MAG's Impressive eWARE Suite At IMTS 2010

In the Emerging Technology Center (ETC) MTConnect section, we have a number of companies who have been very strong supporters of MTConnect and clearly MAG Industrial Automation Systems is certainly one of those top companies.

Tuesday, I was very fortunate to be able to spend some time with Pete Tecos, VP of Strategic Growth Initiatives for MAG Industrial Automation Systems, at their booth (S-8519).   Pete gave me a great overview and demonstration of their  new Freedom eWARE™ software suite from e-tekx.  During the demo,  Jeff Price - CTO MAG's Control Systems, stopped by as well to discuss eWARE.

I was very impressed to learn that MAG supports MTConnect on all of their new systems via their eConnect module.    It was also interesting to learn that eWARE is "target independent,"  and can gather data from a variety of plant floor assets.  eWARE  can do this without the need to modify ladder logic or part programming.  eWARE seems to fit in perfectly with the MTConnect mantra of, "Different Devices, Common Connection."

Being from the Washington, DC area, I was extremely impressed to later learn that eWARE is certified as networthy.  What this means is that eWARE is certified as secure, supportable and compatible with the Army Enterprise Infrastructure (AEI).

What also impressed me about eWARE is their architecture that has eCONNECT a a central hub which then acts as the central data and control point for:

• eVIEW
• eNERGY
• eMONITOR
• eCELL
• eLOG

Near the end of our discussion, Bill Horwarth, President of MAG, stopped by and we discussed eWARE and I mentioned the benefits of cloud computing to Bill.

Huge thanks to Pete, Jeff and Bill for taking time out of their busy IMTS schedule to show me eWARE - very impressive!

I would encourage everyone to stop by MAG Industrial Automation Systems, at their booth (S-8519) ask to see a demonstration of eWARE.  Tell them Dave Edstrom sent you....

Rolls Royce Fan System for a Turbine Engine at IMTS near Gardner Publications Booth

Above is a great example of what a machine tool can make that is reasonably large - a 10' in diameter Rolls Royce fan system from a Trent 900 Civil Gas Turbine Engine.

Project OpenIndiana

As an old Sun guy, I was disappointed with Oracle's announcement regarding OpenSolaris.   When the OpenSolaris Board disbanded, that certainly appeared to be the final nail in the OpenSolaris coffin.

Hopefully, this announcement of Project OpenIndiana will provide a venue for those who depend on OpenSolaris a viable OS going forward.   This will not have the momentum of OpenSolaris and Oracle supporting it, but hopefully OpenIndiana will be successful.   It would be a real shame to see the open version of Solaris die....

This is from the OpenIndiana home page:

"OpenIndiana is a continuation of the OpenSolaris operating system. It was conceived during the period of uncertainty following the Oracle takeover of Sun Microsystems, after several months passed with no binary updates made available to the public. The formation proved timely, as Oracle discontinued OpenSolaris soon after in favour of Solaris 11 Express, a binary distribution with a more closed development model to debut later this year.

OpenIndiana is part of the Illumos Foundation, and provides a true open source community alternative to Solaris 11 and Solaris 11 Express, with an open development model and full community participation."

I hope OpenIndiana is successful.   Too many smart individuals put their hearts, souls and minds into OpenSolaris to let it just die....

Start of IMTS! Great Example - F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter

The F-35 Lightning II is a GREAT example of what can be made with today's manufacturing equipment here at IMTS.   

As Lockheed Martin states:

The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), integrates advanced very low observable stealth into a supersonic, highly agile 5^th generation fighter. The capabilities built into the F-35 Lightning II provide the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness and unmatched lethality and survivability.

While each variant (F-35A, F-35B, F-35C) is uniquely designed to operate from different bases, all three variants set new standards in network-enabled mission systems, sensor fusion, supportability and maintainability.

The world’s most experienced aerospace industry leaders (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and the Fighter Engine Team—Pratt & Whitney and GE Rolls-Royce) combine sophisticated manufacturing, engineering and technological capabilities to develop the F-35 Lightning II. This, along with global partnerships, has been an integral part of the JSF Program. Setting the stage for reliability and maintainability, the F-35’s built-in sustainment establishes new levels of operational readiness and helps meet the needs across the spectrum of military operations.

With its host of next-generation technologies and unprecedented capabilities, the F-35 is the world’s most advanced multirole fighter.

The Fastest and Easiest Move In EVER for IMTS at McCormick Place

Great article today in the Chicago Tribune trumpeting the changes in the union rules regarding what exhibitors are now allowed to do during setup.  By allowing the vendors to do more themselves, this has dramatically improved both the set up time as well as a significant reduction in exhibitors overall costs.  This has been a win/win/win for everyone involved.  As the Chicago Tribune reported this morning:

Peter Eelman, vice president-exhibitions and communications for the Association for Manufacturing Technology, the trade group that sponsors and runs the biennial show that has been at McCormick Place since 1950, so far is pleased with the changes at McCormick Place.

"I couldn't be happier with the overall attitude and productivity and cooperation with the work force in general, including the carpenters, the riggers, the electricians, you name it," Eelman said. "I've gotten great feedback from the exhibitors, and it's unanimous that it's a different feeling.'' Eelman was among a coterie of major trade show operators that pushed for the revamp of convention center operations.

In fact, the association held off committing to future shows until the changes became law. In August, the group announced that its show, also known as the machine tool show, would return in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Emerging Technology Center Coming Together at IMTS 2010

IMTS is further along, in terms of setup, than any other previous IMTS.   This is a great indicator on what should be the best IMTS yet! 

The photo above is a small section of the Emerging Technology Center at IMTS 2010.  The angle is not great and I was shooting it through a glass window with my iPhone, so apologies for the quality.  What is behind this large cylinder is the 3D movie. 

