Collaboration Tools To Accelerate Design
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 2:16pm
Nathalie Regniers, Director, Industry & Product Marketing, Infor SCM & PLM
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Increasing demand for product specialization from customers, and market pressures to speed new product introductions, are two big challenges facing manufacturers today. Manufacturers with engineer-to-order and made-to-order products need new tools to be able to successfully share the collective brainpower of manufacturing and engineering in real-time. Collaboration tools help you share CAD designs, analyze costs, monitor reliability of components and discuss complex specifications with a global supply chain of vendors and subcontractors.
Driving Influences
Today’s consumer expects choices and engineering departments face heightened pressure to adapt designs to customer requests. Engineers also face pressure to speed product releases as manufacturers turn to innovation as one of the key ways to create a competitive edge. With the ability and business requirement to introduce more products in a year, design speed is even more important. Decisions are being made quickly, and engineers are operating in a fast-paced environment where convenient access to data is key. There is no time for delays caused by waiting for reports to be built, but data needs to be easily accessible and needs to be easily shared in real time across the internal and external organization. Self-service analytics and easy-to-use reporting are critical to meeting accelerated deadlines.
As global competition increases, offering a distinctive product is one of the few ways to stand out from the crowd. Product specialization—allowing the customer to request configurations, styles or as-completed specifications is key to maintain a competitive edge.
Benefits of Collaboration
Manufacturers need every tool available to boost productivity of the engineering department and help product designers manage their complex processes with greater ease. Not only must the engineering department speed the development cycle, they must do so with a watchful eye on cost efficiencies. It is of no use to develop a new product quickly if that product is going to be inefficient to produce with low margins and use difficult to obtain components. Visibility into costs, supply chain issues and overall production capabilities are essential. When access to this data is available, an engineer can work with the customer and suppliers and have confidence in the costs associated with the new concept. Collaboration tools help to bring the various influencing factors into context and bring stakeholders into relevant dialogue.
As manufacturers struggle with shortages of highly-skilled personnel, but still want to grow the business, the value of shared dialogue and effective collaboration is greater than ever. Personnel, including engineers, may need to share tasks, mentor recruits or expand their role in the company, assuming more responsibility for cost analysis, compliance monitoring and feasibility studies. In these cases, communication within the workforce increases in importance.
Selecting the Right Tools
Unfortunately, many consumer-oriented social platforms lack the depth and power suitable for today’s complex, fast-moving manufacturing environment. The qualities that lead to success in manufacturing revolve around rapid mastery of highly-sophisticated processes combining human judgment, precision engineering and financial accuracy—all united in a highly-synchronized framework focused on business goals. The most important functions include engineering and design collaboration, business-process integration, real-time financial reporting, analytics and fully-connected manufacturing execution capabilities. A competitive manufacturing company needs to be constantly optimized for peak performance under volatile business conditions in order to support long-term success.
There’s no substitute for having the right collaborative and product lifecycle management (PLM) tools to match manufacturing requirements. The issues and decision-points requiring collaboration contribute to the overall process and framework of the production cycle. The collaboration process needs to be integral to the overall workflow—not an after-thought.
Product development demands an unusually sophisticated level of collaboration, incorporating far greater complexity than shared social conversations. A PLM system supports the intricate and collaborative processes organizations need to successfully manage and plan an entire range of product lifecycle management tasks, including complex engineering information, CAD documents, product structures, change orders and more. As PLM systems function as an integral part of the manufacturing collaboration network, organizations can gain both foresight and insight about how they are able to manufacture current products more economically, create new products more rapidly and be sure that an entire product line is succeeding in the marketplace.
All manufacturers need a richer collaboration architecture incorporating deeper business functions. When evaluating systems, be sure to look for integration and collaboration technologies which will provide a path to the next level of teamwork, a level which combines human ingenuity, analysis and the power to execute strategy rapidly so the organization can succeed in a rapidly changing business environment.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
IT Certification – Driving Competitive Edge In A Global Marketplace
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 2:20pm
Julie Gaudet, Senior Director, Customer Operations of Gilmore Global
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The US currently has the largest IT certification market in the world. However, others are catching up fast. For example, growth is rapid in the BRIC economies - Brazil,
Russia, India and China and in Eastern Europe – all regions where the overall expansion of the IT market has accelerated dramatically over recent years.
