Industrial Engineer articles from June 2008

Industrial Engineer archives from June 2008

A lot at stake.(editor's desk)(Editorial)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... While participating in the Annual Conference and observing the run-up to the U.S. presidential election, many members are also keeping up with events surrounding the Beijing Olympics (page 24). A question begs to be asked. How much excitement...

Page-turner.(Mail RANTS AND RAVES)
June 1, 2008... Thanks for publishing the article on facilities layout ("Define Your Space," April). As usual, you folks did a first-class job of editing and presentation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Robert W. McClure Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.

Page-twister.(Mail RANTS AND RAVES)
June 1, 2008... Your article, "Patients Fare Better in Hospitals Using IT" (March), might be interesting, but what place does that article have in an industrial engineering publication? I have nothing against computer systems, whether in factories or...

Performance column represents.(Mail RANTS AND RAVES)(Brief article)(Column)
June 1, 2008... Hooray for Kevin McManus for his "We're IEs, Not Cops" (April). Mr. McManus brought up an issue that has many thorns, and it has its roots in the professionalism of IEs. Having spent three years on the corporate manufacturing staff of General...

Coverage examination.(Mail RANTS AND RAVES)
June 1, 2008... I read the magazine more regularly after rejoining the faculty of the National Institute of Industrial Engineering (India). In my efforts to understand the focus of industrial engineering from its history, I came to the conclusion that the...

Big on balance.(Mail RANTS AND RAVES)
June 1, 2008... Thanks so much for the article in the April issue ("Inside Minds"). It was fabulous! The coverage was great and shows you took the time to understand what Virginia Tech did. The coverage was also balanced and articulated a cohesive team effort....

Aircraft production flying to Mexico: industry attracted by similar benefits gained in manufacturing sectors.(Front Line)
June 1, 2008... Aerospace companies are streaming to Mexico, drawn by lower wages, enthusiastic government promotion, a new safety agreement with the United States, and an increasingly sophisticated work force, according to a USA Today article in April. ...

Danger signs: sign language more risky than industrial activities.(Front Line)
June 1, 2008... Interpreting sign language is one of the highest risk professions for ergonomic injury, according to a Rochester Institute of Technology study released in April. According to a recent press release, the research indicates that interpreting...

You go, girl!(SITE TO SEE)
June 1, 2008... The National Academy of Engineering sponsors a unique Web site that spotlights women in engineering fields, their achievements, and the opportunities available for young girls looking for a challenging career path. The colorful and energetic...

Bringing back stability.(BOOK OF THE MONTH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Low back pain affects 80 percent of the population at some point during their lifetimes and is responsible for more than 40 percent of the compensation costs for work-related injuries. The Working Back: A Systems View provides an understanding...

India's small car craze.(PRIME NUMBER)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Small cars account for 70 percent of India's annual automotive production of 1.5 million vehicles. Longtime competitors Tata Motors and Maruti Udyog have launched a variety of mini-cars in the last decade that cost less than $3,000. According...

Purdue applies RFID to track tumors: information from needle-size device could fight disease.(Radio-frequency identification)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Engineers at Purdue University are creating a wireless device designed to be injected into tumors to tell doctors the precise dose of radiation received and locate the exact position of tumors during treatment. The information would help...

Bush recognizes quality award recipients: 2007 Baldrige winners honored in April at White House.(Front Line)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Five businesses and nonprofit organizations were honored for excellence in quality at a private reception attended by U.S. President George W. Bush. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year,...

Strong labor market for engineers: number of people working in related occupations up since 2003.(front line)
June 1, 2008... Science and engineering work force availability in the United States is under serious scrutiny by observers who worry about a decline in the nation's ability to fill future demand. However, three newly published National Science Foundation...

Dilbert.(Front Line)(Cartoon)(Cartoon)
June 1, 2008... I NEED TO BE MANAGING A SEXIER PROJECT TO BOOST MY CAREER. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT ONLY HAS TO SOUND GOOD AND NOT FAIL UNTIL I GET A BETTER JOB. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOW ABOUT A NANO-TECHNOLOGY STEM CELL FOR FIGHTING...

The map is not the territory.(performance)
June 1, 2008... HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN WHAT appeared to be a good-looking shortcut on a map, only to find that the route really cost you more time and stress than you expected? Conversely, have you ever taken a wrong turn onto a road that you had earlier ruled...

