The Leading Source for Manufacturing News & Insight
Experts: Smartphones Another Avenue For Hackers
May 15, 2013 1:46 pm | by Tony Winton, Associated Press | News | CommentsVast amounts of personal data are stored in emails, texts and other applications, and personal information is increasingly easily found on social media. Organized crime operations also see smartphones as the most vulnerable entry point into the electronic financial system, according to the Federal Reserve.
Students In Ghana Launch Mini-Satellite
May 15, 2013 1:42 pm | by Robbie Corey-Boulet, Associated Press | News | CommentsTheir project might not sound like much: The college students on Wednesday launched a tiny model of a satellite the size of a Coke can on a big yellow balloon. It went aloft to a height of 165 meters (yards) and then came back down on a red parachute.
Where Has All The Training Gone?
May 15, 2013 11:53 am | by Robert Allen and Kathleen Bellemare, Connecticut Spring & Stamping | Articles | CommentsTraining for skilled manufacturing positions has been hit by a perfect storm of budget cuts and the mistaken idea that all young workers should go to college. At Connecticut Spring & Stamping (CSS), the situation had become so desperate that to meet its capacity and continue to grow, the company has had to replace formerly state-funded training with its own programs.
U.S. Bank Equipment Finance To Sponsor The Reshoring Initiative
May 15, 2013 10:58 am | News | CommentsU.S. Bank Equipment Finance announced today that it will sponsor the Reshoring Initiative, a Chicago-based group established to educate manufacturers on the benefits of bringing their operations and corresponding jobs back to the United States.
Factory Output Falls 0.4 Percent In April
May 15, 2013 10:50 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsU.S. factories cut back sharply on production in April, as auto companies cranked out fewer cars and most other industries reduced output. The weakness in manufacturing suggests economy growth may be slowing this spring. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that manufacturing output dropped 0.4 percent in April from March.
Vietnam Changes Law To Get Around EU Execution Ban
May 15, 2013 8:37 am | by Chris Brummitt, Associated Press | News | CommentsVietnam has issued a new law allowing domestically produced chemicals to be used in lethal injections, a change that should enable it to resume the currently stalled executions of more than 530 people on death row. The holdup was a result of an EU ban on its factories exporting chemicals used in lethal injections.
Woman: China Police Ask To Ax White House Petition
May 15, 2013 8:22 am | News | CommentsPolice in Chengdu, the capital of southwestern Sichuan province, have declined to comment. But B.Y.'s petition problem last week highlights how prickly Chinese authorities are about Internet dissent, perhaps especially when it involves the United States.
Chains Grapple With How To Improve Safety
May 15, 2013 8:19 am | by Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Retail Writer | News | CommentsBut in the latest sign that there's a clash between what U.S. companies and overseas firms think should be done to solve the issues in Bangladesh, several North American retail groups led by the National Retail Federation on Tuesday said they are working on a separate factory safety plan.
Tobacco Mass Litigation Trial Wrapping Up In W.Va.
May 15, 2013 8:16 am | News | CommentsA mass litigation trial against the nation's largest tobacco manufacturers is wrapping up in Charleston. The cases were filed on behalf of about 700 plaintiffs against Philip Morris, R.J. Reynolds, American Tobacco Co., Brown and Williamson and Lorillard. The plaintiffs claim they were harmed by tobacco use.
Fridge Staple Hellmann's Mayo Turns 100
May 15, 2013 8:09 am | by Mae Anderson, Associated Press | News | CommentsTo celebrate Hellman's centennial birthday, owner Unilever is launching a marketing campaign to drum up attention for the country's top-selling mayonnaise, whose formula remains almost the same as it was a century ago. Media spending is undisclosed, but it's the largest ever campaign for the brand.
Japan Watchdog To Halt Test Reactor Over Safety
May 15, 2013 8:01 am | by Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Nuclear Regulation Authority's decision is the latest blow to the Monju fast-breeder reactor and Japan's nuclear fuel cycle program. The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hoping that Monju will be a key part of Japan's plans for disposing of atomic waste and reducing the nation's plutonium stockpile.
Bill Squeezing Out Tesla Passes N.C. Senate
May 15, 2013 7:55 am | News | CommentsThe electric car manufacturer says the bill that passed the Senate unanimously Monday effectively bars it from selling to state residents through its Internet-based model. The bill would require Tesla to go through the state's system of 7,000 franchised dealers by amending the definition of a dealer.
Ford Owners Claim EcoBoost Engine Defective
May 15, 2013 7:48 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe lawsuit says more than 100 drivers have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the V6 EcoBoost rattling or losing power. Ford hasn't recalled any vehicles for the alleged defect, and NHTSA hasn't opened an investigation, which is often the first step in the recall process.
U.S. Launches Drone From Aircraft Carrier
May 15, 2013 7:45 am | by Brock Vergakis, Associated Press | News | CommentsA drone the size of a fighter jet took off from the deck of an American aircraft carrier for the first time Tuesday in a test flight that could eventually open the way for the U.S. to launch unmanned aircraft from just about any place in the world.
Google Poised To Show Off Latest Devices, Services
May 15, 2013 7:33 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsThe company, which is based in Mountain View, Calif., made a big splash at last year's conference by staging an elaborate production to highlight the potential of Google Glass — an Internet-connected device and camera that can be worn on a person's face like a pair of spectacles.
Corporations Kill Eagles
May 14, 2013 3:29 pm | by Mike Rainone, Co-Founder, PCDworks | Articles | CommentsIn spite of years of corporate hype over invention and creativity, and the millions spent on seminars, training, and corporate consultants, big corporations have found that they can be neither innovative nor creative. I suspect that a consultant must have told someone that one of the requirements for innovation is to internally foster entrepreneurship.
Engineering Answers: The Bionic Dragonfly
May 14, 2013 3:20 pm | by Melissa Fassbender, Associate Editor, PD&D | Articles | CommentsAfter successfully mimicking bird flight with the SmartBird, which is inspired by the herring gull, and can start, fly, and land autonomously – with no additional drive mechanism, the developers at the Bionic Learning Network took on their next big challenge, modeling the dragonfly at a technical level.
Manufacturing Revival Radio: Big Ass Fans — Keeping Cool While Saving Energy
May 14, 2013 2:22 pm | by Manufacturing Revival Radio | Podcasts | CommentsToday we had the pleasure of speaking with two individuals that are helping keep America’s work force comfortable. We welcomed to the show James DeSmet and Christian Taber, Director of Engineering and Operations Senior Applications Engineer (respectively) of Big Ass Fans.
Pest Birds And Corrosive Droppings
May 14, 2013 2:04 pm | by Chrissy Hansen, Bird-X Media Correspondent | Articles | CommentsPest birds cost individuals and businesses millions of dollars each year in clean-up expenses, repairs, and damaged equipment. Some large industrial facilities spend as much as six figures to combat pest bird problems. Facility managers must understand the important of implementing a preventative bird control program as means of reducing these costs.
Business Agility In The Evolving Workforce
May 14, 2013 1:55 pm | by Bob Dean, Executive Director, Business Transformation, Cisco | Articles | CommentsEighty five percent of companies with global supply chains experienced at least one supply chain disruption in the previous 12 months. Risk is inherently unpredictable. Fortunately, the current workforce is undergoing its own transformation to be able to identify and manage risk on a global basis.
