Today’s marketplace is one of global purchasers and intense competition. It is essential for manufacturing businesses of all types to benefit from any strategy to improve their ability to respond to market changes through efficient capital improvement projects. Probably one of the most significant factors that can help them achieve these goals is relieving the cost of capital associated with construction. Manufacturing leaders are under more stress today than ever before. This means that they need to bring products to market and switch existing product lines quickly and cost-effectively if they want to enhance their competitive benefit.
 
The construction industry is still mired since the middle of the 20th century with little to no productivity betterment. The construction industry has had trouble to translate technology advances into improved productivity, held back by archaic and highly litigious contracting methodologies that encourage behaviors that are certainly not in the best interest of improving the speed and cost-effective deployment of capital improvement projects.  Over the same time period, the manufacturing sector has had appreciable productivity improvements because of the acceptance of new technologies and manufacturing methods, such as Lean Manufacturing, that have resulted in the construction costs of bringing new products to market becoming a more substantial share of the overall capital improvement project.
 
While senior stakeholders can question new and unfamiliar concepts, the potential benefits posed by LPD are worth investigating. Here is an overview of LPD, with particular focus on implementing Conditions of Satisfaction.
 
ESSENTIAL LPD ELEMENTS
 
As with any kind of methodology, LPD has certain elements that are essential to its success.  These elements define LPD projects and assist those using the approach. Because LPD centers around collaborative work, as an example, selecting potential collaboration partners early in the project is a very important step to take—this helps unite construction and design teams with the owner of the project to help promote the shared vision and goals of the project.
 
A collaborative work place between the aforementioned parties lends itself well to Target Value Delivery (TVD), another essential of LPD projects. TVD is a perception that utilizes early collaboration to include budget and constructability requirements as the project is designed rather than waiting for this input at a bid meeting or, even worse, in the form of change orders.
 
In addition to these elements, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) along with collaborative contracts that emphasize shared challenges and rewards decisively factor into LPD. An essential element, however, comprises of determining conditions of satisfaction.  While LPD is a technique that could be used with any sort of project, it works best with projects where early collaboration helps clearly and firmly establish shared goals for the project.
 
CONDITIONS OF SATISFACTION (COS)
 
As mentioned above, conditions of satisfaction are essential to the success of an LPD project. Some awareness into exactly how collaboratively develop them for your project:
 
First, there should be a strong vision of success that all team members share and can clearly articulate. These conditions of satisfaction must certanly be co-developed by the Owner and the Project Partners with the intent that the agreements are commitments to one another, not just for between the Owner and the team. The goal is to promote behaviors that create a team-oriented culture that has proven to result in improved project schedule and budget performance, as well as greater satisfaction amongst the project stakeholders.
 
A CLEAR VISION OF SUCCESS
 
Under the conditions of satisfaction, teams need to have a clear vision of success.  Mostly, there are just about 10 to 15 CoS identified on a project.  As with traditional delivery methods, there have to be a CoS that addresses budget, schedule, and safety objectives.  Then again, limiting it to those traditional measures would fail to put in place the important elements that help teams really collaborate.
 
Some examples of CoS that would depart from the traditional measures would be items like (“Project Conditions of Satisfaction (CoS)”, Lean Construction Institute):
•             Everyone is profitable
•             Number of RFI’s
•             Number of Change Orders
•             Number of Punch List items
•             Percentage improvement in productivity
•             Exceptional teamwork
•             Quality at acceptable levels the first time
•             Total Project Transparency
•             Strong Stakeholder Involvement
•             Rapid Mitigation of Existing Condition Discoveries
 
Give consideration to a case scenario of a plainly articulated vision beneficial to LPD.  Project decision makers had a large volume of Owner requirements that were well-developed. They provided the project team (CM, Designers, Trade Partners) with these requirements, and the team, in turn, built the conditions of satisfaction on a comprehensive review of those requirements.
 
Because project leaders and team members made it possible to collaborate early on, this potential issue was identified at the outset and a new answer was developed. The Owner agreed to re-organizing some of the parking and allowing a lunch tent close to the work in order to provide better project access for the construction group.
 
Through this process, project stakeholders understood the larger picture and recognized that there were particular issues that had to be driven by the project team and there was a clear cost benefit if they were able to accommodate that particular condition.
 
REAP THE BENEFITS
 
LPD is a fruitful project execution method that can help improve the time and cost efficiency of many various types of projects. If decision makers, constructors, and designers can come together to build a collaborative project from the outset, it is now possible for today’s manufacturing businesses to revolutionize the way they approach projects – and to enjoy the benefits as a result.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

The skills gap is an elusive paradox that moves experts straight to starkly opposing corners. They either accept it exists or suggest it to be a myth. But in the end, the numbers speak for themselves.
•             Out of 3.5 million new jobs, 2 million will go unfilled by 2025.
•             More than 2.6 million baby boomers are expected to retire in the next 10 years.
•             It takes 93 days to fill a role, a figure anticipated to grow.
•             The skills gap costs US companies $160 billion every year.
 
THE JOBS ARE THERE, BUT WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE TO FILL AND HOLD THESE POSITIONS?
 
In place of wasting time slinging the guilt for the skills gap from the public to the private sector and back again, it’s alot more worthy in order to get proactive and make moves about it. In the end, change does not come from inertia.
 
Is the future of work in manufacturing at risk? In spite of the alarming statistics, all hope just isn't lost. With the proper training, resolving the widening skills gap is achievable, efficient, and most of all, the way of the future.
 