In fact historically, emerging countries have been the most passionate about the benefits of IT certification. They have led the way in driving programme adoption and in the results achieved by candidates. As a result, employees in these regions have competed for jobs on a more equal footing with their peers in more established economies and are now often at a competitive advantage.
When Autodesk’s own scheme got under way in China, 89,000 people were certified in the first year. Enthusiasm in Poland, where Autodesk certification was recently launched, is also high with aggressive delivery numbers achieved in the first few months.
Businesses in more mature economies such as Japan and South Korea are now responding to this strong emerging market adoption by ensuring that employees have fully validated their skills.
So the US needs to ensure it maintains its lead, engaging with training and certification schemes now will help win against global companies that endorse certification and have large numbers of employees registered on these schemes. Businesses that engage can guarantee that when they tender for large projects, potential customers will take certifications into account.
Fighting Back
Economic conditions, pressure from developing markets and from large corporates bidding for business are just part of the explanation. Today, universities and colleges are becoming more sophisticated in terms of the technical courses they run. Many offer a practical range of vocational and industry oriented programmes. As a result, students graduate with higher levels of technology skills, putting greater pressure on the existing workforce to be competitive and further fuelling interest in technical certification.
This point is particularly relevant in manufacturing design where digitisation has brought massive changes not just to the technology used, but also to workflow and methods. This transformation has accelerated over the past few years with the introduction of digital prototyping and cloud computing enabling more accessible and affordable versions of applications such as simulation and product lifecycle management (PLM). Even those students who have learnt the latest methods using the latest technologies, may not be aware of best practice and other ways to maximise the potential of the software.
There is also, particularly among more experienced users, a strong element of competitiveness that drives uptake of certification schemes – especially where groups of colleagues attend the same event. Candidates enjoy the kudos, the sense of personal satisfaction and pride that goes with exam success and like to compare themselves favourably with their peers.
A Global Perspective
While the battle between companies operating in emerging and mature markets continues, many companies today operate in a global context. They may be off-shoring work or they may be multinational corporations with many international operations. So while employees can play their role in the struggle between businesses from mature and emerging economies, they are also part of the global economy.
This global consistency benefits employers by giving them a measurement of a member of staff’s technical expertise but it also has significant advantages for employees. An individual passing a certification exam in India has the same qualification as an employee passing the scheme in Illinois and the same benefits apply wherever in the world that member of staff is based. This is where international certification programmes score points over national, locally-branded schemes.
Holding Your Own
Ultimately, many of the benefits of IT certification programmes relate to enhanced competitive edge. This extends far beyond corporations from mature markets battling for advantage over businesses based in emerging economies. It is just as much about employees competing for advantage over their peers in the job market whether as part of an international battle, or experienced staff taking on the challenge offered by university graduates with all the latest technical skills.
The growing success of certification schemes and associated training programmes across the world demonstrates clearly the importance of excellence - and that in this fast-changing industry, the need for certification will become ever more critical.
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 2:20pm
Julie Gaudet, Senior Director, Customer Operations of Gilmore Global
Get today's manufacturing headlines and news - Sign up now!
The US currently has the largest IT certification market in the world. However, others are catching up fast. For example, growth is rapid in the BRIC economies - Brazil,
Russia, India and China and in Eastern Europe – all regions where the overall expansion of the IT market has accelerated dramatically over recent years.In fact historically, emerging countries have been the most passionate about the benefits of IT certification. They have led the way in driving programme adoption and in the results achieved by candidates. As a result, employees in these regions have competed for jobs on a more equal footing with their peers in more established economies and are now often at a competitive advantage.
When Autodesk’s own scheme got under way in China, 89,000 people were certified in the first year. Enthusiasm in Poland, where Autodesk certification was recently launched, is also high with aggressive delivery numbers achieved in the first few months.
