CHANNEL ISLANDS SECTION
DECEMBER 1998 NEWSLETTER
Inside this issue: From the Chairman, Holiday Lunch, B & B Manufacturing Report, Engineers Week Awards, October Contest Winners, Networking Know How, Lean Mean Manufacturing Class, Pi Tau Sigma Awards, ASME Student Section Award, ASME Faculty Award, Channel Island Section Home
Do you remember your New Year’s resolutions for 1998? Already the time has come to start thinking about 1999. While the best self-improvement efforts are continuous, the beginning of a new year provides a good opportunity for all of us to step back and reflect on our current condition. Now is the time to closely inspect personal standards for the slightest bit of erosion, and re-focus on those difficult but rewarding long-term goals.
And with the new year comes another round of annual awards. In this month’s newsletter you will find several such opportunities. After your introspection, look around to your colleagues and nominate the best for recognition. Happy Holidays!
| PROGRAM | Informal lunch hosted by the ASME San Fernando Valley Section |
| DATE | Sunday, December 13, 1998 |
| TIME | 2:00 P.M. |
| LOCATION | Wolfgang Puck Cafe
6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills 818.710.9653 |
| COST | Order individually from menu |
| RESERVATIONS | Contact: Carlton Yocum
805.295.4054 |
Traditionally, our neighbors in the San Fernando Valley
section of ASME schedule a December activity that brings their members together
simply to socialize. This year, our neighbors have kindly invited our section to
participate. No speaker is scheduled for this meeting. Instead, members,
spouses, and friends from both sections will gather for informal socializing
over lunch.
If you are interested in attending, please contact Carlton Yocum of the San Fernando Valley section as soon as possible so that he may plan for the appropriate numbers. His contact information is listed above. The Wolfgang Puck Café is located in the Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills, adjacent to the large movie theater multiplex at the south end of the shopping center. Note that this lunch is only a few days away!
SOUTHBOUND 101 (FROM SANTA BARBARA)
Exit Topanga Cyn, bear right onto Ventura Blvd
Left at first light onto Topanga Cyn, continue past Oxnard St
Right into the Promenade Mall parking lot
Café is near movie theaters
NORTHBOUND 101 (FROM 101-405 INTERCHANGE)
Exit Topanga Cyn (first of two), turn right
Continue until just past Oxnard St.
Right into the Promenade Mall parking lot
Café is near movie theaters
LEAN MANUFACTURING AT B&B Back to the Top
On the evening of November 19 a group of 25 listened to top managers from B&B Manufacturing describe their successful application of Lean Manufacturing techniques. A social hour and dinner preceded the presentation, held at the Pierpont Inn in Ventura. The activity, hosted by the Channel Islands section of ASME, was a joint event with the Channel Cities section of the American Society for Quality (ASQ).
Anna Sibilio, B&B’s Business Systems Manager, began the evening’s presentation with an introduction to the constituents of the Lean Manufacturing philosophy. With Just-in-Time, the Lean approach reduces internal and customer costs associated with inventory. In addition, identifying and eliminating both process bottlenecks and non-value added activity improves product flow and reduces expenses. And minimizing the work-in-process inventory facilitates rapid adaptation to changing demand. By focusing on early detection and operator accountability, the Lean approach fosters improved quality. Finally, Lean Manufacturing strives to eliminate the waste associated with process inefficiencies such as redundant paperwork and inspection. B&B is focusing effort in all of these areas, and has witnessed remarkable improvements.
Fred Duncan, Vice President and General Manager at B&B, then presented their cellular manufacturing capability. He described B&B’s state-of-the-art, fully-integrated manufacturing cell, which includes 10 horizontal machining centers, a part washing station, and 3 load-unload stations. A high-speed pallet changing system connects all stations within the cell. After showing a brief video of the cell in motion and answering several questions from the audience, Mr. Duncan concluded his talk by discussing the evolving challenges of engineering. He stressed that, with technology transforming business faster than ever, success demands collaborative thinking across the leadership, design, manufacture, and process phases of enterprise.
The material that B&B presented spurred lively discussion among all attendees – presenters and audience alike. The evening proved to be more of a forum for discussion than simply a lecture. The Channel Islands section sincerely thanks B&B Manufacturing for generously presenting to our members. Thanks also to those from ASQ who, in accepting our invitation, made the evening a great success.
Looking down the length of B&B’s fully-integrated machining cell.
NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK 1999 Back to the Top
For one week in February every year, engineers
around the nation celebrate National Engineers Week. Engineering societies of
all disciplines sponsor a variety of activities to celebrate and promote the
engineering profession.
Earnest W. Deavenport, Jr, Chairman and CEO of Eastman Chemical Company and Honorary Chair of National Engineers Week 1999, shares these words:
"During National Engineers Week 1999, we celebrate the profession that connects us to people, places and things around the globe. We travel by air, land and sea. We communicate via the Internet, telephone and television. We look inside the human body and distant galaxies. Engineers help make all of these modern miracles possible.
Engineers help connect us to our past, manage our present, and define our future. They’re designing products and systems making our world cleaner, safer, healthier and more comfortable.
During National Engineers Week, engineers will connect with their local communities. Tens of thousands will work with some five million young students and teachers to help them link the math and science they are studying to the world around them, and to future careers. Celebrations at science centers, libraries and shopping centers will demonstrate engineering’s connections to our quality of life.
