Industrial Engineering articles from October 1994

Industrial Engineering archives from October 1994

Eastward with TPM and CMMS. (total productive maintenance; DP Solutions Inc.'s computerized maintenance management system)
October 1, 1994... The easiest way to measure the transformation of maintenance practices at GM's East German automobile assembly plant in Eisenach is to search for 1,840 idle workers -- or the lack of them -- at the production site. Before 1991, when GM Opel...

"I can't help you now... I'm going on my break;" the decline of service quality in America.
October 1, 1994... In the past several months, perhaps a few years, I have noticed an unsettling and recurring pattern in many retail establishments. The words most common from the mouths of retail service personnel seem lately to be from the following selection:...

Bar code labeling in the industrial environment.
October 1, 1994... In today's world of warehousing and distribution, companies are depending more heavily on bar code systems to keep track of their inventories, and to ensure efficient flow of product in and out of the warehouse. In addition to printers and...

TQM practices: a survey of companies in the pacific northwest. (total quality management)
October 1, 1994... Total quality management (TQM) "seeks to improve quality and increase customer satisfaction by restructuring traditional management practices," (USGAO Report, 1991). It encompasses all functions of an organization. The application of TQM is...

IE readers acknowledge companies/individuals that exceed expectations. (Industrial Engineering periodical)
October 1, 1994... In the April issue of Industrial Engineering, I wrote an editorial lamenting the lack of service that I had experienced while on a business trip. As a follow-up, I asked readers to let us know of positive customer service experiences they had...

Quality function deployment: helping business identify and integrate the voice of the customer.
October 1, 1994... Today, perhaps more than ever before, the key to an organization achieving its goals is to develop a product that is superior to its competitor's at satisfying customer requirements. At the same time organizations are searching to satisfy...

Adopting a systemic view of quality.
October 1, 1994... As more and more companies approach the six sigma and zero defect targets, new competitive strategies are emerging. These new strategies include issues on the environment, social responsibility and integrity, and require top management vision in...

KW Powersource creates culture of quality consciousness. (KW Powersource Inc.)
October 1, 1994... Lead-acid batteries, the motive power source for electric lift trucks and other industrial applications, require management vigilance vis-a-vis quality control and assurance without sacrificing overall plant productivity. Like other industries,...

Reforming engineering education.
October 1, 1994... Recently, some educators have begun to criticize current methods of educating engineers. As a result, some reform has already been undertaken. The real issue is not changing the curriculum, but reforming the entire process of educating engineers....

Making the move from student to teacher: steps in the faculty search process.
October 1, 1994... In your job search for an entry-level assistant professor's position, you will find considerable diversity in how schools go about filling a vacancy. A good fact of life is that most search committees usually do not have all the answers, and...

Expanding simulation beyond planning and design.
October 1, 1994... Engineers involved with the design, analysis and operation of manufacturing systems are increasing their use of computer simulation. Several corporations are insisting that simulation models be created and reviewed before funds for plant...