Wednesday, June 19, 2013

SigmaNEST V10

The heart of manufacturing is the actual machining, forming, assembly and packaging operations.  These turn raw materials and supplies into finished products.  Profitability improvements are determined through scrap reduction, improving machine productivity, and linking individual operations through specialized software.  SigmaNEST, a CAD/CAM nesting system, is inviting SME Chapter 36 members to try out their newest release, version 10, for free.  For more details, visit:

http://www.sigmanest.com/en-us/version-10/




Tuesday, June 11, 2013

SME Meeting Notes with OH!Manufacturing, Central Ohio's Affiliate for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Representatives from OH!Manufacturing, the Central Ohio affiliate of the NIST MEP program recently met with SME Chapter 36 members.  Gary Walzer, from OH!Manufacturing, introduced the group to the services provided by OH!Manufacturing.  OH!Manufacturing's focus is to strengthen Ohio's small manufacturers (those with 500 employees or less). 

OH!Manufacturing partners with those manufacturers to identify areas that will improve that business.  OH!Manufacturing focuses on five key areas, as shown below.

Five Key Areas (Courtesy of OH!Manufacturing)


OH!Manufacturing then identifies other companies or agencies that can help the manufacturer accomplish goals in the areas identified.  The matchmaker role between a business and solution provider is one of the strengths of OH!Manufacturing, which maintains networks with regional resources for business and technical products and services.
 
OH!Manufacturing also has specialists within the key areas that can help businesses with specific improvements.  Two areas that businesses have been particularly interested in working with OH!Manufacturing are Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Teaming as well as Innovation Engineering.
 
Most engineers and manufacturing professionals have probably worked on a dysfunctional team at some point in their careers, and welcome any resource to improve team based problem solving and communication.  The topic of Innovation Engineering has received a lot of attention in literature in recent years.  Research shows, and business results prove, that companies can take definite steps to create and maintain a culture that allows them to be more innovative.  OH!Manufacturing pulls back the curtain on the innovation process by:
 
  • Teaching the Scientific method for accelerating more profitable products, services, customers, markets and processes
  • Install proven system for how an organization creates, communicates and commercializes meaningfully unique ideas
  • Provides structure to the “fuzzy front end” of innovation
  • Accelerates existing ideas through identification of strategic purpose, definition, and documentation of sales forecasts for all ideas in the innovation pipeline
Through OH!Manufacturing's assistance with Innovation Engineering, Ohio manufacturers have reduced risks of innovation by 30-80% and increased the speed of innovation up to a factor of 6 while increasing rate of success as much as 4 times.
 
How do you get OH!Manufacturing to help?  That's easy, contact Gary Walzer today!  He can help you set up a visit by a OH!Manufacturing representative to your facility to evaluates specific aspects of your business.  The visit results in an assessment and provides a recommended action plan.  This also includes potential for increased productivity and growth.  OH!Manufacturing may also be able to find grants from government agencies to help your business realize the improvements you need to keep your competitive edge.
 
Gary is waiting: