Star Wars fever has entered the Wetzel household. We’ve binged the movies in anticipation of seeing the newest release, which by the time of this issue’s publication, we will have.

Perhaps that is why the famous Yoda quote, “Do. Or do not. There is no try,” keeps popping into my head.

I’ve been thinking a lot about implementation as we enter into the new year.  Implementation is the life source for ideas and plans. They are nothing if they are not put into action.

Walt Disney knew this. He once said, “get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it’s done right.”

The metalcasting industry is full of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, marketers and leaders. Ideas abound. Not all of them are worth pursuing, but many of them are. Before they die on the vine, they must be harvested.

I am sorry to admit many of my own ideas have shriveled and fell to dust. So much for that new landscape design. My focus for 2018 will be to swap intention for implementation.

I won’t have to look far for inspiration. The metalcasting industry turns good ideas into action often.

You may have noticed we’ve run several articles recently on preparing for the compliance date of the new U.S. OSHA respirable silica standard, which is coming up this June. This includes an article on page 30 of this issue. It is the first in a two-part series exploring how to use real-time monitoring to collect hundreds of data points about the dust activity in your facility. The data can guide the development and, key word, implementation of engineering controls to reduce your workers’ exposures to respirable crystalline silica.

In this issue’s Industry News section, we report a recent purchase and partnership between Bremen Castings and Eaton on a 3-D sand printer. This is a great example of a good idea in the beginning phases of implementation.

Still, acting on an idea takes perseverance. As new tools become available to improve efficiencies—software, automation, data collection—it’s not enough to make a purchase and push a button to achieve full implementation.

For example, if you decide to start real-time monitoring for dust in your facility, it is not enough to set up the sampling and collect the data. It’s not even enough to analyze the results to pinpoint locations in most need for engineering controls. Follow-through must occur in the establishment of controls for ultimate idea implementation and project achievement.

Keep dreaming up those ideas and putting them into action. I am looking forward to hearing about results in 2018.

Happy New Year!

Click here to see this story as it appears in the January 2018 issue of Modern Casting