Web Update

New...and improved? On an almost daily basis, you're likely to see or hear a company raving about its new and improved product or service.

By Len O'Neal, Web Editor April 1, 2000

New…and improved?

On an almost daily basis, you’re likely to see or hear a company raving about its new and improved product or service. And if you’re like me, you think to yourself: How can something be improved if it’s new? Isn’t it an either-or situation?

This month, we attempt to avoid the gray area surrounding this debate by highlighting some new web sites and alerting you to some truly improved ones.

New to the net

Get wise about compressors by visiting CompressorWise.com (www.compressorwise.com). The goal of this new web site is to help you get the most from your compressed air system by putting you in touch with the best people and companies in the compressor industry. Topics include used compressors, cylinder repair, air system savings, compressor monitoring, and more. (This web site and other compressor-related resources can be found in the “Compressors” channel on Plant Engineering Online, www.plantengineering.com.)

Looking for an interactive fluid power technology resource? Fluid Power Technologies Intl. (www.fptintl.com) is a new web site that promises to be such a resource. The mission of this consulting and outsourcing operation is to empower manufacturers, distributors, and end users of fluid power components and systems. What appears to be a step in the right direction is their still-in-development Empowerment Zone, which when completed will feature an Ask the Expert section, Engineer’s Encyclopedia, Excellence Institute (educational forum), Product Comparisons section, and more.

Not new, but improved

Plant Support and Evaluations, Inc., which can be accessed at www.plantsupport.com, has improved its approach to training with an online steam system examination. No more guessing where your skill level lies; simply take the no-obligation, online exam and receive feedback from Plant Support regarding your placement level. At the time of this writing, the training system was being updated to provide instantaneous feedback for each question of the exam.

Just in time for last month’s National Manufacturing Week, our partner web site, Manufacturing.net (www.manufacturing.net) introduced an improved version of its web site. Still available-and improved-is a wealth of information for manufacturing professionals, including original editorial content, up-to-date product information, economic statistics, and industry-specific news and research. The major improvement comes in the pairing of this content with a new 1.8-million product catalog that provides detailed information on specifications, pricing, and availability. With this new SuperCatalog, manufacturing.net is transforming itself into the manufacturing e-marketplace on the web, free to all industrial buyers and specifiers. It is now a comprehensive site where you can learn, find, compare, and buy from suppliers you trust.