r/manufacturing

Not trying to sell anything here, genuinely just trying to learn. I've been reading a bunch about manufacturing operations and most of what shows up online is either super high level (industry 4.0, digital twins, all that) or super specific to one niche process. I don't have a good sense of what the actual day to day annoyances look like for people running or working on a factory floor.

Like is it more the paperwork and reporting side, tracking downtime, dealing with inspections, scheduling people around machine issues, or is it something nobody outside the industry ever thinks about. Curious what eats the most hours that feels like it shouldn't have to.

Not trying to pitch anything, just trying to actually understand before I go build something nobody needs.

I’m looking to buy products in senior/elderly care space from India/China/Vietnam and am looking to connect with manufacturers/suppliers or experienced sourcing professionals in this space.

The products I’m currently looking for include:

Adult diapers & incontinence products
Anti-slip bathroom mats
Grab bars & bathroom safety accessories
Walking canes / walkers
Pill organizers
Mobility aids
Small home medical devices (BP monitors, pulse oximeters, nebulizers, etc.)
Daily living assistive products for elderly users
I’m specifically looking for OEMs/ODMs or manufacturers with experience supplying private labels or established brands.

I’ve already identified a few suppliers through IndiaMART and TradeIndia, AliBaba and some other Chinese websites but I’m hoping to connect with people who’ve actually worked with reliable manufacturers and can recommend companies with good quality, reasonable MOQs, and consistent production standards.

Any introductions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. (Open to suppliers from China/Vietnam as well)

Some of the people that I speak to hesitate to read books on ERP if they are more than just a few years old, because they think that they must be 'out of date'. But, to my mind, ERP and implementing it haven't changed at all. Yes: implementing 'cloud' systems brings new problems but the core tasks remain unchanged. And some companies are trying to find if AI can be used for configuring the complex Tier 1 systems and not just for basic training, but they haven't got there yet.

Am I right; or have you seen AI being used to make a real difference?

Hi everyone,

My family runs a medium sized juice factory in Egypt. They've been using SAP for the last few years but adoption isn't great. I just started working with them and realized how ancient and ineffective much of their software is and I want to help them adopt new tools.

I came across many software providers at automate last week but prices are ridiculous considering how doable it is to build my own software using AI now.

Is there something I'm missing like integration difficulty or does it really just not make sense for most businesses to spend months buying and customizing software with a consultant rather than just building their own solution in less time?

Edit:
I recognize that an ERP is not the right thing to start with but there are many non essential softwares that our factory would get value from like an AI machine troubleshooting app that has access to our repair history and manuals but the companies selling that are demanding unreasonably high prices for something that sounds quite simple

Hi everyone, are there any ongoing initiatives or trends in designing and setting up localized microfactories or manufacturing microfactories?

How did you overcome challenges like:

• Not knowing manufacturing at all?
• Building something that already exists?
• Wasting time and money?
• Having limited market knowledge?
• Most importantly, starting without strong problem validation?

What helped you succeed in manufacturing?

i'm planning to build a hair cream with coconut oil but i see there are several products already exist. I have zero knowledge of this and how do you do formulations ? like you learnt on your own or what ? and i don't have a strong problem validation on this niche as well.

Hello everyone, I have a chance to work as a quality engineer in coming months. I currently work in inspection but I have been increasingly handling customer nonconformances, coordination between various teams to close those nonconformance, and some continuous improvement projects. I would appreciate if you can help me with what skills and thinking do I need to develop or learn to make this transition. I want to excel in this new opportunity. Thank you!

I've got SOPs for everything on paper. But new operator still takes 6+ months before they're actually useful because half the real job is the little stuff.

Like this machine drifts at end of shift, this material behaves weird when it's humid, this alarm you can ignore but this one you can't bla bla

none of that is written down anywhere.

just need inputs how are you handling this on your floor? anyone on this, or if we all just accept the ramp time?

As the title suggests, looking for a very niche material that I am STRUGGLING to find a solution for that ticks all our boxes

I am wanting to manufacture mannequins, and my material wants are:

- Can be rotocasted at room temp
- Durable and impact resistant
- Lightweight
- Sustainable

Rotocasted at room temp is probably one of the bigger ones, as it’s a low set up cost machinery and low cost moulds, but also isn’t adding power or gasses to the manufacturing process, and is somewhat fast production

So far the only things I have found are either a Poly Urethane resin (thermoformed so it is not the most sustainable) or casting powders like Jesmonite (which are sustainable but heavier and more brittle, even with reinforced fibres)

Does anyone know of another material that could work? Or do I have to compromise on something?

For years a RoHS certificate and a signed compliance letter was enough. Now two of our bigger customers want full material disclosure down to substance level with CAS numbers and weights per component.

The problem isn't us, it's our supply base. Half our component suppliers are small shops that have never produced an FMD in their life. One of them sent back a datasheet with "steel" written on it. That was the disclosure.

Anyone actually getting good FMD data from smaller suppliers? Do you push them to use a standard format or just accept whatever they can give and clean it up yourself?

just recently started a job and i have to stand for almost 8 hours, and do the same thing over and over again and it is physically demanding (i need to move things and so on) and you’re supposed to go at a certain speed and have a quick tempo. basically how do people actually have this type of job for their whole lives, do you just get okay with it or did you find a way to make it go by faster like how can one live like this?

