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Lucas Aerospace New Fuel Control Technology Leads To Potential Weight, Cost and Power Savings

Singapore — Lucas Aerospace, a business of LucasVarity plc, the global automotive and aerospace group, successfully tested a new gas turbine fuel control integrated with a Vickers split discharge vane pump, demonstrating reduced fuel temperature rise with good engine response.

The system reduces fuel temperature rise by as much as 60 percent. More significantly, the reduction in temperature rise is achieved without impairing engine responsiveness, a problem faced by previous attempts with other low temperature-rise fuel systems. Performing flawlessly, the system was recently tested on a TFE731-5 turbofan engine at the AlliedSignal Engines, Phoenix test facility.

"There are promising market opportunities for this exciting new technology which we developed specifically to work with a split discharge pump to demonstrate temperature savings potential," said Peter Franklin, Lucas Aerospace program general manager for small and medium engines. "The benefits of reducing fuel temperature without affecting engine performance translate into potential weight, cost and power savings — factors important to everyone in the industry."

In a low fuel usage condition, a conventional fuel system pressurizes significantly more fuel than is required by the engine. This excess pressurized fuel is then recirculated, causing the fuel temperature to rise.

The Lucas Aerospace fuel control recognizes a low fuel usage condition and re-circulates excess fuel back to the pump inlet at low pressure, dramatically decreasing the rise in temperature. This enables the use of smaller fuel/oil heat exchangers and reduces or eliminates the need for air/oil heat exchangers resulting in weight, cost and power savings. Additionally, the system introduces very little response lag and, therefore, does not adversely affect transient engine responsiveness.

The unit on the TFE731-5 test engine was configured such that 70 percent of the pump flow remained unpressurized at low fuel burning conditions. The system can be configured with any split ratio to optimize heat management and engine performance. The new technology has a broad range of potential applications. The system will undergo further testing while Lucas Aerospace and Vickers continue to analyze market opportunities.

Lucas Aerospace provides the global aerospace industry with high integrity systems in flight controls, engine controls, electrical power generation and management and cargo handling, all backed by a worldwide customer support operation.

LucasVarity designs, manufactures and supplies advanced technology systems, products and services in the world's automotive and aerospace industries.

Vickers Aerospace Marine Defense (AMD) provides advanced technology capabilities in fluid power, electromechanical fluid control and actuation, fluid systems monitoring and systems integration as well as worldwide customer support. Vickers AMD is a division of Vickers Inc., an Aeroquip-Vickers company.

Cooper Cameron Corporation to Acquire Orbit Valve

HOUSTON — Cooper Cameron Corp. reached a definitive agreement to acquire the outstanding stock of privately-held Orbit Valve International, Inc. for approximately $100 million in cash.

Orbit, based in Little Rock, Ark., manufactures and sells high-performance valves for the oil and gas and petrochemical industries. During 1997, Orbit generated revenues of approximately $85 million. The transaction is contingent upon certain regulatory approvals, and is expected to close later this year.

Sheldon R. Erikson, Cooper Cameron chairman, president and chief executive officer said, "Orbit will be an ideal fit with our existing Cooper Cameron Valves (CCV) organization, which has posted steady improvement since its creation as a separately managed entity in 1995. This transaction fits all of the criteria of our acquisition strategy, and enhances our role as a major global supplier to the oil and gas industry."

Erikson noted that Orbit has offices in Australia, Canada, the Middle East, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has a supporting network of sales and service personnel around the world.

Orbit is headquartered in Little Rock, Ark., the site of its primary manufacturing facility, and also has a sales, marketing, assembly, test and warehousing base at Ashchurch, Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom. The company also operates sales, service and parts facilities in numerous locations around the world.

Cooper Cameron Corp. is a leading international manufacturer of oil and gas pressure control equipment, including valves, wellheads, chokes, blowout preventers and assembled systems for oil and gas drilling, production and transmission used in onshore, offshore and subsea applications.

Cooper Cameron is also a leading manufacturer of gas turbines, centrifugal gas and air compressors, integral and separable reciprocating engines, compressors and turbochargers.

