Industrial Engineer articles from February 2004

Industrial Engineer archives from February 2004

The kid in the candy store.(Editor's Desk)(Editorial)
February 1, 2004... STARTING A NEW YEAR CAN BE LIKE STARTING LIFE AGAIN. IT SEEMS AS IF everyone embarks on a new mission or seizes the opportunity to smooth out all the bumpy spots in the previous year. Some familiar refrains: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] *...

Unconventional RFID.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... I just received the December 2003 issue of IE and wanted to take a moment to commend the staff on this quality publication, both in content and appearance. An article in Front Line caught my eye as it is a topic of conversation at Home...

IET as valuable as IE.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... I was disappointed to read the response to the question of "IE or IET?" in the November 2003 issue (Ask the Expert). While I appreciate the difference in the IE and IET degrees and respect the fact that IEs take additional math and science...

Taking license.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... A correction to a false statement in Timothy Greene's response in the Ask the Expert "IE or IET?" item in the November 2003 Industrial Engineer magazine: He stated, "Obviously, to be licensed, you need to have an IE degree." In Ohio as...

CAD in two hands less taxing than one: doing double design duty on the PC is smart work.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... An ergonomic comparison of computer-aided design working styles showed there are considerable advantages to using two hands instead of one. In the two-handed style, engineers use a mouse in one hand and a 3-D motion controller in the other; the...

Site to see: tech transfer at no charge.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program is a NASA-funded project that transfers technology from the space program to small businesses located anywhere in the United States. Organizations simply complete a request for assistance at the...

Better bonds for research and industry: more collaboration means improved performance.(News, Trends & Tactics)
February 1, 2004... Increasing the number and scope of collaborations between companies and universities will improve industrial performance in the United States, according to a report by the National Academies' National Academy of Engineering. The report,...

Book of the month: the next competitive weapon.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)(Book Review)(Brief Review)
February 1, 2004... New Product Development: From Initial Idea to Product Management is a comprehensive guide to implementing product development as a competitive corporate weapon. Author Marc A. Annacchino, P.E., describes an interdisciplinary view of product...

Events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2004... FEBRUARY FEB. 19-20 Manufacturing and Economic Recovery Conference, Chicago; (630) 933-0844, ext. 259; www.startmag.com/merc.asp FEB. 20-21 * SHS Management Engineering Forum, Orlando, Fla.; http://shs.iienet.org FEB....

The supply chain agenda: top 10 priorities for 2004.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Facing supply chain executives in 2004: wringing measurable value from supply chain initiatives. Collaboration, acceleration, and optimization are some of this year's watch-words, according to the annual "Supply Chain Executive Agenda"...

Prime number.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... WRONG ROAD Although 63 percent of surveyed automobile consumers want detailed price information on the Web, only 41 percent of vehicle manufacturers provide it. Source: "Cars Online 2003," Cap Gemini Ernst & Young

Where have all the Ph.D.s gone?(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The number of doctoral science and engineering degrees earned in the United States continues to slide. National Science Foundation data for Ph.D.s earned in 2002 shows it to be at the lowest point since 1993. The nationwide survey reports...

Uncommon IE: a model treatment.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)(Interview)
February 1, 2004... Most IEs are aware of career opportunities in hospital management, but Brian Nathanson applies his skills to improve clinical practice. As CEO and founder of OptiStatim, Nathanson helps doctors assess the condition of patients using...

CH2M Hill acquires Lockwood Greene: nice work; CH2M Hill was the only Colorado company on Fortune magazine's "100 best places to work, 2003" list.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Lockwood Greene, the oldest continuously operating professional services firm in the United States, was acquired late last year by CH2M Hill. Based in Spartanburg, S.C., Lockwood Greene is an engineering and construction firm focused on...

RFID benefits not universal.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The costs and benefits of radio frequency identification will not be uniform among manufacturers of consumer packaged goods, concludes a report by management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. High-impact manufacturers--those who sell...

Research briefs.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... The Consortium for Distributed Decision Making at the University of Massachusetts received an award worth $255,000. The IBM Shared University Research Award includes an 84-processor IBM eServer BladeCenter, a machine described as holding an...

