The first Tri-State Manufacturing Conference for Illinois, Iowa and Missouri will take place March 15 to help companies of all sizes learn more about emerging trends in the new era of manufacturing.

The event will take place at John Wood Community College in Quincy, Illinois, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Key educational, business and economic development partners from three states have joined forces to create the conference to help regional manufacturers develop employees, processes and technology to grow business and expand into new markets.

Profile Plastics produces award-winning, custom plastic thermoformed parts for diverse applications in markets such as medical, industrial and food/beverage. Profile specializes in heavy-gauge, highly detailed, close tolerance production via vacuum, pressure and twin-sheet forming processes. Profile Plastics provides an experienced project engineering team to provide innovative solutions to your most challenging projects. ISO 9001:2008 certified.

Written by Ryan Langdon, IMEC Regional Manager

If you are wondering how another year has seemed to slip by so quickly, don’t worry, you are not alone. If you are worried that you have gotten off to a late start setting goals and direction for your organization; you are not alone there either. Most organizations delay planning and goal setting due to the unavailability of perfect data, lacking a structure to get planning accomplished, or just hate the painful process of creating a perfect plan that ultimately gathers dust on the shelf until the next year. Although strategic planning may not be something you look forward to, it can be a transformative process that brings the organization together and accelerates growth and improvement initiatives. I have accumulated a few tips and tricks over the years that may make your planning a little less painful. Or at the least, you may find a pointer or two that helps you think outside your planning box.

Toyoda Machinery USA offers a complete lineup of horizontal and vertical machining centers, bridge and gantry machines, vertical turning lathes, and grinding machines. These machines are engineered for innovators, and built with the speed, strength, and capacity. From job shop applications to high-volume production, Toyoda exceeds machining expectations. Toyoda understands tight tolerances, superior speed, and peak performance. Every detail is carefully considered - from the solid cast iron bases to the operator-friendly ergonomic design - to help maximize production across metal cutting industries.

Skills for the future of automation

Creating a skilled workforce for the needs of automation today and in the future is vital for the competitive future of Illinois. That’s why IMEC recently partnered with ISA (International Society of Automation) to deliver a five day course for participants in Decatur, Illinois. The “Technician Training Boot Camp” offered an intensive, hands-on training environment focused on industrial measurement and control technologies. Watch the video to learn more!

Written by Mary Hallock, IMEC Technical Specialist and OSHA Authorized Trainer

Posture, Positioning and People Movement

When we focus our time and efforts on making safety corrections we often focus on machine guarding, lockout/tagout and some of the other programs that require written programs, and regular documented training. However, a good deal of injuries and costs are caused by injuries on walking surfaces or due to ergonomic issues in our work.