Industrial Engineer articles from January 2006

Industrial Engineer archives from January 2006

Retrospective burnout.(editor's desk)(Editorial)
January 1, 2006... It's the start of another year and as we take stock of our lives and reminisce on years past, it brings to mind a question that surely resonates in the psyche of every society: Is there anything that can't be made into a top 100 list? We...

Specialized knowledge.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I really enjoyed SiewMun Ha's article ("Above the Curve," November). His recommendations regarding what can be done in developing Six Sigma skills across an organization are well taken and match my hands-on experience during my career. His...

Course makes the grade.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I just read "Above the Curve" (November) in Industrial Engineer. Overall, I found the comments on the mark, but I do want to take exception or make note that when author SiewMun Ha talks about the failings of most Six Sigma programs, he...

Change a light, change the world.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... As a senior IE who does energy efficiency work, I thought I should point out that using an incandescent bulb on the cover of the October 2005 issue does not engender up-to-date thinking. You should have considered using a compact fluorescent...

Miss New Orleans.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I really enjoyed Monica Elliott's editorial in the October issue ("Easy to Love"), and I felt like I wrote it myself. Having the opportunity to live and study in New Orleans really opened my eyes in many ways. I hope everything [there] returns...

Unhealthy administration.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I was reading the October 2005 issue over lunch and came across the "Better Health through Engineering" article in Front Line. A bit over a year ago, HumanCentric Technologies decided to develop an integrated, user- and technology-centered...

Good networking.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... Good article about networking by Debra Fine ("Take the Work out of Networking," October 2005). Charles M. Parks, Ph.D. Professor Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department Ohio University Athens, Ohio

A stout brew.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I must say that I think [William Inman's article "Brewing a Success" (September 2005)] was one of the best-written pieces about our company that has been done in recent memory, and he did an excellent job portraying our Southern California...

Inviting commentary.(Mail)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I have a confession to make. I don't read the editor's column in most publications that I receive although I might skim them briefly. And I can honestly say that over the past 30-plus years that I have been a member, I have not read the column...

Antidote for bird flu? Production process may prevent U.S. outbreaks.(Front Line)
January 1, 2006... The business model used by U.S. poultry processors may be a key component in preventing an outbreak of avian influenza in the United States, say two poultry experts. Because nearly all commercial poultry production in the United States is...

Cargo constraint.(PRIME NUMBER)(Panama Canal Authority)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Early estimates for 2005 indicate the average utilization of the Panama Canal is around 105 percent (against the ceiling of 38 transits per day). While the Panama Canal Authority is making improvements that will result in a greater capacity...

ChemE optimizes work assignment: breakthrough streamlines complex process.(Front Line)
January 1, 2006... Christodoulos Floudas and his students Stacy Janak and Martin Taylor have invented a mathematical formula that may transform the way day-to-day work assignments are made across government and industry. They didn't set out to accomplish such...

Top 25 supply chains.(Front Line)
January 1, 2006... For the second year in a row, Dell demonstrates its superiority, coming out on top in AMR Research's list of best supply chain practices. The list identifies the manufacturers and retailers that exhibit superior supply chain capabilities and...

Efficient but objectionable: roundabouts improve traffic flow ... if you can get them built.(Front Line)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... In most parts of the United States, roundabouts (also known as traffic circles), are foreign objects. Intersections with traffic lights or signs are the norm. But tens of thousands of roundabouts have been built worldwide. They are shown to...

The innovation strategy: study highlights importance to manufacturers.(Front Line)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A study of nearly 650 manufacturing companies underscores the importance of innovation as a competitive strategy. The 2005 Georgia Manufacturing Survey shows that companies basing their competitive strategies on the development of...

Ready to solo? How could colleges and universities make industrial engineering students feel better prepared for their careers?(OFF THE CUFF)
January 1, 2006... "Teachers who have already worked in industry make the best teachers because they can give real-life examples of how the industrial engineering techniques they teach apply to real life and how they are actually used. This helps students...

Keeping up with the model: electronics companies' operations aren't apace with their outsourcing.(Front Line)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The outsourced business model popular in electronics companies has resulted in companies losing control and visibility across their extended supply chain, resulting in increased levels of risk. That's the conclusion of a study conducted by...

