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When you think of 3D-printing, you probably don’t think of metal casting. But in fact, 3D-printing has been a huge help to foundries—thanks in large part to one Ohio-based company, Humtown Products. In 2014, the family-owned business decided to try using 3D printers to create castings for engine blocks in cars, trucks, construction equipment and aerospace technology. Since then, Humtown has led an industry-wide transformation of metal casting and will be recognized at the 2020 Manufacturing Leadership Awards in October for commercializing 3D printing in the sector.

How it works: Ordinarily, metal casting involves creating a tool or pattern from materials like plastic or wood, then packing sand tightly around the pattern to form a mold. Then workers pour metal into the mold, creating the finished component. But with 3D printing technology, Humtown can skip the tooling stage entirely, printing the sand mold through software commands instead.

How they did it: ��Back in 2014, there were only a few sand-casting 3D printers in north America. They were mostly used for prototyping and cost two million dollars each. Because the technology hadn’t been widely used, Humtown struggled to find a bank that would finance a loan. The company ended up working with America Makes—a program launched by President Obama—and partnering with local schools like Youngstown State University and the University of Northern Iowa, which was primarily using the technology for prototyping at the time.

Brandon Lamoncha, who is now Director of Additive Manufacturing at Humtown Products, spent three years traveling to and from Iowa to study the technology, while also traveling to foundries around the country to spread the word about 3D-printing. He made the case that a new wave of technology was coming—and that, if American foundries didn’t embrace it, they would be left behind the curve and possibly out of business.

“When we got into this game,” Lamoncha says, “you could count on one hand the number of 3D sand printers in North America. Now there’s 40 or 50.”

The benefits: The technology has been effective for a number of reasons.

• It’s faster: Using traditional methods, it might take 18-20 weeks to develop the tooling to make a cylinder head for a customer’s car. Now, Humtown can receive the data they need on a Friday, run their printers over the weekend and start pouring metals on Tuesday or Wednesday.
• It’s more efficient: A lot of machining involves subtractive technology; for example, you might take a hunk of aluminum, carve out what you need and discard what you don’t. With 3-D printing technology, Humtown is using additive manufacturing instead: they’re starting with nothing, and building only the things they need.
• It’s powerful: The technology allows the metal casting industry to make parts that were once too complicated to make using conventional processes. For example, complex volutes for pumps were made in sections in the past—but 3D printing allows the parts to be made all together.
• It’s creative: 3D printing allows Humtown to produce novel designs that weren’t possible to make with tooling. Now, the company can take full advantage of the creativity of their engineers.

The result: Six years ago, 3D printing was used in less than 2 percent of sales at Humtown. Today that number has risen to 40 or 50 percent.

The last word: “In hundreds of years, nothing has been this big of a paradigm shift,” said Lamoncha. “Humtown has been around since 1959. Casting has been around since the Egyptians, and not a lot has changed in the metal casting industry. This kind of change? This is amazing.”

When Litko Aerosystems’ health-care provider increased its rates by double digits — again — CEO Ken Litko knew he needed another option. That’s when he signed his business up with 51�Թ��� Health Care, an association health plan created by the 51�Թ���, Mercer and UnitedHealthcare®. The plan allows manufacturers with fewer than 100 employees to band together in order to purchase affordable coverage that is usually available only to larger manufacturing companies.

The good stuff:��51�Թ��� Health Care gives small and medium-sized businesses a bunch of great reasons to join, including:

• Comprehensive benefits:��51�Թ��� Health Care offers a range of benefits, including health insurance, vision coverage, dental benefits and life insurance policies.
• Lower costs:��51�Թ��� Health Care plans may help manufacturers save on their annual health insurance costs and help employees save on premiums.
• Access to health tools:��51�Թ��� Health Care provides access to UnitedHealthcare’s largest preferred-provider organization networks. It also offers access to Mercer’s Multiple Employer Solutions suite, which is a one-stop shop designed to make the benefits buying process easy for 51�Թ��� members and their employees.
• A tailored experience:��51�Թ��� Health Care is designed specifically for small to medium-sized manufacturers. Instead of forcing employers and workers to hunt around for the kind of coverage that works for them, 51�Թ��� Health Care prioritizes manufacturers’ needs and interests.

How it works:��51�Թ��� Health Care is operated by the plan’s Governing Committee, which is made up of mostly small and medium-sized manufacturers. The committee manages the 51�Թ���’s medical, dental, vision and life plans with the support of Mercer and UnitedHealthcare.

