Content by William A. Levinson
Guard Banding for Non-Capable Gages, Part 1Calculate the fraction of good product that will be rejected and nonconforming product that will be accepted
Mon, 08/23/2021 - 12:03
IATF 16949:2016 clause 7.1.5.1.1 requires measurement systems analysis (MSA) to quantify gage and instrument variation. The deliverables of the generally accepted procedure are the repeatability or equipment variation, and the reproducibility or…
Measurement Systems Analysis for Attributes, Part 2The analytical method allows more detailed quantification of the gage standard deviation and bias
Mon, 07/12/2021 - 12:03
The first part of this series introduced measurement systems analysis for attribute data, or attribute agreement analysis. AIAG1 provides a comprehensive overview, and Jd Marhevko2 has done an outstanding job of extending it to judgment inspections…
Measurement Systems Analysis for Attributes, Part 1Common sense says it is beneficial to understand the capabilities and limitations of inspections for attributes
Wed, 06/30/2021 - 12:03
Measurement systems analysis (MSA) for attributes, or attribute agreement analysis, is a lot like eating broccoli or Brussels sprouts. We must often do things we don't like because they are necessary or good for us. While IATF 16949:2016, Clause 7.1…
Reshoring Must Be Our Top PriorityQuality pros are key to helping U.S. workers earn high wages while maintaining lower prices, higher profits
Mon, 04/26/2021 - 12:03
The current national controversy over the need for a mandatory high minimum wage is but a symptom of a much larger underlying problem: the offshoring of American manufacturing capability. Offshoring ruined Spain and Portugal during the 16th century…
When Zero Isn’t Zero: How to Handle Lower Detection LimitsCalculate Ppk and control limits for processes with nondetects
Mon, 03/15/2021 - 13:03
Traditional statistical methods for computing the process performance index (Ppk) and control limits for process-control purposes assume that measurements are available for all items or parts. If, however, the critical-to-quality (CTQ)…
Using Face Masks and Respirators for Covid-19Good, better, best. Something is better than nothing.
Thu, 08/20/2020 - 12:03
Face masks and respirators may well offer the only way to return to an even remotely normal living and working style in the second half of 2020, which means they will play a vital role in any kind of economic recovery. This article’s purpose is to…
Preparing for the HEROES ActBusinesses can start planning on how to meet or exceed whatever is forthcoming from OSHA
Mon, 06/29/2020 - 12:03
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the HEROES Act (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act)1 which will, if approved by the Senate and president, require OSHA to develop a standard for workplace protection against…
Break the Curve and Keep It BrokenWe need to reduce Covid-19’s basic reproduction number to less than 1 to break, rather than flatten, the curve
Tue, 04/28/2020 - 12:03
The phrase “flatten the curve” means to slow the transmission of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in order to spread the total number of cases out over a longer period of time. This will avoid overwhelming the healthcare system.1 The model is accurate as…
Coronavirus Risks and OpportunitiesSometimes containment is also the permanent corrective action
Tue, 03/17/2020 - 12:03
The Chinese character for “crisis” means danger and opportunity. The coronavirus, aka Covid-19, outbreak has already wreaked havoc in the global economy, curtailed international and even domestic travel, and caused roughly 7,146 fatalities to date…
High Wages for EverybodyIt is possible to raise wages, lower prices, and make more money
Wed, 02/26/2020 - 12:03
Almost half of Americans work in low-wage jobs despite the nation’s low unemployment rate. Aimee Picchi, writing for CBS News, cites a Brookings study that says “44 percent of U.S. workers are employed in low-wage jobs that pay median annual wages…