manufacturing Popular Posts

How the pros do it

Sharky's Blog

This IT veteran has decades of experience, but a new hire doesn't think much of a little Visual Basic application the old guy has written -- and he sets out to show how it's done.

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First thing first

Sharky's Blog

Manufacturing engineers at this plant are incredibly talented. Trouble is, they believe their talent crosses all lines, including fixing any problem having to do with computers and networks.

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A phone system you can count on

Sharky's Blog

This big manufacturer's internal phone system is getting old, and there's sometimes noticeable static on the line -- which aggravates other problems.

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Unclear on the concept

Sharky's Blog

The network is down on the shop floor at this plant, and the VP of manufacturing is furious -- but after 12 hours of effort, IT finally finds the root cause.

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Info sharing, meet sharing info

Sharky's Blog

This manufacturing company decides it's finally time to start sharing inventory data with manufacturing -- and, as usual, that means two independent groups will work on the project.

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Those who can, do ...

Sharky's Blog

This pilot fish is on the team implementing a manufacturing application at a big factory, and they're under heavy pressure to duplicate the old system's reports. Fortunately, there's also a new developer anxious to make a name for himself.

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Automation, redefined

Sharky's Blog

This developer is responsible for an automated daily report to the managers at a semiconductor manufacturing site. It's supposed to show up every weekday at 8 a.m., and it does -- mostly.

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For once, credit where it's due

Sharky's Blog

At this electronic cash register company, the manufacturing line shuts down for four hours every Friday afternoon -- and a student pilot fish can't figure out why it should have to.

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Because that's the REAL test of whether it's right

Sharky's Blog

Call comes in to this support pilot fish from a production line at the manufacturing plant where he works. The problem: A thermal printer that's down -- and a young, 'technology oriented' production-line worker who insists on fixing it himself.

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Health care is a bright spot in the IT budget gloom

Mitch Betts' Blog

Analysts at Datamonitor say IT budgets are headed south in 2009 -- except in the health care industry (thanks to aging baby boomers).

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Out of memory error

Sharky's Blog

Pilot fish handles IT support for a big manufacturing plant, and part of that responsibility is taking support calls in bed at 3:30 in the morning.

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That's not how it works

Sharky's Blog

This company's main manufacturing plant is located in the sometimes frigid North, while another plant is in a place where it gets cold enough to snow only once every few years.

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No thanks

Sharky's Blog

This pilot fish works for a manufacturer that uses aging automated systems that are already paid for -- and in this economy, it has no interest in trading up.

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Just our way of saying thanks

Sharky's Blog

Pilot fish takes a job at a big manufacturing plant with big IT problems. But after two years of work, he has everything hammered into shape and is pretty happy with the result -- and so are his bosses.

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That's unusual?

Sharky's Blog

Sitting at home one evening, sysadmin pilot fish gets a frantic call from a night supervisor at the manufacturing plant: "All the computers have stopped working."

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