Industrial Engineer articles from July 2004

Industrial Engineer archives from July 2004

Bottom-line dwellers.(Editor's Desk)
July 1, 2004... WHEN I FIRST READ THIS MONTH'S COVER STORY, EVEN THOUGH I KNEW the author was referring strictly to accounting principles, I couldn't help thinking about how employees are valued in a broader sense. Obviously it is impossible to measure the...

Inspirational work.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Thank you for the inspiring article "Engineers Who Make a Difference" (May). I was particularly inspired by Don Pope's story, "A Voluntary Reaction," as I am also interested in utilizing my health care experience in medical missions. It is very...

The rise of maquiladoras.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... The article titled "Inbound for Mexico" (April) is of great relevance, especially in times when maquiladoras are arising beyond Mexico, as is happening in Central America, the Caribbean, and China, where motivation for moving comes in the form...

Referencing rulings.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... I found the article "No editing for the enemy" very interesting (April). I was wondering where I could go to get more information on this declaration. I did not find it on the Treasury Department's Web page. MICHELLE McISAAC Dalhousie...

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2004... In the sidebar article "Five Steps to a Successful WMS" by Kevin Tedford featured in the June issue (page 39), WMS is the abbreviation for warehouse management systems.

Innovative mouse offers relief.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... An innovative alternative to the computer mouse may provide relief to users who compute with pain. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Abir Qamhiyah and Don Flugrad, mechanical engineering assistant and associate professor, respectively, at Iowa...

Manufacturing's future; Survey: job shifts crucial to rises in productivity and living standards.(Front Line)
July 1, 2004... The decline in manufacturing jobs in the United States and other major nations shows no signs of slowing, according to a new study by The Conference Board. The study reveals that in both good times and bad times in the United States, at...

The world of manufacturing.(Quote, Unquote)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... "The major driving force of the past decade has been globalization. And we haven't seen the end of it." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] --Peter Martin, Ph.D., Invensys vice president of performance measurement and management, at his 2004 IIE...

Uncommon IE: directing the disorderly.(Front Line)(Sapce management)
July 1, 2004... Several years ago, PBS featured a program about "affluenza"--a condition of being so consumed with making money to accumulate things that one does not have time to enjoy the accumulated things. Rosanne Larkins was intrigued, and a few years...

Site to see: open innovation.(Front Line)(ThinkCycle)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... ThinkCycle (www.thinkcycle.org) is a place for collaboration. The nonprofit supports engineers, designers, and organizations that want to share ideas and designs to solve social and environmental issues. It is largely a self-organized and...

A scholar abroad.(Front Line)(Fulbright Scholar Program )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Fulbright Scholar Program offers lecturing and research awards in 140 countries each academic year. Opportunities are available not only to U.S. university faculty but also to professionals who work in private industry and government. ...

Global players more profitable: manufacturers benefit from foreign sales.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Those manufacturers that compete most effectively in the global market are also the most profitable. That is the conclusion of a survey of Georgia manufacturers conducted by Atlanta accounting and advisory firm Habif, Arogeti & Wynne. ...

Events.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
July 1, 2004... * JULY JULY 19-20 Maximizing Warehouse Space seminar, Denver; (630) 990-0001; www.werc.org * AUGUST AUG. 23-25 * Sig Sigma Green Belt seminar, Norcross, Ga. AUG. 26-29 * P.E. Exam Review for Industrial...

An icon at (nearly) 100: Joseph Juran remains an active proponent of quality.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Well-wishers and admirers from across the globe traveled to Stamford, Conn., in May to celebrate the centennial of quality icon Joseph Juran. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Born Dec. 24, 1904, Juran maintains a strong interest in the quality...

How to do your job better.(Prime Number)
July 1, 2004... The No. 1 rated vehicle senior executives and managers cite for gaining practical tips, guidance, and tactics that help them do their job better is conferences and seminars. Source: NFI Research

Sustainability union.(Front Line)(Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre, End-of-Life Vehicles Directive mandates )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre at Cardiff University in Wales will drive research into sustainable manufacturing practices. Using new management and engineering approaches, the center will combine techniques and theory culled...

Patient bar codes.(Front Line)(London's Charing Cross Hospital )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Patients of London's Charing Cross Hospital are seeing something new on their identity bracelets: bar codes. The hospital has begun testing a new system designed to improve patient safety by reducing medication errors. About 5 percent of...

Book of the month: unambiguous ethics.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Dale Neef's The Supply Chain Imperative aims to tame the current U.S. corporate ethical climate by educating readers about the risks inherent in extended supply chains. Neef points out that although your corporation may be making an admirable...

Data points: no time like the present.(Front Line)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
July 1, 2004... What percentage of your total annual sales orders is fulfilled on time to the customer commit date? 95 to 100 percent 31% 0 to 85 percent 28% 85 to 90 percent 18% 90 to 95 percent 23% Source: IndustryWeek Value Chain...

