Industrial Engineer articles from November 2006

Industrial Engineer archives from November 2006

IIEnet.org grows up.(editor's desk)(Editorial)
November 1, 2006... MySpace, YouTube, and Facebook: Who could have foreseen, a decade ago, that the biggest thing on the Internet would be social networking? Of course, most of us back then didn't foresee much of the online functionality that we take for granted...

Supply chain IT enables coordination: better financial performance reported.(Front Line)
November 1, 2006... Technology-based supply chain management systems have a positive impact on a manufacturing company's financial performance, according to a University of Arkansas researcher. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Our results suggest that inventory...

Your new home page.(SITE TO SEE)(www.iienet.org)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... If you haven't been to the Institute of Industrial Engineers online home in a while, you're in for a surprise. About the only thing that hasn't changed in recent weeks is the URL: www.iienet.org. The site has been completely transformed with an...

First culture, then performance.(BOOK OF THE MONTH)(Brief article)(Book review)
November 1, 2006... According to performance specialist and Industrial Engineer columnist Kevin McManus, most improvement efforts fail because the existing work culture doesn't support high-performance thinking and behavior. His solution: To shift a work culture,...

Education manager.(UNCOMMON IE)(Carlos Contreras )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... THE TASK AT HAND: As Arizona education manager for Intel, Carlos Contreras administers some of the $100 million that the silicon innovator invests in education programs worldwide. Intel's Computer Clubhouse, for example, provides an...

Avoiding runway errors: ergonomics clarifies airport taxiing complexity.(Front Line)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Major airports around the country will be safer after they implement a new Federal Aviation Administration standard to help prevent runway incursions--occurrences that create collision hazards. The new safety standard draws on findings from...

Depriving women means depriving U.S.: science and engineering gender bias in universities.(Front Line)
November 1, 2006... Women face barriers to hiring and promotion in research universities in many fields of science and engineering. This situation deprives the United States of an important source of talent as the country faces increasingly stiff global...

Las mejores universidades: top 10 engineering schools for Hispanics.(Front Line)(Brief article)(List)
November 1, 2006... 1. University of Texas at El Paso College of Engineering 2. Purdue University College of Engineering 3. Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering 4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Engineering 5....

The lean prescription: problematic; Pharmaceuticals not finding satisfaction.(Front Line)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Despite its popularity in the automotive and high-tech industries, lean manufacturing hasn't enjoyed the same success in the pharmaceuticals industry, where complex manufacturing processes are used. This is according to the results of a recent...

Quality improvement for warehouses.(Front Line)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... According to a January survey of warehousing professionals, benchmarking is by far the most popular quality improvement tool in use for warehouse process improvement. Benchmarking 58% ISO 9000 35%...

Not a pretty scenario.(QUOTE, UNQUOTE)
November 1, 2006... "It's a big, ugly issue. Every [manufacturing] CEO today is concerned about worker shortages. They don't know where their employees are going to come from." --Manufacturing 21 Coalition Executive Director Norm Eder, commenting on the lack...

Seeking operational nirvana.(PRIME NUMBER)
November 1, 2006... Continuous improvement methods are being applied by 80% of manufacturers, with lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, total quality management, and the theory of constraints being the most popular programs to improve operational performance. ...

Dilbert.(Cartoon)
November 1, 2006... www.dilbert.com scottadams@aol.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 9-12-05 [c] 2005 Scott Adams, Inc./Dist. by UFS, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [c] Scott Adams/Dist. by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

No time for projects.(performance)(industrial management)
November 1, 2006... I VIVIDLY RECALL A CONVERSATION I HAD with my boss almost 15 years ago. I was serving in my first role as a change initiative leader, and he was attempting to discover why our front line supervisors and managers weren't supporting a new change...

When inventory goes missing.(management)(railcar missing from a locomotive company)
November 1, 2006... AFTER TAKING THEIR NORMAL MONTHLY physical inventory count at their largest factory, our client reported an entire railcar of expensive raw material lost. Our experience with similar situations indicates that the inventory was not lost or even...

Working with nature: Children's Museum of Pittsburgh salutes the elements.
November 1, 2006... KNOWN FOR ITS RIVER BRIDGES AND ICONIC architecture--Three Sisters Bridge, the Cathedral of Learning, and the Motor Square Garden Building, for example--Pittsburgh exemplifies Pennsylvania's commitment to sustainable living with 45 certified...

Ergo imagination at work: GE France conjures new method for X-ray table assembly.
November 1, 2006... Lower backs swelled. Necks cramped. Shoulders wore. Wrists sprained. It wasn't back-breaking, but the work led to aches and pains among workers along an assembly line in Buc, France. The town, located approximately 250 miles east of Paris,...

