Industrial Engineering articles from June 1991

Industrial Engineering archives from June 1991

Ways manufacturers can achieve cost reductions. (tutorial)
June 1, 1991... Some simple, often overlooked operations improvements can trim as much as 15-20 percent of manufacturing costs, according to A.T. Kearney Inc., global management consulting firm. "Best of all," says James Swallow, vice president for the...

Hand-held terminal market to top $3.5 billion by 1996.
June 1, 1991... In 1986, revenues for the total world market on hand-held terminals were estimated to be $331.6 million, which rose to $612.6 million in 1989. The hand-held terminal industry is so new to the world that markets have only just begun to be...

Trade shows broaden and continue IE education. (industrial engineering)
June 1, 1991... Every industrial engineer has a responsibility to the profession to be current with new technology. If you did not attend ProMat '91 in Chicago in February, you missed many innovative material handling ideas. ProMat is the material handling...

Configure-to-order computing takes future directions from advances in rules-based systems technology.
June 1, 1991... Over the past year we've discussed in detail the different types of configure-to-order manufacturing environments and the various types of technology available today. In this, our final column, we summarize these issues and also discuss future...

How important is one ten thousandth of a second? (automatic identification)
June 1, 1991... How important is one ten thousandth of a second? It depends on what you're trying to do. If you're trying to win the Indy 500 it could be very important. It's that time of year, when thousands of people assemble in one location for one...

Breakthrough thinking - improving project effectiveness. (project management)
June 1, 1991... Probably the most important part of project management has nothing to do with the scheduling, budgeting, control, or execution of the work. Certainly all of these issues are critical to successful projects, but they are not sufficient for...

The role of measurement in achieving world class quality and productivity management.
June 1, 1991... Measurement is a mystery. Most people who attack the task of developing measurement systems eventually come to this conclusion. Even those who are considered experts readily admit that measurement is complex and still an unresolved mystery....

Is 'paperless TQM' an oxymoron? (Total Quality Management)
June 1, 1991... In most of our early engineering courses we learned that simplicity is elegance. Contrary to popular belief, automation is not necessarily equivalent to simplicity and flexibility. Our memory as engineers is clouded by the replacement of the...

The industrial engineer as a robot project manager can increase productivity. (includes a related article on robotic programs)
June 1, 1991... Stagnation appears to have the robot industry despondent. While the industry is in a mess -- several consecutive years of declining sales -- it is not in serious trouble. There is no doubt that users have become educated and skeptical....

MRP application in a small manufacturing company. (Material Requirements Planning)
June 1, 1991... Today, international competition, rapidly changing technology, energy shortages, government regulations, and other factors are serious challenges to manufacturing firms. Many manufacturing companies are in a price-cost squeeze, as a result of...

Knowledge base system streamlines production process. (La-Z Boy Chair Co.)
June 1, 1991... The La-Z-Boy Chair Co., Monroe, MI is one of the largest manufacturers of upholstered furniture in the world. Furthermore, it continues to find ways to streamline and automate production. In the 1970s, La-Z-Boy automated its material...

ABB transforms factory and improves manufacturing process.
June 1, 1991... ABB's large power transformer plant in Muncie, IN is undergoing extensive changes to improve manufacturing efficiency, shorten delivery schedules, and virtually eliminate shop-floor contaminants. Improvements are being accomplished in...