Industrial Engineer articles from October 2007

Industrial Engineer archives from October 2007

No knowledge left behind.(editor's desk)(Editorial)
October 1, 2007... The toughest work I ever did was at a sweet corn processing facility during a summer break from college. Clad in ear protection, hardhat, and rubber apron, gloves, and boots, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with co-workers snatching ears of corn...

Slack off.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... I wish to congratulate Michael Maddox for a well-written article ("No need for slack time," September). I would like to add some details about the example he discussed: the next-generation air traffic control system. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

No sympathy for 'scam'.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... In reference to the "Lies, Fraud, and Felony" article (August), I think it would have been useful to have provided the details as to what this guy actually did. Because once your readers see the details of the crime, I don't think they are as...

Just-in-time chimes.(RANTS AND RAVES)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... I enjoyed David Brandt's article in the July issue of Industrial Engineer ("Saving Lives Just in Time"). Our book includes some of the ways techniques such as JIT that originated in manufacturing are being extended to services. ...

Big boost for science and technology: passage of act will add billions to research and education.(Front Line)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... With the passage of the America COMPETES Act into law, $33.6 billion will be authorized for projects in science and technology, including research, education programs, and teacher training. Signing the bill in August, President George W....

Competitive in a global economy.(BOOK OF THE MONTH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Almost every American company is sourcing goods and parts from other countries. But along with cheaper pricing comes greater risk. More stringent export laws and increased security measures have made organizations vulnerable to fines and even...

Trade deficit in technology products: NSF cites growing trade imbalance between U.S. and Asia.(Front Line)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... U.S. technology product imports exceeded exports for the first time in 2002, starting a trend that left a $38.3 billion trade deficit in 2006 after reaching a high of $44.4 billion in 2005. A recently released National Science Foundation...

To the land of the free: immigrant scientists and engineers cite family as top incentive.(Front Line)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
October 1, 2007... The latest statistics from the National Science Foundation reveal that more than one-third of immigrant scientists and engineers report that the most important reason they came to the United States was family-related (37 percent). Other reasons...

Creative tension.(QUOTE, UNQUOTE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... "You cannot create in that atmosphere of confinement or sameness. Perhaps one of the mistakes that we made as a company--it's one of the dangers of Six Sigma--is that when you value sameness more than you value creativity, I think you...

IE represented at U.N. meeting: two IIE fellows invited as delegates.(Front Line)(Conference news)
October 1, 2007... Two distinguished members of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, both fellows, attended the July United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit. Held in Geneva, Switzerland, the historic gathering was attended by more than 1,000 leaders from...

Fatal work injuries down.(Front Line)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
October 1, 2007... Fatal work injuries in the United States were down slightly in 2006 from the previous year, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in August. There were 5,703 fatal injuries in...

iPhone helps students win NASA prize.(Front Line)(United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Apple's new iPhone has already proven to be a big hit with a team of Purdue University graduate students who captured a $2,500 cash prize and an invitation to a NASA launch by writing the winning paper in a space systems engineering contest....

Phony pharmaceuticals.(PRIME NUMBER)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Global sales of counterfeit drugs amounted to $32 billion in 2003--10 percent of all medicines sold worldwide, according to a recent study by the world Health Organization.

Mad scientists, unite!(SITE TO SEE)
October 1, 2007... With new projects posted every week, the Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories blog offers a bit of everything for the do-it-yourself mad scientist. Recent postings include making an inexpensive photographic light tent, teaching electronic circuitry...

Dilbert.(Cartoon)
October 1, 2007... www.dilbert.com scottadams@aol.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 4-18-06 [c]2006 Scott Adams, Inc./Dist. by UFS, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [c]Scott Adams/Dist. by United Feature Syndicate, Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Fellows tackle imposing issues: profession's leaders respond to NAE 'challenges' project.(Front Line)(National Academy of Engineering)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The National Academy of Engineering initiated a worldwide brainstorming session with the launch of its Grand Challenges for Engineering project earlier this year, and some of the most prominent members of the Institute of Industrial Engineers...

