Keeping Up with Technology 8/16/2011 10:03:00 AM 
Technology seems to progress at different rates, depending on your vantage point. When we look at aerospace technology from outside the industry, we might tend to think that it has slowed down over the past half century. After having seen the development of airplanes, jets and rockets to the moon in the previous half century, we haven’t seen that spectacular rate of development since. I’m sure the perspective from within the aerospace industry is quite different, however, especially for those who need to keep their knowledge up to date with all the new developments.
We don’t generally think of woodworking as an industry of cutting edge technology. The fact of the matter is we need to embrace new technology in order to reverse the trend of woodwork manufacturing going overseas. New technology gives us the opportunity to work more efficiently and subsequently keep our costs down. It also includes products that help us become more “green.” This is important to our competitive edge because incorporating green technology successfully opens market opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to us.
A big part of keeping up with technology is acquiring knowledge of what’s new and significant. At AWFS last month, I was amazed at how many exhibitors were showing products that embodied new technology. From CAD/CAM software to finishing products to innovations in machinery, new technology was everywhere.
A key component of learning about new technology is to utilize information technology. Some examples of information technology that we might use for this purpose are as follows:
- Searching the Web for information on subjects that may include new technology
- Visiting vendor websites to get Product Data Sheets, Material Safety Data Sheets, or other information on products we use or intend to use
- Sharing information with co-workers in our offices using the local area network
- Using accounting software to analyze costs, etc.
- Utilizing software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets and database programs to gain insight into benefits of potential new products
I’d like to focus on the last example. These tools are already utilized in almost all businesses but are generally not thought of as tools to analyze the implementation of new technology. They can help us visualize information from various perspectives by processing that information in specific ways. Word processors can help us record and clarify the way we think about the information we receive and share. If numeric information needs to be analyzed and calculations need to be made, spreadsheets are invaluable tools.
An example can illustrate the process most effectively. Let’s say we’re looking at waterborne finish topcoats. We’ll want to analyze the attributes that are important to us for all available products and compare those attributes side- by-side. Attributes will probably include ease of application, hardness, clarity, chemical resistance, etc. Test results can be used as a basis for setting up a simple rating system, such as 1 through 5 where 1 is used for the least desirable result and 5 is for the most desirable result. Using simple numeric values allows us to compare individual attributes and then give each product an overall rating based on the average value of ratings for all the attributes tested. We can even use “weighted” averages to give more impact to the attributes that are most important to us.
It’s important to keep up with the latest technology in order to remain competitive. Utilizing the benefits of information technology can help us make the right decisions about implementing it.