Why it matters:��At a time when manufacturers are seeking millions more skilled workers, a strong health benefits program may help attract and retain talented people. According to a����by marketing agency Fractl, which was featured in the��, 88% of respondents would give health coverage “some consideration” or “heavy consideration” when job hunting (the highest ranking in the study). With 51�Թ��� Health Care, manufacturers can offer excellent benefits to current and prospective employees.

The last word:��According to Litko, “We were looking for a reduction in overall cost, and we were looking for a reduction in employee costs. . . . Looking at what we have currently, I’m definitely glad we changed when we changed.”

Check out the plans��.

The 51�Թ��� released the results of its most recent Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey today. Manufacturers reported a boost in optimism—up from 33.9% in Q2, which was the lowest reading since the first quarter of 2009. The survey also found that a significant number of manufacturers used the federal liquidity programs that the 51�Թ��� advanced early in this pandemic. The data shows:

• 72 percent��of manufacturers that faced negative cash flow impacts due to COVID-19 used the Paycheck Protection Program, Main Street Lending Program or other liquidity program.
• Nearly 92 percent��of manufacturers that used federal liquidity programs said those funds were helpful in keeping their business afloat, retaining workforce or meeting other necessary expenses.
• 66 percent��of manufacturers are positive about their company’s outlook, a great improvement from the Q2 results. Still, the outlook remains below the historical average of 74.4%, and 62% of manufacturers expect their firm’s revenues will not get back to pre-COVID-19 levels until 2021 or later.

Additional context from 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons:��“Congress and the administration have acted on more than five dozen of the policy provisions that the 51�Թ��� made in our ‘American Renewal Action Plan’ and other recommendations. Without the bipartisan relief legislation signed into law earlier this year, this rise in optimism would not have been possible. But for our industry to truly recover and to keep our economy growing, further bipartisan congressional action is needed.”

You can find the full survey��here.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for July, which shows the persistent gap between open manufacturing positions and available skilled workers—even amid a pandemic. According to the survey, the manufacturing industry saw 408,000 manufacturing job openings in July—an increase of more than 60,000 jobs since the prior month and the best result since February, before widespread COVID-19 restrictions came into effect.

A few more numbers:

• Nonfarm business job openings rose from 6,001,000 in June to 6,618,000 in July, which was also the strongest pace since February (7,004,000).
• Net hiring remained weak, with manufacturers taking on 321,000 workers in July, down sharply from 432,000 in June.
• Nonfarm business layoffs decreased from 1,995,000 in June to 1,721,000 in July, which represents the slowest pace since March 2019 (1,698,000). Meanwhile, layoffs in the manufacturing sector declined from 184,000 to 157,000.

What the numbers mean:��According to 51�Թ��� Chief Economist Chad Moutray, “This suggests that firms are once again increasing their interest in adding new workers, even as the sector attempts to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and the overall labor market has changed dramatically.”

Related: Applications for state unemployment benefits failed to decline as expected in July, Bloomberg��.

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a Republican-backed relief bill after a long series of negotiations between Senate Republicans and the Trump administration, according to��.

What it covers:��The proposed legislation likely will include the following elements:

• A federal unemployment benefit
• Another round of Paycheck Protection Program funding
• More funding for COVID-19 testing and for schools
• Liability protections

What it (probably) doesn’t include:��The package is expected to come in at around $500 million, which is far short of the $1 trillion bill Republicans supported at the end of July and even further short of the $3 trillion bill the House approved. This version likely won’t include the following elements:

• More funds for state and local governments
• Another round of $1,200 stimulus checks, which had been included in the last Republican plan

What’s next:��The vote could happen in the Senate as early as Thursday, but this package is unlikely to get the 60 votes it needs to be filibuster-proof. Democrats have said the bill is much too narrow.

A word from the 51�Թ���:��“Manufacturers continue to help lead the way in the COVID-19 recovery and renewal, and so we appreciate seeing a number of our priorities in this legislation, including liability protections for manufacturers, another round of Paycheck Protection Program funding and resources for additional testing and vaccine research,” said 51�Թ��� Vice President of Government Relations Jordan Stoick. “In the coming days and weeks, the administration, House and Senate have a real opportunity – and a responsibility – to put partisanship aside in order to find a consensus that helps manufacturers and all Americans.”

The U.S. is considering cracking down further on Chinese human rights abuses in Xinjiang, while President Trump had tough words about the U.S.–China relationship. Here’s an update on some important recent developments.

