Archive for April 2013

Vibrobot or Arduino Walker?


.

Now that we know that a handful of people are interested in the kits, we would like to know what kind. The first idea we had for a kit was a simple vibrobot. The robot would resemble a turtle with a circular battery pack, an LED, and a pager motor. It would use its paper clip legs to move around. On the other hand, we had an idea for an Arduino walker. The walker would resemble a four-legged insect with two servos and an Arduino as part of its back. In addition, an infrared sensor would allow the robot to become "aware" of its environment! So the question is, which one would you rather construct? Please vote below!


Arduino Walker kit or Simple Vibrobot
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Robots Protesting Against Killer Robots?


.



This is not the usual robotics post. It turns out that in Britain, some robots are campaigning against the killer, fully-automated robots used for warfare. Their argument is that, some day, these robots could confuse an innocent human with a hostile target. Another point that they have is that taking the "human" out of these fully-automated robots will cause major conflict. Conflict such as killing innocent people due to confusion of who's the bad guy and who's not. The question is, will this deadly conflict arise in the not-so-distant future?

Lean Manufacturing


.

Lean manufacturing is a business performance improvement tool that focuses on enhancing quality, cost, delivery, and people. It helps expose waste and makes continuous improvement possible by identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities in design, production, supply chain and management.

Striving to improve competitiveness by providing customers faster and better products or services, which will accomplish more than worrying about the next global crisis, is the basic aim behind lean manufacturing. The only game we need to be adept at today is the one that removes waste so the customer sees more value.

In the world of lean manufacturing, companies try to produce only what has been demanded by the customer, and only when the product is required. To optimize benefits of lean throughout the supply chain, it is essential to build a partnership with your suppliers. This partnership must work on the basic principle that you pull only what you consume, and nothing more. Your suppliers restore what you have consumed. In this way, inventories are maintained at their smallest for both dealer and customer.

Achieving this level of trust with your supplier will require frequent communication and extensive sharing of information. Successful partnerships result from inviting each other to strategic planning sessions, attending each other's events and participating in other joint activities.

Unlike many manufacturing trends, lean manufacturing appears to be here to stay. However, many firms are still struggling to figure out how to make lean manufacturing work for them. The title itself implies that companies will emerge from the program leaner than when they began. The term manufacturing suggests that the program targets the manufacturing process, thereby making the products more consumer-friendly.

One good approach is to weave principles, objectives, tools, and methodology behind lean manufacturing into the strategic and business plans of your organization, in order to make lean manufacturing more suitable for your company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/277070

Wan't to sell your electronics projects as kits? If so, join Club Jameco


.



Do you have an upcoming electronics project that you would like to share or even sell? If so, I highly recommend Club Jameco. Club Jameco is an online club where you can design, share, and sell your electronics projects. Users can join the club, and submit their projects to Jameco. If it gets approved, Jameco will produce it, sell it, and give you a commission for every sale! If you're interested in participating in this electronics club, then visit clubjameco.com!

Kaizen Benefits


.

The Japanese have a philosophy which is based on the thought that continuous improvement improves worker productivity. This system is called Kaizen. It is a concept that states change is the absolutely foremost indicator of progress. The system reduces and eliminates unwanted and unproductive waste while consistently improving upon productivity. Human resources are a major factor in this system, with the belief that it is very crucial to encourage and support workers with praising their participation within the system's schedule of activities. Achieving success in this system requires everyone to be involved and participating, from upper management to the lowest paid employee. Concrete benefits are witnessed in companies that uphold the system's strength and follow the implementation of the system down precisely and exactly. Benefits of the Kaizen system are as follows:

Improved Quality: Resources are pooled together and working teams are made stronger, established or reestablished as problems are resolved. The result is seen when production quality improves. New procedures are implemented and work tasks are streamlined therefore making time management more streamlined. Listening to all employee ideas is crucial.

Teamwork Will Improve: The spirit and the confidence of the team will improve as issues are resolved. Employees begin to see their work in a new light and proceed to do their work with new perspectives. Employees will no longer think badly about one another or hold prejudices. When teamwork is improved, the production of work is higher and work flow is smoother.

Maximum Utilization: Salvaging resources means that the resources can be used for their purpose. The benefits will automatically improve worker production as resources are being used in a more resourceful manner. The prioritizing of requirements satisfies the problems of working with limited resources coupled with unlimited demands. Limiting resources and being creative on how resources are used will be helpful to production.