The photo above is again through glass.  This shows the Cloud Computing and MTConnect areas from above.

The photo above is again through glass.  This shows the Nanotechnology and the Additive Technology areas from above.

Steve Fritzinger and Writing Tips

Long time friend Steve Fritzinger is one of those rare individuals who discuss any topic from extremely complicated design use cases in Java to Keynesian economics.   Just to back up that particular claim, Steve is a Java author - Advanced Techniques for Java Developers, as well as works for the BBC discussing economics.  That is in addition to his day job.  These are just two examples of his countless skills.

When Steve sends me something, I read it.  Steve sent me this short article titled, "How To Write Less Badly", by Michael C. Munger, that is definitely worth reading.  As Mr. Munger starts out:

"In my nearly 30 years at universities, I have seen a lot of very talented people fail because they couldn't, or didn't, write. And some much less talented people (I see one in the mirror every morning) have done OK because they learned how to write."

I would add public speaking to that list as well, but that is for a different day and different blog post :-)

Below is an example from the article as a thought provoking way to "Write Less Badly":

6. Pick a puzzle. Portray, or even conceive, of your work as an answer to a puzzle. There are many interesting types of puzzles:

• "X and Y start with same assumptions but reach opposing conclusions. How?"
• "Here are three problems that all seem different. Surprisingly, all are the same problem, in disguise. I'll tell you why."
• "Theory predicts [something]. But we observe [something else]. Is the theory wrong, or is there some other factor we have left out?"

Don't stick too closely to those formulas, but they are helpful in presenting your work to an audience, whether that audience is composed of listeners at a lecture or readers of an article.

My favorite writing advice is from the famous  Louis D. Brandeis (who graduated from Harvard at age 20 with the highest grade point average ever in the school's history):

“There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting.”

Ruth Edstrom - Artist of the Month for Springfield Art Guild

Congratulations to my mother for being selected Artist of the Month for the Springfield Art Guild!

Our house is filled with great oil paintings she has done of our three sons.  After getting the dogs out of the house and my Vette out of the garage :-) I told my boys to make sure to grab Grandma's paintings off the walls in case of fire.


 This is the background on my mother's painting (in her words):

I grew up on a farm in Minnesota and always loved to draw.   In 1972, when my husband was stationed in Vietnam, a young officer's wife at Richards-Gebaur AFB in Kansas City, MO, an art major, offered oil painting classes to members of the Officers Wives Club.   I signed up and discovered I could paint.  I continued taking classes with Adeline Mayfield, an Artist  teacher at a Community Center in Kansas City, KS for the  next three years until we were transferred  to Northern Virginia.   I took a series of oil painting classes through the Fairfax County Park Authority.
 

In January 1986 I enrolled in drawing and oil painting classes at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town, Alexandria.  In the Fall of 1986 I started classes with Suzanne French Luker at her gallery in Occoquain, VA which I continued until she moved to Florida the summer of 1998. 

I continued classes under the direction of Karen Galleher starting the fall of 1998 until the spring of 2002.  I have been part of the Wednesday Art Group with Susan Norman as the instructor since the beginning.  I enjoy the camaraderie of painting with the ladies in  the Wednesday group so very much!    

In 1993 I joined the Springfield Art Guild for the first time.  During October 1993, one of my oil  paintings "Springtime in Virginia"  was showcased in ARTSFAX by the Arts Council of Fairfax County  at the  Fairfax County Government center representing SAG.   I had a one woman show in Alexandria, VA. I also displayed and sold several paintings at a shop in Old Town, Alexandria, as well as several golf scenery paintings in the US Army Ft. Belvoir Golf Club.   During that same time frame, one of my paintings at  a  SAG show at the Northern Virginia Community College received an honorable mention.

I have displayed my paintings at the Fairfax County Government Center, numerous county libraries,  Green Spring Gardens Park, Goodwin House, and the Springfield Mall Exhibit. The majority of my sales have been  commissions.  In the past, I was giving many of  my paintings  to family and friends as gifts for  various occasions.  At last count, I realized I have paintings in 18 states and two in the District of Columbia. 
 

I truly enjoy painting and feel so blessed and thankful that God granted me talent in this endeavor.                
 

Mazak, I/Gear and Gardner Publications - First Three Booths I Am Going To Visit at IMTS

This is an article I wrote that will appear in the September 8^th IMTS Insider.

The excitement is reaching a crescendo pitch as we get within a week for the start of IMTS 2010 and the Emerging Technology Center (ETC)!

The first order of business is to visit the ETC and see the incredible 3D movie and visit each of the four pods (sections) of the ETC:

• MTConnect
  
• Cloud Computing
• Additive Technologies
• Nanotechnology

The ETC will spark your imagination and likely generate a mental list of the IMTS Booths you must go visit.    I thought I would share with you my must visit booths at IMTS and why.

The first must visit booth is Mazak.   Brian Papke, Mazak president of Mazak, is a recognized industry thought leader and a huge supporter of MTConnect from literally day one back in 2006.    Mazak announced on August 9^th, 2010, the Mazak Energy Dashboard, which is exactly what customers are crying out for and something that I am looking forward to seeing in person.  Below is part of the announcement:

“Florence, Kentucky, - Mazak has announced that it will be demonstrating the Mazak Energy Dashboard at IMTS 2010. The Mazak Energy Dashboard exemplifies how the MTConnect communications protocol can be used to provide manufacturers with cost savings and boosts productivity and efficiency. Mazak will be located in booth S-8300 at IMTS 2010.

The Mazak Energy Dashboard is an interface that provides real-time monitoring of energy usage, environmental impact and carbon footprint for a wide variety of machine tools and peripherals. The software identifies key drivers of energy expenses so that they can be managed and minimized, as well as helping manufacturers minimize their effects on the environment.”

After visiting the ETC, go visit Mazak at booth S-8300 and ask to see their Mazak Energy Dashboard.

