Maintenance & Productivity Archives

Any reasons (or excuses) to not adopt digital tools are rapidly disappearing

Posted on 23 Jun 2018 by The Manufacturer

Whatever the challenges, if we look back in history, we can see that the introduction of technology repeatedly created an environment that helped to solve the problems of the day. Paul Coates urges managers to grasp the opportunities digitalisation offers today as tomorrow may be too late.

Thinking outside the box: A 4IR case study

DS Smith's facility in Blunham, Bedfordshire.

Posted on 31 May 2018 by Jonny Williamson

Mike Rigby, head of Manufacturing, Transport and Logistics at Barclays, shares how one of the world’s largest packaging producers is embracing, and importantly benefiting, from 4IR technologies.

Replacing machined jigs and fixtures with 3D printing

Utilising 3D printing to create jigs and fixtures - image courtesy of Formlabs

Posted on 24 May 2018 by The Manufacturer

Jigs and fixtures are used to make manufacturing and assembly processes simpler and more reliable, reducing cycle times and improving worker safety.

Principles of 5S and lean management which can benefit every manufacturer

Gtech has announced plans to create more than 100 jobs by shifting some of its manufacturing operations back to the UK - image courtesy of Depositphotos.

Posted on 16 Mar 2018 by Tim Brown

5S is an organisation system that prioritises efficiency and effectiveness within the work place. The principles of 5S originated from five Japanese words: 整理 (Seiri), 整頓 (Seiton), 清掃 (Seiso), 清潔 (Seiketsu), 躾 (Shitsuke), which have been translated into English roughly as ‘Sort’, ‘Set in Order’, ‘Shine’, ‘Standardize’, and ‘Sustain’.

The Smart Factory Podcast

Posted on 23 Nov 2017 by Nick Peters

Throughout the 2017 Leaders Conference and Smart Factory Expo, The Manufacturer ran a global streaming radio service, offering interviews, comment and analysis from its conference studio in Liverpool.

On this page are some of the interview highlights for your pleasure and interest. All …

How can manufacturers best protect their power supply?

Stock Power Supply - Downtime can come at a significant cost for manufacturers, with some statistics showing that just one unplanned event can cost in the region on £1.6m.

Posted on 7 Nov 2017 by The Manufacturer

The uptake of digital technology, the government’s upcoming Industrial Strategy and strong export demand all add up to an expanding manufacturing sector here in the UK. However, this increase in demand will no doubt lead to added pressure on UK power supply, so it becomes more important than ever to have robust power infrastructure in place.