In the current issue of Innovate found at www.innovateforum.com, Frank Azzolino, CEO of aPriori Technologies discusses how the business operations focus is on financially related concerns such as margin, contribution, and profit. The language of the business is time and money. It is no secret that the profit motive is what drives critical company decisions. It is also no secret that the ability for the product to achieve the expected financial goals is driven by design and manufacturing decisions that occur very early in (and continually throughout) the product delivery process.

The holy grail of ‘collaboration' is meaningless if the parties are not speaking a common language. The ‘lingua franca' that translates the language of engineering into the language of business is ‘cost', specifically, product cost.

MCAD and PLM have historically focused on the engineering and design aspects of product delivery. The language of engineering as spoken by MCAD and PLM is based on physical attributes of the product and technological capabilities of the software solutions used. The result is a series of conversations about features, rounds, fillets, and chamfers.

Major PLM and MCAD providers long for acceptance and penetration outside of engineering departments at the same time the major ERP (enterprise resource planning) vendors strive to enter the engineering and product delivery arena.

In each of these application platforms, PLM and ERP, cost can be managed. On the ERP side, costs are always historical; these costs are available to be managed only after production. While it is more difficult to manage costs on the PLM side of the house, it is often potentially more valuable. The need for real- time, predictive costs are essential to allow design and manufacturing teams to avoid and eliminate costs early in the process (when critical cost-driving decisions are made.) Currently the array of MCAD, PLM, and ERP applications do not allow for the ability to generate this early cost knowledge.

The aPriori v4.0 Cost Management Software Platform provides real-time, predictive cost assessments throughout the entire product development and delivery process. aPriori v4.0 enables designers and engineers, manufacturing engineers and planners, purchasing and sourcing professionals, cost managers, and program/project management to make better decisions to reduce, avoid, and recover product costs. aPriori's solutions enable manufacturing companies to measurably reduce their Costs-of-Goods Sold (COGS) by whole percentages by identifying quantifiable savings in material, tooling, labor and overhead while evaluating alternative designs, manufacturing processes, and vendor sources.

"aPriori has customers in a variety of industries including High Technology, Industrial Equipment, Automotive, and Heavy Machinery. Recent customers include john deere, Panasonic, Thomas & Betts, Flextronics, JLG, and Dana Corporation."

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john deere 1st Birthday Lunch Napkins Party Supplies

Technorati Tags: birthday, deere, john, Lunch, Napkins, party, Supplies

• Decorate top or sides of a Cake
• Decorate Cupcakes & Giant Cookies
• Party Favors
• Use in flower arrangements & centerpieces
• SEE our other matching cake decorating products under CakeWorks on Amazon webiste

Product Description
Each key chain measures a large 3-1/2 inches by 3 inches and is made of durable hard plastic. On both the front AND back is the John Deere Logo in raised plastic for a 3-dimensional effect. Very well done! Stand it up on the cake for a dramatic effect or lay it flat on a frosted cake, then wash and use as a key chain or collectible after the cake is served.
(1 key chain per pkg.)... More >>

john deere Cake 1 HUGE Key Chain Re-Usable Cake Pic & Party Favor

Technorati Tags: cake, chain, deere, Favor, HUGE, john, party, ReUsable

The holy grail of 'collaboration' is meaningless if the parties are not speaking a common language. The 'lingua franca' that translates the language of engineering into the language of business is 'cost', specifically, product cost.

MCAD and PLM have historically focused on the engineering and design aspects of product delivery. The language of engineering as spoken by MCAD and PLM is based on physical attributes of the product and technological capabilities of the software solutions used. The result is a series of conversations about features, rounds, fillets, and chamfers.

Major PLM and MCAD providers long for acceptance and penetration outside of engineering departments at the same time the major ERP (enterprise resource planning) vendors strive to enter the engineering and product delivery arena.

In each of these application platforms, PLM and ERP, cost can be managed. On the ERP side, costs are always historical; these costs are available to be managed only after production. While it is more difficult to manage costs on the PLM side of the house, it is often potentially more valuable. The need for real- time, predictive costs are essential to allow design and manufacturing teams to avoid and eliminate costs early in the process (when critical cost-driving decisions are made.) Currently the array of MCAD, PLM, and ERP applications do not allow for the ability to generate this early cost knowledge.

The aPriori v4.0 Cost Management Software Platform provides real-time, predictive cost assessments throughout the entire product development and delivery process. aPriori v4.0 enables designers and engineers, manufacturing engineers and planners, purchasing and sourcing professionals, cost managers, and program/project management to make better decisions to reduce, avoid, and recover product costs. aPriori's solutions enable manufacturing companies to measurably reduce their Costs-of-Goods Sold (COGS) by whole percentages by identifying quantifiable savings in material, tooling, labor and overhead while evaluating alternative designs, manufacturing processes, and vendor sources.

About aPriori

Based in Concord, MA, aPriori is the technology leader providing innovative cost management solutions to the discrete manufacturing industry. aPriori's Cost Management Software Platform enables manufacturers to better understand product cost decisions early and throughout the product lifecycle. aPriori's Cost Management Platform empowers manufacturers to lower cost-of-goods sold (COGS), provides real-time visibility to "cost-critical" decision information, and builds critical cost knowledge to go on the business "offensive." aPriori's patented cost management platform allows companies to assess, control, and reduce cost of goods sold by whole percentages. The aPriori Platform truly enables "Cost Knowledge Before it Matters."

"aPriori has customers in a variety of industries including High Technology, Industrial Equipment, Automotive, and Heavy Machinery. Recent customers include john deere, Panasonic, Thomas & Betts, Flextronics, JLG, and Dana Corporation."

