Federal Reserve data indicate a 0.7% increase in US manufacturing production for July on the heels of a revised 0.4% decline for June. Motor vehicles anchored the uptick.

US auto manufacturers are building more plants in the South, due in part to tax breaks and fewer unions, experts say. The Center for Automotive Research found that auto manufacturers have invested $45.9 billion in the region since 2017, compared with $39.9 billion in the traditional manufacturing stronghold of the Midwest.

The cybersecurity skills shortage can be mitigated with tech measures such as application programming interface integration to reduce errors, says Templafy Chief Information Security Officer Ellen Benaim. Benaim also advises using artificial intelligence-driven tools to reduce the burden on security teams, appointing cybersecurity champions in other units who can uncover bad code and buying products with built-in security.

Makers of small satellites are struggling to source components due to supply chain issues caused by the global coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine. "We get surprised sometimes because there are certain things that we think should be available and they aren't," said AAC Clyde Space CEO Luis Gomes.

Converged networks enable smart manufacturing by letting processes and equipment be managed in one system, aiding communication, writes Thomas Burke, global strategic advisor at CC-Link Partner Association. This enables advanced analytics, simplifies network architecture and cuts costs.

Nearly 70% of the top 25 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies reporting environmental, social and corporate governance scores have set hard targets for reducing air emissions, half have set hard targets for reducing water consumption, and 28% aim to reduce waste emissions by at least 25%, according to Owen Mumford Pharmaceutical Services. However, none has set concrete targets for reducing pharmaceutical pollution in the environment, and only 13% have set targets for reducing packaging.

High-school senior Robert Sansone, a robotics enthusiast with an interest in electric motors, has invented an electric-vehicle motor that doesn't require rare-earth materials to operate. Sansone's more sustainable, less-costly motor has attracted plenty of industry attention and won the $75,000 first prize in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.

Automating necessary but labor-intensive processes like deburring and finishing would free up highly skilled workers to tackle tasks that generate more revenue, writes Brett Reeder of Xebec Deburring Technologies. Cross-training, upskilling and outsourcing temporarily to freelancers are other ways to address the labor shortage, Reeder notes.

Join us at The MI Workforce Summit in Cincinnati, OH on October 18 - 20. The Workforce Summit is the new, annual flagship event for The Manufacturing Institute and is the ultimate convening for manufacturers, thought leaders, educators, economic developers, business association leaders, human resource, and workforce development professionals to identify innovative solutions to today's workforce challenges, and develop new partnerships to implement these best practices for tomorrow. As we focus on "Forging Partnerships," attendees will also have many chances to meet other leaders who are passionate about education and workforce development. Early bird pricing expires after Labor Day. Learn more and register.