Welcome to Rootstock Software’s latest Manufacturing News Roundup. Here’s a summary of news stories from November 2021 that we found interesting and think you will too.

Only Collaboration Will Ease Ocean and Port Congestion

This story from Industry Today discusses the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in the supply chain in easing port bottlenecks and disruptions in our current supply chain. While there’s no quick fix to the present crisis, the article argues, digitizing and automating manual processes in the supply chain would provide essential end-to-end visibility into the supply chain. This kind of visibility can help companies identify and pursue alternative transportation options when original plans are disrupted. Furthermore, technology solutions can promote digitized logistics processes that keep things running efficiently and effectively.

Read the full story here.

Ensuring Supply Chain Resiliency at Every Touchpoint

This article from manufacturing.net describes how supply chain visibility solutions are helping to overcome supply chain volatility, changing consumer demands and labor shortages in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Investing in supply chain visibility, combined with demand sensing at every node and touchpoint, helps manufacturers achieve the agility they need to satisfy customers.

Read more here.

Medical Device Design for Smaller and Smarter MedTech

From Medical Product Outsourcing Magazine comes this story about the state of medical device technology, and how medical device designers and manufacturers are responding to the increasing need for smaller and smarter devices. These new smart devices are IoT-driven, and manufacturers are turning to techniques such as additive/3D printing and flexible components to develop and deliver medical devices to meet increasing demand by healthcare providers.

Read the full story here.

Trends Transforming the Medical Device Industry Outlook In 2022

This article describes some of the trends that will transform the medical device industry outlook in 2022. These trends include enhanced cybersecurity, wearable technology, internet of medical things (the applications and medical devices used to connect IT systems in healthcare), medical robots, 3D printed objects, genomic medicine, device connectivity, and more.

Read the complete article here.

Keeping a High-Level Production Tempo Without Personnel Fallout

This story from manufacturing.net describes how an overly obsessive focus on production can result in employee fatigue and burnout, and, inevitably, a working environment in which employees are devalued. This article discusses how manufacturing firms can avoid this personnel fallout by embracing an “employee economy,” where the sole focus is not just production, but also efficiency; respect is paramount; and the work environment is safe and well-designed. Digital transformation starts with enabling your people.

Read the full story here.

How Extended Reality Is Improving Maintenance and Training

This article describes how industrial manufacturers are realizing large productivity gains by leveraging extended reality (XR) technologies to support digital manufacturing. According to IDC, worldwide spending on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is expected to grow to $72.8 billion by 2024, with training and industrial maintenance forecast to receive the largest investments. The article goes on to argue that adopting these new technologies will help manufacturers navigate the current pandemic crisis and become more agile and productive in the future.

Read more here.