While there are a few who knock the skills gap phenomena for being nothing else than a zombie idea that refuses to be extinguished by evidence, the actual issue is that hiring the perfect employee is not possible. Instead, companies must be striving to develop the perfect candidate through training. Let’s take a glance at the five major ways training can eliminate the skills gap.
 
NO. 1 - BY DISMANTLING MISCONCEPTIONS
 
Young people aren’t the ones behind the misconception that manufacturing is a dirty and low-paying job. Their parents are liable for propagating the tall tale. According to a study performed by SME, 25 percent of parents perceive manufacturing as a low-paying career, while more than 20 percent see it as an “outdated and/or dirty work environment.”
 
While this representation may have held some truth in the past, it’s inaccurate in today’s 21st century world. In-between the Internet of Things (IoT) and the unceasing developments in robotics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and 3D printing—the manufacturing industry is at the attention of innovation and the opportunities are promising.
 
Standing at $21.93, the 2019 average per hour salary of an employee in manufacturing is nowhere near being low-paying by any means! Let’s also keep in mind the many benefits commonly enjoyed by manufacturing workers, such as for example insurance, paid leave, and a pension plan.
 
The increase of training programs geared towards educating the younger generation and parents alike on the benefits of a career in manufacturing is, therefore, the way forward.
 
NO. 2 - BY BEING RECURRENT, ENGAGING, & MOBILE
 
Modern-day manufacturing employers should be working more intelligently, not tougher. There is no sense spending hundreds of hours and resources creating paperwork instructions that are ignored by operators on the shop floor.
 
It’s now both crucial and inevitable to convert the knowledge of skilled operators into digital format. But just capturing this tribal knowledge isn’t enough. It is just as vital to capitalize on the fact that the days of sitting quietly in a classroom tuning in to a professor talk away for several hours on end are coming to an end.
 
Software taps right into the inherent fact that everybody learns with their eyes by offering the opportunity to create visual work instructions that are convenient to use and understand.
 
NO. 3 - BY FOCUSING ON APPRENTICESHIPS
 
Today’s learners are tomorrow’s manufacturers. Together with dismantling stereotypes, it is also vital to concentrate on rendering students with the right information from the start. In this manner, future thought leaders can make the most knowledgeable career decisions.
 
Much like manufacturing jobs are no more dirty and unpaying, the same goes for the accepted learning style.
 
Providing apprenticeships is a smart way to capture talent that might otherwise be lost. It is able to be especially beneficial if geared towards students most likely to drop out. Rather than failing these students, re-orienting the strategy can instead have for effect to fill empty positions and further reduce the country’s unemployment rate.
 
NO. 4 - BY EXPANDING SOFT SKILLS
 
The manufacturing industry is likely related to hard skills. As vital as these are to get the job done, the focus is now progressively being shifted onto soft skills.
 
What are soft skills exactly? Think of interpersonal skills that make a contribution towards a progressively unified workplace and you have yourself soft skills. Contrary to hard or technical skills, which can be quantified and measured, soft skills focus on the other hand on communication, adaptability, teamwork, and punctuality. With more employers installing the focus on these, the question then arises: can soft skills be taught?
 
In a nutshell, they can’t. But, they can absolutely be learned and refined. While you look for the necessary soft skills in the interview process, it can be just as beneficial to offer guidance instead. Since soft skills are not teachable, you'll want to preferably guide your employees to want to learn these skills through work environment team building exercises, communication skills activities, etc.
 
NO. 5 - BY FOCUSING ON RESKILLING
 
Another popular misconception is that you can't really teach a dog new tricks. This is false. The issue is that with the advancement of new technologies and the obsoleteness of traditional ways of performing tasks, the amount of qualified workers to fill new positions simply isn’t high enough to meet the demand.
 
Manufacturing companies are better served spending worthwhile resources helping and working with their existing workforce instead. Teaching existing employees new skills can also be desirable because it elevates morale and productivity by inspiring people to want to learn more.
 
Most importantly, retraining does not require being lengthy or expensive. With the use of work instructions, retraining is so simple as showing employees how to use the software one time. Those same instructions are then reusable with new hires as well, and thus decreasing training time by up to 99 percent.
 
In the end, a better solution to the skills gap is already inside your company.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

Inflation rose in April in the 19-country eurozone, at first an encouraging mark for the European Central Bank in its struggle to sustainably raise prices.
 
The European Union's statistics agency Eurostat said Friday that yearly inflation rose to 1.7 percent in April from 1.4 percent in March. Core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and fuel, jumped to 1.2 percent from 0.8 percent.
 
Analysts at UniCredit bank said that the leap was boosted by the late date of Easter this year, which distorted a number of prices. They expect core inflation to stay back to around 1 percent.
 
The path of inflation is essential because it strikes monetary policy, which in turn has wide-ranging impacts on consumers and businesses. Weak inflation will push the ECB toward keeping interest rates low for longer, holding down borrowing costs for businesses and home buyers, and yet limiting returns on savings in bank accounts and other conservative holdings.
 
The ECB has reduced interest rates and bought 2.6 trillion euros ($2.9 trillion) in bonds over almost four years in an attempt for boosting inflation toward its goal of just under 2 percent and keep it there continuously. The central bank ceased the bond purchase program at the end of last year, saying it was progressively confident that inflation would move toward its goal after a while.
 
The bank had to backtrack amid weak economic data, saying March 7 that it would hold interest rates at existing record lows at least until the end of the year rather than at least until this autumn. Some professionals assume the bank and its president, Mario Draghi, will have to increase the promise to keep rates unchanged into 2020 in an attempt to get inflation higher.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

A closely watched survey is displaying that the 19-country eurozone economy lost further momentum in April.
 
