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Any company that attempts to reduce inventory and its associated costs brings its own unique advantages and challenges to the battle. Managing for optimal inventory levels is a critical objective that requires diligent attention and daily action to maintain the hard-fought advantage. The results,…
I found that training to run a marathon is a lot like completing a quality improvement project. I ran my first full marathon in November 2011, and as I was completing my training, I came across this quote about quality improvement from V. Daniel Hunt, quality management improvement author and CEO…
(Kistler: Novi, MI) -- Kistler, a worldwide supplier of precision sensors, systems, and instrumentation for the dynamic measurement of pressure, force, torque, and acceleration, has introduced additional measuring ranges of 15 kN and 5 kN for its Type 2160A NC electromechanical joining modules.…
(Steinbichler: Plymouth, MI) -- Steinbichler, a global supplier of optical measuring and sensor technology, presents integrated photogrammetry for the overall acquisition of 3-D reference points, with which complex 3-D digitalization projects can now be handled even more efficiently.
“We offer…
(LEI: Cambridge, MA) -- The nonprofit Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) will run 13 workshops April 3–5, 2012, in San Antonio, Texas, addressing the technical and social aspects of lean manufacturing and lean service transformations.
The curriculum also will help you understand lean as a complete…
Recently I visited the world-famous Tabasco sauce factory on Avery Island, Louisiana. We live approximately 30 miles from the global super-brand, and what else would a quality professional like to do on his holiday downtime than visit a factory to see what lessons he could learn? And my wife…
(TÜV SÜD: Peabody, MA) -- TÜV SÜD America Inc. has opened its 30,000 square foot Energy Efficiency Center of Excellence, located just north of Atlanta. The laboratory is accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) in compliance with ISO/IEC 17025—“General…
(Konica Minolta: Ramsey, NJ) -- Konica Minolta Sensing Americas Inc. (KMSA), a global leader in the industrial measurement of color, light, and 3-D shape, announces the launch of its newest benchtop spectrophotometer, the CM-3700A.
The CM-3700A is an updated version of the now discontinued CM-…
(CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL) -- Liberally illustrated with actual design examples, this second edition of Designing for Situation Awareness: An Approach to User-Centered Design, by Mica R. Endsley and Debra G. Jones (CRC Press, 2011) demonstrates how people acquire and interpret information and…
Contrary to common perception, the major automakers have produced large increases in fuel efficiency through better technology in recent decades. There’s just one catch: All those advances have barely increased the mileage per gallon that autos actually achieve on the road.
Sound perplexing? This…
(ANSI: New York) -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announces the availability of two key documents: • 2012 edition, ANSI Essential Requirements: Due process requirements for American National Standards (ANSI Essential Requirements) • 2012 edition, ANSI Procedures for U.S.…
(Lumetrics: Rochester, NY) -- Lumetrics, a leading manufacturer of world-class precision thickness measurement technology, has installed an OptiGauge at Direct Flow Medical to enable design and manufacture of new cardiovascular products. Direct Flow uses the OptiGauge technology to design and…
(ESCS: Lawrenceville, GA) -- The parts division of Encompass Supply Chain Solutions Inc. (ESCS), a leading provider of forward and reverse supply-chain management and high-tech repair services for a diverse range of electronics products and replacement parts, has launched the website…
(CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL) -- The Encyclopedia of Supply Chain Management (CRC Press, 2012) presents articles and 300 authoritative entries written by more than 30 experts covering all aspects of supply chain management (SCM). This is a comprehensive overview of fundamental topics, recent advances…
(San Dimas, CA) -- CRAIC Technologies, a global leader in application-focused microanalysis solutions, has launched the-CRAIC MP-2 microscope photometer. The CRAIC MP-2 is an all-solid-state system designed for photometry of microscopic samples in many fields, including biology and cytophotometry.…
(NPL: Teddington, Middlesex, UK) -- New research by the United Kingdom’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL), and the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) will improve the accuracy of estimates of the time of geological events. The work centers on the calibration of one of the…
Engaged people feel good about coming to work every day, says Fred Lorestani, vice president of North American Implant Operations for Stryker. “Given the products that we make and the kind of facilities that we have, as a leader you need to do everything in your power to make your teams engaged and…
Lights, camera, action! Sound familiar? Given the continuous release of movies, we are all familiar with this phrase. But what does this have to do with the quality profession or strategy?
“Lights” make more visible the area to be captured on film. “Camera” indicates the readiness of the equipment…
(Makino: Tokyo) -- Makino has announced its current roster of free online seminars for 2012. The seminars offer insight into a variety of new milling, electrical discharge machining (EDM), and control technologies for improving part cycle times, quality, and accuracy.
“The North American…
(ANSI: Washington, D.C.) -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), coordinator of the U.S. voluntary standardization system, and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) invite certificate-awarding entities that develop and administer energy efficiency and renewable energy programs…
(PCS Press: Vancouver, WA) -- It is amazing how time flies. It was December 1980 when I first started to write about the Toyota Production System in my newsletter, Productivity. In February 1981, I conducted my first two-week study mission to Japan, taking 19 top U.S. executives from ALCOA,…
(FDAnews: Falls Church, VA) -- Is failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) the cornerstone of your risk management program? Consider this quote from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) quality systems regulation expert Kim Trautman: “Are FMEA or FMECA… good tools? Yes. They are very good tools…
(Wiley: Hoboken, NJ) -- Clear yet comprehensive, Managing Performance in Turbulent Times: Analytics and Insight, by Ed Barrows and Andy Neely (Wiley, 2012), eliminates complex jargon and reveals what it takes to be an effective, modern-day manager. Offering expert know-how, this timely book equips…
It’s actually bigger than a battle over a popular condiment, according to some folks who oppose what they say is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) overplaying its regulatory hand.
We’re not going to settle this controversy here, but some experts suggest you may be able to sprinkle a little…
France—the land of haute cuisine, fine wine and cheese—would be the last place you would expect to find a thriving fast-food market. In a country known for its strong national identity and anti-globalization movement, it seems improbable that McDonald’s could have survived the onslaught of French…