The status of the United State’s Manufacturing industry is a hot topic among economists, in their never-ending quest to determine the status of both the country’s and world’s economic standings. While some claim U.S. manufacturing is losing strength compared to other countries, others say the data for these claims just do not exist.

With the U.S. economy on an upswing, a recent article noted economists and forecasters seem caught in a mindset where the slightest negative indicator, [...]

How do you rank cost, quality and on-time delivery when it comes to your manufacturing needs?

Defining the Factors

Before answering this question, let’s first define cost, quality and on-time delivery. Although cost can be measured in several ways, in this discussion cost is defined as the price of the part, not the total cost of ownership (TCO). Quality is the overall value and usefulness of the product or service. This may include features, durability, reliability [...]