Financial information firm IHS Markit said Monday that its composite purchasing managers index — an extensive gauge of economic activity — fell slightly to 51.5 in April from 51.6 in May. Although the index is still over the 50 no-change mark, it's linking to fairly lackluster quarterly growth of 0.2%.
 
A bit more detailed inspection of the monthly survey, which is overseen by rate-setters at the European Central Bank, showed the manufacturing sector in its steepest downturn since 2013 and all in all growth held up by the services sector.
 
The eurozone has been hobbled by escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, higher oil prices and uncertainty over Britain's upcoming departure from the European Union.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

ENHANCED USER INTERFACE TO IMPROVE NAVIGATION AND PRODUCTIVITY
 
Revegy updated its software user interface. Revegy’s fresh look, which unveiled in early April, enables customers to collaborate quickly and use their time more wisely. It gives users with clean dashboards, upgraded navigation and more user-friendly experiences for modern users to make Revegy tools more profitable and smoothly accessible. On top of it, the update brings new colors, fonts and clearly labeled icons to make crucial information easier to access at glance. The update offers a more developed look and feel, improved navigation, and improved productivity.
 
MACHINE LEARNING FOR ALL AREAS OF AUTOMATION
 
Beckhoff Automation announced a totally new machine learning (ML) solution that is flawlessly integrated into TwinCAT 3 software. Building on established standards, TwinCAT 3 Machine Learning offers ML applications a similar advantages of system openness customary from PC-based control technology. In addition, this TwinCAT solution works with real-time ML, allowing it to simultaneously handle demanding tasks like motion control. These capabilities provide machine builders and manufacturers with an optimum foundation to enhance machine performance through predictive maintenance, process self-optimization, and autonomous detection of process anomalies.
 
ROI TOOL TO SHOW COST SAVINGS FROM USING VERSION CONTROL/DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
 
Auvesy now offers an enhanced ROI tool to help substantiate the operational efficiencies and the physical results that versiondog brings to automated production. The calculator can quickly and easily show how versiondog reduces costs through automated backup routine versioning and archiving, and the effective management of the widest variety of project types. By providing plant and production managers with comprehensive support using centralized data management, version control and device backup, versiondog enables a superior utilization of a plant’s capacity and can notably reduce downtime.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

From the environmental disasters to financial crashes and political shocks, we live in a world that is gradually hard to predict. It's a fact that is compounded by the accelerating pace of change of the digital age. But still, against this backdrop, businesses should be able to make decisions and make them quickly.
 
Making the right choice requires a company to understand all facets of its business — in the past, the present, and the future — and to identify the value of the data available to them and what it tells them about their business. In the long run, the purpose of analytics within the enterprise should therefore not simply be to report on what has been, but to enable everyone at every level of an organization to make decisions with confidence.
 
It’s a big ask of any company, but even as we head deeper into 2019, what are the analytics tools, features, and functionalities we can expect to see to help businesses do exactly that?
 
Next-Generation BI
 
While the adoption of predictive analytics methodologies is unquestionably enhancing, this change has been principally driven by their IT specialists, with business users having to make requests for (and wait on) their reports. With demand for data scientists outstripping supply, however, many companies would like to bridge the gap by introducing self-service capabilities to their employees. It’s a trend that benefits all parties – while the business users can access capabilities previously out of bounds, by not having to spend their time on such tasks, the data scientists can pay attention on more complicated and higher value projects.
 
Therefore, what was once known as “advanced analytics” will quickly come to be part of the standard toolset of everyone from marketing professionals to accountants. As stated by research company Gartner, this shift will mean that “by 2020, more than 40 percent of data science tasks will be automated, bringing about increased productivity and larger use by citizen data scientists.”
 
Business Intelligence (BI) will evolve to add in advanced analytics capabilities such as for example automatic data discovery. And while such developments for certain add to the tools available to users, tremendously enhancing their ability to make strategic decisions, they also go one step further: They prevent users from coming under the bias trap, whereby data discovery justifies an outcome instead of reveals a new insight.
 
Left to our own devices, it is an inherently human trait to search for only what we are looking for when analyzing data. Knowingly and instinctively, we guide the process and sort the data to obtain the information that confirms what we expected. But by being so centered on what we think should be there, we can also miss important trends.
 
Smart analytics tools prevent this by actively drawing the user’s attention to information that might prove important but that could otherwise go unnoticed. Behind-the-scenes, a set of machine learning models provide a review of significant patterns, outliers, and key influencers of the business that help users really understand what is happening in their business. By changing from a passive system (“here’s some data, interpret it how you will”) to an active system (“have you seen this unusual development over here? It seems like it is being caused by this…”) analytics practices are continually helping users understand what is happening now, why it is happening, and how that will affect future results, all ultimately improving the speed of decision making.
 
The Consumer-Grade Analytics Experience
 
In the same manner, thanks to advances in areas such as natural language processing, solving business problems should be as simple as “Googling” all other question. Nearly as no one needs to realize the programming behind a search engine to be able to use it, no one should have to first learn coding to get the answer to the question they are looking for in their analytics solution. We can expect to see tools that enable users to do just that — benefiting from conversational technologies to get the answers to questions such as “what are the top ten stores by sales revenue in Germany?” by simply typing the question.
 
