Published 10/19/2009

Speaking of Precision

The Precision Machined Products Association has created a blog to facilitate the transfer of important knowledge that will help keep precision machining competitive, sustainable and profitable.

Workforce Development

Chris Felix

Former Editor-in-Chief, Production Machining

When considering solutions to our manufacturing needs, we of course look at the machines and equipment that can help us to do our jobs better. We also need to give strong consideration to the processes themselves that make everything run like a well-oiled machine. In fact, even when a shop knows it can do better, knowing where to turn for ideas isn’t always as clear.

That’s where organizations such as the Precision Machined Products Association come in. Member companies—precision machining job shops and suppliers—meet on a regular basis to exchange ideas about business and production solutions that, in turn, help each other become more profitable. And now the organization has an online meeting place where these ideas can be free-flowing without limitation.

The PMPA blog, which can be found at pmpaspeakingofprecision.com, is a way for the organization to facilitate the transfer of important knowledge throughout the shop floor, as well as in the purchasing and engineering departments of its customers. The blog is founded on the idea that by speaking of precision, users can facilitate knowledge retention while providing tools they can use to keep precision machining competitive, sustainable and profitable as the external environment continues to evolve. By providing business intelligence on those changes, PMPA believes that it can sustain the manufacturing community in North America, ensuring that it will grow and remain a vital contributor to the quality of life in our country and our communities. This tool can help to keep people informed and provide a place for sharing and sense making.

PMPA’s SpeakingofPrecision blog is a place for people in the industry, their customers and their employees. Each one of us relies on the precision machined products we make. Making precision machined parts is important work. The blog is one more way PMPA is helping the industry do that important work—providing tools you can use, knowledge retention, business intelligence and developments in government and regulations.

Contributors currently include PMPA Director, Industry Research and Technology, Miles Free and Director of Technical Programs Monte Guitar. The organization plans to add other voices from its membership as the blog continues to grow.

Why Blog?

Below, Miles Free, director, industry research and technology for PMPA, provides five reasons why pmpaspeakingofprecision.com can be helpful:

Tools You Can Use

By sharing best practices, tried and proven ideas, and insights into our processes and markets, the blog provides "tools you can use" to stay competitive, improve your sustainability, and understand your business. Everyone understands the value of tools you can use, so the blog regularly includes a shop focus tool you can use.

Speaking of Precision

Pmpaspeakingofprecision.com has as its purpose the objective of finding the really relevant information, news, tools, knowledge and business intelligence that today’s shops need to make their way through the volatility and uncertainty we face. As things continue to get more complex and more ambiguous, the blog tries to provide you with sense-making information from and for the point of view of precision machined parts manufacturing.

Knowledge Retention

Our businesses have overarching needs for shop process, craft, financial, commercial, market and regulatory information and wisdom. As older workers retire or leave the industry, there is a possibility that they will take with them ideas and process knowledge that isn't necessarily easily retrieved anywhere else. PMPA is trying to add those kinds of subjects to the blog where they will be more easily findable through the use of keywords and a search engine. The blog is a place for us to archive and retain this knowledge online for our industry.

Business Intelligence

Uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity are rampant in our world today. But the task is finding information that helps us make sense of it all. What is relevant? What will help us make decisions? What will help us anticipate upcoming issues? The blog is one place where the issues facing our industry will be discovered, reflected upon, and presented for your action.

Sustaining Our Community

PMPA’s vision is to be the premier provider of association services to advance the global competitiveness of the precision machining industry. The organization believes that manufacturing is important in North America, and it sees its role as helping to sustain North American manufacturing by helping sustain precision machining as a North American competency. PMPA recognizes the demographic realities of the baby boom generation starting to exit the workforce, and new generations with new information needs entering the industry.