Immediate Results from Troubleshooting: Solving problems happens quickly when issues are immediately confronted. The Kaizen system holds the belief that alternatives available on the spot solve problems faster than traditional ways of lengthy meetings in isolation. Immediate troubleshooting solves production problems by reducing lead time. At times, there are temporary solutions which may be improvised resulting in a permanent change to the process. Basically making sure you solve problems quickly and with innovative ideas is key here.

The Kaizen system provides multiple benefits. Principles of the system are cemented in common sense. The most important ingredients are composed of communication, the participation of all employees, and a desire to change. Changes don't require extreme measures, mathematic calculations, or scientific research. Employees are required to remain keenly observant which largely contributes to the benefits of the system. The Kaizen benefits are grounded in the efforts of employees, by and large by their own attitudes towards the place they work and the company where they work.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6602705

How Glass CNC Machining Works


.

CNC (computer numerical control) milling machines evolved from numerically controlled machines developed to create precision rotor blades for helicopters in the 1950s. In the early 1970s, these machines began to be controlled by computers running programs to operate the various motions of the milling tools.

Basically, glass CNC machining automates everything a human operator would have to do to manually mill a piece of glass via information input into the CNC program. Then, the machine replicates with great precision each action to mass produce milling or cutting of glass at a rate and accuracy that cannot be duplicated by a human operator.

Motion Control with CNC Machining

Glass CNC machining utilizes at least two-and as many as four-directions of motion that can be directly programmed by the software. These are called axes. An axis may be a linear direction or circular. The more potential axes a CNC machine is capable of, the more complex and expensive the machine is. Axes are usually designated by letters. Typically, linear axis are designated X, Y, and Z. Circular or rotary axis are normally A, B and C.

Software for CNC Programming

The computer program utilized in glass CNC machining is written in a language called G-Code. The program issues instructions to stepper motors that convert electronic signals into highly accurate mechanical movements that guide the milling tool. The format of the language is configured in sentences and the CNC controller executes the instructions sequentially, one step at a time. A series of words specific to CNC programming communicate to the milling or cutting machine what it's supposed to do.

The words are based on letter addresses that represent certain functions like feedrate and spindle speed, for example. The desired axis motion is indicated by A, B and C or X, Y and Z. Grouped together in a particular sequence, CNC words compose a command that can be compared to a sentence the CNC controller "reads." Most glass CNC machines can be programmed to perform complex milling and cutting operations with glass utilizing a total of 50 common CNC words.

Execution of Glass CNC Control

The CNC control reads the program and executes the commands to the milling tool, actuating the required functions, driving axis motion and following all instructions in the program. Programs can be edited if errors are encountered by the CNC control and dry runs can be executed to verify the program before actual production begins.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7349502

Designs to be made for the first SimpleBotics robot


.



Three years ago, I came up with an idea of a business centered around robotics. So when I go off to college, I could start a company (Just like Jobs and Woz). The result was SimpleBotics. As of now, I believe it is appropriate to start thinking about an actual product. This is why I, along with a few others, will be taking the necessary steps in making this product actually exist. The real question is, will you buy one? Please vote below


Will you purchase a SimpleBotics kit?
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Kaizen Event FAQs


.

1. What is Kaizen Event?

Kaizen Event is considered one of the most powerful tool for lean execution. It is a focused, intense and short-term project in which a cross-functional team makes rapid improvements in a short period of time. An event normally takes 3 to 5 days and the intensity and urgency overcomes the intellectual resistance to a new paradigm as people have little time to think of reasons for delay. It is common to completely re-engineer a process in a event week.
 
2. What are the other names of Kaizen Event?
 
It is also known as :

- Kaizen Blitz,

- Kaizen Burst,
 
- Gemba Kaizen,
 
- Kaikaku.
 
2. Is the approach applicable to the services Industries?
The approach is applicable to both the manufacturing and service industries. To date, it has be successfully implemented to : banking , finance, logistics, healthcare, government and public service with phenomenon results.
 
3. What are some of common target areas of the approach?
 
- Process Redesign
 
- Layout Redesign (Manufacturing Plant, Office Layout)
 
- Work Cell implementation
 
- 5 S (Store, production floor, Office)

- Quick Changeover (SMED, Quick Changeover, Reduction of Service Operation Preparation Time)
 
- Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)
 
- Kanban (Pull Systems)
 
- Kaizen Office / Lean Office (Streamlining office and Administrative Processes)
 
4. Can Kaizen Event approach solve all problems?

It may not be suitable for complex problems that involve detail analysis, experiments or statistical methods. These problems usually need more time than the 3-5 days. It is also important to note that while Kaizen Blitz is an important Lean / Lean Six Sigma tool, it is not a substitute for a holistic Lean / Lean Six Sigma strategy. Organizations should develop a well thought out Lean / Lean Six Sigma strategy and use Kaizen Event as one of the execution tools.
 