Finally, tools for example automated model builders represent another essential development. By giving business users access to capabilities that allow them to solve standard predictive modeling tasks, they can leverage the tools of a data scientist without having to actually become an expert themselves. Gradually introducing and exposing users to such concepts — and all without any significant upfront training requirements — also plays a key role in helping to establish a data- and machine learning-driven culture in an organization.
 
In 2019, we can expect to see augmented analytics methodologies being used pervasively across companies. From the boardroom to the shop floor, analytics has become a tool that can be viewed by everyone. As users and as people, we bring our own unique point of view to our analysis of the data. It is completely this combination of such powerful artificial intelligence and the inherent creativity of the people who use it that ultimately enables us to make resolutions a lot faster and with greater confidence than ever before.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

Cybersecurity officials from dozens of countries on Friday proposed a couple of principles to safeguard the safety of next generation mobile networks amid concerns over the use of gear made by China's Huawei.
 
The non-binding proposals were released following a two-day meeting in Prague to debate the security of new 5G networks.
 
The U.S. has been lobbying friends to prohibit Huawei from 5G networks over concerns China's government could force the company to give it access to data for cyberespionage. Huawei, the world's biggest maker of telecom infrastructure equipment, has refused the allegations.
 
The propositions echoed security concerns, with some wording that also appeared to be aimed at raising the bar for Chinese suppliers. The document said 'security and risk assessment of vendors and network technologies' should be factored in, as well as 'the overall risk of influence on a supplier by a third country,' especially its 'model of governance.'
 
'Security and risk assessments of vendors and network technologies should take into account rule of law,' it said.
 
U.S. authorities have recommended their allies to take into consideration the laws and legal system of a country where a 5G supplier is based, stating that China's lack of independent judiciary means companies have no legal options if they don't want to comply with Beijing's orders.
 
The European Commission has also proposed that EU countries factor in the legal systems of the countries where 5G suppliers are headquartered.
 
At the meeting in Prague, the cybersecurity officials came mainly from countries that are strategic allies, including European Union member states, the United States and its Asia-Pacific allies including Australia, Japan and South Korea and Singapore. NATO and European Union authorities also got involved but China and Russia were not present.
 
Europe has become an essential battlefield in the war over whether to exclude Huawei, with countries gearing up to set up the new networks, starting with the auction of radio frequencies this year.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

3M is purchasing medical technology company Acelity for $6.7 billion, and this includes debt.
 
Acelity Inc., situated in The San Antonio, Texas, produces advanced wound care products and had $1.5 billion in revenue last year.
 
3M, which makes Post-it notes, industrial coatings and other consumer products, is coming off a rough income report last week that sent its stock down more than 13%. 3M's health care unit, that will absorb Acelity's products, was its only division that posted an improvement in sales last quarter.
 
3M predicted the acquisition, announced Thursday, will cost it about 35 cents on an earnings-per-share basis over 12 months. Leaving out costs and one-time expenses, the company anticipates a 25 cents-per-share benefit over the same period.
 
The sale is anticipated to close in the second half of 2019.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

Today’s most successful original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have begun to redefine the way in which they do business— moving from a reactive, break-fix method of service to one that centers on maximizing product uptime. Servitization, where an increasing number of companies are shifting from selling products to selling access to and the outcome those products deliver, is driving this change.
 
Together with this shift, manufacturers must learn from leaders and laggards within other industries, e.g. Netflix vs. Blockbuster or Uber vs. taxi companies. Today’s OEMs are at a pivotal point in their histories and they must decide: do they want to be ahead of the curve and conform to change, or maintain the status quo and get left behind?
 
The good thing is that many manufacturers are looking hard at adopting uptime-centric business models. In point of fact, according to research conducted by my company, Syncron, along side Worldwide Business Research (WBR), 66 percent of manufacturers say that their executive suites are currently pushing a move towards uptime.
 
But what resources are needed to make uptime a reality? Below are three big needs for manufacturers as they embrace this shift:
 
Modernize the Service Supply Chain
 
The manufacturing industry has operated off the same script for at least a century: a piece of equipment is made, sold, and then ultimately repaired after it fails. Until recently, end-users had no choice but to eat the costs of this downtime. Now, with advancements in IoT and predictive analytics, manufacturers no longer want to be on the hook for equipment that can’t function. In place of, they want their products up-and-running all the time — because customers are demanding it.
 
Which means parts need to preemptively be available when and where they are needed, and proactive maintenance needs to take over to prevent breakdowns. Therefore, manufacturers must overhaul their supply chains and distribution strategies to allow this preventative maintenance to take place.
 
Establish a Subscription-Centric Focus
 
In the coming years, OEMs will will no longer report on the number of new products sold, or even service parts revenue. In fact, they will follow the path many SaaS companies have taken, reporting on recurring revenue from subscription-based services. Customers will subscribe to their equipment much in the same way as they do their Netflix subscription, paying for output and value.
 
Adopt Dynamic Pricing for Service Parts and Contracts
 
It might seem obvious that selling a service part or service contract for the optimal price is a key way to create competitive differentiation, but unfortunately, a lot of manufacturers are still using outdated methods like cost-plus or simple spreadsheets. With e-commerce players like Amazon and eBay starting to be more focused on the service parts space, competitively priced parts will become more important than ever. Modern service parts pricing technologies ensure the end customer has a great experience, while the manufacturer is instantly maximizing revenue and margins.
 
Servitization is definitely making waves in the manufacturing industry. And without the proper planning, manufacturers stand to be swallowed up. And yet, by laying out a carefully-planned strategy, these large, global brands can set themselves up for a coherent transition to an alternative way of doing work and give themselves the best chance at success for years ahead.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

Small business employing gained in April, extending a run of erratic job creation.
 
