By the Numbers – 2005-10-01

0 is a number that saved many lives in WWII. Planes riddled with bullet holes that made it back to bases were studied for the locations of where bullet holes (data points) were not, telling engineers where to reinforce designs. Zero also holds significant information in a location plot analysis, according to a recent Juran Institute's "Quality Minute.

0 is a number that saved many lives in WWII. Planes riddled with bullet holes that made it back to bases were studied for the locations of where bullet holes (data points) were not, telling engineers where to reinforce designs. Zero also holds significant information in a location plot analysis, according to a recent Juran Institute’s “Quality Minute.” www.juran.com

89% of available transmitters communicate via 4-20 mA, according to respondents to a Control Engineering and Reed Research Group survey. Rounding out the top five were RS-232, HART, Ethernet TCP/IP, and RS-485. For related trends, see “Product Research,” this issue. www.controleng.com

5 maturing levels in managing human assets include improvement-based training, according to the Control Engineering September cover story, “6 Asset Management Myths.” www.controleng.com/archive

21 cents per gallon is the average equivalent ADDED cost per gallon of driving each 5 mph increment over 60 mph; calculations are based on $3.07/gallon. U.S. DOE, EPA www.fueleconomy.gov

334 are the number of ISA standards, when selecting “View All” at www.isa.org/standards , in July. More than 50 mention safety. ISA, the Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society www.isa.org/standards

>100 people from over 70 companies are involved in the Make2Pack effort to harmonize OMAC PackML guidelines with ANSI/ISA S-88.00.01 and .02 and S95 Part 3. Groups represented include WBF: The Forum for Automation and Manufacturing Professionals (formerly called World Batch Forum); Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society (ISA) SP88 committee; and OMAC Packaging Workgroup (OPW). Make2Pack Working Group www.wbf.org

&40 companies participated in development of the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) 2.0 CompactPCI (cPCI) form factor, which maintains compatibility with cPCI hardware and software. More than 400 are in the consortium, as noted in Control Engineering ‘s Information Control Monthly for September 8, 2005. www.picmg.org ; www.controleng.com

23,000 mph is how fast the 820-lb Deep Impact probe slammed into the nucleus of comet Tempel 1 on July 4. The flyby spacecraft observed a plume of talcum-power-sized dust blasted from the comet’s surface; three cameras took approximately 4,500 images during the encounter. Surface details of 4 meters in diameter are nearly a factor of 10 better than any collected in previous comet missions. NASA www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/deepimpact/main/index.html

1,300 Tooling and Manufacturing Association (TMA) represents 1,300 Chicago area companies that provide manufacturers worldwide with tools & dies, molds, jigs & fixtures, special machinery, automation equipment, precision machining, turned parts, metal stampings and fabricated metal parts, plastic molded parts, die cast parts, subassemblies, plating, engraving and heat treating services. The TMA membership also features suppliers of industrial machinery & equipment, software, systems, materials, and services. www.tmanet.com