ACIS Solid Modeling Engine Enhances Speed and Performance of TurboCAD Solid Modeler

BOULDER, Colo. — Spatial Technology Inc., a leading developer of component 3D modeling software for the mechanical computer-aided-design (MCAD), engineering (CAE), and manufacturing (CAM) industries, announced that IMSI, a leading developer and publisher of CAD software, released TurboCAD Solid Modeler v. 2.0.

This release of TurboCAD Solid Modeler is the latest 3D solid modeling software driven by the ACIS geometric engine.

"Having the ACIS engine underlying what has become TurboCAD Solid Modeler was a key factor in IMSI's decision to acquire the original technology from Corel," said Jack Strange, general manager of IMSI's CAD division, adding that IMSI acquired the core technology because ACIS is an established standard in the mechanical CAD marketplace.

IMSI has shipped more than one million units of the company's core CAD product, TurboCAD, making it a front in all areas of computer-aided design, including the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), and mechanical markets. For the past 10 years IMSI has produced CAD software for the technical professional as well as ease-of-use for the inexperienced user.

IMSI is a founding member of the recently formed OpenDWG Alliance, an association of vendors and users committed to the promotion of the DWG drawing file format as an open industry standard for the exchange of CAD drawings.

Spatial Technology Inc. is the leading developer of component 3D modeling software technology for the MCAD, CAE, CAM and AEC industries. ACIS 3D Toolkit represents the world's first commercial, object-oriented, 3D modeling engine. ACIS is recognized as the industry leading solid modeling kernel that enables software developers to incorporate advanced 3D modeling functionality into their applications.

The technology is licensed to nearly 400 organizations worldwide — ranging from high technology to business applications to academia. In addition, Spatial established its leadership in the development of 3D solutions for enterprise-wide use with the release of ACIS 3D Building Blox and ACIS 3D Viewer.

Spatial Technology Inc. is a leading developer of component 3D modeling software technology for the MCAD, CAE, CAM and AEC industries. ACIS 3D Toolkit represents the world's first commercial, object-oriented, 3D modeling engine. ACIS is recognized as the solid modeling kernel that enables software developers to incorporate advanced 3D modeling functionality into their applications.

The technology is licensed to nearly 400 organizations worldwide — ranging from high technology to business applications to academia. In addition, Spatial established its leadership in the development of 3D solutions for enterprise-wide use with the release of ACIS 3D Building Blox and ACIS 3D Open Viewer.

Headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Spatial has subsidiaries in Europe and Asia.

Delphi Systems Take Accident Prevention To the Next Level

TROY, Mich. — Delphi Automotive Systems added another level of safety to vehicles with the development of its family of collision avoidance systems.

The Delphi collision avoidance systems include adaptive cruise control, collision warning and collision intervention. The systems are designed to help prevent vehicle crashes through the combination of object detection sensors and automatic control of brakes, throttle, steering, and suspension.

The collision avoidance systems being developed by Delphi will help drivers avoid crashes by detecting impending collisions or unsafe driving conditions; assess the threat and issuing mechanical, visual and/or audio warnings; and assist the driver during potential crash situations.

Delphi's advanced collision avoidance systems help prevent crashes, according to Michael J. Burns, vice president and general manager of Delphi Delco Electronics Systems. "These innovative systems effectively move vehicle safety technologies beyond crash survival systems, like seat belts and airbags, to provide a means to mitigate accidents," Burns said.

"These collision avoidance systems help take safety to the next level — where the emphasis is on prevention," Burns said. "Obviously, the best outcome of an accident is the one that's avoided."

The collision warning technology that is being developed by Delphi consists of forward-, side- and rear-detection systems. The forward-looking radar system (FLR) is designed to increase a driver's awareness of objects in the vehicle's forward path.

The first forward-looking collision avoidance system available to consumers will be adaptive cruise control (ACC), which performs two functions for drivers. Using a radar sensor mounted to the front of the vehicle, ACC helps drivers maintain a proper speed and distance from the vehicle in front.

When cruise control is engaged, the ACC system uses throttle control and limited braking to adjust the cruise speed, thereby reducing the need to manually accelerate with changes in traffic flow. ACC also alerts the driver through an audio warning that manual braking and/or another form of driver intervention is necessary to avoid a possible collision.

The second collision warning system — side detection — uses sensors to recognize objects on either side of the car and to alert drivers to the presence of vehicles during lane changes to avoid sideswipe accidents.

