All Features
John Geary
The challenge of responding to the threat of cheap offshore labor isn’t new to North American businesses. Nearly a hundred years ago, Henry Towne wrote about the need for increased efficiency and productivity in a foreword to Frederick Winslow Taylor’s 1911 paper, “Shop Management”:
"We are justly…
Dr T Burns
In 1633, opposition to the common viewpoint could mean death. This was the case with Galileo when he proposed that the Earth revolved around the sun. He was tried for heresy. Of course things are different today. People who question dogma are no longer burnt at the stake. Instead, they’re branded…
David C. Crosby
Zero defects is an idea that was discovered in the early 1960s. It was articulated by Phil Crosby and first implemented at the Martin company in Orlando, Florida. Zero defects enjoyed widespread popularity until the mid 1970s, and almost every major company and their suppliers had a zero-defects…
Quality Digest
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will host the Productivity & Lean Integration for Plastics Manufacturing conference June 20–21 in Chicago. The conference will be part of the National Plastics Exposition 2006 show, which will be held June 19–23 at McCormick Place. A new educational…
Quality Digest
American Express executives head up the speaker roster at the third annual Six Sigma in Financial Services Conference. The conference will be held May 10–12 at the New York Marriott Eastside. Karim Houry and Rick Irving, American Express vice presidents of global reengineering, will…
Quality Digest
Organizers of the Global Six Sigma Summit have received almost 70 entries for the Global Six Sigma Awards. Organizations from India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Europe and the United States have submitted a total of 65 entries for all 10 award categories and for the Six Sigma…
Quality Digest
Management Systems International LLC recently introduced a new lean and Six Sigma consulting service. ImprovePlus is designed to help companies streamline their operations, reduce cost and enhance customer retention. The benefits of implementing the system include better bottom-line…
Quality Digest
The U.S. Army has chosen software from PowerSteering Software Inc. to track its lean Six Sigma projects.The Army uses lean Six Sigma to identify functions that are no longer relevant, to eliminate nonvalue-added operations and positions, and to focus resources on required capabilities.…
Quality Digest
An upcoming symposium will offer attendees a unique environment to learn about the production of hazardous-substance-free (HSF) products. HSPM2006 International Leadership Symposium for Hazardous Substance Process Management will include a thorough overview of QC 080000 IECQ HSPM, a…
Craig Cochran
Last year I had the good fortune of doing some consulting with B&C Specialty Products in Hopeulikit, Georgia. B&C does light manufacturing, primarily plastic molding and assembly, and they also distribute imported products produced by companies in the Far East. They have about 150 employees…
Quality Digest
The federal Office of Personnel Management now requires preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and other fee-for-service plans to collect and report quality performance measures. Beginning in 2007, 8 million federal employees, dependents and retirees will have better comparative…
Quality Digest
The Chief Executives’ Confidence Measure, which had improved to 56 points in the final quarter of 2005, edged up to 57 points in the first quarter of 2006, The Conference Board reports in its latest CEO survey. CEOs’ assessment of current business conditions improved, with 49 percent…
Quality Digest
Nonprofit organizations have until May 25 to submit applications to be part of a pilot Baldrige Award program. The National Institute for Standards and Technology, which administers the Baldrige Award, will accept applications from nonprofit organizations that have received a top-level…
Quality Digest
StatPoint Inc. and Manugistics Group Inc. recently announced the end of their longtime licensing partnership. Since 1984, Manugistics had managed the sales, marketing and support of StatPoint’s STATGRAPHICS product line. StatPoint has taken back responsibility for all aspects of the…
Equipment Reliability Institute will host a training program for vibration and shock test fixture design on Nov. 14–16 in Las Vegas. The course is for test engineers in laboratories that perform vibration and shock tests in a variety of sectors. Steve Brenner, who has many years of experience…
Frank Powell
Machine tool and manufacturing system builders have been producing increasingly intelligent equipment for more than 50 years, and today’s computer numeric controlled (CNC) machines and systems are marvels of technology. However, they still need intensive human supervision and…
Quality Digest
Davis Inotek Calibration Laboratory recently acquired Precision Metrology Inc. The acquisition of PMI, which is based in San Diego, will allow Davis Inotek to expand its ability to provide instrument calibration for manufacturers in Southern California and Mexico. This is the Davis Inotek’s…
Quality Digest
Endevco Corp. recently formed a partnership with Global Noise and Vibration Co., a Korean company. “The partnership will allow Endevco to expand its Korean business opportunities by having Global Noise and Vibration Co. as an authorized reseller of Endevco products and services. “Global…
Quality Digest
Metrology experts from around the globe will gather at the 22nd-annual Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference from July 17–21, 2006, at the Doubletree Hotel in Orlando, Florida. CMSC is the only North American conference dedicated solely to those responsible for on-the-factory-floor…
Quality Digest
Equipment Reliability Institute will host a training program for vibration and shock test fixture design on Nov. 14–16 in Las Vegas. The course is for test engineers in laboratories that perform vibration and shock tests in a variety of sectors. Steve Brenner, who has many years of experience…
Quality Digest
Cascade Microtech Inc. recently received Electronic Products’ Product of the Year award for its L-Series Microfluidics Metrology System. The editors of the periodical evaluated thousands of products launched in 2005 on their innovation of design, the significance of their advancement in…
Denise Robitaille
As an auditor, I have a hard time maintaining my composure when individuals tell me they’re unhappy with their registrar and yet have taken no action to address the matter. If clients are dissatisfied with the conduct of an auditor or service they’re getting from their certification…
Quality Digest
The National Institute of Standards and Technology recently issued the first set of standard reference materials (SRM) in a planned series for the assessment of botanical dietary supplements. The dietary supplement industry has exploded in the past decade to about 29,000 products, with about…
Quality Digest
The American National Standards Institute recently launched a tracking system to record the implementation of the United States Standards Strategy. Published in December, the USSS establishes a framework that can be used to advance trade issues in the global marketplace, enhance consumer…
Quality Digest
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is soliciting public comment on proposed changes to a standard to protect and verify the integrity of electronic data. “Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 186-3-Digital Signature Standard” (DSS) would be used by federal…
