by Gary Mintchell | Apr 2, 2016 | Automation, News
I have not been away on purpose. This may be about the longest I’ve gone in 12+ years of blogging. Had a crisis of sorts in a business I’ve invested in, two road trips, a bout of allergy infection, and a report for a client due. Plus some construction going on around the house. Quite a week.
Here are some items I’ve been saving up. Meanwhile, I’m still thinking about ramifications of what I started last week with IIoT, Level 3, software, and the like.
Frank Lamb has started a conversation on PLC information and samples. Check out his site and add your comments.
I will be going to Hannover the end of the month. I’ll be busy, but if you will be there ping me. I’ll have a bunch of stuff from Siemens and Dell for sure. There should be much more information from so large a show.
Coming up the first week of May ( 2-5) is QAD Explore, the ERP supplier’s user conference, in Chicago at the Hilton. I’ll be on a panel on Tuesday discussing the relationship past, present, future of MES and ERP with a little IIoT thrown in. If you are a user or are kicking some ERP tires, check it out. Then look me up.
Schneider Electric Connect 2016 will be May 23-26 in New Orleans. I’m not speaking, but I’ll be there. Maybe we can arrange a meet up? This part of Schneider is Modicon/Foxboro/Triconex
Then I saw this blog from Rockwell Automation written by Thomas Donato, President, EMEA, Rockwell Automation, talking about how industrial business leaders are not asking about IIoT (or Industrie 4.0 or whatever). I’ve noticed that suppliers are rushing to claim IIoT as a strategy or that they play in that game. But it’s the same as every new thing that comes down the road—customers just want solutions to their problems. That is how suppliers should be positioning their products and services.
And from my friend Jim Pinto. I asked him annually for 10 years at Automation World to give me his annual Pinto Prognostications. In his blog now, he takes a look at the rest of the 21st Century. Here is his conclusion. Check out the entire post here.
Power will be in the knowledge and the ability to integrate and exploit the new capabilities provided by technology and adapt to new environments and opportunities. The human adventure will continue as the remaining frontiers and limits of human thought are explored. But will people be happy?
by Gary Mintchell | Apr 20, 2015 | Automation, Data Management, Education, Internet of Things, Leadership, Operations Management, Productivity
I took 10 days off to go on vacation in Europe. I tried to write ahead, but ran out of time. So last week I reposted several older items.
We did the Danube cruise on Viking (you can see its ads on Masterpiece Mystery on PBS) from Nuremberg to Budapest–two of my favorite cities.
Three are many notable takeaways from the trip, but one thing stands out from a professional perspective. That would be workforce recruitment and training.
Every person on the ship’s staff was obviously screened well and then trained impeccably. It’s the same reason I like to stay at Marriotts. The staff is invariably friendly and trained–not only to do their jobs well but also to excel at customer service.
This contrasted markedly with the poor American Airlines guy who was managing (sort of) the queue through security at JFK. He’d do one thing, then reverse himself, then reverse again. All this in the space of 15 minutes! The queues were hopeless. Some industrial engineering training would go a long way toward adequate customer service at JFK.
Big Data and Jim Pinto
Meanwhile, I’ve finished sorting through about 1,200 emails today in addition to a couple of meetings. Catching up with work after a trip is so much fun.
Jim Pinto’s latest blog message was buried in my email folder. Turning from his recent ruminations on life, he turned to the Big Data subject.
Here’s Jim’s summary:
A revolution that compares with the impact of the Internet is changing the way that business, politics, health, education – almost everything – is being conducted. It is pervasive to the extent that everyone knows that it’s there, but no one can do anything to stop encroachment Every digital process that surrounds everybody at all times generates data: messages, updates, images posted to social networks; readings from sensors; GPS signals from cell phones. What’s revolutionary is that something can now be done with the data. Online retailers develop algorithms to predict what individual customers like, performing better every time recommendations get a response or are ignored. Political campaigns analyze large datasets to create predictions, giving data-savvy campaigns a major advantage. Big data has become the basis of competition and growth.
