Manufacturing Business Technology

• Lead by example: SAP sets sustainability pledge; enhances environmental software
  
  By Roberto Michel, senior contributing editor, March 2, 2009
  
  
• Sustainable plants: Survey reveals why recession hampers corporate green initiatives
  
  Roberto Michel, senior contributing editor (robertomichel@new.rr.com), March 2, 2009
    While the recession is delaying some sustainability-related corporate spending, certain projects do tend to proceed in a down economy—especially those that carry a process or plant safety benefit as their primary driver, or relatively low-cost improvements such as adding a layer of monitoring or intelligence over existing equipment or control devices.
  
  
• Unified communications: Microsoft pushes forward with its collaboration vision
  
  Hope Neal, Contributing Editor (hope@ontargetcomm.com), March 1, 2009
  Having access to Web conferencing and instant messaging to collaborate with colleagues, supply chain partners, and customers is a good thing. But doesn't it make more sense to collaborate while working with a business application rather than exiting it to start up a collaboration tool? "Affirmative," say some at Microsoft, and in particular, Andres Caldera, senior product manager.
  
• Best-of-breed supply chain vendor thrives by tackling specific customer needs
  
  Malcolm Wheatley, Senior Contributing Editor (malcolm_wheatley@compuserve.com), March 1, 2009
  Manufacturers rarely have trouble finding supply chain planning and scheduling applications—many are embedded in ERP suites. What's trickier is finding a supply chain package that meets all of a manufacturer's specific planning and scheduling needs. Preactor International, a U.K.-based planning and scheduling software vendor, says its ability to fill gaps that ERP-based solutions miss is ...
  
• Revved-up innovation: PLM platform speeds development of aftermarket auto power boosters
  
  Sidney Hill, Jr., Executive Editor (shill@reedbusiness.com), March 1, 2009
  For Edge Products, getting new designs to market quickly is a basic business requirement. Since its inception, this Salt Lake City-based company has been on the cutting edge when it comes to developing electronic modules that boost the performance of an average car or truck. The company is particularly known for its ability to boost the performance of diesel engines, and has further differentia...
  
• Linux liberty: Are you overpaying for wireless data-collection devices?
  
  Del Williams, contributing editor, February 27, 2009
  For those who think Windows CE-based systems are overkill, wireless Linux data collection devices can deliver streamlined, real-time inventory control with savings up to $1,000 per terminal.
  
  
• IBM study: New trend—managing risk—joins "faster, better, cheaper" for majority of top SC execs
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 26, 2009
  
  
• Hot potato: Food supply scares heighten demand for product recall technology
  
  Karen Dilger, contributing editor (kadilger@comcast.net), February 25, 2009
  In light of recent product recalls, manufacturers must be ready to respond quickly to supply chain issues to protect consumers as well as brand reputations. That’s why right now many food & beverage manufacturers are looking to expand their use of solutions that offer capabilities in product genealogy, lot tracking & tracing, and alert notification.
  
• Legislative loop: Debates continue over how to handle product recalls
  
  Karen Dilger, contributing editor (kadilger@comcast.net), February 25, 2009
  Product recalls are all over the news once again, with manufacturers and retailers under governmental scrutiny as they try to manage product tracking, label compliance, testing & certification, and recall notification. Proposed legislation intended to better manage recalls would directly impact the grocery, consumer packaged goods, and food & beverage industries, as well as third-party logistics providers.
  
• Fielding quality: Argenti Lemon S.A. tracks product port-to-port using RFID-enabled devices
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 24, 2009
  Rugged handheld computers wirelessly monitor harvesting, production, and shipping of lemons to ensure quality standards.
  
  
• Old-guard contraction: xTuple sees 250-percent growth in open-source ERP revenue
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 24, 2009
  
  
• PLM isn’t just for big companies anymore
  
  By Ed Miller, president, CIMdata Inc., February 24, 2009
  
  
• Digital instructors: Simulation software helps production workers learn faster
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 24, 2009
  New research highlights potential productivity gains resulting from the use of digital simulation as a training aid for undertaking complex assembly tasks—but also pinpoints the limitations.
  
• Digital prototyping: Autodesk introduces 2010 design and simulation solutions for manufacturers
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 24, 2009
  Autodesk describes the latest release of its lineup of 2D and 3D design software as a complete solution for creating digital prototypes, adding that it will improve collaboration among all the groups within an enterprise that play a part in bringing products to market.
  
  
• Bucking trends: PLM investments grew in 2008 despite economic conditions
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 23, 2009
  While navigating a challenging economic environment, manufacturing companies increased their investments in software that supports product life-cycle management (PLM) processes in 2008, according to industry analyst firm CIMdata.
  
• Humble beginnings: KPIT Cummins offers Tier 2 manufacturing IT services and the capacity to please
  
  Frank O Smith, senior contributing editor (fosmith@thewritinggroup.com), February 23, 2009
  India-based KPIT Cummins is a young and visionary company with specialized IT solutions for the industrial manufacturing and automotive sectors. As an SAP partner, its services span global supply chain management, intelligent equipment management, and strategies for faster time-to-market.
  
• Employee retention: Partnership simplifies labor management integration with warehouse software
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 23, 2009
  
  
• Refreshing change: Dr Pepper Snapple serves up wireless win via TeleNav Track GPS service
  
  By Manufacturing Business Technology Staff, February 23, 2009
  The Lenexa, Kan.-based branch of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group says its merchandisers are using the TeleNav Track navigation system on Nextel wireless devices from Sprint to improve business operations, leading to a savings of $166,000 per year for the regional branch. Benefits are gained by holding employees accountable via the GPS service, a move facilitated by push-to-talk communications.
  
  
• Query this: Advanced search brings blue-sky simplicity to an enterprise PLM environment
  
  Jim Fulcher, contributing editor (jimfulcher@comcast.net), February 23, 2009
    It’s getting easier to conduct such searches within enterprise systems as vendors add in more refined functionality. For one, Aras, a Microsoft enterprise open-source software solution provider, says new options allow access to cloud-based search services in Microsoft Live Search and GlobalSpec’s Web-based engineering part, product, and specification database.
  
  
• EAI advisory: Winshuttle data-entry solution simplifies changes in SAP without straining IT
  
  Jim Fulcher, contributing editor (jimfulcher@comcast.net), February 20, 2009
  You’ve heard the call, but it’s time for manufacturers to “do more with less.” Research out of Boston-based Aberdeen Group shows some companies doing just that. How? In a survey of more than 150 companies, the key strategy of the best-in-class is integrating desktop tools with enterprise applications to improve productivity.