The Skills Gap — the chasm between the number of qualified workers needed in U.S. manufacturing and the number available — is a source of frustration for many manufacturers. But the greatest need is not for engineers who can handle the newest Industry 4.0 machinery and communications. The greatest need, according to a study from… Read more »
If you’re taking a trip to Sweden soon, be sure to stop by McDonald’s. Not for the Big Tasty, the Chicken Legend Fresh, or the Crispy Thai Sweet Chili McWrap (do they offer these things in America? They sound better than a Big Mac). No, you’ll want to spring for a Happy Meal, even if… Read more »
Take the kids out for a fun and educational outing and chances are good that you’ll be involving them in the arts, or maybe a little nature study. If Bentonville’s Amazeum is an indication, though, there are alternatives that could improve America’s manufacturing future. The Amazeum is supported by area businesses, and may be the… Read more »
Everybody’s talking about the Skills Gap, but Rexroth walks the walk as well as talking the talk. The company has given $62,500 to create a simulation lab at Greenville Technical College’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation. Rexroth has been one of the supporters of the CMI since its inception. In addition to providing funds for scholarships, Rexroth also… Read more »
In 1911, a machine was patented that could feed sheet metal through a pair of polishing rolls and spiff up the metal just as nicely as if a human being spent hours polishing it. The trick was to send one of the rolls in one direction and the other roll in the opposite direction, at… Read more »
Have you been thinking about changing to a new brand of servo motors, drives, and controls? If so, we’ve got another question for you: have you had a sales call lately? If so, that salesperson probably got you talking about frustration you sometimes feel with your machinery. Pain points. Bad days when you hate that… Read more »
Rexroth is a leader in the evolution of Industry 4.0, the Industrial Internet of Things in action. The technology is there, but adoption of the new technology is slow. Why? Take your pick from the most popular reasons: Security concerns Company culture Business plans Up-front investment Here’s another possibility being discussed: engineers. Specifically, machine designers…. Read more »
Next time you see some guy drowning his sorrows in a solitary beer, don’t assume he’s morose because he lost his girl. He might have lost his parameters. Rexroth legacy electric motion control relies on programmed parameters, and if they’re lost (perhaps with a careless pushing of the S1 button at the wrong moment), you’ve… Read more »
What’s behind the slowdown in wages and the loss of high-paying jobs? Ask around in the office or at Happy Hour and you’ll get answers ranging from conspiracy theories to political rants, but many economists would boil it down to just two words: automation and globalization. Their thinking is that American corporations can throw jobs… Read more »
The Skills Gap has been on the minds of manufacturers for years. Every year, we’re told, more qualified industrial workers retire and fewer graduate. Young Americans don’t choose to work in factories — and if they wanted to, they’d be hampered in modern factories by their lack of training in math, science, engineering, and technology…. Read more »
