Industrial Automation

Over the years, the economic model of the auto industry has developed into an inefficient waste of resources and manpower, producing more cars — and specifically more cars of the wrong type — than are needed by the public. In the long run, we will be better off if we let economics take its natural course. Let the auto companies fail so that the wealth can be redistributed according to proper economic models. The government's intervention with bailout money, ostensibly to preserve union jobs, is a short-term fix that will just waste taxpayers' money in the end.

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Look at the difference a year makes: in 2008 all the talk was about energy efficiency and "green" was the buzzword. Now, one year later, energy prices have dropped and the difficult economic conditions are forcing companies to look for other ways to invest their capital instead of in energy-saving devices. But engineering energy savings should be a constant process. Do you think energy efficiency investments and improvements should be ongoing, no matter what the status of the economic climate?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial Automation, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial Automation today.

Leland Teschler of Machine Design magazine says it would take at least 13,000 large wind turbines — and probably more like 50,000 — all spinning at top speed all the time, to satisfy the electrical needs of New York City. His point is that there is not nearly enough wind power and this alternative energy source has been oversold to the public. Even if the wind turbines were supplied at no cost, wind power would still be more expensive due to infrastructure costs, since maintaining wind installations is significant and not likely to decline. Will wind energy ever evolve into more than a niche power source?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial Automation, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial Automation today.

James Truchard, president of National Instruments, says he thinks people who like the hands-on experience for their work — like the old time engineers — are less attracted to engineering these days because it's becoming too abstract. Electronic calculation tools lack visual reference and the math becomes isolated from the physical side of engineering. Engineers don't have the intuition, the "feel," they used to have as a natural consequence of their work, and this makes the profession less attractive. Do you agree with this assessment?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial Automation, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial Automation today.

Shalli Kumar, CEO of AVG Automation, says Detroit wastes hundreds of millions of dollars a year on plant automation because the "Big 3" manufacturers do not allow competitive bidding on control devices. They work to protect old, inefficient, and outdated suppliers — and half of the products come from overseas. If the government is going to bail out the auto manufacturers with taxpayers' money, shouldn't they be required to address these purchasing issues and "buy American"?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Industrial Automation, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Industrial Automation today.