When the molds used to manufacture aluminum engine blocks are built, visibility into the entire assembly process can help ensure that any defects are caught before the finished block is shipped to a customer. With that in mind, automotive components manufacturer Nemak has automated its work-in-process (WIP) tracking, with a radio frequency identification system supplied by Balluff Inc. that writes sensor data from automation equipment to ensure that any defects in the mold are caught before molten aluminum is poured into it.

The International Housewares Association (IHA), responding to a call from the housewares industry, has created a template for social responsibility issues.

Somalia and Gulf of Aden still have pirate-infested waters, but over the last five quarters, a new country's national waters have become the most heavily pirated on earth, according to data from the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre.