Industrial Engineer articles from May 2004

Industrial Engineer archives from May 2004

We interrupt this broadcast ...(Editor's Desk)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... I WAS RATHER ASTONISHED WHEN MY HIGH-SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER first referred to television as an idiot box. Her comment certainly provoked independent thought, which I'm told is one of the purposes of education. What was wrong with spending an...

Ally McBeal should've known better.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... After almost two months gazing and pondering, I still remain perplexed by the choice of photograph to illustrate a road weary business traveler in Outliers ("Road Weary and Inefficient," February). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] No doubt such...

Call for a new plan.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... In 1990, I published a figure in The Design of the Factory with a Future in which, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics, I predicted that U.S. manufacturing employment would be 15 percent in 2000. I have added an averaging curve to the...

Taking time to say thanks.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... You are doing excellent work leading the path for improving our industrial engineering profession. I also want to congratulate Kenneth Musselman for his visit to Bogota, Colombia to the Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas ("The Road...

Out of sight.(Rants and Raves)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... This is to offer my congratulations on your improvement of our magazine. Keep up the good work. I would like for you to address an issue that applies to some of your older readers and others with less-than-perfect eyesight. In some cases...

Research appliance is unique in the U.S.: electron beam melting machine fabricates functional 3-D metal parts.(News, Trends & Tactics)
May 1, 2004... Researchers in North Carolina State University's industrial engineering department are excited about the potential of a new machine--the first of its kind in the United States--to make advances in biomedicine and space exploration. ...

Diminutive peril.(Quote, Unquote)
May 1, 2004... "Cheap personal manufacturing could disrupt economics and trade, destabilizing the world's current political systems." --Christopher Phoenix, director of research at the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology

Site to see: entrepreneurial aid.(Front Line)(Stanford Technology Venture Program)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Whether you believe entrepreneurs are born or made, a Web site created by the Stanford Technology Ventures Program offers a helping hand for engineers-turned-capitalists. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Developed with funds from the Kauffman...

Southpaw mouse is best.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Words to the wise for the millions of office workers at risk for musculoskeletal injuries as a result of computer use: Look left. Ergonomics experts say there is an advantage to using the computer mouse with the left hand, and they propose...

Book of the month: career survival isn't rocket science.(Front Line)(ADVICE TO ROCKET SCIENTISTS)(Book Review)
May 1, 2004... Jim Longuski's Advice to Rocket Scientists will find fans beyond students of aerospace engineering. In fact, students in any field of science or engineering will find the slim book useful, entertaining, and a quick read. [ILLUSTRATION...

Sensor technologies enhance factories.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A simulation engine that remotely controls factory processes in real time using data from sensors may be the next big thing in assembly line operations. The engine's visualization tool helps eliminate human errors, inadequate materials, or...

Product development challenges.(Front Line)
May 1, 2004... Ever-changing customer desires and increasing global competition make new product development efforts more challenging than ever, according to a supply chain survey conducted by IBM and Industry Week. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Manufacturing software gets financial boost.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The National Science Foundation has awarded a half-million-dollar Small Business Innovation Research grant to further develop manufacturing performance software that promises to help transform factories into world-class operations. The...

Events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2004... * MAY MAY 15 * Lean Enterprise: An Introduction seminar, Houston MAY 15 * Six Sigma Concepts seminar, Houston MAY 15-19 * IIE Annual Conference, Houston; www.iienet.org/annual MAY 17 * Enterprise Management...

Making elderly drivers safer: aging eyesight and hearing merit design consideration.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Human beings' senses dull with age, but there has been little study into how aging eyesight and hearing affect the way people perceive driving cues. Research at Virginia Tech is investigating the visual and auditory needs of elderly drivers in...

Hurtful behavior.(Prime Number)
May 1, 2004... The injury rate for airport screeners working under the Transportation Security Administration was 19.4 percent in 2003, nearly 14 percentage points higher than the average for all federal employees. Source: OSHA

Uncommon IE: back to school.(Front Line)(Nevada's Clark County school)(Interview)
May 1, 2004... Paul Gerner has made a career out of applying an industrial engineer's acumen to unconventional settings. After graduating from the University of Missouri at Columbia with an industrial engineering degree, Gerner joined the U.S. Navy as a pilot...

Target mandates RFID.(Front Line)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Following in the gigantic footsteps of Wal-Mart, Target, the fourth largest retailer in the United States, announced RFID mandates in February. Although tight-lipped about its exact plans, Minneapolis-based Target Corp. expects to begin...

