Industrial Engineer articles from January 2007

Industrial Engineer archives from January 2007

Let there be supply chains on earth.(editor's desk)(Dell Inc.)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... Contemplating the prospect of peace on earth is as predictable an activity at this time of year as the resolution to eat less food, drink more water, and develop better exercise habits. But to hear Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times...

Google billionaire honors IE: Virginia Tech College of engineering is beneficiary.(Front Line)(Eric Schmidt)(Virginia Tech's College of Engineering's Paul Torgersen)
January 1, 2007... Self-made billionaire Eric Schmidt, Ph.D., didn't graduate from Virginia Tech. Nor did he major in industrial engineering. However, Schmidt honored both the school and the discipline with a $2 million contribution to Virginia Tech's College of...

When it is broken ...(SITE TO SEE)(www.thisisbroken.com)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Provided as a primer on bad customer experiences, Web site This is Broken will prove just as instructive to product designers and human factors practitioners. The site, at www.thisisbroken.com, serves as a forum to share laughable designs,...

System saves perishables: real-time method controls 'cold chain' conditions.(Front Line)
January 1, 2007... A new way to reduce waste in the supply chain has the potential to save U.S. companies as much as $35 billion. Deloitte Consulting LLP and the RFID Research Center at the University of Arkansas have developed a method to monitor and control...

Rocket Science is industrial engineering.(QUOTE, UNQUOTE)
January 1, 2007... "US Airways can lay claim to one of the most complex procedures.... with seats filled in a pattern as intricate as a microchip's circuitry: rear window and middle fist, front window and middle next, followed by rear aisle, then front aisle....

Workplace injury and illness rate declines.(Front Line)(Bureau of Labor Statistics)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The rate of workplace injuries and illnesses declined significantly in 2005 for most case types, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses occurred at a rate of 4.6...

Chinese extend Friendship to IE: IIE fellow given prestigious Award for achievement.(Institute of Industrial Engineers)
January 1, 2007... The Chinese government bestowed its prestigious Friendship Award on Gavriel Salvendy, a well-known figure for his research, textbooks, and promotion of industrial engineering. Salvendy, a fellow and life member of the Institute of Industrial...

Higher transportation costs alter distribution: greater collaboration between shippers and carriers results.
January 1, 2007... Shippers and carriers continue to experience the effects of rising transportation costs and constrained capacity. In response, they are changing their rates, service levels, and in some cases, how they do business, according to a study released...

Natural snacker.(Arico Natural Foods Co.)
January 1, 2007... THE TASK AT HAND: "We aspire to become the driver of change for the better foods of tomorrow," explains Hermanto Hidajat. Hidajat holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in operations research and industrial engineering. His business partner...

Manufacturers pessimistic: lack of demand and oil prices pose equal concern.(Front Line)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Less than half (45 percent) of U.S. industrial manufacturers are optimistic about the U.S. economy over the next 12 months. This is down from 76 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to Price-waterhouseCoopers' recent Manufacturing...

Maintenance planning.(BOOK OF THE MONTH)(Strategic Maintenance Planning)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2007... Anthony Kelly's Strategic Maintenance Planning covers the concepts, principles, and techniques of preventive maintenance. It also shows how the complexity of maintenance strategic planning can be resolved by a systematic top-down, bottom-up...

Gilbreth chronicler dies at 98: 'Cheaper by the Dozen' co-author detailed life in a large family.(Front Line)(Ernestine Gilbreth Carey)(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, who with her brother Frank Gilbreth Jr. chronicled the adventures of growing up in a large family at the early part of the 20th century, died in California in November 2006. She was 98. Carey is best known for...

Dilbert.(Cartoon)
January 1, 2007... www.dilbert.com scottadams@aol.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1-20-06 [c] 2006 Scott Adams, Inc./Dist. by UFS, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [c] Scott Adams/Dist. by United Feature Syndicate, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Bad packaging.(PRIME NUMBER)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Poor unit load wrapping could cost manufacturers $388 million in product damage. Inconsistent use of packaging material and limited use of stabilization devices in trailers contribute to the problem. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Source:...

Pallet-able robotics: laser sensors help keep automatic guided vehicles on track.(Front Line)(National Institute of Standards and Technology)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Robots run amok is good for science fiction storytelling but not for real-life warehouses. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is developing advanced sensor processing and modeling algorithms to help robot forklifts verify the...

The need for stability.(performance)(Human resource management)(Column)
January 1, 2007... OF THE FIVE MOST COMMON PERFORMANCE areas in any organization--safety, quality, cost, people, and revenue growth--the one I believe is most important receives the least attention. The neglected performance area is people. We might say that...

