Industrial Engineer articles from June 2004

Industrial Engineer archives from June 2004

Ready for their close-up.(Editor's Desk)
June 1, 2004... IT IS GOING ON TWO HOURS SINCE THE MODELS ARRIVED, AND THE photographer's assistant is poking and prodding John Ripley to present the best view of his clothes as he poses for the camera. Editorial Director Jane Gaboury, our fearless leader and...

IEs not missing in UK.(Mail Rants and Raves)(Institute of Management Services)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... I was very surprised to read the article "International Engineers" in the April Industrial Engineer. The current equivalent of IIE in the United Kingdom is the Institute of Management Services. This Institute evolved since 1950 from the...

To serve and protect.(Mail Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... The law that Jane Gaboury shrugs off ("No editing for the enemy," April) was enacted to protect our freedoms. Nobody likes change, from the pew to the manufacturing floor. Unfortunately, these laws must be enforced to create the conditions for...

Questioning logistical assumptions.(Mail Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2004... "Inbound for Mexico" (April) reports on simulation studies leading TRW to realize overall logistics cost reduction in their air bag operations by reducing trucking and increasing storage. In support of that conclusion, Hans Hickler, CEO of APL...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2004... In the May issue Pick List "Clever Laptop Tote" description (page 60), the Web site provided for Higher Ground was incorrect. The correct Web address is www.highergroundgear.com. Our apologies for the error.

Green tea good for hard drives, too: biodegradable compound offers efficiency and environmental benefits.(News, Trends & Tactics)
June 1, 2004... Derived in part from green tea, a new biodegradable machining compound for computer hard drive manufacturing is three to four times more effective than toxic counterparts. In an industry where more than 161 million hard drives leave assembly...

Site to see: small business scores.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the nonprofit SCORE Association is a source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs. Its extensive network of more than 10,000 volunteers provides business counseling and advice as...

Book of the month: demystifying project management.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Book Review)
June 1, 2004... Project managers rely on a host of techniques encompassing dozens of project management practices to see them through daily operations as well as chaotic flare-ups. Tom Kendrick's The Project Management Tool Kit:100 Tips and Techniques for...

Vision insight could improve machines: providing context is the key.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... MIT scientists are reporting new insights into how the human brain recognizes objects, especially faces, in work that could lead to improved machine vision systems. Pawan Sinha, an assistant professor in the department of brain and...

Uncommon IE: mars or bust.(News, Trends & Tactics; industrial engineer)(Interview)
June 1, 2004... It's not surprising that Kerry McGuire would eventually find her way to NASA. A graduate of NASA's Space Camp, Space Academy I and II, and Aviation Challenge programs, she was intimately acquainted with the space program before the age of 18....

Resuscitating the system.(Quote, Unquote; health care)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... "Saving lives requires a system. The problem is not that our health care system is broken and we need to fix it. The problem is we've never had a system. And complexity requires systems--industrial engineering techniques, project management,...

Productivity loss due to present workers: the cost of ill staffers who work is higher than that of people who stay home.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... It may not be the employees who are absent due to illness that cause the greatest productivity losses, but the employees who suffer from medical complaints and come to work anyway. Economists have coined a new word to describe the problem...

Improving design productivity: search engine retrieves 3-D CAD drawings for reuse.(News, Trends & Tactics)(search engine finds parts)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A parts search engine developed at Purdue University could save industry millions of dollars annually by making it easier for companies to reuse previous CAD-generated designs. "Designers spend about 60 percent of their time searching for...

Tool marks fight crime: identification system recognizes manufacturing processes.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Law enforcement has a new investigational weapon thanks to research that allows more precise identification of tools by the way they were manufactured. Manufacturing processes leave imperfections and patterns embedded in tool surfaces....

Events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2004... * JUNE JUNE 9-10 Quality Expo Detroit, Novi, Mich.; (800) 840-5688 or (203) 840-5680; www.qualitydetroit.com JUNE 10-11 Smart Healthcare USA conference, San Francisco; www.smarthealthcareusa.com JUNE 20-23 Automated...

Beer magnate joins political race.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Pete Coors of Coors Brewing)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Republican Pete Coors, chairman and CEO of the Coors Brewing Co., has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, saying "I owe my country a debt of gratitude and I want to serve my country." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Coors, who earned...

Plane dreams.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Boeing Co. 7E7 order)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... In April, The Boeing Co. received its first order for the company's newest airplane--the 7E7 Dreamliner. Japan-based All Nipon Airways agreed to buy 50 of the next-generation commercial plane. The 7E7, Boeing's first new plane since 1990, is...

