The SME Technical Refferal Database puts members in contact with 1,300 professional leaders and problem solvers. SME Technical Associations provide specialized information in 11 specialized areas. More than 200 conferences, courses, and events are offered yearly. SME publications and videotapes provide instruction, topical overviews, and management insight. Moreover, Certification provides professional recognition.
Every year there seems to be a new catchword for methods to improve manufacturing.
Those that do take the leap often fail because upper management support or resources are lacking. When enough progressive business leaders succeed for a long enough time, others start taking notice and begin to think that there might be something in this for their company. In the spring of 1997 Chapter 45 sponsored a seminar on agile manufacturing. Jerry McCormick highlighted the Milwaukee Electric Tool's use of work cells and kanban. A year later Dan Stoelb expanded on the tool of setup reduction.