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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Boeing 747-8 Freighter Takes First Flight Today
February 8, 2010 3:41 am | by George Tibbits, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSEATTLE (AP) — Boeing Co.'s giant 747-8 freighter should make its first flight Monday after performing well on taxi tests and reaching a top speed of about 103.5 mph, the company said. At 250 feet long, the plane is the largest Boeing has ever built and about 18 feet longer than the existing 747-400 jumbo jet.
Toyota Pulling Strings With Washington Pals
February 8, 2010 3:36 am | by Sharon Theimer, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Toyota has friends in high places in Washington, including some of the very people now investigating the Japanese automaker. The company has sought to sow good will and win allies with lobbying, charitable giving, racing in the American-as-apple pie NASCAR series and, perhaps most important, creating jobs.
Power Plant Blast Kills 5, 95 Percent Workers Accounted For
February 8, 2010 3:27 am | by John Christoffersen, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsMIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut fire official says at least 95 percent of the nearly 100 workers who were at a power plant that exploded are accounted for. Middletown Deputy Fire Marshal Al Santostefano said Monday that most of the workers are accounted for, judging by conversations with contractors and labor union officials.
Chinese Seller Of Phony Cisco Parts Gets 2.5 Years
February 5, 2010 10:02 am | News | CommentsLOS ANGELES (AP) — A Chinese businessman who sold phony Cisco computer parts to U.S. buyers has been sentenced to 2½ years in federal prison. The U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles announced the sentence Friday against Yongcai Li. He also was ordered to repay nearly $800,000 to Cisco Systems Inc.
Wis. Gov. Signs Green Jobs Bill To Rake In Stimulus Cash
February 5, 2010 9:57 am | News | CommentsMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Jim Doyle says a bill he signed into law will help the state increase access to federal bonds and create hundreds of jobs in Wisconsin. Doyle signed the bill Friday at Energy Composites, a wind blade manufacturing plant in Wisconsin Rapids. The bill allows cities and counties to tap into unused bonding authority given under the federal stimulus law.
Safer Hopper Dumping
February 5, 2010 9:39 am | Product Releases | CommentsRoura Material Handling (Clinton Twp., MI) has developed MHR (Mechanical Hopper Release) system, which helps to prevent a forklift operator from having to get off the lift in order to dump a self-dumping hopper. According to the company, the MHR is a new solution for safely handling bulk material and waste.
Go Retro On Your Roof
February 5, 2010 9:38 am | Product Releases | CommentsThybar Corporation (Addison, IL) now offers the Retro-Curb, an insulated roof curb that allows for unrestricted positioning on standing seam roof systems. The curb has a flat, pre-punched base flange that can be cut out to allow perfect alignment with the seams on the roof, and they are custom designed to accommodate any roof slope.
Pick-To-Anything
February 5, 2010 9:38 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Real Time Solutions order fulfillment system from Intelligrated (Cincinnati, OH) has been re-launched, and now features pick-to-light, pick-to-voice, and pick-to-cart. Features of the system include: Pick-to-Light Bright lights, LED displays, and flashing indicators to provide direction to the correct pick locations and pick quantities.
Laser Alignment Isn't A 'Bore'
February 5, 2010 9:34 am | Product Releases | CommentsPinpoint Laser Systems (Peabody, MA) introduces two bore alignment accessories for the Laser Microgage line. These new mounts can accommodate bore diameters as large as 3’, and as small as 2 ½”. The Laser Microgage projects a visible reference beam that extends out to 180 feet and is accurate within 0.
Laser Sensor Innovations Improve Tire Manufacturing
February 5, 2010 9:04 am | by Dr. Walt Pastorius, Technical Marketing Advisor and Mr. Martin Sanden, Market Manager, LMI | Articles | CommentsIntroduction Tire and rubber manufacturers today are requiring inspection systems to detect small geometric defects wherever they occur on the rubber surface in both final and in-process inspection operations. To increase quality and improve product safety, these smaller areas of dimensional variation or defects must be detected with very high reliability.
Skydiving From Space
February 5, 2010 9:02 am | by by Paul Livingstone, Senior Editor, R&D Magazine | Blogs | CommentsThe Red Bull Stratos team has kept itself under wraps until today’s press conference at the New York Academy of Sciences in NYC. The ambitious project marks the first major attempt at breaking an old but daunting skydiving record, one that starts at the edge of space.
GM Supplier, SL America, To Add 300 Jobs With $35m Expansion
February 5, 2010 8:38 am | News | CommentsNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Auto parts supplier SL America will add 300 jobs in a $35 million expansion at its SL Tennessee LLC plant in Clinton. A statement from Tennessee economic development director Matt Kisber's office said the new jobs in the planned $35 million expansion will be created by the end of 2010.
Time To Go On The Attack
February 5, 2010 5:23 am | Articles | CommentsMany economists have characterized stories about the decline of U.S. manufacturing as simply doom and gloom opinions. Ralph Keller of the Association of Manufacturing Excellence says of American manufacturing: “This is not the story of the death of manufacturing in the United States, just one of change and continuous improvement.
BAE Systems Closes Tenn. Plant, Cuts 173 Jobs
February 5, 2010 5:04 am | News | CommentsKNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Defense contractor BAE Systems said it is permanently closing its manufacturingplant in East Tennessee in a move that will eliminate 173 jobs. The plant in Grainger County made body armor for the military. Joe Coltman, vice president of personnel protection systems, said in a statement provided to the Knoxville News Sentinel that the permanent closure would be effective Friday.
Toy Company Fined $200K For Leaded Winnie The Pooh
February 5, 2010 3:54 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. company has agreed to pay a $200,000 penalty to settle allegations it violated U.S. law when it imported Thomas and Friends, Curious George and Winnie the Pooh toys with high levels of lead. The Consumer Product Safety Commission alleged that Schylling Associates Inc.