Next up, I am going to head over to the I/Gear at booth N-6146. Mark Doyle and I/Gear has been a huge supporter of MTConnect and I/Gear is really ahead of the crowd in terms of where the manufacturing industry is going. Below is something very cool that I/Gear is doing with cloud computing:

“MTConnect implementer, I/Gear Online, is launching a blog this week focusing on cloud computing and manufacturing equipment. The blog, http://redefiningmonitoring.com/, is an educational resource that aggregates industry articles about cloud computing, and seeks to highlight the current and future relevance of cloud computing to manufacturing companies and machine builders. Because MTConnect is a perfect marriage with cloud computing, expect to see plenty content featuring MTConnect developments and successes in the manufacturing industry. Contact Mark Doyle, mark.doyle@igearonline.com, if you would like to contribute any MTConnect news to the blog.”

Next, I am heading over to Gardner Publications at booth W-160 to speak with Rick Kline or any of the talented and creative Gardner employees. Gardner Publications does an absolutely phenomenal job in an impressive set of industries:

• Metalworking - Modern Machine Shop
  
• Precision Machining  - Production Machining
  
• Plastics Processing - Plastics Technology
  
• Metal Finishing - Products Finishing
  
• Moldmaking - MoldMaking Technology
  
• Automotive production - Automotive Design & Production
  
• Composite Materials - Composites Technology and High Performance Composites
  
• Rapid Product Development - Time Compression
  
• Business Continuity - Continuity Insights
  
• Industrial Precision Parts Cleaning - Process Cleaning

Gardner Publications provides the comprehensive in depth reporting that is critical to understand what is happening in manufacturing on a wide variety of fronts. Stopping by the Gardner Publications booth at the beginning of your IMTS 2010 visit can help educate, as well as optimize your great IMTS experience!

These are my suggestions and I know you can't go wrong adding Mazak, I/Gear and Gardner Publications to your must visit list at IMTS.

MTConnect® Institute electronic newsletter – Special IMTS Edition

Paul Warndorf, VP of Technology and CTO for AMT, does a great job with the MTConnect Newsletter.  Below is the special IMTS version.


Welcome to the MTConnect® Institute electronic newsletter – Special IMTS Edition

____________________________________________________

IMTS 2010 - MTConnect at the Show

There are plenty of opportunities to see MTConnect in action at IMTS 2010.  You can even see it starting to take shape now.

As we get closer to IMTS, you can monitor the construction of the MTConnect live demonstration area that we will be using in the Emerging Technology Center.  To do so, just go to imts.mtconnect.org.  It is recommended that you use Google Chrome or Firefox to view this app.

Please note, some of the equipment that will be connected to the demo is now en route to the show, so it will not show data.  This equipment will start to come online the week before the show. Other equipment that is located elsewhere could be up and running now.

While at the show, here are some of the booths you can also visit to see extended demonstrations of the use of MTConnect:

BIG Kaiser Precision Tooling / Speroni  (Booth W-1600)

Through the use of MTConnect, Speroni Tool Presetters currently allow customers to see in real-time the axis positioning data of their machines. As new features of MTConnect are developed and released, customers will then be able to capture real-time tooling data (including tool numbers, lengths, diameters, etc.) from the presetter. That data can then be transmitted to any MTConnect compliant machining center for a hassle free communication of tooling offsets. This gives customers a savings in setup time, and reduces the potential for manual data entry errors.

Bosch Rexroth Corporation (Booth E-4942)

Bosch Rexroth supports MTConnect in its CNC controllers IndraMotion MTX which supports not only fully digital electric servo and spindle axes, but also hydraulic servo axes. MTConnect data can easily be configured for the axis and machine type desired.

Example implementation will be provided to machine tool OEMs upon request.

Stop by their booth at E-4942, to see Bosch Rexroth's drive and control offerings.

Hurco Companies. Inc. (Booth S-8319)

Hurco machines supports MTConnect, allowing operators to monitor a variety of machine parameters.  MTConnect, in conjunction with Hurco’s ESF software, offers unprecedented flexibility and range of features that allow machine operators to be in complete control of their shop floor.

MTConnect is available on Hurco’s newest machine models, including DCX series high profile dual-column machine centers, as well as on the popular VM and VMX series machines.  Just like previous models, DCX mills use industry-leading ergonomic control, featuring cutting-edge specs and software.  The control offers ease of use and a wide range of capabilities for both conversational and NC programming.

Stop by their booth at S-8319 to see what Hurco has to offer.

I/Gear Online, LLC (Booth N-6146)

In addition to featuring applications in the MTConnect and Cloud Computing exhibits in the Emerging Technology Center, I/Gear’s booth will showcase an intuitive MTConnect monitoring demonstration utilizing live machine data and cloud technology. This entails collecting data from several MTConnect-enabled machine tools at the show and then transporting the data to I/Gear’s cloud infrastructure. The data is then stored, aggregated, and presented via dynamic views and mobile applications.

I/Gear Online redefines monitoring with an “Always On” approach to machine visibility. The benefits of this technology, along with MTConnect, are improved productivity and uptime for manufacturers, more effective servicing of industrial machinery, improved equipment analysis and design, and enhanced communication between the equipment provider and end customer.  I/Gear looks forward to seeing you at booth N-6146 during IMTS 2010!

LNS America, Inc. (Booth S-9272)

The ability to analyze machine conditions in real time can mean the difference between lost, maintained or increased productivity. During the 2010 IMTS Show, LNS will monitor five bar feeds throughout the South Hall, in essence simulating a production facility. The data collected from the bar feeders will be displayed on an array of monitors in the LNS booth (#9272). Analyzing the collected data allows our customers to monitor real time production requirements such as; machine status, active program, parts produced, remaining material, down time, fault condition and more…

Your hectic and demanding schedule doesn’t allow you to be in all places at the same time. Imagine being able to instantly know the status of your machine anytime and from anywhere. This is the power of MTConnect… LNS prides itself in being an industry leader in technology for the machine tool market. “We are committed to provide our customers with the latest technology to reduce costs and increase profits.”