Businesses in more mature economies such as Japan and South Korea are now responding to this strong emerging market adoption by ensuring that employees have fully validated their skills.
So the US needs to ensure it maintains its lead, engaging with training and certification schemes now will help win against global companies that endorse certification and have large numbers of employees registered on these schemes. Businesses that engage can guarantee that when they tender for large projects, potential customers will take certifications into account.
Fighting Back
Economic conditions, pressure from developing markets and from large corporates bidding for business are just part of the explanation. Today, universities and colleges are becoming more sophisticated in terms of the technical courses they run. Many offer a practical range of vocational and industry oriented programmes. As a result, students graduate with higher levels of technology skills, putting greater pressure on the existing workforce to be competitive and further fuelling interest in technical certification.
This point is particularly relevant in manufacturing design where digitisation has brought massive changes not just to the technology used, but also to workflow and methods. This transformation has accelerated over the past few years with the introduction of digital prototyping and cloud computing enabling more accessible and affordable versions of applications such as simulation and product lifecycle management (PLM). Even those students who have learnt the latest methods using the latest technologies, may not be aware of best practice and other ways to maximise the potential of the software.
There is also, particularly among more experienced users, a strong element of competitiveness that drives uptake of certification schemes – especially where groups of colleagues attend the same event. Candidates enjoy the kudos, the sense of personal satisfaction and pride that goes with exam success and like to compare themselves favourably with their peers.
A Global Perspective
While the battle between companies operating in emerging and mature markets continues, many companies today operate in a global context. They may be off-shoring work or they may be multinational corporations with many international operations. So while employees can play their role in the struggle between businesses from mature and emerging economies, they are also part of the global economy.
This global consistency benefits employers by giving them a measurement of a member of staff’s technical expertise but it also has significant advantages for employees. An individual passing a certification exam in India has the same qualification as an employee passing the scheme in Illinois and the same benefits apply wherever in the world that member of staff is based. This is where international certification programmes score points over national, locally-branded schemes.
Holding Your Own
Ultimately, many of the benefits of IT certification programmes relate to enhanced competitive edge. This extends far beyond corporations from mature markets battling for advantage over businesses based in emerging economies. It is just as much about employees competing for advantage over their peers in the job market whether as part of an international battle, or experienced staff taking on the challenge offered by university graduates with all the latest technical skills.
The growing success of certification schemes and associated training programmes across the world demonstrates clearly the importance of excellence - and that in this fast-changing industry, the need for certification will become ever more critical.
Hackers Find Weaknesses In Car Computer Systems
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 9:40am
Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) -- As cars become more like PCs on wheels, what's to stop a hacker from taking over yours?
In recent demonstrations, hackers have shown they can slam a car's brakes at freeway speeds, jerk the steering wheel and even shut down the engine — all from their laptop computers.
The hackers are publicizing their work to reveal vulnerabilities present in a growing number of car computers. All cars and trucks contain anywhere from 20 to 70 computers. They control everything from the brakes to acceleration to the windows, and are connected to an internal network. A few hackers have recently managed to find their way into these intricate networks.
In one case, a pair of hackers manipulated two cars by plugging a laptop into a port beneath the dashboard where mechanics connect their computers to search for problems. Scarier yet, another group took control of a car's computers through cellular telephone and Bluetooth connections, the compact disc player and even the tire pressure monitoring system.
To be sure, the "hackers" involved were well-intentioned computer security experts, and it took both groups months to break into the computers. And there have been no real-world cases of a hacker remotely taking over a car. But experts say high-tech hijackings will get easier as automakers give them full Internet access and add computer-controlled safety devices that take over driving duties, such as braking or steering, in emergencies. Another possibility: A tech-savvy thief could unlock the doors and drive off with your vehicle.
"The more technology they add to the vehicle, the more opportunities there are for that to be abused for nefarious purposes," says Rich Mogull, CEO of Phoenix-based Securosis, a security research firm. "Anything with a computer chip in it is vulnerable, history keeps showing us."
