Book Description

Explore the wonders of science with the very best of guides!

Have you ever wished that you could observe underwater creatures undetected? Or watch the very moment a caterpillar becomes a butterfly? Or create your own rain? Well, with Scientific American Great Science Fair Projects, you can! Enter the fascinating world of Scientific American––the ultimate science authority––and learn how to build an underwater periscope, photograph a lunar eclipse, grow hydroponic plants, and much, much more!From creating your own non-newtonian fluids (slime, putty, and goop!) to teaching a sow bug how to run through a maze, you’ll be astounded at the number of incredible things you can do with Scientific American Great Science Fair Projects. Based on the long-standing and well-respected "Amateur Scientist" column in Scientific American, each experiment can be done with ordinary materials found around the house or that are easily available at low cost. Whether you’re looking for a great idea for your next science fair project, want to astonish your friends and family with your discoveries, or are just intrigued by the world around you, you’ll find endless hours of scientific \fun in this one-of-a-kind project book! Scientific American magazine reaches more than three million readers globally by subscription, on newsstands, and online at www.sciam.com.

The company also publishes Scientific American Explorations, a quarterly family magazine, and the Scientific American Archive, an online archive of issues from 1993 to the present at www.sciamarchive.com ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Won third place with the wind tunnel project.
I like the book though it's not spectacular. We built the wind tunnel and we had to do some tweaking....for example the airconditioner filter blocks out *all* the "wind" from an ordinary fan so we had to carefully pick apart the filter apart and just leave the wire skeleton, and then after going through all the motion of building the tunnel with the filter and the plexiglass window and getting it to actually work, we found that we got the same result by just setting the the air foil and the scale directly in front of the fan.
I just wish we could have found something that was more straightforward and to the point.
Better luck next year.

The Book that changed my life.
I fell after reading this book, I have become a personal friend of Marc Rosner. Through his colorful language and profound metaphors, I was moved to a whole new plain of conciousness. Marc is a true mastermind of scientific literature. I am bringing this book with me for personal reading and will hopefully be able to speak about this peice of literatute at the Vacuum convention this weekend. (...) ... Read more

Book Description

"...follows a logical path through topics of safety, construction, sky coordinates, and, finally, design....Plans for each telescope are illustrated with both line drawings and photographs...procedures are laid out in an easy-to-follow technique...includes a rich gallery of illustrated telescopes that amateurs have built...a welcome addition as a source of ideas...well-written and well-illustrated book. The projects it presents are well within the skill level of a youngster...an asset to any school or public library."--Science Books & Films.160 pages, 40 color illus., 75 b/w illus., 8 1/2 x 10.
... Read more

Reviews (3)

Complex but essential for INTERMEDIATE ATM'ers
I have to say at first i was dissapointed. I bought this book as a beginer telescope maker and i had to put it away. Then i bought Richard Berry's book and was enlightened. This is not to say that i don't like this book. If you have some experience with tools and wood i would suggest this book first. Or if you have made at least one telescope before, i would also suggest this book. Robert Miller & Wilson have many insights and examples but in many places they leave you on your own. Fortunately i have a degree in physics and was able to do fine on my own. One of my favoriate scopes was built using 3 of his plans mixed together. If you have a basic idea or have made scopes before... this is the best book to buy. If you have never made a scope before and are just getting into this field of astronomy, do yourself a favor and get Richard Berry's book.. (also here on amazon.com) But i promise that if you buy this book later on, you will be happy. If you buy it now,you will get frustrated. What Robert Miller & Wilson did teach me was to, above all, enjoy the scope you make!!

Excellent material on building your own telescope
This book makes it easier to understand the great hobby of Amatuer Telescope Making. I read this book from front to back, twice! Included in this book are easy to follow instructions on making six very usable amatuer telescopes. A must for any astronomer's bookshelf. Also included is a great chapter on a portable 8" reflecting telescope,designed by Bob Scholtz.

