Page 4


www.us- tech.com


Tech-Op-ed December, 2014


SOUNDING OFF


By Walter Salm Editor


The Biggest and the Best. . .


an electronics trade magazine, and even then, in the early 1960s, the NY Col- iseum was beginning to feel too small. But it was where the action was. I would be enthralled by an enormous Gardner-Denver robotic machine that would methodically wire wrap a terminal, then string the thin, insulated wire to another post, and spin the wire around it, then cut the wire. Then it would go on to the next terminal. It was hard-wire programming a control board of some kind, and it represented absolutely the latest cutting-edge technology for 1962. I would stand there with my nose pressed against the Plexiglass® protective case watching every robotic movement. And standing next to me, firing away with their Nikon cameras, would be several engineers visiting from Japan. My own camera bag weighed about 20 pounds, and would get in- creasingly heavy as the day wore on. The NY Coliseum was originally envisioned as a multi-show building,


I


and indeed would house two or three shows running concurrently. Small shows. During its 1956 opening, it simultaneously presented on its four ex- hibit floors the New York Auto Show, the National Photographic Show, and the Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition. A U.S. commemorative postage stamp was issued for the Philatelic Exhibit, and I remember going there specifically to see the display of the world’s rarest postage stamp — the British Guiana One-cent Magenta. There was (and is) just one of these stamps in existence, and it was recently sold at auction for $9,480,000. Back when I laid eyes on it, it was worth only $280,000 (in 1956 dollars). It soon became apparent that the Coliseum was woefully inadequate,


and the city began to lose important trade shows and conventions to other, larger venues in other cities. The Anaheim Convention Center became a ma- jor stop for electronics shows, while Chicago’s McCormick Place kept growing to accommodate bigger and better shows, and the Las Vegas Convention Cen- ter just grew and grew and grew. The standout Goliath today is the Las Vegas Convention Center, with


over 3,200,000-ft.2 (300,000m2 ) of exhibit space, and is considered to be one of the largest in the world. It owes its phenomenal growth to such super expos as the Consumer Electronics Show, described as the world’s largest trade show. And it’s about to get another expansion. It will be getting a new show in 2016, when IPC’s APEX moves there from San Diego. New York finally got the message, and built the enormous Jacob Javits


Convention Center, first opening for business in 1986. The outmoded NY Col- iseum was demolished in 2000 to make room for the new Time/Warner Cen- ter. The Javits Center later had a renovation and expansion, completed in 2013. The open areas in the spacious facility make an ideal venue for some of the largest trade shows, including the Atlantic Design/MD&M Expo in June. As big and busy as it is, the Javits Center is ranked only the 12th largest


in the U.S. and typically for New York expo halls, is beginning to feel cramped for some shows. New York authorities are already planning a new convention center on Long Island, because even Javits is starting to feel too small and for want of available real estate, probably won’t be expanded again. And by the way, the roof still leaks. r


have always had a soft spot for technology trade shows. I have fond mem- ories of the IEEE Show presented at the New York Coliseum and the ex- hibition areas of 6 or 7 nearby hotels. I was a neophyte associate editor of


PUBLISHER’S NOTE


By Jacob Fattal Publisher


Supply Chain and Onshoring A


just two weeks before that will be ATX West/MD&M et al exhibiting in Ana- heim. This is going to result in a much larger-than-usual January/February combined issue of U.S. Tech, which will contain an enlarged Product Preview for both Expos. The year now coming to a close has been a year of gradual recovery, high-


s 2014 winds down, we find that we have barely enough time to even take a deep breath, because an early IPC APEX Expo is nearly upon us, scheduled for San Diego, one of our very favorite trade show cities. And


lighted by ever-growing onshoring and reshoring. Manufacturing has been moving back to North America at encouraging levels, as more and more com- panies are finding that manufacturing offshore no longer provides an econom- ic benefit. We are especially looking forward to bringing you our new Supply Chain


column in each issue. This will deal with the numerous issues that arise in the process of onshoring/reshoring or setting up a production line anywhere in the world. Supply Chain topics will include: Economic decisions; Material man- agement (MRP Systems); Supplier quality; Procurement (heavy on compo- nents and bare board); Process engineering; Logistics and shipping; Forecast- ing, Planning and order management (ERP); Program management; Corpo- rate responsibility (Green options and considerations). Much of the “Made in USA” movement depends heavily on automation


and robotics to provide high quality product at price points that will appeal to consumers everywhere. The migration of high tech manufacturing from the U.S. to the Pacific Rim and back again, leaves in its wake a truly global tech- nology with sources for many key components widely scattered. Supply Chain means pulling it all together, and being totally assured of reliable order ful- fillment from all of those sources, which can be as far apart as Singapore, Chi- na, Korea, Japan, Germany, the U.K., Silicon Valley, North Carolina, and Up- state New York. The total experience of starting up and continuing electronics manufac-


turing is in a constant state of change, and it’s important to keep on top of all improvements and updates. Supply Chain and how it impacts manufacturers worldwide will be an ongoing theme throughout the coming year, and U.S. Tech will bring you thoughtful articles written by the best experts in the in- dustry. r


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80