Articles
Simple Ergonomic Steps To A More Productive Workplace
January 14, 2013 1:44 pm | by Jim Norton, President, Custom Products & Services, Inc. | CommentsOccupational diseases often mean repeated surgery, intractable pain, inability to work, time off for the affected employee and, ultimately, higher costs for the employer. Listed below are four steps a company can take to address this growing problem.
Opening The Operator’s Eyes: Internal Inspections For Overhead Lifting Equipment
January 14, 2013 1:38 pm | by Konecranes | CommentsAnyone who works with overhead lifting equipment will tell you that safety is absolutely crucial. From machine shop owners to warehouse floor managers, professionals who work in these environments understand how important it is to invest in the reliability and lifecycle of their heavy-duty equipment.
Welding Quality Systems To Support The Medical Device Industry
January 14, 2013 8:26 am | by Salay Stannard, Joining Technologies, Inc. | CommentsFrom IQ/OQ/PC (installation qualification/ operational qualification/performance qualification) documentation, to adherence to ISO 13485 quality management standards, to compliance with FDA good manufacturing practices; quality procedures and documentation pervade the entire organization.
The e-Go Aircraft Of The Future Gets Off The Ground
January 11, 2013 2:31 pm | by Trelleborg, AB | CommentsThe revolutionary new e-Go is truly an aircraft for the future. It’s small, light, fuel-efficient and eye-catching and will handle like a fighter plane. Currently under development in the UK, it is expected to go into production by the end of 2012. "We are in the business of flying for fun,” says Tony Bishop, the Cambridge-based company’s CEO.
When Lightning Strikes Your Plant Floor
January 11, 2013 10:28 am | by John Amann, Vice President of First Aid & Safety, Cintas Corporation | CommentsAlthough leaders within your business would like to believe disasters won’t occur, failing to prepare for one puts your workers and bottom line at risk. Preparing a disaster plan that details how to maintain safety and productivity, and reviewing it with employees can help your business be proactive and ensure the correct reactive solutions are onsite to limit the impact of workplace emergencies.
New Pet Food Facility Achieves Energy Savings With LED Lighting Fixtures
January 11, 2013 8:32 am | by Michael Schratz, Director of Marketing, Dialight | CommentsThrough combined energy and maintenance savings, the company expects a full return on its investment in less than two years and will benefit from improved visibility thanks to the clear, white light of the LEDs. The company needed an ultra-energy-efficient system to reduce consumption and fully leverage the benefits of its solar system.
Long Range Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
January 10, 2013 2:15 pm | by Terry Persun, Technology Journalist | CommentsUsing AllMotion miniature motor controls, a new research vehicle explores the upper water column of the ocean without the large footprint of an oversized propeller-driven AUV. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has developed the Tethys, long-range autonomous underwater vehicle (LRAUV) as a tool for ocean scientists.
The Only Certainty For Leaders Is That Change Will Occur
January 10, 2013 8:21 am | by Timothy F. Bednarz, Ph.D. | Author | Publisher | Majorium Business Press | CommentsIt is difficult to predict leaders' responses to change, as they must continually be on guard for unpredictable occurrences and forces, and in some cases immediately respond to a series of unknown and unanticipated events and circumstances. The only certainty is that change will occur.
Personal Products For The Disabled
January 9, 2013 10:15 am | by Terry Persun, Technology Journalist | CommentsIt’s not just good enough to create a product these days, it must be different, it must have its own look and feel, and it must be accepted by its clients. Smith Innovation begins most of their designs by talking with their clients, and sometimes even asking them for sketches.
Q&A: Picking And Implementing A Business Intelligence Tool
January 9, 2013 9:40 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsWith more manufacturers acknowledging the benefits analyzing massive amounts of data on both their internal operations and external supply chain, many have turned to business intelligence (BI) software in order to simplify the process. But as with many new IT developments, the provider landscape is vast and complex, and making a decision on which provider to use, and then how to implement it, is never an easy process.
The Kind Of Training You Really Need
January 9, 2013 8:24 am | by Mike Collins, Author, Saving American Manufacturing | CommentsSix million people have been laid off from manufacturing jobs since 2001, and still 5 percent of all manufacturing jobs (60,000 jobs) remain unfilled. The manufacturers don’t want to hire back the low-skilled people; they want multi-skilled people who can do a wide variety of jobs.
Volvo Truck’s New Fuel Advice
January 8, 2013 12:00 pm | by Volvo Trucks | CommentsVolvo Trucks is now launching Fuel Advice, a personal fuel advisor whose aim is to help hauliers cut their fuel costs while at the same time maintaining these improvements in the long-term perspective. The service consists of three modules: Fuel Coaching, Fuel Management Toolbox and Fuel Management Support.
Sometimes Success Means We Break The Rules
January 8, 2013 11:22 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | CommentsWithin a few weeks, word got around to the management that something was up. Complaints were made that the night shift wasn’t following the rules. Some of it was curiosity concerning how the smallest shift was processing the most product. Management decided to investigate.
Toyota Settles Class-Action Gas-Pedal Suit
January 7, 2013 2:12 pm | by Karl Stephan, Consulting Engineer, Texas State University, San Marcos | CommentsThere were at least two main suspected causes of these incidents. One, which Toyota admitted and issued massive recall notices to fix, involved a misfit between the gas pedal and certain floor mats that could catch in the pedal mechanism, making it difficult or impossible to slow down.
Lean Manufacturing: The Skinny on the Facts
January 7, 2013 12:35 pm | by Frank Hill, Stratus Technologies | CommentsNo matter how efficient the rest of your business is, if your IT isn’t running at full speed, your end-to-end operations aren’t either. Whether it’s as simple as email or as complex as MRP, today’s businesses are driven by IT. Systems running at half speed or not at all can result in missed deadlines, lost revenues and reduced customer satisfaction.
Sensing The Wireless Future
January 7, 2013 7:53 am | by Janine E. Mooney, Editor, WDD | CommentsWireless sensors are applicable for a variety of applications, whether it be smart cities (smart parking, smart lighting, waste management), industrial control (M2M applications, indoor air quality, temperature monitoring), eHealth (fall detection, patient surveillance, ultraviolet radiation) and many more.
How To Maintain Your Conveyor System Like A Pro
January 4, 2013 2:20 pm | by Diane Blair, Director of Customer Service Field Operations, Intelligrated & Ryan Balzer, Case Conveyor Product Manager, Intelligrated | CommentsWhen conveyor systems experience unplanned downtime, the costs add up quickly, especially during peak seasons. If one minute of downtime stops 350 cases from going out, and a case is worth $40, then that one minute of downtime could cost a company $14,000 in lost opportunities.
December ISM Report: A Better Note For U.S. Manufacturing
January 4, 2013 9:24 am | by Bradley J. Holcomb, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee | CommentsThe year ends on a better note in U.S. manufacturing. The overall economy continued to grow for the 43rd consecutive month while economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded, moving the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) back over the 50 percent mark in December, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
Prepare For The Inevitable: The Four Cornerstones Of Career Insurance
January 4, 2013 8:13 am | by Dr. Marty Martin | CommentsThere is more to job security than mastering job search skills. There are plenty of books about resume writing, networking, interviewing, and developing a LinkedIn profile. These job search skills are important, but not sufficient in an age when companies and even entire industries are undergoing radical changes.
2012 Energy Intelligence Report
January 3, 2013 1:09 pm | CommentsFind ways to save money through investing in energy efficient equipment and alternative energy solutions here! Included in this supplement are tips on the energy audit process, the Energy Incentive Guide and results of a recent survey on manufacturers' energy spending.
