All Features
Numerical Algorithms Group
(NAG: Oxford, UK) -- When researchers at the University of Warwick and the University of Sheffield decided to use the UK’s national academic supercomputer HECToR to study a problem in eggshell formation, they made use of NAG HPC software engineering expertise. The results they obtained may also…
Creaform Inc.
(Creaform: St. Georges Lévis, Québec) -- Last August, 3-D technology provider Creaform launched its Put Us to the Test 2010 challenge. Daring the world to submit high-difficulty engineering projects to its team of experts, the company promised thousands of dollars in engineering labor hours to…
GAO
(GAO Comm: Toronto) -- GAO Comm Inc. has released its Model 530 infrared thermometer designed for industrial, laboratory, food service, fire fighting, hobby, and home use. It is suitable for measuring surface temperatures in hazardous or hard-to-reach places or other situations in which noncontact…
Mike Martyn
For Starbucks, the world’s leading retailer, roaster, and brand of speciality coffee, 2008 was a tough year. Amid a struggling economy and increased competition from cheaper rivals, the company’s net income during the first three months of the year fell 28 percent compared to the same period in…
NIST
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program has announced that the 2011–2012 Criteria for Performance Excellence for businesses and nonprofit organizations are now available to download. The criteria serve as the standard for selecting the annual recipients of the…
100 Customer Service Tips by Larry Williams
If you’re like most people, you probably plan out a good portion of your day-to-day activities. Even in our off time, we generally make plans to go on vacation, to the movies, and out to dinner; it’s not often that we simply “wing it.” So why would you do so at work? Like the late actor Dennis…
American National Standards Institute ANSI
(ANSI: New York) -- In line with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), China has formally notified the WTO of proposed revisions to Chinese legislation guiding the use of toxic and hazardous materials in electronic and electrical products. A public…
Pinpoint Laser Systems
(Pinpoint Laser Systems: Peabody, MA) -- Pinpoint Laser Systems has developed the Microgage Roll Alignment Kit to facilitate the alignment of rollers, idlers, take-up reels, shafts, and web-handling systems. This newest addition to the Pinpoint line is compact and easy to use in all industrial…
Titan Tool Supply
(Titan Tool Supply: Buffalo, NY) -- Titan Tool Supply Inc. introduces its new Micro-Video-Zoom Objective and Camera, featuring a CMOS camera for use in microscopy or to attach to a borescope for connecting to a desktop or laptop computer. The new low-cost unit is supplied with a 6-ft USB cable and…
AICON 3D Systems
(AICON: Braunschweig, Germany) -- At the EuroMold show held Dec. 1–4 in Frankfurt, AICON showcased its optical measuring system MoveInspect HR, a system that can be used for aligning and positioning objects.
Aligning components or machines is a daily routine both in prototyping and…
Ophir-Spiricon LLC
(Ophir-Spiricon LLC: Logan, UT) -- Ophir-Spiricon LLC, part of Ophir Laser Measurement Group, a global provider of precision laser measurement, has announced a new version of StarLab, laser measurement software that converts a PC into a multichannel laser power and energy station. The newest…
Sologic
(Apollo Associated Services: Midland, MI) -- Well-known for helping Fortune 500 and blue-chip companies solve recurring problems and reduce risk through its root cause analysis (RCA) training and consulting, Apollo Associated Services LLC has announced the 2011 schedule for its well-attended…
Laurel Thoennes @ QD
I
n his new book, Essentials for the Improvement of Healthcare Using Lean & Six Sigma (CRC Press, 2010), author Diomidis H. Stamatis (aka Dean) presents solutions to the problems that plague the health care industry by providing case studies and explaining a multitude of quality tools and…
A new year always brings new hope, new plans, and new perspectives. While looking ahead is the most direct route to progress, looking back is essential to understanding the present. After all, the past creates the consequences that will shape the future.
With this in mind, the editors of…
Akhilesh Gulati
A friend recently returned from a visit to China; his company had been acquired by a Chinese organization and he had gone there as part of the mutual due diligence. Not only did he come back impressed by their lower manufacturing costs but also with their technological advancements. While we in…
Harvard Computing Group
(Harvard Computing Group: Devens, MA) -- Harvard Computing Group Inc. announces a prerelease pricing for TaskMap 4 until Dec. 17, the release date for v. 4 of this process mapping and documentation software. The capabilities of the TaskMap 4 Standard edition and Professional edition have been…
Riegl USA
(Riegl USA: Orlando, FL) -- Riegl USA announces that Riegl Laser Measurement Systems GmbH has released its newest V-line terrestrial laser scanner, the VZ-1000. The VZ-1000 provides high speed, noncontact data acquisition for ranges up to 1,400 m using a narrow infrared laser beam and a fast…
Simio
(Simio LLC: Sewickley, PA) – Simio LLC, a developer of 3-D object-oriented simulation software, recently announced the availability of Simio Express, a fully functional, 3-D object-based modeling and animation system. Simio Express, priced at $4,850, was brought to market so modelers could have an…
Spectronics Corp.
(Spectronics Corp.:Westbury, New York) -- Inspection professionals now have a new method for fluorescent magnetic particle and penetrant testing, mining inspection, and many other applications—the Spectroline EK-3000 EagleEye UV-A/white-light LED inspection kit.
This kit features the palm-…
George Products Co. Inc.
(George Products Co.: Middletown, DE) -- George Products Co. Inc. has announced the addition of Florida Metrology as the newest distributor of its OASIS Inspection Systems.
Florida Metrology, a sales and service provider of dimensional and visual inspection products based in Jupiter, Florida,…
ASQ
(ASQ: Milwaukee) -- The American Society for Quality (ASQ) has appointed John T. Fowler as managing director of ASQ Global. Fowler will expand ASQ’s presence throughout the world, focusing on membership growth, business growth, and developing and implementing strategic and operating plans. Fowler’…
In 2008 more wind-turbine power generation capacity was added in the United States than coal-fired power generation. The costs of producing power with wind turbines continues to drop, but many engineers feel that the overall design of turbines is still far from optimal.
New ideas for enhancing…
M
icromachining and micromolding are fabrication technologies used for developing devices and components at the micro-to-macro scale. To provide quality control at this scale, manufacturers must be able to inspect various surface measurements, including roughness, area, and dimension. Surface…
Donald J. Wheeler
In my July column, “Where Do Manufacturing Specifications Come From?” we found that the intraclass correlation coefficient is the natural measure of relative utility. This measure is theoretically sound and easy to explain. This column will look at how to use the intraclass correlation to…
100 Customer Service Tips by Larry Williams
Mother always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” This is great advice for a number of work-related conditions that can have a serious effect on your reputation and employment. When faced with the opportunity to speak or stay silent, consider the following…
