Looks can sometimes be deceiving in a positive way. A good example is the t:slim insulin pump made by Tandem Diabetes Care Inc.

Rochester, NY, is home to several well-known companies, such as Bausch & Lomb, Eastman Kodak and Xerox. It’s also home to cutting-edge electronics manufacturing research, thanks to the Rochester Institute of Technology Center for Electronics Manufacturing and Assembly (CEMA).

U.S. manufacturers that source low-cost components offshore often face several challenges. Among the most common are language barriers, lack of timely responses, long lead times and problems with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Another problem is receiving a perfect prototype initially—followed by subsequent shipments of poor-quality parts.

Papenburg, Germany, is home to the world’s largest shipbuilding dock hall, which is operated by MEYER WERFT GmbH. There, more than 2,500 workers design and assemble some of the largest cruise ships in the world.

Semiconductor processing equipment is a notoriously demanding application for motion control engineers. Extreme precision, reliability and smoothness are absolute requirements. At the same time, space is at a premium.

Last month, my nephew began his first year in college. He hopes someday to get a job in the automotive industry, and I wish him the best of luck.

In 1994, Bernd Walter founded Creative Automation Inc. (CAI) to provide turnkey automated equipment for manufacturers. CAI’s initial focus was on gantry robots and pick-and-place machines.

Everything boils down to problem-solving—everything. New technology, new products, new processes, new business models, new markets, new behaviors, new company culture, innovation—it’s all problem-solving.

In business since 1969, C&A Tool Engineering Inc. is a contract manufacturer of engineered components. The company makes implants, instrumentation and tools for the medical, aeronautical, defense, transportation and other industries at its 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Churubusco, IN.

Helping automakers is not a new challenge for Jabil Inc. In fact, the company has been providing quality-control systems, design services and electronics manufacturing to them for nearly 35 years.