Oct. 2, 2019 — The South Central Region of the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC), a program managed by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), will host a Manufacturing Day event at SwRI from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4.
Manufacturing Day, initiated in 2012, takes place across the United States to demonstrate the role of manufacturing in the U.S. economy while highlighting career opportunities, technology and industry trends. Manufacturing accounted for 11.6 percent of U.S. economic output in 2018, or $2.33 trillion, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
SwRI’s Manufacturing Day event will showcase flexible technologies that are helping local manufacturers become more competitive. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. For contact information, visit https://tmac.swri.org.
“More than 60% of all private sector research and development is driven by manufacturing,” said Paul Evans, director of SwRI’s Manufacturing Technologies Department. “This underscores the role that U.S. manufacturing plays in driving innovation.”
Small companies are a key part of that story, added Evans. Most U.S. manufacturing firms have fewer than 20 employees, according to the National Association of Manufacturers. TMAC’s South Central Region field office provides small- and medium-sized companies with education and tools that improve automation, cyber security, manufacturing processes, quality systems and workforce development.
“The tour will highlight current trends in manufacturing and new technologies that are enabling advanced automation,” said Bill Rafferty, manager of TMAC’s South Central Region.
SwRI has operated the TMAC South Central Region for more than 20 years. TMAC, an affiliate of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is headquartered in Austin with regional offices across Texas.
SwRI’s Manufacturing Technologies Department develops and implements automation, robotics, and sensing solutions to advance manufacturing technologies.
For more information, visit TMAC South Central Region, or contact Robert Crowe, +1 210 522 4630, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.