Four hours ago, I walked up to a big pad of paper and started mind-mapping the types of interruptions we might face while trying to get our work done. During that time, the following events took place.

Q uality management has gone through considerable change in a relatively short period. The transition from paper and manual processes to point solutions was revolutionary in and of itself. Using software to automate processes that were once done by hand has increased efficiency, reduced operational risk, and improved the quality of products and processes. More recently, though, companies have shifted toward the holistic management of quality under one unified information management system.

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new microscope able to view and measure an important but elusive property of the nanoscale magnets used in an advanced, experimental form of digital memory. The new instrument already has demonstrated its utility with initial results that suggest how to limit power consumption in future computer memories.

Throughout history we've seen it: innovation held back by some elemental impediment in the product development pipeline. Computing speed slowed by balky I/O buses or insufficient software. Super-fast trains derailed by tracks that can't handle their speed. Design innovation slowed by red tape and poor internal communication.

Reis Robotics has established that it is possible to save plenty of energy even in the energy-intensive die-casting industry without negatively affecting the product. The following article describes how this is done at Pierburg, a tier-one supplier for the German automotive industry.

ISO 9001 is much more than a standard. It should be part of a company’s strategic plan rather than something to get certified to because customers require it. The guidelines and quality principles in ISO 9001 are just good business practices.

Much has been written about the need for standardized work to maximize worker efficiency and process performance. And rightly so. Without standardized work, huge variances in efficiency and effectiveness are virtually inevitable. Studies indicate there can be as much as a 200-percent difference between bottom and top performers due, largely, to a lack of standard methods.

Gauge repeatability and reproducibility (gauge R&R) is mostly used in manufacturing environments to determine if you can trust your measurement system to distinguish between parts, if the measuring tool is consistent, and if measurements are consistent across operators.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, several global apparel, sports, and toy brands hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. Large-scale protests erupted against these companies for allegedly using ‘‘sweatshops’’ with dangerous working conditions to manufacture their products.