Content By Quality Digest

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Careers in metrology

One of the more interesting measurement technologies we cover is 3D measurement. We talk about careers in 3D metrology with Matt Ilardo from Brookhaven National Laboratory and Keith Bevan from the National Physical Laboratory in the United Kingdom. From manufacturing to field work to R&D, 3D metrology offers exciting job opportunities to tech-minded individuals.

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William A. Levinson’s picture

Using Face Masks and Respirators for Covid-19
By: William A. Levinson 08/20/2020

Face masks and respirators may well offer the only way to return to an even remotely normal living and working style in the second half of 2020, which means they will play a vital role in any kind of economic recovery. This article’s purpose is to discuss what we know about respiratory protection, and also what can be done to make masks more effective by reducing air leakage. The effectiveness of a mask made from a particular material can vary enormously as a function of how well it seals against the wearer’s face. If we can enhance the effectiveness of the masks currently in use, we can reduce the danger to everybody.

The article’s primary focus is individual self-protection outside the workplace, and in workplaces where respiratory protection is not required. None of this content, however, constitutes formal occupational health and safety (OH&S) or engineering advice, noting that, with the exception of what is available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and ASTM International, definitive guidance is in short supply from authoritative sources.

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International Standard for Medical Device Testing Updated
By: Clare Naden 08/20/2020

(ISO: Geneva) -- Clinical investigation of medical devices is naturally highly regulated, with numerous national and regional rules and requirements that must be adhered to by manufacturers and investigators, as well as other parties involved in clinical trials.

ISO 14155: “Clinical investigation of medical devices for human subjects—Good clinical practice,” helps manufacturers comply with the requirements for good clinical practice in the design, conduct and reporting of clinical investigations.

Widely used across the industry, ISO 14155 has been revised to align with recent regulatory changes and amendments to other relevant standards. It also features a host of additional details and information designed to help protect participants in clinical trials and medical device users and to achieve sound results.

The standard safeguards the rights, safety, and well-being of trial participants and includes requirements for appropriate methodology that ensures the scientific credibility of clinical data. It defines the responsibilities of sponsors and investigators and explains the role of ethics committees, regulatory authorities, safety boards and other parties involved.

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Will Co-working Spaces Still Be Worth It?
By: Steven Forrest 08/19/2020

The ongoing pandemic will likely change, if not completely alter, many aspects of our daily lives. One facet that will significantly change is the way we work. After months of being in lockdown, the massive shift to working from home has proven to be effective in helping employees stay productive. This led a lot of companies—including those that were initially suspicious about it—to seriously consider remote working as a viable and legitimate work arrangement.

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Women in Metrology

If you are a woman with an interest in technology...

We'll talk with Rina Molari-Korgel, a woman who has spent years as a 3D portable metrology specialist not only within manufacturing settings, but in some very interesting field settings as well.

CMSC Women in Metrology information

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Richard Fendler’s picture

Managing Employee Recognition: Platforms Help Measure Satisfaction
By: Richard Fendler 08/13/2020

Job satisfaction is important to most people, and yet this can be a fairly nebulous concept that is tricky to achieve and also tough to measure in a meaningful way.

Luckily a number of software platforms designed to manage employee recognition have emerged in recent years, as outlined in this comparison list. The upshot is that it is not just easier for businesses to keep their workers content, but also to track satisfaction and thus extrapolate the morale trajectory for the entire organization.

Here is a look at how these platforms work, why they are useful for keeping team members happy, and how analyzing employee contentment benefits the business as a whole.

The basics

Although they vary in terms of features and functions, all employee-recognition software solutions share the same purpose, which is to codify and unify the way that appreciation for people in a workplace is demonstrated by management.

Thomas R. Cutler’s picture

Novel Picking Solution Protects Employees During the Pandemic
By: Thomas R. Cutler 08/13/2020

The old picking methods of paper, pick-to-light, and voice-picking are almost impossible when employees must practice social distancing, use PPE (personal protective equipment), and avoid contact that could potentially exacerbate the spread of Covid-19. One viable solution is pick-by-vision, which both reduces potential contamination and dramatically increases productivity.

Even during the pandemic, the issues of product-picking accuracy and productivity does not magically evaporate. A pick-by-vision system simplifies the workflow and makes it more efficient. Benefits include saving time, reducing the error rate, creating a low-fatigue operation, and strict process control to optimize the picking processes.

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Committee Responsible for ISO 9001:2015 Announces ISO 9001 User Survey 2020
By: ISO 08/13/2020

(ISO: Geneva) -- The committee responsible for the development of the international standard, ISO 9001:2015—"Quality management systems—Requirements," has announced a user survey to gather information on the value of ISO 9001:2015.

According to a press release from ISO/Technical Committee 176/Subcommittee 2, ISO 9001:2015 is currently undergoing a formal "systematic review" that is due to close on Dec. 2, 2020. Following the review, ISO/TC 176/SC2 will have up to six months in which to decide whether the standard should be "confirmed" (i.e., left unchanged), be revised or amended, or be withdrawn.

As an input to making the decision, SC2 would like to obtain the views of users of ISO 9001:2015 on whether the standard is adequate or if it should be improved.

The goal is to capture:
• Data on the value to organizations of implementing a quality management system in accordance with the requirements of the current 2015 edition of ISO 9001
• Data on its advantages and disadvantages
• User opinions on how to ensure this standard remains relevant in the future

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Compliant Steam Filtration Is Key to Food and Beverage Safety
By: Del Williams 08/12/2020

Approximately 48 million people in the United States (one in six) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die each year from foodborne diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Consequently, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is transforming the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it.

As part of the focus on preventing foodborne illness, 3-A Sanitary Standards, an independent, not-for-profit corporation for advancing hygienic equipment design for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, has recently updated its standards. The company, which maintains a large inventory of design criteria for equipment and processing systems developed to promote acceptance by USDA, FDA, and state regulatory authorities, no longer accepts “3-A compliant” as a legitimate claim.

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NIMS Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Launches New Smart Solutions
By: NIMS 08/12/2020

(NIMS: Fairfax, VA) -- The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS), established in 1995, is marking its 25th anniversary in 2020 with fresh, forward-thinking methodologies for skills training, performance validation, and credentialing that address the competencies needed by today’s technology-driven manufacturers.

“Manufacturing operations have automation and digital systems in place today that weren’t even concepts 25 years ago,” says Montez King, executive director of NIMS. “As such, the skills required and the ways in which those skills are taught and measured are changing as well, both on the job and at educational institutions. NIMS is uniquely positioned, after 25 years in industry and career and technical education, to be at the forefront of this effort.”