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Here’s a question for makers of minuscule moving machines—the kind being eyed for nanomanufacturing and assembly as well as other uses: Do you know where your micro- and nanorobots really are? Care to bet?
A team of researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would…
To help manufacturers adhere to new regulations intended to reduce the risk of lead poisoning in children, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed standard test samples of lead paint films of the sort sometimes found on children’s products, as well as…
The electronics industry, perhaps more than any other, truly demonstrates the axiom that change is the only constant. Whether it's smart phones, medical devices, tablets, computers, or other consumer electronics, the one regular occurrence is change. Features and functions are revised, which alter…
There are two things right now that get relatively bipartisan support in Washington, D.C. The first is that a major league baseball team in D.C. won a pennant for the first time since we stopped huddling around our radios for entertainment. [Editor’s note: The Nationals lost in the first round of…
One of the many hidden challenges in hospital systems is to ensure required supplies are readily available and in the right quantity. Significant manpower is invested in material management so that patients receive care without interruption. An optimized supply system that uses modern technology…
(NICE: Ra'Anana, Israel) -- NICE Systems has announced the industry’s first mobile workforce optimization suite, which enables customer service managers and employees access to operational and personal data at any time, from anywhere, using their mobile phones or tablets. This set of applications…
(Newport Corp: Irvine, CA) -- Newport Corp., a global leader in lasers and photonics solutions that make, manage, and measure light, has acquired the products and technology of Vistek, a Tempe, Arizona-based manufacturer of advanced vibration isolation solutions. The new products will be offered…
(SAKOR: Atlanta) -- SAKOR Technologies, a recognized leader in high-performance dynamometer systems, will be exhibiting at the North American Automotive Testing Expo 2012 from October 23–25, 2012, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan. SAKOR will highlight many of its innovative…
It’s funny, but when a bunch of lean thinkers gets together, they tend to be on the lookout for small improvements. Cumulatively these little issues give us headaches, and regrettably sometimes have far more serious consequences. Call this mental muri, every bit as stressful as physical muri, the…
Like many things in the manufacturing world, the definition of “mobile data collection” depends on the company, environment, collection type, required functionality, and myriad variables. The abundance of mobile technology is changing the scope of data collection.
After many discussions with…
It may seem dangerous to ask questions, especially in an environment that is hostile to change. The heart of improvement often lies in listening to many viewpoints in order to involve people affected by the outcome. In an environment of trust, it’s okay to disagree with the boss. W. Edwards Deming…
(Steinbichler: Plymouth, MI) -- Steinbichler, developer, manufacturer, and marketer of optical measuring and sensor technology, will present its new, handheld laser scanner T-SCAN CS as well as the optical tracker T-TRACK CS in hall 8, stand L68, at EuroMold, Nov. 27–30, 2012, in Frankfurt, Germany…
The electronics industry, perhaps more than any other, truly demonstrates the axiom that change is the only constant. Whether it’s smart phones, medical devices, tablets, computers, or other consumer electronics, the one regular occurrence is change. Features and functions are revised, which alter…
In a harsh global economy, great service is the price of admission. Companies whose cultures aren’t built around the ability and the willingness—no, the eagerness—to delight the customer won’t survive. You know this. And if you’re a leader at a global enterprise, no doubt you’ve gained more than a…
Human perception of variation and how we execute the methods of four data processes—measurement, collection, analysis, and interpretation—were discussed in part one of this column. Because human variation can compromise the quality of data and render any subsequent analysis virtually useless for…
Beamex and Emerson have partnered to offer Calibration Excellence, a best-in-class solution for managing calibrations. This solution delivers the benefits of a complete automation asset management and premier calibration management functionality in an integrated solution.
Calibration Excellence…
A line-scan camera uses a single row of photo sensors, instead of a matrix of them, to capture images of a constant stream of moving material, often called a web. The data stream is then processed within a machine vision system to create 2D image data for industrial-quality inspection purposes.…
Mark Hoplamazian was predictably a little skittish when his bosses at the Pritzker Organization asked him to become interim president and CEO of the family-owned company’s signature investment and double winner of the Baldrige Award, the Hyatt chain of hotels.
He had spent the bulk of his career…
Have you ever been responsible for a data collection where any resemblance between what you designed and what you got back was purely coincidental? When that happens, yet again, I say to myself, “Well, it was perfectly clear to me what I meant.”
Consider the use of statistics as a data process, or…
(ISO: Geneva) -- Demonstrating that a company complies with International Standards is one way of creating confidence among regulators, consumers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. But how do we know that a certificate granted by one certification body is that same as that offered by another? Two…
CANADIGM is a nonprofit research group dedicated to advancing public education and awareness of events, artifacts, and sites of historical significance through advanced documentation, technology, and media. The group’s first project, Souterraine Impressions, seeks to preserve the chalk-based wall…
The Rose Bowl is often referred to as “the granddaddy of them all.” Since 1902, it’s where champions of the nation’s top-rated college football teams were determined, and is often considered the most prestigious of all the bowl games. If there was ever a “granddaddy” of performance excellence…
In my last column, “Detecting the Signature of Information,” I showed how it’s possible to statistically assess the structure of a message and determine its capacity to convey information. We saw how my own words fit the patterns that are present in communications that are optimized for conveying…
A report of how a process performs is not only a function of process characteristics and sampling chance differences. It can also depend on sampling approach. For example, one person could describe a process as out of control, which would lead to activities that address process perturbations as…
Very early in my lean adventure as a new vice president of operations, when the idea of listening to workers was still a little strange, I returned from a week vacation to find that two of my peer managers had teamed up to convince the company president that I had “turned over the asylum to the…
