Industrial Engineer articles from March 2006

Industrial Engineer archives from March 2006

Going the extra inch.(Bakasana, the yoga posture)(Editorial)
March 1, 2006... There's a yoga pose called bakasana ("the crow") that tests a student's strength, balance, and humility while increasing the capacity for all three. From a squatting position, the yogi places both palms on the floor with fingers spread wide...

Pleasant surprise.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... I just read my first issue of Industrial Engineer (January) and Industrial Management (September/October) and was pleasantly surprised! I am not an engineer, but I work with several engineers at the City of Houston, Public Works & Engineering...

Motivational speaker.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... I read the article "Work Fervor" (January) with interest. Having had experience in the implementation of a results-focused total quality management program that succeeded, unlike the many that failed, I was a little concerned that the article...

Two-for-one savings.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the editor)
March 1, 2006... I just read through the January issue of Industrial Engineer. I think the changes you implemented are for the better (despite being one of the ones who enjoyed the old Outliers department). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I'm writing regarding...

Nutrition delivery for AIDS victims: professors create supply chain in Kenya.(Front Line)
March 1, 2006... Purdue University engineering professors are building a nutritional supply chain to help fight AIDS in Africa. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mark Lawley and Yuehwern Yih say that without proper nutrition, the drugs used to treat AIDS patients...

Supply chain gains.(PRIME NUMBER)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The 2005 Global Survey of Supply Chain Progress reports that 38% of respondents develop and execute supply chain strategy at the division or business unit level compared with only 18 percent in 2004.

Logistics fix for the flu: time to take a look at curing supply chain ailments.(Front Line)
March 1, 2006... Although the flu causes tens of thousands of deaths each year in the United States, vaccine to fight the illness is often in short supply when the flu season is at its peak. MIT-affiliated researchers have devised plans to get the vaccine...

Tracking the little blue pill: Viagra maker introduces RFID to combat counterfeiting.(Front Line)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... In its latest initiative to promote patient safety by combating pharmaceutical counterfeiting, Pfizer Inc. has begun to ship its first product containing radio frequency identification tags to customers in the United States. [ILLUSTRATION...

Economic litigation consultant.(UNCOMMON IE)(Bates White LLC provides economic litigation services)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... THE TASK AT HAND: Washington-D.C.-based Bates White LLC provides economic litigation consulting to law firms, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies. A consultant for the firm, Michelle Olenoski brings her data analysis skills to bear...

More nurses, better health care quality: increasing RN staff saves lives and patient days.(Front Line)(registered nurses)
March 1, 2006... Increasing the number of registered nurses and hours of nursing care per patient would save 6,700 lives and 4 million days of patient care in hospitals each year, concludes a study in the January/February issue of the journal Health Affairs....

Bipartisan bill to boost U.S. competitiveness: act implements NAS recommendations for science, technology investment.(National Academy of Sciences)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... A package of three bills collectively titled the Protect America's Competitive Edge Act was introduced by senators Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) in January. The PACE Act...

Small firms with big supply chains: simulation and visualization can improve expertise.(Front Line)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Recent work by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and at Pittsburgh's Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology demonstrates the capabilities of simulation and visualization technologies for improving supply chain...

In colorful company.(QUOTE, UNQUOTE)
March 1, 2006... "The musicals will feature five disparate heroes: an ape man, a vampire, a drug-addicted country-western singer, an efficiency expert, and a murdering pickpocket." Source: "Coming to Broadway in 2006: Offbeat Musicals, Celebrities,"...

Lean approach to distribution.(BOOK OF THE MONTH)(Book review)
March 1, 2006... As popular a productivity strategy as lean manufacturing has been in numerous and varied industries, few companies have implemented lean principles successfully across distribution operations. The biggest barrier is that most distribution...

Material handling event.(MUST-DO EVENT)
March 1, 2006... The Material Handling & Logistics Show & Conference (known more succinctly as NA 2006) is a comprehensive manufacturing, distribution, warehousing, and logistics trade event that allows visitors to see the latest productivity solutions....

Good, for nothing.(SITE TO SEE)
March 1, 2006... In addition to its standard software reviews, PC Magazine online (itself a noteworthy site) offers continually updated reviews of freeware--software to download and use without charge. Found at www.go.pcmag.com/freeware, the compendium of...

EDU briefs.(Front Line)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, has handed out its first master's of science degrees in logistics and supply chain management. The one-year business school program is distinct from other masters programs in that students are executives...

Dilbert.(Cartoon)
March 1, 2006... www.dilbert.com scottadams@aol.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 8-22-05 [c]2005 Scott Adams, Inc./Dist. by UFS, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [c]Scott Adams/Dist. by United Feature Syndicate, Inc..

Training AURA.(performance)(awareness, understanding, retention, and application)
March 1, 2006... MY EXPERIENCE AS A TRAINER HAS been varied. For the past two years, I have been solely doing classroom-style training--standing in front of the room and talking. For three years prior to that, I did hardly any classroom training even though, as...

Averting disaster.(Management software)
March 1, 2006... I RECENTLY MET WITH A CLIENT TO review plans for its new ERP software implementation. The company is a family-owned manufacturer of mechanical components for original equipment manufacturers in automotive, electronics, and other industries. The...

You did what?(Human factors)
March 1, 2006... IN PAST COLUMNS, I HAVE DISCUSSED a few specific issues that routinely crop up in the human factors world. However, a recent experience prompted me to address a more fundamental issue: Just what the heck is human factors? A client required...

