Celebrate Manufacturing Day Friday, October 6th!
Friday, October 6, 2017, is Manufacturing DaySM, a day designated to highlight the achievements of North American manufacturing and to celebrate the role of manufacturers in the economy and their communities. To mark the occasion, on October 6 and in the following weeks, universities, manufacturing companies, and industry associations are hosting events that range from school field trips to open houses to networking events and job fairs for STEM graduates. These events are prime opportunities for the public to see modern plant floors in operation, meet local manufacturers, and learn about career opportunities in the manufacturing sector. Over 2,000 events are scheduled this year across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, many of them by NCMS members; here are some of the highlights:
Ace Clearwater, Compton, CA
Ace Clearwater is hosting its fifth Manufacturing Day event for high school students in the Los Angeles area, exhibiting a variety of traditional and cutting-edge manufacturing processes from precision metalworking and robotics to computer-assisted design and 3D printing. Other attractions include a drone demonstration and an interactive exhibit on welding. A perennial celebrator of Manufacturing Day, Ace Clearwater has welcomed hundreds of students a year to its Compton facility. The company specializes in custom assemblies and metalwork, including shielding and carbon dioxide scrubbers for the International Space Station.
BAMA, Tampa, FL
The Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA) is holding a job fair on the Clearwater campus of NCMS member Pinellas Technical College on October 24. The fair comes a week after BAMA’s inaugural Made in Tampa Bay Expo at Hillsborough College on October 19, which will showcase products manufactured in the Tampa Bay area and will give members of the public the chance to learn how they are made and meet representatives of local manufacturing companies. Lastly, BAMA is hosting its third annual 5K run, walk, or paddle benefiting students pursuing careers in manufacturing in Safety Harbor, FL on October 7.
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Novi, MI
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is hosting its all-day HxGN LOCAL | Automotive Summit on October 10 at the Suburban Showplace Collection and the Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence Solution Center, with transportation between sites provided. The event will feature a number of workshops and presentations on data-driven manufacturing, metrology, and cost reduction, including one-on-one discussions with company experts on the use of Hexagon’s PC-DMIS measurement software and an automated scanning demonstration. Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence specializes in metrology and smart manufacturing and has worked with Airbus, Siemens, and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
NASA and MAGNET, Cleveland, OH
NASA and the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) will be hosting presentations and a facility tour of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on November 17. In previous years, over 100 students from Cleveland-area schools have toured Glenn’s laboratories and its manufacturing facility and participated in panel discussions with NASA engineers to explore career opportunities in STEM and manufacturing. MAGNET and its partner, the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership are holding events at several other locations, including the sixth Annual Northeast Ohio Manufacturing Symposium in Elyria on September 29.
Olympic College, Bremerton, WA
A few blocks away from NCMS’ Bremerton office, Olympic College’s Engineering Technology and Electronics programs are hosting demonstrations related to composites, technical design, electronics, welding, and precision machining. The event will include lectures given by industry representatives; local manufacturers who have hired program graduates will be in attendance.
SwRI and TMAC, San Antonio, TX
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) are offering a presentation and tour of SwRI’s facilities. Presentations in previous years have focused on robotics, with focuses on adaptive and intelligent robots to boost manufacturer competitiveness and on flexible robots for high-volume/low-mix or unstructured production situations. SwRI is one of the United States’ largest and oldest independent, nonprofit applied research and development organizations; with TMAC, SwRI develops advanced manufacturing technologies and processes, including robotics, sanding, and strategic planning. TMAC is also hosting a networking event on the same day in Arlington, TX.
University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL
The Center for Management & Economic Research – Alabama Technology Network at the University of Alabama in Huntsville will be hosting a Lean Six Sigma Conference on November 3 in the offices of telecommunications manufacturer ADTRAN. Conference attendees will have the opportunities to tour the facilities of the United Launch Alliance, an aerospace joint venture between NCMS members Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and Navistar, a vehicle and engine manufacturer, on November 2 and 3.
To learn more about Manufacturing Day or to find an event near you, visit https://www.mfgday.com.