Technology Briefs — May 31 - June 5
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The Latest Headlines:
- Boeing, FedEx Testing RFID Tags on Aircraft
- Iowa Governor Signs Renewable Fuels Law
- Descartes Systems Announces Record 1Q Results
- Tennessee Seen as Potential Biodiesel Hub
- Iowa Governor Signs Renewable Fuels Law
Boeing, FedEx Testing RFID Tags on Aircraft
Boeing and FedEx Corp. said Monday they have jointly initiated an in-service evaluation of active radio frequency identification, or RFID, tags on some major airplane parts for a FedEx MD-10 aircraft.The tags, created by Identec Solutions, are battery powered and contain a microchip and transmitter that operate at 915 MHz, an internationally recognized standard frequency.
James Ford, FedEx’s manager of engineering support, said the company is hoping RFID can improve parts and lifecycle visibility. “The aircraft records department keeps track of hundreds of parts, and if we could throw RFID tags on those parts, it would reduce the workload significantly,” he said. Transport Topics
Iowa Governor Signs Renewable Fuels Law
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) signed legislation last Tuesday requiring that 25% of all fuel burned in the state be renewable by 2020, the Associated Press reported.The law links a series of efforts aimed at boosting the use of renewable fuels including ethanol and biodiesel, AP said.
It offers a variety of incentives to expand the use of biodiesel, including a 3-cent-a-gallon tax break for retailers for every gallon sold.
The Iowa Motor Truck Association said in April that it wants better regulation of biodiesel quality and said that incentives for retailers are a key to using the renewable fuel in the state. (Click here for previous coverage.) Transport Topics
Descartes Systems Announces Record 1Q Results
Canadian transportation software provider Descartes Systems Group said it earned a record $1.2 million or 3 cents a share for its fiscal 2007 first quarter, up from $1 million or 2 cents a share a year earlier.The results for the quarter ended April 30 included revenue from Canadian technology firm ViaSafe, which provides electronic document exchange services for logistics firms. The March acquisition of the Ottawa firm added $900,000 to net income for the quarter.
Descartes, which has more than 2,500 customers in 60 nations, provides an on-demand service that allows companies access to its software on a per-use basis.
The company’s quarterly results included an expense of $240,000 related to stock options, Descartes said. Transport Topics
Tennessee Seen as Potential Biodiesel Hub
Tennessee has a chance at becoming a major biodiesel hub because of the state’s interstate highway system and ample land for increased soybean farming, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R) said, the Associated Press reported.Alexander held a roundtable discussion on biodiesel with representatives from soybean producers, clean-energy organizations, fuel providers and auto mechanics at the Nashville Auto Diesel College, AP reported.
There are 50 locations in the state where consumers can purchase biodiesel, but there are only two production plants in operation, according to the National Biodiesel Board, AP said.
Two other plants are being built and several more companies are considering similar operations, said Danny Rochelle, vice president of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. Transport Topics