Well worth the price
This book is very imformative and useful to the beginning telescope maker. It does not describe mirror grinding or optical testing but very thoroughly explains construction, design, and tips for making 10 inch or less telescopes ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Clouds in a Glass of Beer — "… informative and engagingly idiosyncratic … brings the subject down to earth with offbeat, everyday examples and easy-to-follow experiments … Both professionals and laymen can learn from this book …" —The New York Times Book Review "A delightful book.…" —Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society "A brilliant collection of intriguing examples of the physics of everyday phenomena, with the examples presented as puzzles." —Discover "We highly recommend Craig Bohren’s book; you will certainly enjoy yourself while learning from the best. "—The Daily Mercury, Guelph (Ontario) Here is the sequel to Craig Bohren’s popular Clouds in a Glass of Beer—the book that opened up the fascinating world of atmospheric physics to nonscientists. Like its predecessor—selected one of the "100 Best Products of the Year" by Curriculum Product News—its lively writing, fun, easy-to-perform experiments, and many photographs and illustrations offer you a great way to learn about a fascinating branch of science. And while it is an entertaining diversion for science enthusiasts, this book is something more. As David Jones—author of the renowned, "Daedalus" column, regularly appearing in Nature magazine—writes in his foreword, "Above all you will learn something of the scientist’s approach to the world, that powerful combination of practical curiosity and developed skepticism." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Everyday science at its best
A variety of everyday phenomena are explained in this little book (185 pages). Most of it is optics and thermal physics, like frost and dew on the window, interference colors, mirages, heating and cooling (of LA smog, the greenhouse effect) origin of seasons, ...

Quite complex concepts like optical thickness are illustrated with nice experiments (pouring milk in water) and by foot steps in the snow. Don't be afraid of refractive index gradients or polarization upon reflection, Bohren will explain them marvelously.

I hope more physics textbooks would be like this: this is intriguing science whereas geometrical optics, the school book stuff, is mostly boring. Besides, these experiments and observations can be carried out by anybody with commonly available stuff: you only need a light bulb, a ruler and some volunteers to measure solar irrandiance, with 10-20% accuracy. ... Read more

Book Description

This book thoroughly examines adaptive evolution at the DNA level and takes a comprehensive look at the research being done in the area, making it ideal for researchers and graduate students in evolutionary biology and for a wider audience of functional biologists. ... Read more

Book Description

The past six years have seen a substantial increase in the attention paid by research workers to the principles of experimental design. The Second Edition of brings this handbook up to date, while retaining the basic framework that made it so popular. Describes the most useful of the designs that have been developed with accompanying plans and an account of the experimental situations for which each design is most suitable. Examples come from diverse fields of research, with an emphasis on biology and agriculture, two of the authors' specialties. New chapters have been added: one discusses the fractional replication of experiments. A second is concerned with experiments of the factorial type that present new methods and designs in which the factors represent quantitative variables measured on a continuous scale. Other new material includes an introductory account of experimental strategies for finding the levels at which the factors must be set in order to obtain maximum response and coverage of new incomplete block designs. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

classic text reprinted in Wiley classics series
Gertrude Cox and William Cochran were both famous statisticians who were extremely good writers. This was the book on experimental designs in 1958 with a wealth of information on randomized block, factorial and fractional factorial designs. It is still a very useful and practical reference. However it does not include the modern advance in robust designs that can be found in a text like the recent one by Wu and Hamada. Box, Hunter and Hunter "Statistics for Experimenters" is another excellent text on the classical and practical designs in engineering and agricultural experiments.

Experimental Design Techniques
Any serious student of factorial experimental design techniques should definitely read this book. It has a level of detail and sufficient explanation to move any practionier's competence along to the next level.

This book, however, is a bit too technically oriented for the begineer. ... Read more

Book Description

This advanced textbook and reference is the first comprehensive and systematic review of all methods used for the measurement, correction, and control of the beam dynamics of modern particle accelerators. Based on material presented in several lectures at the US Particle Accelerator School, the text is intended for graduate students starting research or work in the field of beam physics. Relativistic beams in linear accelerators and storage rings provide the focus. After a review of linear optics, the text addresses basic and advanced techniques for beam control, plus a variety of methods for the manipulation of particle-beam properties. In each case, specific procedures are illustrated by examples from operational accelerators, e.g., CERN, DESY, SLAC, KEK, LBNL, and FNAL. The book also treats special topics such as injection and extraction methods, beam cooling, spin transport, and polarization. Problems and solutions enhance the book's usefulness for graduate courses. ... Read more

Book Description

The perfect blueprint for science teachers who want to bring one of the most remarkable research tools of the 20th century into their classrooms: the laser. Requiring only a low-cost, low-power laser (easily available for under $100) the book presents a series of experiments for in-class demonstrations or student activities. Quick-reference instructions identify needed equipment, recommend safety practices, and help select desired experiments. The book is designed to enhance existing courses in chemistry, physics, and biology. ... Read more

Book Description

"There is genuine passion in his writing about technology, and readers leave knowing the deep respect Naughton . . . has for the people who created the thing he loves." (Boston Globe)

"If knowledge is power, this book is an essential read for anyone who wants to be an active player in the 21st century." (Washington Times)

The Internet is one of the most remarkable and far-reaching achievements of mankind. Yet even as the Net pervades our lives, we begin to take it for granted. Most of us have no idea where the Internet came from, how it works, or what it means for society and the future; John Naughton has the answers.

