It’s that time of year again, when we tend to look back at the past 12 months and all that they have brought us, and then look ahead to the New Year and what is to come.
According to a North American Mold Manufacturing Industry Status Survey from Plante & Moran (www.plantemoran.com) conducted earlier this year, a combination of technology and lean can—and has—helped mold shops reduce leadtimes and become more productive.
As we turn our calendars to September, another school year is underway, and with that I’m reminded of one of the moldmaking industry’s most pressing issues.
Employing faster cutting/burning techniques, better cutting tools, better software in cutting path programming, better design and mold flow, and new materials is well and good.
With the intense competition in today’s mold market, shops are forced to look for ways to lower costs, speed up processes, improve quality and find competitive niches.
Getting up close and personal with the latest current and emerging technologies affecting the mold industry is the best way for mold manufacturers not only to see what is out there.