When It’s Too Good To Be True

We’ve all experienced a moment where something seems so good – so perfect or amazing – that we can’t believe that it could actually be real. Like when an African princess wants to share her treasure trove of diamonds with you, and needs your bank account information to transfer many millions of dollars over to… Read more »

Manufacturing is Changing

Traditionally, manufacturing relied on manual labor. If you worked in a factory, you would hammer, lift, or torque. You didn’t need a college education, and a high school diploma or GED were considered icing on the cake. Workers could walk into a plant, receive a few instructions, and promptly get to work. But manufacturing is… Read more »

Why We Celebrate Labor Day

Most of us know better than to question a day off work. You know what they say about looking a gift horse in the mouth. So each Labor Day, we gratefully skip our morning commute, and enjoy our day off rather than go around asking people why we don’t have to go into work. Of… Read more »

Robots Make Their Way to Lowe’s

Robots are now lending a hand in the home improvement department. Lowe’s will be introducing the “LoweBot” in a few of its stores later this month. The robot has proven to be beneficial for retailers, employees, and consumers alike. Lowe’s is now hoping that these robots will further improve the shopping experience, aid employees, and… Read more »

Automated Ubers

It’s always fun to speculate and think about things that could one day be. People do it all the time with automation. We talk about how one day robots could be doing all of the jobs that people once did. We estimate the likelihood of jobs becoming automated. We think about what cab drivers and… Read more »

Adidas Speedfactory

Manufacturing is changing. Manpower took a backseat to machinery long ago, but the capabilities of industrial robots are becoming increasingly advanced. Industrial machines are faster, more precise, more efficient, and more affordable than human workers. But until recently, these machines were one-trick ponies. Punch in the instructions and sit back as production lines mass-produced identical,… Read more »

It’s a Sad Day for Apple Pickers

Apple pickers probably thought their jobs were forever safe from automation. Apples are resilient fruits, but they’re a little too delicate for the powerful grasp of a robot. Then there’s the fact that each apple will vary slightly from the next, and apples don’t grow in the same spots on every tree. Even though these… Read more »

The Meaning of Legacy Parts

“Legacy” is such an elegant sounding word. It conjures images of treasures and trinkets, antique heirlooms, and maybe some fancy paintings. When talking about a person’s legacy, you typically think of his or her works, or children, or maybe even wealth. What you don’t typically think of are parts to a motion control system that… Read more »

Cool Uses for Servo Motors

For some people, servo motors are undeniably and unquestionably cool. However, not everyone is immediately captured by the allure of industrial machines and motion control systems. But they just need a little help to understand just how neat servo motors truly are. Knowing some of the cool uses for servo motors is a great place… Read more »

Are We Being Realistic About Reshoring?

Offshoring has been an issue for a long time. The United States has been sending jobs overseas for decades. But now there is talk of bringing those jobs back to the United States. Reshoring is the idea that American manufacturers will bring production back to the U.S. At first glance, this is an exciting idea…. Read more »