Gary On Manufacturing - Gary Mintchell

Gary reviews several earnings reports from the automation industry and then reports from MESA International and Cambashi research on manufacturers improving financial performance and manufacturing performance using well defined metrics and automated data gathering. The latest edition of the popular Packaging Automation Forum is announced. Then a few thoughts on Toyota, Lean and entrepreneurship in automotive manufacturing.

Gary wonders about what we'll see in automation in 2010. Also introduces OurISA, a movement to generate grass-roots ideas into a professional engineering society.

Re-release (hopefully this one transferred in its entirety) of Gary's update of ISA Expo and Advantech Conference. Recorded in Suzhou, China.

Gary interviews David Deitz, director of product marketing for Delta V, at the Emerson Global Users Exchange in Orlando about the rollout of the new DeltaV version 11 and its significant new features.

Recognizing considerable industry interest in the reorganization that created Invensys Operations Management, Gary sat down with IOM vice presidents Mark Davidson (global marketing) and Rashesh Mody (portfolio and strategy). The discussion included the new mission and how integration of the overall division's portfolio is evolving. The division includes such venerable brands as Avantis, Eurotherm, Foxboro, SimSci-Esscor, Triconex and Wonderware. Perhaps for the first time since they were brought together under Invensys the potential that could be achieved through integration is coming about.

Gary discusses the ISA Marketing & Sales Symposium and social media, discusses ratification of the ISA100.11a wireless network standard and implications versus WirelessHart, new products from Longwatch, Kepware and Online Development, plus his upcoming trips to Invensys Operations Management Client Conference, Emerson Exchange and ISA Expo.

Updated show notes: Gary talks with Mike Miller, business development manager with Rockwell Automation, about new machine safety standards effective Dec. 29, 2009. Functional safety is defined. EN ISO 13849 and IEC 62061 which replace EN 954 are explained. The impact of these standards and eventual benefits for machine builders and end users alike are also discussed. We learned on 9/9/09 that the European Commission has decided to postpone the deadline for manufacturers to comply with the new functional safety standard EN ISO 13849-1. In the meantime, they can continue designing to safety standard EN 954-1. The Commission said no further extension will be granted after 2012.

Gary goes international and talks Lean Manufacturing with Jean-Christophe Ledoux of consulting firm Accenture and Yves Vergnolle, of software supplier Apriso about a project where the companies combined to provide a software solution to companies looking for tools to help them implement Lean Manufacturing. The guests call in from France for this episode.

In this episode, Gary discusses the National Instruments NI Week reporting on LabView upgrades and parallel programming.

Gary discusses the recent organization moves at Invensys in this podcast from his mobile studio.

Gary interviews John Dyck in this episode. John is Chairman of MESA International, the association for Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions. He discusses the new directions for MESA, the reasons that this software area is important to manufacturers and the new and exciting format for the association's gathering in the spring of 2010.

Gary interviews Lee Lane, business director, controller and visualization business, Rockwell Automation about what makes programmable automation controllers (PACs) different from programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in this series on control.

Back from vacation and a couple of trips Gary recounts his Middle East vacation (yes it was quite safe where he was). He recaps the ABB Automation and Power World conference, the Packaging Automation Forum and offers his point of view on the rumored Emerson acquisition of Rockwell. Aren't rumors great? Plus other news from the world of automation.

Gary Mintchell talks with Keith Updike, managing director of BBK--a manufacturing consulting firm--about Lean Thinking. The discussion includes ideas of implementing Lean and a vision of what a Lean Lifestyle entails.

Gary takes a look back at 2008 and ahead to 2009. Changes in automation supplier leadership are noted, and he exhorts listeners to promote the economic need for manufacturing to regain prominence in the United States.

Joe Grove, vice president of engineering at OSSID, a Pro Mach company, joins Gary for this discussion of how a packaging industry equipment manufacturer can use new technology along with in depth customer research to redesign machinery to achieve a competitive advantage and give customers added value.

Gary reports from Pack Expo. Thoughts on automation suppliers competing for OEM business, the recent spate of government bailouts and the upcoming Safety Automation Forum.

The HTML of process control. Gary interviews Jonas Berge, Director of PlantWeb Consulting for Emerson Process Management in Singapore. He discusses EDDL (electronic device description language), describing what it is, how it is used and the overall system from intelligent instruments to how the information is displayed in a client computer. More information is available at www.eddl.org.

Gary reviews trips to the Emerson Global Users Exchange and WonderWorld conferences. He offers thoughts on changes at Rockwell Automation.

Gary interviews Geoff Wickens, systems solutions manager for Endress + Hauser and a member of the marketing committee of the FDT Group. Wickens explains what FDT does and why it is of value for users of instrumentation and asset management systems.