The last bastion of inefficiency: faster decision making is a vein of productivity gold.
November 1, 2006... An elephant is hiding in the boardroom. A giant of a beast is sucking up vast amounts of profit and time while simultaneously demoralizing the rest of the corporation. It's a behemoth that trumpets inefficiency with defiance, one that has no...

Six Sigma speed: faster results come from a lean culture.
November 1, 2006... THE LEAN MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT ONLY CAPTURED the essence of Henry Ford's statement, it has also used his words as a cornerstone for creating a lean culture: "The longer an article is in the process of manufacture and the more it...

Critical chain project management flies.(SOLUTIONS IN PRACTICE)
November 1, 2006... In 2004, the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in southern Georgia was flying high. Officials had significantly reduced the number of days required for the repair and overhaul of the C-5 Galaxy aircraft from nearly 360 in late 2000 to about...

Research.(integration strategy used in retail trade)(Column)
November 1, 2006... Below are summaries of two research papers appearing in the November 2006 issue of IIE Transactions (Vol. 38, No. 11). They concern inventory management in complex settings. The first paper explores whether--in view of the cost of holding...

Labor tracking.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Column)
November 1, 2006... Q: Where can I find a system that allows me to track at what step in a process sheet each assembler is working? I've seen some that use bar codes to track this, but I don't know where to find them or if there are any easier ways to accomplish...

Simulating truck movement.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Q: Simulation is considered a tool for industrial engineers, so can we use this tool in scheduling and planning trucks' movements in a factory that moves semi-finished material from one location to another? Can you find the optimal number of...

Major decision.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(employment of a maths graduate to engineering positions)(Brief article)(Column)
November 1, 2006... Q: I am currently a math major. Do employers hire math majors in industrial engineering positions? A: The short answer is not usually. As someone who hired people for industrial engineering positions, I was always looking for at least one...

Defining moments.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
November 1, 2006... Q: Is there an appreciable difference between product response time and lead-time? Which is the correct or preferred term to use? Is the major difference between product response time and production response time the number of activities...

Best on the Web since Google: site relaunch offers better look, user-friendly options.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(www.iienet.org)
November 1, 2006... The Web site for the Institute of Industrial Engineers has received an extreme makeover. The relaunched site, found by logging on to www.iienet.org, connects IIE members and other users to every aspect of IIE and the field of industrial...

All honors: recognizing success in the profession.(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... When it comes to getting that new job or earning a promotion, an award from the Institute of Industrial Engineers is one listing industrial engineers don't want to leave off of their resume. Recognition honors given by IIE are divided among...

Ergo on tour: march conference include tours, speakers, competition winners.(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... In its next incarnation, IIE's Applied Ergonomics Conference will celebrate its 10th year. Slated for March 12-15, 2007, at the Intercontinental Dallas in Addison, Texas, the event promises to be the year's best opportunity for ergonomists...

Annual conference takes worldly theme: globalization affects everyone.(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The 2007 IIE Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn., is several months away, but plans are already being made to enhance the attendee experience. The conference theme, "Industrial Engineering's Critical Role in a Flat World," is based on the...

About societies.(Institute of Industrial Engineers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Q: What are the societies associated with the Institute of Industrial Engineers? A: IIE has three societies: the Society for Health Systems, the Society for Work Science, and the Society for Engineering and Management Systems. While each...

Ansell's AlphaTEC.(Ansell's AlphaTEC protective gloves )(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... For chemical handling, Ansell's AlphaTEC gloves integrate microscopic channels in a patented ultra-thin nitrile layer. This system directs fluids away from the grip surface, leaving a significant dry contact area that provides almost the same...

Timberland.(On the production floor)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... For keeping feet protected and comfortable, Timberland suggests trying on its PowerWelt work boots. Made with full-grain leather that retain flexibility, the boots are waterproof and can withstand heat up to 346 degrees Fahrenheit. The Power...

Pillar Technologies.(On the production floor)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Pillar Technologies' Hand-held Induction Sealer gets its power through wireless, digital technology. The advanced system seals quicker than manual sealers, optimizing output and production time. The coil is designed to allow sealing of...

Anver Tube Lifting System.(On the production floor)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... When concrete parts or products are too heavy to move by hand, the Anver Tube Lifting System comes to the rescue. The tube operates with an overhead crane and features a foam-seal vacuum pad made of closed-cell foam with a serrated edge to seal...

Conveyor Technologies.(On the production floor)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... A stalled point along any conveyor can create production problems. Conveyor Technologies' 2-Minute Belt Change saves time on belt changes and helps avoid losses in time and money. The unit allows for belt changes in two minutes or less on small...

Work perfect: the day we strive for.(Delphi Corp.)
November 1, 2006... Since I was transferred here in January, my main responsibility has been for fuel injectors. I'm responsible globally for capacity. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Moving over 750 pieces of equipment is what I'm involved in right now on a...