A Brief History of the Future is a passionate book whose heroes are the visionaries who laid the foundations of the postmodern world; it celebrates the engineers and scientists who implemented their dreams in hardware and software, and explains the values and ideas that drove them. It is also a highly personal account: John Naughton writes about the Net as a part of life, and as a key influence on his own voyage from solitary child to established academic and writer. Above all, A Brief History of the Future is the story of vision and determination, and of the power of ideas to transform the world. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I wish high school history had been like this
Next time you take a transcontinental flight to a technical conference, skip the airline movie and just read this wonderful book cover to cover. I wish history class in high school had been this much fun. Naughton has written the definitive history of the Internet so far. For example, when the Pentagon asked AT&T to build an early prototype of the Internet for them, AT&T pooh-poohed packet switching as a worthless idea concocted by some young whippersnapper (Paul Baran of the Rand Corp.) who knew nothing about proper telephone engineering. The book is full of anecdotes and funny stories. Great reading for old fogies and young fogies alike.

The entire history of the Internet's development
What does the Internet mean for the future? An answer partially depends upon an analysis of the past, and John Naughton's Brief History of the Future is the first book to cover the entire history of the Internet's development, from those who first thought of it in the 1940s to the scientists and engineers who brought it to life. Anecdotes blend with history to provide an intriguing blend of personal and scientific observation.

Great book - reads like a novel!
Reads like a sci-fi novel while providing a solid understanding of how and why the Internet works. At times the detail is almost overdone but this only adds to the credibility of the author. I started with a Timex Sinclair computer and have lived through the period covered in this book without really understanding just what made the internet work. Now I know!

For friends who don't understand your job.
I've worked in the software industry for twenty years, and now I finally have an entertaining, enjoyable book to give to friends and family who don't really understand what I do all day. If you've ever struggled to explain how the internet works, or why anybody would use it. This is the book. I gave a copy to my 77 year old flight instructor, he loved it.

The Stories and People of the internet You've Forgotten!
I loved this book because, while semi-technical, it is mostly about events and people that brought us the internet revolution. It took many "small bricks" to build the internet we know today, and hundreds of unsung hero's are revealed. Although I was not intimately involved in this revolution, it has touched my life over and over again, and now, at 70 years, I feel I am a part of it! I especially love the beginning of the authors personal story, which perfectly parallels my life and makes a marvelous connection between short-wave listening, ham radio, and the advent of the internet! The author is very clear in stating where there are "differing stories" about some of the events, which speaks well of his research in preparation for writing the book. This is a book for those that lived through the "beginning" of the future, and for those young people are pushing the future forward in the new millennium! ... Read more

Book Description

In this book, Dr Mak views the financial market from a scientific perspective. The book attempts to provide a realistic description of what the market is, and how future research should be developed. The market is a complex phenomenon, and can be forecasted only with errors — if that particular market can be forecasted at all.

The book reviews the scientific literatures on the financial market and describes mathematical procedures which demonstrate that some markets are non-random. How the markets are modeled — phenomenologically and from first principle — is explained.

It discusses indicators, which are quite objective, rather than price patterns, which are rather subjective. Similarities between indicators in market trading and operators in mathematics are noted, and particularly, between oscillator indicators and derivatives in Calculus. It illustrates why some indicators, e.g., Stochastics, have limited usage. Several new indicators are designed and tested on theoretical waveforms to check their validity and applicability. The indicators have a minimal time lag, which is significant for trading purposes. Common market behaviors like divergences between price and momentum are explained. A skipped convolution technique is introduced to allow traders to pick up market movements at an earlier time. The market is treated as a nonlinear phenomenon. Forecasting of when the market is going to turn is emphasized. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

Quite fun, and clever
This is not a chummy kitchen science experiment book. The science is serious and some principles obtuse. I studied this sort of thing in college and found some of it tough going, though I do think I came away with a lucid understanding for the effort.

