Chicomm Blog

In any manufacturing plant there are a lot of moving parts, involving people, processes, and equipment, and safety and security are paramount. Sources indicate that in 2017 alone, there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers, translating to 2.8 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers.

Not staying informed about what’s happening on the floor can wreak havoc on operations. Two-way radios are key to factory communications and keeping employees and equipment safe.

To meet the unique demands of the manufacturing sector, Motorola two-way radios provide solutions that are as much about safety as they are about communications.

While workplace injuries and emergencies continue to decline across the industry, they do still happen, and instant communication and coordination can mean all the difference.

Here are three features and applications built to help enhance safety in manufacturing with Motorola two-way radios. To make the right selections for your facility, make sure to work with two-way radio service providers who specialize in workplace safety for the manufacturing industry.  

In manufacturing environments, radios are a given, smartphones are proving to be less than ideal, and WiFi phones are holding their own.

As wireless communications helps power advances in manufacturing technology, advanced connectivity is making purpose-built WiFi phones a solid option for everything from the front office to the factory floor.

With the unique requirements of the industry in mind, here’s a quick look at some benefits of WiFi phones for manufacturing.

Ask for manufacturing technology examples, and most people will list the usual suspects of manufacturing engineering technology.

The Industrial Internet of Things, or IIOT, 3-D printing and cloud computing get all of the attention, but there is more innovative manufacturing technology out there to explore.

Here are three surprising manufacturing technology examples to keep things interesting.

It’s hard to imagine now, but manufacturing technology used to refer to the handmade tools people used in their homes to produce their own food, clothing, furniture and everything else they needed for daily life.

At a time in history when we can have almost everything we need delivered to our doorsteps in less than two hours, that seems like a million years ago. Thanks to increasingly rapid advances in manufacturing engineering technology being driven by innovation in wireless communications, the world has changed more quickly than our ancestors could have dreamed.

For you history buffs, let’s take a look at how wireless communication is tied to the evolution of manufacturing technology.

When Georgia Institute of Technology Professor Thomas Kurfess asks new students in manufacturing engineering technology programs what they know about the industry, they reply: “Henry Ford.”

“They think it’s dirty and nasty, but if you go to a modern manufacturing facility today, it’s really clean and high-tech,” Kurfess told EdTech Magazine for a recent article. “It’s one of those things where you need to keep up with your training, because you’re using computers heavily.”

The Atlanta school’s new Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility was built in collaboration with Delta Air Lines, and it’s part of the renaissance in manufacturing engineering technology education going on across the country.

Everything about your warehouse equipment and processes is becoming more innovative and advanced, so isn’t it time for your security solution to keep up?

If you've currently got an analog video system, you’re missing out on the opportunity for the added features and functionality that an IP solution could bring.

Advanced manufacturing technology needs an equally advanced system to secure it, so let’s take a look at how to protect your warehouse equipment with IP video solutions.

Oct. 6 is Manufacturing Day, an annual celebration of modern manufacturing aimed at increasing the public’s understanding of the industry in the U.S. and inspiring the next generation of workers.

Companies, organizations, schools and libraries are holding events all over the country, including factory tours and open houses, as well as presentations from local manufacturing leaders.

In Illinois, more than 80 events are planned, with at least 11 in the Chicago area. Let’s take a look at a few geared toward the next generation.

Anyone who’s already using radios for manufacturing knows that they are game changers that lead to better efficiency, enhanced safety and better communications overall. If you’re considering making the switch to radios or you’re looking to upgrade, the number of choices, features and applications can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, we work with a number of manufacturing clients and have a great sense of what they need and use most often. For an example of the kind of tailored solution we’ve put together for a manufacturing client, check out our case study about Aux Sable, one of the largest natural gas liquid extraction facilities in North America.

As you’re putting together your list of must-haves and nice-to-haves, here are some recommendations for what to look for in radios for manufacturing.

Manufacturing communications may be one of the most misunderstood parts of the diverse manufacturing vertical. People either underestimate the reliability and enhanced functionality of radios for manufacturing, or they don’t fully appreciate how effectively wireless communications can increase uptime, productivity and safety.

Given the dynamic needs of the sector, technology provided by one-way paging or cell phones just isn’t robust enough. Two-way radios and other wireless solutions are key.

With that in mind, here are the seven most misunderstood facts about manufacturing communications.