Sypris Test & Measurement Inc. was recently named a certified supplier for the testing of military aircraft electronics manufactured by BAE Systems.The certification will allow BAE Systems to stock Sypris product without inspecting it first, saving the company time and money, while maintaining optimum product quality. “We trust them 100 percent with what they do,” says Bob Farley, BAE Systems supplier quality engineer.

The 2005 Outlook on Quality Systems Conference, which will be held Oct. 3-4 in Miami Beach, Florida, will offer four exciting, information-packed tracks: ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949, ISO 14001, and Quality Tools. Conference planners are seeking proposals for presentations and panel discussions, relating to:

Masami Tanaka started 2005 with a new job, president of the International Organization for Standardization. Tanaka emphasized in his inaugural message the need for sustainable development and standardization in a globalized society. “Sustainable development and the global economy require international standards that, at the same time, lower technical barriers to trade and disseminate technologies and good practices,” he said.

Aceva Technologies Inc. recently predicted that 2005 will see Six Sigma expand across enterprises and be accepted as the gold standard in process improvement. The prediction is part of Aceva’s annual business trend report. “2005 will be the year where Six Sigma will become a standard of measure in quality and efficiency within finance and accounting departments,” reads the report.

The Baldrige National Quality Program recently released its criteria for performance excellence in three areas: education, health care and business. The criteria are the basis for evaluation for the Malcolm R. Baldrige National Quality Award, and represent a common language for communication among organizations for sharing best practices. The criteria for business performance excellence include an optional self-analysis worksheet.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance has announced that 39 health plans have committed to participate in NCQA’s Quality Plus program. Collectively, the plans cover 11.5 million Americans. Quality Plus standards focus on the depth, accuracy and interactivity of the information health plans provide to members. Quality Plus is the first set of standards in the quality improvement effort, which as a whole is called Member Connections.

The National Quality Institute and John F. Thomas Management Consulting have formed a strategic alliance to implement quality programs in Canada. The goal of the joint effort is to firmly establish Canada as a global leader in product and service excellence. An increasing number of Canadian businesses are focusing on performance improvement and accountability, which has opened up the opportunity for NQI and JFT Consulting to lead the effort nationwide.

TÜV America’s Product Safety Division has been recently renamed as Product Safety Services. Formerly known as Machinery, Information Technology and Consumer Products, the department will continue to provide electrical and mechanical safety evaluations for products in the United States (NRTL), Canada (SCC), and European certification (GS), in addition to CB Scheme and CCC Mark. Other services extend to SEMI, field evaluations and training.

Northrop Grumman Corp. recently received three more CMMI Level 5 ratings, the highest possible rating for benchmarking commercial and defense industry best practices for management and engineering. The ratings apply to three businesses within Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector: the Information and Technical Services Division, the Rocket Systems Launch Program and the Missile Defense Wargame Analysis Resource Program.

Many well-known business gurus will be speakers at the upcoming Outsourcing Summit, which will be held in San Diego next month. The conference will feature keynote addresses from Robert Reich, former U.S.