Payroll provider ADP's monthly tally of small business employs released Wednesday revealed companies created 77,000 jobs last month, a jump from an upwardly revised 20,000 in March and 30,000 in February. ADP's statistics, which show hiring at its customers who employ as high as 49 workers, have fluctuated since last summer.
 
Small business owners have been tentative in their recruiting ever since the recession, choosing to hold back until they have the revenue to justify the risk and expense of new employees. They've also dealt with in the past few years to look for qualified workers.
 
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, said he does not see a change in small business hiring, which he has described as slow. The April gain 'was likely overstated due to several technical measurement issues,' he said.
 
Monthly economic statistics including the ADP report are often times dependent on revisions, so economists look at hiring over a period of months to discern a trend. Small businesses created on average 52,000 new jobs a month last year, down from 56,000 in 2017.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

France and Germany have presented information on a plan to construct a prominent electric battery industry in Europe, from the extraction of raw materials to recycling.
 
French Economy minister Bruno Le Maire said about 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) are to be invested in the Franco-German project, including 1.2 billion euros of public subsidies.
 
A pilot plant will likely be based in France and two production plants, each of 1,500 employees, will be built in both countries.
 
Le Maire pointed out during a visit by his German counterpart Peter Altmaier to Paris: 'This is an example of what Europe can do when united.'
 
European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic made welcome the move as EU production represents only 3 percent of the world market and wants to be competitive with the U.S. and China.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

Inventory management is one of the most critical aspects of any organization. Warehouse managers have to deal with numerous challenges which can benefit from it, which includes reducing inventory-carrying costs and assuring that enough inventory is on hand to finish jobs on time. Effective inventory management processes are crucial for streamlined business operations.
 
Holding excess inventory ties up your cash on hand. It is very difficult to stay a healthy balance between supply and demand. Inventory management, when done well, saves time and money in this area. It also erases the risk of overproduction and stock-outs.
 
Automated operations, like inventory management, reduce data redundancy and boost speed, efficiency and accessibility. The appropriate inventory management software enhances warehouse activity. This may involve inbound and outbound transfers, label printing and bin tracking. Listed below are some other benefits:
•             Obsolescence: Inventory management software monitors stock. It replaces outdated products with the newer versions.
•             Stock-outs: Keep your customers and your competitive edge by fulfilling orders on time. Inventory management software helps you avoid stock outages that can delay production.
•             Cost: The carrying costs of excess inventory reduce cash flow. It also limits the capital you have available to invest in your business. If you want to increase your bottom line, cut the cost of inventory and other expenses.
 
Basic Inventory Management Techniques to Speed up Delivery
 
A. Relationship Management
Strong working relationships with vendors, suppliers and warehouse personnel are essential. Inventory management software allows collaboration across the supply chain. Restock the warehouse, troubleshoot manufacturing issues, expand storage space or dispatch orders. Do all this and experience timely delivery of your goods as well as customer satisfaction.
 
B. Contingency Planning
Managing a business consists of certain risks. However, you can mitigate them with strong inventory management software. Team members who are responsible for contingency planning can manage real-time inventory updates. They can check product availability aligned with delivery deadlines, and see tasks associated with the inventory requirements.
 
C. Inventory Control
Inventory control supervises the least level of stock needed to prevent inventory shortages. This ensures that you satisfy customer demand without disruption or delay. Inventory control also avoids overload stock on hand that ties up capital. Companies use a variety of inventory control methods:
 
Just in Time (JIT) is an inventory strategy that delays the purchase of stock until a customer places an order. The manufacturer receives the goods just in time for use. This approach to inventory control, also referred to as lean manufacturing, reduces inventory-carrying costs.
 
ABC analysis is an inventory control method that categorizes items into three parts (A, B, and C).
•             A-items – goods that have the highest annual consumption value.
•             B-items – includes interclass items; it accounts for 30% of the total inventoried goods.
•             C-items – items with the lowest consumption rates; it accounts for approx. 50% of the entire stock.
 
Small or low-value items are using the two-bin method of inventory control. The products are sectioned off into two bins and sorted. The first bin is full of the working stock that needs to be delivered to the prospective customers. The second bin holds the reserve items or the remaining materials. It is advisable to rotate the stock from the first bin to the second to avoid spoilage and obsolescence.
 
FIFO states that the oldest stock (first in) is sold first (first out). This will save time and money, cutting out the possibility of unsellable or spoiled goods.
 
The inventory control method known as set-the-levels sets the minimum and maximum levels of inventory required.
 
D. Regular Audits
There are three ways to track inventory: physical inventory, spot-checking, and cycle counting.
•             Physical inventory - every item in the warehouse is counted once a year.
•             Spot-checking - counts the stock to verify it with the quantity that should be there according to the plan.
•             Cycle counting - different products or small subsets of inventory are counted in a specific location, on a specified day.
 
E. Accurate Forecasting
Accurate forecasting begins with an understanding of past demand. The review of historical data gives understanding of future demand. Forecasting indicators include the economy, political trends, past growth rate, orders and promotional activity.
 
F. Drop-shipping
Drop shipping is an inventory management method that doesn't hold inventory in the warehouse. It encourages cost slicing by direct shipment to consumers after a product or a part is purchased from third-party vendors.
 
Bottom Line
Use any kind of these techniques to power-up your inventory management practices. A growing business must have strong inventory management that will scale as your business grows and changes. Picking out the inventory management software that best fits your business model is very hard, but worth it in the end.
 
