Eton Systems has introduced its new ETONnote™ Shop Floor Control (SFC) system: an innovative productivity and information management solution that uses wireless networking and standard Android™-based devices to collect real-time production and process information that can be used to increase individual and team productivity, enhance order tracking and streamline the incentive payroll process. System makes [...]

Newly redesigned Quick TruCost™ costing software allows design, development, sourcing and production teams to quickly and accurately predict labor costs by answering 8 to 12 simple questions about a product’s components and construction. Saving time and reducing costly errors, the software helps manufacturers, brands and vertical retailers reduce costing time by up to 90 percent, [...]

PrinterEvolution has introduced the Eos Series of industrial digital textile printers, a complete, industrial soft-signage printing solution for high-end printers. The Eos126 DS 3.2m printer is designed for high-volume production, with state-of-the-art technology and precision media handling components that ensure excellent image quality and rich, saturated color. The on-board fixation unit is a true calender, [...]

Marcel Wanders, a prolific product and interior designer headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, has developed more than 1,700 products or projects for premium brands such as Alessi, Bisazza, KLM, Flos, Swarovski and Puma, among others. Wanders challenged fellow designers—and himself—to create the world’s lightest chair. His method involved party balloons, of the type clowns use [...]

A new cover for an old water reservoir provides a long-term solution. Last November, Newport Beach, Calif., completed a major water reservoir renovation project that it expects to solve the city’s decades-long water quality issues. The 22-acre Big Canyon Reservoir, constructed in 1958, would hold nearly 200 million gallons of potable water—enough to serve 70 [...]

“Invisible Barn: An Architectural Folly Merging with Nature” is a site-specific design proposal that recreates its environment by projecting the landscape onto the building. The project proposes to clad the barn-shaped structure in 5mil reflective mylar film with a clear UV coating, creating a mirrored piece that becomes a part of the grove’s trees and [...]

NCSU lab rethinks chemical/biological hazard protection testing and derives important new conclusions. By Bryan Ormond, Ph.D. When you ask first responders if they are more concerned about having enough protection against flash fire exposures, ballistic and physical hazards, heat stress, or chemical and biological threats, more times than not they are going to say they [...]

Marine fabricators are swamped with projects for boat owners, from vintage renovations to custom upgrades for new boats. The boating market has always been a good indicator of economic health and consumer confidence in the U.S. Nearly 90 million Americans participate in recreational boating, generating some $83 billion in annual spending. Even while sales of [...]

Embracing the dynamic business technology environment of smartphones and tablets. Streamlined efficiencies. Cost-effective measures. New revenue streams. In this recovering economy, fabricators and end product manufacturers (EPMs) are pulling out all stops—eager to find ways to stay ahead of the game. One way of doing this is by using mobile technology to conduct business—on- and [...]

Fabric structures designed for storage, warehousing and shelter can be as durable as brick-and-mortar structures, and far more flexible. With the construction of fabric structures consistently meeting (and often exceeding) stringent building codes, you’d think that more clients would opt for one of these highly engineered and efficient fabric-clad buildings. With clearspan or air-supported fabric [...]