blog in this series looked at the overall findings of a recent study by The MPI Group that surveyed...
View ArticleThe Future Plant: Current Challenges In Asset Performance
Part 1 of a three-part series When Horst started his work as a machine technician at a manufacturing plant 20 years ago, asset management looked very different than it looks today. Having climbed up...
View ArticleThe State Of Industry 4.0 In 2020: Smart Products
Part 3 in a series on the findings of an Industry 4.0 adoption study by The MPI Group Here, we wrap up our brief series on a recent study by The MPI Group that surveyed hundreds of manufacturers on...
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The Impact of Intense Disruption On Business Models: Strategic Alternatives...
Part 2 of a three-part series Once you understand the key parameters that impact your business model, it is time to dive deep into how to leverage existing capabilities to navigate through the new...
View ArticleThree Ways Midsize Manufacturers Can Stay Viable In Unexpected Times
Part of the “Navigating Disruption Today, Planning for Tomorrow” series Industrial manufacturing companies are no strangers to disruption. In the last 18 months alone, they have faced everything from...
View ArticleBrain Gain
In the Golden Age of the assembly line, thousands of stationary workers concentrated on one task at a time, performing to the rhythm of the conveyor belt. Today, the roles are reversed. Now, individual...
View ArticleThe Future Plant: Current Challenges In Value-Based Maintenance
Part 2 of a three-part series As I shared in my previous article, asset management looked very different 20 years ago when Horst started his work as a machine technician at a manufacturing plant. Now...
View ArticleThe Future Plant: Current Challenges In Integrated Enterprise Asset Management
Part 3 of a three-part series Asset management has changed significantly since Horst started working as a machine technician at a manufacturing plant 20 years ago. As he’s climbed the career letter to...
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The Impact Of Intense Disruption On Business Models And Strategic...
Part 3 of a three-part series Most companies are facing challenges in collecting real-time demand information on the ground at the same time the pressure is increasing to deliver essential items....
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