Plant Engineering

Lights-out manufacturing is getting lots of attention. China is all-in. So, how far is America from fully autonomous manufacturing? Courtesy: Adobe Stock Lights-out manufacturing is getting a lot of buzz. In fact, factories in China are literally going lights-out. This means human involvement in the manufacturing process is either minimal or nonexistent, making lights unnecessary. Human workers can turn the lights off behind them, and production continues, unhindered.

PRODUCT INFORMATION MANUFACTURED BY Puja Mitra PUBLISH DATE June 25, 2026 RELEASE DATE June 25, 2026 CATEGORY Material Handling Motion Industries, Inc. has announced the Motion Tape Caddy, a portable cart for managing floor marking tape replacement in material handling environments. Floor marking tapes require periodic replacement because of normal wear and changes to traffic control layouts.

According to the 2026 Plant Engineering State of Manufacturing Operations & Maintenance report, leaders need to act on two things immediately. The 2026 Plant Engineering State of Manufacturing Operations & Maintenance report makes one point clear: manufacturers are no longer debating whether to modernize maintenance and operations. They are moving ahead with digital tools, outside partners and smarter infrastructure to improve reliability, efficiency and resiliency.

Factory job cuts in the United States just hit COVID-19 and economic crisis levels. But manufacturing demand is also surging. Courtesy: Adobe Stock Factory jobs are getting cut at the highest level since the 2009 economic crisis and the COVID-19 shutdown, economists reported. But manufacturing demand accelerated at its quickest pace in five months. It puts plants at a crossroads of fewer jobs and higher demand. And it’s concerning to the economist who monitors this data.

Consider these four approaches to secure an industrial facility’s supply chain. Courtesy: Adobe Stock Learning objectives Learn how to improve operations by locking down the last mile to protect every link in a supply chain. Understand how to improve visibility through tracking technologies, optimizing routes using AI-driven tools and building stronger supplier and courier relationships to support a more secure and forward-thinking logistics strategy.

It's International Women in Engineering Day. And some of the innovations we rely upon every day came from women engineers. Courtesy: Sheri Kasprzak Happy International Women in Engineering Day! The day was started back in 2013 by the U.K.-based Women’s Engineering Society with the intention of giving women in engineering a public profile, given that they are underrepresented in the field. If you’re reading this, you have innovations created by women to thank.

Plant leaders can follow a structured lubricant evaluation process. Figure 2: Understand the lubricant selection process. Courtesy: CITGO Petroleum Corp. To reduce the risk of misapplication, plant leaders can follow a structured lubricant evaluation process. A practical lubricant review framework includes five important steps: Confirm original equipment manufacturer (OEM) requirements: Verify the lubricant specifications listed in the equipment manual.

Fiberglass reinforced plastic piping is stronger and more corrosion-resistant than most engineers initially expect. That's why getting the expansion joints right demands so much care. Courtesy: Proco Walk through any major industrial facility, such as a chemical plant, a municipal water treatment plant, a coal-fired power station’s scrubber system or a pulp and paper mill, and you will almost certainly encounter fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) piping.

Read about BESS, motor performance, safety, lubricant labels and other topics in the May/June 2026 issue of Plant Engineering. In the May/June 2026 issue of Plant Engineering, learn about several new topics, including the cover story: Back to basics: A technical guide to BESS implementation Considering a BESS?

Air compressor boosters provide an efficient way to generate higher compressed air pressures without increasing demand on the entire air system. Oil-free technology further enhances reliability by delivering high-pressure air with zero contamination risk, making it ideal for modern industrial applications. Courtesy: Atlas Copco Compressed air is a crucial utility across the modern industry.