What with sensors everywhere, all that data must go somewhere in order to be useful. The consumer domain has been struggling with this. And it is all so debatable. Is is service or invasion of privacy for all these consumer companies to compile all that data about us? On the one hand, they hope to serve us ads and information that would be relevant to what we’re interested in. On the other, what if a nefarious agent–say the Department of Homeland Security or the local police–grabbed all that data and then trumped up charges against us?
In the manufacturing/industrial domain, ubiquitous sensors and massive amounts of data are old hat. But…are historians adequate to the tasks required by modern manufacturing methods? What do we need to learn and incorporate from the new database technologies from consumer big data? Who is working on that? This is crucial to the success of Industrial Internet of Things.
Anyway, check out Jim and debate with him–he loves that!
by Gary Mintchell | Apr 14, 2015 | Leadership
One thing about living most of my life in the same small city, I have seen many people grow from stage to stage in life. I remember when a bunch of guys were in their 30s and 40s. They were posturing for importance. Living an upscale and hard-driving lifestyle. Now they are 60s and 70s. They, for the most part, have come to see what’s really important in life—relationships, service, being comfortable in who they are.
Lure of Lifestyle
My friend Jim Pinto, who has turned his attention from automation (since he doesn’t write for me anymore) to thoughts on how to live, reminds us to focus on what’s important. In Lure of Lifestyle, he says, “Now, I don’t feel particularly miserly, but I really don’t understand the rationale of the luxury lifestyle. In fact, I remember the remark of a guy who ignored the champagne at a fancy reception and asked for a beer. “Hey!” he said, “I’m rich enough to drink what I want, not what looks good.”
These days, when I see somebody posturing beyond their means, I remember a Texas cattleman’s wisecrack: “Big hat, no cattle!” This was the name of a song by Randy Newman.”
Fits a Career
I think this fits a career, too. Most of the time I’ve been in leadership (I wish I had been this good all the time), the important question became, “How can I help you?” After defining roles and hiring the best people (I’ve missed a few times, much to my downfall—one guy turned out to be quite the political manipulator), that is the best approach to management.
I’m reminded of a story about a guy who was trying to impress neighbors in an upper middle class neighborhood. One neighbor was actually quite wealthy, although you’d never know it from the way he lived (with simplicity).
Seems the guy seeking to impress through a party for his “friends” in the neighborhood. He gave the guests a tour of his wine cellar–his pride and joy. Then he showed the big prize–a very expensive bottle of wine.
The rich guy said, “Well, let’s just pop that thing open and see how good it is.” I’m saving it for a special occasion was the reply. “Heck,” continued the rich guy, “you’ve got all your friends over here for a big celebration. This is a special occasion.”
Think he knew that that bottle of wine was just for show? Only there to impress people?
Management style
As we lead and manage, we should check to see how much display we have around us meant only to impress. This can be changed to thinking about how much we can help others so that we together accomplish awesome results.
by Gary Mintchell | Mar 4, 2015 | Automation, Data Management, Events, News, Operations Management, Software
I have a potpourri of items to start the day. In the morning I leave for a week serving at the Tijuana Christian Mission. We will do a variety of service projects including building a section of a cinder-block security wall at its Rosarito orphanage site. We will do some work at the women’s shelter. We will also have some “real” Mexican tacos and check out the Pacific Ocean. I will be writing ahead, but there may be some gaps.
ABB
I decided that I just had too much going on along with watching my budget to attend this year’s ABB Automation and Power World event in Houston. This is the first one I’ve missed. And, yes, I do feel some withdrawal pain. What little news I’ve seen so far says that attendance is about 8,000. That is fantastic. I have seen no other news so far.
There were a couple of press releases in general. I subscribe to news feeds using Feedly on my iPad. I scan hundreds of items a day. Unfortunately, whatever Web technology ABB uses, when I click on the teaser lead in to the story to go to the Website, nothing happens. I’ve reported it to ABB several times in the past. For now, I don’t tweet or write up these items–I can’t see them.
Jim Pinto on Tolerance
My friend Jim Pinto who once wrote a monthly column on automation for me has switched his outlook on life. He has been tackling social problems lately in his new blog.
The latest edition is an impassioned plea for tolerance. He talks about treating other people with dignity. Certainly that is a life skill that will help you become successful except in the most toxic of organizational environment. But certainly successful as a person.