This article is originally posted on TRONSERVE.COM

Unlocking the Possibilities of Lithium Ion
 
The Intelligent Power Vault is a multi-battery power source that incorporates the latest Lithium-ion smart battery technology, intelligent charging circuitry and efficient regulated power control in a high energy, rechargeable battery system that is conveniently designed into certified transportable & power backup devices across medical and industrial markets.
 
The innovative use of modular VR420A batteries enables for simple fitting and removal which permits transportation of the Intelligent Power Vault without the cost and complexity of dangerous goods shipping.
 
The IPV06 accepts up to six VR420A batteries delivering a retained energy up to 536Wh.
 
A Simple Solution for Transportation
 
International regulations impose restrictions on the transportation of Lithium Ion batteries, with added restrictions imposed on those capable of storing >100Wh. These extra restrictions enrich both shipping time and cost. A >100Wh lithium Ion battery must be consigned as class 9 dangerous goods, regardless of whether it is packed alone, packed with, or contained within equipment. The shipper must also be dangerous goods certified, which adds further complexity throughout the supply chain.
 
The Intelligent Power Vault solves the transportation problem - it is simple to ship across various modes of transport because its Lithium Ion batteries are <100Wh, modular and removable. For example, when shipping by air, the Intelligent Power vault is classed as 'equipment' and can be packed along with its VR420 batteries (and up to two spares) under section II of packing instruction 966 (UN3481). A shipper's declaration of dangerous goods is not needed and the shipper needs only limited training.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) today revealed that it has been distinguished by both Compass Intelligence and Quadrant Knowledge Solutions as a 2019 leader in the global industrial internet of things (IIoT) marketplace for its ThingWorx® Industrial Innovation Platform.
 
The two awards come just months after PTC unveiled the latest version of ThingWorx. ThingWorx 8.4 offers a long list of new capabilities, including Operator Advisor, which is created to increase the productivity of factory staff members by simplifying the way required operational data is collected, synthesized, and delivered.
 
'PTC proceeds to progress its breakthrough IIoT solutions and equip industrial companies with industry-leading software to move business momentum and create value,' said Jim Heppelmann, president and CEO, PTC. 'These accolades underscore not only PTC's technological superiority, but also our commitment to the success of our partners and customers in the industrial sector.'
 
Compass Intelligence Awards PTC with IIoT Company of the Year
This is the fourth year that PTC has collected the Compass Intelligence Award for Industrial IoT Company of the Year. These annual awards honor the top companies, products, and technology solutions in three biggest award categories: Mobile & Wireless, IoT & M2M, and Emerging Technology. Winners are chosen by more than 40 industry-leading editors, journalists, thought leaders, and analysts.
 
'With so many strong nominations, this year's winners represent the coolest and most disruptive in technology,' said Stephanie Atkinson, CEO and founder, Compass Intelligence. 'Year after year, PTC's vision, robust technology portfolio and strong market position make it the undisputed leader in the IIoT market.'
 
PTC Named Leader for Customer Impact and Technology Excellence
For the second year in a row, PTC has been selected a market leader by Quadrant Knowledge Solutions, receiving the highest rating in Quadrant's 2019 Strategic Performance Analysis and Ranking (SPARK) Matrix. In the 2019 SPARK Matrix, Quadrant analyzed the offerings of a wide range of software providers in the IIoT space, evaluating each on its technology platform, product capabilities, customer impact, ease of use, visionary innovation, and future roadmap. Through comprehensive research and a rigorous methodology, the resulting report and corresponding matrix showcase PTC's clear leadership in the industry, driven by its robust portfolio of IIoT solutions.
 
'We congratulate PTC for the second year in a row as the unambiguous technology leader in the 2019 SPARK Matrix for IIoT Platforms,' said Piyush Dewangan, Industry Research Manager, Quadrant Knowledge Solutions.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

The much-predicted next generation of the award-winning LulzBot TAZ 6 3D Printer made its debut today. The LulzBot TAZ Workhorse Edition promises to deliver larger, faster, better quality prints, and introduces automatic X/Y/Z backlash compensation for advanced print accuracy.
 
'Tens of thousands of users and industry experts worldwide nicknamed TAZ the ‘Workhorse.' Since it received the name, we decided to own it,' said Eric Beardslee, Aleph Objects Product Marketing Manager.
 
As reported by 3D insider, 'When it comes to the best workhorse 3D printers on the market, the TAZ 6 is the runaway winner.'
 
How The Best Was Created Even Better
 
'People have been using TAZ 3D Printers as tools in the most difficult environments,' said Aleph Objects CTO Steven Abadie. 'With the TAZ Workhorse Edition, we accumulated feedback from users in these conditions and added upgrades such as a reinforced frame and sturdier electrical connectors for unparalleled durability, while improving upon the already impressive print quality.'
 
The LulzBot TAZ Workhorse Edition boasts a 14% greater build volume than the TAZ 6. Getting sooner, better quality prints is better than ever with a new belt-driven Z-axis and a new, lightweight tool head design. Printing with a wide range of materials, including high-heat and high-strength composite polymers, is now possible straight out of the box with hardened-steel tool head components. An all-new LulzBot-designed tool head with 360°cooling delivers superior overhang and bridge performance.
 
To learn more, see the full specification sheet.
 