An American success.(management)(Wright Manufacturing)
January 1, 2007... MARYLAND'S DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS and Economic Development, a state agency that promotes economic growth, established the Maryland World-Class Manufacturing Consortium eight years ago to help small and medium-sized companies be more competitive...

Resolve to practice budgetary behaviors.(supply chain)
January 1, 2007... FEW WORDS CAN CAUSE AS MUCH TEMPOrary stress for logistics professionals as "Please submit your annual budgets." It's difficult to get all of the numbers right, especially in this age of extended, complex supply chains. In the spirit of better...

High-flying cities: sky miles and other modern accommodations.(forecasts and economic predictions for Air transportation industry)(Dubai World Central International Airport)(Cover story)
January 1, 2007... TIME TRAVEL IS A CENTERPIECE OF COUNTLESS SCIENCE FICTION tales, but in reality, airplanes do make it possible for humans to experience this bizarre phenomenon. Combine shopping for nanotech gadgets in Tokyo's Shinjuku district with a viewing...

Invaluable contributions: putting industrial engineers back into quality management systems.(significance of industrial engineering)
January 1, 2007... WHEN I'M CONDUCTING A CORRECTIVE action training course, I usually begin with an exercise involving attitudes and perceptions. How do people feel about the process and why do so many try to avoid it? The discussion is always animated and often...

Simulations of lean: transforming Air Force repair processes.(significance of simulation models in design process)
January 1, 2007... THE LEAN ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS GROUP OF C[H.sub.2]M HILL HAS SUCCESSFULLY USED SIMULATION MODELING to refine and validate designs in myriad industries, including general manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, transportation, food and...

Special twist: Innovia Films leads smart manufacturing.(Innovia Films shows concern for environmental well being)(Topeka City in Kansas provides refuge to business entrepreneurs)(Innovia Films evades closure by exhibiting excellence in quality and production)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... MANY MANUFACTURERS HAVE PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE to lean since World War II, when the Training Within Industry Service introduced field-tested methods to expedite the production of battle equipment. But since when did manufacturers bond with green...

U.S. Navy reshapes its battle fleet.(SOLUTIONS IN PRACTICE)(United States. Naval Sea Systems Command on the road to improvement)
January 1, 2007... As the scope of military conflicts evolves, the United States Armed Forces have to keep up with frequent changes in strategy. Part of the military's tactical planning includes knowing how many personnel, how much equipment, and how much...

Research.
January 1, 2007... The January edition of IIE Transactions (Vol. 39, Number 1) is a special issue on homeland security that was co-edited by Sheldon Jacobson of the University of Illinois, John Kobza of Texas Tech University, and Ed Pohl of the University of...

Lean lab.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
January 1, 2007... Q: I'm a fourth-year student at the University of Toronto, where I'm doing my thesis on process improvement in health care, specifically in a hospital microbiology lab. I'd like to know if there are journals, articles, case studies, or books...

Micromotion.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Q: What are areas of the application for micromotion study and what equipment is needed for undertaking such studies? A: Micromotion study is primarily used for methods analysis. Its use dates back to the work of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth....

Hang height.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
January 1, 2007... Q: I have been given a project to determine the proper hang height for merchandise in a store. I have found anthropometric data to work with. I was thinking that I should use the 5th percentile for women data, so the shortest staff can reach. I...

PMTS may not be the tool.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(predetermined motion time systems )
January 1, 2007... Q: I am interested in using off-the-shelf predetermined motion time system software for various activities and operations in an assembly shop environment. The shop produces complex module assemblies consisting of special components. I am...

Ergo conference addition: student competition premieres this year.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers's 10th annual Applied Ergonomics Conference)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... IIE's 10th annual Applied Ergonomics Conference is fast approaching. This year, in addition to the nationally recognized Ergo Cup competition, the Applied Ergonomics Conference Student Design Competition will be introduced at the March...

Web access@IIEnet.org: answers on discussion forums.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... Q: What is a discussion forum? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A: The IIE discussion forums are interactive online communication outlets for technical and career-related topics. The discussion forums are organized by topic and allow users to...

New Orleans: open for business; SHS Conference to help city rebound.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Society for Health Systems)
January 1, 2007... More than a year post-Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is open and ready for business. The city known for its vibrant culture and unique history hosted hundreds of meetings and conventions in 2006 and retained 70 percent of its convention and...

'Team Kaizen' on the run: student chapter supports breast cancer fundraiser.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Ribbon Run)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Members of IIE's University of Alabama in Huntsville Chapter supported a local breast cancer research fundraiser in October by participating in a 5K run. In all, 29 industrial and systems engineering department students, faculty, family, and...