5. How can Kaizen Event helps in Lean implementation?
 
It is a great way to show employees who are not confident about continuous improvement that they can make a difference, and can build their confidence to embark on other continuous improvement projects. It is also a powerful way to convince skeptics on the effectiveness of Lean and win them over once and for all!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2864470

Choosing Suitable CNC Machining Services


.

Computer numerical control machining or what is commonly called CNC machining is a process that manufacturers use for easier automation with their machine tools while in production. To date, various companies offer CNC machining services to a wide clientele. If you are planning to lease machining tools to make manufacturing your products easier and more efficient than these services are what you should look for. To help you narrow down your choices of CNC machining services, you may want to consider some factors that you can include in your checklist. To start with, you should consider the type of machine tools that you would need in your production plant. There are CNC machining tools that operate using only one CNC program, while others need dedicated software to run it efficiently. Check whether you need hardness testing equipment, drilling tools, gauges, and several others before you begin contacting several providers to make sure that you know exactly what you need from the company you plan to do business with.

After determining the tools that you will need, start browsing the internet for companies that offer CNC machining services and list down about 4 or 5 that have been in the industry for a long time and have the right tools that you need. Before you include a company in your short list however, read reviews and testimonials from precious clients to have an idea of the level of service that the company can offer. Assistance in troubleshooting, installation, and repair is very important for you to maximize the efficiency of the tools you are using, and a company that can offer this should certainly be considered.

Once your list is down to perhaps two or three CNC machining services providers, contact them personally and give them an overview of what your company does and the types of CNC tools that you would need. Most often than not, these providers will also give you suggestions and offer to check the needs of your business before offering their services. This is also the time when you can negotiate on pricing and ask questions about their services and the solutions that can help you increase your company's production and manufacturing processes. Your decision will rely on the answers that they have given, so make sure that you compare prices for the tools that you need and the machining solutions that will be able to offer your company. Choose the CNC machining service that can offer the lowest rates without compromising quality.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6929828

Would you Purchase a SimpleBot kit or a Pre-Built SimpleBot?


.

To see if anyone would be interested in buying simple robotics kits or robots from SimpleBotics, I have created this poll. Please vote to choose if you would rather buy a kit or a pre-built robot. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and it may be used to persuade us in making kits to sell! Thank you!

-SimpleBotics




Kit or Robot?
  
pollcode.com free polls 

What Is Lean Manufacturing - Kaizen and Continuous Improvement


.

Kaizen and continuous improvement are one in the same thing, the name is Japanese and it has several subtly different meanings, but continuous improvement is best for our purposes.

A popular version of Kaizen is the Kaizen blitz, also known as a Kaizen event. This has become a very useful and common tool in lean manufacturing. Many companies have incorporated it into their business culture very successfully.

What is the origin of Kaizen?

Kaizen was developed by two men from Toyota. Before the recent popularity of the Blitz, kaizen meant 'Continuous Improvement.' This is the slow accumulation of many small developments in processes and quality that, over 50 years, has helped make Toyota the lowest cost and highest quality automobile company in the world.

How does it work?

It would be wonderful if you could manage huge, dramatic, quick changes in lean manufacturing, but that is unreasonable. The beauty of Kaizen and Continuous Improvement is that it is done is small, incremental steps that are entirely doable. The mindset of your workers undergoes a change that is permanent.

It is as if you have a huge and complicated task ahead of you and it just seems impossible. Yet, when it is broken down into small steps, or bite sized chunks, you see that you can actually manage it. This is very encouraging for everyone involved in the lean manufacturing process.

What is a Kaizen blitz?

It is the same thing as a Kaizen event, which is a small, focused attack on a particular aspect of your operation in order to improve its performance. These events are very effective because as you improve each small aspect, they add up to huge overall improvements. This is why it is called continuous improvement: it is an ongoing process that has no end.

In many ways, a kaizen event is a lot like having a disorganized household that you just can't seem to conquer. It is all just so ingrained to be messy, nobody seems to be able to get things under control and put into order. You try all kinds of campaigns, but it is still the same as before.

What is needed is an overall strategy and small incremental steps that are mastered before moving on to the next one. Sure, you must backtrack and improve on what was established, but that is part of the continuous improvement concept. Gradually, everyone in the household begins to develop a new culture and it become a habit to be organized and tidy. Like a lot of lean manufacturing processes, it is really common sense put into an organized approach that is able to be monitored.