A Reputation for Reliability
 
The evolution of the TAZ Workhorse Edition, which was the result of seven iterations over six years, verified one thing over and over: the LulzBot TAZ line of 3D printers has a long-standing reputation for solid reliability. With millions of production-grade parts produced in-house with hundreds of LulzBot 3D Printers running nonstop for millions of hours, the workhorse notoriety has become an industry-proven deliverable.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

Simutech Multimedia, a supplier of simulation training used by over 500 global manufacturing and industrial companies, has established a new 3D simulation-training platform developed especially to help equip operations and maintenance professionals with the skills needed in an increasingly digitally-connected manufacturing environment.
 
With over 2.4 million manufacturing jobs projected to go unfilled as reported by the latest Deloitte study, Simutech Multimedia's new platform provides manufacturers the tools and data needed to identify, assess, onboard and train the next generation of skilled laborers, particularly in the electrical troubleshooting field.
 
'This fully-immersive setting allows users to gain advantages of better retention rates gained by simulation training as well as learn in a realistically-replicated environment they are accustomed to,' says Warren Rhude, CPO of Simutech Multimedia. “The new instructional simulation teaches professionals how to configure and troubleshoot industrial sensors and PLC analog inputs, PLCs and associated devices growing more prevalent in the modern production plant.”
 
Enabled by the 3D-training platform, users will be able to explore an industrial environment and understand results occurring from changing temperatures, humidness and light.
 
'It’s becoming clear that AI and VR technology will play a critical role in educating the modern factory worker,” says Simutech Multimedia CEO Samer Forzley. “Our technology has taken a massive start forward to meet the demands of today's operations and anticipates the manufacturing training absolutely necessary in the future fully-connected manufacturing world.'
 
Besides continuous improvement performance data available to management, future updates of the platform are set to incorporate leading AI technology that would determine users’ weaknesses and strengths and plan the best training routes to reach their goals.
 
The new Troubleshooting Industrial Sensors instructional tool will also offer users the hands on ability to take voltage, current and resistance readings, and interactively view the PLC ladder program through the virtual laptop to find problems with sensors, transmitters, PLCs, wiring and other input and output components.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

Industrial manufacturing companies every now and then feel they’re at the mercy of shifting government policies around environmental regulations, energy consumption and other hot-button political problems. Any change in environmental policy could involve a cascade of process adjustments, equipment upgrades and other changes that, despite their good intentions, can strain already tight budgets. And, with the possibility for those shifts to swing over wildly every few years with changes in Congress and the White House, this can be seriously sturdy for companies to adjust and still meet production demands.
 
One such change is coming down the pike soon: initially introduced in 2007, a second phase of lighting efficiency rules are set to go into effect next year, prohibiting the sale of lightbulbs that emit less than 45 lumens per watt. This may essentially terminate all basic incandescent and halogen bulbs from the market — a step that won't only effect consumers, but industrial customers as well.
 
The Industrial Lighting—Energy Connection
 
While it might seem like a small change in the grand scheme, industrial lighting in fact has the possibility to play a huge role in reshaping America’s energy economy. With many facility lights left on 10 to 24 hours a day, industrial lighting consumes 58 terawatt hours yearly—enough power to light 1/3 of all homes in the U.S. And, with 144 million industrial lighting fixtures in place, even more than 90 percent of which are conventional fixtures, switching out from older, less efficient fixtures might seem like a tall order. In spite of this, there’s an incredible potential for U.S. industrial facilities to upgrade lighting in order to cut energy use and the related pollution output.
 
The fact is, data reveals that using high-efficiency industrial LEDs could cut U.S. industrial energy consumption by 52 terawatt hours, limiting carbon emissions by 28 million metric tons a year. Along with, by removing the need to dispose of pollutant-containing conventional bulbs, the change to LED would also considerably cut down mercury contamination in the soil.
 
But, irrespective of the persuasive environmental benefits, a plant-wide LED lighting upgrade does require a certain level of investment. And, being forced into a big change due to shifting political policy can be a tough pill to swallow, particularly when the winds could change again at any moment.
 
Good for the Environment and Your Bottom Line
 
However, investing in industrial LED lighting may be a good move for your own company’s sake, too, beyond just meeting governmental mandates. Clearly, lower energy consumption right away correlates with lower energy costs, which means a healthier bottom line. At the Zero Mountain cold storage facility, case in point, a change out to LED fixtures bring down its total energy use by more than 1.3 million kWh, saving the company nearly $100,000 each year. At Rockline Industries, the company cut its energy costs from $100,000 to just $25,000 by switching to LED fixtures.
 
A Safer, Brighter Facility Saves Money
 
Industrial LED lighting could even significantly improve plant safety, which lowers incident rates and the potential for workers compensation insurance claims. Occupational injuries cost more or less $250 billion every year, and poor lighting is the leading cause of slip, trip, and fall accidents, as well as contact with objects and equipment, which are the most common types of incidents, second to transportation accidents.
 
Studies also show that the crisp clear light of modern LEDs makes for a more comfortable and invigorating work environment where employees feel more forewarn. With fatigue and sleepiness being leading contributors to accidents and injuries, the white light of LEDs has shown to minimize fatigue by a factor of 5 by mimicking a daylight appearance that helps to suppress melatonin levels. This boosted alertness has shown to improve workers’ performance on standardized exams and also cut the time it took to take the test. What that means is greater accuracy and efficiency, which in a workplace environment translates to higher performance and productivity.
 
Industrial LED Lighting Puts You Ahead of the Standards
 
While regulatory mandates that force industrial manufacturers to improve the way they do business may initially seem like problems to productivity and profitability, the fact is that switching to more sustainable, high-efficiency LED industrial lighting has far more benefits than just meeting a mandate. The lower energy and maintenance costs, improved plant safety and efficiency can drive real bottom-line benefits that contribute directly to operational advantages, while also insulating any company against the shifting winds of political policy.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

There isn't shortage of manufacturing problems in our modern society, from supply shortages to distribution problems and an ever-fluctuating economy. With all of these problems, it can seem like a miracle that we’re ever able to get things done in a landscape in which everything is against us.
 
