An Open Letter to Kids About Machines and the World of Making Things
This is an open letter to middle- and high-school students about choices they’ll soon face. It is also an introduction to Career and Technical Education (CTE), the world of CNC machining, and a reminder that there are options outside of the traditional four-year college path.
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The Resurgence of 'Shop Class' in American High Schools
From the 1990s through the 2010s, most traditional “shop classes” disappeared from middle schools and high schools across the U.S. — one of the many issues that helped create today’s skilled labor shortage in metalworking and CNC machine shops. Here’s one solution that deserves more attention.
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Increasing OEM Visibility to Shopfloor Operations for the Win
A former employee of General Motors and Tesla talks about the issues that led to shutdowns on factory lines, and what small- to medium-sized manufacturers can do today to win business from large OEMs.
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Behind Schedule Preparing for CMMC? You Are Not Alone.
The Department of Defense appears to be on track to begin a phased rollout of its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment program by early 2025. What does that mean for defense contract manufacturers and suppliers?
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The Link Between CNC Process Control and Powertrain Warranties
Ever since inventing the touch-trigger probe in 1972, Sir David McMurtry and his company Renishaw have been focused on achieving process control over its own manufacturing operations. That journey has had sweeping consequences for manufacturing at large.
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Zillow for Machine Tools?
The ability to see spec-by-spec comparisons between machine tools made Techspex.com immediately popular. Now, the machine tool search engine boasts a fresh new look and 5 must-see upgrades.
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If the Federal Government Is to Solve the Manufacturing Labor Shortage, it Needs to Start Here
Student-run businesses focused on technical training for the trades are taking root across the U.S. Can we — should we — leverage their regional successes into a nationwide platform?
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Lessons on the Journey Toward Shop Automation
By necessity, small and mid-sized American job shops are automating production, whether through swift, dramatic upgrades in capital equipment, or slow, methodical changes to processes and procedures on the shop floor.
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The Automated Shop – A Conference and a Goal for U.S. Machine Shops
Modern Machine Shop’s upcoming technical conference will be an opportunity to learn about several types of automation that are now accessible to small- and mid-sized machine shops in the U.S.
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There's Your Waste, Shaw! An Argument for Shop Reinvestment
The fictional Don Walling had it right: Innovation and long-term success for machine shops requires investments in technology and people. Not just one, but both.
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An American Manufacturing Story
For manufacturers that choose to move or keep production in the United States, what are the challenges and opportunities that motivate them?
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Team Unity – the Tightrope Walk for Corporate Culture
Finding your place in an organization doesn’t always mean falling in line. But creating a culture of continuous improvement means fostering unity among independent thinkers.
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