The piece did send me in search of a book in my library from the late 60s called “A Critique of Pure Tolerance.” For you philosophers, you might get just a sniff of Kant in the title. Rightly so. Three philosophers contributed essays–a Hegelian, a Kantian, and a positivist. One author was Robert Paul Wolfe. I can neither remember the other two or find the book right now. The point was (throwback to anti-VietNam protests) that sometimes you really shouldn’t tolerate the thoughts of others. I just offer that as a token of meaningless debate.
Real news from Dassault
Just received this update. By the way, I think these pre-configured apps are the beginning of the future for manufacturing software. Seems Apriso is making us smart–at least according to the press relations manager. Version 4.0 of Dassault Systèmes’ DELMIA Apriso Manufacturing Process Intelligence (MPI) application suite is now available. New Maintenance, Logistics and Warehouse Intelligence Packs add visibility to another 200+ new KPIs.
Manufacturers operating globally are challenged to accurately measure analytics across sites to identify “best-in-class” performance. MPI 4.0 now offers 700+ pre-configured, built-in measures and KPIs within seven DELMIA Apriso Intelligence Packs. Intelligence Packs are pre-configured to work out-of-the-box with existing Apriso products (or may be integrated with other vendor products) to deliver the industry’s most robust EMI solution for global manufacturing excellence.
MPI 4.0 now offers Maintenance, Logistics and Warehouse Intelligence Packs, in addition to existing Production, Machine, Labor and Quality Intelligence Packs.
Advanced manufacturing strategies
There is one thing that puzzles me. Does anyone care about the variety of “smart manufacturing” theories and initiatives that take up so much room in magazines and blogs these days? I keep asking and writing, but the response is muted.
Granted, the European initiatives, principally Industrie 4.0, seem to be supplier driven. The US counterpart, Smart Manufacturing, has a government component, but is largely academic backed by some private companies who wish to take advantage of a pool of Ph.D. candidate researchers. It does talk about building a platform. However, the commercial impact is still in the distant future.
Just checking in. I’m working on a paper. If you have anything to contribute, I’m all ears.
by Gary Mintchell | Feb 4, 2015 | Leadership
One thing about living most of my life in the same small city, I have seen many people grow from stage to stage in life. I remember when a bunch of guys were in their 30s and 40s. They were posturing for importance. Living an upscale and hard-driving lifestyle. Now they are 60s and 70s. They, for the most part, have come to see what’s really important in life—relationships, service, being comfortable in who they are.
Lure of Lifestyle
My friend Jim Pinto, who has turned his attention from automation (since he doesn’t write for me anymore) to thoughts on how to live, reminds us to focus on what’s important. In Lure of Lifestyle, he says, “Now, I don’t feel particularly miserly, but I really don’t understand the rationale of the luxury lifestyle. In fact, I remember the remark of a guy who ignored the champagne at a fancy reception and asked for a beer. “Hey!” he said, “I’m rich enough to drink what I want, not what looks good.”
These days, when I see somebody posturing beyond their means, I remember a Texas cattleman’s wisecrack: “Big hat, no cattle!” This was the name of a song by Randy Newman.”
Fits a Career
I think this fits a career, too. Most of the time I’ve been in leadership (I wish I had been this good all the time), the important question became, “How can I help you?” After defining roles and hiring the best people (I’ve missed a few times, much to my downfall—one guy turned out to be quite the political manipulator), that is the best approach to management.
I’m reminded of a story about a guy who was trying to impress neighbors in an upper middle class neighborhood. One neighbor was actually quite wealthy, although you’d never know it from the way he lived (with simplicity).
Seems the guy seeking to impress through a party for his “friends” in the neighborhood. He gave the guests a tour of his wine cellar–his pride and joy. Then he showed the big prize–a very expensive bottle of wine.
The rich guy said, “Well, let’s just pop that thing open and see how good it is.” I’m saving it for a special occasion was the reply. “Heck,” continued the rich guy, “you’ve got all your friends over here for a big celebration. This is a special occasion.”
Think he knew that that bottle of wine was just for show? Only there to impress people?
Management style
As we lead and manage, we should check to see how much display we have around us meant only to impress. This can be changed to thinking about how much we can help others so that we together accomplish awesome results.
