With more supply chain crises brewing, be proactive in your preparations.

The various issues that have beleaguered the supply chain, and those companies and individuals that rely on it, continue to baffle me. I fully understand that when Covid emerged on the scene, especially as quickly as it did a few years ago, the global supply chain, as well as so many other aspects of our “normal” life, came to a grinding halt. But that was then, and this is now, so I cannot stop thinking, “What does this all mean?”

That companies were forced to shut down, whether partially or completely, for lengthy periods of time while the pandemic was in full rage is understandable. Safety of employees and the fear of what might or could or is happening to public health have a way of moving to center stage in people’s minds and habits, regardless of where they live or what they do for a living. It was understandable that shortages occurred with factories’ production levels slashed for the health and safety of employees.

Never underestimate the wisdom that can come only from experience.

Spoiler alert: Some younger people may not like what I am about to say.

“Tribal knowledge” seems to be a concept hated in the world of manufacturing. Regardless of industry, it seems that leadership – and especially auditors – hate any aspect of a task based on an employee’s “experience.” Rather, the prevailing thought is that all production tasks should explicitly be the result strict adherence to detailed, well-written procedure(s) or “work instruction(s).”

The invariable question raised by those who detest relying on “knowledge,” such as certification (ISO/AS, etc.), corporate supply chain and quality auditors, is: “How do you know” the employee knows what they are doing? I find this thinking intriguing. Paradoxically, the same could be asked of the auditor.

PCB designs will soon enter a new dimension in miniaturization.

Our industry has always been about creating cutting-edge, next-generation technology. Over decades this has been accomplished by striving to pack more capability in less space. The electronics industry, and printed circuits in particular, has accomplished this more often than not without specific definitions to either strive for, or be hindered by.

Such examples can be found by looking at the definitions, per Oxford Languages, for five simple words that have been used over the decades in our technologically driven businesses:

The next generation of workers needs to understand how to be successful.

What we desperately need, or more specifically, what the West desperately needs is a generation of workers who understand and believe in the three critical “Cs” – commitment, concern and consistency.

The next generation – or generations – entering the workforce by and large offer impressive credentials. Tech savvy is one such attribute. It is especially important for an industry like ours to have employees who understand the technologies the industry produces. The current generation has also demonstrated an uncanny ability to multitask while using technology, which bodes well for the factory floor needs of the future. Regrettably, that is where the impressive credentials all too often end.