Industrial Engineer articles from February 2005

Industrial Engineer archives from February 2005

The myth of control.(editor's desk)(Editorial)
February 1, 2005... A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO ON A TRIP TO NEW YORK, I WENT DOWNtown and decided to walk past the site where the World Trade Center's twin towers had stood. I wasn't sure what to expect or how it would make me feel and, frankly, I was a little...

Overcoming the customary.(RANTS AND RAVES)
February 1, 2005... The letter in the November 2004 issue from Rohith Bharadwaj is typical of young IEs. My 36 years of experience has taught me to see the situations he mentions in a different light. First, the gap between his educational work results and the...

Surprising salary data.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... I'm writing to get some clarification on the salary figures printed in "What Your Manager Wants" (January 2005). Figure 1 indicates that people with less than a B.A. or B.S. degree make more than people who have a B.S. degree in...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... Two figures in the January story "What Your Manager Wants" contained errors. In Figure 1, the median annual income of doctorate (non-engineering) respondents should be $102,650. In Figure 2, the key incorrectly identifies the lines in the...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... In the sidebar "The Case for P.E." by W.J. Kennedy featured in the article "What Your Manager Wants" (January), the fifth reason stated should have read as follows: Consulting. Only licensed engineers (those with P.E.s) are allowed to offer...

Batmobile? No big deal: police cars just got a lot smarter.(Front Line)(police cars with latest enforcement technologies)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... University of Houston researchers are putting together "smart" police cars, equipping them with the latest law enforcement technologies. State-of-the-art police cars and a sport utility vehicle will be tested as mobile command centers. ...

The mailbox, redefined: postal kiosk emphasizes usability.(Front Line)(electronic kiosk at postal service)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The U.S. Postal Service has unveiled an electronic kiosk to help alleviate long lines at the post office. The Automated Postal Center was designed by IBM and includes several elements developed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Trace...

Teaming up.(Front Line)(merger of Automation Associates Inc. and Simulation Modeling Services)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... San Diego-based Automation Associates Inc., a leading simulation-based supply chain consultation firm, has acquired Simulation Modeling Services, a consulting and software solutions provider serving the health care, manufacturing, material...

A vacuum of inspiration.(QUOTE, UNQUOTE)
February 1, 2005... "If we don't encourage interest in serious design and problem solving and engineering, we don't inspire future generations of engineers and designers. It's the vital engineering that makes one company more successful than another and gives...

Implementation guidance.(BOOK OF THE MONTH)(Implementing Quality book of Ron Basu)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
February 1, 2005... IIE member Ron Basu continues to educate peers on the subject of quality with his newest book, Implementing Quality. The book provides readers with the basics of how to manage for consistently high quality and gives good coverage of both simple...

Extreme home makeover: students learn project management through community service.(front line)
February 1, 2005... When Roya Javadpour, Ph.D., planned her spring 2004 graduate course in project management, she sought a way to get more from students than the usual hypothetical project reports. So the industrial and manufacturing engineering professor at...

The workings of e-work: people, machines, and computers collaborate on new dimensions.(front line)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... An IIE fellow has defined several methods to help people and machines collaborate over global networks using "e-work" systems. Shimon Nof, an industrial engineering professor at Purdue University, coined the term e-work to describe...

Events.(conferences and meetings of engineering associations)(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... > FEBRUARY FEB. 9-11 * Six Sigma Green Belt, Norcross, Ga. FEB. 12-13 * SHS Management Engineering Forum, Dallas; http://shs.iienet.org FEB. 14-16 * Planning, Designing, and Implementing Proven Supply Chain...

The convenience of cooperation.(UNCOMMON IE)(cable telecommunications technologies)
February 1, 2005... One of the biggest priorities for cable operators is raising awareness and accessibility of their service offerings such as high-speed Internet and high-definition TV. As vice president of CableLabs' Go2Broadband, Jenifer Cistola helps make...

Drowsy doctors hazardous to health: research reveals that more sleep means more effective doctors.(front line)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Research reveals that serious medical errors are reduced significantly when traditional 30-hour extended work shifts are eliminated and when medical interns' continuous work schedule is limited to 16 hours. This is the first research of...

Depressing statistic.(PRIME NUMBER)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The annual cost of lost productivity directly related to depression is an estimated $44 billion in the United States, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

A whole new ballgame: Major League Baseball gets its first new scheduler in 24 years.(front line)(The Sports Scheduling Group)
February 1, 2005... For nearly 25 years, the husband and wife team of Henry and Holly Stephenson has assembled the Major League Baseball schedule. But that will change this spring, when a small company called The Sports Scheduling Group will take over scheduling...

A harmless fling.(SITE TO SEE)
February 1, 2005... Not everyone has the time or space to build a full-size trebuchet in the backyard. (And with so few people taking castles by siege these days, how many people really need one anyway?) But everyone's got five minutes to take The Treb Challenge...

