Thanks to a range of developments in technology, systems based on terahertz technology are poised to enter and create significant new markets within the decade. Of the many potential applications of terahertz radiation, manufacturing is potentially the most promising.    

The definition of the terahertz portion of the electromagnetic spectrum has varied but is generally considered to be the band between infrared and microwave radiation, usually running from 300 GHz to perhaps 10 THz, overlapping those bands commonly referred to as the submillimetre and far...

The manufacturing sector is battered and bruised, but it’s fighting. And it’s fighting hard.

That was the consensus at Manufacturing AUTOMATION's fourth annual editorial board roundtable. The board brought a variety of perspectives to this year's table, namely from the education, government, association and private sectors, and each seemed relatively certain that a recovery is upon us, albeit a slow one.

"Last year around this time, people were cautiously optimistic. This year, there's a pretty solid sense of optimism out there," says Al Diggins, president and general...

Almost half. That's how much of the world's total delivered energy consumption is taken up by industry. And according to Natural Resources Canada, in 2007 this country's manufacturing sector consumed an estimated 2,387 petajoules (PJ) of energy. That's almost twice the energy consumed by all of the cars and light trucks in Canada.

Historically there have been no metrics associated with energy in industry, especially when there was plenty of business to go around and companies could afford waste. Ever since manufacturers started migrating far beyond North American borders, however, those...

If you’re buying equipment as a quick fix for a rapidly growing business then there may be a better way to make the most of your investment without draining the company’s cash.

“That equipment purchase can be a costly decision. Entrepreneurs need to anticipate growth and do some long-range planning first,” says Mary Gagliardi, Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Vice President and District Manager, Southern Ontario. Gagliardi has seen many companies unexpectedly pick up new contracts and buy new equipment without carefully assessing their needs. “In...

This year, with all of the economic challenges facing manufacturers, staying competitive is going to require cost reductions, increased productivity and efficiencies, innovation and the quick adoption of new technologies to help achieve these goals. What tools do you need to survive this challenging environment? We asked five industry experts to name the top five technologies and trends that will impact Canadian manufacturers in 2009 and beyond. Thank you to Jim Pinto, Sherman Lang, Sal Spada, Sivakali Prasad Dasari and Michel Ruel for sharing their thoughts and expertise.

OTTAWA, Ont. - The surest way for Canada to boost its productivity is through investment in physical and human capital, according to a recently released Conference Board of Canada study, Sluggish Productivity Growth in Canada: Could the Urbanization Process Be a Factor?.

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Manufacturing AUTOMATION's editorial advisory board got together for our second annual roundtable meeting at our office in Aurora, Ont., this summer. The purpose: to discuss trends and challenges in the industrial automation industry.