Export revolution.(management)
June 1, 2008... IN A RECENT ARTICLE THAT APPEARED in the Wall Street Journal (March 28), Timothy Aeppel and Joanna Slater stated that the recent drop in the value of the dollar against other currencies has provided manufacturers in the United States with a...

Say what?(human factors)
June 1, 2008... I'VE HEARD THE GRUMBLING THAT industrial engineers don't get any respect. Other engineers think that industrial engineering isn't really even "engineering." You're treated as the "soft" side of the engineering world. Give me a break! Try being...

Olympian logistics.
June 1, 2008... JUST AS ATHLETES MUST ACCEPT THE PRESSURE AND prestige associated with participating in the Olympics Games, host cities must train and perform like champions. Nearly a century ago, the Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, were hailed as a model...

Value delivery: creating project-based organizations of worth.
June 1, 2008... PROJECT-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, or PBOs, are fast emerging as a serious trend, but many organizations still do not understand how to structure themselves to create a strategic advantage from projects. Companies must be structured to create synergy...

Inventory archives.
June 1, 2008... ACCURATE INVENTORY RECORDS ARE AN ESSENTIAL element in the effective use of enterprise resource planning tools and systems. Important concepts in maintaining inventory record accuracy have emerged, and we continue to investigate their...

Guide to innovation: business strategies must evolve.
June 1, 2008... INNOVATION IS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS THROUGH which organizations abandon old paradigms and make significant advances. Innovative ideas come from several sources, including unreasonable demands, goals, and time pressures. An organization must...

Quality's center point: decisions and their critical impact.
June 1, 2008... THREE MANAGERS IN A MAJOR TIRE manufacturing firm made a career-changing and critical-to-success decision. Here's what happened: A water-cooling outlet on an extruder roller burst and the new roller would not arrive for up to four days....

Room to move Critical success factors for an ergonomics initiative.
June 1, 2008... COMPANIES THAT ONCE THOUGHT THERE WAS A bottom-line trade-off between safety and efficiency now embrace ergonomics because they have learned that designing a safe work environment can also result in greater efficiency and productivity. In 10...

Demands from the far East.(SOLUTIONS IN PRACTICE)(Penske Logistics L.L.C.)
June 1, 2008... About six years ago, officials at Penske Logistics realized they had to put their ears to the ground to determine how their business could grow and its services expand. What they heard was talk from customers and other businesses about a golden...

Executive summaries.(Research)
June 1, 2008... What do electronics and automotive industries have in common? Within product creation, dense challenges in design and manufacturing, for sure. This month we provide summaries of research articles that were motivated by challenges related to...

Ask the expert: answers to your technical questions.
June 1, 2008... Work force fatigue Q: I am looking for backup information regarding the impact of fatigue over time. I am trying to find information showing the benefits of a part-time work force vs. a full-time work force. A: I want to quote a...

Emerging technologies: innovative tools of the trade.
June 1, 2008... Energy savers According to NorthWrite, a software and technology company, an average commercial building consumes 10 percent to 20 percent more electricity than it should. Facility owners can eliminate this excess cost and waste of energy...

Honda makes presence known in Ergo Cup: successful 2008 Conference draws more attendees, broadens topic coverage.(FOCUS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2008... In March, more than 700 ergonomics specialists from fields such as manufacturing, health care, and safety gathered at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla., for the IIth annual Applied Ergonomics Conference and Expo. The conference gave...

IIE stars rival northern lights: 2008 recipients honored at Annual Conference in Canada.(focus)
June 1, 2008... More than 25 awards were handed out during the IIE Annual Conference last month in Vancouver, British Columbia. The honors recognize the achievements of both industrial engineering professionals and students, including prizes that acknowledge...

Celebrating member achievements.(KUDOS)(Way Kuo, Jairo de Jesus and Elizabeth Cudney awarded)(Awards list)
June 1, 2008... Elizabeth Cudney, received the Feigenbaum Medal for the American Society for Quality. She is an assistant professor of engineering management and systems engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla. She received a bachelor's degree in...

Work perfect: the day we strive for.
June 1, 2008... I provide staff support in a variety of activities related to operational and organizational analysis and development, optimization of plant performance, energy and chemical cost savings, and contract management. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...