In the last 25 years, automakers have gradually computerized functions such as steering, braking, accelerating and shifting. Electronic gas pedal position sensors, for instance, are more reliable than the old throttle cables. Electronic parts also reduce weight and help cars use less gasoline.
The networks of little computers inside today's cars are fertile ground for hackers.
Charlie Miller, a St. Louis-based security engineer for Twitter, and fellow hacker Chris Valasek, director of intelligence at a Pittsburgh computer security consulting firm, maneuvered their way into the computer systems of a 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Ford Escape through a port used by mechanics.
"We could control steering, braking, acceleration to a certain extent, seat belts, lights, horn, speedometer, gas gauge," said Valasek. The two used a federal grant to expose the vulnerability of car computers. Even with their expertise, it took them nine months to get in.
Valasek and Miller released a report, including instructions on how to break into the cars' networks, at a hacker convention in August. They said they did so to draw attention to the problems and get automakers to fix them. The pair say automakers haven't added security to the ports.
Ford wouldn't comment other than a statement saying it takes security seriously, and that Miller and Valasek needed physical access to the cars to hack in.
Toyota said it has added security and continually tests it to stay ahead of hackers. The company said its computers are programmed to recognize rogue commands and reject them.
Two years ago, researchers at the University of Washington and University of California, San Diego did more extensive work, hacking their way into a 2009 midsize car through its cellular, Bluetooth and other wireless connections — even the CD player.
Stefan Savage, a UCSD computer science professor, said he and other researchers could control nearly everything but the car's steering. "We could have turned the brakes off. We could have killed the engine. We could have engaged the brakes," he said.
Savage wouldn't identify which manufacturer made the car they hacked into. But two people with knowledge of the work said the car was from General Motors and the researchers compromised the OnStar safety system, best known for using cellular technology to check on customers and call for help in a crash. The people didn't want to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
GM wouldn't comment on the research, but the company issued a statement saying it takes security seriously and is putting strategies in place to reduce risk.
One of the people said GM engineers initially dismissed the researchers' work, but after reading the report, quickly moved to close holes that allowed access to the car's computers.
Savage doesn't think common criminals will be able to electronically seize control of cars anytime soon. Currently it would take too much time, expertise, money and hard work to hack into the multitude of computer systems.
"You're talking about a rarefied group who has the resources and wherewithal," he said.
Instead, he believes basic theft is a more likely consequence of computerization, with criminals being able to unlock doors remotely and then start and drive the car by hacking through the diagnostic port. Remote door unlocking could also lead to theft of packages, phones and other items that are stored in a car.
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 9:40am
Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) -- As cars become more like PCs on wheels, what's to stop a hacker from taking over yours?
In recent demonstrations, hackers have shown they can slam a car's brakes at freeway speeds, jerk the steering wheel and even shut down the engine — all from their laptop computers.
The hackers are publicizing their work to reveal vulnerabilities present in a growing number of car computers. All cars and trucks contain anywhere from 20 to 70 computers. They control everything from the brakes to acceleration to the windows, and are connected to an internal network. A few hackers have recently managed to find their way into these intricate networks.
In one case, a pair of hackers manipulated two cars by plugging a laptop into a port beneath the dashboard where mechanics connect their computers to search for problems. Scarier yet, another group took control of a car's computers through cellular telephone and Bluetooth connections, the compact disc player and even the tire pressure monitoring system.
To be sure, the "hackers" involved were well-intentioned computer security experts, and it took both groups months to break into the computers. And there have been no real-world cases of a hacker remotely taking over a car. But experts say high-tech hijackings will get easier as automakers give them full Internet access and add computer-controlled safety devices that take over driving duties, such as braking or steering, in emergencies. Another possibility: A tech-savvy thief could unlock the doors and drive off with your vehicle.
"The more technology they add to the vehicle, the more opportunities there are for that to be abused for nefarious purposes," says Rich Mogull, CEO of Phoenix-based Securosis, a security research firm. "Anything with a computer chip in it is vulnerable, history keeps showing us."