Are you ethical?(Performance)
February 1, 2004... WE CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT ethical missteps in many organizations. Those of us who suspected all along that Enron was more of a commonality than an anomaly are both validated and unsurprised, but we still wonder when the unethical behavior will...

Don't rush to judgment.(Management)
February 1, 2004... IN ORGANIZATIONS, there are bound to be differences of opinion regarding decisions. If not properly managed, these differences can take on the trappings of political warfare. Lines get drawn, factions develop, loyalty is demanded, and precious...

Kinda, sorta lean.(Manufacturing)
February 1, 2004... THERE ARE MORE COMPANIES THAT believe they have implemented lean than there are companies that have really implemented lean. There seems to be a trend toward becoming "kinda, sorta lean." Recently, I visited a respected international...

The pairing principle.(Member Forum)
February 1, 2004... A BUSINESS PROCESS IS NATURALLY cyclical because it is based on the transfer of value. For example, a common sale involves the transfer of product in one direction and the transfer of remuneration in the other. This simple truth is the heart of...

Sweet talk: a heart-to-heart with NECCO's Domenic Antonellis.(Company Profile)(Cover Story)
February 1, 2004... AS THE CHARISMATIC HEAD OF A BELOVED CANDY company, comparisons between Domenic Antonellis and Willy Wonka are inevitable. Though Antonellis doesn't own a purple suit and has yet to hire a single orange dwarf, he has managed to bring his own...

Contrarian management: navigating treacherous business waters requires a no-holds-barred approach.
February 1, 2004... In the early hours of Aug. 5, 1864, Federal Admiral David G. Farragut ordered his crew to lash him high in the rigging at the top of the main mast of his flagship. This would give him a better view of his assault on Confederate forts at Mobile...

Dropping bad marketing habits.
February 1, 2004... When every dollar counts, companies have to measure the impact and value of every effort and put money only where they can see the returns. Here is a list of nine things companies should stop doing right now: * Stop using familiar...

Claiming Six Sigma: making the statistically based powerhouse an industrial engineering initiative.
February 1, 2004... SIX SIGMA IS WIDELY CONSIDERED a quality initiative, but reviewing the technical aspects of Six Sigma reveals that it better qualifies as an IE initiative. Unfortunately, many IE departments across industries claim a small subset of IE...

The social side of the supply chain: align three factors, and hitting the jackpot is a sure bet.
February 1, 2004... SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN excellence requires getting three things right: the business process, the human system, and integrating the two with the right enabling technology. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A recent survey of manufacturing...

Research.
February 1, 2004... The three studies summarized below can be found in full in the February issue of IIE Transactions (Vol. 36, No. 2). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Employee scheduling The production line for transmission shafts in a major manufacturer of...

Looking ahead.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)(Industry Overview)
February 1, 2004... Q: What is the future of industrial and systems engineering in the aerospace industry? A: The future for industrial engineers, industrial and systems engineers, manufacturing engineers, operations researchers, and human factors engineers...

Tracking downtime.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
February 1, 2004... Q: I am developing from scratch a system for recording and tracking downtime. There are 14 pieces of equipment in line with various accumulation tables between machines. I've divided the line into six sectors for downtime reporting purposes....

Keynote confidential: Jerry Weinstein gazes into the future.(Keeping Pace with IIE)
February 1, 2004... Among the incentives to attend the IIE Annual Conference in May is the opportunity to hear an address by Jerry Weinstein, Ph.D., of Whirlpool Corp. Named corporate vice president, global procurement operations for Whirlpool in 2002, Weinstein...

A round of appointments: IIE names a director of professional registration and a director of student development.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... In its continued effort to improve member outreach to both students and professionals, the IIE Board of Trustees determined the need for two new positions. Acting on the Board's behalf, President Harvey Wolfe has chosen two individuals to fill...

Study hall: IM breaks down the formulas for success.(In Other Publications)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
February 1, 2004... The November/December 2003 issue of Industrial Management includes a range of articles that examine the finer points of assessing and perfecting management. In "Leading with Responsibility," David Antonioni isolates the four primary levels...

Extracurricular IEs.(Chapter Check-in)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Established in September 2003, the student chapter at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has already been very active. Since its inception the chapter has helped the university's IE department move into a new facility, held a joint...

