By Michelle Segrest, Navigate Content, Inc.
My first impression of Paris was most likely different than anyone else’s. I drove right past the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and headed straight to the poste Mazas pumping station located beneath the city in the infamous Sewers of Paris. I was equipped with a full-body protective jumpsuit, heavy rubber boots, hardhat, protective glasses, and a gas mask. Then I walked down into literally the bowels of the City of Light. I waded through the waste of a million Parisians, swatting flying insects from my face, to report about the powerful Flygt pumps that protect the glamorous city from waste and stormwater overflow. I love it when people tell me I have a glamorous job!
While this was a memorable plant tour, it wasn’t the first time I witnessed a high-performance facility in action. It wouldn’t be the last.
Since 2008, I have been touring manufacturing facilities worldwide for major industry trade publications. Each one has made a memorable impression. I have watched groundbreaking pump performance testing in action. I’ve seen sophisticated robotics and advanced machine learning automation that made me think I was on another planet. But I’ve also seen hundreds of dedicated blue-collar workers painstakingly assemble miniature parts by hand. I’ve witnessed the processes of big-budget, brand-name manufacturing with highly sophisticated technology as well as small plants with miniscule budgets—all effectively using simple and complex tools to discover new ways to improve efficiency and reliability.
After touring more than 75 facilities representing dozens of industries in 12 countries on three continents, there are two common certainties I can report—no two plants are alike, and even if the manufacturing process you are considering is in a vastly different industry than yours, there is something valuable to be learned from every plant’s process.
From assembly lines to man-made tools to machines to automation, the evolution of modern manufacturing has driven the course of the global economy for centuries. We continue to see innovation and creative ideas change the face of modern manufacturing.
I’m so excited to share some of my favorite facility experiences in this three-volume ebook series about modern manufacturing. You will learn from major manufacturing companies about how they have used tools like the industrial internet of things (IIoT), drones, augmented and virtual reality, pilot plants, condition-based monitoring, in-house equipment testing, sophisticated power systems, computerized maintenance management software (CMMS), continuous improvement, drones, automation, and critical facility design strategies to boost their manufacturing processes.
Each chapter can be read individually and contains valuable lessons and examples that can be used in any industry. The mission of this series is to share a variety of ideas, expert insight, and best practices from industry champions who have used these tools effectively and successfully. Hopefully, we all can learn from history and the experiences of others and get a glimpse of the future of manufacturing.
MODERN MANUFACTURING (VOLUME 1) - BEST PRACTICES FROM INDUSTRY CHAMPIONS
Innovations like additive technology and strategic facility design are changing the face of modern manufacturing. The first in the series, Modern Manufacturing Volume 1—Best Practices from Industry Champions covers the impact of the industrial internet of things (IIoT) and how big and small companies incorporate bright ideas and simple strategies to boost their overall plant performance, increase efficiency, and improve reliability.
MODERN MANUFACTURING (VOLUME 2) - REAL-WORLD STORIES FROM THE PLANT FLOOR
The second installment in this three-volume series explores new ways modern manufacturers are using drones to monitor and analyze big data and demonstrates how pilot plants remove the risk from huge expansions and new projects, saving money and enhancing facility performance. Modern Manufacturing (Volume 2)—Real-World Stories from the Plant Floor also includes detailed case studies from worldwide industry champions Industrial Skyworks, Reliance Industries Limited (RIL-Hazira), EPIC Systems, Zeton, Inc., DuPont, Alpen High Performance Products, AstraZeneca, Draper, Inc, Festo, Four Roses Distillery, Greenheck, Linetec, Styrotek, and Uponor North America.
MODERN MANUFACTURING (VOLUME 3) - AN INSIDE LOOK INTO GAME-CHANGING PROCESSES
The finale of this three-volume series demonstrates how augmented reality connects humans and machines to drive the future of modern manufacturing. Modern Manufacturing (Volume 3)—An Inside Look into Game-Changing Processes also includes real-world case studies from worldwide industry champions PTC, Gravity Jack, Inc., ACH Foam Technologies, Aquatherm, CountryMark, Dana Incorporated, Empire Level, Frito-Lay, Ideal Industries, Kreinik Manufacturing, Co., and the Y12 National Security Complex.
POSITIVE REVIEWS OF MODERN MANUFACTURING BOOK SERIES BY MICHELLE SEGREST
“I can highly recommend this body of work. It's a very insightful read filled with real life case studies which demonstrates how manufacturing best / improved practices transformed manufacturing capabilities in a diverse array of industrial sectors and for well-known brands such as GE, Mercedes-Benz and Festo. Whether it is deploying additive manufacturing in component production, adopting more agile technology in the shape of bionics or installing communication assisted protection and control schemes, there is something valuable to be learned from every plant.”
—Heinrich Louw, Director and Senior Marketing Strategist, Lasso Consulting
"From using drones inside a confined space, to driving innovation in maintenance practices, to empowering employees to make the right decisions in a complex manufacturing environment, Michelle Segrest has traveled the world, put herself on the ground in the facilities, and captured the heart and soul of how organizations are finding ways to compete and grow. Her work is a fascinating study of the nexus between tried-and-true manufacturing fundamentals and outside-the-box innovation. Where some journalists report the news, Michelle jumps into it. She has always been the one to put on a hazmat suit and go into the toughest facilities so she can experience the stories she is reporting on and bring authentic journalistic quality to her work. I found her series on Modern Manufacturing to be genuine, thought provoking, and very relevant for a time in history where manufacturing seems more analogous with something that occurs in China or India than right here in North America. It is a testament to the fact that the passion for humans to improve how we make things is still alive and well!"
—Kerry Baskins, CEO, Peak Toolworks
"I've had the privilege to know and work with Michelle for the past 15 or so years. Michelle's exuberance for manufacturing and industry was and still is infectious. The fact that she has spent more than a decade touring the world, visiting more than 75 plants in 12 countries, and writing about her experiences in the manufacturing environment signifies her continued zest for learning and sharing best practices with others. I know that if you have half an interest in how things are made, the processes that make it happen, and the technology and innovations that are used to make our daily lives comfortable, you will really enjoy Volume 3 of Modern Manufacturing: An Inside Look into Game-Changing Processes. Modern Manufacturing will certainly provide outstanding case studies for you to consider when thinking about how to improve productivity in your plants, reduce overall cost of operations, deal with the realities of our retiring workforce, and engaging with the youth that is our future in manufacturing. I think you will agree with me that Michelle "gets it," and "it" is an infectious passion for what we call manufacturing!"
—Randy Breaux, President, Motion Industries
If you like this article about Modern Manufacturing Books by Michelle Segrest, please PIN IT!
This page contains affiliate links. If you click on the product links and make a purchase, it allows me to make a small commission at no extra cost to you! Thank you for your support and I hope you find value in this content!
