Job instruction training (JI) is a lean principle born out of the need for training and upskilling new industry workers, including women, during the Second World War. This framework was adopted by many firms to meet the demands of both United States citizens and the US Military.

The job instruction method is still used today to bring workers up to speed in a new position or to train on a new skill. This framework will help you and your team develop a system and procedure for on-the-job training. While the purpose of this training is mainly for frontline workers, the same ideas transpire to any position in the company.

In a recent chat for USA Manufacturing Hour on Twitter, host Chase Bodor from Plastic Plus Technologies in California led a discussion about this very topic.

It's critical for business owners and managers to prepare their organizations to survive, and possibly even thrive, through a recession. What steps can be taken to prepare a business to maintain operational integrity during a recession?

The digital revolution has brought many benefits, from better customer experiences to streamlined industrial processes.

Being able to maintain equipment is an important part of an operational strategy. Some might argue it is the most important part. In a manufacturing environment, being able to maintain equipment so that it functions reliably is the key to smooth and profitable operations. How can management create a strong maintenance and reliability strategy for their operation? In a recent chat for USA Manufacturing Hour on Twitter, host Neil Hussey from Denco Lubrication Ltd in the UK led a discussion about this very topic.

Manufacturers and distributors both benefit from building strong relationships. In a world where margins are tight, companies have to use all resources at their disposal to understand each other, encourage collaboration and streamline the process of working together.  

There are many who believe that if you are not taking risks, you are not growing.

Radwell is a hybrid distribution and engineering company that is designed using modern advances in ecommerce and internet connections. Unlike older distribution models using small local industrial engineering-enabled distribution, or more modern national e-commerce web sites that lack engineering support, Radwell gives you the option to combine local engineering support style distribution along with the power of a national ecommerce platform. With Radwell you get the ease of a worldwide ecommerce site combined with the largest technical support provider globally. Added to that, with Radwell’s after-marketplace you have access to the largest stock of new and obsolete parts available globally.

What is APS software? APS, short for advanced planning and scheduling, allows manufacturers to keep track of materials, labor and production processes in order to optimize plant capacity. Having a solid grasp of resources can greatly improve the productivity and efficiency of a manufacturing operation.

In the summer months, heat stress is a major concern for manufacturers.

"Millions of U.S. workers are exposed to heat in the workplace, and although heat-related illness is preventable, each year thousands of workers are getting sick from their exposure to heat, and… some cases are fatal,” said Stephen Boyd, OSHA’s Deputy Regional Administrator

While 80% of heat-related fatalities occurred in outdoor work environments, 61% of non-fatal heat-related illness cases occurred during or after work in an indoor work environment. (Source) 

Whether you work outdoors or indoors, the risks of heat exposure are significant.

In this article I'll explain what heat stress is, its impact on plant employees and how to prevent it. 

A podcast is a digital audio file made available for downloading to a computer or mobile device. Podcasts are typically available as a series and new installments can be received by subscribers automatically. The term podcast is a combination of iPod and Broadcast.