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(AIMS: Dayton, OH) -- Pressure to increase production and minimize waste for increasingly complex parts is driving manufacturers to look for quality control processes that are faster and more accurate. To help companies meet tolerances and achieve repeatability, Advanced Industrial Measurement…
Ask how you can help, always keep a smile, respond to requests promptly... the list goes on. You’ve probably been exposed to an abundance of tips and tricks about how to become more customer-friendly.
That kind of advice can definitely be valuable, but what you likely don’t hear—unless you’re a…
Technology is a useful tool in quality. That said, there are limits to what technology can do. Here’s my summary of its advantages and disadvantages for quality professionals.
1. Data and measurements. Technology can help you automate measurements and analysis of data (Minitab statistical software…
The International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) began a pilot phase for its new Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) in January 2014. This audit combines regulatory audits the manufacturer would typically face when they sell their products in certain IMDRF member countries: the…
(Mahr Federal: Providence, RI) -- Mahr Federal has introduced a new “entry-level” surface finish and contour measuring system that can generate both surface and contour measurements in a single pass. The MarSurf UD 130 replaces the MarSurf UD 120 and offers improved features, including nanometer…
What happens when we really understand our customers’ desired outcomes or the jobs they are trying to do? Something pretty incredible.
A few weeks ago I wrote about “Faster Horses... and Customer Outcomes” and the importance of asking the right questions to understand desired outcomes in order to…
Although the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was passed in 2011, the reality is that the rules that went along with the law—and that truly define how it will be executed and regulated—are just now being finalized. Enforcement of these rules should really ramp up in 2016 and 2017.
Will…
(CMSC: Weatherford, TX) -- The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS), the eminent membership association for 3D measurement professionals, today announced its online attendee registration is open for the Coordinate Metrology Society Conference (CMSC). Held at a different location each year, the CMS…
Flu season typically peaks between December and February, but by the time the winter holidays roll around, many of us will have already waited in line at area clinics, grocery stores, and pharmacies to get our annual flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control reports that U.S. vaccination efforts…
These days, even a cursory scan of the headlines brings fresh reminders of risk, from the ramifications of climate change to shocking terror events such as the recent attacks on Paris by the Islamic State. Now more than ever, companies need risk managers.
Paradoxically, however, the new ubiquity…
Most of us struggle to keep up with ever-changing responsibilities that prevent us from doing our best. The human brain doesn’t respond well to the stress of juggling multiple priorities. Cognitive overload destroys productivity, zapping our focus and motivation. That’s where Personal Kanban can…
(SAE: Warrendale, PA) -- SAE International has announced the publication of a groundbreaking new recommended practice which provides guidance on vehicle cybersecurity.
“SAE J3061: Cybersecurity Guidebook for Cyber-Physical Vehicle Standards” establishes a set of high-level guiding principles for…
The Levey-Jennings chart was created in the 1950s to answer questions about the quality and consistency of measurement systems in the chemical and process industries. This column will illustrate the fatal flaw in this technique and show a better way to track the consistency of your measurement…
Hackers and hipsters may be behind the innovative success of today’s startups, but established companies require different skill sets.
It’s becoming obvious to the startup world that entrepreneurial teams based on the corporation’s typical structure work poorly. The idea that a team should be…
(ISO: Geneva) -- Controlling contamination is essential in many manufacturing and research activities. The use of cleanrooms, along with strict and stringent processes, makes this possible. ISO 14644-1:2015 and ISO 14644-2:2015, the recently revised ISO standards for cleanrooms, can help.
Food…
Unless you live under a rock, you’ve no doubt heard that the world recently lost David Bowie, one of the greatest artists of our time. My memories of the Thin White Duke go all the way back to my formative years. I recall his music echoing through the halls of our house as I crooned along while…
When applied to people’s intelligence, the theory behind the bell curve says that most people will be average, with a small percent being top performers and a small percent being losers. But when it comes to performance, the truth is the bell curve only exists if you believe it does.
Robert…
Manufacturers, robot suppliers, and researchers, here’s your chance to get in on the ground floor of an upcoming national competition intended to help make robots more handy and nimble on the factory floor.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is launching the Agile Robotics…
This month Quality Digest Daily welcomes Michael Webb, a noted author and consultant who writes about how the quality and productivity sciences improve sales and marketing departments.
How well does your company benefit from quality improvement and productivity? For instance, how well do you…
(CMS: Weatherford, TX) -- The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS), the membership association for measurement professionals, will make available a new CMS Level-Two Certification program for users of laser trackers at its upcoming 2016 conference.
This is the industry’s first hands-on performance…
While contemplating the teachings of Edwards Deming, who is widely known for being vocal on the topics of quality and statistical analysis, I thought I’d delve into a few areas where he was a little less known, but just as passionate and to a certain extent influential: leadership and innovation…
In part one of this series, we discussed the importance of providing formal skills training and having open communication. Without further ado, here are two more workforce tips, one about cross-training, and the other about employee engagement.
Implement cross-training initiatives
Cross-training…
As I was preparing this column, one of my resources referred to chapter 48 of the 2,500-year-old Tao te Ching (quoted below), which, as some of you know, is one of my favorite sources of wisdom. It really tied today’s message together, and I hope you can apply its wisdom to your improvement…
(Control Micro Systems: Orlando, FL) -- Control Micro Systems Inc. recently expanded the capabilities of its laser applications lab to include shorter pulse widths, higher peak power, more wavelengths, and more diversified lasers.
The applications lab develops laser solutions for a wide variety of…
As a physicist who explores ways to measure light more accurately, it should come as no surprise that I’m fascinated by even common optical phenomena that we see all around us (e.g., rainbows or oil slicks on butterfly wings).
Rainbows occur because light travels through water and air at…