Engineering quality success.(Quality management)(Company overview)
March 1, 2006... BRAVA GROUP, A MEDIUM-SIZED plastics company just outside Mexico City, is one of the top performers in its field. Emerging competitors are threatening its market share and revenues. The company had to optimize its modus operandi, but it...

The trust factor: a little reliance goes a long way in meeting lean goals.(Cover story)
March 1, 2006... Trust and organizational waste may appear to be unlikely bedfellows at first glance, but they are closely linked. The lean enterprise business model has taught us that process waste is a symptom of an underlying root cause. To eliminate waste...

Epic designs: student engineering projects reach into communities.(Engineering Projects in Community Service)
March 1, 2006... The idea behind Engineering Projects in Community Service, or EPICS, was to create symbiosis between engineering students and their communities--to make positive change in the community and at the same time get students some real experience...

Ergonomics 101: revisiting the basics of successful ergonomics programs.
March 1, 2006... At IIE's Applied Ergonomics Conference last year, more than 100 people signed up for the pre-conference seminar "Ergonomics 101: The Basics of Ergonomics and Ergonomics Programs." This attendance far exceeded expectations. The four-hour course...

Happy together: by integrating lean and Six Sigma, your company can live profitably ever after.
March 1, 2006... Lean and Six Sigma have become the two most popular methods for improving manufacturing productivity and quality. Service functions and industries are following close behind. We can thank bottom-line results and marketing by consultants for the...

A measured sortie.(SOLUTIONS IN PRACTICE)(Corpus Christi Army Depot )
March 1, 2006... For nearly 50 years, the Corpus Christi Army Depot has played a vital role in American national security. Established in 1947 as a small maintenance facility for fixed-wing aircraft, the depot has evolved into the U.S. Army's largest helicopter...

Research.(production planning and control)
March 1, 2006... Highlighted below from IIE Transactions are research papers on production management strategies in two different contexts. The first is concerned with planning production and inventory for a traditional product facing highly seasonal demand and...

ERP inputs.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
March 1, 2006... Q: Given a discrete manufacturing plant that fabricates and assembles parts, it is required to develop standards as an input to the ERP's routing and capacity planning. What is the approach an IE should employ? A: This is a very good and...

Ready to step up.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Q: I currently work as a business analyst/project manager responsible for design, development, and implementation of manufacturing information systems. I recently got my M.B.A. in entrepreneurship. I want to change my career from a supporting...

Force and posture data.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
March 1, 2006... Q: I am working on a task force analysis and I was wondering if you would know where I could find force and posture data on how much force men and women can exert in different anatomical positions. Any references or links would be greatly...

Joy in work.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
March 1, 2006... Q: I am going back to school to get my master's degree in industrial and systems engineering management systems. I earned my bachelor's degree from the same university last year. I do a lot of volunteer work in Baltimore with underprivileged...

Heijunka production control.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Q: We are currently implementing a Heijunka production control system into a bulk manufacturing area. This area manufactures eight different products that are fed to five packaging lines. The lines operate to a fixed repeating schedule. I am...

Risk management roundtable: forum presents experts who've been there, done that.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... To combat the growing number of threats to everyday business operations, many corporations are working to design and implement effective enterprisewide risk management systems. But a recent report based on a survey conducted by The...

Protective engineer honored: using IE to bolster homeland security.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Back in his days as an undergrad at the University of Houston, Mario Duarte knew exactly where his career path would take him. The young industrial engineering student was convinced that his choice of studies would prove integral to homeland...

Furthering diversity: UPS continues supporting scholarships for women and Minorities.(University of Puget sound)
March 1, 2006... Daniel O'Dwyer of UPS recently presented IIE with a check for $15,350 to fund scholarships for women and minority industrial engineering students. The UPS Scholarship for Women, the UPS Scholarship for Minorities, and the Excellence Award for...

A win by design.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... At the Region 14 conference at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, one of the smallest delegations took home the biggest prize. The January conference attracts IE students and professionals from all across Canada and is home...

University of Tennessee.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Adedeji Badiru, Ph.D., professor and department head of industrial and information engineering at the University of Tennessee, was elected a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering. His citations for the election included promotion of...

Auburn University.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Auburn University industrial engineering professor emeritus and IIE fellow J.T. Black, Ph.D., was named a fellow by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. ASME cited Black's work in the use of transmission and scanning electron...

Breed University.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Wallace J. Hopp, Ph.D., Breed University professor in the department of industrial engineering and management sciences at Northwestern University, received the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Award. The award recognizes his...

University of Pittsburgh.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Kim Norris, a senior industrial engineering major and outside hitter for the University of Pittsburgh's volleyball team, was named the university's 2005 Academic Award recipient. Norris has a 3.52 grade point average and has been integral to a...

American National Standards Institute.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Bob Noth, manager of engineering standards for John Deere, has been named chairman of the board of the American National Standards Institute. Noth, who will serve in the position for up to three years, has been involved with ANSI since 1990. In...

Lift tickets.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)
March 1, 2006... Vestil's Double Scissor Lift tables have a 3,000-pound-per-square-inch hydraulic component rating and a brass safety velocity fuse to stop a fall in case of loss of hydraulic pressure. Other features include an electric toe guard to protect...

Work perfect: the day we strive for.(Goals of hospitality industry)
March 1, 2006... We're responsible for the upkeep and revitalization of our existing fleet and, more important, we're responsible for the design and conceptualization of our future ships. In this position, you get to see where the industry is heading before the...