How Tribal Knowledge Can Undermine Your Manufacturing Business
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 25% of the manufacturing workforces is 55 or older. That statistic has remained stagnant for half a decade, and one of the reasons is, manufacturing companies simply can’t afford to lose the knowledge and expertise of...
The Digital Thread and Work Instructions
The smart manufacturing revolution is upon us. Software platforms can now track data across the product design and production, and platforms trace parts and finished products through the entire supply chain in real time. But at many organizations, integrating the data...
Local Servers vs. the Cloud: Does it matter where your work instructions reside?
For many, the first question that might come to mind is that of data security. From the Colonial Pipeline to the world’s largest meat processing facility to a city’s water supply in Florida, cyber-attacks have been making the headlines across the country—and...
Doing the Gemba Walk Redux
There was a time when emails from manufacturing engineers commonly had “green belt” or “black belt” in the signature, referring to the sender’s level of training in the Six Sigma continuous improvement process. While the titles have become passé and do not appear in...