The third system is a back-up aid system designed to help drivers avoid backing into objects. This system uses ultrasonic and radar sensors mounted in the rear bumper area to alert drivers with an audio warning when objects are in their path.

Collision intervention systems go beyond collision warning by providing limited automatic assistance to the driver during potential crash situations. Such assistance may range from slowing the vehicle to a stop, to controlling steering, to helping the driver stay in the proper lane.

Delphi Automotive Systems, with headquarters in Troy, Mich., is a supplier of automotive components and systems. With the recent integration of Delphi Delco Electronics Systems, Delphi operates 208 manufacturing facilities, 46 ventures and 27 technical centers in 36 countries. Regional headquarters are located in Paris, Sao Paulo and Tokyo.

LucasVarity Diesel Systems Division’s State-Of-The-Art Common Rail System Receives Third Major Contract Win

DETROIT — A common rail fuel injection system, developed by LucasVarity's Diesel Systems Division to reduce emissions and noise, and improve fuel economy and driveability, led to a contract with Kia Motor Corp., Korea worth more than $200 million.

That contract award follows two previous common rail contracts Lucas Varity has with Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich., and Renault, S.A., France, worth more than $850 million.

The number of passenger cars powered with High Speed Direct Injection diesel engines is increasing in Europe and other parts of the world and the automotive market has identified the common rail as an attractive injection system for future diesel powered passenger cars.

This identification is primarily due to the clear advantage of the direct injection combustion process in terms of fuel economy and power density compared to the indirect injection concept. This kind of injection system operates at very high pressure with a flexible electronic control of fuel delivery, injection timing, injection pressure and rate of injection by multiple injection strategy.

By controlling these parameters, the common rail is capable of achieving a level of performance and driving comfort for diesel cars that is similar to gasoline powered cars. The system also offers significant advantages in terms of fuel economy and improved exhaust emissions.

The increase in the use of this technology to passenger cars, and the implementation of low emission regulations raises the requirement for more flexible and fully electronic controlled high pressure fuel injection systems.

"The majority of vehicle manufacturers are now choosing common rail fuel injection systems for their future car diesel engines, " said Dominique Chauvin, divisional managing director, Diesel Systems.

"Europe currently has the largest diesel engine market for cars and vans," Chauvin said. "With the commitments to LucasVarity from Ford and Renault, we are now one of two major common rail suppliers in Europe and we are keen to contribute to the diesel market take-off in the U.S. with our common rail technology," he added.

The LucasVarity common rail system is comprised of a high pressure pump with a pressure regulator and inlet metering valve; a rail for fuel storage with a pressure sensor; electrohydraulic injectors and an electronic control unit. The system is designed to meet the stringent emissions requirements of Euro 3, U.S. 98 and beyond. Production of LucasVarity's common rail will begin in 2000.

LucasVarity's Diesel Systems Division is the one of the world's leading manufacturers of diesel fuel injection systems, serving the car, van, truck, bus, agricultural, industrial and marine sectors.

LucasVarity designs, manufactures and supplies advanced technology systems, products and services in the world's automotive and aerospace industries.

Microvision Awarded Defense Research Contract To Develop High Definition Display for Helicopter Flight Simulators

SEATTLE — Microvision, Inc., developer of the Virtual Retinal Display (VRD), was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the United States Army to initiate the development of a full-color, high-definition, head-mounted display (HMD) to present visual imagery to helicopter pilots in an operational flight simulator.

The Phase I contract seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of presenting various types of visual imagery and symbology to helicopter pilots through a lightweight, full-color, high-definition HMD.

The contract seeks further to develop innovative display technology that may also serve a range of diverse applications in other areas of the military and commercial sectors including telemaintenance, telemedicine, and applications in various types of head and helmet-mounted display systems. Microvision will study and develop such a display system for the Army using the company's core VRD technology.

The research contract will be monitored by Joe DeMaio of the Aeroflight Dynamics Directorate, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, Calif. The principal investigator during this study is Ned Nestorovic, Microvision senior optical design engineer.

Steve Willey, executive vice president for Microvision, said, "This contract will allow Microvision to demonstrate how VRD technology can meet the challenges facing flight simulation in today's rotary-wing environment. The VRD offers significant advantages over existing display technologies, and during this contract Microvision will highlight and discuss the advantages of the VRD as an innovative simulation display technology that can increase the pilot's situational awareness, reduce workload, shorten response time to critical information, and reduce flight risks."

