The Thomas Blog

Advice From Women Leaders In Manufacturing

There are many organizations working to bring more women into the manufacturing field. And while these efforts are making an impact on the makeup of the manufacturing workforce overall, the C-suite has not seen much of a change. According to a recent survey of women working in manufacturing, women believe they are underrepresented in their organizations' leadership teams. 

Video: Flying Taxis Will Take To The Skies This Summer

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's ... a flying taxi? If you are in Dubai this summer, there's a chance you may see one in flight.

Flying cars have been on the minds of researchers and engineers for years as a means of alleviating traffic and congestion in cities. Recently, Dubai’s Roads and Transportation Agency brought that concept one step closer to reality. The agency announced that, starting July 2017, the Ehang 184 drone will be able to carry people and fly them to their destinations. 

Women In Manufacturing — Q&A With Sheila LaMothe

We sat down with Sheila LaMothe, a board member of WiM, to learn more about the organization's initiatives. Read on to find out how WiM is working towards building a stronger community for women in the manufacturing industry.

With more than 500 members, Women in Manufacturing (WiM) is dedicated to closing this gap by supporting, promoting and inspiring women who pursue or chose a career in the manufacturing industry.

How Can Procurement Teams Prepare For Cognitive Technology?

Cognitive technology, which can extend the power of information technology to tasks traditionally performed by humans, is poised to disrupt the supply chain in the near future. While the technology is only in its infancy, procurement teams need to understand it in order to be prepared to leverage it in the years to come. If they don't, they may fall behind the competition. So what skills should procurement teams focus on to prepare for this disruption?

Video: The U.S. Army Looks To SIG Sauer For Modular Weaponry

As the U.S. Army looks for more customizable weaponry, they have turned to firearms manufacturer SIG Sauer for modular guns.

These P320/M17 guns will be tailor-made for each soldier, with only the trigger as the uniform part of the gun. All other parts can be customized, allowing soldiers to choose different pistol grip sizes, longer or shorter barrels, type of ammunition and location of the safety. 

What Can You Do To Create More Supply Chain Transparency?

Supply chain transparency is a high priority for many organizations. However, because of the fragmented nature of supply chains, creating efficient, end-to-end monitoring systems can be a challenge. 

Video: The Latest Engineering Innovations From January 2017

New products are being created every day, so what’s new in the marketplace? Our friends at Industrial Equipment News created a roundup of their favorite product developments so far in 2017.

Here are some of the products that topped the list: 

Can Worker Training Programs Solve The Skills Gap In Manufacturing?

The skills gap is a major roadblock to the growth of the manufacturing industry. While training programs could be the solution, they raise the question of who should be leading the training initiatives – and who should be paying for them.

How Boeing Transports Their 100-Foot Wings Through Washington

A lot of work goes into building large products. But it takes quite a lot of work to transport those projects as well.

Take, for example, Boeing’s massive, 100-foot wings, which much be transported from Frederickson to Everett, Washington, which is 70 miles away.