As part of a consulting project I am involved in, I have created a list of acronyms and terms that are used in manufacturing and industrial automation. These are terms and acronyms from Lean/Six-Sigma, controls, electronics, business software and general …
Whew, finally back from a grueling two-week trip to New Hampshire. In addition to the politics and frustrations that go with working with multiple companies and egos, I also ended up in the hospital for a day with both a …
Have you ever been to Genba? Let me take you to a mystical, wonderful land that far too many people overlook in their travels. Genba is a Japanese word that means “the actual (or the real) place”. To understand a …
There has never been a better time to be an engineer when it comes to the tools available to help us in our jobs. Computers operate at amazing speeds, new software comes out every year with more and more capability …
A major element of Lean methodology is Kaizen, or “improvement”. The term can refer to a continuous process or to a planned improvement event concentrating on a specific target. From the Industrial Automation: Hands On manuscript: Continuous improvement, or Kaizen, …
This past week I spent most of my time putting finishing touches on the program for the system I am working on. The three machines in the system are running fairly well though as they are put through their paces …
In designing automated systems the first task that needs to be accomplished is to determine what type of process will be taking place. Often when making this decision we go with what we know: if building an assembly machine I’m …
This was the final week of my Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing courses through Purdue University. I took my final exam this morning and I’m happy to say that I aced the test, though since it was open book that’s …
As I work on my Six Sigma classes through Purdue I am reminded often of my previous experiences with companies who have Lean/Six Sigma programs. Back in the late nineties we did a lot of work for Avery Dennison, who …
As part of my preparation for moving back into the consulting world I recently signed up for a series of classes and certifications through Purdue University on Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing. These classes lead to certification as a green …
