From November 6th-10th, manufacturers globally recognized World Quality Week and celebrated the role of quality management professionals in establishing systems and best practices that move our industry forward; many companies continue this recognition throughout the entire month ..read more

As a consequence of the ongoing strike and negotiations between the UAW and the American Auto Manufacturers, many suppliers to the OEMs (and suppliers to those suppliers) are seeing decreases in demand that could result in the idling of lines or even entire facilities. Driven by the voice of the customer (VOC) and in the best interest of the business, it was necessary to have a plan for how these functions were to be conducted ..read more

At MMTC, we believe in manufacturing’s power to create a brighter future, and the statistics are on our side: Every dollar invested in manufacturing adds roughly $2.60 to the U.S. economy ..read more

In today’s work environment, we still see people bullying each other through demeaning acts that seek to destroy, damage or obstruct someone’s work performance, work product, tools or materials. To help alleviate this issue, building a strong company culture focused on retaining employees and learning from each other is key. My role as a Business Solutions Manager requires strong customer service skills. These customer service skills (or people skills) can be applied to working with coworkers, clients, upper management and so on ..read more

It appears everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI). Although the technology is not brand new, it has now developed enough and weaved its way into various life applications, with manufacturing being one. AI has emerged as a game-changer in the manufacturing industry, revolutionizing traditional processes and unlocking new opportunities for operational efficiency, productivity and innovation. The integration of AI into manufacturing processes has paved the way for advanced automation, predictive analytics and data-driven decision-making, leading to improved outcomes and competitiv ..read more

The latest Capterra Supplier Relationship Survey underscores the complexity of today’s global supply chains. This tells us it isn’t as simple as identifying a solution ..read more

The Center wishes you a happy Independence Day weekend! Enjoy time with loved ones out in the sun!  ..read more

As The Center’s Food Business Development Manager, I’ve had the pleasure of touring this wonderful state. Work has taken me from coast to coast visiting destinations from Pinconning to Saint Joe’s and everywhere in between ..read more

To strengthen designs and decrease failures, IATF 19649:2016 requires design engineers to be competent in Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA). This standard has greatly improved manufacturing with an increase in mistake-proofing features. Consistent third-party audits of the standard’s section 8.3 and questions about a designer’s background in DFM and DFA have continued to improve the process ..read more

In part one of my blog series, we looked at the costs associated with obtaining an ISO 9001 certification and revealed the actual cost of obtaining a certificate. This is often the “entry ticket” to being asked to quote new business. It’s typically not a huge sum of money, especially when compared to marketing/sales budgets for lead generation. In this article, we’ll look at the certification audit process which provides the details behind the costs previously discussed ..read more