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.
Increased integration of technology into production processes and equipment has a downside: increased vulnerability to cyberthreats. Many manufacturers have turned to third-party IT providers for cybersecurity solutions. These professional services offer a range of benefits from expert technical support to cost-effective solutions tailored to your specific needs. However, like any business decision, there are also potential drawbacks to consider.
The current talent pipeline for manufacturing is not adequate to fill existing job openings. Emerging demand for data analysts and semiconductor technicians will require a more collaborative approach to expand training opportunities and reach into underrepresented populations to widen the pool of candidates.
Among the varied and ever-evolving challenges manufacturers face, ransomware has emerged as uniquely menacing. It’s not just a threat to individual computers or isolated systems – it’s a weapon that can paralyze entire organizations. Ransomware attacks now account for approximately 20% of cybercrime. Given this steep increase in ransomware attacks, manufacturers must act now to avoid becoming the next victim.
Mayville Engineering Company (MEC) knows without employee commitment, no company can succeed. At this employee-owned company, the workforce is engaged because the solutions that drive the company’s success benefit them as well.
Technology-driven market intelligence (TDMI) is a technology acceleration service developed for the MEP National Network™ by RTI International to help small and medium-sized manufacturers refine their strategic direction and market validation. This helps firms stay competitive and grow their businesses. Market research and a proper TDMI assessment require significant time and expertise you may not have in-house. Your local MEP Center has access to internal and third-party experts who can deliver this service. It has the experts that can gather, sort, and analyze data on your customer preferences, competitor activities, and technological advancements.
When Enova Illumination Vice President of Operations Jeremy Ward contacted Enterprise Minnesota, part of the MEP National Network™, the company had been using an older quality management system (QMS) based on ISO 13485. It needed to refresh its internal documentation and processes to be compliant to the current standard and more effective for the way the business was operating today.
Enterprise Minnesota consultant Ally Johnston was brought in to conduct a lean assessment of the organization and create a roadmap of opportunities for improvement as Enova Illumination sought to become ISO 13485:2016 compliant, with a future goal of gaining this valuable medical device certification. Results of this engagement included $3,000,000 in new or retained sales, 15 created or retained jobs and $250,000 in new investment.
Did you know that manufacturing is now the most targeted industry for cyber attacks? The average cost of a data breach for a small business is $105,000. Can your firm absorb that cost? Can you risk the down time and the damage that a data breach would cause your business?
A new infographic details some of the risks posed by Industry 4.0 technologies and actions that manufacturers can take to protect themselves from a cyber attack. It also provides examples of how MEP Centers work with manufacturers to find solutions to their unique cybersecurity challenges.
Workforce challenges these days are never-ending, not just for manufacturers but across the business spectrum. You may have an old standby in your workforce toolbox that addresses manufacturing-specific issues while also arming your new leaders with skills to meet current workforce challenges. Training Within Industry (TWI) has been around since the 1940s, and it is designed to expand supervisor knowledge in ways that help your business drive continuous improvement.
Learn how two elements of TWI – job relations (JR) and job instruction (JI) – impact engagement and retention with this blog from Phil Chadderdon with VMEC, the Vermont MEP Center.
How can small firms without in-house expertise help their staff learn new skills? It’s not easy when resources are tight and staff are pulled in a million directions. Manufacturers face worker shortages, skills gaps and other workforce challenges that limit their productivity and growth.
MEP Centers around the country help manufacturers fill those gaps and find unique workforce solutions based on each firm’s needs. A new interactive map, MEP National Network Workforce Programs, Services and Trainings, showcases these efforts across the country. This map complements a recently published list detailing ways that Centers are helping manufacturers overcome workforce challenges. These tools provide information about workforce offerings at MEP Centers in each state and Puerto Rico.
Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) is a nationwide annual event and offers unique opportunities for the public to gain insights into the world of modern manufacturing. Manufacturing has come a long way from the dark, dirty factories of the past. Today, it’s a dynamic industry that blends cutting-edge technology, innovation and sustainability. MFG Day showcases career opportunities and exciting advancements in the field. From 3D printing to robotics, participants get firsthand exposure to the high-tech, automated processes that drive modern manufacturing.