Is Kaizen continuous improvement worth it?

Is it worth it to be more efficient and profitable? Yes! Actually, things left to themselves tend to decay, so if you are not continuously improving, then things are deteriorating.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1125588

Robots Won't Take Over the World, or Will They?


.



The votes are in! Robot enthusiasts like you have voted on whether robots in the near-future will take over the world. Surprisingly, it turns out that most people think that a robot apocalypse will not occur. So if you have that constant fear of robots taking over, you can rest assure that it won't happen. Well, at least we hope it won't... 

What's the Best Timing for My Kaizen Blitz Event?


.

Gone are the days when conventional business process improvement projects used to consume weeks and months together, making it really tough to achieve results with both teams and management gradually dropping interest in the system. But with the kaizen blitz, things have completely changed and businesses are able to find rapid improvements in only a matter of days that are achieved on account of a great measure of commitment shown by both work teams and management.

For those who believe in excellent teamwork with short, time-specific goals aimed at realizing significant changes, the kaizen blitz has come to offer the best support and highly-effective solutions to solve many of the problems faced by their businesses. What impresses everyone is the fact that kaizen is all about continuous improvement philosophy, which is critical to the well-being of any business. By involving all sections of employees, from CFO to assembly line workers, kaizen events ensure continual improvement of all functions, and more importantly, facilitate the elimination of process waste.

With smaller experiments replacing large-scale preplanning and extended project scheduling, a focused kaizen event consistently delivers small improvements that ensure compound productivity improvement within weeks. While a kaizen blitz is designed to address a specific issue in a week's time, the tangible benefits that the intensive team-based effort offers are clearly visible in a quick and effective manner.

By updating and reviewing things at regular intervals soon after changes happen, the process remains ongoing and everything goes as per plan with kaizen. That kaizen blitz follows a proven, formal process to achieve brilliant results has really made several businesses evince keen interest in the unique daily process. The growing popularity of kaizen events can be seen in their spreading wings from the manufacturing sector to several other industries that look for process improvement.

Why the kaizen process proves indispensable for many businesses is because you can look forward to recording desired results every time by planning out these events and evolve a perfect strategy on how to make use of them to your best abilities. That's why several businesses have come to understand the importance of the intensive team-based attempt and don't want to miss the Godsend opportunity to register terrific improvements in a relatively quick time.

For businesses wanting to attain near perfection, the kaizen blitz comes to serve as the ideal option, enabling them to keep pace with the latest happenings around and quality improvements. Here, what you're going to benefit from is improvements that are based on the latest technologies and other significant factors that assure to largely change the fortunes of a business over a specific period of time. So once you're clear about your exact requirements from your business process improvements, making use of kaizen is going to be a smooth affair all the way.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6656515

The History of Lean Manufacturing Practices


.

Lean training in manufacturing refers to a set of practices that are taught to individuals in a company, who can then introduce continuous change practices, cost cutting measures, and energy and waste reduction throughout the company.

Lean certification has many components, and was developed as an identifiable program back in the 1980's and 1990's. Lean training came out of an industry program known as Six Sigma. Six Sigma refers to the levels of training received through a design and implementation process, where different color belts are awarded, similar to judo, as each level is successfully achieved. Six Sigma tends to focus specifically on the design and implementation process, where lean has evolved into a broader, company-wide process including business units, as well as technical and production units.

One of the important aspects of the lean manufacturing process is the inclusion of the Kaizen method for continuous improvement. Kaizen is a Japanese word. It became known in the United States after World War II, when Japanese manufacturing techniques were being closely examined following the war. The word literally means "change for the better", and involves workers at every stage of a production line being aware of productivity and waste, and having a plan in place to communicate changes that can quickly be implemented into the process. The Kaizen methods have been taught separately for decades, but recently have been incorporated into the broader philosophy of lean manufacturing.

As Six Sigma became increasing popular, and manufacturing companies began training many of their employees in the practices, the short comings of the Six Sigma program became easier to identify. Because efficiencies were taking place only in design and implementation departments, the other parts of the company would actually hinder the process by not being able to keep up. If a procurement department is using old methods of ordering and receiving parts, and the rate of using those parts increases, the inefficiencies in the procurement department are going to be made visible to upper management.

This is also true in business departments. If the movement of capital in a company is slow, or moving at a rate that is not efficient, then money cannot be made available fast enough to allow expansion along with the demand created by the design and implementation departments.

