Advanced Manufacturing Now

Author and host of Manufacturing Talks Jim Vinoski shares the inspirations of his new book, "American Manufacturing," which profiles 22 of the country's most resilient success stories and the innovative people behind them.

SME Media senior editor Michael McConnell, editor Rachel Thomas, and associate editor Nicole Franzese-Dameron sit down to preview the upcoming September issue of Manufacturing Engineering & Technology. In this episode, the editorial team discusses major themes in modern manufacturing, starting with the fast-moving and complex topic of artificial intelligence.

SME Media Editor Rachel Thomas is joined by Shannon Marimón, Executive Director of ReadyCT, and Christine Lawlor-King, Director of STEM and Manufacturing Initiatives, to discuss K-12 workforce development. ReadyCT builds vital connections between education and the manufacturing sector, introducing students to high-paying, rewarding careers in STEM. Shannon and Christine detail the expansion of Connecticut's Robotics 2.0 initiative, including new in-classroom pilots, teacher coaching programs, and regional practice hubs designed to make hands-on robotics accessible to all students.

The manufacturing industry is changing at an unprecedented rate. With this in mind, the upcoming Smart Manufacturing Experience Showcase at IMTS will address the latest challenges, opportunities and how emerging technologies are shaping the future. In this episode, Jamie Goettler, chief revenue officer at BTX Precision, shares his thoughts and vision for "Unscripted Manufacturing: Real-Time Problem Solving Across the Industrial Ecosystem." Potential topics include scaling production, ROI, resolving the skills gap and managing CMMC compliance.

Cara Walton shares the latest benchmarking results about efficiency, ROI, automation, workforce trends, IMTS and more from the consulting company's annual survey. Spoiler: material costs and volatility were the top concern.

Rachael Thomas, editor at SME Media, hosts welding instructors Makayla Baker and Darrell Buchanan from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program in Danville, Va.

In today's rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, workforce challenges aren't just about filling roles—they're about building a sustainable, skilled talent pipeline that can adapt to change. From accelerating retirements to advancing technologies, manufacturers must rethink how they attract, engage, and retain talent.

In this webinar, Tooling U-SME Workforce Development Specialist Denise Cowburn shares practical, proven strategies to help organizations strengthen their workforce for 2026 and beyond. Attendees will gain insights into creating a repeatable talent cycle that supports long-term growth, resilience, and competitiveness.

PRESENTER:

Denise Cowburn, Workforce Development Specialist, Tooling U-SME

Presented by Tooling U-SME

Visit https://toolingu.com/webinars for more webinars and an interactive experience with visuals.

Atomic-6 CEO Trevor Smith makes a case for putting data centers in space, the OCD marketplace and other outer-limit advances. Plus the latest news on tariffs (your check could be in the mail), cutting tungsten carbide-cobalt waste with 3D printing and ISM's expanding July PMI survey results.

This episode is a recording of the latest episode of Advanced Manufacturing Live. Previous episodes of Advanced Manufacturing Live are available on advancedmanufacturing.org/live. Follow SME Media on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and YouTube to join us live every other Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.

Trevor Smith wants to put data centers in space. He's the founder and CEO of Atomic-6, an advanced manufacturing firm. He's developing Hot Wing, a reusable high-efficiency radiator designed for the thermal demands of computing in space. And his company recently launched ODC.space, the first marketplace for orbital data centers.

This episode is a recording of the latest episode of Advanced Manufacturing Live. Previous episodes of Advanced Manufacturing Live are available on advancedmanufacturing.org/live. Follow SME Media on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and YouTube to join us live every other Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.

The manufacturing sector has expanded for the seventh consecutive month, according to the July 2026 Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing PMI Report. Susan Spence, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee discusses the factors driving industry expansion.