Those who work in manufacturing understand continuing education is critical to demonstrate the career opportunities available as traditional manufacturing processes merge with technology. Yet, misconceptions about working in the industry persist. To combat these false ideas, those in manufacturing are offering individuals outside of the industry a personal look at what manufacturing means today.

 

National Manufacturing Day

Although National Manufacturing Day officially falls on October 5th this year, those who make their living in manufacturing understand it to be something worth celebrating each day. The first Manufacturing Day was started as an opportunity to highlight the positive elements of the industry to others and to dispel misconceptions. In October of 2014, President Obama signed a proclamation making National Manufacturing Day an official day recognizing the benefits and achievements of the manufacturing industry.

Inside View

Because of annual Manufacturing Day events, students and job seekers in the United States, have an opportunity to see the inner workings of the industry through factory tours, hands-on demonstrations and career-exploration panels. These efforts offer the next generation of workers and students an introduction to the current manufacturing environment.

In fact, 64 percent of students surveyed after attending a 2016 Manufacturing Day event came away feeling motivated to consider a career in manufacturing. Deloitte’s survey results show a potential 171,000 new members could join the workforce because of improved perceptions regarding the modernization of the manufacturing industry. This is an important step in filling the estimated 3.5 million manufacturing jobs between now and 2025, according to Deloitte.

Manufacturing Day also unites manufacturers in the U.S. in efforts to improve the public image of manufacturing, mend the skills gap and boost ongoing prosperity for the industry at large. During the month of October, manufacturers come together to address the industry’s collective challenges and to define the framework for the manufacturing industry moving forward.

Looking Forward

Officially celebrated the first Friday in October, this year’s occasion falls on Oct. 5 with additional events occurring throughout the month. During this time, manufacturers across the nation will showcase new industry technologies as they open the doors for factory tours, welcoming those outside of the industry to view manufacturing first-hand. To date, there are 387 Manufacturing Day events scheduled in the U.S. with 43 public and invitation-only events planned in Ohio.

Growth of the annual celebration is the result of ongoing efforts from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Manufacturing Institute (MI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). NAM produces the annual event with support from the MI and MEP.

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Throughout the manufacturing industry, the density of robots continues to rise around the world. Such technological applications help free up time for tasks requiring creativity and thought. According to the International Federation of Robotics, there is an average of 74 robot units per 10,000 employees. This includes the high end of 99 units in Europe, 84 in the Americas and 63 in Asia.

Countries by Level of Automation

Republic of Korea

Singapore

Germany

Japan

Sweden

Denmark

United States

Italy

Belgium

Taiwan

Robot Density

Since 2016, robot density continues to grow, as represented by the United States’ No. 7 rank in the countries of automation list above. Robots have been part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the American market and keep manufacturing at home. The automotive industry leads the way in the use of robots and it’s anticipated that between 2017 and 2020 the use of robots will rise 15 percent each year on average, according to a report from the International Federation of Robotics.

Manufacturing Collaboration

Despite some fears of robots replacing jobs, robots are now a common scene in many factories as robots and humans learn to co-exist. One of the ways this is happening is through Robotic Process Automation or RPA. With technological similarities to graphical user interface testing tools, RPA tools can automate interactions with the graphical user interface. RPA can also mimic the task-based processes, speeding up repetitive tasks and freeing up humans for interaction and the application of intelligence, judgement and reasoning. With the potential to fully automate routine tasks, RPA can reduce the total cost of end-to-end transactional processes by 50 percent to 75 percent, according to an RPA release from The Hackett Group, a global strategy, operations and business application consulting firm.

Collaborations on the manufacturing floor also include self-navigating Autonomous Indoor Vehicles, which shift goods between workstations without the need for magnets or beacons. This joint work between human and robot was coined “cobot” by professors from Northwestern University and is being tested at Cornell Dubilier, a power manufacturer who is using robots to speed up the inspection of capacitor installations, doubling the speed of its labeling process.

Growing Demand in RPA

The behind-the-scenes aspect of RPA translates into a variety of applications from supply chains, interactions between IT systems and repetitive business office tasks. Adoption will necessitate an increasing level of comfort for manufacturers concerning robotics and artificial intelligence’s. It remains to be seen how quickly companies will embrace these technologies, but such adoption has the potential to revolutionize the industry and the work of those employed within it.

This article is brought to you by The Cleveland Deburring Machine Company. CDMC can provide a deburring solution for gears, sprockets, aerospace and defense, automotive deburring, power transmission, powdered metals, fluid power and custom deburring applications. Our no-charge application evaluation includes a detailed report and process description in as little as 3 to 5 business days. Contact CDMC today and speak with one of our experts!

 

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The first half of 2018 is off to a positive start with continued growth in the manufacturing sector. Recent statistics from the Bureau of Labor reported an additional 18,000 jobs added within the industry. During the month of May, this equated into 12.673 million jobs, just slightly higher than the 12.655 million jobs reported in April. Many of these new jobs come from durable goods manufacturing.

Compared to a year ago when May 2017 numbers were at 12.414, this demonstrates a positive lift. Other economic areas such as the non-farm sector continue to show increases with 223,000 new jobs reported during the month of May, better than the 188,000 jobs economists predicted during this time frame. Retail trade (31,000 jobs), health care (29,000 jobs), and construction (25,000 jobs) also saw increased growth, and the unemployment rate moved to 3.8 percent, according to the June 1 economic news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Areas of New Job Creation

Machinery manufacturers – 5,800 new jobs

Fabricated metal products – 2,400 new jobs

Wood products – 1,300 new jobs

Industry Downturn

One area of the industry not experiencing the same level of growth is within the motorized vehicle and parts industry. 4,400 manufacturing jobs were lost during the month of May in this sector. Traditionally, this area, which includes trucks, cars and other vehicles, has been one of the more robust in the industry. The once-top job creator continues to experience a dip as more automotive buyers switch their preference from cars to larger-size SUVs and trucks.

Despite this slump, the sector still experienced an overall gain of 1,400 jobs, and automotive dealers point out the benefits of better-quality automobiles produced by leaner plants. Another bright side is SUVs and trucks have a larger price tag than most cars. Automotive industry insiders anticipate that larger profits from the production of SUVs and trucks will make it easier for automotive plants to make production changes, hopefully decreasing the need for large layoffs. Another positive is that automotive producers now react to changes in consumer desires quicker than they did in the past.

Slow Yet Steady

Nimbleness in manufacturing methods and changes in U.S. trade policy offer two examples of how the manufacturing industry continues to rebound from the 2008 financial crisis and recession. As economic conditions continue to improve, the industry shows steady, yet slow, growth with hiring continuing throughout much of the industry. A desire for products made in the U.S. also helps justify new jobs and an increasing workforce to meet growing demand. But the continuation of such trends remains to be seen with the possibility of an upcoming trade war, according to a news report from Manufacturing Talk Radio.

This article brought to you by the Cleveland Deburring Machine Company.

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