Plant Engineering articles from November 2005

Plant Engineering archives from November 2005

Newsletters delivered to your desktop.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... PLANT ENGINEERING offers its readers a number of ways to get the best information in the industry quickly. Besides our award-winning monthly magazine and the latest daily information at www.plantengineering.com, there are four newsletters...

Latest manufacturing news just a click away.(ONLINE)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... PLANT ENGINEERING has expanded its news coverage of manufacturing and is updated on a daily basis. Look for the latest news, available 24 hours a day, at www.plantengineering.com. What would you have learned last month? How to deal with...

Making Kellysearch work for you everyday.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... PLANT ENGINEERING Supplier Search has been created for the exclusive use of PLANT ENGINEERING'S audience and can be found at www.plantengineering.com. Kellysearch, the premier B2B search engine available globally, is essential in sourcing...

Using Internet Connection to find suppliers.(PLANT ENGINEERING publishes Internet Connection)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Each month, PLANT ENGINEERING publishes Internet Connection, giving readers a chance to go directly to suppliers for answers to questions about products. Rather than type in the URL into your browser, you can go to www.plantengineering.com and...

NAM's Cleary at Flir event.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Patrick Cleary, senior vice-president of communications for the National Association of Manufacturers, offered his view of the state of manufacturing at the Infra-Mation 2005 conference sponsored by Flir Systems, in Las Vegas on Oct. 18. Cleary...

Troubleshooting forums online.(QUICK Clicks)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The Test & Measurement Tool Users Community site at www.fluke.com/community offers forums on safety, applications including power quality and harmonics, maintenance and troubleshooting, motors and drives, HVAC/indoor air quality, power...

ISA certification testing moves online in 2006.(Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Beginning in January 2006, ISA's three certification exams, Certified Automation Professional, Certified Control Systems Technician and Certified Industrial Maintenance Mechanic will be offered electronically and will be available at test sites...

Hurricane Katrina job assistance sites.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The National Association of Manufacturers has partnered with Monster.com to create a customized Website to help survivors, volunteers, public and private sector employers and volunteer organizations post and find jobs, volunteer time and...

A trite-and-true method.
November 1, 2005... At the risk of being trite (which in itself is a trite phrase) there are no losers in the annual PLANT ENGINEERING Product of the Year voting that begins this month. There are only great ideas waiting to be discovered. Sure, everyone likes to...

Federal bureaucracy can be difficult to navigate.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... NAM president John Engler presents a thoughtful analysis of the relationship between the decline in R&D spending and the U.S. decline in high-tech exports. I am currently engaged in developing industrial manufacturing technologies in my own...

Manage water-damaged equipment safely.(Editorial)
November 1, 2005... Editor's Note: In light of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, here is a timely letter about how best to deal with water-damaged equipment: News coverage this summer has been fraught with images of the destruction and, unfortunately,...

Gypsumboard makers could cut prices sharply.(FORUM)
November 1, 2005... Producers of construction supplies have pushed through some solid price hikes. These price hikes in 2005 contrast sharply with price cuts and modest price increases that populated the buying environment last year. For example, in the 12 months...

ARC study finds PLC growth 'robust'.(Programmable Logic Controller )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... As the world economy rebounded to a strong year in 2004, the heightening demand from various emerging markets created robust growth for the worldwide Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) market. The worldwide market for PLCs is expected to grow...

Study: metalforming business steady.(PLANT ENGINEER NEWS)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Metalforming companies are forecasting little change in near-term business conditions, according to the October 1 Precision Metalforming Association Business Conditions Report. When asked what they expect the trend in general economic...

How does a temporary transfer affect pay rate?(Interview)
November 1, 2005... The day stockroom attendant Gail Griffen was granted a two-week leave of absence to help organize and straighten out family affairs after her father's death, maintenance foreman Mike Rizzo approached Alison Garth. "Do you think you can...

Proper operator training crucial in infrared condition monitoring.(MANAGEMENT SIDE)
November 1, 2005... Building Science Thermography is the use of infrared cameras as a non-invasive means to inspect, diagnose and monitor building conditions. Through thermal imaging, structural anomalies may be revealed and addressed more easily than by...

