IT for Manufacturing Executives
What's On Your Mind?
August 4, 2010 9:32 am | Videos | CommentsOne of the most recent advancements in the field of human-machine interfaces is the development of a headset that takes input directly from a human brain and uses it to control virtual objects or physical electronics. Tan Le, head of Emotiv Systems, discusses the groundbreaking new technology in this video.
Ring The Alarm
August 4, 2010 9:29 am | Videos | CommentsConcerned about Internet trackers? There’s a new, free web plug-in that sounds an alarm on certain websites when user browsing information is sent to Google, even if you don’t use Google to search the web. Jamie Wilkinson, the developer of the Google Alarm plug-in, discusses its features, Internet trackers, and web security, in a brief interview.
Sense And Detect
August 4, 2010 8:05 am | Product Releases | CommentsSchneider Electric (Palatine, IL) recently announced the launch of the OsiSense XUM photo-electric sensor and the XUVR and XUVA optical forks. The XUM line offers miniature photo-electric sensors designed to excel at long-distance selection and reduce electrical consumption.
Intel Tries To Overcome History Of Antitrust Woes
August 4, 2010 4:41 am | by Jordan Robertson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission's antitrust lawsuit against Intel Corp. was the harshest yet against the world's biggest semiconductor maker, which has been battling regulators around the world over charges its tactics hurt consumers. The severity of Intel's punishment will be revealed Wednesday morning, when the FTC reports details of a settlement between the two sides.
Factory Orders Fall For Second Straight Month
August 4, 2010 4:40 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Factory orders fell in June for the second straight month due to lower demand for steel, construction machinery and aircraft. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that factory orders dropped by 1.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted $406.4 billion. Analysts expected a much smaller drop.
Hackers Target Power Plants, Other Vital Networks
August 4, 2010 4:38 am | by Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Computer hackers have begun targeting power plants and other critical infrastructure around the world in bold new moves to seize control of their operations. The activity has set off a scramble to shore up the aging, vulnerable systems. Cyber criminals long have tried, at times successfully, to break into vital networks and power systems.
Will The New BlackBerry Be RIM's Savior?
August 4, 2010 4:35 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — BlackBerrys still fly off the shelves. They still convey the message that their owners mean business — that they're people who are important enough to need e-mail access all the time. But BlackBerrys are now being challenged by phones that say you can have your e-mail, and have fun, too.
DuPont To Build Plant For Battery Technology Production
August 4, 2010 4:33 am | by Randall Chase, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsDOVER, Del. (AP) — The DuPont Co. says it is building a production facility in Virginia that will use new technology to improve the performance of batteries used in electric and hybrid vehicles. The Delaware-based company said Tuesday that the facility in Chesterfield County, Va., will begin production early next year and will produce separators that can increase the performance and safety of lithium ion batteries.
Corning Plans $186M Expansion Of Kentucky Plant
August 4, 2010 4:31 am | News | CommentsCORNING, N.Y. (AP) — Corning Inc. is planning to expand its Harrodsburg, Ky., manufacturing plant at a cost of more than $186 million to boost production capacity as its glass business sees surging demand. Corning, the world's biggest maker of liquid-crystal-display glass, said the expansion is prompted by a surge in its Gorilla glass business, and it also plans to enter the thin-film photovoltaic glass business.
Cloudy With A Chance For Collaboration
August 3, 2010 10:33 am | by Craig Hodges, General Manager, Microsoft Corp. | Articles | CommentsThese days, manufacturers have their heads in the cloud, as cloud computing promises to drastically improve the ability of companies and their customers to drive modern product design and development. Collaboration isn’t new to manufacturing — it has long been essential.
Lucy & Ethel: Candy-Picking Machines
August 3, 2010 10:21 am | Articles | CommentsFounded in 1921, Wolfgang Candy of York, PA is one of the oldest family-owned and managed confectionery manufacturers in the United States, and is a producer of everything from peanut brittle to hollow chocolates. Wolfgang offers one of the most extensive arrays of high-quality chocolates and non-chocolate confections available in the marketplace.
RFID Technology In Action
August 3, 2010 10:15 am | Videos | CommentsHere's a look inside an aerospace and defense manufacturing facility to see how RFID technology is used to build unmanned aerial vehicles and guided missiles. As the narrator in the video states, these types of cutting-edge manufacturing enterprises have extremely high-tech facilities that design and produce sophisticated electronic components used in a variety of military and commercial systems.
Software Update
August 3, 2010 7:07 am | Product Releases | CommentsWAGO (Germantown, WI) recently updated its 758 series IPCs pair CoDeSys V2 software, Linux OS, IEC programming languages, and multiple onboard fieldbus protocols for real-time control applications. A PC and PLC hybrid, the 758 Series IPCs offer a robust, scalable solution and network connectivity.
Manufacturing Sector Grows For 12th Straight Month
August 3, 2010 4:25 am | by Martin Crutsinger and Tali Arbel, AP Business Writers | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — It's a rare bright spot in an otherwise troubled economy: The U.S. manufacturing sector has now grown for a solid year, and more of its companies say they're ready to hire. Chip maker Texas Instruments says its business has recovered to pre-recession levels. Intel, which makes semiconductors, posted its best quarterly profit in a decade.
IBM Completes Coremetrics Acquisition
August 3, 2010 4:23 am | News | CommentsARMONK, N.Y. (AP) — IBM Corp. said Monday it has closed its acquisition of Coremetrics, a San Mateo, Calif., provider of Web analytics software that helps customers develop marketing campaigns. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. IBM said Coremetrics technology will help its customers measure how effective their market campaigns are and understand the "shopping habits, likes and dislikes of their customers.