Status quo.(Ask IIE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Q: How does life member status differ from retired status? What are the criteria for each? A: Members are awarded retired status based on three criteria: Applicants must be at least 60 years of age, have paid dues for 25 consecutive years,...

Mark M. Brauer.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... IIE fellow Mark M. Brauer, Ph.D., was used as an expert commentator by media outlets in Corpus Christi, Texas, following the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster. KIII-TV, Corpus Christi's ABC affiliate, and The Caller Times featured interviews with...

John D. Lorenz.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... ABET named John D. Lorenz, Ph.D., president of its 2003-2004 Board of Directors. Lorenz previously served two terms as ABET secretary and a term as president-elect. He is vice president for academic affairs and provost at Kettering University,...

Leon McGinnis.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Leon McGinnis, Ph.D., received the 2003 Reed-Apple Award from the Material Handling Education Foundation. The award is presented to individuals who make an extraordinary continuing contribution to material handling and material handling...

Subhash Sarin.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Subhash Sarin, Ph.D., was selected to be the Paul T. Norton Professor of Virginia Tech's Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Director of the department's Electronics Manufacturing Research Laboratory, Sarin has served on...

Paul Selden.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Paul Selden, Ph.D., earned a performance technologist certification from the International Society for Performance Improvement. Selden is the president of Performance Management Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Mincing words: Q & A with Joe Hartman, editor of The Engineering Economist.(Focus)(Interview)
February 1, 2004... In November 2003, Joe Hartman, Ph.D., was named editor-in-chief of The Engineering Economist. A longtime member of IIE and the American Society of Engineering Education, Hartman has served as an EE area editor since 1998. [ILLUSTRATION...

Anti-copy machine.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... The plethora of information on the Internet is a blessing for researchers, but it also puts a demand on educators to protect against plagiarism, unintentional or not. Power Researcher is a desktop application that integrates Microsoft's...

Illuminated manuscript.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... The Kensington ClipNGlow Task Light and Copyholder is a boon to road warriors tired of juggling documents while they tap away on laptop computers in dim airport lounges. The tiny gooseneck lamp attaches to a laptop, flat-panel, or CRT monitor....

Guided warehouse tour.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... De'Carte AGV Control Software is an open control system based on standard Windows platforms. It makes use of industry standard hardware, off-the-shelf components, and standard communications protocols to route automated guided vehicle systems...

Process monitoring in the factory.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Quality Monitor software enables statistical process control charting and automated test station data collection on the manufacturing floor and in the laboratory. It offers a unified data collection solution for quality assurance/quality...

Info entry is a snap.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... The TouchStream LP incorporates technology that allows computer users to enter information not only by keyboard and mouse but also with simple gesture commands. The system includes a specialized keyboard, a standard mouse, and an extensive...

Adaptable work space.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Lista's Arlink 8000 Workstations offer the flexibility of a modular system and are suited to a variety of applications, including assembly, service, repair, research, and technical work. Available in six widths, the workstations can be...

Two sides to every order.(What Engineers Want)(Advertisement)
February 1, 2004... Order fulfillment departments can increase their productivity by printing and applying labels to both the front and back of products in one continuous pass. This is the functionality offered by Autologik's Stryker labeling system. The system...

Changing rooms.(What Engineers Want)
February 1, 2004... National Partitions offers flexible modular systems that allow companies to modify their office configurations easily. Whole offices can be dismantled and relocated. A non-progressive post design provides the ability to swap or replace...

Road weary and inefficient: business travelers aren't productive.(Beyond the Norm)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Business travelers are not only less productive while on the road, but they are also less productive for significant periods of time after their return--in some cases for days. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Travel-related stresses, including...

Dilbert[R].(Beyond the Norm)(Illustration)
February 1, 2004... Dilbert reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Don't be shy.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... For the sake of your health, don't be shy. Research has shown that timidity can shorten a lifespan. Rats were the test subjects in the study conducted at the University of Chicago, but researchers Sonia Cavigelli and Martha McLintock...

Talk about back pain.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2004... Some people can't walk and talk at the same time. Maybe they're just lucky. The BBC reports that scientists at Australia's University of Queensland say human beings aren't built for simultaneous walking and talking, and doing so can cause back...