ASQ InfVoices - Manufacturing Revitalization

Paul Borawski (CEO, ASQ) raised the Topic of ASQ Influential Voice in Jan & Feb 2014 during Chinese New Year is "A Glimpse at Manufacturing in 2014". He mentioned the latest ASQ manufacturing outlook survey and found that 70% manufacturers said they experience revenue growth in both 2012 and 2013. However, about 46% of the respondents considered the economy continues to be the biggest hurdle to operation. In addition, only 13% respondents used Smart Manufacturing. Recently, Obama (USA President) announced the creation of a manufacturing and innovation institute and he told to 2,000 students at North Carolina State University on 28 Jan 2014 that "we are going to start bringing those jobs back to America." Moreover, he also described 3D printing as having "the potential to revolutionize".

Photo taken in 2000 (Toys manufacturer in Dunguan, PRC)

After glimpsed survey results and Obama's news, I find that manufacturing job loss is similar situation both in USA and Hong Kong. So that this article entitled "Manufacturing Revitalization". We need Smart Manufacturing, which is defined as "the integration of network-based data and information that provides real-time understanding, reasoning, planning, management and related decision making of all aspects of a manufacturing and supply chain enterprise." Smart Manufacturing could be integrated Big Data analysis, Internet for real-time communication and supply chain management, indicating the nature of Internet of Things (IoT).

The key development in IoT included:
i) breakthrough the core technology
ii) Integrated the supply chain
iii) Established the related standard
iv) Training and developing talent pool

Prof. Iizuka (Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo) had gave a talk to HKSQ named "Quality Management makes people and organization SMARTER" on 26 Nov 2013. The smartness was defined to have four abilities included "Purpose-oriented", "Cause and effect", "Essence" and "Learning". He concluded that Smartness factors were very closed to Quality approach. Moreover, TQM was an excellent management tool for organizational improvement and innovation.

Photo taken in 2013 (Domestic Product manufacturer in Dunguan, PRC)

The trend of advance manufacturing is obviously, like Hong Kong Science Park, that technology developing direction will focus on IoT, 3D printing and 3D IC technology.

Reference:
Obama Announces Institute to Create Manufacturing Jobs - http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/16/us/politics/obama.html?_r=0
“The development opportunity of Ubiquitous Network / The Internet of Things” in Briefing Session on ICT Standards – Mainland and Hong Kong (Part 2) - http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2010/11/briefing-session-on-ict-standards_05.html
Quality Management makes people and organization SMARTER - http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2013/11/quality-management-makes-people-and.html
Conference on 3D-IC: Market, Technology & Applications - http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2012/08/conference-on-3d-ic-market-technology.html
Symposium on High-performance and Emerging Technologies - http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.hk/2013/08/symposium-on-high-performance-and.html