MHI Blog -- We should embrace robotics and automation not fear it, according to the latest research by Barclays.

Investing in automation has the potential to boost the UK economy over the next decade and safeguard jobs across sectors. According to the research, than half (58%) of British manufacturers already invest in automation and 76% believe there are opportunities for further investment.

Fox Business -- Brick-and-mortar retailers, jostling for holiday shoppers, are embracing new trends to grab a bigger piece of the e-commerce pie.

According to ShopperTrak, sales inside brick-and-mortar stores during Thanksgiving weekend dropped 11.4% to $10.4 billion, and the National Retail Federation said more people shopped online (103 million) than in stores (102 million) this year. These holiday trends highlight why retailers are investing heavily in their Web operations, hoping to reach consumers no matter where they shop.

The Wall Street Journal -- Retailers, manufacturers and farmers world-wide are protesting a new marine shipping safety rule they say will raise transport costs and cause delays at ports worldwide.

The rule, which kicks in next July in 171 countries, requires exporters to certify the weight of containers before they’re loaded onto ships. Carriers say accurate weights are needed because overloaded containers frequently damage cargo and even cause ships to capsize.

Bloomberg Government -- The federal government is moving toward the final phase of an export control reform (ECR) effort begun by the Obama administration in 2009, aimed at modernizing an archaic system for licensing exports, according to Brian Nilsson, the newly appointed deputy assistant secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls.

At the end of the third and final phase of ECR, Nilsson wants a single control list, a single licensing agency, a single application form, a unified information technology system for all agencies involved, and an enforcement coordination center.

Reuters -- U.S. manufacturing contracted in November for the first time in three years as the sector buckled under the weight of a strong dollar and deep spending cuts by energy firms, but robust automobile sales suggested the economy remained on solid ground.

Other data released on Tuesday showed a sturdy increase in construction spending in October, which should help offset the drag from manufacturing on fourth-quarter economic growth. With manufacturing accounting for only 12 percent of the economy, analysts say it is unlikely the persistent weakness will deter the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates this month.

Modern Materials Handling -- According to a new Deloitte perception survey, Manufacturing Day 2015, including all events scheduled throughout the year, has improved the public’s perception of manufacturing.

Developed in collaboration with The Manufacturing Institute, the survey was distributed to more than 2,500 manufacturing hosts across the United States to gather perspectives from teachers, students and parents on how Manufacturing Day events made a difference in local communities. The survey found that after attending Manufacturing Day events, 81% of student respondents are more convinced manufacturing provides careers that are both interesting and rewarding, and 71% are more likely to tell friends, family, parents or colleagues about manufacturing.

As part of MHI view's ongoing video program, this new episode focuses on: Mobile Computing in the Workplace.

We'll look at how mobile computing and advances in technology can improve the efficiency of your warehouse. This video will feature an interview with Eric Lamphier, Senior Director of Product Management, Manhattan Associates.

 

 

Material Handling & Logistics -- While the House and Senate approved a 5-year, $305 billion transportation infrastructure bill to address the nation’s deteriorating roads and bridges, Michael Collins, president of MPC Consulting, isn’t sure this bill is the solution.

EBN -- Current advances in 3D printing are making it an integral part of manufacturing, including electronics manufacturing. It can cut down processes from weeks to days and costs from thousands to hundreds. The 3D printed option is not only more efficient and economical, but actually better in terms of performance, as well as carbon footprint.

One of the ways it accomplishes that mission is by providing necessary parts, which it can now do faster, better, and cheaper with 3D printing. I spoke with Mike Waltrip, general manager of Industrial Parts Services at ATS, about the benefits 3D printing brings to his business in particular and manufacturing in general.

Transport Topics -- Federal regulators last week issued a final rule that prohibits fleets as well as shippers and brokers from coercing truck drivers to violate hours-of-service and other safety regulations. 

The rule was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 30 and goes into effect Jan. 29.

Forbes -- On-demand manufacturing history just occurred. For the first time, a tool (a ratchet wrench), was made in outer space by additive manufacturing aka 3D printing; the printing of 104 layers of plastic took 4 hours directly after the design was transmitted from earth — proving digital manufacturing advances are not confined to earth. 

To get a sense of how digital is transforming operations globally, I recently had a conversation with leaders of operations’ backbone –supply chain — about the future, priorities today, and data measurements.

MHI Blog -- Katherine Johnson is a space scientist, mathematician, physicist, and pioneer who spent a remarkable three decades at NASA. November 24, 2015, Katherine received the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack H. Obama.

Her work at NASA as a research mathematician had profound impact on space science. Katherine calculated the launch window for American’s first human space flight, verified the calculation for John Glen’s historic first American orbit of Earth, calculated the trajectory of Apollo 11’s flight to the moon and worked on the plan that saved the Apollo 13 crew.

Bloomberg Business -- Another 73 companies joined a White House pledge to reduce emissions and water usage, buy renewable energy or take other climate-friendly steps as part of President Barack Obama’s effort to enlist corporate backing for his efforts to combat climate change.

The companies, which include retail giant Amazon.com Inc., chemical conglomerate DuPont Co., and JetBlue Airways Corp., bring the total that have joined the administration’s initiative to 154 companies. The pledge, launched in July, asks companies to cut waste and reduce their carbon footprints. Participants employ 11 million people and account for some $4.2 trillion in annual revenue.

Manufacturing Business Technology -- Manufacturers and supply chain operators are feeling the relentless pressure to improve the efficiency, quality and safety of every aspect of their operations. 

Fortunately, the Internet of Everything (IoE) and its enabling technologies offer a golden opportunity to respond to these challenges by tracking the entire lifecycle of a product with real-time data that can enable manufacturers to streamline processes and remove some of the most stubborn remaining inefficiencies.

Logistics Viewpoints -- We all know that Supply Chain Execution (SCE) is composed of Warehouse, Yard and Transportation management components. But have you ever considered the relative importance of these three components? 

Even though organizations usually prioritize their Yard Management System (YMS) as the final component of this trio, implementing an enterprise YMS is just the beginning of the journey of engendering execution excellence across an organization’s supply chain.

EBN -- Amazon's near real-time logistics and delivery service could move the electronics industry's supply chain deeper into real-time manufacturing. It would create a real-time delivery model taking advantage of data-driven robotics at manufacturing plants that send signals to automatically replenish inventory.

While Amazon's drone delivery service may not be ready to take flight, the company is building its logistics and transportation arm in what some believe will allow it to create a third-party service to take on the likes of DHL, Federal Express, and United States Postal Service.