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| Seven Ways to Use Generative AI in Manufacturing | | Generative-AI (artificial intelligence) tools find use in manufacturing for everything from strategic planning and communication to product development, training and process improvement. Explore these seven use cases (and example prompts) to bone up. | | |
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| AI's Impact on Automotive—According to Magna | | Potentially, it’s huge, as evidenced throughout this conversation MetalForming had with Ben Saltsman, director of data analytics, simulation and IoT at Tier One supplier Magna Intl. Saltsman discusses AI applications in several areas including inspection and quality control, OEE, and production planning. |
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| MetalForming's Tool & Die ebook | MetalForming’s first ever Tool & Die ebook is now available! This is a homage to the stamping die—and its creators. Included in the ebook:- Major stages of a metal forming die from design through build to storage.
- Tutorial on the design and test of a strip layout.
- Sage advice and learned lessons of working tool- and diemakers.
- And more!
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| PMA Continues Evolving, Maintaining Excellence | | PMA board chair for 2025 Gene Lambert, VP of sales for metal former Batesville Tool & Die, carries forth the mission established by PMA’s 2024 board chair: continue to evolve with its community of member companies, down through all levels of management, to meet the needs of the next generation of leadership. |
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| My Big, Ambitious (Not Really) EV Adventure | | MetalForming senior editor Kate Bachman recounts her long-weekend vacation behind the wheel of an electric vehicle (EV), with commentary on battery range and charging-station availability, and the suggestion to read, “11 Tips for a Smooth EV Road Trip—Without the Range Anxiety.” | | |
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| Put Your Company at a Competitive Advantage | | Position your company as an industry leader when you utilize PMA resources—ITR Econ Trends reports, trade publications, One Voice and FABTECH trade shows. A PMA membership will provide your company and all of its employees with a range of valuable industry resources that are designed to help you become more connected, more informed, more efficient, more competitive and ultimately more profitable. |
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| Metal Formers’ Predictions for Economic Activity Steady; Shipping Levels Rise | | Metal forming company executives report that shipping levels are up—this according to the February 2025 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report. PMA’s February report also shows that 32% of those surveyed predict an increase in economic activity, down slightly compared to 35% in January, and 13% expect a decrease in activity, compared to 11% last month. | | |
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| GDIS 2025: Preliminary Agenda | | The 2025 Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) conference will feature three concurrent presentation tracks: Vehicle Architecture, Manufacturing, and Materials & Joining. Included: a panel discussion on stamping of new advanced high-strength steels, organized by MetalFormingmagazine. | | |
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| No Crystal Ball? Then Strategic Planning It Is! | | Why should manufacturers conduct regular, in-depth strategic-planning exercises? “Doing so makes common sense, yet relatively few companies take the time to conduct such planning,” writes MetalForming editorial director Brad Kuvin. “To add perspective, consider that a whopping 95% of employees say that they don’t understand their company’s strategy … and companies that have written business plans grow 30% faster than those that don’t.” | | |
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| 2025 Trends in Metal Fabrication | | Front and center: connected workers, enabling fewer people to perform multiple tasks by providing semi-autonomous automation aids in workcenter job instructions, inline quality inspections, and systems for workflow tracking and exception reporting. | | |
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| Strategy Summit: Learn How Your Peers Use Industry 4.0, AI and Automation | The Metal Fabrication Strategy Summit, from MetalForming and PMA, will help fabricators improve their operations. This two-day event, May 21-22, brings together industry leaders, expert panelists and innovative manufacturers to tackle the challenges facing fabricators today.
Facilitated panel discussions will address these and other topics:- Design for Manufacture
- Automation Strategy
- Smart Manufacturing
- Digital Transformation.
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| WATCH: Webinar on Demand—A Discrete Manufacturers Guide to Evaluating ERP | | Choosing the right ERP system is critical to operational excellence and the long-term health of your manufacturing business. In this virtual session, we hear ERP expert Glenn Julia explain the essential steps to evaluating and selecting an ERP solution tailored to your specific business needs. | | |
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| LISTEN: Insights on Workforce Development with Joe Barr, Plant Manager, Mursix Corp. | | Join Destiny of Manufacturing podcast host Dean Phillips as he chats with Joe Barr, plant manager at metal forming company Mursix Corp. They explore the resurgence of manufacturing in the United States, the impact of workforce shifts, and the role of AI and technology in training and process improvements. Barr shares insights on closing the skills gap, the importance of vocational education and how new generations are reshaping the industry. | | |
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