Manufacturing Processes – OM in the News

Do Manufacturing Workers Benefit from Automation?

Advanced manufacturing technologies promise better jobs. Is it time to rejoice?

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us, and it will transform work as we know it. This article delves into the benefits that automation could bring to deskless workers: safer jobs, higher pay, more opportunities for advancement, and so on. It is undeniable that automated technologies and artificial intelligence have the potential to enrich manufacturing jobs. However, their implementation will determine how workers are actually impacted.

Video Spotlight:

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-05-12T03:13:01+00:00May 12, 2023|Tags: automation, carbon footprint, flexible-manufacturing, job design, productivity, respsonsive supply chain design, robots, sustainability, work force scheduling|

South Carolina Leads in EV Industrial Development

Summertime is not far away, and many families are looking forward to vacationing in warm climates. Beaches in South Carolina are always popular locations, with Myrtle Beach, Kiawah Island, and Hilton Head ranking high on family vacation plans.

However, South Carolina is not only known for beautiful beaches, but is now one of the fastest growing states in America in terms of industrial development—particularly in the growing electric vehicles (EV) segment.

We can trace the origins of the exponential industrial growth in […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2023-05-01T02:07:16+00:00April 30, 2023|Tags: economic development, location planning, network design, optimization, process selection, system design|

The Chronic Pain of Drug Shortages

Despite repeated warnings that critical drugs have been and will remain in short supply, corrective action has been painfully elusive.

A confluence of factors contribute to the persistence of the problem. These factors have been identified multiple times over the years, but addressing them and their effects on patients’ health requires overall system changes that call for full congressional and business cooperation. The current blog does not cover the policy changes needed for improvement; they are beyond its scope. However, it […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-04-03T19:59:23+00:00April 5, 2023|Tags: bullwhip effect, competitivness, continuous replenishment, flexible-manufacturing, inventory management, JIT, lead time, logistics, outsourcing, productivity, respsonsive supply chain design, safety stock, shortage, sourcing, strategic capacity management, supply chain management|

The Auto Industry Courts Laid-Off Tech Workers

Tech workers are needed now to help build the cars of the future.

The layoffs by Google, Meta, Amazon, and other tech giants have been a boon for the auto industry. Indeed, a variety of software skills are required to develop new concepts and build tomorrow’s cars. Because auto makers’ recruiting efforts face some stiff competition from other sectors, they are creating an attractive workplace for techies.

Video Spotlight: The Future of Driving? | Coding the Car | […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2023-02-02T23:05:38+00:00February 12, 2023|Tags: automation, competitivness, flexible-manufacturing, job design, product design, productivity, robots, technology|