DuPont chief and lean guru to keynote: Holliday and Womack share insight.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Charles O. Holliday Jr.)(James P. Womack)
January 1, 2007... The high-profile CEO of a multinational corporation and one of the most noted authorities on lean manufacturing will keynote the 2007 IIE Annual Conference. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DuPont Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles O....

Quality drives lean recap: Atlanta conference a success.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Conference news)
January 1, 2007... More than 325 attendees representing Canada, Brazil, England, Costa Rica, Mexico, The Netherlands, and 33 different U.S. states gathered for the 2006 IIE/ASQ Lean and Quality Conference. Held at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta, the October...

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare.(promotion of Kathy Hermansen)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Kathy Hermansen was promoted to executive director of performance excellence for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-All Saints in Racine, Wisc. She will serve on the executive team and provide strategic leadership to achieve the organization's...

North Carolina State University.(appointment of Louis Martin-Vega)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Louis Martin-Vega, Ph.D., was named dean of the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University. He previously served as dean and professor at the University of South Florida's College of Engineering. Martin-Vega received a bachelor's...

Lamar University.(appointment of Victor Zaloom)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Victor Zaloom, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department of industrial engineering at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, was named interim associate dean of the school's College of Engineering. His areas of expertise include risk analysis...

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Jennifer Karlin awarded Faculty Early Career Development Program award )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Jennifer Karlin, assistant professor at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, was awarded a Faculty Early Career Development Program award from the National Science Foundation. She will receive $531,739 for her proposal "Colleges of...

50g Graphing Calculator.(Head of the class)(HP 50g Graphing Calculator)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Advanced engineering problems require advanced technological solutions, which is where the new HP 50g Graphing Calculator comes in. The device's oversized display clearly illustrates the most complex mathematical expressions, while its 2.5 MB...

365-Day Attendance-Monitor.(Head of the class)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Magnatag Visible Systems' 365-Day Attendance-Monitor offers a simple, one-step solution to the year-round issues of efficient employee time scheduling. By seeing an entire year in one glance, employees and managers alike know who is available...

Unitime on Demand.(Head of the class)(Unitime on Demand Human resources management software)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... On the high-tech end of attendance systems is Unitime Systems' Unitime on Demand, a Web-based application that automates employee time and labor management processes. Unitime on Demand can track employee hours on as many as 15 different labor...

Lean Zone Office.(Head of the class)
January 1, 2007... Employee acceptance of organizational change can be the toughest part of implementing lean business practices. Lean Zone Office, the new lean training kit from Visionary Products Inc., uses a fun, hands-on educational simulation to teach...

OIX 7116-U keyboard.(Head of the class)
January 1, 2007... Terms like water-resistant and rugged don't usually come to mind when thinking about computer keyboards, but the CyberResearch radio-frequency wireless OIX 7116-U keyboard is both. Sealed tight with silicone rubber coating, the keyboard resists...

Logitech MX Revolution.(Logitech Inc. introduces Logitech MX Revolution mouse)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... At any given time, the typical computer user has six applications open and switches windows every 50 seconds. In a work day, we rack up 26 feet on the mouse's scroll wheel. That's a lot of territory to cover. The Logitech MX Revolution promises...

5S Solution Package.(Head of the class)
January 1, 2007... 5S is a lean manufacturing technique that can achieve productivity gains as high as 40 percent when fully implemented. It calls for an efficient setup of the workplace as the basis for operational excellence, and it makes important...

Graham Process Mapping 7.0.(Graham Process Mapping 7.0 from Ben Graham Corp. )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Graham Process Mapping 7.0 enables easy preparation of detail-level process maps. According to The Ben Graham Corp., a person using the software can prepare a map of 100 to 150 steps in one day. With maps in place, improvement opportunities...

DC Measures 2006.(Head of the class)(distribution center performance)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Almost 70 percent of senior managers say metrics are more essential than ever to distribution center performance. But do their benchmarks support their company's market strategy? "DC Measures 2006" is a study that will provide practitioners...

Rules of Thumb for Distribution/Warehouse Facilities Design.(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Owners and developers can get help navigating the options and avoiding the pitfalls associated with planning warehouse and distribution facilities from Rules of Thumb for Distribution/Warehouse Facilities Design. The workbook primarily...

Work perfect: the day we strive for.
January 1, 2007... Marsh is the largest insurance brokerage in the world. Clients come to us for our expertise in the kind of limits they should have. Part of what we do is provide an array of risk consulting services, and that's where I come in. There are...