Human rights:��The Trump administration is�� on some or all products that include cotton from Xinjiang, the region where China has carried out the mass detention of mostly Muslim minorities. The order could have a substantial impact on global apparel makers.

Technology:��The administration is also����China’s largest chipmaker, SMIC. The Department of Defense may add it to the “Entity List,” thereby restricting the company’s purchases of equipment made in the U.S. Beijing, as you might imagine, was not happy.

���𳦴dzܱ�����Բ�”?:��In a Monday press briefing, President Trump����of “decoupling” the U.S. from China. “If we didn’t do business with [China], we wouldn’t lose billions of dollars. . . . It’s called decoupling. So you’ll start thinking about it,” he said.

A data security standoff:��As the U.S. continues to crack down on Chinese telecommunications companies, claiming that they pose national security threats, China has developed its own set of “global standards on data security,” ��the WSJ (subscription). It’s trying to prevent the U.S. from convincing other countries to restrict Chinese access to or construction of key networks.

Canceled plans:��About 100 official exchange forums between Chinese and U.S. officials have been canceled during the Trump presidency,����Bloomberg. This means diplomats don’t know what the other side is doing on a long list of policy issues, from pharmaceuticals to tech and more.

Manufacturing Day, and the month-long celebration of the industry it kicks off, will be very different this year��now that we can’t tour factories, technical schools and more��in person. But manufacturers can still do their part to show parents, teachers��and��students��what careers in today’s advanced manufacturing really look like—via virtual programming.

In advance��of��this year’s ,��Oct.��2, The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce and education partner of the 51�Թ���—held a webinar to help manufacturers plan virtual events. Below is a quick��recap.

�³󲹳���should manufacturers do?��Don’t worry, many MFG Day hosts are still figuring this out. First, you can reach out to local associations and regional groups to see if there is an existing event that you can co-host��or��participate in.��Second, you can��consider partnering with other manufacturers in your area or industry to produce a virtual event.

If you choose to host your own virtual MFG Day event, here are a few suggestions that will make it a hit, courtesy of Manufacturing Institute Senior Director of Youth Engagement Julia Asoni and��51�Թ�����Assistant��Vice President of Advocacy��Michael O’Brien:

• Provide��a welcome message from senior leadership.
• Offer an overview of the importance of manufacturing to the economy in your community.
• Lay out what your company does��and give participants a sense��of its career offerings.
• Film a video tour of your facility to��show viewers��the technology and tools you use every day.
• Record interviews with employees or a conversation with a panel to allow young people to hear directly from the��people��who work at your business.
• Create a survey to track how the event changes your audience’s perceptions of manufacturing—for example, asking participants about their interest in a manufacturing career both before and after your presentation.

Examples from the field:��During the webinar, a��range of manufacturers��and partners��presented their plans for MFG Day:

• Allegion��will feature a full virtual experience planned through Microsoft Teams.��It��will provide a mixture of live and pre-recorded content,��and will localize every event to ensure it’s most relevant to local students, said Allegion Reputation Management Leader Whitney Moorman.
• Boeing��collaborated with external partners like high schools,��colleges��and community organizations to create an effective virtual��program, said��Boeing Senior Workforce Specialist Justin��McCaffree.��Its event will��include videos of employees��explaining their jobs and performing specific tasks, virtual tours of��the company’s��facilities,��and videos from manufacturing interns and students. It will��also offer��students the opportunity to do��virtual informational interviews��with Boeing employees.
• Graco��is postponing its regular MFG Day programming to spring 2021 in hopes of providing an in-person experience that will involve hands-on learning—including stations that allow participants to control robots, build keychains with lasers and learn about quality control, said Graco Corporate Communications Team Leader Charlotte Boyd. It may also attempt to do virtual events this year that could include sending kits to students and information to parents.
• ABB��is��working with��Edge��Factor, which develops content for educators,��to create��a five-day virtual program that��showcases��science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics,��according to ABB Vice President for Marketing Communications Tracy Long.��This will��include on-demand content about each of those five disciplines as well as��about��“soft skills” like teamwork.
• NWIRC��developed a monthlong program geared toward 6th–12th��grade students in northwest Pennsylvania. It includes��a digital activity packet��and the opportunity��to win prizes from NWIRC for��worksheets and articles, said NWIRC��Marketing Communications Specialist Laurie Knoll.
• Click Bond��is in the early stages of developing content for a virtual experience. It is��planning an��interactive website that includes career testimonials, virtual maps and how-to videos about machines and technology, according to Click Bond Corporate Communications Manager Danielle Costella.

You can��see��a recording of the webinar��.

