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Summarizes several strategic briefings, conference presentations and reports on the topic of logistics management. Covers in turn logistics in China and Japan, including a profile of Braun Electric; methods of improving the supply chain, highlighting new technology, the “bullwhip effect” of distorted information and a case study of Tektronix; logistics in retailing, including direct mail in Japan, home shopping and distribution networks; and applications of the Internet in the logistics field, focusing on “knowledge logistics” (electronic publishing). Concludes with a summary of research conducted by McKinsey which suggests that doing business in a world of plentiful and cheap interactions will require new skills and new ways of thinking and those who anticipate and understand the fundamental nature of the changes will be best placed to exploit the opportunities.

Integrated test solutions based on the VXI instrumentation standard are ideally suited to the requirements of the aerospace industry and its suppliers. Details the varying instrumentation requirements of organisations ranging from prime contractors, through aircraft manufacturers and avionics suppliers, to end‐users such as airlines and the military. It then describes how the range of products from Tektronix is able to meets these varied needs. Concludes by considering a typical application, that of testing a flight data‐acquisition unit by simulating sensor and databus traffic and verifying that it is processing the data correctly.

Reveals that in common with many US states, Oregon has its own quality award programme ‐ one of several across the USA familiarly described (in a manner which fails to do them full justice) as “mini‐Baldriges”. The Oregon Quality Award itself, was created in 1994 on behalf of the State of Oregon by the Oregon Quality Initiative (OQI), a not‐for‐profit organization dedicated to creating learning opportunities in continuous quality improvement. Explains the process of the award, and profiles three of the most recent winners.

With an annual cost of gold exceeding 10 million dollars for its captive circuit board shop, Tektronix, Inc., established a task force to implement conservation. Elements included Purchasing, Material Control, Quality Assurance, Manufacturing and Engineering. Salient programme items were inventory reduction, material accountability, modification of processes, procedures, and equipment to improve uniformity of thickness, and elimination of non‐essential gold use. In addition, scrap‐handling procedures were modified to improve accountability and reclaim returns.

Modern electronics is characterised by the increasing level of integration in printed circuit board (PCB) technology and the reduced insulation spacing between adjacent conductors. Surface insulation resistance (SIR) measurement has often been used alone to determine the cleanliness of PCB assembly; however, when proper SIR measurement is used in conjunction with surface leakage current (SLC) measurement, the result can reveal the dynamic nature of surface electrochemical migration (SECM) processes at the microscopic level, and the effect of such processes on product quality and reliability. This paper presents a newly developed measurement methodology, which measures SLC per square unit area at a sampling rate that is orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional SIR measurement methods. It is aimed to capture the transient surge of SLC which is detrimental to the functionality of product.

Compilation of numeric data has been of interest to mankind since ancient times. Collections of astronomic observations permitted the production of systematic calendars for great nations like the Mayans, Egyptians, Babylonians and Jews. Extensive sets of data were available to early navigators and pioneer physicists of medieval times. A well known example of data compilation was the celebrated Alfonsine Tables. The tables were completed in 1252 under the direction of Isaac ben Said and Yehuda ben Moshe Cohen during the rule of Alfonso X. of Castile. For three hundred years this was considered to be the best planetary data collection. Another famous astronomical data compilation was Caroline Herschel's Catalogue of Stars published in 1798. In the last decade there has been an increased need for precise information by government agencies, private industries, the business world and academic institutions. The continuing acknowledgement of the need for quantitative data contributed to the quick development and marketing of many databases that contain numerical and other factual information.

Compact and economically priced solvent recycling systems now available from Tressler Environmental of Uckfield, Sussex, cut dramatically the real cost of keeping sprayguns clean and complying with EPA regulations, it is claimed. According to the manufacturers, by purchasing a Tressler Formeco solvent recycler and a Tressler spraygun cleaner, industrial users of spray booths and spraying equipment can recover and re‐use up to 90 per cent of the solvents from paint wastes in‐house.

Prudential Equity Group had downgraded Danaher to underweight status, citing concerns over its inadequate organic growth. By March 2009, its CEO wondered how to keep growing a company that faced changing worldwide economic circumstances, pressure from low-cost competitors, new competitors, flat or declining demand for company products, price increases for certain raw materials, and criticism from market analysts.