National election winner.(People's Choice Award)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A team representing Purdue University's Society of Manufacturing Engineers chapter won the prize in this year's Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. Named after the celebrated cartoonist who drew incredible contraptions to accomplish simple tasks,...

The measure of a leader.(Performance)
July 1, 2004... MOST LEADERS DO A GOOD JOB OF talking about the need to be lean and approving training dollars for lean tools, but are these same leaders trying to make their own leadership systems as lean as they can be? An organization's leadership is...

One true thing.(Management)
July 1, 2004... WHAT TRAIT IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR managerial success? A good manager must exhibit a lot of qualities, but it seems that there must be one in particular that is at the top of the list of requirements for success. The task of picking one is...

Underestimating logistics.(Supply Chain)
July 1, 2004... EVEN THOUGH LOGISTICS IS PART OF the business vernacular, most executives still underestimate its potential to affect the bottom line of their businesses, viewing it as secondary to functions such as purchasing, production, or marketing. That...

How to raise an engineer.(Member Forum)
July 1, 2004... WHAT CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO in their formative years guides what they will become. A child listening to Mozart for several hours a day is not guaranteed to grow up to be Chopin. However, a child that never hears music will never grow up to...

Man as machine: how to obtain an accurate accounting of worker productivity.(Cover Story)
July 1, 2004... THE CLICHE THAT WE SHOULD NOT TREAT PEOPLE LIKE machines has been around since the first industrial machine. The phrase "People are our most important asset" has been around almost as long. If people really are assets, then maybe they should be...

Exemplary ergo: winners of the 2004 Ergo Cup demonstrate ingenuity.
July 1, 2004... THE ERGO CUP WAS CREATED TO REWARD innovative and beneficial ergonomic design in the workplace. Each year, a select few teams compete for top honors by extolling the virtues of their design to their peers. The event is exciting not only for the...

Kid-glove treatment: babies are the mother of invention.(Zaky)
July 1, 2004... AN UNLIKELY DUO OF BABIES PROVIDED THE INSPIRATION for Yamile Jackson's invention: her own critically ill son and a Beanie Baby toy. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jackson holds a doctorate in industrial engineering...

Grocery gauge.(Work Measurement Advertorial: Measure for Measure)(LxLi)
July 1, 2004... CORPORATE CHANGE IS ONLY AS GOOD as the data used to justify it. Accordingly, a range of increasingly intricate and comprehensive work measurement goods and services have arrived in the marketplace, making it possible for companies to get...

Timely care.(Work Measurement Advertorial: Measure for Measure)(Laubrass Inc.)(UMTPlus software)
July 1, 2004... RECENT TRENDS HAVE DEVELOPED that challenge the traditional business models of health care delivery in the United States. These trends include new technology, changing customer expectations, changes to Medicare, a growing population of...

Trimming the fat.(Work Measurement Advertorial: Measure for Measure)(EASEworks software)
July 1, 2004... SWIFT & CO. HAS INCREASED productivity and morale at its 10 U.S. meatpacking plants by using work measurement and process planning software to develop realistic labor standards. The credibility of labor standards developed with stopwatches...

Thinking outside the box.(Work Measurement Advertorial: Measure for Measure)
July 1, 2004... THE YORK GROUP, BASED IN YORK, Pa., is the second largest manufacturer of caskets in the United States and is a leading manufacturer of all-wood caskets. Founded in 1892, the company was purchased in December 2001 by Pittsburgh-based Matthews...

Research.
July 1, 2004... This edition of Research highlights two problems. The first paper discusses the impact of lead-time flexibility on order selection for a manufacturer that can determine which orders to accept and when to schedule production. The second presents...

Sit or stand?(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
July 1, 2004... Q: In general, is sitting or standing (on antifatigue matting) better for improving worker productivity for highly repetitive, short cycle-time light assembly work in terms of an eight-hour shift? If there is no proven difference, what can be...

Distance degree.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
July 1, 2004... Q: I am a non-degreed engineering assistant with a full-time job. Is it possible to get an accredited online education in industrial engineering? A: I know of no B.S. IE degrees that are offered at a distance because of ABET accreditation...

High society: the society for work science names annual winners.(Keeping Pace with IIE)
July 1, 2004... IIE's Society for Work Science announced the winners of its two most prestigious awards. The M.M. Ayoub Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the field of ergonomics. The 2003 winner is Don Chaffin, Ph.D. The...

Student awards announced.(Focus)
July 1, 2004... IIE Technical Paper Competition Winners in each IIE region compete nationally in a demonstration of their technical writing and presentation skills. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] First Place -- Samantha Corcoran (Region 5) Second...

Ask IIE: come for a visit.(Focus)
July 1, 2004... Q: What is the Chapter Visit Program? A: The IIE Chapter Visit Program was established to offset a chapter's cost of inviting IIE officers to speak at chapter meetings. IIE helps defray the cost of transporting and hosting a speaker by...

Chapter check-in: sold!(Focus)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... In April, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student chapter held a lunch and silent auction to raise funds for their chapter. The auctioned lots comprised goods and services donated by local businesses, including restaurant gift...

