Articles by Mark Thomas

Advanced manufacturers today are trending towards Industry 4.0—changing the way business runs. More emphasis is placed on access to real-time data from production and quality sources.

Productivity is a key competitive element for any manufacturing operation. Do more in less time is an often recited production mantra.

Referees at sporting events can fuel elation or outrage with their calls when it comes to a favorite team, but in truth, these people are needed to provide an impartial interpretation of the rules of the game.

As the new year brings new budgets, the reality of muted economic growth for 2017 becomes clear when the subject of corporate spending arises.

Up until the late 1970s, the contour projector or optical comparator was the mainstay of automated two-dimensional inspection systems. 

Manufactured parts need to be measured to ensure they meet the original design intent. Modern manufacturing techniques allow complex parts to be made that can have numerous critical dimensions.