The author rambles a bit, mixing exposition and reminisces. This is not a terrible thing, but may not be what you expect. Some of the experiments are elegant and clever, and impressed my 6 year-old considerably. The author's bent is towards optical phenomena, such as why the sky is blue, more than the meteorological, though there's plenty in there.

A fun and interesting book in a conversational and sometimes amusing format. And yes, I finally can explain why the sky is blue.

An excellent resource for teachers and professors
This book has been invaluable to me in teaching a university class on the Earth's climate. I've been able to pull off some of the clever demonstrations in the classroom. I've never read more understandable descriptions of pressure, "heat", the latent heat of vaporization, and blackbody radiation, including its relationship to the greenhouse effect. The author's dismissive comments towards global warming as just the current fad of 1982 have not stood the test of time. His book, however, will help educators explain to the public our dire circumstances so that something might be done about it.

Very clever
This is a very well written, creative and informative work. It's a league well above the cliche "amazing science experiments" books and offers detailed insight into atmospheric phenomena. The style is prose, not the boring step by step method that turns off many readers. You can use it to perform experiments, but it's a good readin itself. I highly recommend it to teachers - you'll learn some interesting stuff while getting your demo ideas.

Every aspiring aviator should have a copy of this book.
optics, meteorology and the evidence of my own eyes have all been endlessly fascinating subjects since chancing on this little gem. Should be a compulsary gift for every one of those slightly jaded 500 hour pilots who think they have seen it all ... Read more

Book Description

Ecological Experiments stresses the importance of manipulative field experimentation in ecology as being superior to the observational method.The book begins with a series of ecological questions that can be answered by experiments, such as: what is the importance of competition among scientists?The minimal requirements of experimental design that should be met for satisfactory field experiments are then introduced, and examples of good and poor experiments from the literature are examined in this light along with a consideration of the trade-offs that may be forced on the experiment by the conditions faced in the field.Included are descriptions of experiments in five different kinds of environments: forests, successional habitats, deserts and semideserts, fresh water (divided into lakes, ponds, and streams), and marine environments (divided according to the kind of substrate).Each experiment is discussed from the standpoint of the ecological question being answered and the quality of ecological design.For most of the environments, the experiments arearranged according to the topic level. The final chapter contains discussions of the results in the different environments, and the conclusions that the experiments in each environment permit.It is shown that interpretations of environmental phenomena must be different for each kind of environment, and that a general theory of ecology is unlikely to be obtainable. ... Read more

Book Description

The present text is an outgrowth of such a laboratory course given by the author at the University of Rochester between 1959 and 1963. It consisted of a one-year course with two 3-hour meetings in the laboratory and two 1-hour lecture meetings weekly; the students had access to the laboratory at all times and, in general, worked during hours of their own choice well in excess of the scheduled periods. The students worked in pairs, which in most cases provides a highly motivating and successful relationship.
The material included in this course was selected from those experiments in atomic and nuclear physics that have laid the foundation and provided the evidence for modern quantum theory. The experiments were set up in such a fashion that they could be completed in a two- to four-week period of normal work taking into account the other demands on the student's time.

Key Features
* Teaches students the methods and procedures of experimental physics at an advanced level; and
offers the confidence in their abilities to measure physical entities and relationships between them
* Familiarizes students with modern research equipment and its use
* Makes students aware of the most basic techniques presently used in widely varying fields of physics
* Convinces students that the material they studied in their lecture courses can indeed be tested experimentally, and gives students the satisfaction of doing so themselves ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent experimental reference!!!
I purchased this book with hopes of gaining some insight into the theoretical aspects of the modern physics experiments I was working on in a junior laboratory. I must say that this book has been invaluable. The author masterfully details the most fundamental experiments in modern physics, making the material accessible to beginning undergrad students, yet still theoretically rich enough for advanced experimental practice.

Most modern physics experiments can more than likely be referenced somewhere in this book, which serves as a lab manual complete with data samples and example analysis. For myself, the analysis techniques employed in the experiments contained within this book were the most helpful. Any physics student with experience in an advanced lab would agree that data and error analysis are the most critical part of any lab, making this book ideal as a reference.

I give this book five stars, but I must admit only one disappointment with its binding. I read a review, prior to buying this text, stating that the hardcover binding is somewhat prone to wearing out quickly, and indeed I think I have seen the beginning of this demise. However, I have made extensive use of the book, which has undoubtedly contributed to this problem.