Microvision, based in Seattle, is developing and commercializing its VRD technology, which allows electronically generated images and information to be projected onto the retina of the viewer's eye.

The VRD scans a low-power beam of light to paint rows of pixels onto the eye, creating a high resolution, full-motion image without the use of electronic screens of any kind.

Vehicle Interior Supplier Johnson Controls Provides Insight on Tomorrow's Automotive Cockpits

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — Johnson Controls, a leading supplier of automotive seating and interior systems, is showing some of its most advanced vehicle interior concepts to a select group of automakers worldwide.

The concepts, which include three total vehicle interiors and one futuristic instrument panel, reflect Johnson Controls' theme — "Inventing the Automotive Future." Johnson Controls officials say they have a strong interest in developing full-featured interior systems for the future because consumer demand for cockpit enhancements is strong and growing.

"People expect more from their vehicle interiors than ever before, because they are traveling more," said Nathan Young, vice president of design for Johnson Controls.

The Van-Go minivan concept interior includes AutoOffice, a passenger-side, seat-integrated mobile office that has space for a computer, as well as a writing surface and ample storage area.

The second row of the Van-Go interior has a fold-out child activity center with two desks and a storage area integrated into the back of the center bucket seat. It also includes additional bucket seats — one with an integrated child safety seat and the other with an integrated child booster seat. Fluorescent lights have been integrated into the back of seat headrests for second- and third-row activity lighting.

The Symbiosis concept interior includes a sliding, expandable trunk storage system; a fully adjustable sun visor; door panels with joy stick controls and generous storage areas; and an overhead system that integrates interior lighting and a voice recording/playback device.

Among the prototype systems included in Johnson Controls' Chrysalis are a control device in the center armrest that allows drivers and passengers to manage and monitor vehicle systems; wireless control units that passengers use to operate non-driving and digital communications functions; cantilevered front seats with slim, memory-soft trim and lightweight space frames; a rear-facing jump seat with self-inflating soft trim; and a third-row seat that stores flat with the load floor for enhanced storage and space flexibility.

The Response system features all controls on a horizontal plane — much like a computer keyboard/mouse system. A personal computer in the instrument panel provides Internet access and vehicle navigation and diagnostic capabilities.

Storage areas — accessible to both front-seat passengers — are included in the center console. Response — which incorporates recyclable materials — also includes slide-out drawers, a hands-free phone, reconfigurable displays; and a voice recording/playback device.

Sport Utility Vehicles Will Get Close Look; NHTSA LTV Safety Project Moves on to Crash Testing

WASHINGTON — Continuing its comprehensive review of the safety of light trucks and vans (LTVs), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it will begin a series of crash tests to assess the compatibility of LTVs with passenger cars and hold an international summit to discuss LTV-passenger car safety. Additionally, the safety agency released a university study analyzing the effect of LTVs on safety in passenger cars.

NHTSA started a series of six crash tests on Feb. 20, at its Vehicle Research Test Center in East Liberty, Ohio. The first three vehicles to be tested will be a 1998 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, a 1997 Ford Explorer, and a 1997 Dodge Caravan. A 1998 Honda Accord will serve as the struck vehicle in all six tests.

"Safety is President Clinton's highest transportation priority, and crash testing will give us real world safety information on these larger vehicles," said Ricardo Martinez, NHTSA administrator. "To help in this effort, auto manufacturers have agreed to participate in a summit on this issue. We all must keep our focus on the safety of families."

In the crash testing, engineers will stage typical collisions between sport utility vehicles, minivans, pickup trucks and passenger cars to examine so-called "incompatibilities" — or mismatches in vehicle design — that may increase the severity and consequences of crashes. There will be three frontal crashes and three side collisions. The latter tests simulate an intersection crash where the striking vehicle is traveling at 30 mph and the struck vehicle at 15 mph.

While the number of vehicles in the U.S. fleet grows at an annual rate of 2 percent, LTV sales are growing at nearly 8 percent annually. The popular vehicles now represent 34 percent of the total fleet on the nation's highways.

As a class, they are considered more aggressive than passenger cars in crashes. Since 1992, there have been more fatalities in car-LTV collisions than in car-to-car crashes. In car-LTV crashes, research shows that 80 percent of the fatalities are occupants of the car.

