Manufacturing technology orders nationally declined 9.4 percent to nearly $461 million in August, compared to July, according to a new report from the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT) and the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association.

However, August’s orders were up almost 89 percent from $244 million in August 2010. And, through eight months of 2011, manufacturing technology orders were up by more than double (101 percent) over the same time period in 2010, according to the AMT.

“Despite news reports that wider economic growth may be stagnating, the manufacturing technology industry is sustaining its momentum, Douglas Woods, AMT president, said in a news release. “With orders still up substantially over last year, there is clearly optimism within the industry as firms are seeing future growth opportunities merit new capital investment.”

Northeast region manufacturing technology orders totaled $64.3 million in August, up 9.5 percent from $58.7 million in July, and 64 percent higher than the August 2010 total, according to the report.