Abstract: A method of remotely monitoring and controlling a manufacturing facility through a manufacturing execution system (MES) uses wireless devices connected to a web server through a transcoding proxy. The wireless devices, such as portable digital assistants or cell phones, request information about the manufacturing process from the web server by requesting web pages containing the desired information. The web pages are modified by the transcoding proxy so that they may be correctly displayed on the screen of the wireless device. The MES can also be controlled by a wireless device. The wireless device passes control commands through the transcoding proxy to the web server, which sends them to the MES to control production in the manufacturing facility.

Abstract: A crankshaft for a V-6 type of internal combustion engine having longitudinally spaced journals and crank pins connected by a series of nine arms numbered from the front end to the rear end of the crankshaft is provided with counterweights on the first, second fifth, eighth, and ninth arms only. A line between a longitudinal axis of the crankshaft and an axis of a forwardmost crank pin defines, with the longitudinal axis, a reference plane. The centers of gravity of the first and ninth counterweights lie in the reference plane on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis and balance each other. The centers of gravity of the second and eighth counterweights are disposed counterclockwise and clockwise in the same quadrants, respectively, from positions that are 150 degrees and 30 degrees clockwise from the reference plane, when the crankshaft is viewed from the front.