Otherwise, I have gotten every cent's worth out of this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Echinostomes are ubiquitous intestinal flatworm parasites ofvertebrates and are of importance in human and veterinary medicine andwildlife diseases. Echinostomes can be maintained easily andinexpensively in the laboratory and provide good models for biologicalresearch ranging from the molecular to the organismal. Considerablebut scattered literature has been published on the subject ofechinostomes and a synthesis of this wide range of topics has now beenachieved with the publication of this book, which presents a widerange of topics in experimental biology related to the use ofechinostomes as laboratory models. It will have a special appeal toadvanced undergraduates and graduate students in parasitology andshould also appeal to professional parasitologists, physicians,veterinarians, wildlife disease biologists, and any biomedicalscientists interested in new model systems for studies in experimentalbiology. ... Read more

Book Description

Inspire discovery and invention as students work together to solve 24 technology-based problems. They will learn science and engineering principles by building and testing model structures, games, and vehicles. Related science experiments and demonstrations accompany each activity, and 26 "Stories for Young Inventors" help inspire young inventors to go for their dreams. This resource can serve as an exciting after-school program.Grades 4-8 ... Read more

Book Description

For years paranormal scientists have explored the detection and documentation of spirits, auras, ESP, hypnosis, and many more phenomena through electronics.Electronic Projects from the Next Dimension provides useful information on building practical circuits and projects, and applying the knowledge to unique experiments in the paranormal field. The author writes about dozens of inexpensive projects to help electronics hobbyists search for and document their own answers about instrumental transcommunication (ITC), the electronic voice phenomenon (EVP), and paranormal experiments involving ESP, auras, and Kirlian photography.


Although paranormal studies are considered esoteric, Electronic Projects from the Next Dimension teaches the technical skills needed to make devices that can be used in many different kinds of experiments. Each section indicates how the circuit can be used in paranormal experiments with suggestions about procedures and how to analyze the results.

Provides unique projects for believers and skeptics.
Perfect for any level of electronics experience.
Learn from these basics projects and design your own applications. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

For the amateur scientist
This is a great collection of projects. I got the book about a year ago. I constructed some of the projects and I am working on another one right now. They have all been fun and the book does a good job of documenting the projects. The results of some of the experiments are quite interesting. I don't know if there is anything paranormal going on, but it is hard to explain some of the phenomena. Recommended for the amateur scientist!

Book ok but projects not entirely user friendly
I enjoy the book but unless someone is knowledgable in electronics I would not suggest this book. I know some electronics and I found this book lacking in respect to listings of parts values in several projects. I have basically had to guess at parts values. Several projects require winding ferrite rod coils and neglect to say with what kind of wire (ie magnetic or coated). There are references to using potentiometers but a failure to list what ratings. Just stating a 47 ohm potentiometer is not sufficient. This actually makes the projects more costly to build. Some of these parts you cannot readily find anymore in electronic shops whether looking in a retailer like Radio Shack or a surplus place. I have found that Ferrite Rods can be ordered online and thats about it. I would say that knowledge wise this book is great but it is not very detailed in its listing of parts values which is pretty critical I think. It has caused me several headaches as it is.