Develop good strategies for effective preventive maintenance.(MAINTENANCE CONNECTION)
November 1, 2005... Experience has clearly shown that some confusion does exist over just what people mean when they use the term preventive maintenance. One significant factor stems from the evidence that a vast majority of our industrial plants and facilities...

NFPA-70E compliance takes more than a label.(ELECTRICAL CONNECTION)
November 1, 2005... Since the release of IEEE-1584 in September 2002 and NFPA-70E, 2004 Edition, I have talked with hundreds of facility engineers concerned about NFPA-70E arc-flash hazard compliance. NFPA, the IEEE Safety Committee and other groups have done a...

Networked motor management system improves boiler cleaning system.(AUTOMATION CONNECTION)
November 1, 2005... Burning fossil fuels efficiently and economically is vital for power companies when it comes to meeting the ever-increasing demand for electricity by a growing world economy. The efficiency of a boiler is determined largely by the cleanliness...

2005 Product of the Year finalists: PLANT ENGINEERING proudly presents the finalists in the 18th annual "Product of the Year" competition. Use the special ballot to vote for the best new products of 2005.
November 1, 2005... They increase your productivity on the job, maximize your efficiency and make your life less stressful. This month, we present the 150 products that have made an impact on the way you work--the finalists in our 18th annual "Product of the Year"...

2005 Product of the Year finalists: PLANT ENGINEERING proudly presents the finalists in the 18th annual "Product of the Year" competition. Use the special ballot to vote for the best new products of 2005.
November 1, 2005... Electrical Power Handheld power quality analyzer Model 434 three-phase handheld power quality analyzer features automated recording, menu-driven interface and is rated to CAT III, 1,000 V/CAT IV, 600 V for all four channels....

Completing the industrial Ethernet connection: flexibility, performance and lower lifecycle costs fuel industrial Ethernet growth.(AUTOMATION ENGINEERING)
November 1, 2005... Specifications, industrial environment and network structure are factors to consider when selecting devices for an industrial Ethernet infrastructure. However, getting data from device to device is another important factor. Ethernet wiring...

ABB: technology competition claims "false".(UPDATE)
November 1, 2005... Wading into the ongoing debate over the value of FDT/DTM vs. EDDL for automation industry end users, an official for ABB Inc. said recent statements are misleading end users about the debate. "The authors of these statements want their...

Quick quote.(UPDATE)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "Maximum asset value is derived by balancing asset availability and utilization in a manner that best meets current business objectives" --Mike Caliel, president, Invensys Process Systems.

Standardized IEEE networks show top growth potential.(UPDATE)
November 1, 2005... Led by 802.11b, standardized IEEE 802.11 networks are expected to account for the most significant gains in share among wireless industrial products in North America by 2007. According to a recent VDC study, IEEE 802.11a, b and g networks...

Gorbel Inc. finding smarter ways to lift.
November 1, 2005... A Class Above Gorbel Inc. has been a leader in ergonomic overhead material handling since 1977. Since then, our product line has grown to include: * Ceiling mounted bridge cranes and monorails * Freestanding work station bridge...

NAM Board elects Berges chairman.(WASHINGTON)
November 1, 2005... The National Association of Manufacturers Board of Directors elected James G. Berges, president of St. Louis-based Emerson, as its chairman for a one-year term beginning January 1, 2006, at its semi-annual meeting this week. The board also...

MAPI reports show growing pressure, but steady growth.(WASHINGTON)
November 1, 2005... Two reports released by the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI show the manufacturing sector continues its slow growth, but that continuing pressures of government regulation and taxes are proving a drag on such growth. The quarterly...

Action needed to head off looming labor shortage.
November 1, 2005... A core policy priority for the National Association of Manufacturers is preparing a skilled workforce for the 21st century. It may seem odd to speak of a manufacturing labor shortage when we have lost millions of manufacturing jobs in recent...