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Usually, when people discuss measurements they speak in absolute terms—degrees of temperature, millimeters of length, ounces of weight, candela of illumination intensity, degrees of angle, etc. For example, when I say the temperature is 56.4° F, the implicit understanding is that there’s direct…
Lumetrics Inc., a manufacturer of precision noncontact thickness measurement systems, recently received the CE Mark of technical approval for its OptiGauge system. CE marking is required for most products sold in European countries, and signifies that the product meets European guidelines…
Blame is one of the most useless, albeit pervasive, reactions that surround problem solving. For many people, the initial reaction when something goes wrong is: “Who did this?” The less-than-subtle implication underlying this question is: “I want to know who screwed up.” Some may even…
China’s National Development and Reform Commission has adopted EtherNet/IP as a machinery industry standard for that country. EtherNet/IP is one of the network technologies that composes the family of networks built on the Common Industrial Protocol, and extends interoperability among…
The International Organization for Standardization technical committee that develops standards for the oil and gas industry was recently honored with the Lawrence D. Eicher Leadership Award. The award recognizes outstanding work in international standardization, and is named for Eicher…
The American Society of Safety Engineers recently announced the release of a revised standard for construction safety. A10.44-2006, “control of energy sources (lockout/tagout) for construction and demolition operations,” recognizes the need for protection of personnel and property from…
Last month’s SBGi on HSF column, “Now What?,” focused on the emergence of RoHS and WEEE as part of the global hazardous-substance-free (HSF) movement. This month, we’ll look at what has been happening in the electrical and electronics equipment industries and in the European Union…
Stephen Carrier is Debt Shield Inc.’s new president. Debt Shield is a debt settlement company based in Maryland. Carrier is a Six Sigma Black Belt and previously worked with GE Healthcare Financial Services. There, he underwrote more than $1.2 billion in commitments over a nine-month…
GE Healthcare and Virtua Health will host a Lean Healthcare Workshop, the organizations’ second training collaboration this year.The workshop will be held at Virtua Health’s facility in Voorhees, New Jersey, Oct. 22–27. It follows a similar event that was held in March and received…
Two divisions of the International Quality and Productivity Center will present a conference on the use of lean in product development. The event will feature experts from organizations such as TRW Automotive, Honeywell International, Hewlett-Packard and Cisco Systems Inc. discussing ways…
More than 70 million privately insured Americans saw the quality of their health care improve in 2005, and there are still significant gaps in the quality of health care overall. In its annual State of Health Care report, the National Committee for Quality Assurance reports significant…
A new standard from the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission is designed to increase confidence in management system certification. ISO/IEC 17021:2006, "Conformity assessment—Requirements for bodies providing audit and…
As a major manufacturer and distributor of uncoated free-sheet papers, containerboard and corrugated containers, newsprint and market pulp, Boise Paper Solutions provides products that aid their customers in making their own products. That is why having to go offline for unscheduled lime kiln shut-…
Lean and Six Sigma have been implemented for many years and organizations have benefited from both methodologies. With Six Sigma, corporations have reaped benefits in the billions of dollars. With lean, organizations have reported up to 90-percent reductions in space utilization and cycle-times.…
SFR, the second-largest telecommunications provider in France, has selected PowerSteering Software to manage its Six Sigma-based quality improvement program. In an effort to finance new investments, innovate and reinforce its competitive position, SFR has already started several projects…
In the last InsideSixSigma issue, we published a brain teaser by Steve Wise, who proposed a scenario and asked you to pick a chart that best described the situation in a manufacturing operation. Here, Wise gives the correct response and comments on the wrong ones. Correct response The…
According to recent research, lean and Six Sigma are destined for eternal togetherness. The Avery Point Group, a national executive search firm that specializes in lean and Six Sigma, conducted a survey in which the desire for Six Sigma skills outpaced that for lean skills by a wide…
A new book offers a 10-step process for applying lean Six Sigma to supply chain management. Lean Six Sigma for Supply Chain Management (McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006), by James William Martin, provides a description of the tools, methods and concepts for lean Six Sigma management as…
Rear Adm. Walter Skinner, AIRspeed Command Deployment Champion, will deliver the keynote address at WCBF’s 3rd annual Six Sigma in Service & Transactional Environments Conference. Skinner will present a case study entitled “Achieving Transformation in Service and Transactional…
A recently released book explores four characteristics of highly successful businesses and finds that a major feature of quality and process improvement is the synergy between them. Hoshin Kanri for the Lean Enterprise—Developing Competitive Capabilities and Managing Profit, (…
GOAL/QPC, a publisher of quality training guides, recently merged with The Center for Quality of Management, a quality-improvement consultancy. GOAL/QPC publishes the Memory Jogger series of pocket-sized training materials. CQM is best known for its education and advisory programs for…
Richard Childress Racing, a nine-time NASCAR champion, has partnered with metrology company Metris USA. Metris will provide RCR with high-technology contact and optical metrology equipment to boost the performance of its engines. “Racing has always been about pushing the limits of…
Conversation at a business luncheon tends to be focused on work. The meal and service are secondary concerns. Still, clumsy service or a poorly prepared meal can ruin a productive business meeting, and a delightful meal and impeccable service can make such an experience enjoyable. Recently, I had a…
CogniTens Ltd. recently won the Technology Innovation of the Year award from market and technology research organization Frost & Sullivan. The award recognized CogniTens’ contributions to the dimensional metrology market, specifically for its CoreView and OptiPlan software products, as…
The Juran Institute was recently approved as a vendor for the state of Connecticut’s Aerospace and Defense Initiative. The initiative supports Connecticut’s Next Generation Competitiveness Strategy, and assists the state’s defense and aerospace industry in achieving improved…