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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Coca-Cola, IBM Top List Of Trusted Brands
September 18, 2009 4:10 am | by Emily Fredrix, AP Marketing Writer | News | CommentsConsumers lost trust in brands this year as the recession deepened, according to an industry report released Thursday, although longtime staples Coca-Cola and IBM retained their spots as the world's two most valuable brands. This is the first time the combined value of the world's top 100 brands as ranked by Interbrand, a branding agency, has fallen in the 10 years Interbrand has assessed them.
Canadian Abitibi Loses 1,500 In Streamlining
September 18, 2009 3:59 am | News | CommentsMONTREAL — AbitibiBowater announced Thursday that it will suspend production indefinitely at several Canadian and U.S. mills in a corporate streamlining that will affect about 1,500 Canadian workers. The cuts, which begin Oct. 31, reflect the insolvent newsprint giant's restructuring efforts under the bankruptcy protection laws in Canada and the United States.
LA Scoops Up $670,000 From Pfizer Fine
September 18, 2009 3:54 am | News | CommentsBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A judge's approval of a settlement agreement between the state and Pfizer Inc. means Louisiana will receive more than $670,000 from the drug maker over alleged improper marketing of an antipsychotic drug. Louisiana was among the states that reached a $33 million settlement with Pfizer, the world's largest drug manufacturer.
Energy Awareness
September 17, 2009 6:23 am | Product Releases | CommentsCoastal Training Technologies (Virginia Beach, VA) and DuPont Safety Resources have collaborated to produce a new training DVD, titled Energy Smart , which helps promote general energy awareness. A 7-day preview is free, and the video will soon be released in Coastal’s ClarityNet online courseware.
Be In Sync
September 17, 2009 6:22 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe TML_LIB_X20 motion control library from Technosoft (Cincinnati, OH) is a collection of high-level functions and blocks allowing the control of a Technosoft intelligent drive from a B&R PLC. With the TML_LIB functions, customers can control drives individually or grouped by sending commands for simple, complex, or synchronized moves.
Score-less Pipe Cutting
September 17, 2009 6:22 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe RIDGID (Elyria, OH) Press Snap soil pipe cutter expands the original RIDGID line of press tools by providing an easy way to cut cast iron soil pipe. The Press Snap eliminates the need for manual ratcheting when connected to a RIDGID press tool, and there is no need to score the pipe beforehand.
Custom Motion Control
September 17, 2009 6:21 am | Product Releases | CommentsLowell Corporation (Worcester, MA) has expended its capacity for designing custom motion control components, and can now provide customized solutions for a variety of applications: paper and metal processing machinery, conveyors, chain binders, and more. If a customer requires a non-standard motion control device, Lowell can typically fill the need by modifying an existing product in its line, by altering the shape or size of the drive, adding or removing teeth on a gear, or changing the configuration of a handle.
Congress Approves Green Vehicle Funding
September 16, 2009 12:07 pm | by Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSeptember 16, 2009 WASHINGTON (AP) — Targeting more federal money to support the auto industry, the House on Wednesday approved an expansion of U.S. government-led research into making cars and trucks more fuel-efficient. The House plan would allow the Energy Department to spend up to $200 million more each year on research and development for advanced-technology vehicles and auto parts.
Biofuel Production From Algae
September 16, 2009 9:41 am | by David Rausen, Solix Biofuels | Articles | CommentsSeptember 17, 2009 The world’s dependence on finite, nonrenewable petroleum is at the heart of many of the environmental and energy challenges we face today. Additionally, transportation fuel use is a major contributor to global warming: more than 30 percent of the CO2 emissions in the United States come from the burning of petroleum fuel for transportation.
Virtual Forklifts To Clean Up Computer Screens
September 16, 2009 7:25 am | Articles | CommentsVia TirexiHD . Do you get home from work just wishing you could spend more time in a forklift? Now there's a way. Forklift Simulator 2009 allows users to take control of their own forklift after an extensive training session, allowing them to move around the plant floor and move the targeted pallets onto eagerly waiting semis.
Sushi-Loving Robots With Opposable Thumbs
September 16, 2009 6:55 am | Articles | CommentsVia DigInfo News . These robots from Squse, a Japaese robotics company, are built using air-injected actuators that mimick the motion and sensitivity of a human hand, namely through a swift, delicate touch unheard of in robotics. The actuators, even when filled, release pressure only according to the form of an object, which allows the robot to pick up soft objects such as sushi and strawberries without destroying them.
Hungry FDA Official Orders Massive Pot Pie Recall
September 16, 2009 6:42 am | Articles | CommentsHungry FDA Official Orders Massive Pot Pie Recall Via The Onion . The Onion, America's most trusted fake news source, offers breaking news: The FDA is issuing a massive recall of all pot pies, which should be sent "piping hot" to the FDA headquarters in Maryland. Don't forget the forks and napkins, which will be aptly used in the inspection process.
Dynamic Fan Balancing With Balmac
September 16, 2009 6:31 am | Articles | CommentsThis video provides step-by-step directions on how to balance a small fan using the Balmac Model 216-D Analyzer/Balancer. Useful for those new to the practice, or who have recently purchased a Balmac product, the video walks viewers through finding aplitude, using a strobe to read the fan's phase, placing weights to vary balance, and calculating vectors.
'Mystery At The Factory' — In Lego
September 16, 2009 6:22 am | Articles | CommentsHow often does this happen at your facility? You know, when flowers and zombies start coming down your conveyors? Well, in the hyper-colored world of Lego, it happens all too often. This riveting film chronicles the plight of a plant worker as he attempts to sort out the mysteries of his conveyor belt under the supervision of a unique manager.
Congress Considers $550m/Year Green Car Funding
September 16, 2009 5:00 am | by Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSeptember 16, 2009 WASHINGTON (AP) — Targeting more funding for the auto industry, the House is considering an expansion into government-led research of fuel-efficient vehicle technology and making research dollars more available to auto parts suppliers. The House was expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that could allow the Energy Department to spend up to $550 million a year to conduct advanced technology vehicle and component part research and development.