Richard Holtz: electronic architect.(UNCOMMON IE)(Infinisys Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... THE TASK AT HAND: Founder of InfiniSys Inc. of Daytona Beach, Fla., Holtz designs the technology infrastructure for multi-family housing projects--apartment buildings, condominiums, college dormitories, and the like. In the brave new...

Deciding, when process counts.(Front Line)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... People who feel responsible for the outcome of a decision may become so overwhelmed that they resort to indecision. Focusing on the decision-making process, on the other hand, helps minimize the difficulty in coming to a conclusion. "For...

Dilbert.(Brief article)(Cartoon)
January 1, 2006... ALICE, WHERE ARE THE QUALITY ESTIMATES THAT I ASKED YOU FOR AN HOUR AGO? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT'S BETWEEN YOUR LEFT ARM AND YOUR STOUT TORSO, ABOUT ELBOW--HIGH. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] STUPID ELBOW. [ILLUSTRATION...

Beyond outsourcing.(Multisourcing)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... There's no question that companies place high expectations on the payback they'll see from outsourcing. But given the pitfalls associated with outsourcing, how can companies manage their contracts intelligently so they don't end up among the 50...

Small is beautiful.(www.nikonsmallworld.com)(photographs of scientific research)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Nikon's annual Small World competition celebrates the visual vibrancy of scientific research. The contest site (www.nikonsmallworld.com) is awash in stunning photographs captured through the light microscope. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Grads more skilled now.(QUOTE, UNQUOTE)(Quotation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... "In all nine engineering knowledge and skill areas emphasized by the new standards, the 2004 graduates in the aggregate have significantly, and often substantially, higher skill levels than did their counterparts from a decade earlier." ...

Starcraft lessons.(Performance)
January 1, 2006... SOCIETY CRITICIZES THE NEGATIVE influence that video and computer games have on children; however, we can already see the positive impact these "toys" can have on real life. Take auto racing. NASCAR drivers are getting younger because...

Justifying equipment.(management)
January 1, 2006... I RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN ANALYsis of how much a client saved due to a new capital project. The company, a manufacturer of fabricated metal components, replaced a manual painting system with a robotic one at a cost of just over half a million...

Outsourcing by numbers.(supply chain)(Survey)
January 1, 2006... JUDGING FROM RECENT LOGISTICS industry studies, the third-party logistics industry is booming like never before. I am delighted at this trend because it was a completely different story during the 1980s and 1990s. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

On the road again.(member forum)(General Motors Corp.)
January 1, 2006... GENERAL MOTORS' FINANCIAL trouble has two causes: the cost of company-paid health care and an antiquated product distribution system that adds 20 percent or more to the price of every new car. GM has tools to fix these problems; it needs only...

The pulse of industry: seven manufacturing challenges for the next 10 years.(Cover story)
January 1, 2006... Whatever comfort zone U.S. manufacturers once enjoyed has been stretched thin. How can we prepare to face upcoming challenges in the current volatile environment? Many of today's hotspots, such as advanced technologies, globalization, and...

What are you talking about? Want to see your proposals sail past management? Stop sounding like an engineer.
January 1, 2006... When Ken Borel began his career as an industrial engineer, he figured his workdays would be filled with the kind of classic problem solving he studied as an IE undergrad at Texas A&M. "I gravitated toward engineering because I was...

Organically grown quality: Six Sigma success is all natural at John Crane.
January 1, 2006... It has been said that deployment is one of the most critical elements of a successful Six Sigma program. From top-down support and champion training to awareness efforts targeting all employees, the deployment process for a company is a...

Work fervor: employees are as motivated as you allow them to be.
January 1, 2006... The attitudes of an organization's employees have a profound and sometimes underestimated effect on many aspects of performance, including on-the-job benchmarks such as productivity, quality, sales, and customer satisfaction and impacts on...

Soft skills for engineers.
January 1, 2006... Though there's no equation that demonstrates the existence of leadership skills, if leadership ability corresponded to IQ levels, every engineer would be a contender for the coveted corner office. A different kind of intelligence,...

Intel fabrication fix.(evolution of microprocessors)
January 1, 2006... In 1971, Intel built the very first microprocessor--the ancestor to what would become the core of products as diverse as hand-held video games and complex mainframe computers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The evolution of microprocessors, a...

Executive summaries.(research motivated by ship design problems)
January 1, 2006... Here, we highlight two articles from the January 2006 issue of IIE Transactions, which covers design and manufacturing. The first summary gives an overview of research motivated by ship design problems facing the U.S. military. The second...