MAG Industrial Automation Systems (Booth S-8519)

The new Freedom eWARE™ software suite from e-tekx will be running in the Emerging Technology Center as well as the MAG booth, displaying real-time productivity data on all MTConnect'd MAG machines at the show, as well as those of some other manufacturers on the network. The eWARE demonstrations will highlight its unique capabilities as the first manufacturing data reporting platform to provide data acquisition, condition monitoring, energy monitoring, and cell control, capable of generating reports and analytics for maintenance, process optimization and OEE.

eWARE is "target independent," capable of collecting data from a variety of plant floor assets without modification to ladder logic or part programming. It is also certified as "networthy" for use by U.S. Department of Defense agencies, armed forces and contractors. e-tekx experts will be demonstrating the software at IMTS on mobile devices such as Blackberry, iPhone, and iPad as well as static terminals, and look forward to showing visitors how they can improve productivity and increase profitability.

Mazak Corporation (Booth S-8300)

Mazak is participating in the ETC live demonstration of MTConnect to monitor one of their many new model machines in their booth. But in addition, they will also support third-party software products that wish to do the same.  In addition to the ETC demonstration, Mazak wants to raise the bar when it comes to solutions that are possible with MTConnect by demonstrating leading-edge applications for this technology.  For instance, they will show a wireless Energy Management Dashboard powered by MTConnect and using monitoring software developed by System Insights, Inc. called viMana. Customers will be able to realize various cost savings based on the location of their facility and the equipment they use at different times of the day.

Mazak has also reached out to their partners and invited them to do the same.  There will be more at the Mazak booth being monitored than just Mazak machines.  Stop by their booth, S-8300, and allow them to share their solutions with you.

Milltronics CNC Machines (Booth S-8327)

Milltronics VM16 is a cost-effective 40 taper vertical machining center with 30 inches of X travel, 16 inches of Y travel and 20 inches of Z travel.  On the VM16 at IMTS 2010, Milltronics will be running a demonstration of the MTConnect protocol for gathering production information from machine tools on the shop floor.  On a laptop next to the VM16, A Simple Client program is running, receiving and displaying data from the machine tool.  The connection between the machine tool and the Simple Client laptop is made over Ethernet, emulating a shop network.

The Simple Client program shows current data from the VM16 including its power status; control mode; control status; program name; alarms; spindle speed; X, Y and Z positions; X, Y and Z feedrates; nominal program feedrate; and the actual M- and G-code block being executed.  The purpose of MTConnect is to give the machine shop manager a good idea what is happening at a tool -- without going out to the floor and taking a look.

Okuma America Corporation (Booth S-8500)

Okuma is continuing its longtime commitment to real-time information sharing at IMTS 2010 with their robust API and partner applications running directly on Okuma’s THINC control.  A major part of this is continuing support of MTConnect by demoing multiple machines running Okuma’s MTConnect adaptor connecting into software partners at the Emerging Technology Center.  So stop by Okuma’s booth S-8500 where the productivity experts are waiting to demonstrate how an Okuma machine tool and its intelligent THINC control can help you improve your operational efficiencies.

OMAX® Corporation (Booth N-6228)

OMAX is participating in the Emerging Technology Center’s demonstration of MTConnect.  An MTConnect Adapter is included as part of the Intelli-MAX® Software Suite that is included with both OMAX Precision Abrasive Waterjet Systems and MAXIEM Waterjets®.  MTConnect data will be provided from one of the two bridges on the OMAX 80X DualBRIDGE System for the demonstration.  OMAX Corporation is the world leader in abrasivejet machining. Manufactured in the USA, the OMAX JetMachining® and MAXIEM Waterjet® lines bring abrasivejet technology to an expanding and diverse group of industries. Their systems are powered by the company's innovative control software, Intelli-MAX®. Customers from machining and fabrication industries benefit from our easy-to-use systems for production runs, tooling, and prototyping.

Optical Gaging Products (OGP) (Booth E-5525)

Optical Gaging Products (OGP®) will use MTConnect over the internet to present measurement data from one of its SmartScope® Flash™ multisensor measurement systems running a closed-loop sequence of pre-programmed part measurement routines at its facility in Rochester, NY.  The system will use video, laser and touch probe sensors to measure important dimensions on a variety of parts. The MTConnect display will show updates from the Flash system as features are automatically measured. OGP is participating with MTConnect because quality control is a critical aspect of the total manufacturing process. The ability to remotely monitor quality measurements along with machine tool operating status will help manufacturers oversee and manage the entire process.  For more information, visit their booth at E-5525.

Parlec, Inc. (Booth W-2300)

Parlec will be displaying a live webcam of their new Mazak Integrex machine that is in production at their Fairport, NY, facility using an Integrated Technology Kiosk.  The touch screen kiosk will display information about MTConnect and its development, as well as tool management solutions by Parlec, and integrated manufacturing solutions by Mazak.

Parlec will be beginning a project with Mazak to identify, track, and measure process improvements of their high-performance toolholder product line utilizing Mazak Integrex and Palletech machines configured with MTConnect adapters and a beta version of the System Insights machine tool monitoring and utilization application viMana. This will also be displayed with an exhibit at the Integrex machine in the Mazak booth.