Very interesting book
This book is technically very good, the author is a respected educator, and potential buyers should not be put off by the paranormal aspect of it. The experiments are interesting in any context. Just as a book about, for example, fly fishing does not guarantee that fish exist, this book does not address the question of whether any spirits really are out there attempting to communicate with us. It does, however, present logical ideas about how we might detect such attempts if they do exist. It follows in the footsteps of similar studies conducted by many respected scientists and engineers, including Edison. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is the outgrowth of 5 years consulting experience in the applications of statistical methods to Surface Mount Technology (SMT). This book provides the reader with the methodology of applying Statistical Process Control (SPC) on the manufacturing line. This methodology is called data sleuthing.The book is divided into two parts. Part I provides an overview of the methods of data sleuthing. Part II provides a case study approach to the implementation of SPC throughout the whole SMT manufacturing line. It starts with how to qualify the raw material from the supplier to the implementation of SPC for final test of the printed circuit board.In Part I, we discuss in detail the tools and methods of data sleuthing.Chapter 1 presents the concept of data sleuthing. Data sleuthing is the practice of employing statistical methods and strategies to detect, identify, and eliminate "excessive variation" in SMT. Data sleuthing has three components: statistical tools, strategies for implementation, and the axioms of deductive reasoning and logic. It is the synergistic relationship of the three that allows us to solve cases of excessive variation.In chapters 2 through 6, we provide the reader with the basic tools to summarize the data, employ control charts on-line, conduct process capability studies, and design experiments to obtain process knowledge about what input variables in the process affect the process output variable(s) in question. We also provide ways to optimize the process through the application of response surface methodology. We show ways to develop relationships between process characteristics through regression analysis.In Part II of the book, the casebook of data sleuthing, we provide the reader with 11 cases on how to implement data sleuthing in practice. One of the key components of solving each of these cases is the axioms of data sleuthing. These axioms are quotations on deductive reasoning and logic from Sherlock Holmes. The names of the case studies are based on actual story names from Sherlock Holmes to reflect the importance of these axioms in practice. At the start of each case study is listed the tools, strategies, and axioms applied to solve the case.Data Sleuthing is the practice of employing statistical methods and strategies to detect, identify, and eliminate "excessive variation" in Surface Mount Technology (SMT) processes. In this definition there are two key concepts which are delineated in this monograph: (1) Statistical Methods, and (2) Excessive Variation.Data Sleuthing is based on the principles of deductive reasoning and logic. The most famous practitioner of these principles is the legendary fictional detective, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1986) .We take the approach of Mr. Sherlock Holmes in this treatise by developing a case study approach to solve situations where excessive variation is encountered. This is accomplished through the use of tools and methods that reflect deductive reasoning and logic.This book is divided in two parts. Part I provides the reader with an overview of the tools necessary to employ in practice to solve Cases of Excessive Variation. Part II of the book provides 11 case studies which gives the reader practical examples of how to employ these tools in real-life situations to solve cases of excessive variation throughout the SMT process. The axioms of Data Sleuthing are employed to remind the practitioner that the basis of solving the case of excessive variation is deductive reasoning and logic.The scientific approach to studying variation indicates that there are two classifications for process variation namely common (sometimes called random) and special (sometimes called assignable) causes of variation.Before providing an example from an SMT process, we ask the reader to conduct a simple exercise. Write your name three times. Next write your name with the opposite hand. Examination of the signatures from writing it three times with your usually signature hand shows that slight differences can occur. These are examples of common cause of variation . The differences between the two hands reflect assignable causes of variation.It is helpful to demonstrate the difference between the two with an example taken from a component placement process. In this operation the process engineer has identified the following four sources of variation: (1) Feeders, (2) Heads, (3) Nozzles, and (4) Component Placement Machine. Example 1.1 gives the details.EXAMPLE 1.1 In this example, the component placement process is specified to produce no more than 50 parts per million (PPM) defect level . In this operation, the process engineer has identified the following four sources of variation: (1) Feeders, (2) Heads, (3) Nozzles, and (4) Component placement machine itself.Table 1-4 gives the breakdown of what causes of variation is attributed to each type.The process engineer chooses to attribute the feeder, nozzle, and head sources of variation to special causes of variation. The reason is that in each case, the failure was easily identifiable, were easy to eliminate by referring to the machine maintenance manual, and they were fixed by the maintenance organization.The reason that the component placement machine was attributed to common cause was due to the fact it was already performing to its theoretical capabilities. The team could not perform any corrective action to make it perform more efficiently. The only way for this operation of component placement equipment to perform more efficiently is to replace the existing equipment with new equipment that is capable of performing at a theoretical defect level of 50 PPM or better instead of at the current machines capability of 100 PPM. As stated earlier in Table 1-2, it is the responsibility of management to make this type of decision. The reason for this is, it is a capital expenditure, which is the responsibility of management to make. This is at the crux of the problem when trying to implement SPC in practice. After the "low hanging fruit" is harvested from the program, experts estimate that 85-94% of problems is the responsibility of management to fix! We address this situation in more detail in Part II in Case Study Number 11- The Final Problem.Table 1-4: Causes of Variation Attribtued to Placement Equipment

Sources of Variation: Reason for Failure: Type of CauseFeeder:

Wrong Part Number: SpecialNozzle: Can't Hold Part: SpecialHead: Doesn't Move to Pick-Up Part: SpecialMachine: Failure Rate of 100 PPM at Machine Theortical Design Guideline: Common ... Read more