A simple thank-you.(performance)
February 1, 2005... ONE OF THE LOWEST-COST PERformance improvement tools is also one of the least used--and the least correctly used. I'm talking about the thank-you. Companies can spend thousands of dollars learning to design and install a formal way to recognize...

Understanding governance.(management)(governing body in facility management)
February 1, 2005... MOST ORGANIZATIONS RELY ON A governing body comprising internal and external members who represent the interests of all their stakeholders--shareholders, customers, employees, and the community. They are carefully selected to provide an...

Outsourcing paradoxes.(manufacturing)
February 1, 2005... AS THEY BEGAN TO ADAPT TO LEAN manufacturing, U.S. companies also began to locate manufacturing operations in offshore locations to take advantage of cheaper labor and, sometimes, less stringent regulatory environments. NAFTA created a more...

Building a better bulwark: new tools help delineate the best response to a worst-case scenario.(logistics of disaster planning)
February 1, 2005... SINCE 2001, ELEVATED FEARS OF TERRORISM, pandemic diseases, and other critical threats to national security have dominated the headlines and U.S. government policy. With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, state and local...

Below-standard guidelines: ISO 6385 doesn't deliver on the promise to guide ergo designs.(International Organization for Standardization)
February 1, 2005... IN 2004, THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR Standardization released a revision of ISO 6385: Ergonomic Principles in the Design of Work Systems. The first statement that must be made about this standard is this: If you were expecting a standard...

Will U B my IE? Cosmopolitan magazine says this engineer would make a perfect valentine.(Industrial Engineer)
February 1, 2005... IIE MEMBER CHARLIE MURRAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN EASY-going guy. But when he discovered he had been named a Cosmopolitan magazine Bachelor of the Year, even he was a bit flummoxed: "I kind of laughed about it. I don't know. I've just tried to be as...

Approaching transformation: identify and minimize resistance to change with Six Sigma.(Six Sigma (Quality control))
February 1, 2005... SIX SIGMA IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR CHANGE. The intense commitment of many organizations to make Six Sigma the core of their change process sends a strong message: Change is constant and necessary. Change is how organizations stay competitive and...

Another kind of factory: how an IE solutions team at a marketing services agency helps national retailers and brand marketers work smarter, faster, and cheaper.(Industrial Engineer)
February 1, 2005... PRODUCTION TEAMS. THROUGHPUT. CYCLE TIMES. Performance metrics. The phrases invoke images of factory spaces humming with fine-tuned machinery and serious-minded workers pressing for efficiencies in making products such as cars, cans,...

Research.(scheduling robotic equipment)
February 1, 2005... This month's research highlights scheduling the use of expensive equipment. The first research summary addresses scheduling robotic equipment to maximize throughput. The second discusses joint scheduling of equipment and staff. Both studies...

Software search.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
February 1, 2005... Q: I am acting as a consultant for a large construction company in Ireland. I have been asked to source a software product that will provide purchase ordering, multi-site inventory control, labor management, handheld computer technology, etc....

Fast food update.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Q: I work for a large fast food franchise in Central America. What is new in technology or information from the leaders in fast food delivery? Is there anything regarding packaging, processes, or communications that I should know about? A:...

Shift work.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
February 1, 2005... Q: Where can I find information that shows the effect of work shifts on operator efficiency? A: Here are some Web sites that address the topic: * www.nohsc.gov.au/ohsinformation/nohscpublications/factsheets/shift1.htm *...

Cup qualifiers: Who will compete for this year's ergo cup?(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)
February 1, 2005... The final roster of accepted entries for the March Ergo Cup competition has been released. As expected, the list contains several competitors from previous Ergo Cups, including some previous winners. This year sees a strong international...

Brushing up on bylaws.(ASK IIE)
February 1, 2005... Q: Our chapter has recently changed its focus and its leadership structure. When and how do we change our bylaws to reflect that transition? A: A chapter's constitution and bylaws are living documents. While the constitution is a more...

Remembering John Fargher: lean volunteer and IIE fellow passes away.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(Obituary)
February 1, 2005... The industrial engineering community lost one of its most recognizable and enthusiastic practitioners in December 2004 when IIE fellow John Fargher, Ph.D., passed away suddenly due to kidney failure. Fargher is survived by his wife, Ellie, son,...

Taking the lead: IIE partners with project lead the way to draw students to engineering.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers)
February 1, 2005... A big part of preparing people for engineering careers as adults involves generating enthusiasm for engineering in kids. Such is the mission of Project Lead the Way, a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 to help introduce middle- and...

Captain on deck: captain of industry award to honor leaders.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)
February 1, 2005... When IIE holds its 2005 honors and awards ceremony at the IIE Annual Conference in May, a new honor will be featured among the accolades. The Captain of Industry Award was created to honor individuals who have assumed positions of leadership in...

