IT for Manufacturing Executives
Censorship Dispute Between Google, China Continues
August 3, 2010 4:17 am | News | CommentsBEIJING (AP) — A Google question-and-answer page for Chinese users was inaccessible from mainland China on Tuesday less than a month after the search giant's Internet license was renewed amid a dispute over online censorship. The company found no technical problems with the Hong Kong-based service, said a Google Inc.
Addressing Supply Chain Challenges
August 2, 2010 10:55 am | Articles | CommentsPlanning in the service supply chain is a critical factor to achieving customer service at a low cost. Doing so is not without challenges, and many mid-market manufacturers and distributors simply so not have the resources to address service supply chain planning in the same ways as their larger competitors.
The Road To Manufacturing Efficiency
August 2, 2010 10:43 am | Articles | CommentsTrek Bicycle Corporation, founded in 1976 and based in Wisconsin, is a world-leading manufacturer of bikes. As a company that focuses as heavily on its carbon footprint as it does its manufacturing quality, they were looking for ways to streamline their nesting for their Gerber knife cutters.
Someone Else Is Minding Your Business
August 2, 2010 10:38 am | Videos | CommentsInternet tracking and privacy issues have become more and more prevalent in recent years due to a large number of websites that are used by trackers to compile data about site visitors. Internet users need to have a better understanding of internet trackers, their goals, where they're found, and the effects of their efforts to track web usage behaviors.
Need More Power?
August 2, 2010 7:18 am | Product Releases | CommentsRockwell Automation (Milwaukee, WI) recently expanded the power range of its Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 755 AC drives to 450kW/700HP. Featuring advanced diagnostics and a roll-out design, the PowerFlex755 is designed for motor control applications in a variety of heavy industries.
ISM Says Manufacturing Index Slipped
August 2, 2010 6:02 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — An industry trade group says growth in the manufacturing sector weakened in July to the slowest pace this year. The Institute for Supply Management says its manufacturing index slipped to 55.5 in July from 56.2 in June. A reading above 50 indicates growth. Economists polled by Thomson Reuters had forecast a lower reading of 54.
Subdued U.S. Growth Weighs On World Markets
August 2, 2010 5:06 am | by Pan Pylas, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsLONDON (AP) — European and U.S. stock markets dropped sharply Friday after figures showed the U.S. economy slowed faster than expected in the second quarter, further eroding confidence in the recovery in the world's largest economy. In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 54.
Hacker Builds State-Of-The-Art Phone Tapping Device
August 2, 2010 4:36 am | by Jordan Robertson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsLAS VEGAS (AP) — A computer security researcher has built a device for just $1,500 that can intercept some kinds of cell phone calls and record everything that's said. The attack Chris Paget showed Saturday illustrates weaknesses in GSM, one of the world's most widely used cellular communications technologies.
AP: U.S.'s Economic Stress Worsens
August 2, 2010 4:34 am | by Jeannine Aversa and Mike Schneider, Associated Press Writers | News | Commentsy Jeannine Aversa and Mike Schneider, Associated Press Writers After easing for four months, the nation's economic stress worsened in June because more bankruptcies in the West and foreclosures outside the Sun Belt outweighed lower unemployment, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions around the country.
UAE Blocks BlackBerry Services Due To Security Fears
August 2, 2010 4:33 am | by Adam Schreck, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsDUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The UAE said Sunday it will block key features on BlackBerry smart phones, citing national security concerns because the devices operate beyond the government's ability to monitor their use. The decision could block e-mail and Web access for hundred of thousands of users in the Mideast commercial hub starting in October.
Cell Phone Market Continues To Rebound
August 2, 2010 4:31 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — The number of cell phones shipped worldwide rose 14.5 percent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, with much of the growth coming from smaller challengers like the iPhone and BlackBerry, according to research firm IDC. Manufacturers shipped 317.5 million phones in the quarter, IDC said in its report late Thursday.
China Sees Manufacturing Slowdown
August 2, 2010 4:30 am | News | CommentsBEIJING (AP) — Expansion of Chinese manufacturing activity slowed for the third month in July, as production, new orders and purchasing prices all declined, a survey showed Sunday. The state-affiliated China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said its purchasing managers index, or PMI, fell to 51.
Twitter Knocked Out Of Commission Sunday
August 2, 2010 4:28 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — The microblogging site Twitter Inc. was out of commission for a couple of hours early Sunday for some of the roughly 100 million users around the world. Instead of the usual screen that allows people to send a tweet, the home page indicated the site was down for "planned maintenance" but was expected to be back in a few hours.
Video Is The New Written Word
July 30, 2010 9:23 am | Articles | CommentsVideo conferencing has become an effective and increasingly widely-used means of communication in the manufacturing sector over the course of the last few years. The development of high-definition video and increases in Internet connection speed have led companies to adopt visual communication as a way to connect different elements of their business, reach out to their supply chain, or foster communication with customers.
Why Software Standardization Matters
July 30, 2010 9:17 am | by Vern Bolton, Program Manager, Schneider Electric | Articles | CommentsFacility managers know efficiency is crucial when it comes to discrete manufacturing processes. After all, even in a sluggish economy, there are orders to satisfy, deadlines to meet and customers to please, so any edge a facility manager can gain to keep processes moving is appreciated.