As you probably saw last week, the Trump administration announced a deal with Abbott Laboratories to produce more than 150 million rapid COVID-19 tests, per��. Abbott’s rapid tests cost about $5 to make and take just a few minutes to deliver results without lab equipment. Such antigen tests are not quite as accurate as molecular tests (which are conducted in a lab), and the FDA says that doctors might find it advisable to confirm a positive result with a molecular test.

Here are some more updates on the deployment of rapid tests, which is an important development in the COVID-19 response effort:

• The Trump administration offered more details about the shipments this week, announcing that these rapid tests would start making their way to states in mid-September, according to . Most of these tests are intended to go to first responders and to help schools and daycare facilities reopen.
• The investment has also come with an employment bump, as Abbott Labs brings on new workers to help produce the test, the����reports. Around 2,000 employees are needed to help meet demand, and no previous experience is required for jobs that will pay $15 an hour for the day shift and $18 an hour for nights, along with a $2,500 retention bonus.
• ��reports that another rapid test maker is seeking emergency FDA approval. Roche Holding AG will launch a rapid test in September in Europe and is hoping to get emergency authorization to roll it out in the United States, too.

Fittingly, The Manufacturing Institute’s FAME program has its name in the papers. This week, highlights this career-focused initiative that gives people the tools they need to succeed in the manufacturing sector.

How it works:��—founded by Toyota and now overseen by The Manufacturing Institute—is the nation’s premier manufacturing education program for training students seeking careers in manufacturing and upskilling incumbents and veterans.

FAME students earn a two-year associate’s degree while working in their sponsor’s manufacturing facility as advanced manufacturing technicians.

Core concepts: The program doesn’t just teach manufacturing-specific skills, it also helps students learn and apply behaviors that will help them make progress in any industry, including:

• Safety culture
• Professional behaviors
• Communication skills
• Problem solving
• Visual workplace organization

The results: “First launched at a single Toyota factory in 2010, it has already grown to involve more than 350 manufacturers in 13 states, from large refrigerator makers to smaller plastics plants. Of the roughly 850 students who have graduated so far, 85 percent have been hired by their sponsoring employers with starting salaries at $50,000 or more.”

The grads:��FAME’s graduates have nothing but praise for the program, crediting it with starting them on an excellent career path. Check out our recent profiles of graduates��Brittanee Sayer��and��Chaise Blissett.

What do you do when a pandemic shuts down your customers?��That was the problem faced by��A-dec, a manufacturer of dental equipment and supplies based in Oregon, when��dentists nationwide closed their doors��back in March.��

In A-���’s��case, they developed products to help their core customers come back safely.����

The problem:��Dentists and hygienists��are��at particular��risk of��contracting COVID-19 while treating patients, because their jobs require proximity to��their patients’��open mouths.������

• Dentists also use loupes with lights and magnifiers to see inside patients’ mouths—but wearing medical masks and traditional face shields makes it difficult to wear lighted loupes as well.����
• Meanwhile,��traditional face shields are open at the bottom—and because dentists work on patients who��recline��right below them, those shields provide limited protection.��

The��solution:��A-���’s��engineers got to work designing and producing a unique face shield for dentists��that��fits��around the collarbone��and opens��upwards, providing a barrier between dentists and patient. The��shield��also��leaves��additional space around��dentists’��eyes��so they can use lighted loupes.����

The��process:��The same��pandemic that made this work necessary also made it difficult.��A-dec had to overcome a series of complications:

• Research and development:��COVID-19��made the company’s��customer��focus groups��impossible��to do in person,��so it��designed and conducted remote focus group sessions.��
• Sourcing of materials.��Shortages and supply chain disruptions��also caused problems, with some commodities becoming unavailable at the last minute.��That meant A-dec faced delays and had to find alternate sources of materials at times.����
• Product construction.��Like many other manufacturers,��A-dec��had to figure out how to keep��remote workers and on-site, socially distancing workers in sync with each other—all while��creating a new product��in record time.

By��working around these setbacks and��streamlining��its processes, A-dec was able to go from the initial idea to the beginning of production in just two months—an extraordinary achievement.

The last word:��According to��A-dec��Vice President��of��Manufacturing��Wesley Snyder, the company benefited from��its��familiarity with medical regulations—but that doesn’t mean non-medical manufacturers can’t make a difference. “Everything is made by somebody, and the manufacturing industry is uniquely positioned to make tangible contributions to society in a crisis like this,” he said.��“So find those new points of need, and align��them��with your capabilities.”��