I welcome all engineers to join me in celebrating National Engineers Week 1999."
On February 24, the engineering societies in the Channel Islands region will host an awards banquet. Engineer of the Year, Engineering Project Achievement Awards, and thousands of dollars in scholarships are among the awards to be presented. See below for information on award nominations.
While planning and coordinating Engineers Week is still underway, some banquet details have been finalized:
|
DATE |
Tuesday, February 24, 1999 |
| TIME | Begins with social, 5:30 - 6:00 P.M. |
| LOCATION | Residence Inn by Marriot at River Ridge
2101 West Vineyard Ave, Oxnard, CA 805.278.2200 |
| COST | If purchase by 2/10/99:
After 2/10/99:
|
| INFORMATION | Contact: R. T. Ramsey
805.445.7605 |
Look for more information in your upcoming January and February ASME newsletters.
ENGINEERS WEEK AWARDS Back to the Top
Among the activities during the February 24 Engineers Week banquet (see above) will be the presentation of several prestigious awards. The Engineer of the Year award recognizes an engineer with a distinguished career of engineering accomplishments, in addition to professional qualities and contributions to civic, professional, and non-technical activities. The Engineering Project Achievement Awards recognize projects in 4 different categories: large company, small company, government, and academia. Judges select winning projects based on originality, the use of new engineering techniques, and the value of the project to the engineering profession at large. The complexity and social impact of the project also factor into the judge’s decisions.
The National Engineers Week committee needs your help in identifying candidates for these awards.
Nominations for Engineer of the Year must provide the following information about the candidate:
Nominations for the Engineering Project Achievement Awards must provide the following information about the candidate project:
Contact Alex Flores at alex.flores@teradyne.com or 818.874.7181 for more information on submitting nominations. The absolute deadline for all nominations is January 29, 1999 – so start thinking about potential candidates today!
OCTOBER CONTEST WINNER Back to the Top
With its tale of "Pumpkin Math", the October newsletter invited readers to help young Keith. In that story, Keith asks Farmer John, "How old is your lovely daughter?" In response, Farmer John challenges him with a convoluted word problem whose solution answers Keith’s question.
Of the three entries submitted, two correctly determined that Farmer John’s daughter is 24.3 years old. From the two correct entries, one winner was randomly selected by coin toss. Congratulations to Dennis Dick for his winning entry! For his pumpkin math expertise (and luck at the coin toss), Dennis wins 4 free movie tickets.
And kudos to Dennis Wassung, who also exhibited pumpkin math expertise, but lost the coin toss. Better luck next time!
NETWORKING KNOW-HOW Back to the Top
Improve your networking skills by practicing the following ten pointers:
Thanks to Cindia Powers for these tips, reproduced from her article in the October issue of the Los Angeles Section ASME newsletter (and credited therein to a presentation by Roberta Perry, Vice-President, Edwards Technologies).
LEAN MANUFACTURING CLASS Back to the Top
In January 1999, the San Gabriel Valley Section of the American Society for Quality (ASQ) is presenting a 32-hour course entitled "Lean Manufacturing Tools & Techniques". This course, originally developed for and taught at UCLA Extension, is intended for manufacturing professionals interested in gaining a competitive edge with effective lean manufacturing techniques. With specific examples and exercises, the course teaches topics including Total Quality Management (TQM), Just in Time (JIT), supply change management, demand flow technology, kanban and pull systems, and more.
The cost of the course is $385 per person. Register early as seating is limited. To register, or for more information, contact Akhilesh Gulati at 909.982.0161 or the San Gabriel Valley Section of ASQ at 1.800.317.4147.
PI TAU SIGMA AWARDS Back to the Top
Each year ASME and Pi Tau Sigma, the National Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, recognize outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering with 3 prestigious awards:
All 3 awards consist of a certificate, a $1,000 honorarium, and paid travel expenses to the award presentation. Nominations must include a completed nomination form, supporting documentation, and 3 to 5 letters of reference. All nomination materials must be submitted as 5 copies in addition to the original, and must be postmarked by February 1, 1999. Contact Alex Flores at alex.flores@teradyne.com or 818.874.7181 for the appropriate forms or for more information.
ASME STUDENT SECTION AWARD Back to the Top
The Charles T. Main Student Section Award recognizes outstanding student contributors to the success of ASME student sections. For consideration, the student member must have demonstrated leadership and service qualities that contributed for more than one year to the programs and operations of a student section. From the nominee pool the following will be awarded:
Nominations must substantiate the candidate’s leadership and service qualities in reference to student section offices, organizational assignments, programs and activities, and community service. The nomination deadline is March 8, 1999. Contact Alex Flores at alex.flores@teradyne.com or 818.874.7181 for the appropriate forms or for more information.
ASME FACULTY ADVISOR AWARD Back to the Top
The ASME Faculty Advisor Award recognizes an advisor who has contributed for a period of at least 3 years to the programs and operations of an ASME student section. Nominations should demonstrate the candidate’s participation in:
Contact Alex Flores at alex.flores@teradyne.com or 818.874.7181 for the appropriate forms or for more information.
The deadline for nominations is February 1, 1999.
Back to the Top, Channel Island Section Home
Last updated: 03-Jan-1999
Web Master: John Fishpaw, fish0010@email.msn.com