There’s been so much written lately about the future of manufacturing and how new technology, everything from robots to 3D printing, will change the industry. But what will the factory look like when all this emerging tech finally comes together? This fascinating article uses real world examples to paint a picture of what a factory in the Internet-of-Things era might look like:

The contours … 

Business activity continued to grow strongly in New York State, according to firms responding to the June 2018 Empire State Manufacturing Survey, the monthly survey of manufacturers in New York State conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Headline general business conditions index climbed five points to 25.0, indicating a faster pace of growth than in May. Both the new orders index … 

Fun Fact readers: the laptop used to type this post, and many others on this blog, is a custom ordered one. As the latest gadgets become central parts of our lives, collecting our personal information and helping us through the day, is it really surprising that research shows a growing number of people want products made to their exact specifications?

The study revealed the most important reasons … 

3D Printing has been a big focus here at the Council, and all over the world really. It’s the sort of innovation that once seemed confined to only the most fanciful science fiction stories made into reality, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who wouldn’t be at least a little interested. In this bit of speculation on the tech’s future, the evolving concept of the … 

Demand for traditional vehicles is waning, and General Motors is preparing for the shift by investing in Cruise Automation, Lyft and other autonomous vehicle technologies, says General Motors CEO Mary Barra. “Autonomous technology that’s safer than a car with a human driver is coming, and it’s going to get better and better and better with technologies like artificial intelligence … 

Demand for low-volume custom orders is increasing, creating opportunities for small companies on their own and in partnership with larger manufacturers. World Emblem CEO Randy Carr explains how:

The rise in adoption rates of just-in-time manufacturing processes places increasing pressure on large and small manufacturers to shorten delivery times from weeks to days—or even overnight. Working … 

Ford is suspending production of its F-150 trucks. The FDA is warning of a nationwide shortage of EpiPens and their generic alternative.

In a strange coincidence, these two high profile glitches in the manufacturing process are occurring at the same time. Fortunately, there is no reason to think this is a sign of things to come. The FDA attributed the EpiPen shortage to manufacturing problems. … 

Another day, another apprenticeship program, or should I say, a pre-apprenticeship program? This one located in Connecticut and combines in-class education with a special online curriculum called Tooling-U that allows students to graduate with full credentials and sometimes even a job.

Hernandez, 18, is graduating this month with a pre-apprenticeship at AdChem Manufacturing Technologies Inc. … 

Desktops are so last decade. Human-machine interfaces are among the use cases for tablets on the factory floor, notes Panacea Technologies executive William Aja, pointing out the technology’s ability to improve life-cycle management:

Before you grab your pitchfork as many industry professionals might like to, hear me out. Tablet-controlled factories are becoming a reality, and thin client … 

American manufacturing has been enjoying a a period of tremendous growth, but there’s an unexpected downside to that: Manufacturers face rising overtime costs as they need to keep workers on longer to keep up with production demands.

For companies shelling out more pay at time-and-a-half rates, the wage drain cuts into profits and can affect new investments. For workers who qualify for …