Choosing our issues.(Performance)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM A university student named Bryon. He wanted my opinion about the most significant issues in business today and in the future. Our ways of thinking lead to the ways we define and prioritize problems. Currently, I...

Seeing really is believing.(Management)(Column)
May 1, 2004... A FEW YEARS AGO AT A STREET FAIR in Chicago, I watched a sleight of hand artist perform. Determined to penetrate the mystery of his art, I worked my way to the front of a small crowd for a clear view of every move he would make. He had his back...

Lights out on lights-out.(Manufacturing)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... A GROUP OF PLANT MANAGERS invited me to a conference not long ago to discuss the role of automation in lean manufacturing. They had become enamored with the idea of completely automating their manufacturing processes. But they were frustrated...

The economics of systems engineering.(Member Forum)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... "WOW!" I EXCLAIMED TO THE SLEEPing woman beside me on the plane. She adjusted her pillow and further shifted her back to me. There it was on my laptop screen: indisputable proof that systems engineering was having a positive, measurable impact...

A voluntary reaction.(2nd Annual Engineers Who Make a Difference)
May 1, 2004... Every once in a while, we are jarred out of our comfortable assumptions by the words and deeds of people who do great things. And we all profit from the shakeup. Certainly, it's good for the beneficiaries of these great-deed doers. But it's...

Human rights is not an option.(2nd Annual Engineers Who Make a Difference)
May 1, 2004... HOW IS HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION like industrial engineering? It sounds like a riddle, but to Shulamith Koenig, it's no joke. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "In the end, you want to get a product, you want to get a result, you want to get people...

Leading by example.(Engineers Who Make a Difference)
May 1, 2004... JIM GIBBONS BEGAN TO LOSE HIS sight in grade school as a result of macular degeneration. There was nothing doctors could do to halt the process. By his junior year of college, Gibbons was blind. As a young, academically successful industrial...

A staffing emergency: keeping emergency departments moving quickly and efficiently with simulation.
May 1, 2004... TWO TRENDS HAVE DOMINATED the performance of emergency departments in recent years. The first is a constant increase in the number of patients who seek medical care at the ED and the second is a decrease in staffing as manifested by a chronic...

Fired and famous: "Apprentice" alumna Kristi Frank goes on the record about success and competition.(NBC reality show)(Interview)
May 1, 2004... SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN YOU LOSE, YOU WIN. Who needs Harvard Business School when you've got a stint on Donald Trump's televised business school to put on your resume--even if you didn't exactly graduate? Kristi Frank was unable to complete her...

Beyond the low-hanging fruit: designing an enduring lean supply chain in the consumer packaged goods industry.(Fine Fruit)
May 1, 2004... FOUNDED IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE MID-19TH century, a company we will refer to as Fine Fruit is the largest producer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables in the world. This stalwart in the consumer packaged goods industry does business...

Executive summaries.(Research)(Human Performance Reliability: On-Line Assessment Using Fuzzy Logic)
May 1, 2004... A problem common to organizations across the spectrum of industrial engineering is the issue of human assessment. The paper highlighted below develops a dynamic model of human performance. The complete study on which it is based is in the May...

Splitting the run time.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
May 1, 2004... Q: In our factory, each machinist runs two machines at a time. We are discussing whether to split the run time (time standard) in half. Does anyone have experience with this type of factory? A: There are many instances of unattended...

OR opportunities.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
May 1, 2004... Q: I'm very interested in operations research, but I hear that the job prospects are not overwhelming. I'm a junior at Oregon State University and I'm planning to go to grad school. What are the job prospects in OR? Are there any emerging...

Sew what?(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
May 1, 2004... Q: Do you know of any standard data for sewing heavy-duty cloth such as canvas or Cordura? A: Have you looked into general sewing data? GSD is a specialized version of methods time measurement that's applicable to apparel operations. One...

Ergo processes.(Answers to Your Technical Questions)
May 1, 2004... Q: We are starting a companywide ergonomics program to identify issues, educate and train people, and fix problems. What can you tell me about implementing a new program or identifying companies with good programs to benchmark? A: Anyone...

Compare and contrast: comprehensive online salary survey for engineers.(Keeping Pace with IIE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... IIE, in partnership with the American Society of Civil Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and Survey Research Associates, is seeking participants for the 2004 Engineering Income & Salary Survey. Encompassing the five...

Ask away: Student Advisor program is better than cliffs notes.(Keeping Pace with IIE)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... In 2003, IIE implemented the Ask the Expert program, which allowed professional members to receive free, in-depth answers to engineering, technical, and management questions from experts in the field. The program has been an unprecedented...