Learning safety early: partnership prepares students for the workplace.(Front Line)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... As part of an effort to increase job-safety training and awareness among younger Americans, scientists from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have joined with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other groups to...

Poker pro.(UNCOMMON IE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... THE TASK AT HAND: One of the top players in the World Series of Poker, Humberto Brenes is known as much for his charisma and colorful attire as he is for his spot-on card sense. Holding an industrial engineering degree from the University of...

The trouble with teams.(performance)
October 1, 2007... ONE OF THE MOST COMMON APPROACHES used to implement lean, Six Sigma, or process excellence is the project team. Consultants come in, work with a variety of employee groups to identify possible areas where improvement is needed, and then form...

Automate purchase-to-pay.(management)
October 1, 2007... HOW DO YOU SUPPORT LARGE, ONE-OFF projects with manual systems and limited resources? This was the question by a startup wireless telephone company that aimed to build a hybrid cell phone and satellite phone network. Employees are now in...

Beat back-to-budget blues.(supply chain)
October 1, 2007... BACK WHEN WE WERE STUDENTS, FALL meant hitting the books again. Now that we're professionals it often means doing the books again as we create our annual budget for the following year. While you can't control some of the big-picture factors...

Business in special forces: process improvement advances Army recruitment efforts.
October 1, 2007... In the first year of a $1 billion ad campaign spun by nine agencies, the U.S. Army can't confirm any return on investment. The latest slogan, "Army Strong," is emblazoned on millions of leaflets scattered throughout active regions of war,...

Modern career navigation: preparing for success despite uncertainties.
October 1, 2007... If a single word had to be used to describe the modern industrial engineer, a term such as eclectic or diversified would be appropriate. Even the profession itself could be termed similarly given its breadth of applicability. Industrial...

Bargain optimization: Dollar General benefits from supply chain, distribution network.
October 1, 2007... In the world of retail, it isn't always the size of the box that counts, but rather what can be found inside. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's an argument of best laid plans undoubtedly preached in the corporate halls of Dollar General. A...

By the book: material handling thrives in a quiet, well-lit place.
October 1, 2007... Libraries hardly get credit for participating in a roadmap for future supply chains and the material handling strategies that support them--particularly in this day and age of compressed, paperless e-books. But, in fact, those libraries that...

The age shift: mature employees test workplace malleability.
October 1, 2007... Age is gaining on us. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2002, roughly 7 percent of the 6.2 billion global population was at least 65 years old. Projections suggest that by 2050, this figure will climb to nearly 17 percent, with...

Built with scientific muscle: successful DC design applies mathematic principles.
October 1, 2007... Companies with a goal of improving their logistics and distribution operations may not know where to begin. In the same way that a medical research scientist follows a logical and empirical method for developing a cure, the distribution design...

Budgeting beds helps hospital.(SOLUTIONS IN PRACTICE)
October 1, 2007... Hurricane Katrina brought deadly and destructive weather into the city of New Orleans in August 2005. The onslaught of Hurricane Rita several weeks later delivered a second punch to the city's infrastructure. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Research.
October 1, 2007... Described here are two whitepapers that appear in the October issue of IIE Transactions, which focuses on rescheduling (Vol. 39, No. 10). The first article describes rescheduling tasks in a large project when unanticipated events occur and the...

Automation vs. machinization.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q: What is the difference between automation and machinization? A: Both machinization and automation refer to the use of machines to replace humans. Specifically, machinization refers to the duplication of skilled human effort; automation...

The right belt.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Q: What is the eligibility for earning a Six Sigma yellow belt? Does it have any educational equivalent such as an undergraduate or graduate degree or is it just a certification? A: In commonly accepted terminology, the yellow belt is...

Work imbalance.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
October 1, 2007... Q: We are converting some processes to lean. We have a high manual labor content in our processes and all work is done with pneumatic guns. We have combined the following three processes: one person on the first process (with work-in-process in...