In the last 25 years, automakers have gradually computerized functions such as steering, braking, accelerating and shifting. Electronic gas pedal position sensors, for instance, are more reliable than the old throttle cables. Electronic parts also reduce weight and help cars use less gasoline.
The networks of little computers inside today's cars are fertile ground for hackers.
Charlie Miller, a St. Louis-based security engineer for Twitter, and fellow hacker Chris Valasek, director of intelligence at a Pittsburgh computer security consulting firm, maneuvered their way into the computer systems of a 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Ford Escape through a port used by mechanics.
"We could control steering, braking, acceleration to a certain extent, seat belts, lights, horn, speedometer, gas gauge," said Valasek. The two used a federal grant to expose the vulnerability of car computers. Even with their expertise, it took them nine months to get in.
Valasek and Miller released a report, including instructions on how to break into the cars' networks, at a hacker convention in August. They said they did so to draw attention to the problems and get automakers to fix them. The pair say automakers haven't added security to the ports.
Ford wouldn't comment other than a statement saying it takes security seriously, and that Miller and Valasek needed physical access to the cars to hack in.
Toyota said it has added security and continually tests it to stay ahead of hackers. The company said its computers are programmed to recognize rogue commands and reject them.
Two years ago, researchers at the University of Washington and University of California, San Diego did more extensive work, hacking their way into a 2009 midsize car through its cellular, Bluetooth and other wireless connections — even the CD player.
Stefan Savage, a UCSD computer science professor, said he and other researchers could control nearly everything but the car's steering. "We could have turned the brakes off. We could have killed the engine. We could have engaged the brakes," he said.
Savage wouldn't identify which manufacturer made the car they hacked into. But two people with knowledge of the work said the car was from General Motors and the researchers compromised the OnStar safety system, best known for using cellular technology to check on customers and call for help in a crash. The people didn't want to be identified because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
GM wouldn't comment on the research, but the company issued a statement saying it takes security seriously and is putting strategies in place to reduce risk.
One of the people said GM engineers initially dismissed the researchers' work, but after reading the report, quickly moved to close holes that allowed access to the car's computers.
Savage doesn't think common criminals will be able to electronically seize control of cars anytime soon. Currently it would take too much time, expertise, money and hard work to hack into the multitude of computer systems.
"You're talking about a rarefied group who has the resources and wherewithal," he said.
Instead, he believes basic theft is a more likely consequence of computerization, with criminals being able to unlock doors remotely and then start and drive the car by hacking through the diagnostic port. Remote door unlocking could also lead to theft of packages, phones and other items that are stored in a car.
Pace Of U.S. Manufacturing Hits 2-Year Peak
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 11:11am
Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. factories expanded last month at the fastest pace since June 2011 on a jump in orders. The report signals that manufacturing output could strengthen in coming months.
The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Tuesday that its manufacturing index rose to 55.7 in August from 55.4 in July. That topped the index's 12-month average of 52. A reading above 50 indicates growth.
A gauge of new orders rose nearly five points to 63.2, the highest level in more than two years. At the same time, production increased more slowly than in July, and factories added jobs at a weaker rate. Despite the drop, production reached its highest level in 2½ years.
The overall improvement contrasts with other recent reports that had pointed to a slowdown in manufacturing. The ISM's survey found broad-based growth, with 15 out of 18 industries reporting expansion and only one reporting contraction. That suggests that factory production could accelerate this year.
"The data unambiguously point to a pickup in ... manufacturing output growth after a weak" second quarter, Jim O'Sullivan, an economist at High Frequency Economics, said in a note to clients.
The Federal Reserve will closely examine Tuesday's report, which comes two weeks before Fed policymakers will decide whether to slow their bond-buying program. Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the Fed will scale back its purchases this year if the economy continues to strengthen. The $85 billion in monthly bond purchases have been intended to keep interest rates low.
The jobs report for August, to be released Friday, is the most important remaining economic report the Fed will consider.