What brown does for IIE.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Randy Stashick and Danny O'Dwyer of UPS presented IIE Corporate Operations Manager Donna Calvert with a $15,000 check last December that will be used to fund minority scholarships for industrial engineering students. "Industrial engineering is...

2004-05 Montague Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Assistant professor Amarnath "Andy" Banerjee, Ph.D., was named a 2004-05 Montague Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar by Texas A & M University. Banerjee joined the Texas A & M engineering department in 1999. He will receive a $5,000...

The Chancellor's Award.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(C. Robert Emerson)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The State University of New York presented the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service to C. Robert Emerson, Ph.D., a professor in its department of system science and industrial engineering. Emerson founded the department and...

Presidential Early Career Award.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Jionghua Jin)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Jionghua "Judy" Jin, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of systems and industrial engineering at the University of Arizona, received a Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering from the National Science Foundation....

Head of the department of industrial engineering at Texas A & M University.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(appointments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Brett Peters, Ph.D., was named head of the department of industrial engineering at Texas A & M University after serving as interim department head since June 2004. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas and master's and...

Chapter cheers: 2004 university chapter recognition award winners.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Calendar)
February 1, 2005... Gold Award Arizona State University--Tempe California State Polytechnic University--Pomona Instituto Tecnologico de Morelia Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey--Sonora Norte Iowa State University...

Mail call: e-newsletters keep members in the know.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)
February 1, 2005... Members should watch their inbox for four new informational e-mails from IIE. IIE Connections is a monthly e-mail that provides general updates about the Institute and industrial engineering news. The Continuing Education e-newsletter will keep...

Fifty and counting: national capital chapter celebrates a half-century of service.(CHAPTER CHECK-IN)(Interview)
February 1, 2005... Fifty years ago, a group of energetic and idealistic industrial engineers formed the National Capital professional chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers. They shared thoughts and concerns at professional meetings and they came...

Automating packing slips.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(PSI Peripheral Solutions Inc.)
February 1, 2005... Companies that ship directly to end users can reduce operating costs, eliminate errors, and offer faster delivery by eliminating paperwork. The AutoSlip system automatically prints packing lists and invoices, folding and inserting them into an...

Enhancing the Excel experience.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
February 1, 2005... Crystal Ball 7 allows users to transform Microsoft Excel spreadsheets into dynamic models that solve problems involving uncertainty, variability, and risk. It extends the ability of Excel with scalable methods for sharing information, improved...

Vertical storage solution.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
February 1, 2005... The Shuttle XP Vertical Lift Module offers increased levels of storage capacity by going up. The module stores items in 1-inch increments, saving up to 85 percent of previously wasted floor space and allowing users to store various sized parts....

Roll handler.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
February 1, 2005... ErgoTech has introduced a battery-powered, simple-to-use roll handler that eliminates body strain normally caused from manually lifting rolls from a horizontal pallet position. It turns rolls 90 degrees and places them in a vertical machine...

Smart filter monitoring.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
February 1, 2005... The Intonix Smart Filter Monitoring System allows industrial and manufacturing companies to keep track of systems and warn of potential failures proactively. Smart filter acoustic and vibration modules and computer-based software provide...

One-stop labels.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
February 1, 2005... Weber's model 5200rfid is a smart label printer-applicator that prints, encodes, verifies, and applies pressure-sensitive RFID smart labels to cartons and pallet loads in one operation. As labels are printed, digital information is instantly...

All's quiet on the mezzanine.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
February 1, 2005... W.A. Schmidt has developed a noise and vibration dampening system for mezzanines intended for applications where sound and vibration are detrimental to process operation. The system was originally created to solve acoustic suppression needs...

Managing the manufacturing workflow.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Vantage 8.0 of Epicor Software Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Vantage 8.0 is an end-to-end manufacturing software system that addresses the business needs of make-to-order and mixed-mode manufacturers. Built-in workflows manage the entire order cycle from marketing and sales, production and planning,...

The dirty rat saved my life: rodents may be the rescue animal of choice.(BEYOND THE NORM)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The very qualities that make rats bothersome to homeowners also make them excellent rescue animals: They have an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell and can crawl just about anywhere. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some day soon, rats...

Dilbert[R].
February 1, 2005... Dilbert reprinted by permission of United Feature Syndicate, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Test stress.(BEYOND THE NORM)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Students, keep this in mind before your next exam: Pretest jitters make it easier to recall memorized facts, but that stress also makes it tougher to solve more complex problems. A battery of simple cognitive tests was given to first-year...

Popeye power.(BEYOND THE NORM)(sunlight energy conversion to power laptops and cell phones)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... For the first time, engineers have incorporated a plant's ability to convert sunlight to energy into a solid-state electronic device that could one day power laptops and cell phones. At the heart of the Photosystem I developed at the...