Manufacturing looks up: industry barometer reflects increased optimism.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... U.S. industrial manufacturers expect to reduce their work force by 1.9 percent in the next 12 months, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' first quarter 2004 Manufacturing Barometer. At the same time, the survey shows that more manufacturers...

The next frontier: earthly communication; NASA assessment shows cultural problems remain.(News, Trends & Tactics)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Despite NASA's well publicized objective of transforming its organizational and safety culture following the February 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, the space agency still has a distance to go. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A report...

Management muda.(Performance)(managing waste)
June 1, 2004... AS MANAGERS, WE OFTEN ASK front-line people to nickel-and-dime the waste out of their processes in our efforts to implement lean practices. But managers have our own forms of muda--waste--that we should be working to minimize if we are going to...

Adjusting the picture.(Management)(adjusting management to human information processing )
June 1, 2004... "The mind can only see what it is prepared to see." --Edward de Bono LAST MONTH, WE CONSIDERED THE results of some recent research on how the brain processes visual images and, by extension, how it may process new information in...

Core values of project management.(Member Forum)
June 1, 2004... INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERS MAKE THE best project managers. Our technical and management backgrounds serve us well as leaders of complex projects. After leading IT projects for more than 20 years, I have found that in addition to my IE background,...

Clothing in on success: seven IIE members transform into models for a day, demonstrating that dressing well is an engineer's best image booster.
June 1, 2004... ANDY J. CHOW Industrial and Manufacturing Engineer, Rockwell Automation [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANDY SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF time earning Rockwell certification as a Power Lean Master--completing five weeks of classes,...

Golden retrieval: raising warehouse productivity with ergonomically responsible inventory policies.
June 1, 2004... TWO WAYS TO SAVE MONEY IN DISTRIBUTION AND warehousing operations are minimizing obsolete inventory and increasing employee productivity. Minimizing cost and maximizing productivity are achieved by planning where fast-moving inventory is...

The truce between lean and I.T.: eliminating wasteful operations doesn't mean trashing your technology system.
June 1, 2004... THERE IS A STORY ABOUT THE OWNER OF A MANUFAC-turing firm who went to Japan to learn about lean. He was shown lean techniques in action and was duly impressed with the results: extraordinary productivity levels, scant inventories, very visible...

In search of Lillian: author Jane Lancaster discovers the real Lillian Moller Gilbreth.(Interview)
June 1, 2004... STRADDLING POPULAR CULTURE and engineering esteem, the legend of Lillian Gilbreth holds a unique place in history. Gilbreth was wife to a larger-than-life husband, matriarch to one of literature's most recognizable families, and cofounder of...

Executive summaries.(Research)(make-to-stock)(make-to-order)
June 1, 2004... This month, the highlighted research focuses on trade-offs between make-to-stock and make-to-order production, along with the possibility of delaying differentiation between products. The paper on which the abstract is based models these...

Exam update.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)(industrial engineering exam)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Q. As I understand it, the format and content of the industrial engineering P.E. exam are under evaluation. I'm specifically interested in any upcoming changes in coverage and any newly revised materials. What's the status of the changes? ...

Color me productive.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
June 1, 2004... Q. Where do I find studies on color's effect on productivity and which colors are best? A. Two ergonomics textbooks are helpful in this regard: Ergonomic Design for People at Work (1983) and Fitting the Task to the Man (1982). Even though...

Happy trails: IIE's Bob Lunny rides off into the sunset.(Keeping Pace with IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers general ledger accountant retires)
June 1, 2004... Those who know IIE's general ledger accountant Bob Lunny say it is appropriate that he retired in April. A fellow of infinite jest, Lunny reveled in April Fool's Day shenanigans and was the instigator of many good-natured office pranks. He was...

Winners' circle: congratulations to IIE's 2004 honors and awards recipients.(Focus)(Institute of Industrial Engineers announce winners)
June 1, 2004... Award for Outstanding Achievement in Management Robert Shadley Award for Technical Innovation in Industrial Engineering Behrokh Khoshnevis, Ph.D. Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award Marlin Thomas, Ph.D. ...

Dollars for scholars: 2004-05 IIE scholarship winners.(Focus)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A.O.Putnam Memorial Scholarship ($600) Kenneth B. Norton, Kansas State University C.B. Gambrell Undergraduate Scholarship ($600) David R. Burnett, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Dwight D. Gardner Scholarship ($1,500...

Your own private oracle: mentor program provides guidance for young IEs.(Focus)(Institute of Industrial Engineers initiates program)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... This year, IIE initiated a program that brings industrial engineering students and recent graduates together with experienced professionals and academics in a mentoring relationship. Since that time, dozens of students have been paired with...

