The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread uncertainty and disrupted many of the conditions that manufacturers had taken for granted. But now, nearly three years later, it’s clear that the pandemic simply accelerated the trends and challenges that were...
Imagine, for a moment, that you need a new computer. You reach out to vendors with a request for proposal (RFP) that states, “I need a new computer.” As the bids come in, you begin to realize that none of the vendors know what you meant. One proposes a low-cost,...
The past decade has seen a dramatic transformation in manufacturing. Deemed Industry 4.0, the focus on technology, automation, interconnectivity, data, and analytics has redefined the way that goods are designed, produced, and delivered to customers. However, with so...
Conversations about automation technology and design often focus on one thing – the technology itself. We think of the high-tech robots, the automated conveyors, or the precision welding machines that make it possible for factories to operate more efficiently,...
The way many manufacturers think about technology upgrades is broken. Driven by the desire for cost certainty, clear schedules, and defined deliverables, manufacturers often want to engage in lump-sum, turnkey projects. They define the requirements in-house,...
What happens to your product when it leaves the warehouse? Can you see when it’s delivered to your customer? Do you know which batch was sent to which retailer? Can you tell what condition it was in when it arrived or who was responsible for it at any given time? ...