A designer and manufacturer of electrical components, Jiangsu Phono Electrical Co. Ltd. faces the ongoing challenge of creating high-quality and safe products at the lowest cost.

WASHINGTON—The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded two grants totaling $7.4 million to fund research projects aimed at improving the rapidly developing field of additive manufacturing.

To boost the energy output of wind turbines, manufacturers are developing taller structures with longer blades. That’s because the wind at 100 meters blows more steadily and 4.5 percent faster than it does at 80 meters, with an energy gain of about 14 percent.

MADISON, WI—Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison and Drexel University are developing a rich set of computational tools that would allow manufacturers to account for the material complexity of a sophisticated product within a single computer model.

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.

A division of Fiat Industrial S.p.A., CNH Global N.V. is a leading manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment. The company makes products in 37 facilities worldwide and distributes them through more than 11,500 dealers in 170 countries.

Ducati motorcycles are sleek, sporty and stylish. But don’t let their appearance fool you. Beneath the façade lies sophisticated motoring technology.

In The Great Gatsby, the central character is captivated by a green navigational beacon off in the distance that gives him eternal hope. Although Jay Gatsby wasn’t thinking about assembly lines, manufacturing has a similar green light and assemblers are equally optimistic these days.