Durable Goods Orders Rise on Transportation Equipment

Durable goods orders surged in July with transportation equipment leading the way, the U.S. Commerce Department said in a monthly report. It was the third consecutive monthly rise as manufacturing recovers from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Motor vehicle and parts and defense aircraft posted big gains in orders.

UL Says COVID-19 Increases Cybersecurity Problems

UL, Northbrook, Illinois, the global safety certification company, says the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has increased cybersecurity problems for manufacturers. SME Media interviewed Laurens van Oijen, UL's cybersecurity solution leader, about the issue. "COVID-19 has made clear how...

How Manufacturers Can Navigate in a Crisis

The manufacturing, automotive and energy sectors are currently battling tremendous challenges as they respond to the unfolding COVID-19 crisis globally, writes Cindy Bolt, senior vice president of Salesforce. "Critical to an effective response is the ability to understand near-term demand, respond to supply shortfalls for components and commodities, and ensure that operations and staffing levels are right-sized for the current environment," she says.

CMMs: More Than Precision

Accuracy is just a starting point for modern CMM users. There are other ways their machines need to measure up. Accuracy "was once the finish line, with the distance between the competitors measured in microns," writes Contributing Editor Michael C. Anderson. "Now, however, measurement accuracy isn’t the end but rather the beginning for their customers." Other factors include speed, versatility, ease of use and integration into production.

Boeing Finds Manufacturing Flaw in 787, Grounds Eight Jets

Boeing Co. discovered a manuacturing problem in the 787 Dreamliner, CNN said. The aircraft maker has grounded eight 787 jets "for inspection and repair of how parts of the fuselage were joined together," CNN said, citing a Boeing statement. It's a new setback for Boeing. The company's 737 Max remains grounded and airlines have canceled orders for aircraft.

Lowering the Cost of the EV Revolution

Automakers "are struggling to scale EV design and production within the constraints of existing manufacturing paradigms," writes Avi Reichental, CEO of XponentialWorks. The executive outlines what needs to take place to accelerate development of electric vehicles. At the top of this is making parts lighter. Lightweighting, he writes, "changes the manufacturing equation fundamentally."