Ergo-ings on: the best of the applied ergo conference and ergo cup competition.(Keeping Pace with IIE)
May 1, 2004... This year's Applied Ergonomics Conference in Orlando, Fla., was far and away the most successful outing in the event's seven-year history. Hosting more than 625 attendees, the conference enjoyed enthusiastic contributions from participants,...

Kudos celebrating member achievements.(Focus)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Ali Kamrani, Ph.D., was named an associate professor of industrial engineering in the Cullen College of Engineering at the University of Houston. Kamrani previously taught in the industrial and manufacturing systems engineering department at...

Healthy competition: SHS management engineering forum celebrates winners.(Focus)(Society for Health Systems)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... With almost 175 attendees, the 2004 Society for Health Systems Management Engineering Forum was the most successful SHS event to date. SHS includes health care professionals dedicated to improving the quality and performance of health care...

Peace of mind.(Focus)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... IIE recently established an agreement with Marsh Affinity Group Services to offer professional liability insurance to IIE members. "Professional liability insurance through Marsh Affinity Group Services offers IIE members highly competitive...

Chapter check-in: hooray for engineers!(Focus)(National Engineers Week)
May 1, 2004... Toronto Toronto's IIE chapter has been emphasizing social outreach in the community and involvement with the student chapters at the University of Toronto, Ryerson Polytechnic University, and Centennial College. In January, the chapter...

Ask IIE: fit to print.(Focus)
May 1, 2004... Q: Last month, I sent an item about an award our chapter won. Why haven't I seen it in the magazine? A: It's possible that there hasn't been enough time for the item to make it into print. The time between the start of work on an issue and...

New frontiers: National Engineers Week achieves its goals.(Focus)
May 1, 2004... Another National Engineers Week has come and gone, and once again, through work with the Future City competition and other efforts around the nation, IIE was part of the annual campaign to convey the relevance and importance of engineering....

UPS delivers on promise.
May 1, 2004... Caption: Daniel O'Dwyer of UPS presents IIE Corporate Operations Manager Donna Calvert with a check for $15,350 to fund scholarships for women and minority IE students in 2004. The UPS Scholarship for Women, the UPS Scholarship for Minorities,...

Rapid order processing.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The EasyPick system uses paperless, light-directed technology to increase the speed and accuracy of order picking in warehouses and distribution centers. Using a system of light units and LED counters, EasyPick directs pickers to each location...

Controlling hospital costs.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A typical hospital spends 15 percent to 25 percent of its annual budget on medical, surgical, and pharmaceutical supplies. Two new applications--Lawson Surgical Instrument Management and Lawson Par and Cycle Counting--enable hospitals to...

Picker power.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A new AC-powered horizontal order picker from Jungheinrich promises to increase warehouse and distribution center productivity. The ECE 20 features a fixed stand-on platform that allows order pickers to handle loads safely and efficiently. An...

Clever laptop tote.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The clever design of the Back Office case allows it to convert from a laptop carrying case to a useable desktop without removing the computer. The case is well-padded with shock-absorbing foam and is designed to be worn as a backpack or used as...

Surefire hires.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Job Candidate Profile is a pre-employment screening tool that helps employers make informed hiring decisions. The test, which can be administered on a PC or with a booklet and pencil, measures job applicants on four scales associated with...

All-terrain computing.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The GX-1200 is Glacier Computer's answer to industrial computing in harsh environments. Capable of being mounted on a forklift, the computer is designed to meet the rigors of the warehouse or the manufacturing floor, including vibration and...

More than a label maker.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The K5100 Handheld Portable Label and Wire-Marking Printer is the latest addition to Kroy's product line, Users can quickly change between label, self-laminating wire wrap, and shrink tube printing cartridges to perform a variety of functions....

Easy chair.(What Engineers Want)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... BioFit's AE series industrial chairs offer comfort, support, and durability for production, assembly, material handling, and other workplace applications. The chairs feature contoured saddle-shaped seats, a backrest that provides lumbar...

Well-heeled and confident: are scientists running out of things to study?(Beyond the Norm)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Physicists at the Institute of Physics in London have devised a formula that allows high-heel fans to establish their own upper limits of advisable elevation. Based on a person's shoe size, the formula determines the maximum heel height that...

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

Facing up to liars.(Beyond the Norm)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Liars often drop clues to their fraud by way of facial expressions or changes in vocal pitch. But most people do no better than 50/50 in determining if someone is telling the truth or not. Investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital in...