Some 800 years ago, English philosopher William of Ockham developed a principle giving precedence to simplicity. Called Occam’s Razor, his problem-solving principle stated that in the event of two competing solutions, the simpler one is preferable. We often express this as “Entities not to be multiplied beyond necessity.” In modern terms, this means that not […]
For machine builders it is hard to remain local players when your competition often comes from overseas suppliers. You need to consider how to stand out from the crowd and avoid price driven negotiations. Even if your brand and reputation are portable, are your components and solutions? Single sourcing of automation componenents is becoming a […]
Two major trends are accelerating the pace of modern industrial transformation. Firstly, increased pressure to improve productivity and boost ROI; secondly the relatively low cost of IT-driven data acquisition and analysis. A recent LNS Research report indicated that 45% of industrial organizations surveyed are already engaged in industrial transformation. Furthermore, another 23% of companies expect […]
When refurbishing machines, converting from DC to AC motors and drives has many advantages. They include the use of AC variable speed drives to improve reliability, reduce running costs and provide energy savings. Over 20 years ago DC motors and drives dominated many markets and industries. The reason was that only DC motors could […]
Developed over thirty years ago and still popular today, the balanced scorecard is a management tool. It helps organisations measure their performance in relation to key aspects of their strategy, and vision. The concept has evolved over time and covers four business perspectives. Being: financial performance; customer focus; internal processes, and organisational capacity. Furthermore, key […]