Advanced Manufacturing Now

A supersized automation training center, cybersecurity, PRIME-time for Michigan schools and the return of… ball screws. On this edition of Advanced Manufacturing News, the SME Media team examines the latest headline-making news.

Operational losses can cost manufacturers 20% of potential revenue and threaten to hit 34% by 2030. A new report by Schneider electric details how open, software-defined automation can establish an AI-enabled foundation to counter the trend. VP of OEM Sales Greg Magdanz provides some insights and advice.

Economist Ron Hetrick discusses Lightcast's new report and AI's impact on the job market.

Hiring, training and retaining talent in a transforming industry, AI and growing demand. Emuge-Franken recently hosted "Explore the Future of Manufacturing" at its West Boylston, Mass., facility on Manufacturing Day in October.

On this episode of Advanced Manufacturing Now, Limble CEO Gary Specter talks to SME Media Editor Rachael Thomas about the company's new State of Maintenance Report and the operational challenges facing modern manufacturing facilities. Specter reveals the stark realities of plant performance—including why nearly half of facilities experience more than ten hours of unplanned downtime each month.

Paul Van Metre shares some of the insights from his new book with advice on how to build a successful machine shop.

Which U.S. cities have the most market potential for the aerospace and defense industry? In a recent report, Global Location Strategies (GLS) highlights the locations positioned to lead the next generation of manufacturing—and the top spots might surprise you. GLS President and Founder Didi Caldwell shares insights from the comprehensive report, which ranks 387 U.S. metropolitan areas based on long-term competitiveness.

The editorial team discusses the Aerospace & Defense Industry Report and features on giving production data context, high-mix/low-volume production, why smart manufacturing fails and how AI weaves islands of info into a comprehensive digital thread.

Passenger air travel, defense contracts and the emerging space market are all booming. But production, supplier and workforce constraints threaten to create bottlenecks. PwC's Scott Thompson helps make sense of the consulting firm's inaugural A&D Sector Outlook.

In the second episode of Advancing the Line: AI in Manufacturing, SME's Tim Wilson sit down with Dr. Bijan Sayyar-Rodsari, Director of the AI Center of Excellence at Rockwell Automation, to examine how edge computing and generative AI are transforming real-world plant operations. With more than two decades of experience designing data-driven industrial control systems, Dr. Sayyar-Rodsari discusses how manufacturers can shift AI from experimental pilot projects into dependable, daily production environments.