Gary discusses digital manufacturing--specifically virtual commissioning--with Tom Hoffman of Siemens PLM. Check out the benefits of working out machine ideas on a computer before cutting steel.

Gary discusses the recent Siemens PLM conference, digital manufacturing and cool design tools.

Gary wraps up information from the MESA International conference in Dearborn, MI June 21-23.

Gary discusses the MESA International Strategic Initiatives Model of MES with Doug Weaver. Doug is a practitioner in his day job and also Treasurer and Chair of the Website Committee of MESA International. The model can be found at http://www.mesa.org/en/modelstrategicinitiatives/MSI.asp. The model describes the links between software modules that comprise Manufacturing Enterprise Solution applications and corporate strategic initiatives such as real-time enterprise or Lean. We talked at the MESA International Conference in Dearborn, MI on June 23, 2010.

An essay on thought leadership.

Gary discusses what automation means to future unemployment (The Lights in the Tunnel by Martin Ford), the value of working with your hands (Shop Craft as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford), decentralized organizations (The Starfish and the Spider), along with recapping the Packaging Automation Forum, Emerson/Fisher's new Laboratory and ABB's user conference.

Automation World Editor in Chief Gary Mintchell interviews Charlie Fialkowski, U.S. Process Safety Manager for Siemens Industry Inc. about standards updates for burner management system safety including a discussion of programmable safety logic controllers, NFPA, ISA 84 and Technical Report 05 of the ISA S-84 Committee.

Gary discusses how organizations can be insidious in enticing people into ethical lapses referring to the current news about Toyota and the Pope. Industrial Ethernet market share is next up for discussion followed by reading for his May issue of Automation World article about creating a safety culture. He finishes with thoughts about an interview with auto industry analyst James Harbour and whether automation will completely replace jobs.

Gary discusses the need for education, company sponsored education, and talks about entrepreneur education at Stanford, Vivek Wadhwa writing at TechCrunch on why America needs to invest in its workforce, a Robert Scoble video interview and finally refers to a Seth Godin blog with a video on what a teacher makes.

Gary discusses power and energy in this update on sustainable manufacturing as a corporate strategy.