Industry Week articles from October 2007

Industry Week archives from October 2007

A robot buying spree: new orders received by North American-based robot companies rose 39% in the first half of 2007.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- Industry is buying. The evidence: New orders received by North American-based robot companies rose 39% in the first half of 2007, says the Robotic Industry Association (RIA). North American-based robot suppliers sold nearly...

Brandt on leadership--new rules for when to provide feedback: rule No. 1: just don't do it.(Viewpoint essay)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- I had a drink with McGillicuddy last night, and he told me to tell you--not in so many words, but you know McGillicuddy--that you need to cool it with the F-word. He says you've got your whole department doing it. You know...

Census of U.S. manufacturers--lean green and low cost: the 2007 Census reveals which elements are most essential to a successful manufacturing operation.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- The lean revolution is clearly underway within U.S. manufacturing companies, although the jury is still out on what exactly the end result of a lean initiative ought to be. According to the 2007 IW/MPI Census of Manufacturers,...

Continuous improvement--it's not just the shop floor: continuous improvement efforts should encompass all areas of an organization, not just production.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- In many companies engaged in continuous improvement efforts, the focus is on the shop floor to reduce lead time and cost while improving quality and on-time delivery. However, it's important to realize that improvement tools...

Cover your assets: providing credit to your customers is a good thing--until they stop paying.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- Anyone with a pulse can get credit these days. A look at the astronomical foreclosure rates on U.S. homes is a good indicator that some folks have overextended themselves, and it doesn't stop there. Many businesses also...

Five strategies to avoid port congestion: your supply chain doesn't have to slow down just because it's peak season if you follow these tips.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- October is traditionally the busiest month of the year when it comes to traffic at the major U.S. container ports, and this year looks to be a record-breaker, according to Paul Bingham, economist with market analyst firm Global...

Innovation grade: improvement needed: only 42% of organizations have the capabilities needed to make innovation a discipline, says recent study.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- With innovation regularly touted as the saving grace of American manufacturing as actual production increasingly moves overseas, one would think that U.S. firms were zeroed in on improving their innovation efforts. And...

Just in time--kid stuff: enough with the finger-pointing and the grandstanding: there is no excuse for poorly made products.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007--There's nothing more ridiculous than the sight of grown-ups playing with children's toys. And make no mistake, that's exactly what's going on with all the posturing and finger-pointing that have occurred in the wake of the recall...

Just say jishuken: another lean term from the Far East has landed on our shores.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007--So what is jishuken? As stated on Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc.'s Web site, jishuken is a "management-driven kaizen activity where management members identify areas in need of continuous improvement and spread...

Machine tools: tips for users: the trend is toward a multifunctional capability with the goal of eliminating most post-machining operations.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- When it comes to machine tools, rule No. 1 is to be up-to-date--about lean, the competition and the latest product capabilities, such as multitasking. "Manufacturing strategists need to build an appreciation of the capital...

Measuring trends help Haas sales trend upward: sales increased 30%.(Haas Automation Inc.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- In 2006, machine tool buyers seeking a manufacturing edge helped push Haas Automation Inc. to its best year in history. Sales of Haas CNC machine tools rose almost 24%, to 12,500 units, increasing revenue nearly 30% to more than...

Meet the new robots: the latest generation of robots offers performance advances, growing integration of vision and an enlarging capability to transform manufacturing.(General Motors Corp.)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- The time: 1961. General Motors' implementation of flexible robotic automation in Ternstedt, N.J., started U.S. manufacturing on the path to realizing a future depicted in a 1923 play by Karel Capek. In "R.U.R." (Rossum's...

Nanotech: the next American revolution?
October 1, 2007... For a U.S. manufacturing community beset by energy, materials and labor costs and struggling to remain competitive in the global economy, nanotech may have a positive impact that rises far beyond its small scale. Oct. 1, 2007 -- Russia's...

Offshoring in reverse: U.S. tech workers suddenly in demand are being courted by Indian IT companies.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- It's a testament to the ever-shifting dynamism of the flat earth that so much back and forth is occurring in the global IT outsourcing game. By now everyone knows about the big U.S. IT services companies (EDS, Accenture, IBM,...

Patent protection: your valuable intellectual property requires keen oversight. To help keep it safe, consider these actions.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- It's an exciting and nerve-wracking time in the world of patent protection. Patent reform legislation is wending its way through the U.S. Congress, and with it myriad industry voices are raised to advocate for and against...

The benefits of laser-assisted micro machining: with laser heating of cutting tool paths, researchers score a micro machining breakthrough on hard materials.(Georgia Institute of Technology)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- Need to shape miniature, hard-to-machine parts with three-dimensional micro and meso scale features? Test results at Georgia Institute of Technology show that mechanical micro machining can still be the best way--if a laser is...

They're not getting any younger: focus on ergonomics is becoming more critical as the workforce gets older.
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- It's expected that the aging workforce will cause some aches and pains for manufacturers as the baby boomers retire and leave the plant floor without skilled replacements. But manufacturers already are experiencing symptoms of a...

Top 10 cost-reduction strategies during a divestiture: best practices tips.(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Oct. 1, 2007 -- Manufacturers can enhance shareholder value by keeping overhead costs in line with the overall financial model. Jeff Weirens, Christine Cutten and Marco Sguazzin of Deloitte Consulting LLP offer the following list of the top 10...