Orders from overseas also rose, a sign that improving economies in Europe and China may be boosting U.S. manufacturers. The 17 countries that use the euro grew in the April-June quarter after six quarters of recession.
And a private survey of purchasing managers in China found that manufacturing in that country expanded for the first time after shrinking for three months. It added to other recent evidence that China's economy is stabilizing after a slowdown.
Last month, a Fed report found that factory output dipped in July. But that slip reflected a slowdown in auto production, which many analysts expect to be only temporary.
Companies also cut back in July on orders for long-lasting U.S. factory goods, according to a government report last week. That drop was driven by a sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft, a volatile category.
But businesses also sharply reduced their orders for capital goods such as computers, electrical equipment and other items. That decline may signal that business investment, an important driver of the economy, could slow.
The economy grew at a modest 2.5 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, the Commerce Department estimated last week. That was better than the government's initial estimate of 1.7 percent.
But many economists now think the economy could slip a bit in the July-September quarter to a 2 percent annual growth rate or less.
Tue, 09/03/2013 - 11:11am
Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. factories expanded last month at the fastest pace since June 2011 on a jump in orders. The report signals that manufacturing output could strengthen in coming months.
The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Tuesday that its manufacturing index rose to 55.7 in August from 55.4 in July. That topped the index's 12-month average of 52. A reading above 50 indicates growth.
A gauge of new orders rose nearly five points to 63.2, the highest level in more than two years. At the same time, production increased more slowly than in July, and factories added jobs at a weaker rate. Despite the drop, production reached its highest level in 2½ years.
The overall improvement contrasts with other recent reports that had pointed to a slowdown in manufacturing. The ISM's survey found broad-based growth, with 15 out of 18 industries reporting expansion and only one reporting contraction. That suggests that factory production could accelerate this year.
"The data unambiguously point to a pickup in ... manufacturing output growth after a weak" second quarter, Jim O'Sullivan, an economist at High Frequency Economics, said in a note to clients.
The Federal Reserve will closely examine Tuesday's report, which comes two weeks before Fed policymakers will decide whether to slow their bond-buying program. Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the Fed will scale back its purchases this year if the economy continues to strengthen. The $85 billion in monthly bond purchases have been intended to keep interest rates low.
The jobs report for August, to be released Friday, is the most important remaining economic report the Fed will consider.
Orders from overseas also rose, a sign that improving economies in Europe and China may be boosting U.S. manufacturers. The 17 countries that use the euro grew in the April-June quarter after six quarters of recession.
And a private survey of purchasing managers in China found that manufacturing in that country expanded for the first time after shrinking for three months. It added to other recent evidence that China's economy is stabilizing after a slowdown.
Last month, a Fed report found that factory output dipped in July. But that slip reflected a slowdown in auto production, which many analysts expect to be only temporary.
Companies also cut back in July on orders for long-lasting U.S. factory goods, according to a government report last week. That drop was driven by a sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft, a volatile category.
But businesses also sharply reduced their orders for capital goods such as computers, electrical equipment and other items. That decline may signal that business investment, an important driver of the economy, could slow.
The economy grew at a modest 2.5 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, the Commerce Department estimated last week. That was better than the government's initial estimate of 1.7 percent.
But many economists now think the economy could slip a bit in the July-September quarter to a 2 percent annual growth rate or less.
Sharp To Boost Production Of Home Appliances In Indonesia
Wed, 09/04/2013 - 7:55am
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Sharp Corp. said Wednesday it has started manufacturing washing machines at a new plant in Indonesia to boost its production of home appliances in the country amid intensifying competition with South Korean rivals.
Sharp, which has a leading share in sales of washing machines and refrigerators in the Indonesian market, started operations three months ahead of its initial plan as companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. are on the heels of the Osaka-based electronics manufacturer.
Sharp said it also plans to start producing refrigerators from October at the new plant located in Karawang, the company's second manufacturing base in the country after its first plant in Jakarta began operation in 1971.
By integrating local production of washing machines and refrigerators at the new plant in fiscal 2014 starting April or thereafter, Sharp plans to double its output of refrigerators to 220,000 units per month and boost its production of washing machines 2.5-fold to 140,000 units per month.