SCADAware (Booth E-4446)

In SCADAware’s first appearance at IMTS, they will be demonstrating StatusWatch production monitoring software.  StatusWatch will be seen in the MTConnect and Cloud Computing exhibits in the Emerging Technology Center as well as in their own booth (E-4446).  The StatusWatch system will be connected to several live machines simulating a real life shop-floor monitoring solution running “in the cloud.”  Also shown at the SCADAware booth will be several companion products that target efficiency on the manufacturing/assembly line.  Among these are StatusLight (a smart Andon station), LED display boards, and the key to it all, the Visual Factory Configurator.
StatusWatch is the complete package when it comes to monitoring and reporting on the shop floor.  Flexible data collection (using MTConnect and OPC), prebuilt and custom reports, custom functions (including OEE), and email/pager/sms notifications give you the tools you need to meet your lean manufacturing goals.  Stop by their booth, E-4446, to learn more on how StatusWatch and related products can decrease waste and increase your profits!

System Insights (at Mazak Pavilion, (Booth S-8300)

System Insights is debuting viMana, a revolutionary software tool, to achieve dramatic improvements in shop floor performance. With viMana, users can classify and understand the causes of production losses on the shop floor, including machine breakdowns, poor quality, material starvation, and incorrect machine usage. viMana's Manufacturing Learning Engine collects and analyzes data in real-time from myriad disparate data sources throughout the shop floor -- including CNC controllers, PLC controllers and sensors -- and finds hidden patterns and trends that not only identify the sources of production losses, but also indicate the best strategies to decrease and ultimately eliminate them. viMana goes beyond simple data aggregation and helps manufacturers increase device utilization, reduce scrap rates, decrease unplanned downtimes, and improve profitability. viMana is a cloud-based solution and can be deployed on-premises or via the System Insights SaaS offering to fit the IT and economic requirements of enterprises, large and small. You can see live demonstrations of viMana at Mazak's and other partners' booths.

Newsletter

If you would like to submit an “In the News” brief for consideration, please send it to Paul Warndorf at pwarndorf@MTConnect.Hyperoffice.com.

To obtain a copy of MTConnect materials, sign into www.MTConnect.org and go to the download section of the site.  For more information about MTConnect, contact Paul Warndorf at pwarndorf@MTConnect.Hyperoffice.com or mail at MTConnect Institute, 7901 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA, 22102.

Directions to Corvettes at Carlisle

Directions to Corvettes at Carlisle

• This is for friends and family who want the easy and scenic way to get to Corvettes at Carlisle each year.  This starts from my house since this is a usual meeting point. It is easier to point someone at my blog, then to have to mail out or print driving instructions.
• Take Route 15 North in Leesburg to Route 94
  
  
  
  
  
  • It gets tricky when you get into Frederick and you need to STAY on Route 15 NORTH
  • There are TWO exits you have the choice of to stay on Route 15 NORTH when you get into Frederick.
  • The FIRST Route 15 North exit is on the RIGHT and is in a right hand lane that has a divided lane that is confusing because it has confusing signs on 270 and 15 North
  • The SECOND exit is the one to take and it is ON THE LEFT JUST AFTER, maybe 50 yards, after the first Route 15 NORTH exit
  • SO, WHEN YOU SEE THE ROUTE 15 NORTH SIGNS, GET IN THE LEFT LANE AND TAKE THE SECOND ROUTE 15 NORTH EXIT
• You will stay on 15 NORTH 83.6 miles from Ashburn until you get to the York Springs Route 94 North Exit
• Route 94 North will take you through York Springs and a few smaller towns for 16.1 miles
• You will go directly into Carlisle
• You will go below Route 81
• You will now be on Route 34 and will take a SLIGHT LEFT at the 99.7 mile mark where there will be a gas station on your left and near some railroad tracks
• You will go about ¾ of a mile and then take a right go directly into one of the first gates.
• You will likely have to follow the Carlisle Parking Attendants and park where they tell you to. If you CAN, it is best to take a quick right into the area near the swap meet area since that is in the shade and the best and easiest way to get in/out of the Fairgrounds.

On the map below, remember to use the zoom feature and street details for more specifics.

Happy 55th Wedding Anniversary to my Parents John and Ruth Edstrom

Above is my sister, Dr. Julie L. Edstrom, my youngest son Tim, me, my mother Ruth, my father John, my Aunt Mary and my wife.

My mother, father and my Aunt Mary.  Why does my father have his arm around my aunt and not my mother?  :-)    I rented a big limo for the night.

Above are my parents at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Crystal City.  After dinner, I had the limo driver take us through Washington, DC for a tour at night.  A fun time was had by all.....

15 Facts On Net Neutrality

Via: Online MBA Programs

What I like about this graphic is the upper graphic with the cars is the essence of the entire argument around net neutrality.   Should their be  a special high speed set of lanes for certain TYPES of cars (packets of information that came from or heading to certain sites) or should a packet be a packet be a packet no matter where it came from or where it is going?   

NOTE: I don't mind advertising for Online MBA Programs because they actively encourage individuals to share some of the very informative and creative graphics with others.  My disclaimer is that I don't have a clue how good/bad these programs really are.

Principles of Refigeration

We were three weeks and three days without AC this summer during the brutal month of June where there were numerous 100+ days. I had four window AC units and 13 fans trying to keep things cool with all the shades down.

Speaking with a number of AC vendors, it became clear to me that I did not understand all the different components of an AC system. It is also became crystal clear that the AC vendors I was speaking with were not gifted in terms of explaining the technical components of an AC system.

I went to youtube and found this old, but great video on the principles of refrigeration.

Nice History of the Internet Graphic

Via: MBA Online

The Passing Of A Very Great Man - Dr. John Cockerham

This past Tuesday night, a very great man passed away of adrenal cancer.  I am referring to Dr. John Cockerham a pediatric cardiologist at Georgetown University Hospital, husband to Mary Beth (MB) and father to Jeremy and Meredith.

