Wheelchairs, scooters, and power chairs help people with limited mobility lead independent lives. Equally important are the mechanisms that move or transport these devices in the home or in vehicles.

The volume of oil and oil products moving through America’s pipelines, waterways, roads, and rails borders on the unimaginable.

(Carl Zeiss IMT: Oberkochen/Germany) -- The O-INSPECT line from Carl Zeiss is growing: The O-INSPECT 322 coordinate measuring machine is now available. It is the smallest system with which Carl Zeiss is expanding the range of applications of its coordinate measuring machines.

(Hexagon: North Kingstown, RI) -- The ROMER Absolute Arm is now up to 23 percent more accurate compared to the previous versions. With point repeatability values from 0.016 mm, the ROMER Absolute Arm is the most accurate portable measuring arm that Hexagon Metrology has ever produced.

(Nextec: Eastlake, OH) -- Nextec Laser Metrology, a corporation serving the quality inspection market, has announced its WIZprobe solution, an advanced noncontact laser-scanning sensor that significantly reduces component inspection time while providing highest precision.

(Brady: Milwaukee) -- Brady has published the Visual Workplace Handbook, a 21-page guide that outlines best practices for lean visual management. This handbook is available via download at no cost to you.

(Fraunhofer: Freiburg, Germany) -- Laser systems can be used to implement highly precise and ultrafast measuring processes. Railway measuring technology has a potentially huge worldwide market. One prerequisite for its use is that nobody is damaged or suffers irritations by the laser.

(EMS Consulting Group: Carlsbad, CA) -- EMS Consulting Group Inc., provider of continuous improvement training and consulting services, has just announced a Lean Manufacturing Certification program to take place in San Diego July 17–19, 2012.

(Frost & Sullivan: Mountain View, CA) -- The vision measuring machine rebounded strongly in 2010, a surge caused by the revival of the manufacturing and automotive sectors in North America and Europe. The trend continued in 2011, with unit sales of 8,000 to 10,000.

(Gemba Academy: Morro Bay, CA) -- Gemba Academy, a provider of online lean manufacturing and lean enterprise training, announces a no-cost webinar on May 23, 2012, at 1 p.m. CDT, presented by Bob Emiliani, titled “The Leader’s Role in Lean Success.”