Ask the expert: answers to your technical questions.(statistical process control tools)
January 1, 2006... Quality upholstery Q: Is there a way to apply statistical process control tools to upholstered products? If so, what tools could be used? A: I do not have expertise in the upholstery industry. However, statistical process quality...

The Cup and the ergo-nauts: excitement abounds at the Applied Ergonomics Conference in March.(Ergo Excellence awards)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... There will be a few new awards given during the ninth annual Applied Ergonomics Conference in Orlando, Fla., March 6-9. Along with the coveted Ergo Cup, a series of new Ergo Excellence awards will reward outstanding achievement in various areas...

A worthy honor: busy PH.D. student is awarded Fargher Scholarship.(John S.W. Fargher Scholarship )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... It's lucky for Chandran N. Nayak that he was nominated by his faculty advisor for the John S.W. Fargher Scholarship because he would have been hard pressed to find time to nominate himself. Nayak, a Wichita State University Ph.D. student...

Introduction endeavor: E-Week outreach to girls takes on added urgency.(Extraordinary Women Engineers Project study)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... On the heels of new findings from a survey of high school girls on their potential career choices, the sixth annual Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day observed Feb. 23, takes on added importance. According to the Extraordinary Women Engineers...

University regional conferences.(Universities and colleges)(Calendar)
January 1, 2006... Region 1 Hosted by SUNY-Buffalo, March 24-26 Contact Kevin Koperski, kek7@buffalo.edu; Lisa Murawski, ljm8@eng.buffalo.edu; or Li Lin, Ph.D., lilin@eng.buffalo.edu Region 2 Hosted by West Virginia University, Feb. 17-19 ...

The benefits of belonging.(discounts on everything from insurance policies)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Q: What are the IIE affinity programs? A: As a member, you can take full advantage of IIE's community buying power. IIE currently partners with several vendors to provide members discounts on everything from insurance policies to overnight...

Health spot: SHS Web site connects IE and me members.(Society for Health Systems)(www.shsweb.org)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The Society for Health Systems recently launched a new Web site designed to improve navigation for its industrial engineer and management engineer members. The site, www.shsweb.org, not only has a new look and new address, but it also...

Hertz perks.(Hertz Member Benefit Program)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Members who spend time behind the wheel of rental cars on vacation or business trips can appreciate this newest affinity program: IIE has contracted with the Hertz Corp. through the Hertz Member Benefit Program to provide car rental discounts...

James W. Barany.(KUDOS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... James W. Barany, Ph.D., received the Distinguished Hoosier Award, the highest honor bestowed on an Indiana citizen by the governor, in recognition of 35 years of service as the associate head of industrial engineering at Purdue University. The...

Alberto Garcia.(KUDOS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Alberto Garcia, Ph.D., has been named associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville's College of Engineering. Garcia joined the college's administration Aug. 1, 2005 and was appointed full professor in its...

Roya Javadpour.(KUDOS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... California Polytechnic State University industrial and manufacturing engineering professor Roya Javadpour, Ph.D., was awarded the university's 2005 Innovation and Service Award for the incorporation of a highly successful service component into...

Daryl L. Santos.(KUDOS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The State University of New York presented the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching to Daryl L. Santos, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of systems science and industrial engineering at the State University of New York...

Roshan Joseph Vengazhiyil.(KUDOS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Roshan Joseph Vengazhiyil, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech, was awarded the Jack Youden Prize by the American Society for Quality for best expository paper. Vengazhiyil's paper...

Tough gadgets.(OtterBox Armor 1900 from Otter Products LLC.)(CyberResearch GFM 1501 from CyberResearch Inc.)(Motorola Inc's i355.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... What's the use of having a PDA if you can't use it in a thunderstorm? The OtterBox Armor 1900 is a waterproof, interactive PDA case ideal for people working outdoors in engineering, construction, and other rough-and-tumble environments. ...

Work perfect: the day we strive for.(Interview)
January 1, 2006... MOHAMMAD KADDOURA PRODUCTIVITY ANALYST/INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER STORE OPERATIONS ENGINEERING STARBUCKS COFFEE CO. SEATTLE I'm going to start my perfect workday with a cup of cappuccino--hand crafted. We make our own beverages...