I knew John because I worked with MB while we were both at Sun Microsystems.   John helped my family out immensely during the most difficult and challenging time of our life.   After meeting with a number of specialists with one of our sons, my wife and I did not know where or who to turn to.  It was John Cockerham who helped my family with a number of very difficult decisions, helped us navigate the medical system and used his influence to meet a number of specialists.  Everything turned out perfect with our son thanks to John Cockerham taking time out of his busy schedule to help my family.  Words can not express our gratitude to him.   I know John did this for countless families.

Dr. John Cockerham was truly a great man and will be sorely missed....

Below are the details on John's services:

Wake
Monday, 8/23 6-8PM

Everly Wheatley Funeral Home
1500 West Broaddock Road
Alexandria VA 22302

Funeral Service

Tuesday, 8/24 2PM

Washington National Cathedral
3101 Wisconsin Avenue (corner of Wisconsin and Mass Ave)
Washington DC 20016

Please note that the Cathedral cannot accept flowers for funeral services. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Capital Hospice (www.capitalhospice.org) or the American Cancer Society.

A reception will be held at Hearst Hall at National Cathedral School immediately following the funeral.

My Favorite Football Story Ever...

The following is a snippet of the story which was written by Mike Wise of Washington Post.  This is my all time favorite, smash mouth football story :-)


With journeys to Canton, Ohio, being chronicled, with bronzed busts being unveiled at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that kill-the-clock drive that crumbled the Cowboys' morale should be remembered as the real beginning, when Russ Grimm and his Washington Redskins teammates bumped helmets and moved masses of angry, physical men, who finally no longer wanted to push back.

"We're getting ready to ice the game," Joe Theismann remembered that day against Dallas at RFK Stadium, Jan. 22, 1983. "We're linin' up. And Russ and Randy White [the Cowboys' Hall of Fame defensive tackle] had been at it all day. I mean this is a war. This is a physical, UFC, battle royal.
"So all of a sudden I get in the huddle and I call '60 Outside.' And Russ looks at me and he says, 'No.' "

Which made Theismann do a double-take. 

"I said, 'What do you mean no? Joe [Gibbs] wants to run 60 Outside.' 

"He says, 'I want to run '50 Gut' right at Randy.' 

"Well now I gotta make an executive decision, you know, I'm middle management." 

They ran the play Grimm, not Gibbs, wanted. White was run over and the Redskins gained four yards. Theismann looked back toward Joe Gibbs, two weeks before he guided the franchise to their first of three Super Bowls.  The coach wanted his play run. 

"Joe signals in 60 Outside," Theismann said. 


"I step in the huddle. I go, 'Spread right, short motion, 60 Outside.' 

"Russ goes: 'Didn't you hear me? No!' 

"I said, 'Okay, fine.' We run 50 Gut again." 

And White goes to the ground again. First down. 

"Next play, I don't even look at the sidelines anymore," Theismann said. "We ran like 11 consecutive 50 Guts. It was just Russ Grimm against Randy White and we were going to absolutely pummel him to the ground. When I think of Russ Grimm and all the memories, this was his moment." 

"I always felt the huddle wasn't a democracy," Theismann added, "until that particular time."
Former Redskins tackle George Starke reminisced by telephone Thursday night as he awaited his storm-delayed flight from Washington to Canton. "Nine of those times we ran it right up Randy's [behind]," he said. 

Before every play, Starke recalled, ornery center Jeff Bostic looked at White across the line. "He said, 'Randy, you better dig in, we're coming again right at you,' " Starke said of Bostic. "He had a nasty . . . attitude. I loved Jeff. 

"Then after every play, Mark May would kick Randy White in the butt because he didn't like him," Starke recalled. "Randy would punch Russ, who would get angry. Then we'd do it all over again." 

After the Redskins scored to put away the game, amid the vibrating stands and bellowing roars, many of the Cowboys left the field before the game was over. 

It is almost 30 years later, and the people who were either there or watched on television still ooze with the same basted-on memories and utter reverence. RFK, circa 1980s, was their Iowa cornfield, where they've been waiting to play catch with their father since."

If You Have Not Signed Up For IMTS 2010 Yet.....

The International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) is the best bang for the buck going in manufacturing.   There is no substitute for meeting with vendors to see the latest and greatest in manufacturing technology as well as attending countless seminars and education sessions as well as meeting with your peers to discuss common opportunities.   IMTS is a can't miss technology show that only happens every two years and every time there are a wide variety of reason to attend.  Here are just a few that are listed at IMTS:

Why Should You Attend IMTS and Suggestions For Justifying Your Trip To IMTS.

• Identify exhibitors and educational sessions that address your specific company needs
• List your current priorities - cutting costs, more throughput, business development, diversification or other specific challenges and find corresponding education and solution providers you can meet at IMTS.
• Make a list of benefits that your company will realize by your attendance (see new solutions demonstrated, be able to recommend the best for your needs, find ways to cut costs, find ways to get more work).
• Explain the relationship between IMTS activities and your company's goals. It is important to be able to list and talk about the benefits and how you can make an impact.
• Learn how you can successfully implement these innovations into your operation to cut costs, increase productivity and improve quality.
• Discover new approaches to your current practices and analyze best practices.
• Get practical solutions to your complex problems.
• Network and discuss hot topics with other manufacturing professionals.

Check Out The IMTS 2010 Industry & Technology Conference

The conference, where Education and Technology connect, brings together experts from the industry to give you the most useful and up-to-date technical information available.

• Sessions complement what you see on the exhibit floor
• Gain insight into improving your production and operations
• Learn from professionals with solutions to your manufacturing challenges
• Network with peers
• Leave better prepared to profit today and prepare for tomorrow

Now is the time to register for IMTS 2010. 

UCB's Cloud Computing Video

This is a very nice and short video that would be an appropriate precursor to UCB's great white paper on cloud computing.  This puts cloud computing in the correct context.