After consolidating home appliance production, Sharp will manufacture liquid crystal display televisions and CRT-based TVs at its plant in Jakarta.
Wed, 09/04/2013 - 7:55am
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Sharp Corp. said Wednesday it has started manufacturing washing machines at a new plant in Indonesia to boost its production of home appliances in the country amid intensifying competition with South Korean rivals.
Sharp, which has a leading share in sales of washing machines and refrigerators in the Indonesian market, started operations three months ahead of its initial plan as companies such as Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. are on the heels of the Osaka-based electronics manufacturer.
Sharp said it also plans to start producing refrigerators from October at the new plant located in Karawang, the company's second manufacturing base in the country after its first plant in Jakarta began operation in 1971.
By integrating local production of washing machines and refrigerators at the new plant in fiscal 2014 starting April or thereafter, Sharp plans to double its output of refrigerators to 220,000 units per month and boost its production of washing machines 2.5-fold to 140,000 units per month.
After consolidating home appliance production, Sharp will manufacture liquid crystal display televisions and CRT-based TVs at its plant in Jakarta.
Sony Launches Camera Phone With Add-On Lenses
Wed, 09/04/2013 - 2:02pm
BERLIN (AP) -- Sony Mobile unveiled a new addition to its Xperia smartphone lineup Wednesday: a device that sports a massive 20.7-megapixel camera and is capable of attaching better lenses.
The Xperia Z1, presented in Berlin two days before the annual IFA consumer electronics show there, is Sony's attempt to leapfrog rivals such as Nokia and Samsung in the race for the phone with the best camera.
Its standout features are a high-resolution lens built into the camera, and the option of controlling detachable lenses from the phone's 5-inch screen.
According to Sony, the lenses can also be used with other Android phones and even Apple's iPhone.
The Z1's camera functions are further supported by a large image sensor and dedicated apps that allow users to stream video directly onto their Facebook page, store images online and search for information about whatever their viewfinder is pointing at.
The phone, previously codenamed Honami, comes with 2.2 gigahertz processor and a waterproof aluminum case.
Sony said the Z1 will go on sale later this month.
Reference: http://www.manufacturing.net/news/2013/09/sony-launches-camera-phone-with-add-on-lenses?et_cid=3461600&et_rid=54661085&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.manufacturing.net%2fnews%2f2013%2f09%2fsony-launches-camera-phone-with-add-on-lenses
Samsung Unveils Smartwatch Ahead Of Rival Apple
Wed, 09/04/2013 - 2:11pm
BERLIN (AP) -- Samsung unveiled a highly anticipated digital wristwatch Wednesday at least weeks ahead of a similar product expected from rival Apple. The so-called smartwatch is what some technology analysts believe could become this year's must-have holiday gift.
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Gear on Wednesday in Berlin ahead of the annual IFA consumer electronics show.
Samsung says the Gear can act as an extension to a smartphone by discreetly alerting users to incoming messages and calls on its display screen, which measures 1.63 inches diagonally.Users can even make calls, secret agent-style without getting out their phone. The Gear also sports a basic camera and works with popular social media and fitness apps such as Twitter and RunKeeper.
The Android-powered device starts shipping in most countries Sept. 25 starting at $299. It will be compatible initially with two Samsung products also unveiled Wednesday — the Galaxy Note III, which is a smartphone with a giant 5.7-inch screen and a digital pen, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a tablet computer with a 10.1-inch screen comparable to Apple's full-sized iPad.
With smartphones and tablets now ubiquitous, electronics companies are trying to create a new category of products to lure consumer spending. That includes building advanced computing technology into everyday objects such as wristwatches and glasses.
Sony introduced its latest SmartWatch in June and unveiled an update Wednesday. Google is working on Google Glass — a device designed to work like a smartphone and worn like a pair of glasses. Apple is seeking an iWatch trademark. Apple had no comment Wednesday on its plans. It has an event scheduled next Tuesday, during which it is expected to unveil new iPhones.
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