Top Articles of 2010

#1 Obama's "Framework for Revitalizing American Manufacturing" a step in the right direction
ACEEE (Trombley) - On December 16, 2009, President Obama released a report on revitalizing manufacturing in the United States. The report lays out the current state of manufacturing in America, discussing seven key cost drivers, how government action--or inaction--can affect those costs, and how the Obama Administration plans to use government influence to improve American manufacturing.

#2 Website Connect Suppliers and Buyers of Energy Saving Equipment
SaveFactoryEnergy.com - The rising cost of energy clearly has a major impact for factories that left unaddressed, could hurt their competitiveness in global markets...As a result, www.SaveFactoryEnergy.com makes it easy for buyers and suppliers of factory energy saving equipment to do business online through a global trade marketplace. Through SaveFactoryEnergy, buyers can partner with their suppliers to use factory energy efficiency solutions for saving energy, money and the environment.

#3 NSF releases first data from new Business R&D and Innovation survey
National Science Foundation - U.S companies grossed nearly $11 trillion in worldwide sales and spent $330 billion on R&D in 2008. This is according to new figures from the National Science Foundation's first ever Business R&D and Innovation Survey (BRDIS) developed jointly with the U.S. Census Bureau. Specifically, it will allow policymakers and industry officials to gain information about worldwide R&D expenses, R&D employee headcount by occupation category, R&D expenses by detailed business segments, and share of R&D devoted to new business areas and new science or technology activities.

#4 A State-by-State Resource Guide for Obtaining Federal or State Funding
The Association For Manufacturing Technology - AMT provides a link to the listings of those identified State Resources that are focused on helping companies within their respective states develop competitive proposals for various federal programs. Additionally, these state organizations have access to resources that can assist AMT members not only in research and development activities but also in procurement efforts with government prime contractors. These listings are updated as often as we receive information and are kept as current as possible.

#5 NIST-MEP White Paper Assesses the Present and Future of American Manufacturing
Quality Magazine - A new white paper prepared by the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Board discusses the state of domestic manufacturing and the characteristics of good manufacturers, and plots a course to improve the competitiveness of manufacturing in the United States. The MEP is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board (MEPAB) is an external advisory body created to provide guidance and advice on the MEP program from the perspective of industrial extension customers and providers who have a vision of industrial extension with a national scope.

#6 White House Launches Policy Forum on the Future of U.S. Advanced Manufacturing
The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) launched a website to gather public opinion on the future of advanced manufacturing. We hope you will join the conversation at http://pcast.ideascale.com. PCAST asks that you provide responses to any or all of the following questions by 5:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday, April 20, 2010

#7 Hearing on H.R. 4692, the National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010 (New)
U.S. House of Representatives - The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection held a hearing on H.R. 4692, the National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010, on Wednesday, July 14, 2010...The National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2010 will require the President to undertake a deep and broad analysis of the nation’s manufacturing sector, including the international and economic environment, related technological developments, workforce elements, the impact of governmental policies, and other relevant issues affecting domestic manufacturers.

#8 Politicians have been misled by innovation myths
New Scientist (Highfield) - There is one simple science policy issue that has united the main political parties over the past three decades: how to squeeze more profit out of Britain's world-class science. Margaret Thatcher, Gordon Brown and the prime ministers in between have been passionate about the central role that science should play in a modern economy. So it comes as a surprise to see the chronic policy blunders identified by a recent report from the University of Cambridge.

#9 Rationales and Mechanisms for Revitalizing U.S. Manufacturing R&D Strategies
National Institute of Standards and Technology (Tassey) - Dr. Greg Tassey, Senior Economist at NIST, has taken an important step forward with his paper: "Rationales and Mechanisms for Revitalizing U.S. Manufacturing R&D Strategies." Tassey takes a systematic and cross-cutting view of both supporting technology waves and manufacturing life-cycles in his development of an updated framework for manufacturing R&D policy and program development.

#10 The Innovation Delusion
Huffington Post (Ralph Gomory, Research Prof. NYU, Pres. Emeritus, Alfred P Sloan Foundation, Former IBM SVP Science-Tech) - Specializing in innovation is an attractive idea, but a misleading one; an idea that blinds us to what we really need to do. We need to do more than produce exciting new ideas; we must also be able to compete in large productive industries. This requires us to both balance trade and to motivate our corporations not only to innovate, but also to produce in this country.

#11 The Future of Manufacturing: What is the Role of the Federal Government in Supporting Innovation by U.S. Manufacturers?
House Committee on Science and Technology held a hearing on the need for U.S. manufacturers to adopt innovative technologies and processes in order to remain globally competitive. Members and witnesses discussed the role for the federal government in supporting efforts by U.S. manufacturers to innovate. Witnesses testified on the challenges facing manufacturers, including for small- and medium-sized businesses to access the capital necessary to make investments and upgrades in their companies. Witnesses also highlighted the value in public-private partnerships in the advancing the development of technology and early commercialization.

#12 White House Seeks Public Input On Innovation Goals
InformationWeek (Hoover) - The Obama Administration is turning to crowdsourcing to identify "grand challenges" to support as national technology innovation goals. The White House this week issued a request for public input on potential game-changing technologies the administration might pursue with research and development dollars. The quest to identify innovation goals for the next century is modeled at least in part on President Kennedy's commitment to send man to the moon in the 1960s. 

#13 Rep. Lipinski (D-IL) Introduces Manufacturing Strategy Bill, HR 4692
U.S. House of Representatives (Lipinski) - Although there are numerous federal programs to support American manufacturing, overall our manufacturing policy is disjointed, ad hoc, and reactive. Meanwhile, manufacturers in other countries benefit from more focused policymaking. Under the National Manufacturing Strategy Act, the Administration in consultation with a newly established Manufacturing Strategy Board would conduct an in-depth analysis of the nation’s manufacturing sector and develop a comprehensive strategy for enhancing its competitiveness and promoting its success in the global economy. The Manufacturing Strategy Board would consist of 21 industry leaders and stakeholders from across the country, representing businesses both large and small.