Something I see a lot with people (usually newer plant managers or founders) who are excited about lean and want to do it "right" ... they try to build the master plan first. Full current-state map, future-state map, multi-year roadmap, phase gates.... the works. Then six weeks later nothing has actually changed on the floor because they are still planning!

I made this mistake myself early on. Thought I needed a complete, defensible plan before I could touch anything. Turns out that's backwards, at least for how you start.

Here's the thing about problems on your floor (or in your process, if you're not literally manufacturing something): they are not evenly distributed. Picture a pyramid. Big wide base of simple, obvious problems: a tool that's never in the same place twice, a form that gets filled out three different ways, a handoff nobody owns. Small tip of genuinely hard, cross-functional, needs-real-analysis problems.

Most people start planning for the tip of the pyramid. You should start by clearing the base. It's not glamorous. It won't get you a case study. But it does two things a fancy roadmap doesn't: it gets you a fast, visible win, and it gets your people used to the idea that they're allowed to change how things work. That second part matters more than people think: a workforce that's never been asked to fix anything doesn't magically start solving problems just because you handed them a roadmap. They start because you let them fix something small and it stuck.

You don't need experts to start this way either. Lean, at the start, is closer to systematic common sense applied consistently than it is to a body of certified knowledge. Certifications and designations rarely matter... the deep tools matter later. At the start, they are often just an excuse to delay.

One caveat that I think matters and doesn't get said enough: this "start small, don't overplan" advice is for getting moving. It is not permission to stay tactical forever. At some point you do need the bigger picture. Otherwise you get a pile of disconnected local improvements that don't add up to anything at the system level. But that's a problem for month six, not week one.

For anyone who tried to build the full roadmap before doing anything, how'd that go? Did it ever actually launch, or did it die in the planning phase?

Just curious who people are trying to contact (and how you go about it) that have real buying power when dealing with capital expenditures.

Mainly large machinery.

Hi community of reddit r/manufacturing

I'm a young man aspiring to start a manufacturing business. Its hard to find first hand experience out on Google or blogs and posts.

I am very ignorant to this whole thing. I have started manufacturing a couple products here in the US, I have yet to close a deal. I have been using 3d printers to manufacture my products that I have also designed but i havent found yet a retailer willing to sell them and sales, that is not my true passion I only care about making stuff so I haven't really explored that much.

This is a very vague and broad question and will probably get my post removed but truly I have no idea how or where to start and I'm just exploring about to see what I can learn and find out.

Where and how do manufacturing business usually start? What does the industry look like in terms of business? What should I expect?

Really nothing will shut me down, I'll do anything because this is what I love no matter how hard it is.

I take this very seriously, I don't 3d print slop, I genuinely make efforts and have made other really cool stuff but I want my stuff to be industry standard and I want people to have my stuff.

I have made multiple makeshift machines to make stuff from packaging, rigid compact wallets, bluetooth speakers, laminated business cards, automatic paper cutters. I keep a tolerance of 5 thousands of an inch for all my product design, I possess intermediate knowledge and basic experience on electronic related stuff and circuits. I have a some experience prototyping and posses some knowledge in material sciences. I am familiar with some cnc machines and have some experience with lathes and mills. Both cnc and manual. I also have very good experience 3d printed I said above. I just love making stuff and figuring out ways to make stuff to make other stuff and making large quantities of more stuff.

Hello all,

I've applied for a role as a Quality Manager at a prefabricated timber products facility and I've been invited for the final interview which involves a discussion with the higher ups and a brief presentation. I'm currently in two minds as to go for it or send an email thanking them for their time but saying ultimately this position is not for me.

My issue isn't my ability to sell myself or my capabilities in the role. It's what they're actually asking for this role.

Ranging from:

Viual inspections of products before being handed over to production

Establishing a training package for all new employees.

Handling customer complaints

Being "hands on" around the production line

Establishing accountability for errors

And a list of very wishy-washy KPIs

This will be my first dedicated role in Quality however I've dealt with / been part of a strenuous Quality environment for over 16 years.

They currently have no existing QMS and I'm just left feeling this is sort of a knee jerk position they have invented to deal with issues across the board and want a one size fits, quick fit however don't want to pay hefty external consultancy fees.

Starting salary is £44k a year and it sounds like it's not worth the stress, am I being dramatic?

When (if) I get the role will it not be as daunting or, from your experience, is it a role destined to fail, with it not having an established QMS and no previous incumbent for a HO/TO?

Just for context, in terms of size, it's quite a large company with annual profits of £7mil

Personally, I don't lead a lavish life style and live within my means so I can take or leave the money and just get some zero-stress part time job as an alternative.

Thanks for all of your help in advance!

I’m trying to see what makes international manufacturers desirable to American buyers and need examples.

Been a quality engineer for about 10 years now working for multiple companies. I think I need to make that next step. Unfortunately I don't see a path for me at my current job.

If you got hired as a quality manager with a new company, what was it like, especially as a first time manager?

Please share your stories. Thanks. ​