Includes "National Trouble Shooting Contest--Training Technicians, Not Mechanics" (Wagner); "Front Wheel Drive on a Small Scale" (Waggoner); "Air Bags in Hit and Run on Rack and Pinion Technicians" (Collard); and "Future Technology--A Blind Spot Detector for Highway Driving" (Zoghi, Bellubi). (JOW)

Philip Morris' troubleshooting improvement program is based on nine key elements: targeted work groups; procedural, declarative, and strategic knowledge; cooperative learning; plant managers' support; widely applicable procedures; training organized by machine components; varied instructional methods and media; team teaching by operational,…

Describes how one school district resolved problems and saved money with its classroom computers with the help of a formal technology plan and its students. Describes how students were organized to troubleshoot for computer-related problems, the mutual benefits derived from the effort, and several best-practice tips to use on such an approach. (GR)

Comparison of a Japanese auto plant and its U.S. affiliate attributed the 10% lower production rate of the latter to less-integrated and weaker troubleshooting skills and lower maintenance skills. Lack of integrated skills in the U.S. was attributed to use of a job-bid system for transfers; integrated skill formation was controlled by supervisors…

Whereas great advances have been made in the statistical sophistication of assessments in terms of evidence accumulation and task selection, relatively little statistical work has explored the possibility of applying statistical techniques to data for the purposes of determining appropriate domain understanding and to generate task-level scoring…

Which high-tech products give you the most grief? Surprisingly, more people singled out TiVo and replay digital recording systems than personal computers, according to a recent survey by Best Buy. Nine percent of people said they found these TV devices difficult to use. The same percentage found PDAs (personal digital assistants) difficult. Only 2…

Anecdotal and research evidences show that the Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) development model has produced a paradigm shift in the way we develop, support, and distribute software. This shift is not only redefining the software industry but also the way we teach and learn in our software engineering (SE) courses. But for many universities…

Describes a practical application of hypertext that uses the "Guide" hypertext system developed at the University of Kent at Canterbury to supply customer support in diagnosing computing equipment problems. The underlying hypertext technology is explained, system monitoring is discussed, cost effectiveness is examined, and authorship is…

Aviation technician students used Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS) while using the computerized Technical Troubleshooting Tutor. TAPPS, a cooperative leaning strategy, enhanced students' troubleshooting skill, training efficiency, competence, and confidence compared to a control group. (SK)

Suggests that a chief contributor to the continued economic success of the western economies will be the productivity gains available through efficient preventative maintenance planning and argues for appropriate changes in engineering curricula. Describes the formulation of maintenance planning problems and illustrates with numerical examples the…

Cognitive technical skills assessments, the Group Embedded Figures Test, Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking assessment, and a problem-solving inventory were completed by 15 maintenance technicians. Near-transfer problem-solving skills were predicted by cognitive ability, years of experience, and critical thinking. Field dependence/independence and…

This document discusses how students and schools can benefit from exchanging computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) files over the Internet, explains how files are exchanged, and examines the problem of selected hardware/software incompatibility. Key terms associated with information search services are defined, and several…

Knowledge management (KM) in the U.S. Navy is championed as a strategic initiative to improve shipboard maintenance and troubleshooting at a distance. The approach requires capturing, coordinating, and distributing domain expertise in electronics and computer engineering via advanced information and communication technologies. Coordination must be…

A study described machine operators' problem-solving actions at a computerized circuit-board assembly machine in a small manufacturing plant located on the West Coast. Participants were a machine operator and his supervisor, both from Vietnam, who were building large prototype boards for a major computer corporation. Over a 6.5 minute interval,…

This training module on the troubleshooting of an electromechanical system, The Westinghouse Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) controlling a pneumatic robot, is used for a troubleshooting unit in an electromechanical systems/robotics and automation systems course. In this unit, students locate and repair a defect in a PLC-operated machine. The…