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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Hyundai Marked As Biggest Automaker Threat
October 2, 2009 3:53 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsTOKYO (AP) — Hyundai Motor Co. — not the up-and-coming Chinese, nor the leaner meaner Americans — is the automaker that has the Japanese seriously worried. Talk to any Japanese auto executive, and the official is likely to say the South Korean automaker is rapidly emerging as the most feared competitor to Japan's world-leading car companies.
Chips Conduct 16% Less August Sales
October 2, 2009 3:49 am | News | CommentsSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Global sales of semiconductors fell 16 percent in August to $19.1 billion compared to a year ago, according to an industry report Friday. But chip sales rose by 5 percent from the previous month, with strength in all geographic regions, the Semiconductor Industry Association said.
Senator Backs Northrop, Blocks Boeing's $35b Contract
October 2, 2009 3:47 am | by Donna Borak, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate Republican who backs Northrop Grumman Corp.'s bid for a disputed $35 billion Air Force tanker contract wants to withhold funding until the service resolves a company gripe with the competition. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama filed an amendment Thursday that would require the Air Force to release pricing information of previous bids from both Northrop and its partner, Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co.
Compressed Air Catalog
October 1, 2009 11:49 am | Product Releases | CommentsExair (Cincinnati, OH) has released its Catalog 23, a full-color technical guide, offering solutions to common industrial cooling, drying, conveying, blowoff, cleaning, and static electricity problems. The 160-page catalog features products that help companies conserve compressed air and reduce noise levels from operating machinery.
Efficient Chemical Handling
October 1, 2009 11:48 am | Product Releases | CommentsAlmatech (Kamp-Lintfort, Germany) announces the availability of its newest metal pneumatic diaphragm pump for the use in the handling of chemical. The product chambers for the CHEMICOR sereis have been designed to meet the sensitive needs of chemical handling due to their smooth flow channels and lack of dead spaces.
Keep The Noise Down
October 1, 2009 11:45 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Vibro-Curb, now available from the Thybar Corporation (Addison, IL), includes integral, vibration-dampening spring isolators that can be easily accessed. These curbs have been designed for mounting rooftop HVAC units. Features and benefits of the Vibro-Curb system include: The ability to add roofing at a later date without disturbing the unit.
UL-Certified Surge Protection
October 1, 2009 11:44 am | Product Releases | CommentsThomas & Betts (Richmond, VA) announces that their entire line of Current Technology surge protection devices have been evaluated and approved under the new UL standards going into effect on September 29, 2009. The new UL standard, replacing the second edition of UL 1449, prevents manufacturers from selling non-compliant devices until they are proven to meet the new, more robust criteria.
Being A Real Tool
October 1, 2009 8:41 am | by by Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director, IMPO | Blogs | CommentsWednesday was my first day in the office last week, as the first two allowed for a dynamic range of visits that ran the gamut from medical equipment firms to a private label chocolate processor. No offense to the good people at the surgical device companies, but the tempting smells and allure of the subject matter (along with a couple of sweet samples that were so graciously provided) made the chocolate company portion of the trip a definite highlight of this sabbatical from the office environment.
Automated Storage Makes A Play For Sustainability
October 1, 2009 8:13 am | Articles | CommentsAlthough the term “carbon footprint” has been added to the latest edition of Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, few users of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) have added it to their corporate dictionary. As a result, most companies still focus on traditional justification measures, overlooking the value of a facility’s carbon footprint.
Steamlining For 'Incredible' Efficiencies
October 1, 2009 6:41 am | Articles | CommentsFor any large industrial manufacturer handling 13,000 SKUs in their assembly parts warehouse, it is no small organizational challenge to keep production requirements satisfied without a hitch. But integrate into that system a full-scale aftermarket fulfillment distribution center with 80,000 additional active SKUs needing to be processed simultaneously, and you have the recipe for a potential logistics meltdown.
Doing A 180
October 1, 2009 4:55 am | Articles | CommentsVia Hossfeld Bender . This video demonstrates the process behind creating a 180 degree bend in a length of pipe. See how to mount the 180 degree die, the back block, and the draw block, with additional tips to keep your components working strong well into the future. Have any comments or questions about our Thursday video editions of IMPO Insider? Or do you have a video you'd like to see featured in one of our deployments? Email me at Joel.
Hop Aboard The Jet-Powered Merry-Go-Round
October 1, 2009 4:55 am | Articles | CommentsHere at IMPO , we like discovering the best in new technolgies, whether it's a oddly-shaped device that encourages sedentariness from a major automaker, or a jet-powered, steampunk-inspired merry-go-round. Built by a Brooklyn-based arts collective, The Madagascar, the ride is relatively simple. Ignore the "Caution: This may kill you!" sign, fire up the massive jets, and get airbourne.
Like A Bird On A Wire
October 1, 2009 4:53 am | Articles | CommentsSee how maintenance is performed on live, high-powered electric lines. Thanks to Michael Faraday's theory that a man enclosed in a metallic box will not be affected by an electric current supplied to the box, regardless of its voltage, this work is now possible. Every movement has an elegance and beauty, even when there's half a million volts flowing over his body.
Our Robot Future
October 1, 2009 4:46 am | Articles | CommentsVia FORA.Tv . At Maker Faire 2009 iRobot CTO Rodney Brooks had the opportunity to speak about the future of robotics in manufacturing. He argues that "untouchable" robots are a thing of the past, even though they're just reaching their hayday in manufacturing facility. But they're dangerous; no one can get close unless they're shut down.
Yep, Walking Is So 20th Century
October 1, 2009 4:44 am | Articles | CommentsThe U3 X from Honda hopes to, like the Segway, "revolutionize" the way people move around their lives. The UX 3 is small, sleek, and looks relatively easy-to-use. It's certainly more attractive than the Segway. So what do you think? Can we abandon walking altogether yet? Have any comments or questions about our Thursday video editions of IMPO Insider? Or do you have a video you'd like to see featured in one of our deployments? Email me at Joel.