Emerging Technology Center Video

Below is a video that was created at AMT discussing the Emerging Technology Center (ETC) at IMTS 2010.  Diyana Hrzic directed this and is well known as the Steven Spielberg of manufacturing technology videos.

Nanotechnology and Additive Technologies at IMTS Emerging Technology Center

This is a brief article I wrote last Thursday for the  IMTS Insider article.

The Emerging Technology Center will have four extremely interesting sections:

• MTConnect
• Cloud Computing
• Nanotechnology
• Additive Technologies

In previous IMTS Insider articles, I have discussed both MTConnect and Cloud Computing. In this edition, I am going to touch on nanotechnology and additive technologies.

In 2000, while I was at Sun Microsystems, I had the privilege of putting together a conference on future technologies. One of the speakers was Dr. Eric Drexler. Dr. Drexeler is viewed as one of the fathers of nanotechnology. He wrote the book, “Engines of Creation - The Coming Era of Nanotechnology”. His talk was absolutely fascinating and was one of the key hits of the conference. Dr. Drexler also wrote the book "Nanosystems Molecular Machinery Manufacturing and Computation" in 1992 which received the Association of American Publishers award for Best Computer Science Book that year. He is credited with coining the term term grey goo. Nanotechnology is about controlling matter at the atomic and molecular level. While we often think of nanotechnology as science fiction, there are numerous examples of important work going on in this field. At the ETC, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) are putting together the nanotechnology section that will be a “can't miss” part of IMTS 2010. While we will not be handing out grey goo and self-replicating nanobots, we will be discussing and demonstrating the technical and business side of nanotechnology.

At IMTS 2006, I was completely floored at the Ex One exhibit when I was shown additive technologies for the first time by Ex One's CEO and Founder Larry Rhoades.   Mr. Rhoades completely blew me away showing me an MC Escher 3D printing. He pointed out to me that only through printing a layer at a time was this even possible. It would have been absolutely impossible to create the 3D MC Escher ascending and descending stairs with a machine tool. Additive technology has the huge advantage of zero waste. As the cost of additive technology continues to drop, we will see this technology used in more and more applications. Tragically, Mr. Rhoades died in 2007. The industry lost a true thought leader. SME will be demonstrating and discussing additive technologies at the ETC. It is very important to understand where the state of the art is today with additive technologies so you and your company are not caught flat footed.

Nanotechnology and additive technologies are no longer bleeding edge technologies, but leading edge. Leading edge technologies are extremely important to follow because when the tipping point occurs, the adoption will be rapid. This will be the best ETC in the history of IMTS – don't miss it!

AMT Board of Directors Meeting at Boca Raton

We had a very successful Board of Directors Meeting at Boca Raton discussing important issues such as MTConnect, the Emerging Technology Center (ETC) at IMTS and many other key topics.  It is interesting the number of Corvette owners who are on AMT's Board of Directors.  That proves they have good taste and truly understand the best bang for the buck when it comes to sports cars.

Fortunately, there were some time slots available to walk around the property where we stayed which was the Boca Raton Club and Resort which used to be the Waldorf Astoria of Boca Raton.

Above is the front of the Boca Raton Club and Resort which used to be the Waldorf Astoria of Boca Raton.

Julie flew down with me.  Above we are in front of the "small" yachts at the hotel..

View from our hotel room.  There were much bigger yachts than that one.  Doug Woods' yacht would not fit in my picture unless I had one of those expensive wrap around cameras/software :-)

Great MTConnect Technical Advisory Working Group Meeting at Mazak

We had a great few days of meetings at Mazak in Florence, Kentucky this past week.  We had almost 40 attendees which is fantastic.  HUGE thanks to Brian Papke and Neil Desrosiers of Mazak for their great hospitality in hosting the meeting and especially for their leadership with MTConnect.  Mazak's slogan is, "Your Partner for Innovation" and truer words were never spoken.  Mazak has been a GREAT thought leader and partner in MTConnect!  Paul Warndorf will be posting the notes at MTConnect.org.

Below is a summary of the future issues that I brought up in the summary that we must address.  These are outside of the MTConnect specification itself.  John Turner and Dave Edstrom working together to drive these.

• NEW MTConnect.org web site is coming
• Thanks to System Insights 
• MTConnect Adoption Working Group
• Reference Ports: Most Popular Legacy Machine Controls
• Best Practices Guide for Legacy Machine Tools
• Best Practices Guide for MTConnect Applications
• Best Practices Guide for Extending MTConnect
• MT-DUG (MTConnect Developers Users Group) - a better acronym/name is requested :-)
• MTConnect Marketing Working Group
• Leverage existing MTConnect members marketing resources
• Work with manufacturing marketing groups to drive awareness

Huge THANKS to all those who attended both in person and over the phone.

My Father's Chemotherapy Started Again Today

My father started his chemotherapy today at Walter Reed Army Hospital.  He is the world record holder for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).  Twice in the past five years he has had Chemotherapy treatments.  His oncologist has decided that it is time for my him to get another treatment.   The regimen he will use is referred to as FCR-lite.  He started today with a drug called Fludarabine.   Wednesday, Thursday and Friday he will receive Cyclophosphamide and Rituxamab.  This schedule will continue monthly for six months.  The object is to get the bad white blood cells reduced and the good ones increased.  The doctor said this Chemotherapy will cause him to lose his Spencer Tracy white hair (during Tracy's later years ie in the movie Inherit The Wind.)

The good news is that his Oncologist has stated that after completing this regimen, my father should not need Chemotherapy treatment again for 10-15 years.    His chemo is officially called  FCR-lite treatment.