Kudos celebrating member achievements.(Focus)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Precision Response Corp. appointed Jose M. Miranda vice president of operations for Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to this assignment, Miranda held executive-level positions with Sitel Corp., DirecTV Latin America, Interval...

Chapter check-in: hello, Cleveland.(Focus)(Cleveland Chapter of IIE)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... As part of February's National Engineers Week, members of the Cleveland senior chapter participated in the Engineering Expo at Cleveland's Great Lakes Science Center. The third annual event was sponsored and staffed by local universities,...

Ask IIE: far and wide.(Focus)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Q: My membership information says I am a "member-at-large." What is that? A: In 2000, IIE's leadership decided it was impractical to place members in geographic chapters that were inactive or located hundreds of miles away. Instead, these...

Volunteer snapshot: a face from the past.(Focus)(IIE Past President Jane Algee)(Interview)
June 1, 2004... IIE Past President Jane Algee (1999-2001) offers her thoughts on being named IIE's new director of volunteers. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IE: What perspective does your experience as president of IIE give you in approaching this job? ...

Goodbye mouse.(What Engineers Want)(Contour Design's RollerMouse )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Even if you don't have a comfortable relationship with your mouse, it's intimidating to turn it loose completely. But I was determined to give Contour Design's RollerMouse a try, especially after having suffered intermittent shoulder pain...

Keeping the flow.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Project Flow software is premised on the idea that conventional project management software makes bottlenecks worse by automating the wrong rules. In contrast, Project Flow is said to help eliminate bottlenecks in order to increase the flow of...

Load puller.(What Engineers Want)(ErgoTug Puller)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Moving fully loaded carts can be slow and difficult work, resulting in back injuries, muscle strains, and worker fatigue. The ErgoTug Puller is a compact, battery-powered unit that slides under one end of a cart and lifts two of the cart's...

Don't call it a bottle.(What Engineers Want)(Not-A-Bottle container system from Rocky Mountain Business Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The newly patented Not-A-Bottle container system is suitable for storing flowable materials including beverages, foods, motor oils, household products, and beauty products. It consists of lightweight plastic bags, separate dispensing...

Clean room lifters.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A new series of lifter transporters from Interthor is designed for use in electronic assembly areas, clean rooms, stock rooms, laboratories, and offices. The WP Series includes eight models, all featuring powered mechanical lifts. A continuous...

Working on corporate time.(What Engineers Want)(TimeCorder by Pace Productivity)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Everyone is getting busier, but is anyone getting more work done? A new diagnostic device from Pace Productivity offers a sophisticated but simple way to track corporate staff time. TimeCorder, a handheld electronic device, consists of a series...

Collaborative teamwork.(What Engineers Want)(Team Collaboration Manager)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Team Collaboration Manager from FileNet Corp. is a Web-based solution that integrates team collaboration with content management and business process management. The product provides ad-hoc tasks, discussion forums, live meetings, interactive...

Small manufacturer solution.(What Engineers Want)(E-Z-MRP by Beach Access Software)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... E-Z-MRP is an integrated manufacturing system for small and medium-sized manufacturers. The system can be implemented in a wide variety of industries and works well in job shop, build-to-stock, and build-to-forecast operations. The software...

Adjustable work center.(What Engineers Want)(Arlink Series 6600 workstation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Arlink's Series 6600 adjustable height workstation allows operators to change the height of their work surface at any time. The units can be ordered with a hand crank or a motorized drive. Boasting an extremely stable and durable...

Sharp simulation idea.(What Engineers Want)(Micro Saint Sharp software)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Micro Saint Sharp version 1.0 was built off the Micro Saint engine and has been completely redesigned using new software technology that makes it faster, more interoperable, and easier to use. The discreteevent simulation modeling program can...

Supply chain shipping support.(What Engineers Want)(ShipSoft 2.5 parcel and freight shipping software )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... ShipSoft 2.5 parcel and freight shipping software supports supply chain collaboration, intra-Canada shipments, and advanced bill of lading generation. Using the software, large retailers can allow their network of drop-ship suppliers to ship...

Marrieds better at shifts.(Beyond the Norm)(effects of shiftwork on personal life)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Shift work isn't as tough on marriage as some people thought. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A study conducted by Xavier University researchers found that married workers (including those with children) who work shifts had higher levels of...

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

Looking like a dog.(Beyond the Norm)(dogs do resemble owners)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Long the subject of anecdotal evidence, a scientific study confirms that dogs do resemble their owners, at least when it comes to purebred canines. Psychologists Nicholas Christenfeld and Michael Roy of the University of California, San...

Others' jobs are easy.(Beyond the Norm)(research into worker behavior)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A person lifting a heavy box will suppose that someone else lifting a similar box got the lighter one. That is the central finding of a research team led by Antonia Hamilton of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College...