#14 Manufacturer Designs Aircraft Components on the Cloud
IndustryWeek (Alpern) - Computer-aided design swept through the automotive and aerospace industries decades ago. But its sophistication only continues to grow, especially with the promise of using supercomputers. Airplane parts manufacturer Woodward is now renting time to design parts on an IBM supercomputer instead of making physical prototypes. This has allowed Woodward to deliver parts to market 80% faster while generating half the waste from prototype materials. Woodward has begun accessing a high-performance cloud environment from Nimbis Services and IBM to simulate and design its components.

#15 Why A National Innovation Strategy Must Be Implemented
Business Xpansion Journal (Duran) - “The United States doesn't have an innovation plan, where the rest of the world has a plan and is working very hard on it,” says Paul Fowler, research director and editor of NACFAM Weekly for the National Council for Advanced Manufacturing. The countries are constructing their advantages the same way we did in certain areas of education and R&D, Fowler adds. “It is just that the rest of the world has a lot of growth potential because they were so far behind in us in education and the amount of R&D, not just as a percentage of GDP, but also overall investment. They are catching up because they are making the investments we have always had.”

#16 How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America
The Atlantic (Peck) - The Great Recession may be over, but this era of high joblessness is probably just beginning. Before it ends, it will likely change the life course and character of a generation of young adults. It will leave an indelible imprint on many blue-collar men. It could cripple marriage as an institution in many communities. It may already be plunging many inner cities into a despair not seen for decades. Ultimately, it is likely to warp our politics, our culture, and the character of our society for years to come... 


#17 Grumpy Workers Are More Productive - 3 Cheers to Ebenezer?
Scientific American (Humphrey) - Grumpy people paid closer attention to details, showed less gullibility, were less prone to errors of judgment and formed higher-quality, persuasive arguments than their happy counterparts. One study even supports the notion that those who show signs of either fear, anger, disgust or sadness—the four basic negative emotions—achieve stronger eyewitness recall while virtually eliminating the effect of misinformation. [For more on how a negative mood boosts cognition, see “Depression’s Evolutionary Roots,” by Paul W. Andrews and J. Anderson Thomson; Scientific American Mind, January/February 2010.]

#18 The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Releases Nanotechnology Report
Office of Science and Technology Policy - The [White House PAST] report concludes that the [National Nanotechnology Initiative] NNI— which provided $12 billion in investments by 25 Federal agencies over the past decade—has had a “catalytic and substantial impact” on the growth of U.S. nanotechnology innovation and should be continued. However, the report warns, the United States stands to surrender its global lead in nanotechnology if it does not address some pressing needs. Key among those is a need to increase investments in product commercialization and technology transfer to help ensure that new nanotech methods and products make it to the marketplace, and the need to strengthen NNI commitments to explore in a more orderly fashion environmental, health, and safety issues. [Emphasis Added]

#19 Ten U.S. Senators Write to President Urging Creation of National Manufacturing Policy
Lorain Business Journal - In the letter, the senators called for a “multi-industry strategy to propel job and economic growth, one that deploys federal resources and private-public partnerships to promote emerging manufacturing opportunities.” Elements of an integrated policy strategy include “developing a highly skilled and productive workforce, investing in new and emerging technologies, ensuring stable capital markets, providing support for communities in transition, strengthening infrastructure, improving market access for U.S. exports, and fostering entrepreneurial talent.”

#20 Suppliers Push Medical OEMs Toward Eco-Friendly Plastics
Medical Product Manufacturing News (Leonard) - 'Green' plastics that contain renewable or recycled content are working their way into medical products and packaging. This hasn’t been the case for the medical device industry, however. Cost concerns, regulatory wariness, minimal selection, and a lack of strong demand from end-users have deterred medical device OEMs from pursuing the use of more environmentally friendly plastics. Seeking to spur change, some suppliers to the industry are paving the way for a sustainable switch in materials as they begin to offer eco-friendly options for plastic medical applications.

#21 How To Revive American Manufacturing
New America Foundation (Lind) - Rebuilding American manufacturing will be essential to restarting the stalled engine of American economic growth and reducing the trade deficit. Increasing access to credit by firms that undertake manufacturing in the U.S. is part of the solution. (1) Made in America Bonds and (2) Manufacturing Credit System

#22 Andy Grove is Right about Manufacturing (New)
National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (Jarman) - Recently Andy Grove wrote a great article about the danger of marginalizing the domestic manufacturing sector- How to Make an American Job Before It's Too Late: Andy Grove...."The underlying problem isn’t simply lower Asian costs. It’s our own misplaced faith in the power of startups to create U.S. jobs...."

#23 A Manufacturing Agenda for America
American Automotive Policy Council - America's auto manufacturers, Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Company, are committed to investing and keeping jobs here in the United States and delivering the most advanced and green technologies to U.S. consumers.We will strengthen U.S. manufacturing by building the next generation of environmentally-friendly products consumers expect, and investing in plants, research, and people here in America. We need a “Manufacturing Driven” policy agenda to:

#24 The Beginning of a Manufacturing Policy
American Machinist (Freedenberg) - The Obama December framework is too extensive to cover all of its recommendations, but here are some of better ideas that it puts forward: provide workers with the opportunity to obtain the skills necessary to be highly productive; invest in new technologies and business practices; develop stable and efficient capital markets for business investment; ensure foreign market access and a level playing field; improve the general business climate, especially for manufacturing.

Updated July 24