Martinez will convene the LTV Summit to present NHTSA's preliminary crash tests results and discuss the range of issues surrounding LTV-passenger car safety. The summit will take place in Detroit in conjunction with the International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles in Windsor, Ontario, Canada May 31-June 4.

Martinez said that NHTSA's goal is to get all parties involved with these vehicles together to share collective knowledge, to define problems and work as partners toward solutions.

In a related action, the safety agency also today released a NHTSA-sponsored LTV study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). In determining the crashworthiness and aggressiveness of passenger cars and LTVs, the study establishes a numerical risk of injury or death in a variety of crash scenarios. The UMTRI study shows, for example, that when an SUV strikes a passenger car in a frontal crash, there are five fatalities in the car for each fatality in the sport utility vehicle; and when an SUV strikes a passenger car on the side, there are 30 fatalities in the car for each fatality in the SUV.

NHTSA engineers also will present a new technical paper, The Aggressivity Of Light Trucks And Vans In Traffic Crashes, at the 1998 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International Annual Congress Feb. 23-26, in Detroit.

The paper concludes that although LTVs account for one-third of registered vehicles, collisions between cars and LTVs account for over half of all fatalities in multi-vehicle, crashes. Also, nearly 60 percent of all fatalities in side impact crashes occur when the striking vehicle is an LTV.

The report also considers vehicle design, citing structural stiffness and higher ride height as factors in vehicle aggressivity.

The crash testing and technical examinations are key parts of NHTSA's comprehensive look at LTV safety issues. The agency is considering proposing new rollover warning labels for SUVs. It will also continue research on a new dynamic rollover test for LTVs. The agency also will study driver behavior and education.

NHTSA researchers also are reviewing ways to reduce the incidence of driver and passenger ejection in crashes through changes such as stronger window glazing, new door locks, and roof crush bars.

Amtrak Invests $100 Million In New California Rail Equipment New Trains to Serve Southern California and Central Coast in 2000

LOS ANGELES — Amtrak has announced a $100 million investment to purchase new passenger trains for the San Diegan corridor as part of a larger program to modernize the Amtrak system and improve operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The San Diegan corridor is Amtrak's second busiest, serving more than 1.6 million passengers annually, and the acquisition represents the single largest investment Amtrak has ever made in California.

"This equipment will demonstrate how significant capital investments can increase service reliability and improve customer satisfaction, allowing for service expansion to meet the region's growing demand for more transportation alternatives and spur economic growth," said George D. Warrington, Amtrak acting president and chief executive officer.

A contract to manufacture eight new five-car train sets was awarded to GEC Alsthom Transportation Inc. (GATI). The new trains will begin servicing the San Diegans in early 2000, replacing multiple types of single-level Amtrak equipment as much as 30 years old. The new dual-level train sets will include one Custom Class Car, one Coach/Cafe Car, two Coach Cars, and one Coach/Baggage/Cab Car for a combined total of 425 seats.

"The most important work is just beginning. To deliver a product that will satisfy the transportation needs of the Central Coast and Southern California, we need to hear from the communities and customers these new trains will serve. And, we also need to consult with the people who will be responsible for delivering the high quality service - our employees," said Gil Mallery, president of Amtrak West, one of three strategic business units of the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

The trains will be manufactured in Hornell, N.Y. with at least 75 percent U.S. content inclusive of components and labor. GATI estimates this order will represent approximately 140 new jobs at the New York facility. The equipment acquisition is made possible by the enactment of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, which provides Amtrak $2.2 billion in capital investment funds. Access to these critical investment funds enabled Amtrak to secure competitive private financing for the new San Diegan equipment.

Additional and on-going federal investment in America's rail infrastructure is required, just as it is for roads and airports.

Amtrak has estimated that its overall federal capital needs total more than $4 billion over the next five years. The $2.2 billion provided through the Taxpayer Relief Act is a significant first step, but the railroad's future is dependent upon receiving the remainder of the funds each year through the annual appropriations process.

San Diegan service is provided in partnership with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and Amtrak. Since 1990, Caltrans has invested nearly $1 billion in passenger rail for new equipment, track and signal improvements, station construction and restoration, and marketing and operations.

