Impact Dakota Blog is a blog dedicated to supporting North Dakota’s manufacturing community improve People, Purpose, Processes and Performance. Entries provide information on opportunities, new ideas, quick tips, celebrations of success, and well, frankly, anything to help you become a better manufacturer.
After diving deep into the Mars missions, MAGNET’s Matt Fieldman was convinced that the leadership approach Adam Steltzner, an engineer at NASA, learned could, in fact, help small manufacturers nationwide. Find out more about these five workforce lessons.
The technology that brought you Bitcoin is beginning to make waves in the food manufacturing industry. The benefits become obvious in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak. Traceability can be reduced to seconds, so the response is greatly accelerated, potential product loss is minimized and long-range costs and damage to the brand can be significantly reduced.
Supplier scouting is hard work for manufacturers and potential suppliers, but it could lead to big payoffs with supply chain efficiencies and even reshoring opportunities. Learn more about how the MEP National Network provides value in this important area.
This blog is the seventh in a monthly series brought to you by the America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the growth of small and medium-sized manufacturing companies, this series focuses on innovative approaches and uncovering the latest trends in manufacturing workforce development.
While Fridays have always been a reason to celebrate, the first Friday of October is one that is near and dear to the MEP National Network, as this year, Friday, October 1, is Manufacturing Day (MFG Day)! Organizing your MFG Day events may have changed quite a bit in the last 18 months. Why hold a hybrid event with both in-person and virtual aspects? By combining both in-person and virtual experiences into a hybrid event, you pave the way for increased participation and greater regional and national attendance. Here are three ways to create a great hybrid event.
Small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) are often resource- and talent-challenged. But these conditions also are what should make the advancement of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) so attractive to SMMs. Using an MES helps focus on defining, measuring, analyzing and controlling what is actually driving the business. It will deliver a more holistic and detailed report of how production impacts finances.
Business growth in manufacturing traditionally has come along two lines: market penetration, growing with the same product; and market diversification, bringing the same product to new markets or new products to the same market. Manufacturers looking to grow their business should not underestimate the benefits of targeted market research. Your local MEP Center can help.
The World Health Organization estimates that each year, unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 420,000 deaths worldwide? A new initiative by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called “The New Era of Smarter Food Safety” builds on FSMA and incorporates more effective processes and modern techniques. It encourages food manufacturers to establish and internalize the culture of food safety.
American manufacturing is better served by making a concerted investment in our current workforce, so workers feel valued, appreciated and understand they have a bright future in manufacturing. Just like modern manufacturing has come a long way from the factories of the past, so have modern apprenticeships. Check out this blog to find out four reasons your manufacturing company should take a serious look at registered apprenticeships in 2021 and beyond.
Additive manufacturing is the secret weapon for small to medium-sized manufacturers who create highly customized products and are looking to improve their industrial tooling processes. MEP National Network representative Dave Pierson shares how for shops interested in producing more high-value, low-run parts.