On The Edge with Keith Campbell
Vision and Leadership for Packaging
On The Edge with Keith Campbell

CalendarKeith's Travel Calendar

interpack 2008
April 24 - 30 | Dusseldorf, Germany

Packaging Automation Forum 2008
May 20 | Schaumburg, IL

PMMI Community of Practice on Technical Training

June 4-5 | Reading, PA

College Visits on Mechatronics

June 9 - 17 | Southeastern PA

PA Industry Partnership Symposium

June 23 - 25 | State College, PA

Mid-Atlantic Mechatronics Advisory Council

July 8 | Reading, PA

Purdue - PMMI Workshop on Packaging Education

July 23 - 25 | Hammond, IN

Category: Technology Planning


Packaging applications of linear motors debut at Interpack

May 5, 2008

Linear motors have been slow to catch on in packaging, but several applications appeared at this year's Interpack. It's time to put linear motors on your company's technology plan....
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OMAC should maintain a simple focus on packaging

February 25, 2008

At the annual OMAC Users Group meeting, held this month in Orlando, a discussion was generated on the topic of putting a more general face on OMAC by dropping its focus on packaging with regard to PackML and PackTags. The argument goes that since the technical product is elegant enough to be applied to other industries, it shouldn't be referred to as PackWhatever, implying that its use is limited to...
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Social Networking - The Next Great Enabling Technology

December 7, 2007

Few would disagree that the digital servo has been the great enabling technology for packaging operations over the past 15 years. Could it be that social networking software as exploited by YouTube and MySpace may be the next great enabler?...
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It's 2007: Do you know where your drawings are?

September 24, 2007

There may be one piece of intellectual capital that packagers value less than their aging workforce (see Packagers undervalue intellectual captial) and that is their equipment documentation. Lack of good documentation is one of the greatest contributors to poor productivity in American manufacturing. All too often, management finds it easier to point fingers at their employees for lack of skills rather than pointing at themselves for lack of a coherent...
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Interchangeable parts - Why not software?

August 19, 2007

The concept of interchangeable parts is one that packaging machinery builders readily understand and depend upon every day. Not only are parts from a single manufacturer interchangable within a machine, but builders source custom parts from multiple manufacturers to control cost and schedule and generic parts are interchangeable across a host of different machines and devices. We have come to enjoy and expect that fasteners, shafts, gears, couplings, motors, valves,...
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The hidden packaging economy

May 30, 2007

Let's do a little experiment. Ask yourself the following questions? Can I name 2 of the top 3 North American automobile companies? Can I name 2 of the top 3 North American metals companies? Can I name 2 of the top 3 North American petro-chemical companies? Can I name 2 of the top 3 North American packagers? Can I name 2 of the top 3 North American packaging machinery?...
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Community activism or tribalism for automation industry?

May 14, 2007

Automation professionals used to behave as a community. End users, technology providers and systems integrators would convene at industry-wide events, much like county fairs, to share ideas, best practices and lessons-learned....
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Why demographics will drive your packaging automation

March 26, 2007

Indications are that capital spending for packaging automation is on the rise. PMMI reports increased sales among their members; automation companies are reporting a brisk business environment; and machine suppliers that I have talked to report both increasing backlogs and forecasts. One reason often cited for this is workforce demographics....
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Keith Campbell
About Keith Campbell
Leaders learn from the past while looking to the future - and bring both to bear on the here and now. This is the philosophy that has steered Keith Campbell's 30+ years in manufacturing. It has worked for him in operations, maintenance, engineering, R&D, education, consulting and professional organizations--and now he's putting it to work for you--taking you to the edge of his thoughts on packaging operations.
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