All Features
(LAI International Inc.: Scottsdale, Arizona) -- A Six Sigma program recently completed by LAI International Inc.—a supplier of precision components and subassemblies for original equipment manufacturers—has reduced production time by 20 percent for a critical structural aerospace component.
A…
(Avery Point Group: Atlanta, Georgia) -- After years of steady gains, lean has achieved a slight edge over Six Sigma as the more desired skill set. The accelerating demand for lean talent is an indicator that companies are increasingly looking to lean as a means to help them combat the current…
(Minitab Inc.: State College, Pennsylvania) — A new, complimentary e-book will help companies get a jump-start when implementing Six Sigma programs.
Quality Companion—Getting Started provides an excellent introduction to Minitab’s process improvement software. “Quality Companion is an ideal tool…
(NIST: Gaithersburg, Maryland) -- Using an ultra-fast method of measuring how a transistor switches from the “off” to the “on” state, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology recently reported that they have uncovered an unusual phenomenon that may affect how manufacturers…
The Axio Scope.A1 from Carl Zeiss for routine materials microscopy offers flexibility and high performance.
(Carl Zeiss: Thornwood, New York) -- Carl Zeiss, a provider of microscopy solutions for a variety of research, clinical, and industrial applications…
M. Scott Tillison
As the skilled, baby-boomer workforce nears retirement, years of technical expertise is exiting as well. Factories are watching years of knowledge leave their organizations, and how to replace these skilled workers has manufacturers concerned.
In a 2008 survey of 100 senior manufacturing…
Mike Micklewright
Question: Many modern enthusiasts claim that feng shui is Chinese for the practice of arranging objects (such as furniture) to help people achieve their goals. What is the American corporation translation of feng shui?
Answer: 5S (5 = feng, S = shui)
A very good client (definition: one in…
Mike Thelen
I received an interesting piece of junk mail recently. What caught my attention and provoked me to open it was simply that it was from an overseas automobile manufacturer and my lean obsessiveness engaged.
I know this manufacturer isn’t necessarily using the Toyota production system, but I…
Niraj Goyal
Abbreviations
t
Thickness of stack of product
T
Batch average of t sampled in the hour
Ta
Average if batch averages T…
Akhilesh Gulati
A recent conversation with the general manager of a manufacturer that was in the process of implementing lean methodologies provided insights as to their ongoing results. He was excited about what was happening in his company. Initiatives in the past had not been successful, and he now understood…
ASQ
(ASQ: Milwaukee) -- An executive order issued by President Bush that establishes mechanisms for improving government performance was greeted by ASQ as a welcome measure for ensuring effective and efficient application of taxpayer resources.
“We commend the president for his farsightedness in…
National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA: Washington, D.C.) -- The National Committee for Quality Assurance recently released its 2007 annual report, “Coming Home to Better Care.” The report looks at the promise of the patient-centered medical home, a promising approach that seeks to strengthen the patient-physician relationship…
Denise Robitaille
A few months back, I wrote about the choices an organization makes regarding its quality management system (QMS). At that time, I talked about the overall system, with particular focus on management’s investment and support.
Today I’d like to spend some time talking about the choices within the…
(ANSI: New York) -- Nearly 90 participants gathered together from June 24-25 for the 2008 Open Forum for Standards Developers, hosted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in Washington, D.C.
The second-largest open forum to date, this year’s event was attended by representatives…
(H.H.S.: Washington, D.C.) -- Significant improvement has been made since last year to enhance the safety of imported products, according to a new report released by the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety.
Entitled the “Import Safety—Action Plan Update,” the report outlines steps taken…
(ANSI: New York) -- The Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) has submitted a new work item proposal to the International Organization for Standardization for a standard on performance requirements for purpose-built anticounterfeiting tools. As the U.S. member body to ISO, the American…
(NIST: Gaithersburg, Maryland) --Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in cooperation with national standards organizations, have taken the lead in developing the first two standards for solid-state lighting in the United States. This new generation of lighting…
Peter Sanderson
Have you ever sat in a meeting room continually looking at your watch and counting the minutes left before the meeting ends? Have you wondered why—after 20 years of manufacturing similar products—you’re still discussing the same issues that reduce your profits and stunt your growth? Did you…
ASQ
(ASQ: Milwaukee, Wisconsin) -- Physician profiles are becoming an integral part of hospital appointment, reappointment, and ongoing professional-practice evaluation (OPPE) as now required by The Joint Commission. The American Society for Quality will provide direction on creating a profile, as…
(Quality Digest: Chico, California) -- Be sure to check out the new, fully redesigned Quality Digest homepage and web site. Not only is the new site more aesthetically pleasing than ever, it’s easier to navigate, so you can now find your favorite topics, columnists, departments, and articles…
Carolyn Clancy
Walk into many stores and you’re bound to be impressed by the quality of digital cameras, TVs, cell phones, and other consumer electronics. Every year the quality of these devices improves by leaps and bounds, and consumers often pay less as products improve.
I wish the same could be said about the…
(IBM: Armonk, New York) -- IBM’s vision statement, "Healthcare 2015 and Care Delivery: Delivery models refined, competencies" defined calls for collaboration among providers to achieve new milestones in defining, measuring and delivering value across national and global health care systems.
The…
(American Society for Quality: Milwaukee, Wisconsin) -- Physician profiles are becoming an integral part of hospital appointment, reappointment, and ongoing professional practice evaluation (OPPE) as now required by The Joint Commission. A free seminar scheduled for Wednesday, July 30, 1-2 p.m…
(American Society for Quality: Milwaukee, Wisconsin) -- The American Society for Quality has submitted guidelines to the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in response to a concern about a ruling that could threaten to…
(ANSI: New York) -- The Association Française de Normalisation (AFNOR) has submitted a new work item proposal to the International Organization for Standardization for a standard on performance requirements for purpose-built anticounterfeiting tools. As the U.S. member body to ISO, the American…