This morning my mother dropped my sister and father off at Walter Reed's entrance.  My sister relayed the following story to me.  When my father got up to Oncology they started the chemo before my mother had arrived from parking the car.  The Dr. asked my father, "are you feeling any pain right now?"   My father replied, "No, she is still parking the car."   The chemicals are obviously not affecting his sense of humor :-)

Elegance In Its Simplicity - MTConnect At The Emerging Technology Center - IMTS 2010

Elegance In Its Simplicity - MTConnect At The Emerging Technology Center - IMTS 2010

One of my favorite descriptions of the famous Unix  operating system was when I heard it described by Neil Groundwater (the first user of Unix outside the state of New Jersey) as "elegant in its simplicity".   If you are not familiar with Unix, it is likely because you don't realize which operating systems are based on Unix.   The Internet runs on Unix. Fact.  The reason this is true is because there are so many version of the open source operating system out there that it is easy to lose count.  Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, Android, Chrome, the list just goes on and on.   The reason Unix is "elegant in its simplicity" is that it was designed from the ground up to be simple, yet extremely scalable.  This is like designing a boat that can have one driver with a small electric engine that can easily expand to a huge cruise ship with 1,000s of passengers and crew.  

This brings me to another favorite phrase from Mike O'Dell (one of the Internet gods) who likes to say, "scaling is ALWAYS the problem".  Scaling can mean creating a very large system or a very large network with lots and lots of systems  - just like the global Internet is today.  Let's put scaling in more mundane terms, imagine the level of planning you would have to go through if you were planning on taking your family of five on a weekend vacation versus taking 180 of your direct relatives on a month long global vacation.  Yes, that thought should scare you :-)

What does this have to do with MTConnect?   Because MTConnect was designed from the ground up to be both "elegant in its simplicity"  with the ability to SCALE.  How was this done?  Double-top secret, proprietary, closed source and expensive code?  No, of course not.  MTConnect was built, exactly like Unix, by realizing that keeping things simple will translate into an elegance that allows the ability to scale.  MTConnect is built upon the same technology that we all know and love on the Internet today - http, XML and TCP/IP.  If you have never heard of those three do not worry, because if you have ever used a browser you have used all three of those technologies.    As Doug Woods, President of AMT The Association For Manufacturing Technology likes to say about "MTConnect - Different Devices, Common Connection."   MTConnect also can take advantage of the same security that everyone is familiar with today. 

What does this mean to you as an IMTS 2010 attendee?  Stop by the Emerging Technology Center and ask to speak to Paul Warndorf, Will Sobel or Dave Edstrom and we will show you how MTConnect is  "elegant in its simplicity"  with the ability to SCALE.  MTConnect, along with Cloud Computing, additive technologies and nanotechnology will be showcased in the Emerging Technology Center (ETC) this year at IMTS 2010. Please stop by!   

NOTE: This article was written for the IMTS Insider this week.

Great Week at Ocean City, Maryland With Franklins

We had perfect weather in Ocean City, MD the week of July 2nd through the 9th.  It was 104 degrees in DC July 7th with other days in the DC area in triple digits as well that week.  You know it is hot when it is 94 degrees in Ocean City right on the water.  We vacationed with my cousin Richard and his family from Marshall, Wisconsin.  We stayed at a great place at the 19th and 20th floor at Sea Watch.

Standing in the back from left to right are: Taylor, Michael, Tim, John and Janet
Sitting are Taylor's friends from Marshall, Wisconsin - Morgan and Alyssa.
Lying down is Richard Franklin.

We enjoyed fireworks from the 19th and 20th floor of our 3 bedroom condo we rented for the week.  It had both bay side and ocean views.   It is nice to be at eye level with the fireworks.

Above is Bobbi Franklin, me, Richard and my wife Julie at one of our favorite restaurants - Harpoon Hanna's in Fenwick Island Delaware.

Here is an earlier photo of the Franklin's and the Edstrom kids together.

Here is a photo at Marina Deck a few years back....

Tim is being the center of attention (again) :-)

John, Max, Michael, Casey, Tim and Taylor behind the sand wall.

Taylor and Tim on top of Casey and John's shoulders with Michael and max in front.

Edstrom's and Franklin's at Ocean City, MD in 2003 (I think)

Why Software Developers Should Attend IMTS 2010

I wrote this for the IMTS Insider, but it is worth restating it  here.  If you go to the Who Should Attend IMTS section at IMTS you see the following:

• Executives building a business
• Decision makers involved in manufacturing equipment purchases
• Engineers who identify equipment needs
• Plant superintendent who will set it up
• Operators who use the equipment and know it better than anyone else
• All staff members and suppliers you count on for new ideas
• I would like to add to that list:
• Software Developers looking for innovative ways to build new applications.
• Yes, IMTS has been largely about the hardware over the years with software somewhat under the covers.  But if you have been paying close attention over the years, you have noticed an increasing presence of software all throughout IMTS.  The size of the software section of IMTS continues to grow and in 2008 and the Emerging Technology Center (ETC) with MTConnect was the absolute hit of the show.

I would strongly encourage software developers to attend IMTS because we are witnessing an inflection point in manufacturing.  The inflection point I am referring to is the ability for software to be the "tail that wags the dog" in manufacturing.    You will see first hand how software will be the key purchase that truly improves productivity in all phases in manufacturing.  It will be software developers that will be commanding the big bucks in manufacturing - just like the computer industry.

What we like to say in the computer industry is, "while you date your hardware vendor, you marry your software vendor."   What this means is that it is much easier for a large enterprise to upgrade or swap out all their PCs then switch out all the Microsoft applications to to a different vendor.   Anyone who has gone through a transition to a new ERP system can appreciate this saying.
The somewhat hidden message in that saying is the importance of selecting the right software that has the ability to easily integrate and grow over time can not be overstated.

So, why should software developers go to IMTS?  Because it will be software that will just continue to grow and prosper in manufacturing.  Software developers should attend IMTS to learn about what is happening in manufacturing, see who the players are  and get in early on the manufacturing software boom.  Also, if you get a job offer, ask for lots of stock options :-)