The other day I went to Starbuck’s and ordered
my usual four shots of espresso, straight up. I know
what you’re thinking: that’s a lot of caffeine, especially for someone
as naturally energetic as I am. But after years and years, I
may have built up a tolerance to the caffeine. I picked up the
espresso habit as a much younger man, when I worked for
Daldi & Matteucci (DEMM) in Italy back in the ’70s. And I’ve
stuck with it ever since.
Most companies spend this time of year crystal ball gazing. Managers want to know the future so they can make projections, plan schedules, determine budgets and make major decisions that will ensure their success.
Over the past few months I've talked with several different gear manufacturers who are in the process
of upgrading their gear making equipment
with modern CNC machine tools. Each of these manufacturers has come to the realization that in order to stay competitive, he needs to streamline operations and become more
efficient...
IMTS is about beginnings. This year's show takes place September 8-13 at McCormick Place in Chicago. With more than 1,900 exhibitors expected to occupy more than 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space, there will be plenty of technology on display.
Might some of you may be tempted to skip IMTS this year? Business is just so-so. You can’t afford to be away from the shop. It will be a waste of time because you don’t have the budget for new machine tools or new technology anyway. You’ve cut back on travel expenses. It’s your wife’s birthday...
Every so often manufacturing is jolted out of its inertia by a transformative technology – one that fundamentally changes not only the way products are made, but also the economics of the business.