What are Supply Chains?
You’ve heard about supply chains. You know they must be important (and they are!) But if you never quite understood exactly what they were? You’re in good company. Rhonda didn’t know what supply chains were. If you’re a regular PCat reader, you know that Rhonda is a retired nurse who... Read More...
Why You Should Have Safety Plans In Place
Yes, you should have a safety plan before you need it! Because if you put it off, you risk having a sudden unexpected emergency. That’s what happened to Gary… If you’re a regular PCat reader, you know that Gary owns a baking factory and that he recently had a... Read More...
Why you should consider industrial automation
You might see this title and think, no, industrial automation isn’t for me! I make beaded curtain ties (or handmade knives, or pineapple-shaped pencil holders…) and I make them by hand! Misconceptions about Industrial Automation If you’re scared off by the word “industrial”? Don’t be. For our purposes, we... Read More...
How (and why) to do an experiment
You don’t care about experiments. You’re a maker (or inventor, creator, entrepreneur, or however you describe yourself.) If you wanted to be a lab scientist, you’d be one. You just want to make high-quality products and sell them to your delighted customers while making a good profit. Yes that’s... Read More...
Packaging Your Product
Thinking about Packing and Packaging Products You’ve just made a cool new product and you’re ready to start selling it! Now suddenly you realize that if you’re going to sell online you need to think about packaging. You don’t want your things to get damaged during shipping! So you... Read More...
Intro to Materials Selection for Makers
Materials Selection Introduction You’ve got a great idea for a new product. Now, what material will you make it out of? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably “uh, whatever I have lying around,” “something that looks interesting,” “something cheap,” or “something I already know how to... Read More...
What Does Quality Control for Maker Businesses Look Like?
Why is Quality Control Needed? You’ve probably heard that big manufacturing companies have quality controls. In this article, we’ll learn the somewhat surprising reason they’re needed. First, we need to back up and talk about variability. Did you know that EVERY process has inherent variability? This probably makes some... Read More...
Meet the Crew!
Welcome! We here at Process Cat are unveiling a NEW universe of characters, a fun new art style, and a fresh set of interesting backstories (don’t worry, our fun and knowledgeable manufacturing advice is going precisely nowhere!) Before we dive into the (semi-) serious advice that we’re known for,... Read More...
THE ZATTATAT CAST:
Meet the characters with the skills & Zattatudes who can help engineer your manufacturing success
Princess Capybara
Age: 35
Background: Biotech
Current Gig: Mold-Making
Zattatude: Seeks to geek out with the top tech she knows best
Gary
Age: 44
Background: Accounting
Current Gig: Baking
Zattatude: Lives to figure out how everything in life adds up
Process Cat
Age: Timeless
Background: Manufacturing
Current Gig: Helping People
Zattatude: Loves to teach others how to scale up their businesses
Rhonda
Age: 53
Background: Nursing
Current Gig: Woodworking
Zattatude: Celebrates ditching her bureaucratic hospital job for her hands-on craft business