Skilled labor shortages continue to top the list of barriers to manufacturing growth. In Episode 2 of Advanced Manufacturing Live, we examined how manufacturers are responding—through apprenticeships, partnerships with educators, veteran hiring initiatives and hands-on training centers.

The SME Media editorial team breaks down the February issue, exploring how AI, automation, apprenticeships, and workforce development are coming together to close manufacturing's skills gap.

Join Deltek for a webinar showcasing the powerful capabilities of the Gage and Tool module in TIPQA, a comprehensive solution designed to streamline tool management and enhance quality assurance across manufacturing operations.

In this webinar, you'll learn how TIPQA empowers teams to:

• Track Tool Usage with Precision: Record tool usage directly against manufacturing and inspection steps for full traceability.

• Simplify Tool Management: Utilize an intuitive check-in/check-out system to manage tool availability and accountability.

• Ensure Accuracy and Reliability: Automate calibration cycles and schedule preventative maintenance to maintain tool integrity.

• Adapt Maintenance to Real-World Use: Leverage dynamic maintenance cycles based on actual tool usage to reduce downtime and optimize performance.

• Drive Data-Driven Decisions: Perform Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility (Gage R&R) analysis to validate measurement systems and improve process control.

Whether you're a quality engineer, manufacturing manager, or SME member looking to elevate your tool management strategy, this webinar will provide actionable insights and a firsthand look at how TIPQA's Gage and Tool module can transform your operations.

Brought to you by: DELTEK

Visit https://advancedmanufacturing.org/webinars for more webinars and an interactive experience with visuals.

In recognition of National Mentoring Month, SME Media Editor Rachael Thomas spoke with Nashay Naeve, president of the engineered plastic components business unit at Tsubaki-Nakashima, to learn more about her career journey, uplifting other women in the manufacturing industry and more.

America's manufacturing sector continues to face a critical skilled labor shortage—but one highly capable talent pool often goes overlooked: military veterans.

In this episode of Advanced Manufacturing Now, host Rachel Thomas, editor at SME Media, is joined by Michael McConnell, senior editor at SME Media, to discuss his upcoming February feature in Manufacturing Engineering & Technology magazine.

Recorded live at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, this episode features a conversation between SME Media Editor-in-Chief Steve Plumb and SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Dr. Brett Conner on why manufacturing belongs at the world's biggest technology show.

In today's special episode, you'll hear the audio version of SME Media's brand new video series, Advanced Manufacturing Live! You can find the video version of this episode on SME Media's social media pages.

In this special episode of Advanced Manufacturing Now, the SME Editorial Team reflects on the highlights of 2025 and anticipates the trends and challenges for 2026.

Let's eliminate material waste, accelerate production, and break down data silos between the front office and the shop floor. Discover the power of seamless integration by joining us in an exclusive co-hosted webinar with QBuild and ECI where they'll discuss how integrating your nesting software with your ERP system can revolutionize your fabrication processes.

In the session, you'll see how this powerful integration can help:

• Supercharge Production Speed: Automate the nesting process and eliminate manual data entry, leading to faster job starts and reduced lead times.

• Eradicate Data Silos: Ensure real-time data synchronization and eliminate the disconnect between your engineering, production, and management teams for accurate insights and streamlined workflows.

• Know your Costs & Make Every Cent Count: Unlock precise insights into your jobs' true material and labor consumption – eliminate guesswork and drive profitability.

• Boost Overall Efficiency: Make smarter decisions based on a single source of truth, leading to improved resource allocation and increased profitability.

Join us to unlock the full potential of your fabrication processes and drive your business towards greater success and stay ahead in a competitive market.

Speakers: Tim Watkins: Vice President - New System Sales, ECI Software Solutions | Hasara Sandul: Partner Manager and Sales Engineer, QBuild

Brought to you by: ECI

Visit https://advancedmanufacturing.org/webinars for more webinars and an interactive experience with visuals.

In this episode of Advanced Manufacturing Now, Editor-in-Chief Steve Plumb sits down with Gary Shapiro, CEO and Vice Chair of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), to preview CES 2026, taking place January 6–9 in Las Vegas.