Ken Case.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Quality Oklahoman Award)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... On behalf of the Oklahoma Quality Award Foundation, Oklahoma governor Brad Henry presented ASQ President Ken Case, Ph.D., with the Quality Oklahoman Award. The award recognizes work in advancing performance excellence in the state and...

Muhanad Hirzallah.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Muhanad Hirzallah was named an assistant professor of quality and industrial management in the College of Technology, Engineering, and Management at the University of Wisconsin. Hirzallah previously worked for DaimlerChrysler. ...

Robert Schlegel.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Robert Schlegel was named a President's Associates Presidential Professor, an honor bestowed on University of Oklahoma faculty who demonstrate the highest level of excellence. Schlegel will receive a $5,000 scholarship for four years to further...

Ken Smith.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Grove City College Entrepreneurship Advisory Council )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Ken Smith was appointed to the Grove City College Entrepreneurship Advisory Council and University of Pittsburgh Industrial Engineering Department Visiting Committee. As a member of these groups, Smith will help oversee the infusion of...

Owat Sunanta.(Kudos Celebrating Member Achievements)(Junior Faculty Research Program)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The University of Oklahoma named Owat Sunanta to the Junior Faculty Research Program. By providing guidance and financial support, the program gives new faculty members a foothold in starting their research and contributing to their department....

In other publications: managementality.(Focus)
July 1, 2004... The May/June issue of Industrial Management tackles a new set of issues of pressing importance to managers at all levels. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In "Who Goes and Who Stays," authors Clinton O. Longenecker and Sonny S. Ariss break down...

Leveling the field: initiative aims to promote engineering careers to Women.(Focus)
July 1, 2004... The statistics are alarming: Women make up less than 10 percent of the overall ranks of engineers. Colleges and universities report that less than 20 percent of currently enrolled engineering undergraduates are female. Further, many women who...

Transactions transition: Mark Daskin signs off as editor-in-chief of IIE transactions.(Volunteer Snapshot)(Interview)
July 1, 2004... As Mark Daskin approaches the conclusion of his four-year tenure as editor-in-chief of IIE's flagship research journal, IIE Transactions, he reflects on the unique publication he is leaving behind. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IE: What did...

Lean into it: Norman Bodek, Ph.D., translates the new Lean.(Focus)
July 1, 2004... By helping to bring lean management philosophies to the West from Japan, consultant and author Norman Bodek, Ph.D., has been an integral part of lean's success in the United States. Through translation and dissemination of new ideas via his...

Notebook support system.(Staff Review)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Who doesn't want a more comfortable way to use their laptop computer? LapWorks' Laptop Desk version 2.0 promises to serve as not only a portable desk for mobile computer users but a desktop stand for notebooks, as well. [ILLUSTRATION...

Bibliographic aid.(Staff Review)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Bibliographic software that streamlines research, writing, and publishing for corporate, government, and academic researchers, Reference Manager 11 delivers new ways to view and share information. Users can publish up to 15 reference collection...

Enhanced labor info.(Staff Review)(Kaba Benzing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Kaba Benzing's Auto Time 6 time and labor management system offers a wide range of new features meant to streamline the collection of time and labor data. The program integrates time and attendance information with labor information as soon as...

Worker safety training.(Staff Review)(Heads Up, Warehouse Safety)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... "Heads Up: Warehouse Safety" is a video safety training program from Summit Training Source. Filmed on site in a variety of warehouse facilities, it covers key safety information that's necessary for warehouse, distribution, and shipping...

Find hidden waste.(Staff Review)(VATS Corp)(Value Added Transition System)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... With graphical work instructions, return-on-investment analyses, and data-rich management reports, the Value Added Transition System promises twice the results in half the time. The program can be used in conjunction with Six Sigma projects,...

Ergonomic assessment.(Staff Review)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The updated version of Humantech's Risk Priority Management software presents a Web-enabled solution for industrial organizations that want to manage their ergonomics improvement process across the enterprise. The software delivers a set of...

Extended enterprise logistics.(Staff Review)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... DigitaLogistix is a supply chain execution and optimization suite that gives companies greater control over enterprise and extended supply chain logistics operations, which reduces costs and provides improved customer service. All the...

Will squeal for cocoa butter: as easy as giving candy to a computer user.(Beyond the Norm)(survey of English office workers, Infosecurity Europe)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Despite the proliferation of high-profile news stories enumerating the dangers of electronic viruses, worms, scams, and other security threats, people still don't get it. A survey of English office workers found that most will give up their...

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

Schooling stress.(Beyond the Norm)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... While less-educated people report fewer stressful days than people with a greater amount of education, their stress is more severe and has a larger impact on their health. According to Joseph G. Grzywacz, Ph.D., daily stressors are not...

Vicious cycle.(Beyond the Norm)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... There's no need to resort to tricks or stolen passwords to spread a virus by e-mail: "All you need is an attached virus or Trojan horse program and a note that says 'Open me!' Millions of poor souls with OCD will open it," according to a...