In an age where data are among the most valuable assets for any business, the ability to retrieve, process, and utilize information efficiently is critical for success. Yet traditional data-retrieval methods often struggle with the demands of today’s dynamic business environments. Enter retrieval-…

Every year, Amy B., a buyer for a large retail chain store, hosts an Easter egg decorating team-building party where she and a bunch of her suppliers spend an entire afternoon coloring and bedazzling boiled eggs. None of them bring kids—they do this for the sheer pleasure of out of the office…

Machinists working strictly in metalworking shops don’t have many occasions to gage the thickness of soft materials. But many of our readers work in supporting roles, helping to build or maintain the machines that produce textiles, plastic films, paper, and other products that are compressible.…

The Man of La Mancha never got to the unreachable goal—and if you’re being judged by overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), then your manager may also be dreaming an impossible dream. This column will look at problems associated with the use of OEE values. OEE is a value often used in lean…

My story begins with Hurricane Milton, one of two tragic hurricanes to hit the west coast of Florida last year. Milton went right over Sarasota, where I live part of the year. It was a devastating storm; tree and plant debris still remain on the sides of many roads. Big root balls are still upended…

By editing the polymers of discarded plastics, chemists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have found a way to generate new macromolecules with more valuable properties than those of the starting material. Upcycling may help remedy the roughly 450 million tons…

Maintaining high-quality standards is critical in the heavy equipment industry. Customers rely on manufacturers to deliver products that perform reliably in harsh and demanding operating conditions. The stakes are high. Deviation from quality and overlooked detail can lead to expensive warranty…

A safe work environment will foster productivity, reduce hazards, and enhance overall work morale. Keeping your team and assets safe requires implementing the right policies, medical necessities, vigilant oversight, ongoing assessments, and proper training. As the COO of DUSAW, making smart locks…

New research provides a compelling analysis of the repercussions of return-to-office (RTO) policies on employee turnover, hiring, and the overall talent pool within major corporations. Using data from more than 3 million LinkedIn profiles, Mark Ma, at the University of Pittsburgh, along with other…

GKN Aerospace Deutschland is a global tier-one supplier of airframe and engine structures, landing gear, electrical interconnection systems, transparencies, and aftermarket services. The company has more than 38 manufacturing locations in 12 countries and 17,000 employees worldwide. It…

The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024 was the consequence of a long-standing problem: the fragility of aging infrastructure. As reconstruction gets underway on an estimated four-year timeline, the disaster reflects the urgent need for better bridge inspection nationwide…

PharmaNZ is a family-owned nutraceutical company that manufactures health supplements for the world’s leading brands. The company produces more than 250 tonnes of powder-blend products, 10 million tablets, and 70 million hard-shell capsules annually for clients worldwide. The company, founded by…

Cash is king for manufacturers, from the owner down to the machine operators. If you visit any manufacturer, you’ll see that most have a keen eye on how everything is being used. Machines are generally only running if they are making parts; employees are typically only working if orders are coming…

When first responders need to rescue people from an earthquake-ravaged home, they need real-time information. If law enforcement officers are looking for a shooter in a crowded building, they must learn everything they can about the scene.  Emergency responders need to know where people are and…

I had just finished a keynote presentation and was at the book table set up by the client. Participants were invited to pick up one or more of my books, and the company would pay for them. One excited audience member quickly made their way to the table and was perusing their possible choices. They…

If you’ve heard or read about quantum mechanics, you may have seen it described as “weird.” Even the great Albert Einstein—one of the founders of quantum mechanics—called certain aspects of the theory “spooky.” With its wave-like particles and particle-like waves, quantum mechanics certainly…

Quality management has evolved far beyond traditional checklists and periodic inspections. For complex supply chains, quality is no longer a static endpoint. It’s a dynamic real-time process deeply interwoven with collaboration, transparency, and data-driven decision-making. As supply chains grow…

You open your email and your stress level spikes: It’s another request titled “Can I work from home tomorrow?” It’s one of several you received in the last month—a relentless march of requests for remote work that ask for one-off exceptions to your policy. So, what’s the deal? This constant…

For 185 years, Bharat Forge CDP has been a hallmark of expertise and craftsmanship in metal forging and forming. The German company is known worldwide as an innovative leader and trusted supplier to a wide range of industries, including automotive, rail transportation, and mechanical engineering…

Founded in 2007 by three-time World Sportscar Champion Wayne Taylor, Wayne Taylor Racing has quickly become one of the most recognized motor sports brands around the world. WTR is indeed a powerhouse. It has secured numerous wins across an impressive range of iconic events and race series,…

Since the early 1980s, the automotive industry has used hydraulically actuated (servo-hydraulic) test systems to simulate operating speeds and road conditions for testing OEM components and fully assembled vehicles. These systems have helped unlock vast improvements in the quality, safety, and…

In a growing business milieu, ISO quality management system compliance ensures that organizations meet global standards for quality, safety, and efficiency. However, maintaining compliance with ISO frameworks such as ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety), and ISO…

You are the only one who can protect your time and your interests. You have to establish the “line” you’re not willing to cross or allow others to cross. Whether it’s the number of hours you work, the work you do (and the work others do), or the physical layout of your workspace, there are things…

Every time you squeeze toothpaste onto your toothbrush, spray perfume on your skin, or swallow a pill, you’re using the result of a carefully crafted recipe made in a lab. These are called formulations. Formulations aren’t just simple mixtures—they’re complex arrangements of ingredients designed…

In last month’s article, “ANOVA and the Process Behavior Chart,” we saw how both techniques use the same basic comparison to answer completely different questions. Here, we’ll look at a case history where both techniques were used. A physical property of a mass-produced item was important to its…