Technorati Tags: Apriori, Forum, Innovate, Profiles, Technologies

Technorati Tags: Auctions, deere, john, Latest, party

1. "If you own a home with wheels on it and several cars without, you just might be a redneck."

2. "Changing a diaper is a lot like getting a present from your grandmother -- you're not sure what you've got but you're pretty sure you're not going to like it."

3. "Now, it's true I married my wife for her looks...but not the ones she's been givin' me lately."

4. "Between New York and LA, there's 200 million people that aren't hip, and they don't want to be hip."

5. "For the first time ever I was taking the family on the road. We stayed with my in-laws, which on life's list of experiences ranks right below sitting in a tub full of scissors."

6. "My wife is so analytical with raising kids, and I am not. My feeling is if they turn out good, then that means I was a good daddy and put a lot of effort into it. If they turn out bad, it means they took after her side of the family."

7. "The designated driver program, it's not a desirable job. But if you ever get sucked into doing it, drop them off at the wrong house."

8. "This book is just a collection of my drawings. I never really showed them to anybody but my wife, and she always laughed at them."

9. "You moon the wrong person at an office party and suddenly you're not 'professional' any more."

And of course, we can't do Jeff Foxworthy quotes without some "you might be a redneck jokes" now can we?

10. "You may be a redneck if -- you have spent more on your pickup truck than on your education."

11. "You might be a redneck if -- your home has more miles on it than your car."

12. "You might be a redneck if -- your family tree doesn't fork."

13. "You might be a redneck if -- Your only condiment on the dining room table is the economy size bottle of ketchup."

14. "You might be a redneck if -- you think that Dom Perignon is a mafia leader."

15. "You might be a redneck if -- you bought a VCR so you could tape wrestling while you are at work."

16. "You might be a redneck if -- your belt buckle weighs more than three pounds."

17. "You might be a redneck if -- you think that john deere Green, Ford Blue, and Primer Gray are the three of the primary colors."

18. "You might be a redneck if -- you've been on TV more than 5 times describing the sound of a tornado."

19. "You might be a redneck if -- the most serious loss from the earthquake was your Conway Twitty record collection (you insurance man is one too if he pays you for it.)"

20. "You might be a redneck if -- your child's first words are "Attention K-Mart shoppers!"

There's no doubt about it, Jeff Foxworthy is a riot. Anyone who's lucky enough to have seen him live knows that it's not just the words he says, but the charisma that defines him. These Jeff Foxworthy quotes are just a sampling of the humor that has made this man so famous and adored.

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john deere 1st Birthday Dinner Plates Party Supplies

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Technorati Tags: Bucks, Deer, Expert, Exposed, Hunting, Secrets

• Decals are made of vinyl and measure approximately 54" wide x 44" high.
• For use on smooth, flat surfaces.
• Also includes full use and care instructions.
• Peel and stick clings come off the wall just as easily as they go on

Product Description
Make your child's big day extra special with these easy to install reusable decals! Made to move, these peel and stick clings come off the wall just as easily as they go on. Decorate for your party, and then let your child redecorate their bedroom with no worries! Available in a variety of themes to 'accessorize' every child's creative side.

* Decals are made of vinyl and measure approximately 54" wide x 44" high.
* Includes 1 large tractor, 1 medium tractor, 1 J... More >>

john deere Giant Wall Decals with Squeegee

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There are three primary reasons why cost savings are so valued. The first simply being that cost savings have a beneficial effect on the bottom line which is good news for any purchaser. The second is that any savings can be reallocated to the purchase of additional equipment and potentially improve efficiency. The third is that higher quality, more effective and efficient used machinery can now be brought in for no additional overall expenditure.

Traditionally, used machinery has largely been bought and sold through local auctions and sales. New machinery and used machinery is sometimes surplus to requirements, sometimes available through insolvency. Farming and construction publications also display advertisements for new and used machinery.

In recent years a vast new market in used machinery has evolved driven by the Internet, including numerous industry related sites offering huge data bases of equipment much of it with detailed specifications and images and sophisticated search options to help you find the specific machine to suit your needs. Products from a range of well known manufactures such as Bobcat, Case IH, Caterpillar, Claas, Fiat-Hitachi, Fendt, Ford, Hitachi, Ingersoll Rand, JCB, john deere, Komatsu, Leibherr, Link-Belt, Massey Ferguson, Steyr, Valtra, and Volvo are all readily available.

Not only has purchasing of used farming machinery and plant machinery never been easier, it's also never been better value for money. Online competition is hot and so are many prices. From tractors, sprayers, spreaders, tippers and trailers to irrigation equipment, pumps, mowers and harvesters it's all out there and it's often excellent value.

The usual advantages of buying online can all be seen to apply to machinery:

1. Price: items are usually cheaper on the Web because of online competition. Storage, staff costs and overheads in general tend to be lower.

2. Convenience: purchasing can be much easier on the Internet. It can be done at home, at a convenient time and be very quick.

3. Breadth of choice: Internet shopping allows you access to a wide range of suppliers all around the world. Online suppliers can also carry a much larger stock by aggregating products from a range of smaller suppliers or acting as a dealer portal.

4. Quick delivery: most Internet sites are able to deliver within a few days.

Of course there are sensible precautions that it would be wise to take before investing hard earned money in used machinery. You'll ideally want to personally inspect and test any equipment and take delivery of logbooks, certificates and warranties. You may even wish to have a certified third party inspect the equipment. You may have to pay a little extra to get hold of it but clean, good conditioned low use kit will likely save you time and money in the long run.

If it's great value farm machinery you're looking for have a look online today - you may well find yourself a bargain!

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