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Meeting production goals with remote conditioning monitoring

Abhishek Jadhav Manufacturing

Hitting production goals are key to driving revenue and growth for any manufacturer. But there are many unknown factors in the road to production. Equipment failure and downtime have no place in plants with aggressive goals. In this article, we will discuss how conditioning monitoring can help diagnose potential problems and prioritize addressing those issues by revealing the presence and development of defects. By taking advantage of remote condition monitoring, those same manufacturers can gather the insights necessary to safely maximize production while minimizing disruption.

New home sales rebound as resales dip

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

In a pattern all-too-familiar to builders and realtors, housing market activity flipped again in June, with the scales tilting up for new homes and down for resale homes. Sales of new homes surged in June following two consecutive months of dismal declines. On the other side of the market, tight inventories and rising prices put a dent in sales of existing homes, which similarly had trended upward in May after two previous months of negative growth. Despite mortgage rates remaining relatively low, affordability and availability continue to be the primary factors influencing consumers’ willingness to purchase a home.

A climate of change: What should your organization do?

Linda Popky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The data show the earth is getting hotter — hotter now than it’s been since records were first kept in 1880. The rise in temperature affects animal and marine life and causes potentially devastating dangers for people. What should we do about it? How involved should businesses and associations be on this issue? Will support one way or the other help or hurt your business? Here are a few points to consider.

AI, IoT converge to create a new technology superpower: AIoT

Joseph Zulick Science & Technology

When people hear the terms artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT), most think of modern advances in a futuristic world like those that have been depicted in science-fiction franchises. Many of those predictions are now coming to fruition in this Fourth Industrial Revolution that is currently transforming the way the world works. Even though the full capabilities of AI and IoT are still in their relative infancies, these two technology superpowers are now being combined across every industry to provide scenarios where information and problem-solving can improve outcomes for all stakeholders.

Are you leaving out an important part of fire safety at your facility?

Scott E. Rupp Facilities & Grounds

Fire and life-safety systems in and throughout a facility — regardless of it being one building or a multibuilding campus — are vital. Every person who sets foot in the facility — employees, students, staff, customers, contractors and visitors — depend on these systems being in place. These systems reduce the impact of a fire and notify occupants to act when conditions are unsafe. They also protect people from areas of the most danger and can help limit the destruction caused by fire. Facility managers wear many hats, but maintaining safety is the most important responsibility they face each day.

England’s Manston Airport set to reopen for flights and cargo

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

Thankfully, news of airports closing down is a rare occurrence, despite the challenges faced by increasing competition and capturing a slice of the passenger or cargo market. However, for the historic Manston Airport south of London, closure was a reality and since May 2014 the site has been abandoned, awaiting approval for a very different future. The plan had been to put housing and other development on the sprawling airport site. Now, in a major shift, the new owners of the airport have plans to restart flights and develop it once again as a center for aviation.

America’s 10 deadliest national parks

Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

Last September, Tomer Frankfurter, an 18-year-old student from Israel, was hiking in Yosemite National Park when he decided to go for a "selfie" standing atop a cliff next to 594-foot Nevada Fall. Sadly, the teen lost his balance and plunged hundreds of feet to his death on the rocks below. Scarcely a month later, a California couple suffered the same fate — falling 800 feet from a ledge at Yosemite’s Taft Point. These widely publicized deaths remind us that while the nation’s superb park system is meant to offer healthy, outdoorsy adventures, there's a darker side to what can happen at these parks that often goes unnoticed.

Seeking silence: Ultimately, it’s an inside job

Lisa Cole Mental Healthcare

Noise — it's everywhere! Noisemakers abound: fans, compressors, leaf blowers. Even libraries, once a respite enshrouded in a tomblike hush, have now become community headquarters. Am I the only one left seeking silence in what seems like a deafening world? From the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: "Sound is what we hear. Noise is unwanted sound. The difference between sound and noise depends upon the listener and the circumstances."

Financial transparency becomes an obstacle for private prison reform

Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

The private prison industry is motivated by supposed relative efficiency largely due to facilities operating without as much public oversight as their government-owned counterparts. When the prison population swelled to over 2 million under drug prohibition policies that persist today, overcrowded facilities received negative press for violating international human rights standards. A new report from The Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) verifies that while private prison facilities contain a range of violations, these institutions are significantly hindered by recent banking divestments to the tune of almost $1.93 billion.

Infographic: Why employee satisfaction drives company performance

Raunak Pandey Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Statistics show that employees’ happiness is greatly dependent upon their levels of engagement and contentment in the workplace. Friendly interaction and teamwork are signs of a positive workplace with minimal absenteeism, which ultimately results in a thriving organization. On the other hand, a negative workplace shows signs of little or no communication between people, lack of passion, and high levels of absenteeism. To improve workplace morale, a company should go the extra mile towards increasing employees’ satisfaction.

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