Lean certification broadened the training, and included all aspects of a company with regards to continuous improvement and cost cutting. As a result, entire businesses can be transformed into highly efficient and lean units which can quickly respond to the changes in demand, and to the continuous change process.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7219896

Lean Manufacturing Will Help Increase Profit Through Waste Elimination


.

Most studies indicate that a large proportion of our time is spent doing non-value added tasks. Lean manufacturing consultants can show you how to increase profit through waste elimination, waste reduction and waste prevention.

It's incredible how much time is spent conducting activities that create unnecessary waste; waste is moving products around, waiting for product or information, dealing with quality problems, chasing suppliers, fixing mechanical breakdowns and much more. In reality, companies that are not lean spend by far too much time on activities that are irrelevant. More time needs to be spent on adding value to the product and a lean manufacturing consultant can show you how.

There can be a huge difference made to your business if these wasteful activities can be reduced and if employees spend more time doing what the customer really wants. Lean will very simply reduce your costs and therefore increase your profits.

Waste reduction is a major component of lean manufacturing.

Value Add vs Non-Value Add

There are two parts to any work, a portion that adds value and a portion that does not add value, but what is "value add"? Something adds value if it physically alters the product or service to what the customer truly wants.

If you think about it, you are paying for every non-value adding activity in your company; the cost of each comes directly out of profits. Each non-value adding operation you can eliminate will add to your profit and this in turn, will please shareholders.

Non-Value adding operations are simply waste. Something is only adding value if it meets an explicit customer requirement and cannot be shown to be performed more economically. Implementing lean manufacturing can help you to reduce or eliminate these wastes.

The Wastes

Transportation: The movement of products between different operations and locations. Of course transportation cannot be totally eliminated but more often than not many manufacturers are poorly organized and transportation of goods within a warehouse to external transportation is more often than not lean.

Inventory: Generally the vast amounts of material held as both finished product and work in progress are driven by traditional manufacturing's tendency to run enormous batches to maximize machine efficiency and to insulate against problems. Lean manufacturing can change this.

Motion: The unnecessary movement of a machine or a person. For example, picking up heavy items at floor level to relocate to a workable height or machines that have to travel excessive distances before actual work commences.

Waiting: People or machinery that sits idle waiting for previous operations, item delivery, information, problem solving, or other potential interruptions.

Overproduction: Producing an order that the customer does not want until a later date leads to unnecessary inventory.

Over-Processing: Doing unnecessary work such as polishing surfaces that are never seen.

Defects: The products that are incorrectly manufactured that leads to reproducing, scrap, delays, additional paperwork, additional employee hours, etc.

A lean manufacturing consultant will show you how your company will eliminate all these wastes and maximize profits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5769781

Construct a Tiny Altoid Can Robot with Household Materials!


.

100_5958.JPG


Robots can be hard and frustrating to build, but not exactly every robot. Take the Tiny Altoid Tin Robot for example. Its simple, yet fun to construct. The amazing thing about this little bot is that it reacts to the sound that it hears. In fact, you can get this bot up and running with a few scrap parts and a few other parts from Radio Shack! Below is a video of it in action, and click here for building instructions.


Consulting Clients


.

Here is a look at some of Nemat, Inc.'s consulting client list:
 
Sun Microsystems Corporation - High Tech Industry

General Dynamics, Inc. ATS - Fiber Optics

Applied Material, Inc. - Semiconductor/Energy Industry

MCMS, Inc. - Contract Manufacturing

Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. - Consumer Products

Fox Racing Shocks - Consumer Products

National Airmotive Corporation - Aerospace Industry

CPM Lighting Corporation - Construction Industry

Peerless Lighting Corporation - Construction Industry

Packaging Innovators - Packaging Industry

Pacific Gas & Electric Company - Service Industry

State of Washington:  Developed and implemented Lean Manufacturing projects in order to reduce various agencies operating cost.

POM Wonderful:  Designed components and assemblies, developed engineering drawings, made prototypes and production parts.

Specialized Bicycle:  Designed and developed Lean Manufacturing projects for Water Bottle printing and Helmet manufacturing processes.  Consolidated 2 buildings into 1.

Applied Materials Inc., Energy Division:  Implemented Design for Manufacturability projects in order to reduce product cost.
 
Nemat Inc. is a leader in process redesign, process management and performance improvement. Nemat Inc. brings state of the art problem solving methods with extensive background in manufacturing and service industries. In most cases, our applications achieve a payback within four months or less. 

Our approach brings clients the structure, professional support, and specialized tools needed to achieve successful process outcomes.