The best thing is that a problem shared is a problem halved, and so as long as you know what to look out for, you can take steps to refrain from it – or at least to meet the problem head on with a solution.
 
And so with that in mind, we’ve created this list of the six major challenges that modern manufacturing companies must overcome if they’re to be successful in business. Let’s get started.
 
No. 1 - The Chinese Invasion
 
One of the biggest developments in the manufacturing industry in recent years is the Chinese invasion. In 2011, the country broke a 100-year run for the United States to grow into the world’s largest manufacturing nation. As the country continues to thrive, it won’t be long until the Chinese stranglehold is impossible to shake off. The great news is that for this challenge manufacturing companies can get ahead of the curve by outsourcing some of their manufacturing to China.
 
No. 2 - 3D Printing
 
3D printing could possibly be both a hassle and a solution for the manufacturing industry. It allows for more rapid prototyping and also for customization between products. For example, if your company manufactured prosthetics, 3D printing would allow you to customize each prosthetic based upon a scan of the patient’s limbs. Traditional manufacturers might struggle to keep up – or they could integrate 3D printing into their own workflow and turn it into an advantage.
 
No. 3 - Artificial Intelligence
 
Global spending on AI is set to raise to $7.3 billion per year by 2022, and the technology will influence every industry on the planet. The manufacturing industry will only be the beginning. The best thing is that while it can be difficult to initially wrap your head around it, the technology could help to drive huge efficiencies, ultimately helping you to save money and boost profits.
 
No. 4 - Cybersecurity
 
Cybersecurity is something that we’ll all have to get used to thinking about as more and more devices are hooked up to the internet. For manufacturers, the production line is increasingly being automated via the internet of things, but while this does have its advantages, it also has got its drawbacks. Manufacturers can even become targets in the event of a cyber war, mostly if they’re producing vital components for infrastructure or for the military.
 
No. 5 - Labor Shortage
 
According to Deloitte, close to 2.4 million manufacturing jobs will go unfulfilled over the next decade. Automation will help to fill some of the shortfalls, but manufacturing companies are still likely to face stiff competition when it comes to hiring top talent. The only real way to combat this is to make sure that your company is seen as one of the best employers in the industry.
 
No. 6 - Scalability
 
One final challenge will be for companies to scale up and down as required. To do this, they’ll need to guarantee that their infrastructure is as flexible as possible, and it’s also worth considering tapping into the gig economy and using temporary workers if it’s going to help you to scale up and down to meet demand on the production line. Flexibility is – and will continue to be–key.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

U.S. manufacturers expanded at a slower pace in April, as measures of new orders, production and employment each slipped.
 
The Institute for Supply Management, an association of purchasing managers, says that its manufacturing index fell to 52.8 last month, down from 55.3 in March. Readings above 50 point in direction of an expansion in the production. The sector remains reporting growth for 32 months.
 
ISM's survey of companies for the index is a sign that economic progress will continue, although companies raised worries about delays at the border between the United States and Mexico and the tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed on Chinese imports.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

The eyes, it’s been said, are windows to the soul. I’d argue that the real portals are the ears.
 
Consider that, at this very moment, a cacophony of biological conversations is blasting through dime-size patches of skin just inside and outside the openings to your ear canals. There, blood is coursing through your veins, its pressure rising and falling as you react to stress and fun, its levels of oxygen switching in result to the air around you and the way your body is using the air you emit. Here we can also notice the electrical signals that zip through the cortex as it answers to the sensory information around us. And in that patch of skin itself, switching electrical conductivity signals moments of anticipation and emotional intensity.
 
The ear is like a biological equivalent of a USB port. It is unmatched not only as a point for “writing” to the brain, as happens when our earbuds transmit the sounds of our favored music, but also for “reading” from the brain. Soon, wearable devices that tuck into our ears—I call them hearables—will monitor our biological signals to expose when we are sentimentally exhausted and when our brains are remaining overtaxed. When we are striving to hear or comprehend, these gadgets will proactively help us focus on the sounds we wish to hear. They’ll also decrease the sounds that make us stress, and even connect to other devices around us, like thermostats and lighting controls, to let us feel more at ease in our surroundings. They will be a technology that is truly empathetic—a goal I have been working toward as chief scientist at Dolby Laboratories and an adjunct professor at Stanford University.
 
What might we look forward to from early offerings? Much of the expert research in hearables right now is paying attention on cognitive control of a hearing aid. The point is to distinguish where the sounds people are paying attention to are coming from—independently of the position of their heads or where their eyes are focused—and determine whether their brains are working unusually hard, most likely because they’re striving to hear someone. Today, hearing aids commonly just amplify all sounds, making them unpleasant for users in noisy environments. The most pricey hearing aids today do have some smarts—some use machine learning along with GPS mapping to determine which volume and noise reduction settings are best for a certain location, applying those when the wearer enters that area.
 
This kind of device will be appealing to pretty much all of us, not just people fighting with some point of hearing loss. The sounds and demands of our environments are continually changing and introducing assorted types of competing noise, reverberant acoustics, and attention distractors. A device that helps us create a “cone of silence” (remember the 1960s TV comedy “Get Smart”?) or gives us superhuman hearing and the ability to drive our attention to any point in a room will change how we communicate with one another and our environments.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com