Service takt time.(ANSWERS TO YOUR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS)
October 1, 2007... Q: How do you apply takt time to a service industry? A: As you know, takt time is the available time divided by customer demand. You never know the exact customer demand until the day is over; therefore, the takt time value is always an...

Inbox update: revamped electronic newsletter links members with events, information.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)
October 1, 2007... The Institute of Industrial Engineers has put a new spin on an old format. IIE Focus is an informative resource of educational opportunities, industry topics, and relevant hyperlinks delivered to IIE members' inboxes every month. Each...

SHS Conference to shine in Florida: attendees can save on registration, attend two conferences.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Conference news)
October 1, 2007... Attendees at an annual IIE conference next February shouldn't have to worry about packing their winter clothes. The Society for Health Systems Conference is set to take place Feb. 21-24, 2008, at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando, Fla. The...

2007 IIE society and division awards.(KEEPING PACE WITH IIE)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The following IIE society and division awards were given to recipients at the 2007 IIE Annual Conference in May in Nashville, Tenn.: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Student Paper Award (Construction Division): Larry B. Nabatilan, Bharat...

Rajan Batta, Ph.D., professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Buffalo, received the Research and Scholarship Award from the SUNY Research Foundation.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Rajan Batta, Ph.D., professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Buffalo, received the Research and Scholarship Award from the SUNY Research Foundation. His research topics include transportation planning and analysis of...

Sundaram Narayanan, Ph.D., P.E., was elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Sundaram Narayanan, Ph.D., P.E., was elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He is the founding executive director of the Wright State Research Institute and serves as a professor and chair of the...

Hanif Sherali, Ph.D., has been named a University Distinguished Professor by the Board of Visitors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(appointment)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Hanif Sherali, Ph.D., has been named a University Distinguished Professor by the Board of Visitors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Sherali is the W. Thomas Rice Chair of Engineering in the Grado Department of Industrial...

Victor Zaloom, Ph.D., was recognized for his 25-year tenure at Lamar University.(KUDOS CELEBRATING MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Victor Zaloom, Ph.D., was recognized for his 25-year tenure at Lamar University. He is a professor and chair of the department of industrial engineering as well as associate dean of engineering. His areas of expertise include risk analysis in...

Nokia.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Nokia's N800 series electronic tablet provides Internet access, instant messaging, e-mail, and Internet calling with optional video camera. The tablet is equipped with a high-resolution widescreen display, high-quality audio speakers and...

BlackBerry.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... An increasingly popular tool in a globalized world, the BlackBerry Curve 8300 smart phone is the smallest BlackBerry, although complete with a full keyboard, camera, media player, and expandable memory. It includes voice-activated dialing,...

Apple.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Apple's latest innovation, the iPhone, condenses the electronic packaging needed for cellular phone and Internet communication. Sold with 4 or 8 gigabytes, the iPhone is adaptable to Macs or PCs and works with Windows XP and Vista. It includes...

Interpretype LLC.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... When non-verbal communication is required in the workplace, Interpretype delivers the necessary solutions. Interpretype, or ITY, is a pre-programmed laptop-style computer that can send and display typed messages to other ITY devices or another...

NextUp Technologies LLC.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... TextAloud is a software program that can read text aloud from e-mail, Web pages, and reports on a PC. The software can help you proofread your own writing, create voicemail messages, reduce eye strain by limiting necessary reading, and read...

NotePage Inc.(WHAT ENGINEERS WANT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... PageGate software allows for network paging or SMS messaging through e-mail, Web pages, command lines, text files, Internet, and mobile phone, among other methods. PageGate is a wireless-messaging/SMS/paging gateway, delivering messages from...

Work perfect: the day we strive for.(Interview)
October 1, 2007... We have a big logistics department and within that we have various groups. I'm the industrial engineering manager in the logistics process and methods group. I get involved in different types of projects in our 14 distribution centers located...