The San Diegan corridor spans 347 miles through San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. During the last three years, ridership in the San Diegan corridor has increased 13 percent and is part of a renaissance of rail travel in the United States, particularly true in the West.

Amtrak West Coast services grew 10 percent in ridership during FY97 and accounted for nearly 70 percent of the system's ridership growth during the same period, although these services account for only 18 percent of the company's national ridership.

Lucas Control Systems Announces Investment in Variable Reluctance Technology

DETROIT — Lucas Control Systems, a business of LucasVarity's Electrical and Electronic Systems Division, announced investment in improved Variable Reluctance (VR) sensor technology for use in automotive and heavy duty truck applications. This technology, along with fully automated manufacturing systems, was acquired from Component Sales and Consultants, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., and represents a strategic fit with the broad range of existing automotive sensor products currently manufactured by Lucas Control Systems. The technology and automated manufacturing systems will be relocated from Ft. Wayne to the Lucas Control Systems facility in Hampton, Va.

The improved speed and position sensing technology presents solutions to a number of key issues with VR devices, including concerns such as leakage, fine wire breakage and low output, while providing a cost optimized design. VR sensor technology is used in automotive and heavy duty truck applications such as vehicle and engine speed, electronic transmission control, ignition timing control, fuel timing control, and anti-lock or electronic braking systems.

American Axle and Manufacturing Establishes Presence in Mexico

DETROIT — American Axle and Manufacturing (AAM) announced that it will establish a wholly owned subsidiary in Mexico. Land was purchased in the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico with the intent of constructing a manufacturing facility to produce driveline systems. The facility will also house AAM's Latin American business office with sales and product engineering support.

The purchase supports AAM's strategic initiative to diversify, profitably grow and become the premier, tier-one global automotive supplier.

The Guanajuato, Mexico location will provide easy geographic access to all vehicle manufacturers throughout Mexico and Latin America and will allow AAM to provide them with local content. This, in turn, will enhance AAM's ability to support its customers and to grow its business in this emerging market.

Groundbreaking for this facility is expected to occur during the first quarter of 1998. It is expected to become operational on or before August 2000. Curt S. Howell, a multilingual four-year AAM veteran with over 10 years of global automotive experience was appointed managing director to oversee construction, build the organization, and be responsible for the future operation of the facility.

AAM is working closely with Mexican state and federal governments to plan necessary staffing, education, training and skill set development.

Intense Competition Leads Market Participants To Address Challenges and Opportunities in Industrial Electronics Market

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Automation technologies in the industrial markets have grown rapidly during the last 30 years, due to manufacturers' efforts to reduce costs and improve productivity, efficiency and their bottom line.

Additionally, the industry structure is undergoing changes as manufacturers expand into international markets, and smaller competitors target high-volume market segments. This intense competition has forced companies throughout the world to install business intelligence systems to monitor competitors, customers, suppliers, markets and trends.

Frost & Sullivan (http://www.frost.com/conferences) will assemble the industry's leading competitive intelligence and benchmarking authorities for its "Competitive Engineering in Industrial Markets Conference," April 20-22 at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco.

By focusing on the challenges, strategies, planning and the on-going market involvement in the factory automation, process, sensors, automatic identification and instrumentation markets, this conference is designed to help companies in the industrial electronics industry improve their bottom line. David C. Welch, manager of market research and intelligence at Hewlett-Packard, will introduce "Connecting Market and Competitive Intelligence to Strategic Direction," where he will translate soft intelligence data into the language of decision makers, and transform market intelligence into shared knowledge of competitive threats and opportunities.

"The Competitive Value of Scientific and Technical Information" will be discussed by Ralph G. Schroeder, principal consultant of the intellectual asset management group at Price Waterhouse LLP. Schroeder will describe how such information can provide clues to a competitor's strategy where hard data is not available. In addition, he will show how conference papers, journal papers and technical reports can be used as indicators of a company's technical direction in product development.

Using competitive engineering and intelligence to win competitive bids and field sales will be discussed by James R. Fall, vice president of marketing at manufacturing Data Systems, Inc., in his address, "Tactical Implementation of Competitive Benchmarking in Sales and Marketing Functions."

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Mechanical Engineering Magazine Online's News Digest is compiled from original reporting and various print and online news sources. The Digest will be updated regularly.

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